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Green Star E-News
Green Star E-News Vol. 5, No. 12 December 9, 2004
Recognizing Alaska organizations committed to environmental responsibility.
In this issue:
* Shining Stars
* Green Star Achievement Reports Due
* Green Holiday Tips
* One Ton of Catalogs Collected
* Renewable Energy Alaska Project
* Another Timer Giveaway
* This Month’s Hot Link: Northwest Renewable Project
* Thank you 2004 Sponsors
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SHINING STARS
Welcome are newest enrollee: HDR Alaska, Inc.
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GREEN STAR AWARD ACHIEVEMENT REPORTS DUE
If you’ve been working on your Green Star Award achievement report, please submit it before December 30th to be considered for a Green Star Award during this quarter. Reports will be reviewed in early January. The next review deadline will be March 31st.
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GREEN HOLIDAY TIPS
Once again the holidays are upon us, filled with commercials urging us to buy, buy, buy. As we make our way from party to party, store to store, keep in mind that we can make choices to reduce our impact on the environment and our waste stream.
City of Lights
Does your electricity bill spike when you plug in your holiday lights? Here are some tips for keeping the costs under control while still presenting a festive display.
&Mac183; Look for LED (light emitting diode) holiday lights. They aren’t in every store so you may have to search but if you find them, you’ll reduce your energy consumption by 80-90% compared to using regular strings of lights. Try checking True Value Hardware (stocked them last year) or call ahead before visiting stores to save a trip in case they don’t carry LEDs.
Other benefits of LED holiday lights include:
- Made with unbreakable, flameproof epoxy plastic,
- Contains no filament that can burn out or break,
- Much cooler than conventional bulbs, making them safer to use indoors and out,
- Can be used anywhere conventional light strings are used, and
- Available in many colors including red, yellow, green, white, and blue.
&Mac183; Consider using timers, both indoors and out, for your holiday lights. That way you can set them for just when you want them on without having to go around and plug them in and unplug them. Be sure to adjust the timing periodically as our daylight hours shift. Timers are available at stores such as Spenard Builders Supply, Fred Meyer, Wal-Mart, The Home Depot, and Lowe’s, among others.
Gift Giving
Your gifts don’t have to be shiny, new, and in their original packaging. Visit the ReStore at 5023 Cordova Street (off International Airport Road) and find slightly used, practical items. Some items are brand new but are greatly discounted, which is an extra bonus for you. The inventory changes regularly so visit often.
Give nonmaterial gifts. Some unique ideas for Alaskans include cross-country ski lessons, an avalanche safety class, or a night or weekend at a local public-use cabin or yurt. Also consider giving tickets to an event at the Center for Performing Arts, or even a season ticket package; hockey tickets; tickets to a play at one of the small theater companies in town; cooking classes; movie passes; restaurant gift certificates; and even gift certificates for stores that you know they’ll visit, like Lowe’s, The Home Depot, or Spenard Builders Supply. All of these gift ideas avoid the dilemma of trying to find space in the house or on your desk at work for one more trinket or appliance that you just don’t need.
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ONE TON OF CATALOGS COLLECTED
At the Great Catalog Roundup at the Dimond Center on November 13th more than 850 participants rounded up 2,100 pounds (more than one ton) of catalogs for recycling. Green Star worked with Buy Alaska (a program of the Alaska Small Business Development Center), ALPAR (Alaskans for Litter Prevention and Recycling) and the Dimond Center to Trade Catalogs for Cash at the Great Catalog Roundup. Alaska Waste Transfer donated the use of collection bins and transportation of the catalogs to the recycling center. Alaska Youth for Environmental Action (AYEA) students helped staff the event.
The goal of this 2nd annual event was two-fold: 1) to promote local purchasing while 2) reducing the amount of waste discarded in Anchorage. Residents were encouraged to bring at least five mail-order catalogs to the Dimond Center for recycling. In trade, each resident received a $5 Dimond Center gift certificate.
The event encourages residents to bring as many catalogs as they want for recycling. This year’s Roundup brought in about 600 pounds more than last year’s event, even though the number of people participating was about the same. This means each person brought more catalogs.
While waiting to turn in their catalogs, residents learned how to reduce their waste generation by getting off junk mail lists and avoiding getting on many lists to begin with. U.S. residents discard about eight million tons of magazines and catalogs each year. A full 90% of catalogs received go unread! For information on reducing unwanted mail, visit http://www.greenstarinc.org/resources.php and scroll down to How To Reduce Unwanted Mail. Green Star and ALPAR also provided information about recycling opportunities throughout the community and other related programs.
According to Buy Alaska, Alaskans spend an estimated $7 billion dollars with businesses outside of Alaska each year. Every dollar spent outside Alaska is one dollar that does not go into the local economy. Through the Catalog Roundup, Buy Alaska and the Dimond Center hope to bring shoppers back to Alaska and away from outside mail-order and on-line shopping. “This is the season to shop locally, since many retailers in Alaska count on making about 50% of their annual revenue during the holidays,” says Stella Josephine of Buy Alaska. “We want local businesses around in the future. They’ll employ our children, pay property taxes that support our city, and help circulate our dollars. You may buy from them today and next month you may ask them for a donation.”
“The event continues to be very popular with residents. It’s good for everyone involved,” said Mary Fairbanks, Marketing Manager of the Dimond Center. The organizers are hoping to host the Roundup twice next year – once in the spring and again in the fall. So don’t throw away those catalogs!
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RENEWABLE ENERGY ALASKA PROJECT
Alaska possesses vast renewable energy resources that have scarcely been utilized. And, until now, Alaska had no education or advocacy group focused on harnessing those resources. The Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP) has recently formed to fill that gap.
Modeled loosely on the Renewable Northwest Project (RNP) in Portland, Oregon, REAP is a coalition of diverse entities in Alaska that share an interest in renewable power, including the state’s largest utility companies, small village utilities that already have experience with wind energy, environmental groups, consumer groups, tribal interests, businesses, and state and federal energy agencies. REAP now provides a forum for all interested parties to work together to advance REAP’s goal of “increasing the production of renewable energy in Alaska.”
REAP has adopted four strategies to meet its goal. The first is advocating for the construction of already proposed and viable renewable energy projects (like the proposed Fire Island wind farm). The second is working toward statewide policies that will result in more renewable energy. The third is increasing the market for renewable energy in the state through advocacy and education. And finally, REAP will work to demonstrate to the public and to policy leaders that there is stakeholder unity in support of renewable energy in Alaska.
To help it achieve its mission, REAP has now teamed up with Green Star. REAP can benefit from Green Star’s long and successful track record as an organization that has been working with the Anchorage business, government, and environmental communities for more than a decade. And REAP’s work to bring more clean energy to Alaska furthers Green Star’s efforts to encourage businesses to practice waste reduction, energy conservation, and pollution prevention.
If you are interested in learning more, or supporting REAP in its efforts, contact REAP Director Chris Rose at crose@alaska.net.
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ANOTHER TIMER GIVEAWAY
Another Engine Block Heater Timer giveaway will be held at the Dimond Center on Saturday, December 18th from noon until 4pm. Look for the booth on the second floor in front of the library. Consider picking up a timer as a stocking stuffer for someone in your family.
Thank you to everyone who helped with Green Star’s timer giveaways during November’s “Plug @ 20°” week events. About 750 timers were distributed to Anchorage residents. These timers will help reduce electricity costs for those people who plug in their vehicles when the temperatures drop below 20°F.
Green Star is seeking volunteers to help with the Dimond Center timer giveaway. The Dimond Center has donated $5 gift certificates for volunteers who donate just two hours of their time for this event. Consider it a good excuse to come to the mall and get some last minute holiday shopping done. If you can help from noon – 2pm or 2 – 4pm, please contact Jeanne at 278-7839 or Jeanne@greenstarinc.org.
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THIS MONTH’S HOT LINK: Renewable Northwest Project www.go-green.org
The Renewable Northwest Project (RNP) is working to make the Northwest’s clean energy potential a reality. It is the model for Alaska’s Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP). In 1994, a broad coalition of public-interest organizations and energy companies created RNP to actively promote development of the region's untapped renewable resources. RNP has proven to be a forceful advocate for expanding solar, wind and geothermal energy in the Northwest.
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THANK YOU 2004 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 2004 sponsors!
Platinum ($10,000+): Anchorage Department of Health & Human Services, Anchorage Solid Waste Services, BP, ConocoPhillips Alaska, Dell Inc., Rasmuson Foundation, University of Alaska Anchorage, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10
Gold ($5,000-$9,999): Alaska Conservation Foundation, FedEx Express, Horizon Lines, TOTE, Weaver Brothers
Silver ($2,500-$4,999): Anchorage Daily News, Anchorage Refuse (A Waste Management Company), Denali Commission, KTUU - Channel 2, Princess Tours
Bronze ($1,000-$2,499): Airport Equipment (Materials Handling Division), Arctic Ice Productions, ACS, Cellular One, Dorsey & Whitney LLP, Graphics Solutions, Lynden Transport, National Recycling Coalition, NorthWest Handling Systems, ProComm Alaska, Teamsters Local 959
Green ($500-$999): Alaska Showroom, Alaska Support Industry Alliance, Alaska Warehouse, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, Carlile Transportation Systems, Carrs-Safeway, Corporate Express Alaska, Mettler Toledo. Scott McLeod Trucking, Smurfit-Stone Recycling Company, Waste Management, Inc.
Supporter ($250-$499): ALPAR, AWWU, Great Harvest Bread Company, Warning Lites of Alaska
Contributor (up to $250): 3M Alaska, Alaska Center for the Environment, Alaska Process Industry Careers Consortium, Alaska Showroom, American Red Cross of Southcentral Alaska, Coca-Cola Bottling of Alaska, Emerald Alaska, Grizzly's Gifts, I Copy, Iron Dog, Moose’s Tooth, Pepsi-Cola Bottling Group, Spenard Builders Supply, United Way, Wal-Mart Store #2074
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Past issues of E-News are available on our web site, sorted by topic or date: http://www.greenstarinc.org. 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 to add to our mailing list. Thank you!
The staff of Green Star, Anchorage:
Sean Skaling, Executive Director
Beth Verrelli, Program Director
Jeanne Carlson, Program Director
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