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Mayor Lang Visits Sustainability Class NEW BEDFORD -- It’s a hot summer Friday when many young people are relaxing or heading to the beach. But for scores of New Bedford youth, the Friday destination is Bristol Community College where they are learning about sustainability and green careers, while receiving help in preparing for the ACCUPLACER college placement exam. Most of these youth have never given college a thought. Many of them will complete their summer work with some college credit. In a Union Street classroom, about 20 young people recently listened to instructors Maria Dippel and Rose Ferro talk about solar, tidal, and wind energy. While still a ways from mainstream thought and implementation, the youth were informed that this part of the country is well positioned to take full advantage of some key renewable energy sources. Solar panels can already be seen on buildings and homes. These panels are smaller and far more efficient than the panels of the 1970s, when the United States first explored solar power. Offshore wind farms are on the horizon, opening up thousands of jobs and powering vast expanses. Waste-to-energy efforts are already underway through Z-Gen’s solid waste gasification efforts as well. They also heard about New Bedford’s own Konarka, which manufactures a solar film that will one day be in windows, cars, rooftops, and clothing. There may soon be a way to cost-effectively incorporate solar energy modules into backpacks and purses for convenient phone and IPod charging. For the second half of the class, the students built small circuits that used solar energy to power little lights on some miniature houses. As they were attaching the red wires to the positive terminals, Mayor Lang joined the students and shared some of his thoughts on energy with them. He remarked that New Bedford was once the energy capital of the world. Of course, that harkens back to the days of whaling, but he believes the city is well positioned to move in that direction once again with renewable energy and alternative sources. He asked the youth to be a part of this growth, and congratulated them for understanding how important this is for the future of New Bedford. Mayor Lang wrote three words on the white board: Medicine, Transportation, and Communication. These areas have all seen rapid development and transformation in the United States and throughout the world. Then he wrote “Energy” on the board and told his young audience that energy will see the next great breakthroughs, and New Bedford will be on the cutting edge. There will be many green jobs in the coming months and years as the city retrofits every building. Keith Middle School’s solar panels will be installed soon; the new Lincoln School’s design calls for solar as well. Businesses like Konarka are coming to New Bedford to take advantage of its geographical location and built-in energy advantages as well as for its commitment to sustainability. BCC offered the Friday classes to all New Bedford youth who were working in city jobs through the Recovery Act. The college will also be extending its Fall River “Kid’s College” offerings weekends throughout the school year, with a Youth Sustainability Institute focusing on the three “Rs” of reduce, reuse, recycle. 227 Union Street, Suite 206, New Bedford, MA 02740-5946 PH 508.979.1504 • FAX 508.979.5680 E-mail: Webmaster@gnbwib.org |