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At Appalachian’s REI Spring Forum, a participant grinds coffee by pedaling a stationary bike at the Coffee Gives You Energy (So Does the Sun) workshop, which explores the human and solar power it takes to make a renewable cup of coffee. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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REI public relations officer Tomiwa Olufolabi presents the agenda of Appalachian’s REI Spring Forum during the welcoming comments. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Coffee Gives You Energy (So Does the Sun) workshop presenter Jim Dees, data and assessment specialist with Appalachian’s Office of Sustainability, checks how well coffee was ground using a bicycle-powered grinder to gauge whether the same method will work for a French press coffee maker. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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REI Spring Forum participants watch as the energy generated from solar panels heats a kettle containing water, which is then used for brewing coffee grounds produced by the bicycle-powered grinder. Earlier, REI Spring Forum presenter Jim Dees had a participant demonstrate the electrical resistance associated with trying to power an electric kettle using the bicycle. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Participants in REI Spring Forum workshop Building Pollinator Hotels, presented by Appalachian’s Beekeeping Club, construct pollinator hotels to house solitary bees and wasps. The pollinator hotels will be placed in the Roots Garden, a community garden located on Howard Street. Unlike the hives commonly known to house such species as honeybees, each pollinator hotel will house a single bee or wasp throughout its metamorphosis — from egg, to larva, to pupa, until it emerges as an adult. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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During the Race the Sun workshop at Appalachian’s REI Spring Forum, the Appalachian State University Solar Vehicle Team shares information about solar vehicles and helps participants build mini solar-powered cars. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Kali Smith, operations director of Appalachian’s Solar Vehicle Team, helps a REI Spring Forum participant power a mini solar car using a portable solar panel during the Race the Sun workshop. Smith, a Connelly Springs native, is a junior environmental economics and policy major at Appalachian with a minor in sustainable technology. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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As participants in the Race the Sun workshop at Appalachian’s REI Spring Forum get ready to race the mini solar-powered cars they’ve built, a Solar Vehicle Team member troubleshoots a car that isn’t properly functioning. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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REI Vice Chair and Secretary Sierra Milosh ’17, of Morehead City, center, explains to participants in the One Solar Hammock Canopy, Coming Up workshop how they will help perform a solar site assessment to determine the viability of a location for the REI’s upcoming solar hammock canopy project. The project involves installing a multihammock stand on Appalachian’s campus that will feature photovoltaic modules, allowing students to relax in the hammocks while charging their electronic devices. Milosh is a graduate student in Appalachian’s Master of Science in technology program. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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A participant in the One Solar Hammock Canopy, Coming Up workshop learns how to use a Solar Pathfinder — a tool used in performing solar site assessments for photovoltaic projects, such as the REI’s upcoming solar hammock canopy project. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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During the Zero Waste workshop at Appalachian’s REI Spring Forum, Samantha Smyth — an intern of the university’s Zero Waste initiative and a Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland, native — talks about Appalachian’s zero-waste commitment and how to correctly sort waste. She explained the paper cups used throughout campus are nonrecyclable due to wax that is added to the paper. Smyth is a junior hospitality and tourism management major at Appalachian. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Patrick Richardson, energy analyst for Appalachian State University, teaches REI Spring Forum participants about power and energy in The Power of Light workshop. Participants then lifted weights of various sizes for specific durations to demonstrate the energy needed to power different types of commonly used lightbulbs. Richardson explained that powering Appalachian’s campus would require lifting 750 Mini Coopers per second. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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A participant in The Power of Light workshop at Appalachian’s REI Spring Forum uses an infrared thermometer to see the temperature differences between incandescent, compact fluorescent and LED lightbulbs. LED lightbulbs use significantly less heat than incandescent bulbs to produce a similar amount of light. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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A member of Appalachian’s Sustained Dialogue initiative engages with REI Spring Forum participants in an activity called De-Stereotype Me Day, which is designed to deepen understandings of stereotypes. The Sustained Dialogue initiative is part of the international Sustained Dialogue Institute that prepares community members to deeply engage in difficult conversations about topics ranging from race, gender identity and religion, to politics and various global challenges. Photo by Chase Reynolds

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Appalachian’s REI hosts 2018 Spring Forum

By Alex Jansen
Posted May 2, 2018 at 4:51 p.m.

BOONE, N.C. — Building mini solar-powered cars. Grinding and brewing coffee using the power of a bike and the sun. Lifting weights to simulate the energy it takes to power a lightbulb. These are just a few of the components of sustainability workshops participants had a chance to experience at the 2018 REI Spring Forum held Thursday, April 12.

The Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) is a student-led, student-funded organization that seeks to install renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on campus.

The 2018 REI Spring Forum featured interactive workshops, networking opportunities with members of Appalachian organizations — including REI, Sustained Dialogue and Beekeeping Club — as well as sustainability professionals, a raffle for prizes and Caribbean soul food catered by Boone-based Coyote Kitchen.

Study, connect and recharge at Appalachian’s new solar-powered picnic tables
Study, connect and recharge at Appalachian’s new solar-powered picnic tables
Feb. 5, 2018

Need to recharge? Phones, laptops and other electronics can be charged at the state-of-the-art, solar-powered picnic tables installed on the first-floor patio of Appalachian’s Peacock Hall.

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Solar charging station ribbon-cutting draws lunchtime crowd at Appalachian’s Peacock Hall
Solar charging station ribbon-cutting draws lunchtime crowd at Appalachian’s Peacock Hall
April 17, 2018

The ribbon-cutting for Appalachian’s solar charging picnic tables — which were installed in February and are located on the first-floor patio of Peacock Hall — coincides with the campus’ Earth Month celebrations.

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About the Appalachian State University Renewable Energy Initiative

The Appalachian State University Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) is a student-led, student-funded organization that seeks to install renewable energy and energy efficiency projects on campus. Projects can be proposed by any member of Appalachian and are carried out by the REI committee with the help of faculty and staff advisors. Since its inception in 2005, the REI has funded over 20 renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, including the Broyhill Wind Turbine, which, until recently, was the largest wind turbine in North Carolina. The REI works closely with Appalachian’s Office of Sustainability. Learn more at https://rei.appstate.edu.

About Sustainability at Appalachian

Appalachian State University’s leadership in sustainability is known nationally. The university’s holistic, three-branched approach considers sustainability economically, environmentally and equitably in relationship to the planet’s co-inhabitants. The university is an active steward of the state’s interconnected financial, cultural and natural resources and challenges students and others think critically and creatively about sustainability and what it means from the smallest individual action to the most broad-based applications. The university offers both undergraduate and graduate academic degree programs that focus on sustainability. In addition, 100 percent of Appalachian’s academic departments offer at least one sustainability course or course that includes sustainability, and all students graduate from programs that have adopted at least one sustainability learning outcome. Learn more at https://appstate.edu/sustainability.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian

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Appalachian Today is an online publication of Appalachian State University. This website consolidates university news, feature stories, events, photo galleries, videos and podcasts.

If you cannot find what you're looking for here, please refer to the following sources:

  • Podcasts may be found at Appalachian State University Podcasts
  • Stories and press releases published prior to Jan. 1, 2015 may be found in University Communications Records at the Special Collections Research Center.
  • A university-wide Google Calendar may be found at Events at Appalachian
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