9 Comments
Tomorrow!
Flying kites!
EarthCo is providing plastic bags and pre-made plastic bag kites for a Mary Poppins session on Low Plaza from noon to 4:00 pm, where they’ll probably also try to teach you something about wind power. The group is trying again to persuade Columbia buy alternative energy, which didn’t go so well last year, clever marketing campaigns aside.
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9 Comments
@Wind Power I talked to the head of the Environmental Stewardship office in September about buying environmental energy credits and such, and her explanation for why Columbia isn’t was very convincing. Columbia is part of the NYC Green plan or whatever Bloomberg’s plan to reduce energy usage by 20% is called. For Columbia, this requires major investments in energy efficiency equipment. Part two is that Columbia *can’t* use alternative energy, nor can anybody in NYC for the moment, because the electric grid does not connect to wind farms in rural Pennsylvania, basically. Buying renewable energy therefore would be more like paying a ton of money for somebody else to use renewable energy, when they could be spending that money to help Columbia use less energy overall.
I totally support what Earth Co’s trying to do, but, honestly, given the direction Columbia’s going in, we’d be better served by working to reduce student energy usage. Unplug and turn off laptops when you’re not using them, unplug chargers, take shorter showers, order less carry-out (fewer plastic bags), etc. Lifestyle changes can make a reasonably significant difference in and of themselves
@wind The idea with wind power is to invest in that technology. Although we might wish that Columbia could be entirely wind powered, rather than another location, that is more a matter of pride. Showing a demand for and supporting wind power makes it more likely that the endeavor will succeed and receive more funding. As the demand increases and technology progresses, alternative energy will have a much greater chance of succeeding and becoming our main energy source. Working to reduce student energy use is admirable and important, but it is not enough. I think it is our responsibility to reduce our own consumption, and it can make a difference, but that is only part of the solution. A major change in infrastructure is needed.
@pissed id rather smoke a blunt
@yeah but then again, who wouldn’t?
@solution do both!
@broken link
@Thanks! Fixed!
@student what if it rains tmr?
@Anonymous Our rain date is next Friday but the forecast shows no rain =D.