POWERGRAMS

100% CONNECTED Helping Mother Nature A landfill may seem the least likely setting for the program. Tidwell, who has worked at Gorgas explaining how to protect planet Earth. for six years and was a plant safety specialist during But for the Plant Gorgas Compliance team, several outages, said it was a chance for students to partnering with employees at Pineview Landfill in experience things they don't normally do in school. Walker County proved the perfect venue to show "They were extremely inquisitive," said Tidwell, tomorrow's adults how important it is to preserve who was impressed by students' questions. "The the natural environment. older group, however, was most interested in Employees treated more than 600 children and hearing about our jobs and how they could work at teens to Gorgas' first annual Earth Day celebration, Alabama Power. We encouraged them to prepare by featuring outdoor lab experiments and exhibits. contacting a technical or junior college, and making Emphasizing the importance of proper trash plans for the coursework to get a two-year technical disposal and testing water for harmful chemicals, degree." Gorgas employees told how Alabama Power's steam Gorgas Compliance team Leader Cynthia Dixon, plants work to reduce emissions and prevent acid Williams, Thompson and Brown joined with Plant rain. Students and teachers from Walker and Winston county schools, including T.S. Boyd and Sumiton Elementary schools and Haleyville High School, attended the program. "We wanted to let the kids know that when you throw out garbage, a lot goes into making sure it doesn't end up in the waters," Gorgas Equipment Operator Cheryl Rutledge Tidwell said. "It's not as Williams gives detailed presentation about environmental protection devices. though you 'chuck' a piece of trash out the window Miller's Compliance team in sponsoring Alabama and it goes nowhere. It's the exact opposite." Power's learning table for the Auntie Litter event Tidwell and Compliance Specialist Tonia at the Birmingham Zoo. Working with Miller Thompson set up an outdoor lab to test water Administrative Support Specialist Pat Maddox, from the Warrior River. They did water quality Compliance Specialist Wesley Hicks and Health experiments for bacteria, testing pH and dissolved Specialist Jim Tillery, they gave tree seedlings, oxygen levels. They compared vials of tap water with recycled coloring books, pencils and other items to river samples and told how chemicals in a water more than 800 Birmingham students. system can negatively affect aquatic life. "So many students were interested in learning Using batteries, Chemical Technician Justin about things they can do to help protect our land Brown demonstrated how electrical currents can and water, it excited all of us," Williams said. "I form a series circuit and electromagnetic force on believe it was enlightening for a lot of them. Several a compass. Brown explained the basic science of students stopped to talk and tell us they are looking creating power, and why it's important to work and forward to it." play safely around electricity. Compliance Specialist Bruce Williams gave an By Donna Cope in-depth presentation about Gorgas' three major environmental protection devices – the electrostatic precipitator, which removes particulates, the selective catalytic reduction system and the flue gas desulfurization device known as a scrubber. He explained how nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxides are removed, describing the processes, chemical reactions and device effectiveness. Sumiton Elementary/Middle School's BethAnne Blair, who teaches fifth grade, said she wants Sumiton students to attend Gorgas' future Earth Day events. "We had a wonderful time and our kids really enjoyed it," Blair wrote in a thank-you note. "We walked away feeling like our kids had learned so much. It was obvious that you guys had put a lot of planning and thought into the activities for the day." Williams and Tidwell said students asked what they can do to preserve the environment, and told Alabama Power employees how much they enjoyed Photos by Xxxxx Xxxxxx Plant Gorgas Compliance team members joined Auntie Litter at Pineview Landfill. Gorgas workers teach students on Earth Day PAGE 3

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