The World’s First Fully Solar-Powered Stadium
May 23, 2009
Solar panels are making their way onto a wide variety of buildings across the world including college residence halls, movie theaters and now, sports stadiums. Taiwan has a newly built stadium created for the 2009 World Games in July, and it’s 100% solar powered.
From Meta Efficient:
Designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito, the stadium incorporates 8,844 solar panels on the roof. The roof will generate enough energy to power the building’s 3,300 lights and two giant television screens.
On hot days, the stadium will generate more power than it needs, so the Taiwanese government plans to sell the excess capacity. A Taiwanese official said that the panels will generate 1.14 million KWh per year, preventing 660 tons of annual carbon dioxide.
Brilliant! Why not take advantage of all that sunlight? And it’s beautifully designed, as well. The solar panels were incorporated in such a way that they blend in effortlessly with the architecture. Next up: Yankee Stadium? We can dream.
Link [Meta Efficient]
NBA Going Green for All-Star Events
February 13, 2009
This weekend’s NBA All-Star events will be the greenest ever, as the league takes unprecedented steps to make the festivities more eco-friendly. The NBA is buying green energy credits to offset the power it will use at the US Airways Center and the Phoenix Convention Center. They’ll also increase recycling and use Suns stars for a green public service announcement. Today, the NBA is building a playground in Phoenix as a community service project with post-consumer products.
From The Arizona Republic:
“We recognize that a lot of the efforts around our games and the transportation and the use of arenas … (that) there is a lot of energy use involved in that,” said Kathy Behrens, a senior vice president of the NBA, which organizes several days of All-Star festivities before the game, which will be played Sunday.
Sports teams could be extremely influential environmental figures, sports-marketing expert Ray Artigue says.
“They can use the amazing interest in sports as an educational platform to change people’s habits,” said Artigue, executive director of the NBA sports-business program at Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business.
The green energy credits purchased by the NBA will fund a yet-to-be-determined green energy project. The Suns are also beefing up their own green efforts, with plants to install solar panels on the center’s garage this summer. Last December, the Suns began recycling plastic bottles and aluminum cans discarded in the center’s public areas.
This should serve as a great example to sports teams around the world – hopefully the All-Star events will get even greener in 2010!
Link [The Arizona Republic]
Surfing May Help Cystic Fibrosis Sufferers
July 16, 2008
Talk about a natural remedy: researchers have found that cystic fibrosis sufferers who surf tend to have healthier lungs than their non-surfing counterparts. It might just be the key to prolonging the lives of those with cystic fibrosis, who used to die as children years ago but as of now can expect to live into their 30’s and beyond. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited disease that affects the sweat and mucus glands, leading to lung and pancreas problems.
From Inventor Spot:
A few years ago, Australian doctors discovered that young surfers with cystic fibrosis had noticeably healthier lungs. The doctors determined that inhaling saltwater mist had a powerful effect on rehydrating the lining of the lungs and allowing cystic fibrosis patients to more easily eliminate bacteria-contaminated mucus. Knowing this, researchers then developed a hypertonic saline solution, which is now used daily by people with cystic fibrosis.
Called the “saltwater” breakthrough treatment, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation would like to raise more awareness and be able to continue research into a possible cure for this disease. A chapter of the foundation formed a “PIPELINE TO A CURE” campaign to raise funds and to bring about global awareness of the unique bond between the sport of surfing and those with cystic fibrosis.
Sweet, brah. Now you have a good excuse to move to Hawaii.
Get more info at Pipeline to a Cure.
Link [Inventor Spot] + [Pipeline to a Cure]
Photo credit: Flickr user afu007
