BG Members Tour WKU Coal-fired Steam Plant

Late last week, 15 students and KFTC members in Bowling Green took a tour of the campus steam plant at WKU. Organized through Greentoppers, the campus environmental sustainability group, the tour allowed concerns students and KFTC members to get a first-hand look into how WKU is heated and cooled.

Members of the tour learned that over 95% of the campus heating comes from coal fire power, with natural gas contributing to the rest of the energy. Natural gas is used to heat the campus at the very beginning and very end of the heating season, but does not have the capabilities of carrying the campus demands for the entire season. The coal burned at WKU each heating season amounts to roughly 500 pounds of coal for each person on campus every year - this includes those who live on campus, commuters, all faculty and staff. However, according to WKU Sustainability Coordinator Christian Ryan-Downing, this is a relatively small amount, compared with most other campuses in the state and region.

The group also learned that none of the coal burned at WKU comes from mountaintop removal mines. "Deep mined coal burns better, longer and cleaner," said the tour guide and Facilities Management worker of over 20 years. KFTC member Ka'Seana Jones, however, was quick to remind the group that "Clean coal does not exist."

Christian Ryan-Downing stressed that most of our coal dependency lies in the electricity that we get from TVA, and not campus heating, and expressed that conservation education is the first step to alleviating the coal problem at Western. Our coal dependency, she said, cannot be replaced overnight, but in the meantime, we can take "no cost" steps to reduce our energy consumption on campus. "Entire computer labs are left running all night long," Ryan-Downing said. "And lab managers refuse to turn them off."

Ryan-Downing also commented on implementing green jobs for Facilities workers on campus - soon there will be training available that deals with green jobs and green energy for all Facilities employees.

Members of the group left the steam plant with many questions as to how to go about pressuring the administration to transition away from coal. KFTC member and WKU student Greg Capillo observed, "I think there's a lot to be said for energy conservation and education, as a short-term solution."

Bowling Green KFTC members have an event planned on WKU's campus in celebration of Fossil Fool's Day this coming Wednesday April 1st, including a "Clean Coal Monster Mash" at 11 am and a critical mass at noon. The events aim to spread awareness about the Clean Coal myth, and to encourage students to become less dependent on fossil fuels such as coal.

Photos courtesy of Emily Wilcox.

                                                - Meredith Wadlington, KFTC member from Bowling Green