Indiana’s Wabash Valley Correctional Facility is taking on green initiatives to help aid the environment and cut operating costs. This medium-security prison has long history of making positive changes for it facility and its prisoners. By taking on these green initiatives the prison will save more than $1 million.
Established in 1915, the prison is home to nearly 2,400 inmates. Its environmental efforts have drawn praise from the Hoosier Environmental Council.The prison installed its first solar panels in 2010. In 2011 they added a solar tube system.
Roger Dagley, the Physical Plant Director, says that the solar tubes aid in heating the hot water supply. “Basically, they convert ultraviolet rays from the sun’s energy into thermal energy. These operate off an evacuated tube type design.”
The prison has also added a wood chipper that fuels a wood-burning furnace. This addition has saved $1.25 million in heating costs in just two years. The prison also has a recycling program. The prison recycles nearly 10 tons of cans, bottles, paper, plastic wrappers and other waste material a month. Recyclable sales have earned the prison about $150,000 in a year.
The facility also is the home to a windmill that generates enough power for one large building and its water conservation system. The water system saves over 1 million gallons a day.
Plans are now being made to create a green initiative garden to grow beans, cabbages, peppers and tomatoes. The garden will be fertilized with compost that has set for over ten years using horse manure from 45 horses that the inmates care for.
Photo courtesy of www.mannplumbinginc.com
“Well, I don’t want to brag,” Dagley said. “But at this facility right here, we have always been known to be the first one that would jump in there and try to make these changes. I’ve got a good staff here, they’re knowledgeable about what they do, and usually we become the test facility for these systems.”
The prison plans on adding more solar systems to help heat the building. It will also put in a new shower system and heat units. The facilities green initiatives have resulted in cheap,safe and toxic free energy.
Edited by Cassandra Tucker