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A parade of cleaner cars, scooters, bikes, and
buses passed through Pennsylvania last month. Inventors showed
off various alternative fuel vehicles, hoping to build on the
growing interest among Americans for these new technologies.
For decades people have been striving to create alternatives
to the gas-guzzlers we're used to, but this year marked especially
high interest in the new products, as electric scooters and
hybrid automobiles are becoming regular fixtures in American
life.
The festival, which visited six cities between Washington, D.C.
and New York City, was linked by a grueling road-rally competition.
Competitors included a wide cross-section of the public —
including car manufactures, independent inventors, and school
teams. The race ended with awards for the most roadworthy vehicles.
Winner of the coveted "Greenest Vehicle" award went
to one of the only high school teams, West Philadelphia High
School, for their electric car called The Saturn. They
beat out university teams and private teams from around the
country for the award given to the vehicle that demonstrated
the highest energy efficiency. Their Saturn ran the equivalent
of 280 miles per gallon of gasoline with a greenhouse gas reduction
of nearly 80 percent.
Outside the competition, on display at each city stop, were
alternative fuel automobiles that are already on the market,
or soon to be available. They seemed to differ very little from
conventional cars of today. The same comfort and style was found
in these cleaner hybrid cars, which run on electricity and gas,
proving that cleaner vehicles can be considered "regular"
cars. Making it's debut was the Honda Civic Hybrid which is
expected to be one-third more fuel efficient than its conventional
counterpart.
Go to Northeast
Sustainable Energy Association's site for additional information.
If you or your school is interested in joining the rally for
next year, keep an eye out for 2003 Tour de Sol registration
forms, coming soon to the site. |
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| RELATED LINKS |
Raycing
the Sun
Clean
Air Council
Energy
Coordinating Agency
DEP's
Alternative Fuels Incentive Grant Program |
Forward
Drive
GreenWorks
Radio Report
Rough
Terrain: Kronosport |
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The model car race has been a fixture of American
childhood for decades. But for kids in South Eastern Pennsylvania,
the challenge has been stepped up: to create and race a model
car powered by the sun.
In May, over 500 middle schoolers met at the Franklin Institute
Science Museum, in Philadelphia, for the annual Junior Solar
Sprint. After months of testing, students took their designs
out of the classroom and onto a 60 foot track to compete not
only for speed but for craftsmanship, innovation, and technical
merit.
First place in overall design was awarded to young engineers
from Samuel S. Yellin School in Stratford, NJ. Students from
Pennfield Middle School in Hatfield, PA took second place and
Danville Middle School in Danville, PA took third place. The
"Best Overall Car" went to a home-schooler from Pittsgrove,
NJ.
The top speed finishers were a group of girls from the Philadelphia
School in Philadelphia, PA. Second place went to students from
Community Middle School in Plainsboro, NJ and third place went
to Samuel S. Yellin School students.
The races continue in June, when winners move on to the regional
championship in Springfield, Massachusetts. There, they will
contend with other winners from New England, the Mid-Atlantic
States, and New York.
For pointers to people and resources that can help you run a
Junior Solar Sprint program in your school, e-mail Lisa
Rose-Bryant, the Pennsylvania Area Coordinator. |
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| RELATED LINKS |
Northeast
Sustainable Energy Association
Philadelphia
Solar Energy Association |
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