Caltech geeks take to the (olive) trees
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Caltech established its sustainability cred by building Pasadena’s largest solar power facility on one of its parking lots and operating a thriving campus recycling center, the sorts of initiatives that are common across the nation’s campuses. But its most original green venture is the university’s annual Olive Harvest Festival.
A sidewalk that for years was smeared with rotten produce from the campus’ 130 olive trees now fills with students, faculty and volunteers who gather annually to harvest the savory fruit. At the festival, which takes place Friday, the olives are picked by hand. Then they are pressed into oil, which will be sold in the Caltech bookstore in about a month.
Members of the public are welcome to participate. Here’s the schedule:
8 a.m. to 3 p.m.: Harvest olives by hand.
10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Ten people will push a 1,600-pound wheel to manually press oil.
11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Tastings and sustainability exhibits by student clubs.
Noon to 4 p.m.: ‘Green’ tour of campus.
For more events, visit the website or e-mail oliveharvest@caltech.edu
-- Margot Roosevelt