Wind energy’s success creates a power grid challenge 

October 31, 2009

The rows of white turbines spinning over wheat fields and ridgelines in eastern Oregon are ample evidence that renewable energy from wind is real and growing.  So much so that the aging network of transmission lines and power stations that carries energy around the region is loaded to its limits.
But wind developers are just getting started. And thousands of miles of new power lines carried by skyscraper-sized steel towers will need to be laid across deserts, farms and forests as more wind farms rise in farther-flung corners of Oregon and the West. It won’t be cheap, or without controversy. Read more

A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR WILD SALMON 

A BENEFIT CONCERT FOR WILD SALMON will be held from 6 to 9pm at the Snow Goose Restaurant & Brewery, 717 W. 3rd Ave.. Hear MELISSA MITCHELL play some sweet tunes and support the work of Renewable Resources Coalition in protecting clean water and wild salmon. Artwork, fishing and hunting trips, getaways, guided backcountry expeditions, and outdoor gear will be available for silent auction. Tax-deductible contributions support work to protect clean water and wild salmon in Bristol Bay. Tickets are $25.00 and include appetizers and a free beverage. To purchase tickets, call Melissa Heuer at 907-743-1900, Francis Gallela at 907-333-6657, or visit the AK Starfish Co. located on 2601 Spenard Road. For more information or for tickets, call 907-743-1900.

CHANGES TO PERMAFROST IN ALASKA: OBSERVATIONS and MODELING led by VLADIMIR ROMANOVSKY 

ACCAP Monthly Alaska Climate Webinar topic is CHANGES TO PERMAFROST IN ALASKA: OBSERVATIONS and MODELING led by VLADIMIR ROMANOVSKY, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Observed and predicted climatic changes will inevitably change the energy and mass fluxes at the land surface and, as a result, the near-surface and subsurface physical conditions in the Alaskan Arctic and Sub-Arctic. This will trigger changes in ecosystems and infrastructure because the stability of these systems in the north relies on the stability of ice that, so far, holds these systems together. If recent warming trends in the Arctic continue, it will take several centuries to millennia for permafrost to disappear completely in the areas where it is now actively warming and thawing. In losing permafrost, we are losing the stability of these systems. Negative consequences of this degradation will be pronounced from the very beginning because the highest ice content in permafrost is usually found in the upper few tens of meters. In this presentation we will discuss possible effects of degrading permafrost in the Alaskan Arctic and Sub-Arctic on hydrology, ecosystems, infrastructure, and the carbon cycle. Registration is strongly encouraged! Please fill out the web-form at: http://www.uaf.edu/accap/teleconference.htm#register or contact: Brook Gamble, Outreach and Education Specialist, at 907) 474-7812 or email accap@uaf.edu. For directions on how to Participate / Call and Log-In to the Webinar: http://www.uaf.edu/accap/teleconference.htm. To join us in person: If you are in Fairbanks, go to ACCAP/SNAP’s new office: Floor 2 of the Denali Building, 3354 College Road.

Sustainable Community Movements: Connecting University Research to Communities 

Do you ever wonder what local resources exist to build sustainable communities? Rich Seifert is an Energy and Housing Specialist with the Cooperative Extension Service, University of Alaska, Fairbanks. Community gardens, home weatherization, renewable energy, education, and local organizations are topics that will be discussed. The Transition Towns Movement will also be introduced by Sharon Ferguson.
Suggested donation $5.

Thursday, November 19 from 7:00 – 9:30
Location – The Den in the Student Union, UAA
For directions to the Student Union http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/map/  Student Union  2921 Spirit Way. The den is located on the bottom floor next to the cafeteria.
For questions, contact Terri Brown at 947-8217 or terrib@artlover.com for more information

Permaculture Forum: Preparing home and community for the challenges ahead 

Permaculture is the use of ecology as the basis for designing integrated systems of food production, housing, appropriate technology, and community development. It offers a practical and creative approach to the inevitable storm that’s coming with peak oil, climate change, and resource scarcity. Sharon Ferguson and Saskia Esslinger, two passionate permaculturists in Anchorage will show you permaculture examples already at work in Alaska, and discuss the role that permaculture can play in preparing your home and community for the challenges ahead.

Monday, November 9 from 7:00 – 9:30
UAA – room to be determined, contact Terri Brown at 947-8217 or terrib@artlover.com for more information

Imagine a world without fish: A Sea Change documentary 

Auditorium at the Anchorage Museum, 625 C Street

The Alaska Sealife Center, Alaska Marine Conservation Council and Alaska Center for the Environment offer a free showing of “A Sea Change,” the first documentary film about ocean acidification.

SeaChangePoster

Mat-Su College Forum: Energy-Efficient Buildings 

Mat-Su College Public Square Renewable Energy Lecture Series: Energy-Efficient Buildings – Jason Collins

Building: FSM 204-206 7:00-8:30PM at Matanuska-Susitna College – Mile 2 Trunk Road, Palmer

Mat-Su College Forum: Solar Hot Water in Alaska 

Mat-Su College Public Square Renewable Energy Lecture Series: Solar Hot Water in Alaska – Harvey Bowers

Building: FSM 204-206 7:00-8:30PM at Matanuska-Susitna College – Mile 2 Trunk Road, Palmer

Mat-Su College Forum: Building a Masonry Stove for Efficient Wood Heat 

Mat-Su College Public Square Renewable Energy Lecture Series: MARK MASTELLER, Alaska State Director, Cascadia Region Green Building Council at 7pm in FSM 204, Mat-Su College. Masonry stoves – long used in northern Europe – are “heat storing radiant fireplaces” made of stone and concrete that burn wood efficiently and cleanly. The wood is burned at very high temperatures and the heat is stored in a large thermal mass. Mark Masteller will discuss how masonry heaters work and describe his experience building a Masonry Heater in his home. For more information, contact Dr. Pete Praetorius at 907-745-9728.

Building: FSM 204-206 7:00-8:30PM at Matanuska-Susitna College – Mile 2 Trunk Road, Palmer

Mat-Su College Forum: Producing Renewable Hydrocarbons from Biomass 

Mat-Su College Public Square Renewable Energy Lecture Series: Producing Renewable Hydrocarbons from Biomass – Andres Soria

Building: FSM 204-206 7:00-8:30PM at  Matanuska-Susitna College – Mile 2 Trunk Road, Palmer