Solar Schools Better Equipped for Recession
U.S. schools spend more on utilities than books and computers combined.
Public schools spent $8 billion on utilities in 2002, up by $2 billion from 2000, and the fluctuating utility and oil prices can be daunting when planning for the future. Although natural gas and oil prices have come down significantly from their high last July, it is important to remember their recent impact.
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“Electricity is up approximate 12%, heating oil is up 65%, and natural gas is up 40%,” said Supt. Dr. Patricia Grenier of Barnstable School District last summer. “This is nothing that anyone has done, but this is an impact that must be addressed.”
Some school districts are cutting staff or increasing taxes. Others are even considering a 4 day school week to save on fuel costs. No matter how the budgets are ultimately balanced, it is hard for anyone to get excited about paying more for energy.
An organization called Climate Cycle is gathering momentum and enthusiasm by installing solar systems in public schools. Climate Cycle organizes bike rides to raise awareness and funds to combat climate change. Proceeds from the rides are used to install the solar systems in local schools and for global warming education. The inaugural ride will be on May 9 in downtown Chicago.
Why Solar as a Solution?
“Solar technology is a way to supplant the use of fossil fuels,” said Joey Feinstein, Executive Director of Climate Cycle. “Contrary to most people’s beliefs, residential and commercial buildings are responsible for the lion’s share of greenhouse gas emissions. Putting solar in schools is a great way to reduce the carbon emissions of these buildings.”
Solar also saves money for schools that are struggling to balance their budgets. These solar systems are provided to schools at no cost to them, while giving children first-hand experience with solutions for global warming. Renewable energy is seen as a rapidly growing job market, and students with greater knowledge of these technologies have an advantage in the job market.
“There will be tens of thousands of jobs in renewable energy in the future,” said Tim Herling, the director of operations at Notre Dame High School, a school with two solar systems. “Why not put the boys in this school in the front of this industry? If this is the future, let it start here.”
We have one new school and another being built currently in Lincoln Way school district in Illinois suburbs just outside of Chicago and I don’t see anything in those two new buildings that is close to green building. Same old same old. And than the district pres will B.tch and complain when they can’t afford the utility bills and ask for more taxes.
I’m guessing that in the near future, schools will be built with roofs that are made out of solar as a standard feature. This is already starting to get traction in California by developers who are installing solar roofs. Of course, solar doesn’t work everywhere. We’ll need to be able to convert Cradle to Cradle type products into energy through clean combustion of some sort… it’s good the students get a taste of this at this age though- welcome to the Thunderdome anyone?
I like the end of this…a plea for us all to realize we must work together on this issue. So true.
Definitely makes sense. It’s a practical way to divert money from energy costs and to educational materials. Many colleges and universities use solar partially, and there’s a good reason why.
I’d like the substance of this article to live up to the promise in the title. How are Solar Schools better equipped for recession? Some obvious anecdotal things come to mind, but hard evidence would be very much appreciated.
If the U.S. had chosen to be a moral people, and leaving Iraqi oil alone, and following Al Gore, decided to develop the South Western deserts, with the technology of the times - solar/thermal-molten sodium - electricity installations, for the same amount of money as that war cost, ($650 Billion), today, we would be tapping into the largest, renewable, sustainable, energy source the world has ever known. It would have paid every energy bill in the U.S.A. for maintenance fees only - FOREVER! It would be equivalent to an oil field that can NEVER run dry! Low cost electric power, and storeable hydrogen gasoline replacement from the electricity, for all!
After the millions of murders, and $650 billions of dollars, borrowed from our children’s futures and pissed away, with thousands of our own and others maimed and disfigured for life, millions of families utterly destroyed, ours and theirs, we are no closer to Iraqi oil production than the Iraqis are!
The next time you hear a blithering idiot spoiled brat, drunken, drug addicted, sociopath, rich Arabic saber dancing daddie’s boy oilman, stand at a microphone and threaten YOUR safety with someone ELSE’S weapons, remember what you lost America, remember, and weep! (also see http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=a-solar-grand-plan)
Make Love not war, condoms not bullets, “the pill” not Prozac! and eat less beef!
Indeed, the recession doesn’t seem to have hit the solar sector that hard. lots of jobs being created. its the future