Projects from Fall 2010 - Spring 2011 semester.


Tim Bubb
Andrew Caughy
Max Hathaway
Andy Hsu
Stevo Karolenko
Michelle Martir
Lauren Sparks
Ben Webber

and special thanks to all the commonvision Graphic Designers and Laura Schraven.

There are numerous reasons campuses are beginning to implement smart microgrids (small-scale versions of centralized electricity systems). Many are interested in improving the ability to measure and reduce energy usage by tying together a campuses power source, transmission, distribution and consumption into one system. For institutions investing in on campus renewable energy systems and who have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, smart microgrids are an idea to consider.

Below are recent microgrid stories we (and others) have covered on this growing trend:

Santa Clara U Completes First Phase of Microgrid Installation. Noteworthy: "Santa Clara University has estimated that once its system is complete, they will be able to reduce energy consumption by 50 percent and save about 20 percent in energy costs. "

Illinois Institute of Technology Research into Microgrids and "Perfect Power"
Noteworthy: "The system consists of smart microgrids featuring a High-Reliability Distribution System (HRDS) loop design and redundant electricity and will allow IIT to eliminate costly outages, minimize power disturbances, moderate an ever-growing demand, and curb greenhouse gas emissions."

UC San Diego Partners on Energy Optimization and Microgrid Project
More on UCSD is in the article "Microgrids Get Big"
Noteworthy: "[UC San Diego] a leader in climate change research is also home to what is likely the most advanced microgrid in North America. As such, it aims to highlight how small, semi-independent power grids could help solve the problem of how to reliably integrate renewable energy into distribution systems, boost grid security and even make money for their owners, operators and developers."

First microgrid in Washington, D.C. at Howard University. "Howard University plans Washington’s first microgrid"

Also, an example of incorporating smart microgrids into the curriculum is described here; West Virginia U Institute of Technology Students Study Microgrid Technology

These investments in research and implementation of microgrid technology are significant and have the potential to play an important role in campus sustainability, particularly for campuses who are participating in climate action planning and have set greenhouse gas reduction goals (as the 670+ campuses participating in the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment have done).

Is your campus considering implementing a smart microgrid? Perhaps your campus has information to share? Please post a comment or email resources@aashe.org if you have thoughts or ideas to share.

Thanks to Wikicommons.

Heart disease existed before fast food? Ancient Egyptian mummy is believed to be the oldest case of heart disease.

With friends like these… Oil Minister defects from Team Qaddafi.

Maybe you should resign? Following an arrest on charges of sexual assault International Monetary Fund director is asked to step down.

You’re about to hit the ceiling!

As of Monday the United States government has reached its debt ceiling (think of it like a credit card limit).

Though this sounds ominous, reaching the ceiling is more symbolic than substantial. The US treasury will no doubt pull some accounting tricks to allow the US to borrow money until around August 2. By then the Secretary of the Treasury, Timothy Geithner will ask Congress

to increase the debt limit in order to protect the full faith and credit of the United States and avoid catastrophic economic consequences for citizens.

Congress will do as Mr. Geithner asks, right? Well, the Republicans are a little grumpy about our national debt right now (remember those tea-partiers?)

They are demanding major spending cuts be made before they support any growth in the US debt.

Call it brinkmanship or aggressive bargaining but Republican Super Star Paul Ryan expects the negotiations to be resolved at the very “last minute.”

So should we be worried  America might default on its debt?

Probably not as Calculated Risk astutely notes

The first rule for most politicians is to get re-elected, and the easiest way to guarantee losing in 2012 is to throw the country back into recession. If that happened, I believe the voters would correctly blame the leaders of Congress, and I think Congress knows that too.

Furthermore, Simon Johnson, for Slate, doubts that debate will acheive anything as

If President Obama’s administration plays its hand well, the result will be a last-minute extension of the debt ceiling with no significant concessions. It is unclear how Boehner or anyone else would be able to portray that as a political victory.

Which makes us wonder… is the debt ceiling foolish symbolism or a sign of foolish spending? What do you think (especially those under 30 who’ll paying this debt back for decades to come)?

1 Corinthians 3:6, 16-17 (New International Version)

6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. 16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplatethe Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Ephesians 1:15-23 (New International Version)

15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all God’s people, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength 20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.

Reflection:

For all of our lives we have been told to do things in the world’s way and under the world’s rules. Yet, when we encountered Christ and received His Spirit in our hearts something incredible happened. All those old ways of living and responding to life’s circumstances are now no longer valid, because Jesus has given us a new hope and a new way to live. It is by God’s power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead, that we can see real victory in our lives. It is not by our own strength or cunning, but the power of God through His Son Jesus Christ, that we live. This is the new way, and the new hope by which we are called to live.

Response:

Let’s pray that as we live in this new way that we would also be messengers of what Christ has done for us to those we are trying to reach out to on our campuses, in our work places, and in our communities. Let’s pray that God’s power would be made real in each of their lives, so that they too would receive this same hope that we now have in Christ.

For the first time in 40 years the Morganza spillway was opened to steer the quickly moving Mississippi water south to the Gulf of Mexico.

The problem is, by diverting the overflow away from the big city centers, thousands of acres of farmland were going to pay the price.

Flood waters started to fill the land AS WELL AS local farm houses, businesses and towns.

Residents in lower Louisiana have been asked to evacuate their homes to let the diverted water pass safely through.

Local flood management teams promised to do their best to sandbag streets in order to ward off what could be 20 feet of impending water.

The Louisiana authorities are not happy with the decision, but believe it is necessary to avoid major cities such as New Orleans and Baton Rouge. If everyone evacuates in time, millions of lives could be saved.

Hopefully, the Mississippi isn’t too upset.

Recently, there has been a steady trickle of bad news about America universities.

Now we have learned of new research suggesting some students are learning next to nothing at college.

Jenna Johnson at the Washington Post tells us about a book released earlier this year, titled, “Academically Adrift: Limited learning on college campuses.”

As part of their research, co-authors Richard Arum of New York University and Josipa Roksa of the University of Virginia administered a standardized test to 2,300 college students at two dozen schools during their first semester, then again after their second year.

It turns out over 45% showed no improvement over that time.

Check out Ms Johnson’s blog post on the subject, worth a read. Unlike the students in the study mentioned above, you will likely learn something!