Tuesday - August 1, 2006

Image courtesy of Pacific Northwest National Lab

Hydrogen: Key to a Sustainable Future

by Krista Zala

Experts expect worldwide energy demand to double in the next 50 years. Many of those same experts also agree that cutting back on greenhouse emissions—particularly carbon dioxide—is the only way to avoid irreversible climate change. Considering the limited supply of fossil fuels, the trick for satisfying both realities lies not only in keeping up with today's energy needs, but in meeting the increase in future demand in ways that do not pollute the atmosphere with greenhouse gases.

"Even maintaining current fossil fuel consumption, CO₂ in the atmosphere would double to Industrial Revolution levels," says SSRL postdoctoral researcher Jennifer Leisch. "The goal is carbon-free energy."

Current green energy sources have their limits. Wind and sunlight provide power without polluting, but they are not constant sources, nor can the their respective technologies be installed everywhere that demands electricity. In the conflict between constant energy demand and intermittent renewable sources, "the key is storage," says Leisch, "and hydrogen is one of the energy storage options." Read more...

Non-Spill Bottle Caps

by Kelen Tuttle

Water makes up two-thirds of all the earth's surface and 90 percent of your body mass—it's everywhere. But water can also be a safety hazard at work.

Many buildings around SLAC have water coolers that hold five gallon water bottles. These bottles are heavy and awkward, and it's possible to injure your back when replacing the bottle. This is most likely to happen if you rush to minimize spillage. Fortunately, there's a quick fix: no-spill caps. These plastic bottle cappers eliminate spillage even when a water bottle is tilted sideways and are available from Alhambra, SLAC's water vendor.

A few other tips to consider:
- Don't lift beyond your limits
- Designate qualified individuals
- Consider a two-person
  approach

Fiscal Year-End Procurement Deadlines

by Gail Gudahl

Please consider the following dates and dollar amounts if you are planning to submit a requisition that needs to be delivered and accepted before the end of FY06 (September 30, 2006).

Requisitions must be entered into PeopleSoft on or before these dates:

Friday, August 18th
Requisition value of $101,000
and over

Friday, September 1st
Requisition value between $25,000 and $100,000

Friday, September 15th
Requisition value of less than $25,000

Any purchase requisitions entered into PeopleSoft after these dates will be processed with a delivery date of October 1st or later.

For more information, please contact Deputy Purchasing Officer David Pindroh at x8515 or pindroh@slac.stanford.edu.

Events (see all | submit)

• August 8: (12:30 p.m.) Experimental Seminar: CMS Physics Commissioning

Access (see all)

• A&E ADA Restroom Renovation

Announcements
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 Lab Announcements

• 2007 Child Care Subsidy Grant Informational Sessions for Faculty and Staff
• Supervisor and Manager Training on ES&H Self-Assessment
• New ES&H E-mail Reminder Notices
• Kids Day - August 16

Community Bulletin Board

• Reminder: Bike Safety
• Uwe Bergmann to Discuss Archimedes Manuscript - Aug. 3

News (see all | submit)

• Beijing Collider Intensifies Focus on Tau-Charm Physics Physics Today
• Quicker, Cleaner Computers are in Sight EurekAlert
• Anatomy of a Scientific Revolution Science Daily

• Flea Market
• Linear Café Menu
• Employee Milestones
  
  
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