And the winners are...

Earlier this month, Facilities and Real Estate Services announced the latest slate of environmentally sound projects to be supported by the Green Fund. This funding program is a competitively awarded one-time grant of as much as $50,000 that finances innovative ideas by faculty, students and staff to help Penn meet the goals of the Climate Action Plan.

The nine awarded projects include: a worm composting project to reduce food waste at the Annenberg Public Policy Center; an ecological retrofit of the restrooms and architecture studios in Charles Addams Hall; installation of recycling and trash compactors in the Department of Chemistry to implement a glass and lab metal recycling program; meter installation to measure energy use at the New Bolton Center; installation of sensors to monitor and control energy for heating/cooling units in the Quad; installation of a storm water collection tank at the School of Veterinary Medicine; implementation of building energy retrofits for the Castle fraternity; installation of an automatic capacitor bank at the Translational Research Lab to improve energy performance; and installation of an outdoor wood-fired boiler that will heat the Morris Arboretum’s Horticulture Garage through the use of waste wood.

For more information, visit the Green Campus Partnership website: www.upenn.edu/sustainability/.

Fast, faster, fastest

At this year’s Penn Relays, an Olympic champion will take the field alongside high school, college, amateur and professional track and field athletes. Jamaican superstar runner and three-time gold medalist Usain Bolt will compete as part of the USA vs. The World event on Saturday, April 24. Bolt is scheduled to compete in the men’s 4x100 relay.

One of the most recognizable names across the world, Bolt became the first man to set three world records in sprinting events at one Olympics, the 2008 Beijing games. He also won the World Outdoor Championships in Berlin last August, making him the first man in history to hold Olympic and World titles in both events simultaneously. This marks Bolt’s first appearance at the Penn Relays since he competed four years in a row as a teenager.

For more information on the Penn Relays, including tickets, go to www.thepennrelays.com.

To market

Starting this summer, the Penn and West Philly communities will be able to get fresh fruits and vegetables from yet another farmers’ market. The Friday Farmers’ Market will be held from noon to 2 p.m. in June and July at the plaza in front of The Radian, located at 3925 Walnut St. The market will feature foods sold by local growers themselves, including fresh fruits and veggies, sustainably raised meats and fresh breads and baked goods. The market will also feature live performances from various musicians and ensembles, including the West Philadelphia Orchestra and Unidos da Filadelfia.

For more information, visit the University City District website at www.universitycity.org.