by DONNA SEALY THERE WERE TIPS on recycling, on reducing and re-using waste. There were booths on things that fly in the air, that grow on land, and that live in the sea. There were also tips and demonstrations on how solar-powered energy can work in the home. A solar-powered television and shuttle rides were also displayed. These were some of the very interesting things on display during the three-day Sci-Tech Green Expo held at the Sherbourne Conference Centre which ended yesterday. The students from Ignatius Byer Primary School and those from the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic brought the world of hydroponics to the grounds of Sherbourne Conference Centre. Hydroponics is the cultivation of plants without the use of soil, using nutrients and water only. The St Lucy Primary School students are growing 20 tomato plants using the method. Science teacher Terry Carrington said the ten Class Two and Class Three students did most of the work themselves with assistance from Adhim Mohammed. The students cut the PVC pipe, glued it together and did everything, Carrington said. In explaining the process and the project, he said: "We have used a solar panel, a battery as a back-up, and the battery is actually charged from the solar panel and it is pumping water and liquid nutrients through the system. "This piping is two-and-a-half-inch PVC pipe, but any size pipe could be used depending on the crop you are growing," Carrington said. The plants on display were three weeks old. Head of the Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic's Agricultural Science programme, Hector Belle, said the aggregate way was cheaper. Under this system perlite and sand are used. Seedlings are sown in plastic trays. He exhibited sweet peppers, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, basil, oregano, and lettuce. "You can grow anything with this method," Belle said. On the inside, the students of The St Michael School also had an interesting recycling project that could reduce the number of coconut shells that go to the landfill. After drying the coconut husks, the students extracted the fibres, cleaned them, and then went to work showing how they can be used. They showed that coconuts could be used for bedding, clothing, decorations, for making baskets to grow orchids, and as oil.
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