Sitka Global Warming Group

Help Sitkans reduce their carbon footprint
and prepare for the effects of a changing climate
through education and community action.

Next Meeting

Looking for ways to reduce your costs and carbon footprint while out in your boat? Join us for this open-forum, panel discussion. We'll have 6 speakers who will share ideas and experiences about: switching out motors, going electric, reducing fuel use, self-propelled travel, & more. Our speakers will discuss ways to (and take questions on) saving money on fuel in every kind of boat in Sitka. Topics will range from trollers to personal and charter boats; from switching to high-efficiency motors to methods for switching boats to electricity. We'll discuss economic opportunities to ideas on charging batteries through wave action. If you have or want some good ideas on ways to reduce your boat fuel costs - this is the discussion for you! Then it’s YOUR turn to ask questions, share ideas, offer help, and help us come up with more ways to reduce fuel consumption on the water.

The Previous Meeting

We appreciated the participation, attendance, and and media coverage of our ocean acidification education and action event series (Feb. 9-11). Thanks to all who attended and thanks to our keynote speaker Dr. Jeremy Mathis, Assistant Professor and Chemical Oceanographer from University of Alaska Fairbanks (www.sfos.uaf.edu/oa/). Dr. Mathis did an amazing job of turning complex science into something we could all understand. His work with school kids in Sitka will be shared with local parents and the far-reaching communities of Mt Edgecumbe students.

We appreciated the invitation by many groups like the Sitka Chamber of Commerce, the Sitka Forest Service office, and the Sitka Tribe of Alaska to bring our speaker and his important information to their supporters and employees. His talk with the Sitka Chamber of Commerce was a good reminder that ocean acidification is not only an oncoming environmental disaster, it will also have major negative effects on coastal communities and businesses.

Thanks also to our local action item speakers: Kerry Maclane spoke about growing our own vegetables and other food in Sitka (www.sitkalocalfoodsnetwork.org). Andy Eggan from the City Electric Department reminded everyone to pay attention to the City's Red-Yellow-Green Energy Alert Light to help reduce diesel burning (www.cityofsitka.com/government/departments/electric/index.html). Chris Duguay of One Island Energy explained how to get up to $10,000 of "free money" from the State for home energy efficiency upgrades (www.ahfc.state.ak.us/energy/weatherization_rebates.cfm). And Doug Osborne asked us all to turn off our cars and be idle free to protect kids health and the environment (more information at www.idlefreevt.org).

But this can't be the end of Sitka's role in learning about and taking action on ocean acidification through reducing carbon dioxide emissions. As Dr. Mathis said, "The worst thing that can happen is inaction." So what can you do? Write to political leaders at all levels to take immediate action to cut carbon emissions and support/develop renewable energy. Make personal choices that use less fuel and produce less carbon dioxide; check out www.sitkaglobalwarming.org for ideas on reducing your carbon footprint in Sitka. And work locally on projects that reduce community carbon dioxide emissions. You can come to the next Sitka Global Warming Group meeting on Wednesday March 10th to learn how to use less fuel while out in your boat and to find out how to get more involved in local actions. And maybe even help out with ocean acidification research by collecting water samples this summer; if Dr. Mathis asks us to collect local data - I'll put out the word! If we are to reduce our chances of losing our food web and our fisheries for next several centuries, we must stay engaged and stay active.

Thanks to Sitka Conservation Society, Sitka Sound Science Center , UAS (with the help of a grant from Sitka Alaska Permanent Charitable Trust ), and UAF for donations that make these programs possible!

Upcoming Activities

Meetings, usually with short educational presentations, are held every 2nd Wednesday of the month at 7 pm. Most meetings are held at Harrigan Centennial Hall.

What can I do about climate change?

If you were at the meeting held February 11th, these are the resources you'll need to save money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions:

Recent Sitka Global Warming Group News

Date: March 3, 2010, 2010

Local Green Business Practices – 8th Graders to Help as Awards are Being Readied

What is a “green” business practice? Sitka 8th graders will be learning the answer to that question as they help the Sitka Global Warming Group and Sustainable Sitka (SGWG/SS) with their “green business recognition” program. 8th graders will have a list of green business practices used by local businesses to do a “scavenger hunt of green practices” while visiting local businesses. As the students learn about energy and energy conservation, they’ll be going out to try to observe these practices in use.

Michelle Putz, a SGWG/SS organizer of the recognition program, is thrilled to have their help. “We have been getting ready to recognize and thank local businesses that are doing good things for the environment while also doing good things for our local economy. By getting kids involved we can teach them about energy conservation, and we can get added data for our recognition program.” SGWG/SS announced today that they are almost ready to award the local “green” businesses.

“We’ve had 26 businesses in Sitka nominated for recognition for everything from recycling, reusing and composting to installing and using energy-efficient lighting and heating to selling locally-grown/made goods and supporting environmental activities and events”, stated Michelle Putz from SGWG/SS. These and other positive, “green” actions benefit the environment, save money, and increase our sustainability. SGWG/SS compiled a list of over 30 “green” practices that are being used in Sitka . “We’ll post the list of green practices on our website (www.sitkaglobalwarming.org) so that other businesses can look to see what they are doing, or could be doing, to be ‘green’,” Michelle stated.

SGWG/SS has developed a local “certification” process to determine those businesses and practices that will be recognized. The recognition will have four levels – bronze, silver, gold, and platinum – to recognize different levels of commitment towards green practices. The more actions that businesses are doing to help the environment, the higher their recognition level will be. SGWG/SS expects to send out letter of thanks and green business certificates within the month. Certificates can be placed in the business’s window or check out counter. Further recognition will occur through announcements, news and listing on the SGWG’s webpage under “Green Business.”

“We hope that recognizing and thanking those businesses with environmentally sound practices helps local businesses take advantage of a green marketing strategy and encourages others to start “greening” their business,” said Natalie Sattler, one of the SGWG group members helping with the project. In a tight economy, green is a good selling point.

SGWG/SS would like to do the awards once each year. “We hope that businesses will check out the list of possibilities on the website and strive to add more green practices each year,” said Natalie. Businesses not recognized in the initial program may still get involved this year by sending an email to info@sitkaglobalwarming.org with their name, address of their business and list of green practices within the next month. “Additional businesses and other green practices may also come from the students’ data,” said Natalie

Lists of green practices should be sent to the email address by March 15. Those wanting more information or interested in helping on the project can contact Michelle Putz at 747-2708.

Date: February 17, 2010

Do you have a planting bed that you don’t have the time or energy to cultivate?

Sitka Global Warming Group (SGWG), in conjunction with the Sitka Local Foods Network, is offering a garden-matching program to help people who have garden space get matched up with people who want to plant and tend a garden in an effort to increase the amount of food grown and eaten locally. SGWG is asking Sitka residents who have garden space to share or want a garden space to contact them at info@sitkaglobalwarming.org. Provide your name, email address, phone number, size of the spot available or wanted, and the location of either the spot that is available or the address of the person who wants the spot. SGWG will collect this data over the next month and then work to match garden spots with a nearby person who would like to plant and tend a garden. SGWG will also be collecting names and garden locations at the March 14 “Let’s Grow Sitka” event taking place at the ANB Hall from noon until 3:00 pm.

Michelle said that SGWG is not setting any expectations of either the people who offer garden space or who want a garden space. Sharing of produce will be encouraged, but won’t be an expectation. SGWG also does not know how many participants to expect.

“This is the first year that we will do this. We’ve seen plenty of people who want to grow their own food but don’t have space to do it, and we have seen a lot of planting beds and garden spots that go unused during the summer because people are too busy or lack knowledge or experience in growing a garden. This is a great way to match those unused gardens with someone who will make them productive and increase the amount of vegetables being grown in Sitka,” said Michelle Putz from SGWG. Michelle continues, “Growing food locally has many benefits. For our group, the benefit is reducing the miles that food is shipped [thus reducing fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions). But that also makes the food cheaper and improves the quality and healthfulness of the vegetables since they are fresher. Growing food locally also improves our “food security” making a food shortage less likely in case of high fuel prices or bad weather. And it tastes really good!”

December 2009

Sitka Global Warming Group Participates in 350.org candlelight vigil for climate agreement in Copenhagen, Denmark

Local Resources

Sitka Conservation Society (SCS) has been working to protect the temperate rainforest of southeast Alaska and Sitka's quality of life since 1967. SCS has been an active supporter of the Sitka Global Warming Group.

Sitka Rainpower helps Sitkans transition to electric heat from hydropower to reduce carbon emissions

SITKA GLOBAL WARMING GROUP

Our Mission