by jboullion | Dec 16, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Nick Paulson in the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune:
STEVENS POINT — The average American has gained 10 pounds in the past decade, and the extra weight is helping cause climate change.
“What that means is that the airlines that crisscross this country burn 350 million more gallons of jet fuel every year, schlepping around that extra weight,” said Terry Tamminen. “If all of us, myself included, would lose that 10 pounds, the planet would be better off and so would we.”
The idea may be a little harsh, but it is the kind of forward thinking Tamminen is known for and has helped him land some of the most prestigious climate jobs in the country. He has worked as the Secretary of the California Environmental Protection Agency under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Thursday night was part of a conference call with the transition team for President-elect Barack Obama.
Tamminen was Friday morning’s keynote speaker at the Wisconsin Climate Change Summit at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.
From ideas such as his weight loss theory to broader changes like converting 1.2 million buildings nationwide to more efficient systems, Tamminen shared four steps he believes will stimulate the economy and create a more sustainable country: renewables, efficiency, markets and democracy.
by jboullion | Dec 10, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a column by Gregg Hoffman in WisBusiness:
If you’re looking at doing business in parts of southwest Wisconsin, you’d better make it as green as possible.
Environmentalists, organic farmers, citizens groups and an increasing number of elected officials have made it clear that the environment needs to be part of any business equation.
That was clear in recent protests over a coal ash dump site in Vernon County, which eventually led to Dairyland Power scrapping plans to establish the landfill. It became clear again in similar opposition to a coal blend power plant in Cassville. The PSC rejected plans for that plant.
It was clear over a year ago when hundreds protested establishment of a large pig farm, which would house more than 1,000 animals as a CAFO (Confined Animal Feeding Operation). Plans for that farm did move forward.
Two more examples came to the forefront in recent weeks. Petry Trust of Rockford, Ill., is doing a preliminary investigation into possibly locating a 1,000-plus animal unit dairy in Vernon County.
Just a day or so after that story broke, Organic Valley, a successful organic food cooperative, announced it is talking to Western Technical College and Gundersen Lutheran about erecting two wind turbines in 2009 at its Cashton distribution center.
That announcement was made at a press conference in La Crosse on the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign. It was launched by Wisconsin Farmers Union, Clean Wisconsin, the Michael Fields Agricultural Institute and RENEW Wisconsin.
The owner of Petry Trust, Jeff Petry, owns “significant” amounts of agricultural real estate in Wisconsin and Illinois and has farmed himself in the past. Petry leases most his agricultural real estate and owns one other dairy facility in the Darlington area.
Bourgault said Petry owns the facility in Darlington, but leases it to a California company. The Darlington facility is permitted through the DNR for up to 2,500 animal units or about 1,800 dairy cows, but there are currently not that many animals on the property.
The testing for the possible Vernon County dairy operation will begin at one of the possible sites along West Smith Road, where Petry owns about 300 contiguous acres. A spokesman for Petry said the site would be selected with a number of factors in mind and with all state and local regulations taken into consideration.
Opposition to so-called “factory farms” has been strong in the past. Concerns are for the amount of manure produced by such farms, storage of the waste in winter and possible runoff. Parts of the Driftless Area are susceptible to pollution from runoff because of the karst geology in the area.
The Petry spokesman said the group is well aware of the concerns and plans on “taking additional measures for our own piece of mind.” He said the dairy operation would fit into Vernon County’s “agricultural tradition.”
Organic Valley’s proposal is the latest in that organization’s emphasis on the environment and sustainability. The co-op’s headquarters in La Farge and distribution center near Cashton are both “green-built” buildings. Other measures are regularly taken to promote sustainable agriculture by the co-op.
BEST Energies Inc., which has a biodiesel plant in Cashton, and the village of Cashton also might become partners with Organic Valley, Western and Gundersen Lutheran in the wind turbine project.
The Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign promotes four of the initiatives recommended this year by Gov. Jim Doyle’s Global Warming Task Force: create a Biomass Energy Crop Reserve Program to pay land owners to plant bioenergy crops such as switchgrass that can be used for fuel, create a Renewable Fuels for Schools and Communities Program to help fund sources for biomass heating systems in schools and government buildings, develop a program to set utility payment rates to fairly compensate small renewable energy producers and set a low carbon fuel standard.
Southwest Wisconsin rapidly is developing into a hotbed for those, and other green business practices. If the Petry dairy operation makes sure it takes all the precautions to avoid problems with runoff and other environmental issues, it will be welcomed into the area. If not, it will likely face stiff opposition.
by jboullion | Dec 5, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a media release issued by Wisconsin Public Power Incorporated:
WPPI has been awarded Green-e Energy certification by the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) for WPPI’s renewable energy programs, including Green Power for Business and its companion program for residential customers.
Green-e Energy is a renewable energy certification program established by the nonprofit CRS to provide an objective standard for consumers to compare renewable energy options.
Both programs enable customers to make voluntary purchases of renewable energy from WPPI member utilities. By purchasing WPPI renewable electricity, customers will support currently available renewable resources as well as aid the development of new renewable resources.
WPPI serves the utilities in the following Wisconsin cities: Algoma, Black River Falls, Boscobel, Brodhead, Cedarburg, Columbus, Cuba City, Eagle River, Evansville, Florence, Hartford, Hustisford, Jefferson, Juneau, Kaukauna, Lake Mills, Lodi, Menasha, Mount Horeb, Muscoda, New Glarus, New Holstein, New London, New Richmond, Oconomowoc, Oconto Falls, Plymouth, Prairie du Sac, Reedsburg, Richland Center, River Falls, Slinger, Stoughton, Sturgeon Bay, Sun Prairie, Two Rivers, Waterloo, Waunakee, Waupun, Westby, Whitehall.
by jboullion | Nov 25, 2008 | Uncategorized
From the Evergreen page of the Eau Claire Energy Cooperative:
Evergreen is a voluntary renewable energy (green power) program available to your home, farm, or business through Eau Claire Energy Cooperative, a member-cooperative of the Dairyland Power system. Evergreen is for those who want to do more to support renewable energy generation.
This is how it works:
1. You choose one of the Evergreen Levels listed below.
2. For each block (100 kWh) you will be purchasing that amount of energy from a renewable energy source.
3. Your energy bill will be charged the additional cost (see chart below) to help offset the cost it takes to support renewable energy.
4. A one year subscription is required, but after that you can cancel at any time.
by jboullion | Nov 19, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Dan Springer in the La Crosse Tribune:
Officials in area counties said while tumbling oil prices could provide some budget relief, they don’t trust the trend will last.
After talking about painfully steep costs for fuel, energy and asphalt for so long, county officials struggled to gauge what the recent falling prices might mean as they finalized annual budgets last week.
In the period between when most area counties established a preliminary budget and the 2009 plan was approved, the price of gasoline dropped as much as 46 percent, and the cost of energy was not far behind.
As La Crosse County leaders looked to whittle away at their 2009 budget, County Administrator Steve O’Malley suggested the board could lower its figures for fuel in the coming year.
As O’Malley expected, the idea wasn’t seriously considered.
“Do any of you have an idea where prices are going to go?” O’Malley asked at one meeting. “Maybe your crystal ball is clearer than mine, but I doubt the prices won’t go back up.”
Area county leaders agreed that banking on lower fuel-related costs would be a foolish move.
“We left it the same,” said Jeff Amo, first vice-chairman for the Jackson County Board. “We just don’t trust it’s going to stay there all next year.”
High fuel prices were to blame for Jackson County’s decision earlier this year to lay off workers in the highway department. Several of those workers since have been brought back, so the board would like nothing more than to see prices remain low to keep them on the job, Amo said.
