Ocean Acidification: The other CO2 Problem

with Dr. Richard Feely

Thursday, February 14, 5:30 - 7:00 pm

Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center (402 Center Street)

Not only is carbon dioxide (CO2) a major contributor to global climate change, but increased concentrations of CO2 in the oceans is causing significant changes in marine ecosystems. Dr. Feely will discuss the implications of increased CO2 levels on the health of our ocean ecosystems and ocean-based economies.

Dr. Richard A. Feely is an Oceanographer at the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory in Seattle. His major research areas are carbon cycling in the oceans and ocean acidification. He was awarded the Department of Commerce Gold Award in 2006 for his pioneering research on ocean acidification. Dr. Feely is a science advisor for the Alaska Marine Conservation Council.

Sponsored by the Alaska Marine Conservation Council with funding from National

Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs and ARCUS.

For more information:

Please contact Theresa Peterson

486-2991; theresa@akmarine.org

Municipal Composting: Public Meeting

Important Public SWAB meeting

Tuesday, February 19 at 5:15 pm.

Downtown-new Bear Refuge Museum

Municipal Composting, with Fred Warren, Environmental Specialist with RCAC in Tucson, Arizona, and Roland Shanks, Environmental Specialist with RCAC in Anchorage.

This note from Rick Pillans of Threshold Recycling, and a SWAB member:

“We are facing some very serious problems with the way we handle municipal solid waste here in Kodiak. The Borough has hired a consulting firm to study OUR problem, and give us some solutions as to ways of dealing with it. My thoughts are that if we don’t consider long term solutions along with making them environmentally sound we are just being naive. If we combine a major recycling/reducing program with a co-composting program we could realistically reduce our solid waste going into the landfill up to 80%. Expanding the landfill is a very expensive project, and not one that is really addressing the source of the problem, but only the issue, and only short term. What I am trying to do is look at what Kodiak needs for up to 40 or 50 years down the road. These are real issues that the public needs to be involved with because it does affect them directly.

Fred Warren an Environmental Specialist with RCAC in Tucson Arizona, and Roland Shanks also an Environmental Specialist with RCAC in Anchorage are doing a workshop on Friday the 15^th at the 10^th Annual Alaska Forum on the Environment in Anchorage. I am taking advantage of their services to bring them to Kodiak and do their presentation as part of our Solid Waste Advisory Board Work session. They will be presenting on Tuesday February 19^th, in the new wildlife building downtown where we hold our Sustainable Kodiak meetings. All are welcome, and encouraged to attend. It is a SWAB work session, and is open to the public.”

Updated Action Item: HB 288 ("Net Metering")

Allright folks, this is coming right up:
the public hearing for House Bill 288 on Net Metering is on
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 1st at 3PM
Full information on the bill was recently posted below, although there is a correction:
instead of the statement that consumers who own small renewable energy systems would get paid by their local utility for the excess energy they produce, the bill calls for consumers to get credit for the excess energy they produce from their utility.

Here is a list of emails of representatives who will be voting on the bill:

Representative_Kurt_Olson@legis.state.ak.us,

Representative_Mark_Neuman@legis.state.ak.us,

Representative_Carl_Gatto@legis.state.ak.us,

representative_gabrielle_ledoux@legis.state.ak.us,

Representative_Jay_Ramras@legis.state.ak.us,

Representative_Robert_Buch@legis.state.ak.us,

Representative_Berta_Gardner@legis.state.ak.us

Next Sustainable Kodiak Meeting / Energy Events

The next Sustainable Kodiak meeting will be
Monday, February 4th, 2008
from 7:15 pm to 9:15pm
in room 106 of the Benny Benson Building, Kodiak College

Guest speaker Professor Richard Siefert from the UAF Cooperative Extension Service will be presenting on Peak Oil in Alaska.

Siefert will also present two short courses on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, on the use of Solar power in Alaska, and on Home Energy Efficiency (these require registration).

More information about these presentations and about Siefert's expertise are posted in a previous blog below.

Action Item: House Bill 288 ("Net Metering")

Help promote renewable energy in Alaska – Support HB 288, a bill to support “Net Metering”

Public Hearing on Friday, February 1, 2008 at 3:00 pm

Background:

What is “Net Metering?”

Net metering allows consumers who own small, renewable energy systems, such as wind or solar power, to sell the excess energy they produce back to their local utility.

What Would HB 288 Do?

House Bill (HB) 288, introduced by Representative Paul Seaton (R – District 35) is a bill that would put net metering in place in Alaska, one of the few states left in the nation without such a policy. Net metering is current policy in 42 states and Washington D.C.

Why Does AMCC Support HB 288?

Encouraging the use of clean energies in Alaska will help reduce the harmful greenhouse gas emissions which are the leading cause of climate change. AMCC supports initiatives at all levels of government to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as we work to advance solutions that will protect the long-term health of marine ecosystems and sustain our coastal communities.

What You Can Do

1. Please testify in support of HB 288. The State House of Representatives Labor & Commerce Committee will hold a Public Hearing on Friday, February 1^st at 3:00 pm. You can testify at your local Legislative Information Office (LIO). (See Talking Points below.) For a directory of Legislative Information Offices in Alaska, go to: http://w3.legis.state.ak.us/misc/lios.php

2. Please forward this action alert on to other Alaskan residents – Thank you!

How Can I Learn More About HB 288?

Please contact Alan Parks in AMCC’s Homer office at (907) 235-3826 or email: alan@akmarine.org

Talking Points in Support of Net Metering Bill (HB 288)

Net metering is good for Alaska’s economy --

- It provides Alaskans, who want to lower their electric bills and conserve energy, incentive to install photovoltaic panels and small wind and water turbines.

- HB 288 will help produce jobs on the local level by creating a market for the manufacturing and servicing of these small-scale renewable energy systems.

- A household’s excess electricity will be bought by the local utility, so families will not have to install expensive battery storage systems, which will lower the pay-back time for their investment in renewable energy equipment.

Net metering is good for conservation --

- Renewable energy generation systems will help break Alaskans’ dependence on fossil fuels, add to the diversification of Alaska’s current energy portfolio, and help lessen the environmental footprint associated with electricity generation and consumption.

- By connecting small-scale renewable energy generation systems to the electricity grid, it will ensure that all of the energy produced by these systems will be used. Without net metering some of the excess energy would be wasted.

Net metering is also good for our public utilities --

- Net metering increases the energy in the power grid to keep up with demand during peak power-use times. For instance --Wind generators will provide power during the windy winter months, when the wind causes heat loss from buildings; however, that is the time when more power can be produced from wind generation.

- Although net metering may slightly reduce utility revenues, within HB 288 is a cap on the amount of renewable energy that can be generate by the consumer. This cap will minimize the financial loss to the utility while stimulating substantial growth in renewable energy use.

Letter to Rep. Gabrielle LeDoux from Sustainable Kodiak

January 21, 2008

Representative Gabrielle LeDoux

State Capitol, Room 412
Juneau, AK 99801-1182

Dear Representative LeDoux:

Thank you for your recent Letter to the Editor (January 18, 2008, Kodiak Daily Mirror.)

At a meeting held tonight, Sustainable Kodiak discussed your ideas pertaining to the State of Alaska budget surplus and your proposal to distribute this surplus to Alaskans in the form of a household heating expense (or similar) reimbursement program. Sustainable Kodiak is a local citizen’s group promoting energy efficiency and environmentally-sound practices for our island community. Our meetings are informal, public, and have been well-attended.

Your idea motivated us to engage in a group discussion about how this budget surplus could be distributed in a way that might bring about a change in the mindset of Alaskan consumers (and legislators), and a more long-term solution to rising energy costs.

In the interest of sustainability and respect to the environment, we recommend the use of this fund surplus to create an incentive program to encourage Alaskans to purchase energy efficient devices, install energy-saving home features, or buy an energy-efficient vehicle. Not only families and individuals but also landlords, businesses, schools and government agencies could be included in such a program.

The State of Alaska already has an insulation and energy-saving program for low-income households that has proved to be extremely cost effective for the state and for the consumer. Wider dissemination of already developed information and ‘how-to’ directions could be accomplished at very low cost using agencies already set up to do this. Rebates or vouchers for materials and/or installation could put surplus fund money to work at the root of the energy problem.

As you mentioned in your letter, the details of such a program would need to be worked out, but this idea could bring us one step closer to reducing our problematic dependence on expensive and depleting petroleum resources. At a time when the world is learning about the urgency for change in human consumption of oil, we feel the program outlined above would offer a long-term and healthy mitigation for the present oil dilemma. In addition to saving money and petroleum, this program would also help alleviate climate change/global warming which is and will affect Alaskans severely. It is a win-win solution, and an excellent example for other states who might be considering similar rebates!

We thank you for your representation in Juneau, your dedication to Kodiak, and for your thoughtful consideration of our proposal. Please let us know if you and/or your staff would like to be added to our e-mail list to be informed of upcoming Sustainable Kodiak meetings. We would look forward to your participation.

With warm regards from your constituents and neighbors,

For Sustainable Kodiak,

Bridget Dodge

Donna Elizabeth Jones

Theresa Peterson

Next Sustainable Kodiak Meeting

Sustainable Kodiak will be meeting on Monday evening,

January 21st, from 7:00 to 9:00,
at our NEW meeting location,
the Kodiak Refuge Visitor Center located downtown.

The meeting will focus on local recycling efforts and Rick Pillans with Threshhold Recycling will be joining us.

Please come and share idea's and learn how we all may facilitate recycling opportunity in our island home and work as a community to promote sustainable practices. If your interest group has a meeting, report or announcement, please send it to Theresa this weekend. Thanks!

For further information contact Theresa Peterson - 486-2991

theresa@akmarine.org