Oral History Interview, Joseph Boucher (2430)

Abstract

During Grandparents University, Sustainable Energy Solutions Major Jack Harland interviews his grandparent Joe Boucher about how he has viewed the clean energy transition throughout his lifetime. Boucher was aware of where energy came from as a child, having to shovel coal and natural gas for heat. When he first heard of renewable energy, it didn’t feel like a big deal at first because gas and energy was so cheap at the time. He soon began to see the importance of moving towards more renewable systems. Boucher believes that the environment has actually improved since his childhood. He recalls the air and water quality being poor in his childhood from nearby paper mills. Boucher wants to continue to see the environment improve for his grandson and future generations to come. This story was collected in collaboration with UW-Madison’s Oral History Program.