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Sustainability Spotlight

CLOTHES LINES CUTTING CARBON

Residents of Stouffer Place Apartments, the Department of Student Housing complex for married students and students with families, can now help reduce campus carbon emissions with one simple act: doing their laundry.

That's because the housing department recently installed six sets of clotheslines near the laundry facility.

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, clothes dryers are responsible for about 6 percent of residential energy use, making them one of the most energy intensive appliances in the home. On average, each load of laundry generates more than five pounds of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide, which can add up quickly in a 283-unit apartment complex like Stouffer Place. Don Claus, an apartment resident assistant, estimates that the clotheslines installed at the complex hold about 24 loads of laundry. That means each time the lines are full, residents have saved the greenhouse gas equivalent of driving nearly 145 miles.

For more information about energy conservation at KU, along with tips for reducing energy use on campus and at home, visit www.sustainability.ku.edu/ energy.shtml.

RESEARCH MATTERS:

A KU professor's research has shown that a quality music program can boost a school's performance on standardized tests. Christopher Johnson, professor of music and dance, performed a study comparing results with similar demographics but with varying quality music programs. He found jumps of 22 percent in English test scores and 20 percent in math scores at elementary schools with good music programs. One theory holds that scores improved because music helps develop attentiveness. For more, or to listen to the original broadcast, visit www.researchmatters.ku.edu.