Juneau's Electric Vehicles in the Fourth of July Parade!

 

Thank you to AEL&P, Juneau Hydropower, City and Borough of Juneau, and all who walked, drove and rode in electric vehicles to support  the Juneau Commission on Sustainability's participation in this years Fourth of July Parade!  

Check out this June 10, 2012Juneau Empire article for more info on Juneau's electric vehicles.

Christmas lightbulb recycling program

Wondering what to do with all those old burned-out Christmas light bulbs? Look no further! A Christmas light company based in Texas started a lightbulb recycling program. Instead of sending the old copper, glass, and plastic to the landfill, Christmas Light Source sells them to a Texas recycling program. All the proceeds will be used for purchasing Usborne books and donating them to the Marine Tots for Toys Foundation.

Here's how you can participate:

Box up your old Christmas lights in the smallest possible box they'll fit into and send them (via the slowest, cheapest shipping method) to:

Christmas Light Source Recycling Program

1923 6th Avenue

Fort Worth, TX 76110

Climate Action Plan Public Session

Join us for a public information and participation session.

Wednesday Oct. 5th from 5:30 - 7:30 at the Mendenhall Valley Library.

To view the draft Climate Action Plan and get more information about the project go to www.juneau.org and follow the link under hot topics.

2011 Local Food Festival

The 2011 Juneau Local Food Festival will be held August 27 from 9am to 2pm at the Juneau Arts and Culture Center. We are looking for vendors wishing to sell locally grown produce, fruits, berries, flowers, eggs; fresh baked goods containing local ingredients; local seafood; homemade jams, jellies, honey, herb vinegar or syrup; locally produced artisan foods; indigenous plant products; composting supplies; and items related to food growing, gathering, preparing or serving.

Table fees are $30 for an indoor table and $15 for an outdoor table. Registration forms are available at http://jedc.org/foodfestival.php. Be sure to read the Frequently Asked Questions before you register.

As we've done in the past, we will have workshops during the event and an “Ask the Expert” gardening corner. If you have any suggestions for speakers, or would like to give a presentation this year, please let us know.

We look forward to seeing you at a great 2011 Festival!

Juneau Sunday Market

Locally harvested. Locally produced. Locally created.

Come visit the Juneau Sunday Market every Sunday from noon 'til 3pm at the JACC.

For questions or to register as a vendor visit:

http://www.juneausundaymarket.org/

Climate Action Plan Public Meeting

There will be a public information and participation session for the CBJ's Climate Action Plan May 25th. The plan focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from the local government's operations and from the community as a whole.


We hope you'll join us Wednesday, May 25th from 5:00-7:00 at the Assembly Chambers.


At this meeting, the 2010 Juneau Emissions Inventory and the Draft Climate Action Plan will be presented.


For more information about the Climate Action Plan, visit: http://www.sheinbergassociates.com/proj_cap.html

Living in a Tiny Home

Ever read The Boxcar Children series growing up? I did, and always had a fantasy about converting a boxcar into a cozy getaway. Modern designers have caught on to that attraction too, and a simple approach to living green is becoming more popular. Building and living in small houses—including a converted rail car—is the subject of the Tiny House Blog. It's just $150/month to lease the boxcar. Juneau-raised Tristan McAllister films this video tour, Life in a Rail Car, of the train-home. The rail car is listed at $225,000—probably more than the boxcar children—Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny Alden—could afford.

Another small living story focuses on Jay Shafer, who lives in an 89-square foot home he built himself. In an interview, Jay discusses with Tiny House author/builder Deek Diedricksen that in the U.S. we operate on a much larger scale than elsewhere in the world. On average, Americans' homes are four times the size as our international equals’. Jay, a designer specializing in sustainable architecture and urban planning, says it makes sense to live more compactly. We pour tons of time and money improving the energy efficiency of our larger homes, but smaller designs decrease the space to heat from the start. Jay touts the sustainable habits that stem from living in a small home, such as double-using something. A saucepan, for example, can double as your tea kettle to save storage space and materials (then use it as an iron while it’s hot). Jay owns Tumbleweed Tiny Houses Company, where you can buy small house plans to build yourself, or have a ready-made home delivered to you (yep, they’re so small they fit on a trailer).

Check out these websites for innovative ideas starting from scratch, building plans, or for tips on how to maximize current space:

Tiny House Blog by Kent Griswold.
Small House Society Dedicated to the promotion of smaller housing alternatives which can be more affordable and ecological.
Small House Style Web magazine dedicated to everything small house.

Juneau Adopts Green Building Standard

Juneau has a green building standard now. The Juneau Assembly passed an ordinance in January that mandates new construction of CBJ buildings achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. The requirement applies to buildings with a price tag of $5M or more.

Nationally, buildings use 39% of primary energy, 72% of all electricity, and account for 38% of CO₂ emissions. In Juneau, buildings emit 41% of total carbon emissions. Green building is expected to support 7.9M jobs and pump $554 into the U.S. economy between 2009 and 2013—Juneau should see a similar boost in our local economy.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system established by the U.S. Green Building Council that provides third party verification. A report card for buildings, the point-based system awards projects for energy and cost savings, indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources.

There are high performance buildings in Juneau already. Harborview and Glacier Valley Schools were recently renovated to meet LEED certification. The Juneau School District earned the EPA’s Energy Star rating (a separate distinction). Just with energy efficiency efforts throughout the district, they expect to save $1 million in three years on their energy bill.

Juneau joins over 442 local governments nationwide to take the initiative on LEED. In Alaska, three local governments have a green building policy: Anchorage, the Mat-Su Borough, and now Juneau. The ordinance will help CBJ achieve its objective of reducing carbon emissions 20% by 2012.

Read more about the green building scene in Sustainability Commissioner member Sarah Lewis’ recent Empire article.

'No Impact Man' film screening Jan. 3rd

Start the New Year by watching No Impact Man and be inspired to live more simply during 2011.

Join the Juneau Commission on Sustainability and Southeast's Slow Food group at the Juneau Unitarian Universalist Fellowship's Conscientious Projector's screening of No Impact Man January 3rd at the Nickelodeon Theatre. A panel disussion will follow. Admission is free. See you there!

Douglas community garden work party on 10/10/10

Join the Juneau Commission on Sustainability to work on the Douglas community gardens on Sunday, October 10^th from 10am-2pm. The event is to do our part to prevent negative effects of climate change as part of the 350.org global action day. Meet at the downtown Douglas parking lot on the corner of St. Ann’s and ADF&G. Bring work gloves, and durable, waterproof clothing.

Researching Organic Potatoes

Research at Washington State University is supporting the idea that organic potato farming methods can better control pests. Check it out! http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2012250093_taters01m.html

Plant some potatoes - they are easy to grow in Juneau. These were planted in large potting buckets, laying the potatoes in between dirt and straw.

Earth Day Celebration in Juneau April 17, 2010

Think Spring!

Energy Fair October 10, 2009

Need some suggestions for reducing home heating costs?
Are you wondering what an Energy Star appliance is?

Join us Sat, Oct 10 at the Nugget Mall, 10am - 4pm for this FREE community event to provide you information, ideas, and more!

Another Awesome Farmers Market

More than 2,000 people attended the market on a blustery Saturday morning, August 30, 2009. A rich variety of seafood, fresh produce, home-made preserves, and gardening/growing information was available.

Thanks to the presenters of the mini-seminars for sharing your knowledge and experience. Your topics were all so interesting, and well received.

And thanks to the collaborative planning committee that made the event possible: Juneau Commission on Sustainability, Juneau Economic Development Council, Juneau Arts & Humanities Council, UAF Cooperative Extension Service, and the Alaska Division of Agriculture ('Alaska Grown' Program).

Earth Day Celebration April 18, 2009

Thanks to members of the Juneau Sustainability Commission and other community participants for making the day so meaningful.

Seattle Bans Styrofoam

Full Circle Farm's "Farm Notes" Newsletter this week notes, "On Jan. 1, 2009, a ban on the use of expanded polystyrene food containers in Seattle restaurants and grocery stores went into effect... Seattle's ban is similar to those used in San Francisco, Portland OR, and Albany NY." Read more from UW's "The Daily" at http://dailyuw.com/2008/8/13/styrofoam-go-containers-go

Ban the Bottle

Juneau is fortunate to have a clean public water system that is available to most residents. Give up the bottle and go for the glass. Take our great H2O with you in a safe drinking container.

See the film, EATING ALASKA, March 1 at the JACC

Many thanks to Ellen Frankenstein of Sitka for recently sharing her new documentary Eating Alaska with Juneau-ites. If you missed this film about the choices and challenges we face in eating locally, you can check out the web site www.eatingalaska.com. Stay tuned for future showings. This movie is an official selection of the Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival.

Thanks also to Amanda Rutledge at Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, and the table participants who shared information about growing, harvesting, hunting, fishing, etc. in Juneau.

Juneau Commission on Sustainability - UPDATE

The Commission is currently working on initiatives in three main focus areas:

1. Energy and Greenhouse Gases
2. Food Security
3. Community Outreach
   

Under Energy and Greenhouse Gases, the Commission is finalizing a baseline inventory of Juneau's greenhouse gases. The inventory is expected to be completed and presented to the Assembly soon. We will then be able to set targets for reductions, and develop a Climate Action Plan to proceed toward making those reductions.

Other initiatives that the Commission is exploring include:

• A revolving loan program for landlords and businesses to implement energy-efficient improvements to apartment buildings and commercial structures;
• An "Energy Card" to receive a sales tax exemption on energy-efficient products; and
• Legislation to provide a municipal property tax credit on energy-efficient improvements.
  

On the Food Security side, the Commission is planning the 2nd annual Farmers Market ,August 29, 2009. This year, the Commission is applying for a grant from the Division of Agriculture to help expand the Farmer's Market. Let us know if you'd like to help organize, or if you have ideas for mini-seminar topics.

Under Community Outreach, the Commission builds partnerships with other organizations in Juneau to further sustainability projects (eg participant in 2008 Earth Day forum), maintains this blogsite, puts on public events such as the Re-Energizing Juneau Forum (May 2008), and engages in general promotion via radio and the press. In the future, the Outreach committee hopes to start a recognition program to showcase the sustainability efforts of local businesses.

To get involved in any of these projects, come to the next Juneau Commission on Sustainability meeting, March 4 at 5:15 pm in the downtown Library conference room.