Jarrod McKenna, the Australian peace & environmental activist
| Jul |
| 25 |
| 6:30 pm |
Fox Valley Citizens For Peace & Justice is pleased to co-sponsor along with with Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren and ECCO the upcoming appearance of Jarrod McKenna, the Australian peace & environmental activist. Jarrod is active in The Peace Tree Community, Together for Humanity, and the award-winning initiative Empowering Peacemakers in Your Community.
That’s at 6:30 PM at
Highland AVenue Church of the Brethren
783 W Highland Avenue
Elgin, Il 60123
Plan to listen and learn from this dynamic speaker. Discussion will follow.
EPYC’s Founder and Creative Director Jarrod McKenna and his team have gained permission from the Education Department to conduct these seminars which use music, media and visual arts to engage students in engaging our world.
“Around the world there is an emerging generation of young leaders who are rediscovering the radical implications of Jesus message and are letting their lives speak of these alternatives to the cycles of violence, poverty and environmental destruction. Jarrod McKenna is one such young leader Australia has to offer, and his EPYC program promises to empower many more.” Rev. Tim Costello, CEO of World Vision Australia
June 3rd -Tour of Elgin Passive Solar & Geo-Thermal Home
| Jun |
| 3 |
| 7:00 pm |
Tour Dirk Dypold’s, of Advanced Geothermal Plumbing & Heating, home . Check out his passive solar system, his geothermal setup, and his rain garden too. He’ll follow this with a discussion on geo-thermal. All are welcome! Thursday, June 3rd @ 7PM at 323 S. Commonwealth-Elgin.
DIRECTIONS TO ELGINS GREEN EXPO
Sautrday May 8th 9am-4pm
The Centre is centrally located on a six-acre parcel in the heart of Elgin’s business district, bordered by Kimball, Douglas, North Grove Streets, and Symphony Way. Centrally located, residents can reach The Centre within 10 minutes from all city borders.
Exit Route I-90 at Route 31 south. Take Illinois Route 31 south to Kimball Street. Turn east or left. The Centre is located on your right.
From the South
Take Lake Street / Route 20 to Illinois Route 31. Follow Illinois Route 31 north to Kimball. Turn east or right. The Centre is located on your right.
From the East
Take I-90 west to Illinois Route 25 south. Follow Route 25 to the split and continue on Dundee Avenue to Kimball Street. Take Kimball Street west into the downtown Elgin City Center area. The Centre is located just past Douglas Street, on your left.
From the West
Take I-90 east to Illinois Route 31. Follow Route 31 to Kimball Street. Take Kimball Street west into the downtown Elgin City Center area. After the river, on your right.
Earth’s Changing Climate
| Apr |
| 21 |
| 7:00 pm |
Lecture Three
At the Elgin Public Museum
Ice Ages and Beyond
Thermometer-based temperature records go back only 150 years. This lecture explores the techniques scientists use to push global temperatures back thousands, millions, and billions of years. In particular, we’ll explore the cyclic pattern office ages punctuated by brief warmer spells. Our understanding of this pattern involves a complex interaction among astronomical effects on Earth’s orbit and axis, along with feedback effects that drive changes in the levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and other gases. The picture of past climates developed in this lecture will be important in the next few lectures, where we seek to understand the scientific principles that establish climate, and in later lectures where we show why recent climate change is largely attributable to human activities.
Lecture Four
In the Greenhouse
What determines a planet’s temperature and, thus, establishes its overall climate? Ultimately, stable climate results form a balance between incoming solar energy and heat that a planet radiates to space. Well-established fundamental principles of physics govern that balance. But a planetary atmosphere complicates the picture, absorbing outgoing energy and, thereby, altering the energy balance. The result is the greenhouse effect, which can keep a planet significantly warmer than it would otherwise be. For Earth, the naturally occurring greenhouse effect – mostly the result of atmospheric water vapor and, to a lesser extent, carbon-dioxide – warms our planet by nearly 60°F (33°C) over what it would be absent these gases. Changes in atmospheric composition will alter the quantitative value of this greenhouse effect, and that’s the primary reason for concern about human-caused climate change.
Coming Soon! Elgin’s Green EXPO
| May |
| 8 |
| 9:00 am |
Elgin’s Premier Green Event – Family Friendly -Free Admission
Celebrate, explore and take in the remarkable cornucopia of sustainable living ideas, services and products in our community.
Hundreds of exhibitors coming together in one location-once a year! This year we’re pleased to be partnering with the City of Elgins Sustainability Master Planning Committees, Elgin Heritage Commission, and most recently Elgin High School. From gigantic wind turbines to wiggly worms…from the City’s largest yard sale to a live recycled art show…..from the largest selection of native prairie plants to kids seed necklaces….from Farmers Market to handcrafted goods.
Speakers & Presentations
-
How to retrofit your home without going broke
-
Successful home landscapes with low maintenance native plants
-
Greening Elgin’s Food Industry
-
How do you do a One-Watt House
-
Elgin’s Tree Assessment Survey
-
What the heck do you do with those pesky plastic bottles & other tossable horror stories
Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite
Sign Up for Elgin’s Green Expo!
Sign up for Elgin's Green expo
Elgin’s Green Expo
Free admission, Saturday, May 8 from 9am to 4 pm at Elgin’s Centre, 100 Symphony Way.
View the PDF to see the invitation or fill out the application to become a part of the event.
Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite
Websites for Additional Wind Turbine Info
We thank both Monarch Renewable Energy & you for coming out this evening. For more info about Monarch turbines www.recreateyourenergy.com And this is the information they talked about tonight on rebates-also taken from their website:
Tax Credit FAQ’s
ILLINOIS WIND ENERGY REBATE PROGRAM
Illinois Renewable Energy Resources Solar and Wind Energy Rebate: Program Highlights
These interesting program highlights are intended for informational purposes only and are not all inclusive. Please refer to the Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy www.DSIREusa.org to stay afoot of the most current available incentives.
Issued by: DCEO, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity
Application Deadline: 4:30 p.m. Friday April 30, 2010
Rebate Amounts:
- 30% of installation and labor costs for private businesses and residences
- 50% of installation and labor costs for public sector and non-profit businesses
- Customer must pay for at least 25% of the overall project costs
- This is in addition to the 30% federal tax credit eligibility and any other qualified tax deductions or incentives (consult your tax accountant for more information)
Project Criteria:
- In the state of Illinois only
- Grid connected system for a gas or electric customer of one of the following entities: Ameren, Consumers Gas, Illinois Gas, Mid American Energy Co, Nicor, North Shore Gas, Peoples Gas, United Cities Gas, Adams Electric Coop, Ameren CIPS/IP/UE/CILCO, City of Carmi, City of Flora, COMED, Corn Belt Energy Coop, Egyptian Elec Coop, IL Rural Elec Coop, Jo-Carroll Energy, Mid American Energy Co., Monroe County Elec Coop, Mt. Carmel Public Utility Coop, Norris Electric Coop, Rural Electric Convenience Coop, Southern IL Electric Coop, Village of Rantoul OR in cases where customer can document they are with an investor-owned or municipal gas/elec utility or cooperative that imposes a specific Renewable energy charge
- Rated turbine capacity of 1 to 100 kW, mounted on a minimum 60 ft. tower
- Land 1 acre or greater and several specific site selection guidelines must be followed; installation by an Illinois licensed and qualified professional
Application Process:
- Apply before proceeding with any potential rebate-related costs
- Schedule the system install date no more than 120 days from the date application is submitted
- Wait to receive a Notice to Proceed and the DCEO will hold appropriate funds for the particular project (rebate) for 120 days from application date
- If project is rejected, DCEO issues an ‘ineligible project letter’ and consumer is eligible to reapply
- Complete system installation and submit remaining rebate documents prior to the 120 day date
- Rebates are issued based on actual equipment and installation costs
AMERICAN RECOVERY and RE-INVESTMENT ACT (2009 Stimulus Package): How it helps with small wind
Background
On February 17, 2009 President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Re-investment Act of 2009. With a significant emphasis on renewable energy technology deployment and job expansion, the bill improved upon the 2008 small wind tax credit by removing “cost caps.” This change allows consumers and small businesses to deduct from their tax liability 30 percent of the installed cost of a wind turbine. Additionally, businesses will have the option of receiving their credits in the form of cash grants.
Q: What does this mean to me?
A: The entire cost of a Skystream system (plus installation) is reduced by 30 percent provided you have a tax liability. The credit can be claimed over the course of two years. Depending on where you live, you could save even more! Some states have also implemented rebates for small wind systems which can be used in addition to the Federal credit. Furthermore, in the last two months alone, more than 30 states have introduced legislation that either expands incentives for renewable energy and/or addresses market barriers. Learn more at http://www.dsireusa.org
Q: How does a tax credit work?
A: Typically, a tax credit is money that you can deduct from any money owed to the federal government at tax time (tax liability). The small wind tax credit can be carried over two years after the product is installed. For more information on how to take advantage of the credit, we suggest that you speak to a tax specialist.
Q: I don’t normally owe taxes – how can I claim the credit?
A: You can only claim the credit based on what you would owe in taxes (your tax liability for two years). If you do not normally receive a refund, you may want to consult with a tax specilalist to understand better what opportunities are available to you.
Q: How do I claim the credit?
A: You will be required to file the long form and itemize your deductions. The IRS form 5695 must be completed and filed with your taxes. The current form does not reflect the changes to the most recent legislation.
Q: Can someone who already owned a Skystream claim the tax credit?
A: If you purchased a Skystream in 2008, you qualify for the federal-level tax credit, passed as part of the October 2008 bailout legislation, up to $2,400 per wind turbine with a cap of $4000. If you purchased a Skystream in 2008 but your dealer did not install it until 2009, ask your dealer to write a letter indicating that the wind turbine was not “commissioned” in 2008 and became operational 2009. You would qualify for the 30 percent tax incentive in your 2009 filing.
Q: What if I want to purchase and install more than one Skystream?
A: The stimulus package allows for a 30 percent tax credit on the total cost of multiple units. There is no cap on the 30 percent tax credit. Businesses may qualify for a grant from the US Treasury in lieu of a tax credit.
Q: I heard I can get cash back rather than a tax credit – how does that work?
A: Businesses can apply for a grant from the US Treasury and rather than a tax credit, receive a cash grant. The details are still being worked out but should be in place by April or May. Keep in touch with your dealer or the manufacturer for more information.
Q: Does this work for all small wind systems, even Whisper and Air Breeze?
A: Yes. The incentive is available to all users of small wind systems.
President Obama in Copenhagen-December 18th
Wow. It was a truly dynamic convening of thinkers, leaders and activists here in Copenhagen this past week. And today, President Obama addressed this historic occasion and the full conference with a call for international cooperation and action.
Affirming the global impact of a clean energy economy and the urgency of the climate crisis, President Obama recognized the progress made here at COP15 and reasserted America’s pledge to forward the work of the conference agenda back home in the United States.
With the steps taken in Copenhagen over the course of the last two weeks, our work at the Alliance is more important than ever — and the President needs to hear about your commitment to clean energy and climate protection now more than ever before.
What the President asked of the world today we must now ask of our own nation — to put aside the politics of the day and embrace a spirit of cooperation and bold action. For the workers who need jobs, our families who want security, and for our children who deserve the prosperity, safety, and health that a clean energy future will bring through American leadership.
Watch the speech and send your message about clean energy and climate solutions to the President and your leaders.
The United States needs to make these goals a reality. As the President himself said, he can’t do it alone:
With all the momentum we have built this past year, and the steps forward at Copenhagen, we can proudly state that we have established a foundation for global progress to address the climate crisis. The United States can and should be the cornerstone of these efforts. But the President is relying on us to keep up the pressure to make sure this happens.
Watch the speech and let the President and your leaders know you support bold action today:
http://acp.climateprotect.org/bocop15
Thank you for being a part of this historic climate meeting at Copenhagen. It has been a rewarding experience this past week, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the U.S. and to our work together building a clean energy future for our country and our planet.
Thanks,
Maggie L. Fox
President and CEO
Alliance for Climate Protection
Candlelight vigil for climate change
Between the cold and snow, it was a small crowd that gathered at Elgin’s Pioneer Memorial Friday night for a candlelight vigil.
Thousands of people, however, lit candles around the world for the same reason. Concerned residents and members of Elgin Climate Change Organization (ECCO) joined 3,093 locations across the globe holding similar vigils Friday night and Saturday.
(Michael Smart/Staff Photographer)
(Michael Smart/Staff Photographer)
The vigils are to raise awareness of climate change and the ongoing climate talks in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Just because it is bitterly cold now doesn’t mean that our climate is changing for the warmer, said Sandy Kaptain, co-chair of the Elgin climate change group. “Climate change is not about the weather,” Kaptain said. “It is about climate change overall.”
Following Friday’s vigil, Kaptain planned to upload pictures of the event to the www.350.org Web site. The organization uses the number 350 because, according to its Web site, “many scientists, climate experts and progressive national governments are now saying that 350 parts per million is the safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.”
All organizations who held vigils are also uploading photos and stories to the site.
Groups like ECCO and events like the vigil want to focus attention on climate change and away from controversies “that get people’s attention off the issues,” Kaptain said.
She was referring widespread reports regarding e-mails that were released that may indicate that climate change researchers were tweaking the numbers.
“The North Pole is still melting; the arctic ice cap is still melting. There have been major climate changes in the past two years,” Kaptain said.
Grassroots campaigns like the vigil — cosponsored by ECCO and the Elgin League of Women Voters — “keep the passion going locally,” Kaptain said.
Those who braved the cold are passionate about climate change and included students and bus drivers from the school district, as well as ECCO members.
Now, Kaptain said, more people are concerned about the future cost of energy and have gotten busy on their own, finding ways to cut their energy use.
“People are afraid that energy is going to cost more” and have done small things to decrease those costs, Kaptain said.
“If we create reusable energy, we all save money,” she said.
Trim Your Holiday Waste-Line!
| Nov ’09 |
| 17 |
| 6:30 pm |
5 Savy ladies & 1 Terrific Chef present live demonstrations of inexpensive, innovative and eco-friendly ways of giving & wrapping gifts, tips for decorating your home & table and preparing sumptuous holiday goodies & feasts. Free Admission PLUS Door Prizes. Co-Sponsored with ECN, Gail Borden & City of Elgin. Gail Borden Public Library-Community Rooms.
Green Holidays
You needn’t spend a lot to save a little
By By Kent Mc Dill
Publication:Reprinted from Oct. 30, 2009 Chicago Daily Herald
It turns out that saving energy and protecting the environment also saves you money. It’s really a win-win.
Which is why it is so hard for people like Bill Bailey of Elgin to understand. Bailey is a scuba instructor who also works with the Elgin Climate Change Organization (ecco-foxvalley.net) to teach the public and help promote wiser energy usage among everyone.
“We formed the group three years ago with the intention of trying to educate people about what they can do themselves,” Bailey said.
What you can do first is get some window caulk and eliminate the spaces on your windows and doors that let energy out.”You can go to a big box store and get a tube of caulk for $2.50 or less, and each tube will probably do two windows,” Bailey said. “It is not that big a deal, and I have read figures that it saves three to 10 percent or more in energy usage.”
That was easy, wasn’t it?
The next thing is weather stripping on exterior doors and thresholds at the base of doors. Bailey did his two exterior doors for $11.Everyone encourages purchasing modern windows and doors, but it is costly to update your home in that way. However, if you have wood frame windows, there is something you can do that is again very inexpensive.
“Where the sashes come together in the center, there is a lock that is supposed to pull the jambs together, but older windows don’t pull tight anymore,” Bailey said. “So put clear tape over the line where the two sashes meet in the center of the window, where there is a gap. It is not noticeable but it seals the gap up.”
Another recommended home purchase is a modern heating system, with more efficient gas and electric furnaces and water heaters. But that again is a costly measure, and there is an easy fix that will allow you to put off that purchase.
Spend some money, between $25 and $75, and get a modern thermostat, one that can regulate your heating and cooling patterns with a routine schedule.
“I have one that I can program for four time periods a day,” Bailey said. “When I leave in the morning the heat would kick off, then come back on when I get home, kick off when I go to bed and kick back on when I get up in the morning.”
Another relatively inexpensive way of saving energy and eventually money is to have your furnaces and heaters checked regularly to make sure they are running efficiently.
“You have a furnace guy come in and clean the burners, adjust the burners and the temperature elements,” Bailey said. “You want your energy units to function as efficiently as possible.”
Another inexpensive way to save money on heating your water is to put a fire-resistant blanket around the base of the water heater. While it sounds a bit silly, it works.
“Tank-type heaters keep the tank at a constant temperature, and it runs when it needs to heat the water,” Bailey said. “But with a blanket around it, it will keep the warm temperature much longer.”
Another maintenance need that tank water heaters require is to drain them periodically so that the tank is not warming the sediment that eventually collects at the bottom of the tank.
Bailey can run all this information off quickly, and does so to anyone who wants to listen.
“Most people I run into do care about it and are interested in it once they learn about it,” Bailey said. “With all of this stuff, you are saving money, using less power, and paying less for electric and less for gas. It is saving individuals a lot of money.”
Bailey admits it is easier to sell the money savings than it is to sell the energy conservation.
“Once people learn that they save money, they see the results in a personal way,” Bailey said. “It is much more so than when we are saying ‘We need to reduce the emissions.’?”
Elginites seen around the world today
- 350 Elginites with 350 Trees
First, we’d like to say thank you – you’re part of something very large today. There are more than 4000 events like this happening in more than 170 nations, in every time zone and on every continent, in the heat and the cold, under sun and pouring rain and snow. And we share one thing that it is up to us, at this exact moment in our history, to come together in defense of this planet and the people on it.
We rally around the number 350 because it is the safe limit of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. 350 Defines what is necessary for the earth to continue as we know it. We have relied upon the patterns of rainfall, ice and sea level that have marked this world for the ten thousand years of human civilization. If these patterns shift dramatically, the first victims will be the people living closest to the edge–people who have already begun to suffer from drought, from flood, from the spread of disease. We will not stand by and let that happen.
Second, you’re part of something that matters. The climate crisis is such a huge issue that it’s always hard to see what difference any of us can make–especially when our foes include some of the most powerful entities on earth. We can’t match them in money, but they can’t match us in numbers, in spirit, in dedication. Also, we have a secret weapon, which is the power that comes from science. Today we are taking the number 350 and making it the centerpiece of the debate over climate. We are reminding the world’s leaders that they can give all the speeches they want, but that won’t change the way that physics and chemistry operate. We are standing up for scientific reality, and in so doing reframing this debate in a way that will echo through the UN Climate Talks in Copenhagen and beyond.
The last thing we’d like to say today is more personal: it’s a great privilege to be able to get out of bed this morning and say, “There’s nothing more important that I could be doing today.” Take a moment to think about the amazing fact that across the globe today, people are doing just what you’re doing, hoping just what you’re hoping, believing just what you’re believing–and together we are making these deeds, hopes, and beliefs add up to something truly transformational.
Right now, today, October 24, there is nothing more vital to the planet’s future that you could be doing–no deeper way to honor those who came before us, or to show your love for those who will come after. Thank You on behalf of ECCO, LWV, Davey Tree & Gail Borden for being a part of us!
350 FREE TREES TO THE FIRST 350 VISITORS
| Oct ’09 |
| 24 |
| 9:30 am |
Saturday, October 24th, at 9:30 AM, Gail Borden Public Library Rotunda
Scientists say that 350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity-we’re currently at 387.81. We’re going the wrong way- so let’s reverse the trend-starting here at home! Join us, take the pledge, plant a tree and make a difference!
Be a part of International Climate Change Action Day here in Elgin. ECCO in partnership with Davey Tree, the League of Women Voters-Elgin Area, the Gail Borden Public Library and 350.org will be giving away 350 norway spruce tree plantings to the first 350 visitors to the library.
See other actions around the world http://www.350.org/
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GREEN YOUR HOME FOR THE WINTER
| Oct ’09 |
| 27 |
| 7:00 pm |
Hear Sandy Kaptain’s ideas, and share yours, on Greening your Home for the Winter. Let’s pool our information, save money and our environment! When we do this together it’s much easier and more fun! Join us October 27th @ 7PM at In The Neighborhood Deli, 185 North Edison (P.S. No dinner this time!)
2009 Illinois Solar Energy Tour
| Oct ’09 |
| 3 |
| 10:00 am |
Saturday, October 3rd 10AM-3PM…Homes that bask in the sun!http://tour.illinoissolar.org/
World’s Oceans Hottest on Record
In hot water
WASHINGTON — 9/16/2009 The world’s in hot water. Sea-surface temperatures worldwide have been the hottest on record over the last three months, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday. Ocean temperatures averaged 62.5 degrees Fahrenheit in the June-August period, 1.04 degree higher than normal for the period.
And for August the world sea-surface average was 62.4 degrees, 1.03 higher than usual, also the warmest for August on record, NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center said.
The report is based on data back to 1880. The combined land and water temperature worldwide was 61.2 degrees, third warmest on record for the three-month period. For August it was 58.2 degrees, fourth warmest. Climate change has been raising the planet’s average temperature steadily in recent decades. All of the 10 hottest years on record have occurred since 1997.
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New Illinois Windfarm
- Short path to energy
Acciona Opens Illinois Wind Farm
09/21/2009
Acciona Energy North America–a unit of the Acciona group (ANA.MC)–announced the opening of its 100.5 megawatts (MW) EcoGrove Wind Farm, located in Stephenson County, Illinois.
EcoGrove Wind Farm represents Acciona’s first renewable energy project in the state of Illinois although the company isheadquartered in nearby Chicago.Using 67 Acciona Windpower 1.5-MW wind turbines, EcoGrove Wind Farm is able to generate enough clean energy topower over 25,000 U.S. homes and offset approximately 176,000 tons of CO2 emissions annually. The EcoGrove facility is spread across more than 7000 acres of farmland.
Acciona said the EcoGrove project was constructed by 125 local trades people and numerous local and regional suppliers and service providers. In addition, nine of the 10 service technicians filling the project’s newly created jobs are from the local area. Long-term lease agreements have been completed with 71 landowners.
Acciona Energy is a leader in renewable energies with a major presence in the main clean technologies. In wind power it has installed 6,037 MW, owned by the company and other companies, and it produces wind turbines using proprietary technology. As of December 31, 2008, the company had installed 65 MW of concentrating solar power plants and 115 MW of photovoltaic power. It also owns and operates three biomass plants (33 MW) and 19 small hydro power stations (59 MW). In biofuels, it produces biodiesel from vegetable oils and bioethanol from wine-surplus alcohol.
What is 350?
| Sep ’09 |
| 22 |
| 6:00 am |
And why is it important?
Discover 350
The Arctic is sending us perhaps the clearest message that climate change is
occurring much more rapidly than previously thought.
The danger predicted for 2090 is now expected to occur before 2015.
Tuesday, September 22nd @ 6PM for “EAT YOUR YARD’
& 7PM for the 350 program moderated by Bill Bailey
at In The Neighborhood Deli
185 North Edison – Elgin
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Paul Stamets 6 ways to save the world
http://www.ted.com Mycologist Paul Stamets studies the mycelium — and lists 6 ways that this astonishing fungus can help save the world.
ECCO INDIVIDUAL PLEDGE
1) To take personal action to help solve the climate crisis by reducing my own CO2 pollution as much as I can.
2) To work for a dramatic increase in energy efficiency of my home, workplace, school, place of worship and means of transportation.
3) To fight for laws and policies that expand the use of renewable energy sources and reduce dependence on oil and coal.
4) To fight for a moratorium on the construction of any new generating facility that burns coal without the capacity to safely trap and store CO2.
5) To plant trees if I can and join others in preserving and protecting forests.
6)To buy from businesses and support leaders who share my commitment to olving the climate crisis and building a sustainable, just, and prosperous world for the 21st century.
