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ENERGY STAR KIDS
Join the Lorax in addressing
energy efficiency issues. Schools and
parents alike can take advantage of the fun, colorful and information
educational materials at ENERGY STAR KIDS.
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Green Star Staff
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Kim Kovol Executive Director
Jeanne Carlson Program Director
Lilly Capell Air Quality Program Assistant
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Shining Stars
Congratulations to our most recent Green Star Award certified organization! U.S. Geological Survey - Alaska Science Center
USGS recently earned its Green Star Award certification. Green Star will recognize USGS's Alaska
Science Center at an internal USGS staff meeting on September 24 as well as at an
upcoming executive meeting of the U-Med's Green District. USGS is one of the newest U-Med members and
will sign on to the updated agreement this fall. The meeting will be held on October 1 at
USGS' Glenn Olds Hall.
To earn the certification, USGS has implemented many environmentally
minded behaviors within the office as well as included green features in its
new building, finished in April of 2008.
With the addition of Glenn Olds Hall (see above photo), the
majority of USGS's Anchorage
employees are now on the APU campus so staff do not need to drive across town
to meet with colleagues. This creates more efficient use of time and
resources. The new building also has a streamlined footprint resulting
from a more efficient use of space.
In addition, employees are active and
prolific recyclers, taking advantage of bi-monthly pickups. Many staff
bike to work or take public transit, and many practice good habits such as
turning off lights, reusing one-sided paper, and reusing their own coffee mugs
to reduce waste and energy usage in the workplace.
Welcome to our new members. Cook Inlet Tribal Council Business Insurance Associates, Inc. ASRC Energy Services, Corporate Office
Thank you to our latest donors.
Tony Stanley of Stanley Motors and Kevin
Stalder of Driven Auto Body have graciously donated office space to Green Star. Green Star greatly appreciates this generous
donation, which allows us to reduce our costs by sharing space with another
business. Members can still visit us and
access our event recycling bins. We also
now have ample free parking! See the
article below for our new location.
New Member Discounts Driven Auto Body is offering
a 10% discount to any Green Star member on auto body paint and framework, and
auto detailing. The discount is valid through October 31, 2009. View all of our member discounts.
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Events & Reminders
Plastic Bag and Film Recycling Returns - Anchorage residents can once again recycle plastic bags and other plastic film products at the Anchorage Recycling Center, located at 6161 Rosewood Street, just off
of Dowling Road between the Old and New Seward Highways (behind NAPA).
Drop-off is available 24/7.
Backyard Compost Bins Available- until September 27. Anchorage Soil & Water Conservation District is selling backyard compost bins at it wood lot at 100th Ave. and C Street (between Dimond and O'Malley on C St.). Stop by during wood lot hours, every Thursday, Friday, Sa turday, or Sunday between 9am and 7pm. The bins are $50 each, and you can purchase as many as you want. These bins typically retail for $100 to $150. Reduce your waste by composting your yard trimmings in your own backyard. Create a useful product to put back on your plants. Questions? Contact ASWCD at [email protected] or 677-SOIL.
Bike Friday - Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage hosts the season's
last Bike Friday on the last Friday of September. BCA will hand out free coffee and treats
during the morning commute on September 25 to bicyclists around Anchorage. Locations include:
- Tudor/Elmore at ANTHC campus (6:30am - 9am)
- Chester Creek Trail at Lake Otis baseball fields
(7am - 9am)
- Westchester Park at Westchester Lagoon (7am-9am)
Green Drinks - First Friday At Indigo, 239 E. 5th Ave. 5:30 to 8:30pm. Featuring green cocktails, beer and wine;
food; music and art.
Part of the proceeds from the
art sale will go to Green Star. The
event will feature recycled art.
ENERGY STAR Solid State Outdoor Lighting Webinar - October 8, 9-10:30am Alaska Time. LED luminaires can now
compete with high intensity discharge sources but not all LEDs are created equal. To differentiate products that will save
energy over current technologies, the Department of Energy has developed ENERGY STAR
criteria covering SSL (solid state lighting)-based outdoor area and roadway lighting, outdoor
wall packs, parking garage, and canopy luminaires. This webcast will
provide an update on the new criteria, including a description of the
Fitted Target Efficacy metric and how ENERGY STAR will use it to
evaluate outdoor area and roadway luminaires. Finally, the webcase will look at
how currently available LED products compare to conventional lighting
technologies for outdoor area lighting applications. Register now.Save the Date - Bioneers in Alaska will be October 16-18, 2009.
2009 Western U.S. Pollution Prevention Conference - October 28-29, Bahia
Hotel, 998 West Mission Bay Drive, San Diego, California. The Western Sustainability & Pollution Prevention
Network (WSPPN) and the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Center (PPRC)
invite you to the 2009 Western U.S. Pollution Prevention Conference, an event
that includes programs from both Region 9 and 10. Come join your
colleagues from the states of AK, AZ,
CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, and WA (including
Tribal Lands and the Trust Territories) to discuss and learn about
the most recent pollution prevention opportunities, sustainable practices, and
climate change solutions and other environmental initiatives developing in the
western United States.
Green Star is on Twitter and Facebook!Twitter: Follow us for updates, news and green business tips. Facebook: Join our group "Green Star AK." |
Changes at Green Star
Green
Star's offices have moved! We are now located
at 5011 Spenard Road, Building A, Suite 204, Anchorage, AK 99517. This
will allow Green Star to put more of its resources toward assisting its
members.
Thank you to everyone who
helped us with the move! Kent Crandall, Mary Fisher, Eric McCallum, Pat
McDonald of Boys & Girls Club, Lisa Pekich, Kevin Stalder, Katy Suddock,
Tom Turner and JR Moving.
Another Big Change
Jeanne
Carlson, Green Star's Program Director (<--that's me on the right!), will be leaving Alaska in
October. I will continue to be involved
in Green Star through the web site, this newsletter and other aspects of
outreach and technical assistance to our members. However, for membership care and site visits,
contact Lilly Capell at [email protected] or 278-7859. In addition, a new membership coordinator will be starting on September 14 on a part-time basis. Megan Poole can be reached at [email protected] once she is on board.
I have enjoyed
working with all of you over the past decade, experiencing the dedication of
our members to workplace efficiency. I
am gratified both by the large number of "green team" contacts who have been
with Green Star for many years and by the new names and faces joining the
effort to "green" our business community in Alaska. I look forward to continuing to highlight
your efforts in the community and providing assistance from my new east-coast
home.
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SPACE FOR LEASE
Green Star's space at 880 H
Street is ready to be subleased. Our
current lease runs through July 2010 and we need to fill the space. The space offers close proximity to downtown
and the Park Strip, first floor access, an open floor plan with one closed
office for flexibility, a kitchen space, and recycling services in the
building. If interested, please contact
Kim Kovol at 278-7809 or [email protected].
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Air Fresheners May Not Be So Fresh
When Green Star conducts site
assessments for member businesses, one thing we often see is the use of air
fresheners in restrooms and other areas.
Our recommendation that air fresheners not be used is often met with
resistance. Most businesses do not know
how else to meet the need for air freshener products and feel that they are
necessary. Here are some facts about air fresheners and
some ideas for making your workplace less toxic and more worker friendly.
The basic ingredients in air
fresheners are formaldehyde, petroleum distillates, 1,4 dichlorobenzene and
aerosol propellants. Recently many of these chemicals have been investigated
for their safety. Some common chemicals found in air fresheners have been found
to be toxic to humans and may increase the incidence of many different health
problems. Natural and healthy air fresheners are now being used as alternatives
to conventional air fresheners to minimize health hazards and environmental
pollution.
A study recently performed by
the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that 12 of 14 common
household air fresheners contained phthalates and that none of them listed
phthalates as an ingredient. This study indicates that a significant number of
air fresheners currently being used are a threat to public health.
The
chemicals below were found in at least one of the 14 air fresheners that NRDC
tested.
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Di-ethyl Phthalate (DEP): Associated with changes in hormone levels and genital
development in humans.
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Di-n-butyl Phthalate (DBP): Recognized as a reproductive toxicant by the
National Toxicology Program and the State of California. It can lead to changes
in genital development.
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Di-isobutyl Phthalate (DIBP): Associated with changes in male genital
development.
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Di-methyl Phthalate (DMP): Inconclusive evidence has shown reproductive
toxicity in animal studies.
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Di-isohexyl Phthalate (DIHP): Limited toxicity testing has shown that DIHP is
probably a developmental and reproductive toxicant.
So how do you avoid the use
of toxic air fresheners? Here are some
suggestions from the P2Rx Wiki:
Enhance
Ventilation. Good
ventilation systems reduce the need for air fresheners by eliminating the need
to mask odors and naturally eliminate unpleasant odors. Air fresheners cannot
substitute for good ventilation.
Minimize
Air Freshener Use. Air fresheners only
mask the offensive odors and do not remove them. Avoid using air fresheners as
often but, when necessary, use as little as possible to reduce the amount of
hazardous chemicals in the air. Air fresheners should only be programmed to run
if needed and should only be used for odors that are unavoidable.
Use
Natural and Safe Air-Freshener Alternatives. Many products
are available that offer healthy alternatives to commercial air fresheners.
Organic soy and beeswax candles, natural potpourri, fresh flowers or herbs,
natural essential oils, environmentally friendly non-aerosol pump sprays, and
baking soda are all safe alternatives. Businesses that are looking to find
non-toxic air fresheners should investigate available products to ensure their
safety. Currently, regulations do not require manufacturers to list ingredients
or require them to perform health and safety testing. Businesses and consumers
should be aware of this and should take time to find air fresheners that are
known to be safe.
Use
Low-level Phthalate Air Fresheners. If you need to use air freshener products, use
those known to have low levels of phthalates and other hazardous chemicals
present in order to reduce potential health risks. Most products do not have
labels that inform consumers of the presence of toxic chemicals. Consumers
should be aware that the majority of air fresheners contain at least a low
level of these dangerous chemicals and should understand that they are using
them at their own risk.
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No Idling At School, Please!
It's back-to-school time so
remember to consider your driving (or not driving) habits if you are taking
kids to school. Idling can damage your engine, waste gas, and cause more
pollution than shutting off the engine and starting it up again. The rule
of thumb is, if your car is stopped for more than 10 or 15 seconds and you're not
in an active traffic lane, turn off your engine.
Personal Solutions to Idling
Avoid lines. The simplest solution is to avoid waiting in lines, especially in school zones, near
libraries, playgrounds, or other places where children congregate.
Keeping age-appropriate safety a priority, try to drop off and pick up your
child a block or two away from congested areas.
Walk or bike. If you live a short distance from your child's
school, and there is a safe walking or
biking
route, now would be a good time to make them get there on their own
steam. Consider starting off slowly by making it a once-a-week event and
building up over time.
Carpool. When walking even a short distance is not an option,
carpooling is another way to cut down on the
amount of time you spend waiting in lines on school grounds.
Exercise Climate Control. Unless the temperature is
extreme, you don't need to run the engine to feel comfortable while waiting in
your car. Bundle everyone up and throw a blanket in the back seat when
you go out in cool weather.
If the school your children
attend does not have a designated Idle-Free Zone with signage, contact Green
Star to let us know. We offer Idle-Free
Zone signs that can be used at schools and businesses.
Click for several more not-so-personal solutions.
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Solar Power is Possible in Alaska Excerpted from the Anchorage Daily News - 8/31/09
The sun is helping
heat the water at the Denali Education Center
in one of Alaska's
largest solar water heating systems.
The Alaska Energy
Authority awarded $190,000 to Golden Valley Electric Association of Fairbanks
to commission the system at Denali
National Park and
Preserve. GVEA hired ABS Alaskan Inc. to design and install it.
"It demonstrates
that not only are we an electric company, we are also an energy company,"
Brian Newton, Golden Valley
president, said at the recent ribbon cutting. "We do care how much people
consume. It's not just about selling electricity. It's about using it
wisely."
The Denali Education
Center hosts Elderhostel
visits and sponsors youth programs, including Denali Discovery Camp, Denali
Backcountry Adventure and WILD About Denali. The center's campus of cabins
includes 17 water heaters powered by both electricity and propane.
The new solar heated
water is expected to save the center as much as $9,000 per year in energy
costs.
The sun doesn't directly
heat the water. Instead, it heats a special glycol mix that runs through pipes
in 1,300 square feet of panels that stand about 40 feet high.
The pipes run into the
storage tank and disperse heat into the water. The glycol, still contained in
the pipes, then loops back through the panels to be reheated.
Water is delivered to the
cabins through 2,000 feet of insulated pipe. The system will be drained in
winter, when residential programs are not operating.
One of the officials at
the ribbon cutting, state Sen. Joe Thomas, D-Fairbanks, said it was done with
Alaskan companies and Alaskan labor.
"I see it as one of
many small, but very important pilot projects to expand our ability to use
renewables in the state," he said.
Golden
Valley owns the system, while
Denali Education Center
operates and maintains it.
"Not only will this
system allow us to reduce cost, but it's also opening doors for education
opportunities," said Jodi Rodwell, interim executive director of the
center.
Denali Education Center is partnering with Solar Energy International and offering a training
workshop for educators next summer.
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