6. Environment in the News - This is an opportunity for you to get caught up on current issues relating to the environment. You are to choose an article or news story that pertains to the environment, provide a short summary, share your thoughts and/or opinions, and provide a citation for your source. Some recommended sources include: the New York Times which is available for free in various location on campus, local papers including the News Press and the Naples Daily News (you may reference their web site for the day’s news and archived articles), and National Public Radio (www.npr.org) which also has on-line versions of their stories.

On Marco Island, they were going to install solar panels on this area of land called Track K, which would offset school electricity bills, saving the School District about $100,000 per year in electricity and saving Marco Island Charter Middle School about half their electric bill or $45,000 each year in electricity. The Project was shot down due to funding. Although this would help improve their carbon foot print, many disliked the idea in the first place because they did not believe that the area should be developed at all. As well, the area also belongs to an American bald Eagle nesting area. Enviromentalist Nancy Richie marked off the area around the tree, about 350 feet in circumference, and no one is allowed to develop there.

I think that they made the right choice, although the decision should not have been based upon funding. If they are going to install solar panels, they should put them on top of buildings, or in an area that has already been developed. There is no need to go destroying the remaining wild life on the island.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/feb/23/energy-commission-turns-out-lights-tract-k-solar-p/