Former President Jimmy Carter at the June 20, 1979 dedication ceremony for solar panels installed on the White House. Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States, died at his home in Plains, Georgia today. He was 100. Carter’s interest in promoting renewable energy was on display at his January 20, 1977 presidential inauguration. Solar panels were installed to warm the reviewing stand near the White House, where Carter watched the inaugural parade. “It happened to be one of the coldest days of the year that morning and very little sun,” says Paul Muldawer, the Atlanta architect Carter tapped to design his inauguration facilities. “We made a statement, although it honestly didn’t work as well as I would have liked it to work,” Muldawer says. Wind chill that day was in the teens, according to the National Weather Service . Carter wanted a ceremony that reflected his values. That extended to the reviewing stand, which was built so it wouldn’t end up in a landfill after the ceremony. Instead of wood, it was made of steel. “After the inauguration, we had it disassembled, shipped to Atlanta, and then it was recycled as a bandstand,” says Muldawer, who’s now 92. The structure was in a public park where free concerts were held. “Carter was just thrilled with that. He really liked the idea of repurposing that facility.” A peanut-shaped float passes by the Presidential reviewing stand for the inauguration of Jimmy Carter in Washington, D.C. on January 20, 1977. The stand, instead of being sent to a landfill, was recycled and sent to Atlanta where it was used as a band stand for free public concerts. REUTERS The inauguration set the stage for Carter’s four years as President. His environmental legacy has shaped how the country is responding to […]