Eco-news in brief 4-17
By CG News Editor Kelly Doran
Los Angeles schools install solar equipment
The William S. Hart Union High School District recently installed a 7.3-megawatt system for solar energy for free. The system was installed by PsomasFMG, a company the school is now required to buy energy from, at a discounted price, for 20 years. Deals and programs like these can save school systems up to 85 percent of their energy costs. Seventeen schools in Los Angeles have received solar arrays thus far, and school officials have hired five private companies to supply and set up equipment.
Karakoram glaciers are gaining mass
A French scientist team has shown that glaciers in the Karakoram Range of mountains in Asia are gaining mass. However, the reason for the mass gain is unclear, as glaciers in other parts of the Himalayas are decreasing in mass. The Karakoram Range is a separate chain from the Himalayas and includes the world’s second highest peak, K2. The change is uncertain, as making comparisons are difficult because conditions need to be ideal to take data and the Karakoram Range is hard to reach. Also, other factors can change the height of the ice surface.
OU places first in MAC schools in RecycleMania
Ohio University Athens campus finished RecycleMania first in the Mid-American conference. This year was the first year all six OU campuses participated in the competition, which includes over 600 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Among the OU campuses, Athens placed highest in the “Grand Champion” category by finishing 43 overall. Lancaster finished second overall in the “Bottles/Cans” category and ninth in “Per Capita Classic.” The Southern campus finished eight in “Waste Minimization.” Ohio University is expanding their composting operation, which will help decrease waste. Annie Cadmus, Director of Sustainability at OU, said that OU will be composting 100 percent of organic waste from the dining halls, food preparation sites and kitchens by this coming fall.
