WPPI member utilities join EPA recycling program

by | Aug 25, 2009 | Uncategorized

From a news release issued by WPPI Energy:

SUN PRAIRIE, WIS., August 25 – WPPI Energy has joined the U.S Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Responsible Appliance Disposal (RAD) Program. The new partnership recognizes the longstanding efforts of WPPI Energy and its member utilities to recycle and responsibly dispose of appliances based on EPA standards.

Established in 2001, WPPI Energy’s Responsible Appliance Recycling Program provides
participating members a way to responsibly reduce landfill use through the recycling of useful refrigerator and freezer parts and recovery of dangerous polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and ozone depleting substances. By partnering with the EPA, 21 participating WPPI Energy members now receive recognition as EPA program partners meeting the highest standards for disposal and recycling appliances that contain harmful refrigerants. . . .

WPPI Energy established the program as part of its ongoing effort to encourage
public and community support for energy conservation and energy efficiency. Select program participants in WPPI Energy’s Responsible Appliance Recycling Program are eligible to receive incentives for their appliances based on utility participation guidelines. Appliances eligible for turn-in incentives must meet utility guidelines and include refrigerators, freezers, dehumidifiers and room air conditioners in working order. The Appliance Recycling Centers of America, Inc. (ARCA) provides
WPPI Energy members with appliance recycling services. . . .

For more information on WPPI Energy’s Responsible Appliance Recycling Program, contact Cheri Tessmann, program coordinator, at (608) 834-4537.

Member utilities of WPPI:
Alger Delta Cooperative Electric Association
Algoma Utilities
Baraga Electric Utility
Black River Falls Municipal Utilities
Boscobel Utilities
Brodhead Water & Light
Cedarburg Light & Water Utility
Columbus Water & Light
Crystal Falls Electric Department
Cuba City Light & Water
Eagle River Light & Water Utility
Evansville Water & Light
Florence Utilities
Gladstone Power & Light
Hartford Electric
Hustisford Utilities
Independence Light & Power, Telecommunications
Jefferson Utilities
Juneau Utilities
Kaukauna Utilities
L’Anse Electric Utility
Lake Mills Light & Water
Lodi Utilities
Maquoketa Municipal Electric Utility
Menasha Utilities
Mount Horeb Utilities
Muscoda Utilities
Negaunee Electric Department
New Glarus Utilities
New Holstein Utilities
New London Utilities
New Richmond Utilities
Norway Power & Light
Oconomowoc Utilities
Oconto Falls Municipal Utilities
Plymouth Utilities
Prairie du Sac Utilities
Preston Municipal Electric Utility
Reedsburg Utility Commission
Richland Center, City Utilities of
River Falls Municipal Utilities
Slinger Utilities
Stoughton Utilities
Sturgeon Bay Utilities
Sun Prairie Water & Light
Two Rivers Water & Light
Waterloo Utilities
Waunakee Utilities
Waupun Utilities
Westby Utilities
Whitehall Electric Utility

Marathon County trash becomes electricity

by | Aug 25, 2009 | Uncategorized

From a story by Jonalee Merkel on WSAW-TV, Wausau:

If you have ever wondered how much waste you actually produce, you probably don’t want to know.

“Wisconsin put over 10 million tons of garbage in landfills in 2008,” said Meleesa Johnson, the Marathon County Solid Waste Department director. “With 10 million tons of garbage in Wisconsin for just one year, if every family does one thing different, makes on different choice, we can reduce the amount of waste going into landfills.”

And the changes we all can make to help are fairly simple, like just changing the way we shop.

“When you go to the grocery store, you’re always so enticed to buy that little convenient package,” Johnson said. “Let’s say the juice boxes. Juice boxes are great if you’re on the go, but when you’re at home, probably not the best choice. Why not have a big half gallon of juice you can pour it into a regular cup? [The] cup can be washed and reduce the amount of waste you have.”

And when it comes to those things you no longer use, you should consider if your potential trash could be someone else’s treasure. Johnson says she sees a number of items, ranging from toys to clothing, that come into the landfill in great shape and could really be taken to a resale shop.

“Don’t throw them in the landfill because there’s much better uses for these things,” she said.

But until we all start cutting down on our waste, rest assured the Marathon County Solid Waste Department has found a good use for all our garbage.

“We extract the gases that are accumulating and we take those gases and burn those off to produce electricity,” Johnson said. “That’s a very positive thing. We have something that we don’t like, garbage, but we’re actually finding a very beneficial way to use the waste.”

Festival aims to educate people about local food, artists

by | Aug 25, 2009 | Uncategorized

From an article by Heidi Clausen in the Eau Claire Leader-Telegram:

TURTLE LAKE – Mike Brenna wants to bring people back to farms.

That’s the main reason he has agreed to host Soupstock III on Saturday, Sept. 19, at his 50-acre Little Footprint Farm.

Brenna hopes at least 500 people will turn out to learn more about sustainable agriculture and ways they can support local growers and artisans.

“We want to get the public coming to farms and getting connected to farmers and making us part of the community again,” he said.

Brenna’s Polk County farm has been a hub of activity in recent weeks. In-between weeding and harvesting, he and his crew rush to finish a new building that will be the heart of the farm’s outreach activities.

Soupstock III will be the first event there, said Brenna, a founding member of the Northwest Wisconsin Food Network.

The first two Soupstocks, hosted by Hunt Hill Audubon Sanctuary and Nature Center near Sarona, each drew 250 to 300 people.

“We really wanted to get it back on a farm,” Brenna said.

Soupstock is a collaboration of the Northwest Wisconsin Regional Food Network, the Farm to Community Alliance and Hunt Hill.

The fall festival’s purpose is to educate people about local food, art and music and foster an interest in sustainability.

Energy Composites reports revenue increase, second quarter net loss

by | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized

From an article by in the Wisconsin Rapids Tribune:

Energy Composites Corp. had an 18.1 percent increase in revenue during the second quarter from the same period in 2008, the Wisconsin Rapids-based company announced today.

Despite the increase and a 7.5 percent increase in gross profit, the manufacturer had a net loss of $579,781, about 45 percent higher than the second quarter of 2008, according to the company’s quarterly financial results.

Company leaders attributed the loss to continued investments in its planned 350,000-square-foot manufacturing plant it expects to build in the Rapids East Commerce Center. Announced March 31, the new plant will construct industrial wind-turbine blades and create more than 400 local jobs.

Energy Composites Chief Executive Officer Sam Fairchild said the company also continues to diversify its product line and soon will have several significant contractual and personnel announcements as a result of those efforts.

Switchgrass Establishment & Maintenance Practices for Biomass Production Field-Day

by | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized

From an announcement distributed by Southwest Badger RC & D Council:

September 3, 2009
1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
1291 Rawson Lane, Platteville, Wisconsin

Southwest Badger Resource Conservation and Development (RC&D) Council is in the second year of a project to determine the best management practices for maximizing switchgrass yields in Southwest Wisconsin. The field day will provide a tour of demonstration plots planted in 2008 at the Jim and Terry Schaefer farm. NRCS and Southwest Badger staff will provide an overview of the project and discuss the various field trials being conducted. Researchers from UW Madison will provide information on weed pressure resulting from the various herbicide treatments and how that corresponds to yield. Fertility trials implemented in 2009 will be viewed and discussed. A side-by-side comparison of pure switchgrass plantings and a nine species prairie mix will be observed. A representative of Alliant Energy will discuss their plans to perform a test burn of switchgrass at the Cassville plant this fall.

Homegrown renewable energy bus tour slated for Eau Claire area on September 8

by | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized

From an article on Wisconsin Ag Connection:

Several groups are joining forces to hold a homegrown renewable energy bus tour around Northern Wisconsin next month. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Office of Energy Independence, Wisconsin Farmers Union, [RENEW Wisconsin], and other partners are sponsoring the daylong tour on September 8.

Organizers say stops will be made at four locations where exciting developments in renewable energy production are being made.

The tour includes visits at Cadott School District, where the district uses buses that run on natural gas and and has examples of electric and alternative fuel vehicles; Five Star Dairy near Elk Mound, uses a manure to energy digester system to generate electricity; Barron High School, which produced wood chips, instead of fossil fuels, to provide heat for the school; and Bioenergy Crop Research Site, where attendees can meet the people behind the cutting edge research into bioenergy crops.

The stops on the tour coincide with each policy item of the Homegrown Renewable Energy Campaign. All four policies will come before the state legislature this fall.

Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Cadott Junior/Senior High School. The tour will conclude at approximately 5 p.m. Lunch and snacks will be provided and the cost of the tour is $10.

For more information or to sign-up, call 715-723-5561.

New interactive Milwaukee maps shows solar installations

by | Aug 24, 2009 | Uncategorized

From Milwaukee Shines:

The . . . map features 65 of the estimated 175 homes and businesses with solar energy installations in the 7-county Milwaukee metro area.

The City of Milwaukee, through the Solar America Cities program, has a goal of installing at least 100 solar electric systems and 50 solar hot water systems with a combined production of one megawatt of solar energy in Milwaukee by 2012.

Using data from Focus on Energy, Milwaukee Shines estimates that the City of Milwaukee currently has approximately 30 solar electric systems and 20 solar hot water systems in operation that produce a combined 350 kW of energy.

Help us reach our goal! Solar is a viable energy source in southeastern Wisconsin. Contact Milwaukee Shines, Focus on Energy, or We Energies to find out if you qualify for a solar installation incentive.

Finally, if you have a solar energy system on your home or business and would like to be featured on our map, please contact Andrea Luecke at 414-286-5593 or aluecke@milwaukee.gov.