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Green Star E-News
Green Star E-News Vol. 7, No. 3 March 6, 2006
Recognizing Alaska organizations committed to environmental responsibility.
In this issue:
* Shining Stars
* Green Star Achievement Report Deadline is March 31
* Green Star Hosts Training and Tour for Healthcare Sector
* Electronics Recycling Event
* Total Reclaim Addresses the Alaska Computer Society
* Green Star Takes the Bronze in Smackdown
* Air Quality and Obesity May Share Common Solutions
* Green Chemistry and Sustainability Presentation
* This Month’s Hot Link: Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
* Thank you 2006 Sponsors
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SHINING STARS
Enrollees
Welcome to our newest enrollee, Clarus Technologies LLC of Eagle River.
Green Events
The Iditarod Mushers Banquet on Thursday, March 2 and the temporary Iditarod Headquarters at the Millennium Hotel are both Green Events. Mixed paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles are currently being collected at the headquarters and about 120 pounds of glass bottles were collected at the banquet.
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GREEN STAR ACHIEVEMENT REPORT DEADLINE IS MARCH 31
This quarter’s deadline for submitting an achievement report to earn a Green Star or Air Quality Award is March 31. The next deadline is June 30. If you want to show off your Green Star Award logo before summer, now is the time to summit your report! Please contact Green Star at 278-7827 if you need assistance with the process.
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GREEN STAR HOSTS TRAINING AND TOUR FOR HEALTHCARE SECTOR
With the price of oil and gas on the rise, tracking energy use and performance is of increasing importance. Green Star and the University of Alaska Anchorage will host an ENERGY STAR training for healthcare facilities and a tour of Providence Alaska Medical Center.
The free training for healthcare professionals will be held Wednesday, March 15, from 9:30am to 11:30am in Room 307 of the UAA Consortium Library. Interested parties also can participate long distance via a teleconference and Internet connection.
The ENERGY STAR training will be followed by a tour (12 – 3pm) of the environmental initiatives at Providence Alaska Medical Center. Lunch is included and Mr. Al Parrish, CEO of Providence Health Systems Alaska will say a few words about Providence’s environmental efforts.
Representatives from healthcare facilities, including hospitals, medical office buildings, and dental offices, are welcome to attend.
The training, “Rating the Energy Performance of Healthcare Facilities,” will be led by an ENERGY STAR instructor by teleconference with audio and visual connections. The presentation demonstrates the many functions of ENERGY STAR’S Portfolio Manager, such as energy benchmarking, energy management, and investment prioritizing.
More than 2,500 office buildings, schools, hospitals, and public buildings, representing 482 million square feet, earned U.S. EPA's ENERGY STAR for superior energy and environmental performance in 2005. These buildings are saving an estimated $349 million annually in lower energy bills and are preventing 1.8 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to the emissions from 540,000 vehicles.
ENERGY STAR-qualified buildings use up to 40% less energy than typical buildings, while providing the required comfort and services. See www.energystar.gov for more information.
For more details about the training, please contact Jean Marie Guzzetti at jeanmarie@greenstarinc.org or 278-7869.
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ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT
Mark your calendar -- this year’s Electronics Recycling Event is April 28 and 29.
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are needed for Green Star’s annual Electronics Recycling Event. Set-up and break-down shifts are Thursday, April 27, 1-5pm and Monday, May 1, 9am-1pm. On the days of the event, volunteers are needed from 8:30am – 1pm and 12:20pm – 5pm. Duties range from light tasks such as traffic control, cashier, and scale operator/recorder, to more heavy-duty activities such as helping to unload vehicles and palletize electronics. It’s a fun day! Call 278-7839, email Jeanne@greenstarinc.org or visit www.greenstarinc.org/electronicsevent2006.php to sign up.
Household Recycling
Saturday, April 29 is drop-off day for households. The drop-off hours are 10am to 4pm. The fees at the annual event will remain the same as last year -- $10/vehicle for households (including up to three TVs or computer monitors and $5 for each additional TV/monitor).
Business Recycling
Friday, April 28 is drop-off day for businesses, including government agencies, schools, and nonprofits, from 10am to 4pm. Fees are 30¢/lb for businesses for all electronics items.
This year, businesses with pre-palletized loads can schedule a pick-up before the event. This service is available on a first-come first-served basis throughout the month of April. Call 278-7869 to schedule an appointment. The cost is 30¢/lb plus a flat fee for pickup.
Other Drop-off Opportunities
In the Mat-Su Borough, electronics can be taken to the Central Landfill on Haz-Mat Saturdays, which are the last Saturday of each month, except for February and December.
For households, dropping off one CRT (monitor or TV) and one electronic item is free. In excess of that, CRTs are $30 each and electronics are $10 each.
For businesses, the cost to recycle electronics at the Central Landfill is $180 per pallet, plus 50¢/lb. If electronics are not palletized, the charge is per item at the price of $30 for each CRT and $10 for each additional electronic item. Businesses should contact the Environmental Technician at 746-2826 to make an appointment prior to bringing in electronics. Call the Central Landfill at 907-745-9838 if you have questions.
In Anchorage, Total Reclaim, Inc., offers regular drop-off for electronics at its Huffman Business Park location. Outside of the April drop-off period associated with Green Star’s recycling event, Total Reclaim charges 45¢/lb for all electronics and 55¢/lb for CRTs/TVs. Total Reclaim recently opened a warehouse facility in Anchorage to ease recycling of several items, including electronics, fluorescent lamps, and refrigerants, make it more cost effective for Alaska residents and businesses.
For updates and details about the Green Star Electronics Recycling Event, visit www.greenstarinc.org/electronicsevent2006.php
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TOTAL RECLAIM ADDRESSES THE ALASKA COMPUTER SOCIETY
The Alaska Computer Society PC User’s Group will feature Larry Zirkle of Total Reclaim at its March 9 meeting. The meeting starts at 7:00 p.m. at the BP Energy Center. Zirkle will discuss Total Reclaim’s new year-round electronics recycling program in Anchorage as well as how to prepare for Green Star’s upcoming electronics recycling event in April.
The group also will screen a video discussing the importance of proper disposal of electronic materials. “This video really got me into this field and wanting to be sure electronics were managed correctly,” says Zirkle.
Other meeting topics will include the monthly security update, a question and answer session for any computer-related topics, refreshments and door prizes. ACS meetings are always free and open to the public. Visit www.acs-pcug.org for a map to the meeting location and further information.
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GREEN STAR TAKES THE BRONZE IN SMACKDOWN
Green Star won third place in the Crafters Smackdown, a crafting competition using recycled materials. The event was an official Fur Rendezvous event for the first time this year. Congregation Beth Sholom organized and hosted the competition, raising nearly $800 for Beth Sholom's new ReCreation Afterschool Art Program. Through this program, children from kindergarten to sixth grade create art that provides a second life for used or recycled objects and materials and puts it toward community service. For instance, one of ReCreation’s recent projects involved painting silk scarves for cancer survivors.
Green Star's team was one of eight teams that had a rousing good time as they went through multiple challenges to find out who was the craftiest of the bunch. Former Green Star employee, Kim Wetzel, described the event as follows.
The intense competition never faltered at the Crafters Smackdown. Eight teams in matching smocks and even costumes(!) sweated through three intense rounds of crafting before the first elimination. The Green Star team (wearing matching aprons made of orange newspaper bags) created a macaroni noodle visor (mission: make something useful out of noodles), tissue paper flower covered hat celebrating the holiday of Summer Solstice (mission: decorate an old hat to celebrate an unusual holiday), and a pop-up birthday card featuring dinosaurs that mocked "you're prehistoric!" (mission: make a 3-D card for any occasion).
In the second round, only four teams remained. Green Star tied for second after the creation of a board game depicting the TransAlaska pipeline and Alaska history trivia questions. The judges broke the tie, unfortunately ending Green Star's sweep. The final event was to create a famous Alaskan character out of an old doll. If you can't imagine how teams created Scott Gomez and Jay Hammond with bits of cloth, fur and hot glue, ask about being a member of Green Star's crafter team next year!
If interested in finding out more about ReCreation's Afterschool Art Program, please call Congregation Beth Sholom at 248-8272.
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AIR QUALITY AND OBESITY MAY SHARE COMMON SOLUTIONS
As we all know, our health is linked to the many choices we make everyday. On February 27th, the Mayor's Task Force on Obesity and Health released a draft planning document entitled "Municipality of Anchorage Ten Year Plan on Obesity and Health," and is currently accepting public comment.
Green Star is interested in getting the word out about this document since our Air Quality Award and Walking School Bus programs, which were created to improve air quality, dovetail with the goals of this plan. For example, the plan proposes to “improve school walkability” by “improving available routes and supervision.” These action steps directly support Green Star’s Walking School Bus, which has been introduced in Anchorage as a way to reduce congestion and air pollution around our schools, and provide a safe means for children to walk to and from school.
The Task Force formed subcommittees to address three strategic areas of Obesity and Health, including nutrition, physical activity, and the community (built) environment. The plan lays out 1, 3, 5, and 10-year action steps and identifies responsible parties for achieving the stated goals. The three main goals of the plan are to: improve the eating habits of the MOA residents through better nutrition; increase the number of adults, adolescents and children who engage in regular physical activity; and create a community environment that supports a more physically active way of life.
If you would like to learn more, please review the document at http://www.muni.org/healthchp/obesitytaskforce.cfm. The Task Force will be accepting public comment until noon March 17, 2006. Comments can be emailed to johnsonnd@muni.org, submitted to the Department of Health & Human Services at 825 L Street, Suite 410, or mailed to the Department of Health & Human Services, Attention: Obesity and Health Task Force Comments, P.O. Box 196650, Anchorage, AK 99501-6650.
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GREEN CHEMISTRY AND SUSTAINABILITY PRESENTATION
Green chemistry is a science-based approach to pollution prevention. It involves designing chemicals that reduce or eliminate hazardous substances without affecting profitability. For example, life-saving pharmaceuticals can be produced while minimizing the amount of waste generated, biodegradable plastics can be synthesized from plants, and reactions can be run in water rather than in traditional organic solvents by applying green chemistry principles to chemical products and processes.
Dr. Mary Kirchhoff will present the principles and practice of green chemistry and provide examples that illustrate the role of green chemistry in achieving sustainability at Loussac Library this evening. Fairbanks and Juneau presentations are later in the week.
Dr. Mary Kirchhoff is Acting Director of the Education Division of the American Chemical Society, and previously served as Assistant Director of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute. After receiving her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of New Hampshire, she spent nine years in the Chemistry Department at Trinity College in Washington, DC. She became involved with green chemistry when she received an AAAS Environmental Fellowship to work with the U.S. EPA’s green chemistry program. She served as editor on two ACS publications on green chemistry education and is a co-author on Designing Safer Polymers.
Monday, March 6, 2006
Anchorage, Alaska
ZJ Loussac Library, Wilda Marston Theater
Reception 5:30 pm, Lecture 6:00 pm,
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
Fairbanks, Alaska
University of Alaska Fairbanks campus
Lecture 7:00 pm
Thursday, March 9, 2006
Juneau, Alaska
University of Alaska Southeast
Lecture 7:00 pm
The Alaska Section of the American Chemical Society sponsors this lecture.
For details, contact Brad Olson at bolson@analyticagroup.com or (907) 360-9110.
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THIS MONTH’S HOT LINK: Hospitals for a Healthy Environment
Green Star’s sector focus for the first half of 2006 is Health Care Facilities, including hospitals, medical office buildings, and dental offices. With tip sheets, workshops, and personal contact with health care facilities, Green Star hopes to encourage these types of facilities to earn a Green Star Award. Health care facilities have numerous opportunities for pollution prevention and many resources available. “Hospitals for a Healthy Environment” is just one program that offers assistance and information. Alaska Community Action on Toxics has teamed with H2E to assist local hospitals in reducing hazardous materials such as mercury and PVC, among others.
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THANK YOU 2006 SPONSORS, GRANTORS & CONTRACTORS
Green Star could not exist without the generous financial and in-kind support of many individuals and leading local businesses and organizations. To become a Green Star individual member or corporate sponsor, please call 278-7827 or visit our web site http://www.greenstarinc.org. A huge thank you to our 2006 sponsors!
Platinum ($10,000+): Alaska Conservation Foundation, Alaska Energy Authority, Anchorage Department of Health & Human Services, Anchorage Solid Waste Services, BP, Bullitt Foundation, ConocoPhillips Alaska, FedEx Express, Oak Foundation, Peak Oilfield Services, Rasmuson Foundation, Total Reclaim, Inc., Totem Ocean Trailer Express, University of Alaska Anchorage
Gold ($5,000-$9,999): Anchorage Media Group, GCI, Horizon Lines of Alaska, Ivan Moore Research, Lynden Transport, Weaver Brothers
Silver ($2,500-$4,999): Airport Equipment Materials Handling Division, Anchorage Daily News, Carlile Transportation Systems, Denali Commission, Graphics Solutions, KTUU - Channel 2, Lynden Transport, Princess Tours
Bronze ($1,000-$2,499): Alaska Laser Wash, Alaska Public Interest Research Group, Alaska Village Electric Cooperative, Alaska Waste, Anchorage Water and Wastewater Utility, Arctic Ice Productions, Cellular One, Chugach Electric Association, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Interior Wiring and Field Maintenance, Municipal Light and Power, Teamsters Local 959, United Freight, Wal-Mart Wasilla
Green ($500-$999): Action Sign & Graphics/Warning Lites of Alaska, Air Van Lines, Alaska Power Association, Alaska Support Industry Alliance, Corporate Express Alaska, Delta Airlines, Dick Wilson, From the Fair Corners Photography, Independent Lift Truck of Alaska, Kotzebue Electric Association, Mettler Toledo Scales, Moose’s Tooth Pub & Pizzeria, Northern Air Cargo, Sierra Club, Thompson & Associates, Wal-Mart “A” Street
Supporter ($250-$499): 21 North Designs, Anchorage Maintenance & Operations, Arctic Circle Air, Northern Air Cargo, Smurfit-Stone Recycling Company, Spenard Builders Supply, Yukon Equipment
Contributor (up to $250): Alaska Center for the Environment, ALPAR, Anchorage Publishing, Bus11 Design, Coca-Cola Bottling of Alaska (Odom Corporation), Costco Debarr, Great Harvest Bread Company, Green’s Enterprises, Habitat for Humanity, Hot Licks Ice Cream, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport, VendAlaska
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Past issues of E-News are available on our web site, sorted by topic or date: http://www.greenstarinc.org/enews/enewsindex.php. Please send comments, questions, or suggestions for future E-News topics to us at enews@greenstarinc.org. Forward this newsletter freely. Send us any email addresses you wish us to add to our mailing list. If you wish to unsubscribe, please email a request to unsubscribe to enews@greenstarinc.org. Thank you!
The staff of Green Star, Anchorage:
Sean Skaling, Executive Director
Jeanne Carlson, Program Director
Beth Verrelli, Program Director
Jean Marie Guzzetti, Member Relations Coordinator
Tara Callear, Office Manager/Program Assistant
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