Duluth, MN - iStockAnalyst.com:
As world leaders talk, local schools cutting carbon
December 7, 2009 07:54 PM
Not only do they hope to replace lighting in the school's gym; they want to develop a system to run several personal computers off one drive, with an 80 percent cut in energy use.
There also are plans for an electricity generating solar panel on the new concession stand at the football field. And the school is starting a new recycling program to eliminate Styrofoam and plastic in the lunchroom, cutting carbon emissions and reducing trash.
The goal is to cut the school's carbon footprint by 10 percent, or about 100 tons per year, over the next couple years. ...
At UMD, sustainability coordinator Mindy Granley said carbon calculators show 90 percent of the school's greenhouse gas emissions come from electricity and natural gas. Every effort to make lighting and heating more efficient so less coal (for electricity) and gas are burned helps reduce carbon, Granley noted.
"We've been working administratively for a while on taking steps to cut energy use and carbon. But [Minnesota Schools Cutting Carbon] is exciting because it has got students involved," Granley said. "We're working off their ideas. It's also saving some money, which is good in a state budget crunch like we have."
Students also recognized that how they get to school creates carbon emissions, and last spring held a "bike, bus and board to school" promotion.
UMD already has made some moves. Earlier this year, four new outdoor solar-powered trash compactors were placed at key locations around campus. They crush trash so containers need to be emptied less often, and recycling bins are included at the same site. ...