2008 Woodie Awards
Students celebrate Earth Day
Daniel Potter
Issue date: 4/21/08 Section: News
Students for Environmental Action will host Earth Day activities to promote environmental awareness on the Keathley University Center Knoll all day Tuesday.
"The point of Earth Day is not just to raise awareness, but to show people there are numerous ways of getting involved - whatever fits your preference," said Reggie Miller, senior recording industry major and co-chair of SEA.
The event will showcase environmentally minded technology and include "a few demonstrations - alternative fuel vehicles, hybrids and cars on biodiesel," Miller said.
Samuel Cliff Ricketts, a professor of Agribus and Agriscience, will be displaying several vehicles powered by alternative energy sources if there is no heavy rain, said Carl Caum, junior computer science major.
Among the cars in Ricketts' collection is one that runs on pure ethanol and one that is completely electric, powered by a solar generator.
"He's also got a hydrogen truck, and that one runs off just sun and water," Caum said.
Corn-derived ethanol has come under criticism recently for being an inefficient alternative to gasoline, Caum said. However, ethanol itself is not the culprit, as it can be produced from other sources, including most trash.
Wasted biomass "takes up 60 percent of landfills by mass," Caum said. The unused biomass could be converted to ethanol.
"In my opinion, combustion in general is not the way to go - not in the future," Caum said. "It is an absolutely horrible, inefficient process and a bad way to propel our vehicles."
Tuesday's event will also feature live music. Kenny Torrella, sophomore recording industry major, booked several local bands to play the event.
"We have The Incredible Heat Machine, which is alternative rock with a funk feel," Torrella said. "Then we have Hello Spencer followed by Boroughs. Besides Boroughs, there's Soul Syndicate, a funk band, who will be followed by live DJs and hip-hop artists, some free-styling."
"The point of Earth Day is not just to raise awareness, but to show people there are numerous ways of getting involved - whatever fits your preference," said Reggie Miller, senior recording industry major and co-chair of SEA.
The event will showcase environmentally minded technology and include "a few demonstrations - alternative fuel vehicles, hybrids and cars on biodiesel," Miller said.
Samuel Cliff Ricketts, a professor of Agribus and Agriscience, will be displaying several vehicles powered by alternative energy sources if there is no heavy rain, said Carl Caum, junior computer science major.
Among the cars in Ricketts' collection is one that runs on pure ethanol and one that is completely electric, powered by a solar generator.
"He's also got a hydrogen truck, and that one runs off just sun and water," Caum said.
Corn-derived ethanol has come under criticism recently for being an inefficient alternative to gasoline, Caum said. However, ethanol itself is not the culprit, as it can be produced from other sources, including most trash.
Wasted biomass "takes up 60 percent of landfills by mass," Caum said. The unused biomass could be converted to ethanol.
"In my opinion, combustion in general is not the way to go - not in the future," Caum said. "It is an absolutely horrible, inefficient process and a bad way to propel our vehicles."
Tuesday's event will also feature live music. Kenny Torrella, sophomore recording industry major, booked several local bands to play the event.
"We have The Incredible Heat Machine, which is alternative rock with a funk feel," Torrella said. "Then we have Hello Spencer followed by Boroughs. Besides Boroughs, there's Soul Syndicate, a funk band, who will be followed by live DJs and hip-hop artists, some free-styling."
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