Environment
From "Maple Street Co-op News", Feb/Mar 2007

Solar Power Keeps the Phones Ringing
by Rod Castle

For the second year in a row, I ran the solar recharging service at the recent Woodford Folk Festival.

Set up in the Greenroom space for performers and presenters, the stall serviced people needing to get their mobile phones, laptops, camera batteries, MP3s, etc. recharged.

The stall had a solar power system consisting of 360 watts of solar panels, deep-cycle batteries and a large inverter, which ran completely autonomously from any other power supply. At times, this set-up was able to charge over 70 mobile phones and other rechargeable batteries at once.

The stall was run by some amazing volunteers who started their shifts at 8.00 am and were still there at 10.00 pm most nights.

Over 1,000 phones and many other rechargeable electrical devices were charged during the festival.

Big thanks especially to ex-Malenyite Le Smith for doing all the administration work and to Kye, Anna, Shelle and Anton for their hands-on help.

[From "Maple Street Co-op News", February/March 2007; published by The Maple Street Co-operative Society Ltd, 37 Maple Street, Maleny, Qld 4552, Australia, tel (07) 5494 2088, email maplest.co-op@serv.net.au,
website http://www.maplestreetco-op.com.au]

Address: 37 Maple Street, Maleny Qld 4552, Australia
Telephone: (07) 5494 2088 (int'l +61 7 5494 2088)
Fax: (07) 5499 9246 (int'l +61 7 5499 9246)
Email: info@maplestreetco-op.com.au, or maplest.coop@serv.net.au
Website: www.maplestreetco-op.com.au