by jboullion | Dec 2, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a post on the Greener Milwaukee blog:
I conducted a short interview on a local business owner, Adam Borut and his partner’s start-up called, Eco-hatchery. Their focus is on Green gift packs that could come in handy this holiday season… what do you think?
0. Who are you?
Eco Hatchery is a Milwaukee based company dedicated to helping homeowners reduce the energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.
1. How did you get started with this Hatchery business?
My business partner and I were discussing the challenge of moving from environmental consciousness to action. In talking with friends and family, we found most were environmentally conscious, but had done little in their personal lives to take action. They were overwhelmed by information, and short on time. We sought to develop a collection of tools that would enable homeowners to have the greatest impact in a single weekend. Along the way, we realized this was not enough. People needed to see in economic and environmental terms the size of opportunities, and the impact of their actions. They also wanted a clear and personalized roadmap for moving forward. We therefore married our Eco Starter Kit with on-line programs we developed to identify, prioritize and track impact of opportunities.
by jboullion | Dec 2, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Paris Henne in the UW-La Crosse Raquet:
Legislation has been passed in La Crosse that endorses the “Natural Step model for Eco-Municipalities” and authorizes the City Planning Department to prepare a proposal for “developing a sustainable community plan.”
According to “The Ecomunicipality Model for Sustainable Community Change” by Torbjörn Lahti and Sarah James, “An ecomunicipality aspires to develop an ecologically, economically, and socially healthy community for the long term, using the Natural Step framework for sustainability as a guide.”
According to the City of La Crosse Council, the purpose of the plan is “safeguarding and improving environmental features as a means of promoting neighborhood revitalization, community image and quality of life.”
Also included are guidelines developed by the American Planning Association to help implement the plan. The city should:
1. Reduce dependence upon fossil fuels, and extracted underground metals and minerals.
2. Reduce dependence on chemicals and other manufactured substances that can accumulate in Nature.
3. Reduce dependence on activities that harm life-sustaining ecosystems.
4. Meet the hierarchy of present and future human needs fairly and efficiently.
The city budget for the plan is $25,000 for planning consultant(s) and $5,000 for City staff. The source of the funds is “$15,000 from 2006 Community Development Block Grant and $l5,000 from the 2007 Community Development Block Grant sustainable plan funds,” according to the city plan.
The Eco-Municipality model is different from others because it uses a “systems approach.” Many communities in the US implement changes on a “project-by-project” basis. According to Lahti and James, “the key ingredients of a systems approach are widespread community awareness, raising an integrated municipal involvement, and using a common ‘sustainability language’ based upon the Natural Step framework.” Therefore, the likelihood of conflict is minimized.
by jboullion | Dec 2, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a a story by story by Larry Oakes in the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune.
Part of Duluth’s success is having land-based logistical support and cooperative state agencies, especially DOT. Can Minnesota’s success be replicated here …?
DULUTH — In 2005, a ship called the Bavaria arrived in Duluth-Superior from Europe with a visually stunning cargo the gritty taconite and coal port had never seen: gargantuan yet somehow slender blades, hubs and shafts meant for towering wind turbines.
Since then, America’s increasing embrace of wind power has brought the port a windfall, with shipments surging to make the head of the Great Lakes a major funnel for turbines destined for the Upper Midwest and parts of Canada. Jason Paulson, operations manager for Lake Superior Warehousing Co., which transfers turbines from ships to specially designed semitrailer truck caravans, said the port is on track to handle a record 2,000 windmill components this year for several manufacturers, most bound for wind farms in Montana, Oklahoma, Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota. Shipments of wind turbines through the port shot from 34,080 freight tons in 2005 to 307,000 freight tons last year.
The Duluth Seaway Port Authority reported this year that transportation of wind turbines was the single largest factor in making fiscal year 2007 its most profitable.
“The growth is explosive,” Paulson said. “There were times this season when we were moving 12 windmills a day. It’s become the major portion of our heavy-lift business.”
Other stories about the Duluth port.
by jboullion | Dec 1, 2008 | Uncategorized
The draft of Eau Claire’s comprehensive plan on sustainability lists these key issues:
1. Energy: What should the City do to foster improved local energy production,
efficiency, conservation, and diversification by using more alternative fuels?
2. Local Food: What should the City do to promote area food production and
consumption while reducing the amount of waste the food industry creates?
3. Environmental Conservation: What should the City do to safeguard our ecosystems,
trees, soil, and water resources?
4. Atmosphere: What should the City do to reduce our contribution to global
warming and minimize air pollution?
5. Managing Waste: What should the City do to promote consumer product
awareness, increase recycling rates, and reduce the amount of substances entering
into landfills?
6. Strong and Healthy Community: How should the City continue to protect its
citizens from disease, and promote healthy living, civic engagement, cultural and
ethnic diversity, while partnering with others to provide these activities?
7. Sustainable Development: How should the City guide and promote development
so that buildings and neighborhoods incorporate sustainable features?
8. Balanced Transportation: How can the City increase mobility choices by
enhancing other forms of transportation besides that for automobiles? How can
transportation infrastructure be designed efficiently, safely, with the environment in
mind, and connect to other local and regional networks?
9. Greener Economy: How can the City bolster the local economy by attracting
green-collar jobs, supporting our small businesses, and increasing sustainable
purchasing?
10. Sustainable Government: What should the City do to provide good government,
cost-effective services, cooperation with other governments, and meet the needs of
our citizens while not compromising the needs of future generations?
by jboullion | Dec 1, 2008 | Uncategorized
From a story Paul Snyder in The Daily Reporter:
The special legislative committee charged with creating a regional transit authority bill is dead.
State Rep. Alvin Ott, chairman of the Legislative Council Special Committee on Regional Transportation Authority, on Tuesday informed the Joint Legislative Council by letter that he would not convene any more committee meetings.
Citing changes in political leadership, economic conditions and the projected $5.4 billion state budget deficit, Ott said it would not be prudent to set up a new taxing authority until the economy improves.
But Len Brandrup, a committee member and director of Kenosha’s Transportation Department, said the state can’t afford to wait any longer for an RTA bill.
“We have no choice but to get a bill this session,” he said. “We can’t fail. If we’re to remain competitive in terms of attracting business and economic development, the state puts itself at a distinct disadvantage by not acting.”
Brandrup said his biggest concern is that the committee was terminated for partisan reasons, and Ott’s letter confirms the concern.
“With the pending change in party control of the Assembly, the Committee no longer has the ‘built-in’ balance that I feel is necessary to cultivate an appropriate compromise on the policy questions the committee has been charged with addressing,” according to the letter attributed to Ott.
Such comments echoed remarks made by state Rep. Robin Vos, the Racine Republican who last week said he doubts bipartisan discussions of RTAs could proceed with Democrats in control of the Legislature.
Neither Ott, Vos nor state Rep. Jeff Stone, R-Greendale — the committee’s three GOP legislative members — was available for comment Wednesday.
“We need all sides at the table,” Brandrup said. “To make this a partisan issue is a shortsighted approach. It’s not a wedge issue.”
Despite the conflict, other committee members said the committee’s demise doesn’t mean the end of an RTA bill.
Read other stories on regional transit authorities.
by jboullion | Nov 30, 2008 | Uncategorized
From an article by Bob Seaquist in the Onalaska Holmen Life Courier:
Saving energy in small ways is saving the Onalaska School District big money. Doug Hause, the district’s energy director told the Onalaska Board of Education Monday night the effort has saved $446,058 over the past 24 months. That is a 30 percent drop from what energy expenditures would have been without the program.
“We don’t suddenly have $400,000 sitting there but just have $400,000 less in expenses,” Superintendent John Burnett said.
In the past two years Onalaska schools spent $1,096,427 for energy.
The district contracts with Energy Education Inc., paying the firm about $88,500 per year in a four-year contract.
The company estimates the school district will save $4.5 million over a 10-year period if it sticks with the effort, Hauser said.
Remarkably, energy savings continue piling up even though the program is going into its third year. Hauser said a “plateau” has not occurred because there are “so many ways n facets n to save energy.” He gives extra credit to building head custodians who keep looking for ways to cut electricity, heat and air conditioning waste.
