ABSTRACT
The Cheyenne Community Solar Greenhouse was built by Community Action of Laramie County after a successful greenhouse project, involving 15 low-income youths, brought the group national acclaim in 1976. The young people, all in the program as an alternative to jail, built three 16-by-20-foot solar greenhouses on vacant lots in Cheyenne. These structures worked so well they are still being used to provide food for a group home of 35 handicapped people. The workshop group included about thirty people, including high school students, as well as unemployed, retired, and professional people. This self-selected group of community volunteers responded to a local media campaign. Since the workshop had taken place in December, project implementation had to wait for spring and good weather. The plan to build the greenhouse a section at a time proved to be a wise decision—the project ran short on money twice.
