Climate Change and Energy Conservation
Just because Sitka is a small town, the Sitka Conservation Society does not believe that means it can’t be a national leader in taking on climate change. The idea is that if little Sitka can take progressive steps, why can’t any other community? To help address climate change in Sitka, SCS has advocated for increasing the city’s hydroelectric capacity and organized energy conservation programs to help individuals improve the energy efficiency of their homes. This has been done through traditional advocacy as well as new partnerships with the City of Sitka and other entities. We also are striving to increase the amount of local foods being consumed in Sitka to both lower individual carbon footprints and decrease dependency on the outside world. In the last few years, great progress has been made in Sitka, and SCS is now spreading the word of Sitka’s successes to leaders in other communities.
Energize! Sitka
Energize! Sitka is a partnership between the Southeast Alaska Career Center and Sitka Conservation Society. Its aim is to make Sitka more energy efficient by providing residents with extensive professional training and certifications for “green” jobs in the areas of construction, carpentry, and weatherization techniques, and provides community-wide outreach for home weatherization and energy efficiency.
Kids’ Energy Awareness
Educating young people about energy issues is the best way to ensure an energy independent future for Sitka. The Sitka Conservation Society has begun visiting school classes to talk about energy. Lessons in the classroom visits include Sitka’s energy situation and conservation, fossil fuels in Alaska, home weatherization, and home and building energy audits.
Energy Conservation Outreach
To help the community of Sitka rely less on supplemental diesel energy and to lower Sitka’s carbon footprint, the Sitka Conservation Society has worked to keep year-round messages of energy conservation and efficiency in local and regional media to inform residents about state weatherization programs, local energy updates and utility changes, and simple home weatherization projects.
Climate Change in the Tongass
SCS is keeping a close watch on how climate change affects the Tongass through annual summer field work. This research, which supplements that being done by the Forest Service and other agencies, includes monitoring changes in ice packs, glaciers, and plant and animal population. While we hate to see the Tongass negatively impacted by global warming, having good data on these changes is crucial for climate change advocacy work that could ultimately prevent future harm.
Rain Power Film
The Sitka Conservation Society and Pundit Productions produced the short film “Rain Power” in 2010 with the primary goal of encouraging policy makers to support a hydroelectric expansion in Sitka. The film shows that a small community like Sitka can be a leader in renewable energy, and that hydropower can be set up in a way not to damage fish runs.
Related Posts:
-
The R Value of Insulation
As Junior Girl Scout Troop 4140 continues to press on with the Get Moving Energy Journey, the scouts learn the value of good insulation in homes and buildings. The troop had the opportunity to see four different types of common insulation and test their knowledge of R Value. The results surprised the girls as they [...]
-
The Better Bargain
Months have passed with hydroelectric shortage and the City of Sitka Electric Department has warned the community that the risk of having to use supplemental diesel fuel to run the town’s functions is high. In order to let this message sink in a bit further, Utility Director, Christopher Brewton, made this graphic meant to encourage electric users [...]
-
Girl Scouts Shed the Light on Energy Efficiency
This year, Girl Scout troop 4140 is working to become more energy efficient. The troop decided to take on the task of completing a comprehensive energy journey that will teach them about energy use in their homes and school, how to conduct an energy audit, the importance of weatherization, energy efficiency, and more! As part of the Investigate portion of [...]
-
Energy Star Rebate Program
The City and Borough of Sitka partnered with the Sitka Conservation Society in yet another attempt to encourage electric users to decrease their electric consumption. The pair collaborated to develop a rebate program that will allow hundreds of local residents to upgrade old appliances to new Energy Star appliances. The Energy Star Rebate Program currently [...]
-
Sitka’s Hydroelectricity Maxed Out
In 2011, Sitka’s hydroelectric capacity was at the lowest in the last 30 years. The combination of a lower supply due to less rain and a high demand for electric heating forced the City and Borough of Sitka to use hundreds of thousands of gallons for diesel fuel last year alone to supplement the town’s [...]
-
Energy Education in the Schools
The first step towards achieving energy awareness begins in the schools. In 2011, the Sitka Conservation Society launched an energy education program called Energize to Educate. The program consists of five comprehensive lessons spread across the school year and make students more aware of the role of energy in the world today. The lessons cover [...]
-
Alaska Craftsman Home Program Weatherization Workshops
Small changes to a drafty or poorly insulated house can result in a significant drop in winter heating for a Sitka homeowner, not mention reduce the burden on the hydroelectric demand which is currently running at capacity. With this in mind, the Sitka Conservation Society and the Southeast Alaska Career Center partnered to bring residents [...]
