Ski / Gear Swap

In the interest of recycling, reuse, and just plain ol' outdoor fun,
Check out the SKI SWAP this weekend at the Little School of Dance:
Saturday, December 22nd
10-1: Gear Drop-off
2-6: Sale
All proceeds go back to owners.
Bring your skis, bring your gear, find a deal, try something new...

Radio Interview on Kodiak's 'Island of Lights'

The Island of Lights program is once again brightening the city of Kodiak during the darkest winter months. But this year, there’s an energy-saving twist. KMXT’s Jay Barrett spoke with Kodiak Parks and Recreation Director Ian Fulp about the switch to light-emitting diodes, or L-E-Ds. Last year, the cost of electricity was over five-thousand-dollars. This year it will be much less.

Fulp said that before the L-E-Ds were in use, each electric snowflake drew 500 watts and the lights on the trees 750 watts each. This year the snowflakes are down to 65 watts and the trees are down to 240 watts. To further save energy, the city is considering running the lights only two months this year, instead of the usual three.

Hear a three minute audio clip at KMXT’s site here: http://www.kmxt.org/?q=node/3438

Press Coverage in Kodiak

This article by North Star Elementary student Will Dumm appeared in the December 3 issue of North Star Navigators newsletter. Will is a member of the Journalism Club.

Sustainable Kodiak

Written by Will Dumm

November 12^th at the college, the fourth “Sustainable Kodiak” meeting was held. “Sustainable Kodiak” is a group that is open to the public and is “working to identify, practice, and promote sustainable methods and technologies to benefit our island community and surrounding ocean.” The first meeting held was mostly about what other communities have done and what people would like to see happen here in Kodiak. The next two meetings held were dedicated to compiling an inventory of what people have already done in Kodiak. Finally, the fourth meeting held was dedicated to deciding on small groups that would work individually on different ideas for the community.

If you are interested in being part of this group the next meeting will be Monday, December 10 at 7:15 at the college. Meetings are held every other week alternating Mondays and Thursday s. Monday meetings will be held at Kodiak College while Thursday meetings will be held at Fisherman’s Hall. “Sustainable Kodiak” has an informative blog at: http://sustainablekodiak.blogspot.com/

Sustainable Kodiak Interest Group Members,

November 2007

Business initiatives, Chamber of Commerce, tourism, ecotourism:

Martine Chenet, Elisa Russ, Pam Foreman, Hans Tschersich

Energy and energy efficiency:

Cliff Ford, Don Dumm, Val Miller

Getting the message out, press, radio, newspapers, speakers, documentaries and films, Resource Guide:

Dr. Bob Johnson, John Alan Jones, Laine Welch, Elisa Russ, Anne Niebler

Internal communications:

Theresa Peterson, Lisa Hupp, Donna Elizabeth Jones, Erin Harrington

Local environmental initiatives, Borough and City, ICLEI:

Jerrol Friend, Ben Millstein, Theresa Peterson

Local and regional food production and cuisine, community gardens, farmer’s market:

Donna Elizabeth Jones, Marion Owen, Martine Chenet, Erin Harrington, Betsy Lund, Marie Rice, Anne Niebler, Deborah Dorminio (USCG)

New ferry dock/ viable downtown:

Laine Welch, Dr. Bob Johnson

Recycling, composting: SWAB:

Ben Millstein, Marion Owen

Schools, public involvement:

Tricia Hegge

Steering committee/ meeting agenda: Theresa Peterson, John Alan Jones, Donna Elizabeth Jones

Transportation, bikes, trails, electric cars:

Andy Schroeder, Don Dumm, Hans Tschersich, Erin Harrington

We welcome new members, new focus groups, and new ideas. Please let us know how we can support your project, presentation or organization!

Talking Trash

The next SWAB meeting is scheduled for December 5th, 5:15 p.m. in the Borough conference room.

I think it would be helpful to get the word out. Knowledge is power and the more the merrier. I could use the support in talking trash, so to speak.

Blessings,

Marion Owen

How "Green" Are You?

Two nifty websites to compute your impact on the earth:

The Carbon Counter at http://www.stopglobalwarming.org/carboncalculator.asp

calculates ways of reducing carbon emissions in your own life, and how much money you may save doing so.

The Ecological Footprint quiz looks at how much land and resources it takes to support your lifestyle, depending on a variety of factors.

http://www.earthday.net/Footprint/index.asp

There may be parts which are not applicable to every person or household, but these two quizzes sure did get me thinking! Hope you enjoy them.

Action Item: North Star Safety Access Project

The issue: Children walking to North Star Elementary School need safe access on or along city streets, including better lighting.

What: KIB Worksession for the North Star Safety Access Project
Where: Borough Worksession Room
When: Tuesday, November 13th 2007 at 7:30 PM

Action Item: Renewable Energy Standard

This came in today from Susan Payne:
Please read the forwarded email and consider giving Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D, CA) and Sen. Harry Reid (D, NV) a call to register your shock at their actions.

Nancy Pelosi 202-225-4695
Harry Reid 202-224-3542

We received this alert from Vote Solar. As a "solar citizen", if you act now, you can influence the future of our country:

"On Thursday morning, Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi decided to drop the renewable energy standard out of the energy bill and drop the tax title. No tax title means no extension of the investment tax credit for solar, and no extenstion of the production tax credit for wind.

Let's see...nothing for solar, plus nothing for wind, hmmm, add no renewable energy standard, carry the zero...yep, that adds up to precisely nothing for renewable energy.
Got that? Congressional leadership is moving an energy bill with nothing in it for renewable energy. Dropping the biggest pro-solar provision this country has ever seen, just when the industry is gaining momentum and making an impact.
We've got maybe 24 hours to turn this around. We suggest calling until the Capitol switchboard melts. Can you ask your representative to pass the renwable energy message to Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi? A suggested script might go like this:
"Hi. My name is__. I, and 90% of America, would like more renewable energy. It's not a tough call, since it's pretty clear that the future of the world depends on it. So, please tell Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi to include a 8-year extension for the solar investment tax credits in the energy bill. Thank you."

You can find your representative's contact information here. http://yahoo.capwiz.com/y/dbq/officials/

Call the Washington office. Don't just fill out their email form.
Additional talking points include:

Clean energy means jobs and energy independence.
America needs carbon-free renewable energy, now.
The fight against global warming will only be won by a transition to renewable energy.
The energy bill must extend investment tax credits for solar.
Our future depends on some strong leadership. Isn't that what leaders are supposed to do?

Many thanks.

Meeting: November 12, 2007

How many ways do you already make a difference?

Come and share ideas at our meeting on

November 12, 2007

7:15 pm

Rm. 106 Benny Benson Building

Kodiak College