Students Advocate for Going Green

Dear Mr.Crawford,

We think there is a serious problem in our town with the plastic bags. Did you know that about 500 billion plastic bags are consumed each year and only 1% is recycled? The plastic bags get blown when it storms and get caught on animals. The animals can get seriously injured or even die.

We think our city can protect our environment and ban plastic bags. People should begin using cloth bags; doing this will help save money. If we ban plastic bags, more people will want to visit or live in the green city of Manitowoc.

We need to help our environment before it is too late.

Sincerely
Katie, Madde and Colten
5th Graders in Mrs. Jacobson’s homeroom class
from Stangel Elementary School

Students Advocate for Going Green

Dear Mayor Crawford,

Hi! Our names are Larz Luchterhand and Bryce Newberg. We are writing this to you because we saw a slide show about plastic bags. Our class learned a lot about the bags and how bad they are for the environment.
San Francisco and other cities have banned plastic bags. We also learned that if people stop using plastic bags, we could save 1,000,000,000 bags in our lifetime.
And Bryce and I think we should use battery-charged cars and windmills. I also think we should use solar-powered panels to create energy.
Manitowoc should ban plastic bags. Doing this will help the environment and make our city green.


Sincerely,
Bryce and Larz 5th graders in Mrs. Jacobson’s homeroom class at Stangel School!

Students Advocate for Going Green

October 8, 2008

Dear Mayor Crawford,

It has come to my attention that we need to “Go Green.” Manitowoc may be clean, but we can make it cleaner. My idea is to ban plastic bags in Manitowoc. This will also save money for grocery and clothing stores. If we ban plastic bags, other cities in Wisconsin may, too. We can make Wisconsin a better place to live.

Together we can Manitowoc shine!

Sincerely,
Patrick Yetter
Fifth Grade Student
Mrs. Jacobson’s Homeroom
Stangel Elementary

Webbased Clearinghouse for Sustainability and Eco-Municipality Related Information

Great news!!
It is now that much easier to locate information about the ongoing statewide sustainability efforts.
Thanks to the UW Extension Sustainability Team, they have just launched a web-based Sustainable Communities Capacity Center at http://www2.uwsuper.edu/sustainability/index.htm. While it is still a work in progress, it promises to be a valuable collective resource.

Here is the launch message:


The University of Wisconsin-Extension Sustainability Team announces the launch of its "Sustainable Communities Capacity Center" website. The intent of this website, by providing access to educational materials and resources, is to expand the capacity of communities to explore, understand, create, implement, evaluate, and share sustainability strategies.

The web link is: http://www2.uwsuper.edu/sustainability/.

While the capacity center is a work in progress, one topic that received priority emphasis is the "Eco-Municipality" portion of the site. To date, twenty-one local governments in Wisconsin have passed "eco-municipality" resolutions. In these resolutions, they endorse the Natural Step framework, which is a systems- and science-based sustainability planning and decision-making guide, and they agree to apply it, whenever possible, to their planning, policy making, and municipal practices.

Wisconsin has the largest concentration of such "eco-municipalities" of any state in the country. They are located throughout the state and range in size from small towns to larger cities and counties. During two gatherings in April of this year, representatives from these communities and others interested in community sustainability encouraged the Sustainability Team and UW-Extension to provide a resource or capacity center to document and support these efforts. This site is a response to that request.
The team is fully engaged in efforts to expand the content of the capacity center and encourages you to check back regularly. All feedback and content suggestions are appreciated.

Feel free to contact either of the team co-chairs.
Jerry Hembd, Team Co-chair, jhembd@uwsuper.edu
Jay Moynihan, Team Co-chair, jay.moynihan@ces.uwex.edu

World Bottle: A Brick that Holds Beer

An eco-design well ahead of its time. A beer bottle designed in the shape of an interlocking brick to reduce waste and provide building materials. Drink Heineken, build with the empties. How this concept never managed to take off, is beyond me. With any luck more companies will consider reusable packaging that benefits the earth.

http://www.inhabitat.com/2007/10/11/heineken-wobo-the-brick-that-holds-beer/

Check out this article at Vestal Designs: http://www.vestaldesign.com/blog/2006/07/heineken-beer-bricks/

A 1950s design for stackable beer bottles was the brainchild of Alfred Heineken, of beer fame.
As the story goes, Heineken was strolling along by the sea in Jamaica, and was shocked at the number of beer bottles littering the beach. He was also concerned with the lack of cheap building materials, and at the resulting living conditions for the poor. Putting two and two together, he envisioned a “World Bottle” which would be imported for drinking but kept for construction.
A 10’ x 10’ shack would take approximately 1000 bottles to build, but the Jamaican tourist industry would likely supply plenty. In addition, glass (and air) are good insulators, though the humid and hot Jamaican climate may not require insulation per se. A unique feature was that the short bottle neck would fit into a depression in the bottom of each bottle. Ultimately though, the idea was either (according to different accounts) voted down by the Heineken board, or vetoed by the bottle companies and the customers. Not much information is available on the World Bottle today, but there have been other attempts to make interlocking “bottle bricks”, even of plastic.

Here's more commentary, "Legos for Adults"!! http://www.designverb.com/2007/11/10/heineken-world-bottle-beer-to-bricks/

Sister-State Chiba Prefrecture's Green Effort

Gaylord Nelson Quotes

If we continue to address the issue of the environment where we live as though we're the only species that lives here, we'll create a disaster for ourselves.

In the state of Wisconsin it's mandated that teachers in the social sciences and hard sciences have to start giving environmental education by the first grade, through high school.

Loads of chemicals and hazardous wastes have been introduced into the atmosphere that didn't even exist in 1948. The environmental condition of the planet is far worse than it was 42 years ago.

The most important environmental issue is one that is rarely mentioned, and that is the lack of a conservation ethic in our culture.

We must recognize that we're all part of a web of life around the world. Anytime you extinguish a species, the consequences are serious.

If we eat the goose that lays the golden eggs, there will be no gold in the future.

FOR MORE GREAT QUOTES ABOUT OUR ENVIRONMENT: http://www.epa.gov/Region2/library/quotes.htm

We Can Be the Change the World Needs -- Paul Linzmeyer

At a recent Great Lake Gatherings http://www.gatheringwaters.org/wilandtrusts_greatlakegatherings.php Paul Linzmeyer gave an insightful presentation regarding the importance of sustainability right now, every day. He talked about the troika of sustainability PEOPLE - PLANET - PROFITS.

PEOPLE: Happiness~over the past 30 years happiness levels have decreased even though amount of possessions (stuff) has increased. A spiritual relationship with the land is essential to happiness.

PLANET: Clean air and water are essential. How do our actions affect other parts of the system? What are we doing to contribute to society? Places to recreate, relax and reconnect with nature are paramount. "Never forget our true relationship with nature." - Linzmeyer

PROFITS: Strong economies are built on a diverse population of talented people. We must learn as a society to live within our means and resist the temptation of over-consumption. Business - Government - NGO together will drive the change to sustainability. Recognize the value in collaboration. Great Lakes Region excels at manufacturing and is home to excellent educational institutions. Incubate water technolgoy and green tech jobs.

WE CAN BE THE CHANGE THE WORLD NEEDS.


The late, great Paul Newman said, "Too often it's about winning and not the moral, ethical action."

KOHL's - Manitowoc

Happy to report that KOHL's Manitowoc located in HarborTown is now OPEN and the new store is LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified, illustrating Kohl's commitment to environmental, green initiatives!

An Inconvenient Bag by Ellen Gamerman, WallStreet Journal

The article is about the conundrum of the reusable shopping bag.

It's manufactured in China, shipped thousands of miles overseas, made with plastic and could take years to decompose. The bags usually are printed with environmental slogans as well as corporate logos and pitched as 'earth-friendly' substitutes for the billions of disposable plastic bags that wind up in landfills every year. But this is...another area where it's complicated to go green. "If you don't reuse them, you're actually worse off by taking one of them," says Bob Lilienfeld, author of the Use Less Stuff Report (an online newsletter about waste prevention). http://www.use-less-stuff.com/ Because many of the bags are made from heavier material, they're likely to sit longer in landfills than their thinner, disposable cousins. Used as they were intended, the totes can be an environmental boon, vastly reducing the number of disposable bags that do wind up in landfills. If each bag is used multiple times - at least once a week - four or five reusable bags can replace 520 plastic bags a year, says Nick Sterling, reserach director at Natural Capitalism Solutions, a nonprofit focused on corporate sustainability issues. "Think about it," [Lee] Scott said in his big speech to employees last fall. "If we throw it away, we had to buy it first. So we pay twice - once to get it, once to have it taken away. What if we reverse that? What if our suppliers send us less, and everything they send us has value as a recycled product? No waste, and we get paid instead."

Many of the cheap, reusable bags that retailers favor are produced in Chinese factories and made from non-woven polypropylene, a form of plastic that requires about 28 times as much energy to produce as the plastic used in standard disposable bags and eight times as much as a paper sack, according to Mr. Sterling.

Tuesday Evening Farmers Market

Starting with the 2009 season, running from approximately Jun 15th-September 15th, from 4pm-8pm, there will be a Tuesday EVENING Farmers Market instead of a Tuesday morning market in the City of Manitowoc. Located on Manitowoc's downtown riverfront across from the Manitowoc Public Library :-)

Manitowoc Recycling Center Offers Free Sifted Compost

The Manitowoc County Recycling Center will be offering free sifted compost at the Basswood and Woodland Drive compost sites throughout the month of October. Normally $10.50 per cubic yard, this material will be given away while supplies last. Our Sifted Compost is made from decomposed leaves, grass clippings and garden wastes and has been screened to remove large clumps. Many people use this compost to make garden beds, condition the soil in old garden beds, add to potted plant mix, seed or top-dress lawns, and as cover for filled areas. Compost has also been used successfully in areas where soil erosion is a problem. Compost generally has more nutrients than topsoil and it releases these nutrients slowly as the organic materials break down. It can help sandy soil retain moisture and help loosen and break up clay soils. Few weed seeds are contained in compost as they are typically destroyed during the composting process.

Guidelines
You may load your own for free at either the Basswood or Woodland Compost Site.
Loading is available Monday to Fridays from 7am to 3:45pm at the Basswood Site. There is a small fee of $2. Stop at the Main Office first.
Limit of 5 cubic yards per visit.
Deliveries are available for $26.25 per load.
This offer is available while supplies last.
Businesses and farms that need large amounts should contact the Recycling Center at 683-4333 for details.

For questions or more information contact the Manitowoc County Recycling Center at 683-4333 or visit online at www.manitowocrecycles.org


Location and Hours
Basswood Compost Site
3000 Basswood Drive
Manitowoc, WI
Monday – Friday: 7am to 4pm
Saturday: 8am to Noon

Woodland Drive Compost Site
4191 Woodland Drive
Two Rivers, WI
Monday – Friday: 10am to 6pm
Saturday: 8am to 4pm

Ride Your Bike / World CarFree Day

With soaring gasoline prices — and a hint of autumn in the air — there’s never been a better time to start bicycling to work. Here’s how to get rolling!
Today is World Carfree Day . Now in its eighth year, this international event is a terrific showcase for alternative means of moving people from place to place. Even if you can’t leave your car in the driveway this morning, it’s a great time to consider walking, public transportation — and the greenest, most efficient form of transport ever devised: cycling.
Once a novelty of the Industrial Revolution, bicycles now supply millions of people with efficient, healthy, pollution-free daily transportation. Bicycles can reduce traffic congestion and noise. You can park a dozen bikes in the space of a single automobile, and the idea of a morning commute free of fossil fuels seems particularly attractive in the face of rising fuel costs.
Even if you only cycle once a week — on Casual Fridays, perhaps — you’ll be reducing your weekly commute’s environment by 20 percent. That’s about the same as trading your current vehicle for a hybrid, and a lot cheaper.
Yes, you’ll sweat. No, you won’t smell like a horse around the office. Yes, you can really do this. You’ll be healthier and a little richer for the experience.
But commuting by bicycle takes planning. Let’s get started!
Make it work at the office

City of Manitowoc Wind Ordinance

At the 9/15/08 meeting of the Common Council of the City of Manitowoc, an alteration was made to the municipal code which now permits construction of up to two 350 foot wind towers in I-1 and I-2 (industrial) areas. This is a great GREEN step forward!!

Felician Village Uses Geothermal Heating and Cooling Technology

Congratulations to Felician Village!! As part of its current building project, Felician Village will incorporate an energy-efficient technolgoy called ground source heat pumps (GSHPs), a green system that will heat and cool its facilities.

GSHPs are environmentally friendly and energy efficient. In a GSHP setup, the earth provides over 70% of the energy required to heat and cool. Underground loops are used to transfer heat with no external venting and no air pollution.

In the case of Felician Village, approximately 127,000 square feet will be heated and cooled with the new GSHP system.

Way to Go Green!!

Conservation of Aquatic Resources

In an effort to conseve aquatic resources, the Japan Fisheries Association has recently established the Marine Eco-Label Japan pictured here.

It serves to certify marine products that are harvested through ecologically sustainable methods and raise consumer awareness of the need for sustainable fisheries.

Wisconsin's sister-state, Chiba Prefecture, Japan has been called "Tokyo's Kitchen" with a long history of supplying rice and vegetables for the Tokyo region. Many of Chiba's agricultural products are grown with the use of minimal chemicals and fertilizers, making fruits and veges labeled "Grown in Chiba" highly sought after. --JETRO

Natural Step STUDY CIRCLE begins Oct. 7

Learn more about sustainability, your community, and how you can "go green". Join a Natural Step Study Circle with other sustainability advocates from around the community. Discussions are based on the book "The Natural Step for Communities: How Cities and Villages can Change to Sustainable Practices" by Sarah James and Torbjorn Lahti. Participation is free and everyone is welcome. Books are availabe for purchase or borrowing. The next study circle will be hosted at Silver Lake College on Tuesday afternoons from 3-4pm starting October 7, 2008 through November 25.

To sign up, email tprigge@manitowoc.org or call 686-6980.

Solar Power might help Menasha cut pool expenses

According to a Post-Cresent, Sept. 8, 2008 article by Michael King the City of Menasha Parks and Recreation Department is exploring the possibility of using solar power to heat the municipal swimming pool at Jefferson Park in an effort to reduce costs. Chris Voigtlander, Menasha Utilities energy services representative, said the setup could save significant natural gas costs.

The site assessment was completed by Green Sky Energetics, a Manitowoc firm.

Roundabouts: Help Save Drivers Time and Gas Money

In this September 15, 2008 TIME article 'YOU WANT A REVOLUTION' by Tim Padgett, it states that "because roundabouts force cars to travel through a crossroads in a slower but more free-flowing manner - unlike traffic circles, roundabouts have no stop signals - in seven years, Carmel, IN has seen a 78% drop in accidnets involving injuries, not to mention a savings of 24,000 gallons of gas per year per roundabout because of less car idling."

"About 1,000 roundabouts have been built in 25 states, and reserach bears out the benefits to states like Kansas, where the new design has produced a 65% average drop in vehicular delays ... Most roundabouts are also more aesthetically pleasing and cost much less to construct and maintain than stoplight intersections."

The problem? "Teaching Americans how to navigate roundabouts". Big hint: cars entering a roundabout YIELD to those already in it. "The heightened anxiety people feel in roundabouts makes them drive more carefully, and remember that intersections are dangerous places ... therefore, according to Tom Vanderbilt, 'The system that makes us more aware of this is actually the safer one'."

DID YOU KNOW Tim Padgett, TIME

• With all cars traveling in the same direction, roundabouts eliminate head-on collisions, as well as left turns, one of the most dangerous moves in an intersection;
• With no traffic lights to divert drivers' attention upward, roundabouts keep motorists focused on the cars and pedestrians around them;
• In addition to improving traffic flow, roundabouts are often easy on the eye, with elegant landscaping;
• France has about 30,000 roundabouts, nearly a third of the world's total;
• Roundabouts cut hydrocarbon emissions at intersections by as much as 42%;
• Ten roundabouts in Virginia save 200,000 gallons of gas a year.

Blue Bike Free Bike Program is Coming to Manitowoc

The threefold purpose of the Blue Bike Program is to reduce the use of internal combustion engines, to help citizens get comfortable with the use of bicycles for transportation and to improve the health of our citizens through exercise.

For More information contact Maritime Metro Transit at 683-4560.

Leave Your Car at Home Week Challenge

Are you ready for a Car-Lite Diet?

Leave your car at home week challenge takes place September 22 - 28, 2008. If you can do it for a week, you can do it for a lifetime!

For more information visit the City of Manitowoc website at www.manitowoc.org or call Maritime Metro Transit at 683-4560.

Frequently Asked Questions


What is Leave Your Car at Home Week?
The week is a challenge to reduce the use of personal vehicles. If people can consciously drive less for one week, they may find the benefits of those habits are worth adopting into their everyday life.

Why is it set for Sept. 22-28?
Sept. 22 is World Car Free Day, which promotes alternative forms of transportation around the globe.

I am unemployed, or my company is not participating in the Miles Not Traveled Competition. Can I still get involved?
Yes, a log sheet for the general public is available at the Maritime Metro Transit Office, on the city of Manitowoc's Web Site: manitowoc.org or by calling the mobility manager at 920-686-6548.

What are the eligible activities?
Walking, telecommuting or teleconferencing, biking, using transit, carpooling, combining trips for personal errands, chose a local option rather than driving out of town for shopping and/or entertainment.

It isn't practical for me to give up my car for an entire week, because I use my personal vehicle in my job, drive my kids to school, don't live near transit, or other reasons. Can I still participate?
Leaving a car at home for the entire week is the "Platinum Goal." However, the initiative is to encourage people to rethink how they use their personal vehicles and reduce the number of trips made in a single-occupancy vehicle. More than 90 percent of all trips are made in a single-occupancy vehicle. This week is a good time to explore alternatives to driving alone and see if these habits do improve your quality of life while reducing your carbon footprint.

It seems difficult to put into practice, because of my lifestyle. What are some suggestions for going car-free or car-lite this week?
Buy a special week-long MMT bus pass for $10 and explore the routes – kids under age 4 ride for free with an adult. Meet some of the fellow parents at your child's school or day care and see if carpooling will eliminate some of the trips to through the drop-off lane. Talk to your co-workers about carpooling. Talk to your neighbors, and see if they can share driving to work if you near one another and/or similar schedule. Offer to take a neighbor with you to complete errands. Dust off that bike in the garage. Get out your walking shoes. If you travel throughout the workday, leave your car at work for the week and eliminate the use of your vehicle in your personal life. Be creative, the possibilities to alternative transportation are limitless.

Who is organizing this event?
The Manitowoc County Mobility Manager is organizing the promotion with assistance from Maritime Metro Transit, Manitowoc County Personnel Office, Holy Family Memorial CareVan Service, Lakeshore Technical College, and Painting Pathways.

What is the Manitowoc County Mobility Management Project?
This is a cooperative effort among Maritime Metro Transit, the Aging & Disability Resource Center, and other transportation stakeholders to coordinate transportation services in Manitowoc County. The mobility manager researches unmet transportation needs existing in Manitowoc County, and develops programs to meet those needs.

Grow a Note Cards and Paper

Wow. What a cool recycled product....plantable greeting cards and papers made with 100% post consumer waste. Each sheet is imbedded with seeds that when planted, the paper will recycle naturally into the soil as wild flower seeds grow. It's like sending a bouquet with every message.
If you'd like to learn more visit www.greenfieldpaper.com

Has anyone ever tried this product? Would love to hear your feedback.

Going Green: Sustainable Communities and Farms

Wisconsin Association of RC&D's Annual Conference hosted by Town and Country Resource, Conservation & Development THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11 AND FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12 at the Olympia Conference Center in Oconomowoc, WI 53066.

Do you want to learn more about a green lifestyle -- healthier for you and for the planet? Join this conference for an invigorating two days of discussion, learning, networking, and great local food! Whatever your focus -- urban or rural, local food or sustainable agriculture, conservation or preservation, individual or community -- connect with other Wisconsinites working towerads a more sustainable future, for us all.

Session Themes:

• Green Your Home & Work
• Conserving Natural Resources
• Fresh Local Food
• Green Energy
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Sustainable Communities

full registration available at www.townandcountryrcd.org or by calling 414-774-6562

Port Cities Blue Bike Program

Stay tuned! The new Port Cities Blue Bike program is slated to debut this fall. Blue bikes will be provided at various locations around the city for residents and visitors to use for short trips.

Bicycle Friendly Community

Encouraging bicycling is an effective way to increase physical activity, improve air quality, reduce traffic congestion and oil dependence, and tackle climate change and obesity. To find out more about creating a bicycle friendly community visit http://www.bicyclefriendlycommunity.org/
1 World
2 Wheels

Bikes Belong Coalition:

• Bicycling improves quality of life. it gets you outside, relieves stress, makes you feel better, and creates a way to spend time with family and friends. Best of all, it's convenient, flexible and free. Whether for recreation, transportation, or competition, bicycling offers a lifetime of health and fun.
• Bike paths boost property values. Properties next to the Mountain Bay Trail in Wisconsin sell faster and for an average of 9% more than similar lots away from the trail.
• Someone who bikes four miles round-trip to work instead of driving keeps 51 punds of carbon monoxide out of the air each year and burns 36,000 calories - the equivalent of 10 pounds of fat.
• Just three hours of bicycling per week can redcue a person's risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%.
• Bicycling is an inexpensive, convenient way to stay fit and healthy. The annual operating cost of a bike is just 2.5% that of a car.
• Bicycling promotes healthier lifestyles; creates jobs and supports independent businesses; lowers healthcare costs; strengthens family bonds; provides a recreational outlet for youth; builds closer-knit communities; reduces polluting emissions; decreases road congestion; and lessens our dependence on foreign oil.

"When we make biking and walking safe and accessible, I believe millions more Americans will choose them ... thereby making us a healthier, trimmer, more fit nation." --Congressman James Oberstar (D-MN) of the US House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee

Don't get 'TIRED' of Recycling

The Manitowoc County Recycling Center will be holding the annual tire collection September 8 through September 20. This program allows Manitowoc County residents and businesses to properly dispose of their tires at a reduced rate. Through the years a significant amount of tires have been collected. In 2007 over 60 tons were collected and in 2006 over 67 tons were recovered.

Waste tires can be reused in a number of beneficial ways. They can be shred into rubber chips and used as artificial turf or as a groundcover in playgrounds. Tire rubber can be incorporated into asphalt roads, running tracks and used in other rubber products. Depending on what other materials are in the tire they may also be used as a fuel source.

The DNR estimates that Wisconsin produces 5 million waste tires a year. Tires have been banned from landfills since 1995 because they take up too much space and their bulky size makes them hard to keep buried. Unfortunately, tires have often been illegally dumped along roadways or in illegal stockpiles. Aside from looking like a mess this can cause environmental problems. Burning tires can release large amounts of pollutants into the air, water and soil.

Before those wear bars even begin to show you can help reduce the amount of tires being disposed of. Taking proper care of your tires can prolong the life of the tire. Following the scheduled rotation and maintaining proper air pressure can help you get more use out of them. Fixing alignment problems early can also save tire wear.

A few guidelines should be noted for this collection. When bringing in your tires please check in at the Main Office prior to dropping tires. Tires with rims will be accepted and charged at the weighed rate of 11 cents a pound or $220 a ton. Residents and businesses with large amounts of tires should call the Recycling Center prior to bringing them in. For more information you can call the Recycling Center at 920-683-4333 or visit www.manitowocrecycles.org.

Cost of Our Choices in Methods of Manipulating Lake Ecosystems

Lake management has not escaped the debate over chemical use. Small-scale chemical treatment of aquatic plants is common in Wisconsin and thee seems to be a growing demand for larger scale applications. In meetings across the state, citizens concerned with large-scale chemical applications are gathering to express their apprehension.
The widespread use of chemicals that serve all parts of our society began in earnest with the close of WWII. The payback for chemical use seemed to far outweigh any side effects. However, grim discoveries have come to light making more and more people suspicious, afraid and nervous about accepting the tempting promises over the environmental risks of chemical use.
The main way to chemically control aquatic plants on Wisconsin lakes through the 1950’s and 60’s was the use of sodium arsenite (which contains inorganic arsenic that can be fatal if swallowed) with over 2 million pounds used in 167 Wisconsin lakes. Another common treatment was copper sulphate. An accumulation of copper in bottom sediments can adversely affect important food chain organisms. Between 1959 and 1969, over 1.5 million pounds of copper sulfate were used in our lakes to kill snails thought to cause swimmers’ itch. With current knowledge, the idea of applying some of the chemicals used in the 50s and 60s as treatments would be unthinkable. Yet, back in the day it was thought of as a state-of-the-art practice.
Each year in Wisconsin there is growing pressure to do large and even whole-lake treatments to limit the growth of nuisance plants such as Eurasian water milfoil. We need to weigh the benefits and cost of our choices in methods of manipulating lake ecosystems to make sure the decisions we make today leave options open for those that will care for our lakes in the future.

—excerpt from Robert Korth, UW-Ex Lakes Specialist as published in ‘Lake Tides’

Green Roof Tax Abatement

Albany has passed a GREEN ROOF tax abatement....that means a reduction in property taxes for homes with green roofs: http://www.ssbx.org/GreenRoofLegislationPressRelease.htm

Do Your Part in Keeping Water Clean

http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=stormwater&sitesearch=#q=stormwater%20pollution%20&sitesearch=

Greenversations

Greenversations is the Official Blog of the U.S. EPA
http://blog.epa.gov/blog/

Ripon Velorution

A bicycle revolution....check out the Ripon Velorution http://www.ripon.edu/velorution/index.html

Organic Trade Association

Benefits of Organic and more....

http://www.ota.com/organic/benefits.html

You put WHAT into your body?!

The EPA has now deemed 60% of all herbicides, 90% of all fungicides, and 30% of all insecticides potentially cancerous. (Organic Trade Association) Additionally, according to an article by the Environmental Working Group,

"Pesticides pose special concerns to children because of their high metabolisms and low body weights. More than 1 million children between the ages of 1 and 5 ingest at least 15 pesticides every day from fruits and vegetables. More than 600,000 of these children eat a dose of organophosphate insecticides that the federal government considers unsafe, and 61,000 eat doses that exceed benchmark levels by a factor of 10 or more."

Green Retreat

Manitowoc's First Ever GREEN RETREAT
Tuesday, July 15, 8:30am-4:30pm
overlooking beautiful Lake Michigan (location revealed after registration)

The NEXT STEP in Manitowoc's sustainability effort THE NATURAL STEP FOR COMMUNITIES. This one day retreat is ideal for folks who have already participated in a Natural Step Study Circle and would like to continue the sustainability dialogue as well as for those folks who would like to get involved in the sustainability dialogue.

Join Jefferson County Supervisor, Organic Farmer and Sustainability Firesoul: Greg David as he GUIDES US THROUGH THE FOUR-STEP ABCD PROCESS. Awareness. Baseline Analysis. Compelling vision. Down to action. In the Natural Step Framework, the ABCD Process provides a systematic way of backcasting from principles into practice for sustainability planning and decision making. The four system conditions define success as far as sustainability is concerned, but each community must draw its own conclusions from these basic principles. Greg will help us identify problems, potential solutions and acitons needed to implement solutions.

GREEN PANEL: Find out about the green movement in other communities; Discuss the feasibility of ideas submitted by Manitowoc's Go Green Study Circles.

How do we GO GREEN from here? Visioning with a Lakeshore Technical College Trained Facilitator about the future of sustainability in Manitowoc.

Enjoy a LOCAVORE LUNCH.

REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED FOR THIS EVENT.
In order to make appropriate & sustainable arrangements kindly RSVP your attendance (Name and address or email)
by email: tprigge@manitowoc.org or call 686-6980.

Antioxidants

According to research done by Allison Byrum of the American Chemical Society, organic produce shows significantly higher levels of antioxidants than conventional. Studies have shown that fruits and vegetables grown without pesticides and herbicides contain 50% to 60% more antioxidants than their sprayed counterparts. The same antioxidants that fight diseases and pests in the plant leaf work similar magic in the human body, protecting us not so much against hornworms as against various diseases, cell aging, and tumor growth. Spending extra money on organic produce buys these extra nturients, with added environmental benefits for the well-being of future generations. A win-win.
Excerpt by Camille Kingsolver from Animal, Vegetable Miracle www.animalvegetablemiracle.com

Farm Fresh Atlas Now Available

Farmers are recognizing the social and environmental advantages of sustainable agriculture. Many consumers are coming to appreciate the benefits of fresh and sustainably produced food. Such producers and consumers are being linked through such innovative arrangments as community supported agriculture and farmers' markets, community gardens and through publications such as the Farm Fresh Atlas.


Visit http://www.farmfresheastwi.org/ to access the Eastern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas. All farms listed in the Atlas pledge that their farm is:

• family or cooperative owned


• committed to reducing the application of synthetic pesticides and fertilizers


• operate in a way that protests and sustains the region's land and water resources


• treat animals with care and respect


• provide safe and fair working conditions for employees


• sell Wisconsin products that they grow or help produce on the farm.

Check out this guide to find farms near you raising and selling natural meats, fruits, vegetables, etc. Yum!

The Nutrition Transition

Consider this counter-intuitive statistic...something is wrong with our priorities:

Globally speaking, people consume more soft drinks and packaged foods as they grow more affluent; home-cooked meals of fresh ingredients are the mainstay of rural, less affluent people. This link between economic success and nutritional failure has become so wide-spread, it has a name: the nutrition transition. --Barbara Kingsolver, "Animal, Vegetable Miracle"

Oily Food

Excerpt from Barbara Kingsolver's: 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle'

Americans put almost as much fossil fuel into our refrigerators as our cars. We're consuming about 400 gallons of oil a year per citizen -- about 17% of our nation's energy use -- for agriculture, a close second to our vehicular use. Tractors, combines, harvesters, irrigation, sprayers, tillers, balers, and other equipment alluse petroleum. Even bigger gas guzzlers on the farm are not the machines, but so-called inputs. Synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides use oil and natural gas as their starting materials, and in their manufacturing. More than a quarter of all farming energy goes into synthetic fertilizers.

But getting the crop from seed to harvest takes only 1/5 of the total oil used for our food. The lion's share is consumed during the trip from the farm to your plate. Each food item in a typical U.S. meal has traveled an average of 1,500 miles. In addition to direct ransport, other fuel-thirsty steps included processing (drying, milling, cutting, sorting, baking), packaging, warehousing, and refrieration. Energy calories consumed by prodution, packaging, and shipping far outweigh the energy calories we receive from the food.

A quick way to improve food-related fuel economy would be to buy a quart of motor oil and drink it (not recommended!). More palatable options are available. If every U.S. citizen ate just one meal a week (any meal) composed of locally and organically raised meats and produce, we would reduce our country's oil consumption by over 1.1 million barrels of oil every week. That's not gallons, but barrels. Small changes in buying habits can make big differences. Becoming a less energy-dependent nation may just need to start with a good breakfast.

Thanks to Barbara Kingsolver for articulating this issue. If you have not yet read "Animal, Vegetable, Miracle", it's certainly worth it. www.kingsolver.com

Green Shelf at the Manitowoc Public Library

This summer, starting in June, look for a green display at the Manitowoc Public Library. The Library has multiple publications, periodicals and books regarding green efforts.

Reasons to Recylce Toner & Ink Cartridges

~ Fast Facts ~

• It takes about a gallon of oil to make a new laser cartridge.
• About eight cartridges are thrown away per second in the United States.
• In North America alone, over 350 million cartridges per year are discarded in our landfills, and that number increase by 12% annually!
• A laswer cartridge thrown into landfill can take up to 450 years to decompose. Some components made of industrial grade plastics will take over a thousand years to decompose.
• Every remanufactured cartridge saves nearly 3 and 1/2 pounds of solid waste from being deposited in landfills.
• 70% of used printer cartridges throughout the world are currently being thrown out.
• In one year, if the world's discarded cartridges were stacked end-to-end, they would circle the earth over three times.
• The Environmental Protection Agency recommends that businesses use toner cartridge refill services or buy refilled toner cartridge products.

So do your part and Refill not Landfill.

Going Green Takes Root

It was recently noted that the INCR (Investor Netowrk on Climate Risk) asked the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) to require listed companies disclose climate change risk in their financial performance.

Paradigm Shift...

...Caring for social capital and natural capital as much as we have traditionally cared for finanical capital. --Ray Anderson

7 Generation Philosophy

Meeting our needs today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.

Legitimate Function of Government is to Protect & Serve the Common Good

Consider City Government as both customer and steward of our environment and resources ... logically must, therefore, incorporate the principles of sustainability to ensure the needs of tomorrow can be met.

Irish Take Action on Plastic Bags

--The Sacramento Bee, Feb. 2, 2008
In 2002, Ireland passed a tax on plastic bags; customers who want them for their purchases must now pay 22 cents per bag at the register. Within weeks, plastic bag use dropped 94%. Within a year, nearly everyone had bought reusable cloth bags, keeping them in offices and in the backs of cars. Plastic bags were not outlawed, but carrying them became socially unacceptable. "I used to get half a dozen with every shop. Now I'd never ever buy one," said Cahtal McKeown, 40, a civil servant carrying two large clack cloth bags. "If I forgot these, I'd just take the cart of groceries and put them loose in the boot of the car, rather than buy a bag." The tax is not so much, but it completely changed a very bad habit. The government collects the tax which is used to finance environmental enforcement and cleanup programs.

While paper bags, which degrade, are in some ways better for the envrionment, studies suggest that more greenhouse gases are released in their manufacture and transport than in the production of plastic bags.

On a similar note, according to the Associated Press, Japan will urge citizens to carry their own chopsticks instead of using disposable wooden ones.

Locavore

A locavore is someone who eats food grown or produced locally or within a certain radius such as 50, 100, or 150 miles. The locavore movement encourages consumers to buy from farmers’ markets or even to produce their own food, with the argument that fresh, local products are more nutritious and taste better. Local grown food is an environmentally friendly means of obtaining food, since supermarkets that import their food use more fossil fuels and non-renewable resources.
"Locavore" was coined by Jessica Prentice from San Francisco Bay Area on the occasion of World Environment Day 2005 to describe and promote the practice of eating a diet consisting of food harvested from within an area most commonly bound by a 100 mile radius. "Localvore" is sometimes also used.
The New Oxford American Dictionary chose locavore, a person who seeks out locally produced food, as its word of the year 2007. The local foods movement is gaining momentum as people discover that the best-tasting and most sustainable choices are foods that are fresh, seasonal, and grown close to home. Some locavores draw inspiration from the 100-Mile Diet or from advocates of local eating like Barbara Kingsolver whose book Animal, Vegetable, Miracle chronicles her family's attempts to eat locally. Others just follow their taste buds to farmers' markets, community supported agriculture programs, and community gardens.

For more information about Local Food: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Local_food
Manitowoc's Farmers Market: http://www.manitowoc.org/comm_farm_home.html

16 Eco-Municipalities

There are now 16 eco-municipalities in the state of Wisconsin (Manitowoc was number 10) that have adopted the Natural Step framework (organized by scientists in 1989). This is the most number of eco-municipalities in a state in the nation...so Wisconsin is on the vanguard of going green!! Kudos to all.

An eco-municipality becomes the driving force for involving citizens and sectors of the community in the process of becoming a sustainable community. An eco-municipality collaborates with other communities regionally, nationally and internationally.

Sustainability is more about competence (precise, concrete priniciples and philosophies) than values.

Why The Natural Step (TNS)? We cannot arrive at sustainability without knowing what it is, and we will all go down the gurgler in unsustainability. TNS principles cover ALL scenarios and looks at the big picture. It is also continually refined. The TNS framework can help us sort through complexity and data by revealing patterns and relationships, so we can make sense of all the information. The TNS study circles provide a forum for creating a shared language and understanding of sustainability in our community. The result is a foundation for agreement.

Be relatively less a part of the problem. Everyone can contribute to sustainability regardless of others. Be proactive and innovative.

Sustainability - One Step at a Time

wmworld@wal-mart.com, April 2008 -- The key to saving energy - and to the bigger issue of sustainability -- is to take small steps. No matter how small they might seem, the steps we take today put us on the path toa more energy-efficient future. It doesn't take a huge effort to make a difference. Doing something small over and over again until it becomes a habit will make a big contribution.

Community projects often come from looking close to home. Consider what would make it easier for you and your family to lead a more sustainable life and then expand the idea to your neighborhood. With a little creativity, enthusiasm and group collaboration, there's no limit to what you can make happen. Take a good look around, ask youself what needs to change, and then follow your heart.

Safe Pharmaceutical Disposal Opportunities

Manitowoc County residents will have four opportunities in 2008 to dispose of their unwanted medications in a safe environmentally friendly manner. Unused medications present public health and safety concerns within the community. Unfortunately, wastewater treatment plants don’t remove one-hundred percent of the dissolved medications that come from local homes. Research has shown pharmaceutical chemicals are showing up in lakes and streams where they are beginning to harm fish populations.
This is largely due to the common practice of flushing them down the toilet. Throwing unwanted pharmaceuticals in the trash can be just as harmful. According to Jeff Beyer, Manitowoc County Director of Public Works, when garbage goes to the landfill, a “leachate” is formed; this liquid is collected and transported to the wastewater treatment plant.
Unused medications also present public health and safety concerns within the community. Oftentimes unused medications lay around the house for weeks or even years, according to Mark Anderson, Manitowoc County Metro Drug Unit Task Force Commander, this is often when medications are stolen from relatives and acquaintances. These stolen medications wind up on the illegal drug market where they are abused and have resulted in unintended poisonings as well as a number of overdoses in our community.
Do your part to help keep our community and environment free of unwanted drugs by participating in one of the Manitowoc County Drug Disposal Programs. Scheduled drug disposal collections are:
April 19, 2008 in conjunction with the Earth Day Event at the UW Manitowoc Campus, 705 Viebahn Street, Manitowoc from 9am-2pm
May 16, 2008 in conjunction with the Clean Sweep in Kiel at the Kiel City Garage, 705 Washington Street, Kiel from 3pm-6pm
August 7, 2008 in conjunction with Community Care Days in Two Rivers at the JE Hamilton Community House, times to be announced.
October 25, 2008 in conjunction with Crime Prevention Days at the Manitowoc County Expo Grounds, times to be announced.

Acceptable Items
□ Prescription medications
□ Over-the-counter drugs
□ Controlled substances
□ Illegal drugs

Guidelines
□ Needles and sharps will not be accepted.
□ Please keep items in their original containers.
□ Please do not mix medications in the same container.
□ No Businesses
□ You may block out personal information on the drug container, but please keep the drug name visible.

If you have any questions, please call the Manitowoc County Recycling Center at 683-4333..

Study Circle #8

Oh boy....we're on roll~!!
Study Circle #8 will be facilitated by Karen O'Leary at the Manitowoc Public Library on
Thursdays from 6:30-8pm:

• Sept. 4
• Sept. 11
• Sept. 18
• Sept. 25
• Oct. 2
• Oct. 9
• Oct. 16
• Oct. 23

To sign up, email tprigge@manitowoc.org or call 920-686-6980

Study Circle #7

Study Circle #7 will be facilitated by Laurie Gehrke and will take place
Wednesdays from 5:30-7:30pm:

• Sept. 17
• Sept. 24
• Oct. 1
• Oct. 8
• Oct. 15
• Oct. 22

Sign up now to take part by email tprigge@manitowoc.org or calling 920-686-680

Earth Day Saturday April 19th

Earth Day will be celebrated in Manitowoc at the UW-Manitowoc Campus on Saturday, April 19th from 9am-2pm. Several valuable disposal programs are being offered to help keep our environment safe and clean so you will have the opportunity to turn in any wanted:

• medications/prescriptions;


• printer cartridges; batteries;


• mercury thermometers;


• CFL's;


• old athletic shoes


• plastic bags

There will be a community rummage sale of donated items.

Exhibitors include:

• Woodland Dunes Nature Center


• Bay Lakes Ecowater Systems


• Lakeshore Natural Resources Partnership


• Manitowoc County Recycling Center


• League of Conservation Voters


• Leage of Women Voters


• Go Green Manitowoc


• Green Sky Energetics


• Orion Energy Systems


• WI Maritime Museum


• Cartridge World


• Discovery Farms


• Wal-Mart


• MPU

Look for Go Green Manitowoc located next to MPU to pick up a free CFL bulb.

Presentations to include:

• Woodland Dunes Nature Center: Backyard Landscaping - Attracting Wildlife with Native Plants;
• Green Sky Energetics: Buying a Solar System;
• Orion Energy Systems: Energy, the Environment and Your Wallet;
• Lakeshore Natural Resources Partnership: Engaging Community - Expanding Awareness and Action through Education and Partnerships;
• WI Maritime Museum: Aquatic Invasive Species
• League of Conservation Voters: Protecting the Great Lakes with the Strong Compact for a Strong Wisconsin.

Live music and good times.

Love your Mother :-)

Conservation

Simple: The LESS you use, the LESS you need to make.

Task Lighting

Illuminate only the area you are working in, not a whole room.

German Philosophy

"We do not want one German to die for a resource war."

Dr. Imad Mahawili

Dr. Imad Mahawili gave a great presentation at the recent Myths of Energy Summit II.
Points to consider and some to be alarmed about:

• be alarmed: 21,000,000 barrels of oil per day are consumed in the USA...60% of which is imported at approx. $95/barrel for a total cost of $1.2 billion/day for OIL exported to other countries.
• consider: Energy makes or breaks an Empire.
• be alarmed: In China, two 1.5 megawatt coal fired power plants are being built each week for the next ten years to sustain China's energy needs.
• consider: where the money goes, so go the jobs.
• consider: to keep money local: reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels and increase renewable resource alternatives

EFFICIENCY DOES NOT EQUAL "Going Without". It means "Doing Smartly".

Earth Hour

On March 29, 2008, cities around the world will join together to literally turn off the lights for one hour to offer leadership and symbolize their commitment to finding climate change solutions. Individuals, local businesses and corporations will all be asked to join in.

The momentum is building for Earth Hour—8 to 9 pm, March 29, 2008 —the global movement to shut off the lights for one hour to make a bold statement about climate change. More and more individuals, businesses, and even cities are planning to participate to deliver a powerful message to the citizens and leaders of the world about the need for action on climate change. Earth Hour is an opportunity for each one of us to take action, influence others and start a wave of change that alters the course of climate change

The Satisfaction of Sustainability

Sustainable Living is a different approach to living and working that is more deeply satisfying.
Give it a try!

Commuting By Bike

Commuting by bike?
Visit http://commutebybike.com/cats/commuting-101/ for safety and other tips for traveling by bike.
Remember, in the City of Manitowoc, if you have your bike, you can always hop on Maritime Metro Transit buses and use the convenient bike rack on the front of the bus. This comes in handy if the weather the changes, you've gone shopping and made purchases, have pedaled farther than you care to pedal back, or are just simply desirous of a comfy air-conditioned ride.

Jack Johnson's "All at Once": Your actions, Your voice, Your choice

Singer-Songwriter Jack Johnson has launched a pro-environment concert tour including requirements in his concert rider for placement of recycling bins among other things.

His website allatonce.org (http://www.jackjohnsonmusic.com/allatonce) provides a forum for people who want to become active in their local and global community. All at Once, in addition to being a great song you can hear on the site, promotes the concept, "An action multiplied by millions creates global change. Collectively, individual actions create global change and impact." The goal of All at Once is to allow each individual to see how their actions impact the global picture."

It also brings to mind a quote from the great Gandhi, "Be the change you wish to see in the world."

Virgin Puts Biofuels on Maiden Voyage

Talk about committed to green, kudos to Virgin Atlantic....

(WallStreet Journal, Feb. 26, 2008)
Ever a showman, Virgin Atlantic Airline President Richard Branson opened a vial of jet fuel made with oil from coconuts and Brazilian babassu nuts and drank it, forcing a stiff smile. "It's more appropriate for the engine," he said before TV cameras. Later, he said privately that he ahd been told he could drink it, "by my god, it was horrible."
On Sunday, Virgin flew a Boeing 747 from London's Heathrow Airport to Amsterdam with one of the four engines burning a mixture of 80% jet fuel and 20% oile from naturally grown plants. The first commercial airline test of biofuel came off without a hitch....demonstrating that someday planes may not fly on petroleum alone. Virgin and the handful of other companies involved in the project, are hopeful that in 3 - 6 years, passengers may be riding on jets at least partially powered by naturally grown oil...believed to result in a 20% reduction in total emissions.

Plastic Bags aka White Pollution

(WPR - Joy Cardin)

Last year, in the USA, 100 billion plastic bags were distributed by stores requiring 20 million barrels of oil to produce....a majority of which end up in landfills. It is estimated that less than 5% of plastic bags are recycled.

An estimated 400,000 plastic bags were picked up last year in coastal area clean ups which interefere with marine life.

The problem has become so bad in China that it is referred to as White Pollution. China has taken the step to ban plastic bags estimated to save 37 million barrels of oil.

Plastic Bag Ban in China

(CNN) -- China is banning free plastic bags common at shops and supermarkets and ordering customers to be charged for any they use, the government said Wednesday.
The rules, which take effect June 1, come as the country tries to tackle a significant source of litter, a statement on the government's Web site said.
The bags also are banned from all public transportation, including buses, trains and planes and from airports and scenic locations, the government said.
Companies caught breaking the new rules face fines and possible forfeiture of goods, the government said.
Shops have been instructed to mark the price of the plastic bags clearly and not fold them into the cost of other items.
Environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, praised China's move, and Christopher Flavin, president of Worldwatch Institute, an independent research organization in Washington, said "China is ahead of the U.S. with this policy," AP reported.
The Chinese use up to 3 billion plastic shopping bags a day.
Often, the flimsy bags are used once and discarded, adding to waste in a country grappling with air and water pollution as a result of rapid economic transformation, officials said.
"Our country consumes a large amount of plastic bags. While convenient for consumers, the bags also lead to a severe waste of resources and environmental pollution because of their excessive use and low rate of recycling," the statement at the Web site Gov.cn said. "The ultra-thin bags are the main source of 'white' pollution as they can easily get broken and end up as litter."

The government statement added, "We should encourage people to return to carrying cloth bags, using baskets for their vegetables."
More durable plastic bags still will be allowed for sale by markets and shops, The Associated Press reported.
When the ban goes into effect, China will join countries such as Uganda and South Africa, the statement said.
Bangladesh banned plastic bags four years ago when officials realized they blocked drains and led to flooding. Since then, customers have taken to using bags made of jute or cloth for shopping.
Last year, San Francisco, California, became the first U.S. city to outlaw plastic checkout bags at supermarkets.

Plant a Tree

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The 2nd best time is NOW. The challenge is just to start. So what are you waiting for? Get planting! Remember EARTH DAY is April 22.

2% Solution

Visit Focus the Nation at focusthenation.org to watch the "2% Solution" video.

Consider...

In the end, our society will be defined not only by what we create, but by what we refuse to destroy. --John Sawhill, former president, the Nature Conservancy.

Computers

More than 315 million computers are expected to become obsolete by the year 2004, containing an estimated 1.2 billion pounds of lead, 2 million pounds of cadmium, 400,000 pounds of mercury, and 1.2 million pounds of hexavalent chromium. --Kansas City Star, May 9, 2000

Changing Patterns of Consumption

U.S. citizens "waste or cause to be wasted nearly one million pounds of materials per person per year...the total annual flow of waste, including wastewater, is 250 trillion pounds." This waste includes materials such as carpets, Styrofoam, discarded food, carbon from carbon dioxide, and manufacturing waste. "Less than 2% of the total waste stream is actually recycled - primarily paper, glass, plastic, aluminum and steel. Even more staggering: only 1% of North American materials ends up in products that are still being used six months after their sale. --The Natural Step

Success by Ralph Waldo Emerson

To laugh often & much;
to win the respect of intelligent people
and the affection of children;

To earn the appreciation of honest critics
& earn the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;

To leave the world a bit better whether
by a healthy child,
a garden patch or
a redeemed social condition;

To know even one life has breathed easier
because you lived
is to have succeeded.

From WasteNews.com Pen makers want writers to BeGreen

Feb. 7 -- Pilot Pen Corporation of America has introduced what it is touting as the world´s first full line of earth-friendly writing instruments.
The BeGreen product line includes ballpoint pens, rolling ball pens and mechanical pencils. They are made from at least 70 percent recycled content and packaged using recycled materials. They also are the same price as their nonrecycled counterparts, said Robert Silberman, vice president of marketing for Trumbull, Conn.-based Pilot Pen Corp.
"The product line will expand as consumer interest heightens for the well-being of our planet," he said.

Think about it....

We have the capacity to shape a different future.

Now do it!

Aluminum Can vs. Plastic Bottle

Soda can be purchased in either aluminum cans or plastic bottles made from PET and HDPE plastics. An aluminum can holds 12 fluid ounces; a 2-liter bottle holds 67.6 fluid ounces. An aluminum soda can can be recycled into another soda can; plastic from a soda bottle is "downgraded" to make a non-food container or product to insure sterile food packaging.

The energy required to manufacture an aluminum can with 50% recycled fibers is 80Btu per fluid ounce. Therefore, 30% of the enrgy needed to make the soda container is saved when 12 ounce aluminum cans made of recycled materials are purchased instead of 2-liter plastic bottles. Aluminum is a popular metal to recycle because it costs less to make a soda can out of recycled materials than out of new metal. In 1989, America recycled 60% of the 80 billion cans used.

One out of every four PET botles are currently being recycled. PET bottles are acutally a form of polyester so they can be recycled into carpeting, suits and fiberfill for ski jackets. HDPE can become flower pots and trash cans.

--University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service, Fact Sheet EES-77

Sustainable Sack Lunch

A sack lunch sandwich can be packaged in a variety of ways: aluminum foil, a ziptop baggie or a plastic sandwich box. The energy required to make these containers differs depending upon the material type and the amount of recycled fibers used.

Generally, when packing lunches using aluminum foil or baggies, new foil or a new baggie is used every day. By comparison, plastic sandwich boxes can be reused repeatedly. When a sandwich is packaged in a plastic sandwich box instead of aluminum foil or plastic baggies, over 80% of the energy used for sandwich containers is saved. This can lead to big savings over the course of a school year. There are approximately 185 days in a school year. If one studnet's sandwich for lunch is packed in a plastic box instead of a siptop baggie, the family saves $15 on sandwich wrappers, since one plastic box can be used all year.

There were 165,375 students in the 1990-91 first grade class in Florida. If the sandwich for each student was packaged in a plastic sandwich box for the school year instaed of baggies, the equivalent to over 125,000 gallons of gasoline would be saved annually. The energy in 125 thousand gallons of gasoline coulnd run a stereo for more than 19 million hours. Nineteen million hours is 2,231 years of continuous stereo sound.

--University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service, Fact Sheet EES-77

Trash Trouble

Trash - we are producing too much of it. The municipal solid waste foundin the home and office garbage can is a product of natural resources used to manufacture it. This includes energy resources both as base materials (feedstock) and as power for processing and transportation. The mining, refining and consumption of these energy resources creates a variety of pollutants. Given this information, it is easy to see how municipal solid waste is a triple whammy:
1. natural resources are used up, decreasing the quantity of thes irreplaceable materials;
2. energy is consumed, leaving less for the future while creating more pollutants and increasing the potential for global climatic change; and
3. efforts at municipal solid waste disposal are contaminating the environment in which we live.

There are three major methods of dealing with the solid wastes generated: landfills, incineration and recycling. Each method has capacity limitations. Therefore, the BEST MEANS of subduing the problems association with municipal solid waste disposal is to REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF WASTE CREATED.

--University of Florida, Cooperative Extension Service Fact Sheet EES-77

Study Circle #6 at LTC

I'm pleased to announce that the 6th study circle will be hosted at Lakeshore Technical College. Tuesday evenings from 7-8:30pm starting Feb. 19 and concluding on April 15.
To sign up for this circle, please email tprigge@manitowoc.org or call 686-6980.
It's inspiring what a group of people can accomplish when gathered together rallied around the same the topic.

Woodland Dunes hosts Study Circle #5

Woodland Dunes will be hosting study circle #5. A Wednesday morning session starting in February. If you'd like more info, visit www.manitowoc.org.
Go Green Manty!

Study Circle #4, Municipal Employees

Study Circle #4, the first circle for municipal employees, is under way.

Already some great ideas are being recommended from offering recycling options to public trash receptacles, including the director of Transit in the site plan review process to assure that bus routes are considered, and increasing the number of public bike racks available.

It is a great dialogue to be having and already has us thinking more sustainably.

Did you know that Maritime Metro Buses are equipped with bike racks? So even if you don't live adjacent to a bus stop, you could hop on your bike (a good, healthy way to start the day that promotes wellness), pedal to the nearest bus stop and throw your bike on the front.

Need assistance to figure out which bus will get you to your destination? Don't hesitate to call Maritime Metro Transit 683-4560