TED Talk: Covering the Desert in Solar Panels

Everyone loves a TED Talk. Here’s one of our favorites:

The Sahara Desert covers more than nine million square kilometers and receives about 22 million terawatt hours of energy from the sun every year—more than 100 times the energy that the world uses annually. So why not cover the desert in solar panels?

Educator Dan Kwartler tackled that very question in his TED talk, narrated by Jack Cutmore-Scott, “Why don’t we cover the desert with solar panels?”

In its simplest form, the sunlight that interacts with the solar panels essentially kicks an electron out of its position in the atom. As the electron tries to find its original spot, it generates electricity that is harvested and able to be used in our everyday lives. However, solar panels have a limit to the power they can generate, they only interact with certain wavelengths of light and not all sunlight comes in contact with electrons with enough force to knock them out of orbit. With all that being said, modern technology has allowed for solar panel innovation which enables future solar panels to absorb more sunlight and ensure that the light dislocates the electrons. 

With commercial panels seeing around a 25% increase in efficiency and experimental models up to 47%, countries like the United States, China, and Egypt have started to place solar panels in their deserts, creating solar farms. However, deserts face extreme temperatures which can overheat panels since the light that is not absorbed creates additional heat. This increase in heat over such a large area can impact the climate, however solar panels aren’t our only alternative energy option.   

Morocco’s Noor Power Plant uses giant mirrors. The mirrors work much like solar panels, but the design reflects sunlight onto a receiver which converts the energy to heat and then into electricity. While this still presents a threat to local wildlife, it poses less danger to the landscape in the future. In addition, these plants can produce electricity longer than traditional solar panels since they need to have time to cool down.

While large scale projects to create energy are continuing to innovate, when it comes to everyday use solar panels seem to be the way to go. They are relatively easy to install, maintain, and require only a few inexpensive components, making them a viable source for alternative energy now and, likely, into the future. 

Jennifer Woofter Featured in Chief “Think Your Company Doesn’t Need an Environmental Sustainability Plan? Think Again”

In the last 10 years, there has been a 200% increase in Chief Sustainability Officers, a once obscure position that has now gone mainstream. With 50% of those positions held by women, companies are thinking twice about their sustainability plans. Our Founder and President, Jennifer Woofter, spoke to Rebecca Gale of Chief about the increase in environmental stewardship programs and the questions Fortune 500 companies are having to answer for investors and clients. She believes that a second wave of environmental consciousness could be coming for most midsize businesses who escape the first wave.

She goes on to explain how businesses can set environmental, social, and governance sustainability standards not only within their own company, but also with the partners, constituents, and suppliers they work with. Woofter, who has been consulting with companies and their leaders for more than 20 years on their sustainability plans, has seen companies pay more attention to how their operations affect the environment and make changes to procedures.

Read the full article to learn what Woofter and what other experts in the field are saying about the triumphs and pitfalls businesses are facing on the road to improving their relationship with the environment. 

https://chief.com/articles/corporate-environmental-sustainability

The Green Space is Really White

In 2019, there were just under 400,000 people working in environmental sciences, with a growth rate of around 3%. In that same year, 8,894 degrees had been awarded in environmental science. Of the 8,894 degrees awarded, 5,986 were white students, 1,062 were Hispanic and 413 were Asian. Only 253 were African American which makes up 2.53% of total degrees awarded. The numbers are about the same when you break them down even further into those who have earned bachelors and master’s degrees.

But why is that? Dr. Dorceta Taylor, professor of environmental justice and environmental sociology at the University of Michigan’s School of Environment and Sustainability, says that there is a false notion that people of color are just not interested in the environment and therefore not interested in pursuing a degree in environmental sciences. A 2018 study found that many people associate the term “environmentalist” with White people. In reality, the most involved voting bloc in the United States, motivated by environmental issues, is consistently the Congressional Black Caucus. According to many polls, African Americans have seen the impact that environmental issues have played in their health and environment than that of other races and want to do something about it. So, if there is interest and a direct impact on one’s community, why does the representation in this field continue to lag?

Cost is a main factor. The cost of a college degree in the US, which in this case refers to any postsecondary educational institution that offers and undergraduate degree program, is $35,720 with an annual growth rate of 6.8%. This average cost has tripled in the last 20 years. When you factor in student loans, interest, plus the cost of the degree itself, the cost may exceed $400,000. This normally would not be a problem seeing as the point of the degree is to get a job in your desired field. This leads to the next factor—finding a job. Some minorities do not believe that they will be able to find a job in environmental sciences. This field is not one where you can say that you know someone who actively works in it. 

Wanjiku Gatheru, an environmental science major at the University of Connecticut and the university’s first Rhodes Scholar, sites feeling alone in her field. She says, “To be in a field where your narrative is nowhere and no one looks like you, you feel incredibly alone. There have been many times that I’ve questioned myself as to why I want to be in this field and have thought about leaving. But it’s exactly those thoughts…that reaffirm why I need to be there.”

So, what is the solution to this problem? It seems that Black and Brown students have the interest and know first-hand how their participation in these programs can help change their communities, so why not engage with these young minds who could possibly give a new perspective on the current environmental situation. A study cited in the Chicago Defender recommends institutions considering the following to make this step towards inclusivity and equity:

·      Integrate BIPOC voices into the curriculum by incorporating literature by BIPOC, including Indigenous perspectives, inviting BIPOC as guest speakers, addressing social justice within courses, and partnering with local communities in course projects

·      Train faculty and staff in diversity, equity, and inclusion

·      Hire racially and ethnically diverse faculty and staff

·      Actively recruit BIPOC students out of high school

·      Create resources to support BIPOC students either through financial scholarships, research opportunities, or student groups