FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. and RALEIGH, N.C., Sept. 21 IBM and Consert today announced the completion of smart grid pilot project installations with nearly 100 commercial and residential participants partnering with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission (FPWC) in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The pilot has helped local businesses and residents actively participate in the monitoring and control of their energy usage with savings of up to 40 percent. Rest here …

As usual, Thomas Friedman informs us and makes us think.  This time it is about our letting the solar panel industry slip away from the US to other nations.  Read the article and then write your Representative and Senator and tell them the US needs to do much more to put solar panels on every roof top.

The most recent local Science Cafe meeting was held at the USC Green Quad Learning Center.  You can learn more about the Green Quad at www.greenquadcommunity.org/  The Green Quad Learning Center lobby has a drop off box where they accept Number 5 Polypropylene (PP) plastic containers for recycling.  Also, I recently discovered that Publix accepts Number 6 Expanded Polystyrene (PS) foam products (think Styrofoam “clam-shell” dinner boxes and drink cups).