by jboullion | Apr 2, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Samanta Marcus in the La Crosse Tribune:
The race for La Crosse mayor that comes to a head in just eight days is a study in contrasts.
La Crosse voters in the February primary set up a contest between an experienced woman backed by big Democrats and a young novice with conservative support.
Matt Harter and Dorothy Lenard rose to the top of a field of seven, ousting incumbent Mayor Mark Johnsrud, who came in fifth in the primary. . . .
Harter: Harter has been among the sustainability plan naysayers, though he objects to being labeled an opponent.
He said he thinks the plan will wind up costing the taxpayers, and leaders have to be sure to balance economic sustainability with environmental sustainability. Calling the plan overreaching, Harter said it’s in need of some editing, alluding often to a passage on discontinuing the annual Rotary Lights holiday display in Riverside Park.
“These things are things I think we should create an awareness of, but allow (people) to make their decisions on their own,” he said.
Lenard: A member of the city’s Joint Oversight Committee on Sustainability, Lenard helped author and introduced the ambitious 67-page plan calling for major reductions in energy consumption and shifts to renewable energy sources. She defended the document when opponents called it a threat to the free market and the American way of life.
At a recent forum hosted by a conservative watchdog group, Lenard said she was surprised they couldn’t get behind it.
“It is about conserving. It’s about being efficient. It’s about reducing fuel usage. Sustainability really is about savings,” said Lenard, who also penned the legislation designating La Crosse an eco-municipality. “It is about savings. I just have to prove it to you. And my job as mayor would be to bring you in and prove it to you.”
by jboullion | Mar 18, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a story on WISC-TV:
MADISON, Wis. — While timber is an abundant resource in Wisconsin, building with home-grown lumber in the state used to be impossible, unless the wood was a person’s own. Now, that’s changing.
Starting in April, small sawmills like one owned by Jim Birkemeier, of Spring Green, will be selling locally-grown wood to home builders and home owners who want a sustainable lifestyle, WISC-TV reported.
Until recently, state building standards prevented small sawmills like Birkemeier’s from doing just that.
Republican state Sen. Dale Schultz’s 17th district was one of the legislators that pushed the change through the senate. He said that the bipartisan effort to keep wood local will help keep money local.
“We can do it by having a smaller carbon footprint, and at the same time adding value to our resource,” said Schultz. “Making a sustainable economy as well as a sustainable environment.”
But it’s not just about the economy or about living “green.” It’s about keeping forests healthy.
Alex Greene, of Red Beard Lumber, said, “The trees with inferior genetics and things like that, you’re taking those out. From a management point of view, you’re continually improving the quality and the volume of your forest.”
Greene and Birkemeier will now be certified to sell local lumber to home builders and home owners, but not to retailers.
by jboullion | Mar 17, 2009 | Uncategorized
From a news release issued by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin:
MADISON – How long will you ignore that drip in the shower? How about the leaky spigot outside the house, or that running toilet? Household leaks waste both valuable water resources and money. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) the average household can leak up to 11,000 gallons of water per year—enough to fill a backyard swimming pool!
That’s why the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) is promoting “Fix a Leak Week” during March 16 to 20 to remind homeowners to check their plumbing fixtures and irrigation systems for leaks. Common types of leaks found in the home include leaking toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners more than 10 percent on their water bills.
PSC Chairperson Eric Callisto noted, “Leaky faucets and toilets waste our precious water resources, and fixing leaks is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to conserve water and save energy.”
To check for leaks in your home, first determine whether you’re wasting water, then identify the source of the leak. Check your water meter before and after a two-hour period when no water is being used. If the meter changes at all, you probably have a leak.
In addition, leaks waste the electricity used to pump the water.
For more information on conserving water, visit the PSC web site or the Fix a Leak Week site.
by jboullion | Mar 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
From left: Steve Rubenzer of SDS Architect, Congressman David Obey, District Administrator Rick Palmer and School Board President Robert Clifton of Luck School District, Charlie Schneider of Focus on Energy
From a news release issued by Focus on Energy:
Focus on Energy, Wisconsin’s energy efficiency and renewable energy initiative, presented Luck School District in Luck, Wis. with a plaque in recognition of earning the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification on Friday, March 13. U.S. Congressman David Obey was on-hand during the presentation.
Luck School District is the second school in Wisconsin to receive a LEED certification and achieve this prestigious green building standard on an existing building. LEED standards address whole building maintenance issues including chemicals, energy and water efficiency performance, indoor air quality and recycling programs, among others standards to maximize operational efficiency and minimize environmental impacts.
“These efforts have saved money, reduced energy use and created a cleaner environment,” said Congressman Obey. “I applaud Luck School District for providing the best education that comes from leading by example.”
With the help of Focus on Energy’s expertise and more than $120,000 in cash incentives, Luck School District has saved more than 495,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and 25,000 therms of natural gas-enough energy to power 75 homes for a year. The district will also save more than $77,000 in energy costs annually. Luck School District’s numerous accomplishments to earn LEED certification include:
+ A $2.1 million upgrade to its heating and cooling system.
+ Received a Department of Natural Resources grant to help implement an advanced recycling program.
+ Started a “green cleaning” program.
+ Provided continuing education to teachers though the Focus sponsored K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP).
+ Kept students and teachers from the K-12 district actively involved with projects and monitoring success.
by jboullion | Mar 9, 2009 | Uncategorized
“An astonishingly wide-ranging film. An informed and heartfelt examination of the tug of war between public health and private interests.” – New York Times
“Lively and engaging…Smartly Done” – Los Angeles Times
The Tomorrow River Chautuaqua presents FLOW, the award-winning documentary that investigates one of the most important political and environmental issues of the 21st century – The World Water Crisis. The movie will be shown on Friday, March 27 at 7:00 in the Lettie W. Jensen Center theater in Amherst, WI. Cost is $5.00. Running time is 84 minutes.
Discussion following the movie will be led by Jo Ellen Seiser, who was Portage county’s first ground water coordinator. Additional people, with expertise in issues relating to water, are being invited to take part in the discussion.
The producer of FLOW, Irena Salina, builds a case against the growing privatization of the world’s dwindling fresh water supply. Her interviews with scientists and activists intelligently reveal the rapidly building crisis, at both the global and human scale.
While the film introduces many of the world’s governmental and corporate culprits behind the “water grab,” FLOW also gives viewers a look at the people and institutions providing practical solutions to the water crisis and those developing new technologies, which are fast becoming blueprints for a successful global and economic turnaround.
