Collegiate Times

Coal center

“It’s a great opening shot but the resolution is too generic, with vague language,” Oppenheimer said. “The plan was comprehensive, but the resolution cut out all the hard parts.”

“Burning carbon fuels cannot be sustained into the infinite future,” Myers said. “We need to merge with technology.”

Tech is currently testing the practice of burning coal with another material. Switchgrass, a renewable source cleaner than coal or other fossil fuels, is currently the most viable option, Cochrane said.

It is also native to the region, which would reduce transportation costs and pollution.

After a period of using both switchgrass and coal, the results will be measured and the situation will be assessed.

Tech also hired Pepco, an energy service company, to do an audit of six buildings on campus. This audit assesses energy use and produces substantial ideas to make Tech more energy efficient.

While advances in technology will open more doors for Tech in the energy sector, Director of Green Engineering Sean McGinnis believes Tech needs to take action now.

“We can’t just wait for new technology, McGinnis said. “We need to act now.”

He believes the focus needs to be on more immediate goals of efficiency and conservation. McGinnis said these options, including simple investments in fluorescent light bulbs and turning off lights, are easy and cheap, McGinnis said.

Changes to the plant itself, however, can only be accomplished in the longer term. They would take approximately 20 years, McGinnis said. Boilers would need to be upgraded and more sustainable materials would be utilized.

“This is the most costly and takes the most time,” McGinnis said. “If we just move to a new technology without focusing on efficiency or conservation, we are still throwing energy away.”

Changing ideas and behaviors when it comes to personal conservation comes with its own fair share of difficulties, however.

“Most people aren’t willing to change their lifestyles drastically,” McGinnis said.

Whether it’s personal responsibility or collective action, leaders agree only a broad, sustained effort can achieve real environmental change at Tech.

Cochrane said that teamwork is the only way for Tech to reach its objective of reducing energy usage and conserving energy that we need.

“All buildings (on campus) are affected by the steam plant,” he said.

Protest calls for end of coal by 2020

With chants of “No coal, Hokies,” scores of students gathered outside the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown to celebrate No Coal Day on Nov 18.

Approximately 60 students attended the rally, organized by the Virginia Tech Beyond Coal campaign.

“Our university tagline is invent the future,” said Bryce Carter, a student and former town council candidate. “I say, let’s invent the right future.”

The rally was one of many held across Virginia on college campuses such as Roanoke College and The College of William and Mary.

Richard Rich, professor of political science, spoke out against the use of coal at Tech, comparing it to apartheids of the mid-to-late 1900s.

Rich said that universities rid themselves of investments with businesses in South Africa, knowing they could make a profit, but also knowing that it was “wrong.”

“With all we know about the bad effects of coal, we need to divest because it’s the right thing to do,” Rich said.

Beyond Coal proposes that the university commission a study to develop a plan to cease coal use in the on-campus steam plant within a year. In the same timeframe, the organization is pushing for creating an inventory of coal sources and ceasing coal purchases from mountaintops.

“Lastly, we ask to stop burning coal in the cogeneration plant by 2020,” said Kara Dodson, coalition facilitator for Beyond Coal.

Dodson announced that its leaders would meet with members of the administration, including Vice President for Administrative Services Sherwood Wilson and Associate Vice President for Facilities Mike Coleman, on Dec. 2.

“This is about saving the soul of the university,” Rich said.

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