Green Walls, Orchids and Other Cute Little Things

In the College Building at Ag Progress Days there will be a demonstration house utilizing green roof and wall technologies.  I wandered over to the site where it will be built but I was a week early.  I did see several green walls erected with moth orchids growing from them.  Can't wait to see what is build for APD.

Walking back to my office I saw this little Smart Car parked outside the greenhouse.  It is an official Office of Physical Plant (OPP) vehicle and a far cry from the ubiquitous blue vans I normally associate with the OPP emblem.  Things are changing. There are green buildings on campus, green roofs and a lot of other green technologies in place including the use of biodiesel fuel in all of the College of Ag Sciences farm machinery.

And just yesterday I found myself face to face with one of Penn State's hybrid research vehicles which utilizes hydrogen fuel cells.  The 10,000 psi pressure rating on the cell label was a bit frightening but I suppose you really have to push that gas in there is you want enough to drive a couple hundred miles.

I wonder how long it will be until we see a hydrogen celled combine in the field?