by jboullion | Feb 27, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Susan Troller in The Capital Times (Madison):
Snug Haven Farms’ spinach has been featured on the menu at upscale restaurants like L’Etoile, and this weekend, farmers Judy Hageman and Bill Warner will talk about their success at the 20th annual Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse.
Their class, which focuses on how to grow the dark green veggie in hoop houses, is just one of many planned for the conference, which runs from Thursday, Feb. 26, to Saturday, Feb. 28. The event is expected to draw more than 2,000 people from across the United States and a few foreign countries.
“This conference is the biggest one in the country for organic farmers, and it’s just a great experience, whether it’s your first time or you’ve been a part of it from the beginning,” said Hageman, who grows spinach in Belleville and regularly sells her produce at the Dane County Farmers’ Market. “There is so much hands-on information, and everyone is willing to share what they know. You just have light bulbs going off the whole time you’re there. The exhibits are terrific, and the food is magnificent, too.”
by jboullion | Feb 24, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an announcement on Econumicipality.com:
Toward Sustainable Communities:
An Introduction to The Natural Step (TNS)
Sunday, March 1
2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Luck Public Library & Museum
21 Second Avenue West
Luck, WI
Refreshments provided. Please bring your reusable mug. All are welcome to this free presentation!
A presentation on The Natural Step (TNS) Framework, a methodology for planning that provides an elegant, rigorous, science-based understanding of sustainability together with a tested planning approach to translate that understanding into practice. Participants will learn about the principles of the TNS Framework and how it is being applied in communities across Wisconsin and around the world.
Participants will have the opportunity to sign up for a local study circle.
Speaker: Peter Henry, a veteran professional in the field of energy conservation and renewable energy technologies. After 20 years as a secondary teacher, Mr. Henry recently took a position with the Hudson-based engineering firm Energy Concepts, a regional leader in the design and installation of wind and solar energy applications.
A resident of Amery, Mr. Henry is the current chair of the Apple River Association, a citizen group working to protect Polk County’s largest river system. He is also vice-president of Friend of Amery-Dresser State Trail and has been active in both the Amery Natural Step program and the regional Western Wisconsin Initiative for Sustainable Communities.
by jboullion | Feb 17, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Richard Mial in the La Crosse Tribune:
The joint city-county sustainability plan could be challenged at Thursday’s meeting of the La Crosse County Board.
The plan calls for greater energy efficiency, the use of cleaner energy and practices that don’t harm the environment.
It also calls for community education, the availability of living-wage jobs, access to affordable housing and health care, and opportunities for recreation and the arts.
The plan includes such recommendations as increased mass transit, a shared-car program similar to one being offered in Madison and efforts to encourage more city employees to live in La Crosse and more city and county employees to live closer to where they work.
by jboullion | Feb 16, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content on JSOnline.com:
About 175 people gathered this morning in the auditorium at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center to talk about ways to green their company’s environmental footprint and save some money at the same time.
Companies are looking to reduce their energy and water bill costs by taking steps to make their processes more efficient.
It’s all about applying the quality-improvement techniques that companies are by now long familiar with – lean manufacturing, Six Sigma – and adapting them to their use of resources such as energy and water, said Joseph Jacobsen, associate dean at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
What’s causing the shift to thinking green? Business owners can sense that carbon regulations are coming and want to get ready, while others are realizing that saving energy and water helps save — or stem the rise – in utility bills.
“Green is not just environmental sustainability. Green is business sustainability too,” said Jon Dommissee, director of new product development and marketing at Bradley Corp.
Bradley, a local maker of plumbing fixtures, and the state Focus on Energy were sponsors of this morning’s Green Manufacturing Summit, and the Journal Sentinel was media sponsor.
by jboullion | Feb 13, 2009 | Uncategorized
From an article by Tom Content in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:
More companies are looking to reduce their energy and water utility bills by taking steps to make their processes more efficient.
It’s all about adapting the quality-improvement techniques that many companies are already using, said Joseph Jacobsen, associate dean at Milwaukee Area Technical College.
What’s making people turn to green? Businesses know that carbon regulations are coming and want to get ready, and they are realizing that saving energy and water helps save – or stem the rise – in utility bills.
“Green is not just environmental sustainability. Green is business sustainability too,” said Jon Dommissee, director of new product development and marketing at Bradley Corp.
Jacobsen and Dommissee spoke during a Green Manufacturing Summit held Thursday at the Schlitz Audubon Nature Center in Bayside. Bradley, a local maker of plumbing fixtures, and the state Focus on Energy sponsored the event, along with the Journal Sentinel.
Despite the slowing economy, companies continue to seek grants from Focus on Energy to help them pay for energy-saving projects, said Nate Altfeather of Focus.
Focus provides grants that help shorten the payback time on projects that boost energy efficiency. With companies holding the line on spending, the types of incentives sought from Focus may shift.
“We’re going to see a lot more interest in low and no-cost maintenance incentives,” Altfeather said. “People aren’t going to be able to cut checks for $100,000 for new equipment.”
Focus is developing new incentives designed to help companies with energy-saving upgrades that have a payback of one year or less. The Focus program, funded through charges on utility bills, will pay nearly 100% of an energy audit for those firms, Altfeather said.
