Green Student U

 
 

Warren Wilson College EcoDorm goes LEED Platinum

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Warren Wilson College has officially become the first college campus to have a building with LEED Platinum certification as defined under the U.S. Green Building Council. That’s quite a feat considering that the U.S. Green Building Council sets the highest standards for green buildings.

The EcoDorm was built by a committee of Warren Wilson students, faculty and administrators, with the help of the Samsel Architects of Asheville, a North Carolina firm that strives to incorporate green building techniques into their designs.

 
 

IBM Creates Energy Saving Computer Space Heater

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Did you know that the average desktop computer consumes about 354-kilowatt hours of energy a day, and that 90% of that energy consumption comes from the computer being idle? So can you imagine how much energy a supercomputer consumes?

Researchers at IBM realized that about half of a supercomputer’s energy consumption comes from cooling the system to keep it from overheating, so they have designed a new green energy savings computer that will recycle the water-cooled microchips into heat for the surrounding room. It’s called the Aquasar.

MIT Engineers Develop Eco Friendly Concrete

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Did you know that about 5%-10% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions are related to the manufacturing and transporting of concrete? In fact, about 20 billion tons of concrete are produced every year, and that certainly has an effect on your carbon footprint.

To reduce the global impact of concrete Engineers at MIT have created a more durable, eco friendly concrete that can last up to 16,000 years. This means less manufacturing of concrete, fewer CO2 emissions and less overall pollution.

Pew Study Names Top U.S. Cities for Green Jobs

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According to a report by the Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-profit organization that provides grants to improve public policy, the U.S. states of Oregon, Colorado and Tennessee have emerged as the top leaders for job growth in the clean-energy sector.

The study looked at green job growth in 38 states from 1998 to 2007.

China to Consider Environmental Tax on Polluting Businesses

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Along with the U.S., China is one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases in the world. In 2006 the World Bank, which offers financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world, declared that 16 out of 20 of the world’s most polluted cities are in China.

So last Friday China announced that it is considering collecting environmental taxes from polluting companies.

Pledge Not to Drive on World Environment Day

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More than a dozen U.S. colleges signed up to support Earth Hour on March 28, so to extend this preservation of the planet they can also pledge to be car-free on World Environment Day, which is Friday, June 5.

If you don’t know what World Environment Day is, it’s a day that was created by the United Nations General Assembly to increase environmental awareness through political and public attention.

The Keep a Child Alive Commercial Contest

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The Keep a Child Alive Community, which works to save the lives of children affected with HIV/AIDS around the world, along with STA Travel, a discount student travel agency, have created a new commercial contest geared towards high school and college students.

It’s all about combining creativity with humanitarian efforts to provide proper AIDS medication to effected children.

Packing Peanuts to Power Biodiesel Engines?

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Two Iowa State University researchers, Najeeb Kuzhiyil and Song-Charng Kong, working with the Department of Defense, have designed a biodiesel engine that can increase the power output of its biodiesel fuel and also work effectively at recycling waste…. and it’s all by dissolving polystyrene packing peanuts in biodiesel.

House Passes Bill to Build Green Schools

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In an effort to boost educational opportunities and student achievement, as well as to combat the fight against global warming, last Thursday the House passed a $6.4 billion school modernization bill that would build more green energy efficient schools.

This bill would also provide funds for school districts along the Gulf Coast that were damaged by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The ultimate goal of the bill is to have 100% of the funds go towards green projects by 2015.

How to Have a Green Memorial Day Weekend

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Memorial Day weekend is the perfect time for getting together with family and friends. It means that summer is on its way, the kids are getting ready to finish school and neighborhood pools are officially opening. It’s also an ideal time to have an outdoor picnic that supports your eco-lifestyle!