Located on FAMU’s quadrangle, the Solar Dok is a
solar-powered battery recharging station, which allows users to recharge their
mobile phones, tablets, laptops and other electronic gadgets while sitting at a
picnic table with a solar-paneled umbrella. FAMU is one of only five campuses
in Florida, and 21 in the U.S., that have installed a Solar Dok.
The Green Coalition, a student-led organization dedicated to
promoting sustainability in the greater FAMU community, spearheaded the
initiative, which was funded by a grant from Siemens.
“The installation of a Solar Dok on campus is an interactive
way to show students that solar energy is a reality and has concrete
applications such as recharging portable devices,” said Olivier Chamel, adviser
of the Green Coalition. “As we educate our students to become leaders, it is
critical that they are exposed to and understand the role of renewable energy. Overall,
it is about raising awareness.”
“It was necessary to show that FAMU wasn't all talk when it
comes to sustainability,” said Anthony Ward, the current vice president of the
Green Coalition. “We wanted to step on a greener path for our campus, and after
much deliberation from faculty and staff, we felt the Solar Dok was the way to
go.”
Founded in 2006, the Green Coalition has collaborated with
local government and other university and environmental organizations to
address renewable energy, sustainability and climate change.
The partnership with Siemens represents a significant stride
in the university’s sustainability efforts, as the company is one of the
world's largest providers of environmental technologies. Nearly 50 percent of
the corporation’s total revenue stems from green products and solutions.