Thank You to our Sponsors
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Special thanks to our recent sponsors and grantors:
Alaska Department of Conservation
Oasis Environmental Inc.
Odom Corporation
Pike's Waterfront Lodge
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 10
Visit Our Sponsor List |
This Month's Hot Links |
Kayak Adventures in Seward became a certified Green Star business in May 2009. The company offers environmentally friendly and
educationally based sea kayaking trips.
Green Star
Member Discount
10% off kayak trips within Resurrection Bay for employees of Green Star certified organizations.
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Green Star Staff
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Kim Kovol Executive Director
Lilly Capell Technical Assistance Coordinator
Megan Pool Membership Coordinator
Jeanne Carlson Outreach Contractor
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SHINING STARS
Congratulations to our latest Green Star Award Certified organizations:
- Alaska Building Science Network
- Denali Commission
Welcome to our newest enrolled members:
Come out to support recent Award-certified organizations as they receive their awards:
- Lynden Transport (Anchorage, Fairbanks and Kenai locations) - Anchorage Chamber of Commerce "Make It Monday" presentation scheduled for May 10
- MACTEC Consulting & Engineering -- Green Star Member Mixer, May 11
- Alaska Building Science Network -- Green Star Member Mixer, May 11
Thank you to all who participated in the Bike to Work Fashion Show & Festival
Vendors included: Simply Spoken, Sunshine Sports, Downtown Bike
Rentals, Coastal Trail Rentals, Alaska-Bike-Chain Jewelry, People
Mover, and Alaska Injury Prevention.
Volunteers included: Ty Hardt, KIMO Superstation Channel 13; Brian Ross,
Magic 98.9; students from UAA and Holy Rosary Academy; Boys & Girls
Club of Mountain View staff and teens; Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage;
and MOA staff.
About 100 attendees saw great fashions from chic to functional, new bicycles and
gear, a safety presentation and crafts from local bicycling folks.
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EVENTS & REMINDERS
Green Star Member Mixer -- Tuesday, May 11 The event will be from 3:00 to 5:00pm at
Midnight Sun Brewery in the Loft, 8111 Dimond Hook Drive. Free food and soft drinks will be
provided by The Loft and, of course, you can enjoy an
array of fresh brews from the Midnight Sun bar (no-host). This event is
to encourage Green Star members (new and old, enrollees and awardees)
to network and get to know one another. Any prospective members also
are
invited to the event! We will have some fun give-a-ways. Please RSVP to [email protected].
We hope to see everybody there!
Renewable Energy Alaska Project
Forum: How
to Bump Up Your Bottom Line and Cut Your
Business' Energy Use -- Wednesday, May 12 Renewable
Energy Alaska Project (REAP) is hosting a
FREE forum from 6pm to 8pm on May 12 at the
Anchorage Museum Auditorium. Hear from local
businesses like Arctic Wire Rope & Supply and
the
Performing Arts Center to find out how they
have cut their
energy
use by up to 40%. Also, hear state energy
efficiency experts from the Alaska Energy
Authority discuss what resources are
available for your business. Visit the REAP website for more details.
The Economics of LEED-EB: Beyond Sustainability to True Cost Savings -- Tuesday, May 18 Building Operating Management presents a FREE webcast on
Tuesday, May 18, 2010, at 9am (Alaska time).
In less than six years, the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED-EB (existing building) rating
system has emerged as a significant tool in increasing sustainability and energy
efficiency in existing commercial buildings. If you're a facility professional charged with demonstrating the real economic benefits of attaining LEED status, this webinar can help. Visit http://www.facilitiesnet.com/webinar/LEED-EB/default.asp for more information or to register.
Bike to Work Day -- Friday, May 21 Sign up at www.muni.org/biketowork as an individual or as part of a team to participate in Bike to Work Day. See BIKE TO WORK DAY article below for more information about the event.
Position Available at Green Star -- Technical Assistance Coordinator Green Star is seeking a full-time coordinator for its technical assistance programs, which includes site assessments for businesses and planning educational events. Full Job Description. Interviews begin May 14 and continue until position is filled.
Spring/Summer A to Z Guide (Anchorage to Zero Waste) If you didn't receive a copy in the mail last month, download it at www.muni.org/sws. The Guide contains drop-off and curbside recycling information, as well as spring and summer travel and energy efficiency tips and organics management strategies.
Recycling & Renewables Rap BLOG Don't forget that you have a daily online recycling resource at the Anchorage Daily News. Visit the Recycling Blog to see what's happening in the recycling world or to ask questions.
Recycled Paper Still Available! Contact Valerie at Alaska Center for the Environment or Heather at National Wildlife Federation to purchase 100% post-consumer recycled, processed chlorine free, acid-free, copy paper at just $5.50/ream or $55/case.
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BIKE TO WORK DAY -- MAY 21
Quiz: What's wrong with this picture? (see answer at bottom of this article)
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Come ride with us on Friday, May 21, for Anchorage's 6th Annual Bike to
Work Day! Last year was a record-breaking year with 198 business teams
signing up and more than 2,300 registered riders. So far for 2010, about 35 teams and 250 riders have registered. Leading the charge is Jacobs
Engineering with 29 team members.
Don't have a workplace team? Be a
captain to help form a team or be a team of one. Teams registering by close of business May
10th will be entered in a drawing to win Bike to Work Day t-shirts.
Register yourself or your team at www.muni.org/biketowork today!
If you are new to biking or you and your bike are a little rusty, biking
to work can be intimidating. Planning and practicing your route can help
you become a more confident rider. Bike trail maps are available for
download at www.trailsofanchorage.com.
Use the buddy system or find a friend to ride with. It will get easier
and you can now "like" Bike to Work Anchorage on Facebook!
Green Star is
now accepting prize donations for the post-Bike to Work Day survey. Bike to Work participants who take the survey are eligible for prizes. Contact
Lilly at [email protected] or 278-7859 for more information.
Answer: The riders are not wearing helmets for safety!! Always wear a helmet when biking, whether you're commuting or riding for fun.
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BIKE TO WORK: THE CONTINUING CHALLENGE
AIA Alaska A Chapter of the American Institute of Architects
| AIA Alaska, a chapter of the American Institute of Architects, is challenging you to bike to work for the rest of the summer. The AIA Summer Bike Challenge invites teams of
5 to 10 riders to record and report
their commuter miles throughout the summer. AIA Alaska will report monthly on
miles
logged and gas not burned, and celebrate our accomplishments
on September
24th. This is a grassroots advocacy event, so please share it with
your community
and get people thinking about alternate transit methods.
The competition begins May 21, and ends September 21.
Commuting
miles logged by participants will be updated monthly at the
AIA Bike
Challenge webpage. Any miles
you use your own power rather than a car to get to your
destination
can be logged. While the focus is bike commuting, the challenge welcomes
walkers,
skate boarders, roller skiers - any people powered commuter
mileage.
Recreational mileage (hiking, racing, mountain biking) is not
part
of this competition. Sponsors and prize donors also are welcome. Partners
and contributors will be recognized on the AIA Bike Challenge
webpage.
For more information, see the AIA Summer Bike Challenge flyer or download the registration form.
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Basic Bike Maintenance * Date: Tuesday, May 11
* Location: Anchorage REI
* Event Fee: Free
* Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. * Presenter: REI Specialist
* Group Size: 30
* Description: Learn the day-to-day maintenance that will keep your bike
running, as well as basic repairs that you are likely to experience whether
you commute daily or ride for enjoyment on the weekend. These tips will
help you keep your steed in good shape and at the ready all year around.
Bike to Work Day Clinic * Date: Wednesday, May 12
* Location: Anchorage REI
* Event Fee: Free
* Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. * Presenter: Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage
* Group Size: 45
* Description: Are you ready for Bike To Work Day on May 21st? Are you geared
up for the summer commuting season? Do you know the Rules of the Road? Do you know
what the most common danger zones are and the simple things you can do to
stay safe during your commute? If you answered "No" to any of these
questions, join Bicycle Commuters of Anchorage (BCA) at REI for this Bike To
Work Day Clinic. We'll give you all the information and tips you need so
that you can look forward to Bike To Work Day and a great summer of biking!
Visit REI for a full clinic schedule.
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INTRODUCING GREEN STAR'S SUMMER INTERN
Laura Boone is Green Star's current intern assisting with Air Quality programs, including Bike to Work Day activities. Laura graduated from Alaska Pacific University with a Bachelors degree
in Environmental Science. Her interest in enhancing the biking community
brought her to Green Star. She currently works full time at Midnight Sun
Brewing Co. with her husband, and her spare time is filled with beer, cooking,
bikes, and her new baby. Laura is looking forward to a summer filled with
family bike rides.
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GREEN YOUR HOSPITALITY AT PIKE'S WATERFRONT LODGE
Pike's Waterfront Lodge hosted the "Green Your Hospitality" luncheon this week, featuring speakers Joe Carr, from ServiceMaster Quality Cleaners, and Dick Wells, from Automated Laundry Systems, as well as Pike's owner, Rep. Jay Ramras.
About 25
attendees enjoyed a Cinco de Mayo themed lunch and learned about some cutting edge initiatives to green the hospitality industry.
Rep. Ramras encouraged attendees to look at their green business
practices and create a "monument" that people could connect to. He commented that when visitors arrive at the Fairbanks airport and head
into town, his hotel, with its solar panels, is one of the first things they see. The
solar panels act as a monument indicating that Fairbanks is an eco-friendly town.
Ramras encouraged
others in the hospitality industry to create their own monument that leaves a
positive impression with visitors. As with the solar panels at Pike's, your "monument" might not offer the biggest return on investment of everything you are doing but it leaves the biggest impression and represents all the other small, less glamorous initiatives that are underway that are saving money and creating a more efficient workplace.
Dick Wells, with Automated Laundry Systems, provided a detailed explanation of how ozone can be used safely and effectively in laundry systems. He described what ozone is and why it works so well for cleaning and sanitizing. It works especially well in cold water, making it an ideal technology for Alaska. Currently, almost 30 facilities in Alaska are using ozone technology for laundry.
Visit Green Star's Hospitality Sector page for more information about Ozone Laundry Systems and their success in Alaska.
Joe Carr, from ServiceMaster Quality Cleaning, provided details on the benefits of
green cleaning. SeviceMaster is certified by Green Seal and is
busting the myths daily that green cleaning is inferior. Green cleaning
helps the environment, reduces workers' compensation claims and sick time,
and reduces the severity of personal protective equipment needed.
Green
cleaning is about having the right equipment too. Joe introduced participants to the
microfiber cleaning cloth. The microfiber cloth is a synthetic-based cloth
that holds up to 60% more water than cotton. The microfibers attract dust
molecules instead of pushing them around like cotton. The cloths can be
reused up to seven days before being washed and do not produce any lint.
Green cleaning has come a long way. As Carr put it, what was once the
typewriter is now the super computer and is surpassing non-green cleaning
chemicals in performance and price.
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RECYCLING EDUCATION IN THE SCHOOLS
In celebration of Earth Day, Green Star teamed up with the Anchorage School District's recycling coordinator, Andre Camara, to provide educational and fun programs for about 120 6th graders at Mirror Lake Middle School in Chugiak and 125 K-5th graders at Susitna Elementary in Anchorage. Students learned about pollution prevention, waste reduction and energy efficiency from Green Star and about recycling from Camara.
Each day's presentation wrapped up with the fast and furious hands-on Recycling Relay game. Students cheered on their classmates as they raced to deposit items in either a recycle bin or trash bin before dashing back to tag the next team member in line.
The object of the game is to put the most items in the correct bin in the shortest amount of time. The game gets students fully involved in the decision-making of recycling versus trash disposal. The relay follow-up also offers an opportunity to explain why some items are recyclable and some are not, how to properly prepare each item, and how to reuse some of the items instead of putting them in the trash or recycling bin.
At the end of the day, staff and
students walked away learning valuable lessons in how to "recycle it
right," reduce waste and be more energy efficient.
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