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This Month's
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Municipality of Anchorage
ENERGY WATCH
The "Energy Watch" campaign focuses on actions citizens can take to
reduce their energy use during the winter if and when natural gas
delivery pressures drop low enough to warrant concern. A stoplight
concept will be used to advise customers to reduce their energy
consumption by varying degrees.
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Green Star Staff
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Kim Kovol
Executive Director
Lilly Capell
Technical Assistance
Coordinator
Jeanne Carlson
Outreach
Coordinator
Megan Pool
Membership
Coordinator
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SHINING STARS
Congratulations to our newest Green Star Award certified organizations
Alaska Energy Services, Regulatory & Technical Services (ASRC)
Lewis & Lewis Computer Store
Klebs Mechanical
MOA Solid Waste Services
Rural Energy Enterprises
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EVENTS & REMINDERS
LEED Workshop: Applying Green Building to Existing Buildings Using 'LEED-Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance'November 9, 8am-5pm, Hotel Captain Cook, Foredeck Rm (two half-day workshops or the full day). For more information, visit http://anchorageleedeb11092009.eventbrite.com
Job Opening: Alaska Waste
Renewable Resources Program Administratorhttp://www.alaskawaste.net/employment.htm
Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP)
Celebrates its 5th Anniversary
November 20, 5-8pm, Snow City Cafe 
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MEMBERSHIP CORNER
Dear Green Star Members,
We are in the process of sending out our membership dues notices
for 2010 via email. If you have any questions or concerns regarding
your membership, please contact me at 278-7839 or megan@greenstarinc.org.
For
award-certified organizations who
have been with the program for two years or more, you also are required to complete a recertification form to maintain your certified status. Please complete the
recertification form and email it back. If you have questions
regarding the recertification process, please contact Lilly at 278-7859 or lilly@greenstarinc.org.
You will notice that we also have included a commuter survey
link in the email. We would appreciate your taking a few minutes to fill
out this survey. It will provide us with baseline data about the
commuter community within Anchorage and surrounding areas.
If your membership dues are different from the previous
year's due, it is because the dues have been adjusted and updated according to
the following discounts: government agencies 20% off, non-profit
organizations 20% off, and Anchorage Chamber of Commerce members 10% off.
If your membership dues for 2010 are received by November 15th, 2009, we will knock $50 off your membership fee.
Sincerely,
Megen Pool
Membership Coordinator
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WINTER BICYCLE COMMUTING
"There is no bad weather, just bad clothes"
Bicycling in the snow and cold can be intimidating but, with
the right equipment and clothing, winter biking can be fun and helps keep our air
clean. Here are some winter bicycle
commuting tips from Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage (BCA):
THE BIKE -
What kind? A mountain bike, hybrid bike or single speed works well
for winter commuting.
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Snow bikes. The primary advantage a snow bike offers is
wider tires. These wider tires give you better flotation over the snow, which
not only makes it easier for you to ride, but also has less impact on the
trail.
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Tire pressure. Decrease the amount of air pressure in
tires for riding on snow. You will get better flotation, and leave less of an
impact on the trail.
MAINTENANCE
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Keep the bike dry. If you ride in fresh snow and get snow
built up on the frame, clean it off with a cloth when you get to your destination, making sure
to dry off the chain too.
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Be sure to keep the chain lubed.
GEAR
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Lights are a must. They serve two purposes: to
help you see the path, and to help others see you.
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At a minimum, have a white blinking light facing forward
and red blinking light facing backward. This ensures you can at least be seen from
ahead and behind by drivers.
- Blinking lights do not help you see the road so you will need another light for this purpose if you travel along roads or paths that are not
lighted.
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Mount your lights at a height where drivers can see you
from a far distance.
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Studded tires are highly recommended for safe
cycling in winter conditions. Without studs, one ice patch in an intersection can cause a
serious accident, while with studs, you can maintain great control.
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Helmets. Some winter commuters like using ski helmets, as
they provide extra warmth.
CLOTHES
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Believe it or not, over dressing is as much (or more) of a
problem than under dressing. Keep in mind you are going to be exercising, and
creating your own heat. If you are nice and toasty warm when you first start,
you are going to be too hot ten minutes later.
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Keep your core warm. Dressing in layers is the
key to keeping warm and safe in the winter. You want the layers against your
body to wick your sweat to the outside layers. A mid-layer
of light fleece or other insulating layer may be a good idea, and an outer
layer that is windproof is always nice.
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For your hands, lobster gloves are great. Also consider windproof over-mittens, which
can be worn over the lobster gloves for really cold weather, or over mid or
light weight gloves. If you are concerned about keeping your hands warm, try
Pogies (Pogies are the big mittens built into the handle bars).
Visit BCA's Winter Riding Tips for more ways to enjoy safe and comfortable winter bike commuting.
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AMERICA RECYCLES DAY IS NOVEMBER 15
America Recycles Day (ARD), November 15, is the only nationally
recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy
recycled products.
 Celebrating its 12th year, it has grown to include
millions of Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at
home and work and to buy products made with recycled materials.
Do your part to celebrate recycling. Take the Pledge at www.americarecyclesday.org.
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RECYCLE MORE AT
CENTRAL RECYCLING SERVICES
Central Recycling Services recently expanded its recycling services. CRS offers recycling of construction and demolition debris including asphalt, concrete, clean wood and lumber, stumps, brush, trees, gypsum scrap, bricks, stone, scrap metal and more. Call for fees.
CRS is located in a convenient downtown 6.5 acre site at 2400 Railroad Ave. in the Ship Creek industrial area. The site is equipped with "state of the art" waste mitigation and recycle facilities designed solely to handle recyclable materials cost effectively.
The facility also sells recycled products such as asphalt, aggregate, mulch, animal bedding and shredded rubber.
http://www.centralrecyclingservices.com
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Access past issues of E-News, sorted by topic or date. Please send comments, questions, or suggestions for future E-News topics to us at jeanne@greenstarinc.org. Forward this newsletter freely. Send us any email addresses you wish us to add to our mailing list. Thank you!
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