It might take an hour to cook two Bagel Bites using a solar box, but it uses less energy than a microwave. A solar box, made from a Chanello’s pizza box, served as a homemade, eco-friendly microwave that generated one watt of energy from the sun every hour. Two Bagel Bites were baking in the box as a demonstration of how people can use other forms of energy in their everyday lives.
The GO GREEN Ride and Drive Expo highlighted unconventional ways to save energy and promoted “green” living.
“It’s really important for the local people to understand what kind of options they have in terms of being green,” said Remy Luerssen, a mapping and education specialist for JMU’s Virginia Energy Consortium.
The event took place at the Convocation Center parking lot Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Two white tents with various stations were set up to demonstrate eco-friendly technology and products. Fliers, papers, pamphlets and small books about being more environmentally conscious were offered at a few tables. Free raffle tickets were handed out during the day. Prizes included movie tickets, ISAT T-shirts and free oil changes.
Luerssen was at the expo to demonstrate the basics of wind and solar energy technology, particularly to farmers and people with a lot of land.
At the soap station, Spotswood High School senior Aly Vanbenschoten helped several children make colored and scented soap. With glycerin – a byproduct of biodiesel – a microwave, a mold and a half an hour to spare, anyone can make soap.
A tire pressure station was designed to show the effects different tire pressures can have on vehicles, and was manned by Aaron Smith-Walter of the Department of Public Safety.
“I’m trying to make people aware of the fact that if you maintain a proper tire pressure, you’re really going to get better gas mileage out of your car,” Smith-Walter said. “With today’s gas prices, that’s obviously a major concern.”
A community light distribution was also featured at the expo, where compact fluorescent light bulbs were given away to any interested community members.
CPLs, as the lights are called, use 75 percent less energy and can last about 10 times longer than a regular light bulb, according to Tiffany Newbold, the associate director of The Shenandoah Valley Air Quality Initiate, or ShenAir.
Barry Dai, a senior ISAT major, was all about the electric vehicles available for test-driving throughout the day. He test drove the Toyota Prius, electric All-Terrain Vehicle and a segway.
“I could definitely see [electric vehicles] in the future replacing gas equivalents,” Dai said.
The Toyota Prius, Camry and Highlander hybrid models were available to test drive throughout the event. Toyota started investing in the hybrid market in 2000 and Highlander hybrid models was one of the first car companies to enter the market, according to James Davies, a Toyota representative.
Senior Marie Pulley went to the expo because she was curious about ways to save more energy and wanted to check out the electric vehicles. She said she is very interested in buying a hybrid, but the only thing stopping her right now is the price.
There was a single All Terrain Electric Vehicle ready to be ridden on the test course. Andrew Presgraves, owner of Lucketts Electric Powersports, saw the need for environmentally friendly, electric off-road vehicles in the United States years ago.
“I’ve always been interested in this stuff,” said Presgraves, “Even back in the ’70s, when we had the first oil shortage and the first tax breaks .”
“Most people that buy ATVs have no idea there are electric ones out there,” he said.
Attendants could also test ride two segway models. Diana Ward, whose husband owns Segway of Richmond, said the battery-powered, nearly silent segways can travel up to 12 mph and can go anywhere a wheelchair can.
“This is a very eco-friendly vehicle for personal transportation,” said Ward. “It doesn’t have any emissions and it doesn’t use any gas.”
