WSNetwork News

Lakes Awards Winners Lauded For Service: Work, Research `benefit Us All'

A University of Wisconsin researcher, a local construction company and a religious order were named Dane County Waters Champion Award recipients Friday by the Dane County Lakes and Watershed Commission.

Recipients of this year's awards, presented at an evening reception at the Concourse Hotel, were:

Dr. Elena Bennett of the UW, whose research work on phosphorus led to the countywide ban on using phosphorus on lawns.

The Joe Daniels Construction company for its work on the Sugar River restoration project.

The Sisters of Saint BenEdict, who restored a lake on their property on County M and converted 90 acres of the 130-acre property to native prairie.

"The work we did -- restoring native ecosystems and preserving biodiversity -- is earth-tending, a centuries-old Benedictine tradition," said Sister Mary David Walgenbach, prioress of the Sisters of Saint Benedict of Madison.

"Earth stewardship includes extending hospitality to creation and the land itself so that all who come here receive the blessings of the earth."

Read the article in The Capital Times

MOSES: Nominations Sought For 2006 “Organic Farmer of the Year” Award

The Midwest Organic and Sustainable Education Service (MOSES) has issued a call for nominations for the 2006 “Organic Farmer of the Year” award. This prestigious award has been presented annually since 2003 at the Upper Midwest Organic Farming Conference in La Crosse, Wisconsin. More than 1800 people attended the conference this past February. Previous award winners have been vegetable producers Martin and Atina Diffley of Eagan, Minnesota, community supported agriculture pioneers Richard De Wilde and Linda Halley of Harmony Valley Farm in Viroqua, Wisconsin, and cash grain and hog producers Carmen and Sally Fernholtz of Madison, Minnesota.

Those that seek to nominate a farmer or farming operation for the award must complete and return the Nomination Application form, available from the MOSES office (715-772-3153) or at www.mosesorganic.org. The deadline for nominations is October 15, 2005.

For more information Read the article at WisBusiness

Clean Wisconsin Praises Much-Improved Great Lakes Water Responsibility Agreements (Annex)

Clean Wisconsin applauds the June 30 release of two draft agreements designed to limit diversions of water out of the Great Lakes and to prevent environmental damage caused by uncontrolled water use inside the basin. “The Agreements signal a renewed effort to take responsibility for, and protect our Great Lakes environment and economy,” said Clean Wisconsin Water Policy Director Derek Scheer. “Of course, as with any compromise between ten jurisdictions, the Agreements still need some fine-tuning. But after nearly five years’ work, the Great Lakes governors and premiers should be congratulated for taking this important step toward agreements that significantly increase Great Lakes basin water protections,” Scheer said.

Read Clean Wisconsin's Press Release

Clean Wisconsin: Keith Reopelle Returns

Clean Wisconsin is pleased to announce that Keith Reopelle will be returning to Clean Wisconsin as Program Director effective July 25, 2005. Keith previously worked for Clean Wisconsin for twenty years from 1982 to 2002, when it was known as Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, where he was campaign director, program director and lobbyist. Keith is a tireless advocate for Wisconsin’s environment. He has represented Clean Wisconsin in numerous energy related proceedings before the Public Service Commission, and in many air, water and habitat rule making proceedings at the DNR. Keith has a bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology and a master’s degree in environmental communications, both from the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

During his years with Wisconsin’s Environmental Decade, Keith played an integral role in numerous successful campaigns that resulted in creation of major environmental laws, some the strongest of their kind in the nation, including the Energy Priorities Law, Mining Moratorium Act, Polluted Runoff Rules, and Power Plant Mercury Emission Rules.

Read the announcement at WisPolitics

Job Announcement: Green Lake Association seeks part-time Executive Director

Seeking self-motivated, environmentally minded individual to oversee association activities & address issues that impact the quality of Big Green Lake and its watershed. Coordinate actions of 2-person staff, direct GLA business affairs, coordinate events, collaborate with local agencies, communicate w/ 650+ members & lake partners, respond to inquiries. Requires proficient writing & public speaking skills, flexible schedule, general business knowledge, enthusiasm. Computer skills a plus. Approx. 80 hrs/mn (some eve & wkends).

Resumes accepted until position filled.

Mail resume & cover letter to Green Lake Association PO Box 364, Green Lake, WI 54941 gla@vbe.com

The GLA is an active, non-profit association working to ensure that Green Lake remains one of the premier lakes in the Midwest. www.vbe.com/~gla

Read the Job Announcement (PDF)

State to accept Clean Sweep grant proposals

Grant Proposals due in late July

The state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will be opening up a six-week period this June to receive applications for $710,400 in Wisconsin Clean Sweep grant funds.

All proposal materials will be made available as downloadable documents from its Web site.

Proposals will be due in late July. Wisconsin Clean Sweep is the new program that was approved in late 2004, allowing counties, cities, villages, towns and other units of government to receive grants for the collection of agricultural and household hazardous wastes.

Go to the website for the Wisconsin Clean Sweep Program
Read the article in Green Bay Press Gazette

LoonWatch seeks volunteers for count on July 16

LoonWatch is currently looking for volunteers to survey loon populations on July 16 on the following lakes in Bayfield County: Bullhead, Cisco, Flynn, Island, Porter, Shunenberg, Sixteen and Totagatic.

For more information see:
http://www.northland.edu/soei/loonwatch.asp

Volunteers can sign-up by visiting the LoonWatch website at
http://www.northland.edu/soei/loon_population.asp

Fighting Bob Fest IV, 2005
“The Vote At Risk: 40 Years After the Voting Rights Act”

From http://www.fightingbobfest.com/index.htm

Voters have come to doubt the fairness of our democracy and the accuracy of our voting methods in light of a series of questionable presidential elections and computer-paperless voting. We have an obligation to protect our voting rights.

It’s a long tradition. During “Fighting Bob” La Follette’s term as Governor, Wisconsin became the model of voting reform by becoming the first state in the nation to implement the open primary system for state office. The party bosses were replaced by the people, their hold was effectively broken, and government began working for the people.

Now it’s our turn. Since the Progressive Era, the power of money has eroded La Follette’s many reforms and Wisconsin finds itself, once again, with a reputation of corrupt politics. Fortunately, as they say, our future is still our own!

Join us in Baraboo, Wisconsin on Saturday, September 10, 2005 where we will celebrate the 150 th birthday of Robert M. “Fighting Bob” La Follette. We’ll also welcome the grassroots excitement of The People’s Legislature, and plan a course of action for reform. There will be speakers, music, and an enthusiastic crowd of progressives looking for new ways to improve upon the “experiment in democracy” that is Wisconsin.

Read article about speakers for Fighting Bob Fest IV

Simple Ways Anyone Can Conserve Energy

• Turn off your lights and other appliances when finished.

• Always close your refrigerator door.

• Switch from incandescent to compact fluorescent lights (CFL), which are available at any hardware store and use only a quarter of the energy as incandescent lights for the same price.

• Replace old appliances, which are less energy efficient.

• Car pool whenever possible.

• Drive fuel efficient vehicles.

• Keep your tires inflated to the appropriate amount. Doing so will increase your mileage.

• Close your doors when it is too cold or too hot outside.

• Utilize window blinds or shades to block or let in sunlight as appropriate to help regulate the room temperature.

• Fix leaking faucets.

• Install a low-flow shower head to conserve on hot water.

• Insulate your water heater and exposed water pipes.

From: Energy fair draws wide spectrum of attendees - June 18, 2005 SPJ

Honda Leases First Fuel Cell Vehicle to a Family

A Los Angeles family became the first in the United States to lease a hydrogen-powered car from Honda Motor Co. Ltd. as the company introduces consumers to the zero-emission technology

Read the article at Planet Ark

Native Tribes Harness Renewable Energy Projects

The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) is making nearly $2.5 million available to 18 Native American tribes to advance the use of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies on tribal lands.

Read the article at Renewable Energy Access

Freecycle.org: Radical new option for things you don't want... give them away

The temptation to buy buy buy is hard to resist, be it a new outfit, gadget or item of furniture. Now guilty shoppers keen to offload a no-longer-needed purchase have a radical new option... simply giving it away.

Read the article at the BBC
Visit Freecycle.org "Changing the world one gift at a time"

Recycling Programs Around The World

BBC correspondents offer snapshots of how countries across the globe are approaching recycling.

Read the article at the BBC

Sustainable Summer Reading

Experts in the SRI (Social Responsibility Investing) and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) arenas offer their recommendations for books to take on vacation this summer.

Read the article at SocialFunds.com

Introducing "Inclusive Wealth": A New Economic Measure of Sustainability

Inclusive Wealth is a reform of neo-classical economics, using accounting prices (i.e., substitution prices) to put a monetary value on key capital stocks in nature, the manufactured economy, human welfare, and human knowledge. The core idea: manage all those stocks so that they don't decline over time, and you get sustainability.

What exactly is "Inclusive Wealth"? It is an attempt to measure the the change in value over time of all the critical capital stocks in an economic system, at constant prices. Natural resources. Ecosystems. Manufactured capital. Human welfare. Human knowledge. Inclusive Wealth is "inclusive" for two reasons: one, because it tries to include everything that actually matters in economic development (which is a first, even for economics); and two, because it includes the interests of future generations. This is a genuine economics of sustainability.

For the big-name team of economists and ecologists who thought this up, sustainability can be defined this way: the value of your wealth, in all its forms, should not decline over time. The next generation must inherit watersheds that still work, infrastructure that isn't collapsing, a store of knowledge (and healthy people who know the knowledge) that's getting bigger and richer instead of smaller and stupider, and so on. You measure sustainability by figuring out whether all those capital stocks are maintaining or increasing their value, continuously. If they aren't, it's time to change your course ... or perhaps to learn to fiddle, so that you are ready for when Rome starts to burn.

Read the article at WorldChanging