by jboullion | Feb 9, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a story by Kristen Elicerio on WKBT-TV (La Crosse):
$16 billion dollars leaves the state of Wisconsin each year in fuel costs. In an effort to get a portion of that money back, the state has set a goal to have 25 percent of the state’s fuel come from renewable sources by the year 2025.
Monday members of the Wisconsin Public Service Commission and Wisconsin Department of Commerce toured renewable energy projects in La Crosse.
One of their stops was the City Brewery to tour the project that converts brewery waste into electricity for Gundersen Lutheran Medical Center.
“Some people do these projects because they feel it’s the right thing to do, and I think that’s an appropriate way to approach it. Others are going to do it because it makes economic sense and that’s going to drive a lot of these projects,” said Public Service Commission of Wisconsin Chairperson, Eric Callisto.
Policy leaders say that by adding more projects like this it’s estimated nearly 15,000 jobs will be created in the sate, something that makes Wisconsin a leader.
by jboullion | Feb 8, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by KJ Lang in the La Crosse Tribune:
People don’t often think of food as recyclable, University of Wisconsin-La Crosse student Jessica Kotnour noted.
“It’s really easy to recycle the nutrients in our foods, but oftentimes food waste just gets discarded,” she said.
Food waste makes up about 10 percent of material in landfills in Wisconsin, according to a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources-commissioned study in 2002.
But UW-L students no longer contribute to that waste. Student this semester now dump fruit and vegetable scraps into compost buckets to later be used for landscaping on university grounds.
Students started the program in the university’s dining hall with a $3,000 grant from the UW System’s Solid Waste Research Program, which is funded by a state tipping fee on landfilled waste. These grants funded nine other student solid waste research projects in 2009-10, including another at UW-L to cut down plastic water bottle usage, said Eileen Norby, UW System Solid Waste Research Program manager. . . .
UW-L started a program about a year ago to have cooks compost scraps from food preparation. Combined with the food waste collected after meals, UW-L generates nearly 1,000 pounds of food waste a week for composting.
by jboullion | Feb 5, 2010 | Uncategorized
Students visit a Madison Gas and Electric wind farm near Green Bay:
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This farm field trip has nothing to do with cows or horses. Each year, Kewaunee County students visit a very different kind of farm… the Rosiere Wind Farm.
In this story, see how students react to the giant structures and hear why teachers think the visit is full of important lessons.
by jboullion | Feb 4, 2010 | Uncategorized
From a story on WXOW-TV (La Crosse):
LA CROSSE, WI (WXOW) – Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle spoke about jobs and energy efficiency during a stop in La Crosse on Tuesday.
“My number one priority is helping our businesses create jobs and giving our workers the opportunities to get those jobs,” said Doyle.
He spoke at Fowler & Hammer General Contractors recognizing the company’s energy efficiency and business growth.
The Governor recently awarded $106,000 dollars in state assistance for the company’s $2.3 million dollar expansion project.
Fowler & Hammer built an energy efficient office building.
Fowler and Hammer must create 16 new jobs and retain 41 positions in La Crosse since they received state assistance.
by jboullion | Feb 3, 2010 | Uncategorized
From an article by Richard Mial in the La Crosse Tribune:
Minnesota could be a major factor in deciding whether a high-speed rail route between Chicago and the Twin Cities goes through La Crosse or Eau Claire, Gov. Jim Doyle said Tuesday.
Doyle told the Tribune Editorial Board he believes Minnesota is not nearly as organized on its rail plans as Wisconsin.
If Minnesota “is not a very strong participant,” most of the high-speed line likely would go through Wisconsin, improving Eau Claire’s chances of landing the route, Doyle said.
But from an economic point of view, Doyle added, “we’re better off having it to go La Crosse and up the Minnesota side, because then Minnesota is paying the operating costs of the whole trip from La Crosse up to the Twin Cities.”
The state and federal governments last week announced that Wisconsin will receive $823 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to help establish high-speed passenger rail service.
The money primarily will be used to upgrade service between Chicago to Milwaukee and extend it to Madison, using an existing Amtrak line.
Included in the $823 million is $1 million to study extending the line to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Doyle said.
