Category Archives: Events

Heating debate for Fairbanks' wood stoves nears decision

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Monday, August 2, 2010:

The Borough Clerk last week compiled ballot language for the home heating initiative.

Fairbanks North Star Borough voters on Oct. 5 will be asked to vote yes or no on the following statement: “The borough shall not ban, prohibit, or fine residents for the use of home heating devices.”

If the ballot measure passes, the outcome is a matter of debate.

The Borough Attorney said she won’t issue a legal opinion on the measure unless the voters approve it.

Sponsors say their goal is to repeal regulations on home heating devices, but some local leaders think approval of the ballot measure effectively would turn over air quality enforcement to the state.

Wind power lecture tonight at Blue Loon

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Tuesday, June 22, 2010:

The Alaska Center for Energy and Power will host a wind power discussion at

6 p.m. tonight at The Blue Loon.

“Wind Powering Alaska” will discuss the potential for turning Alaska’s wind into energy. Kate Lamal from Golden Valley Electric Association will talk about plans to build a wind farm near Healy, while Kat Keith from the Alaska Center for Energy and Power will discuss costs and benefits of wind power.

For more information about the free lecture, go to www.uaf.edu/acep.

Fairbanks residents bring in 35 tons of recyclables during annual event

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Wednesday, June 9, 2010:

The second annual spring Recycling Round-Up brought in nearly 35 tons of various materials when it was hosted May 22 at the Tanana Valley Fairgrounds. Interior Alaska Green Star dubbed the take a “huge success” for the young program.

The event brought in 675 cars in a day and resulted in drop-offs of the following household recyclables:

• 12,000 pounds of newspaper, mixed paper and cardboard, which will be baled and shipped to Anchorage for recycling;

• 800 pounds of aluminum, which is sold to C&R Pipe and Steel for recycling;

• An estimated 1,600 pounds of plastic, which Wal-Mart ships to its recycling centers in the Lower 48;

• C&R estimates 750 pounds of metal food cans and other scrap metals were collected;

• Nearly 11,000 pounds of glass were collected, which will be crushed and used as fill for a landscaping project, and delivered to K&K Recycling;

• Interior Alaska Green Star collected 38,000 pounds of electronics, which will be shipped to Seattle-based Total Reclaim for recycling;

• The Fairbanks North Star Borough Solid Waste Division collected a variety of household hazardous wastes, including antifreeze, paint and oil, for a total of nearly 4,000 pounds of waste.

Then & Now: The Changing Arctic Landscape

A UA Museum of the North Special Exhibit

May 15, 2010 – January 8, 2011

This exhibition presents compelling, visual evidence of climate change in the North. By comparing early 20th Century photos with contemporary views from the same vantage points, visitors can see for themselves the nature and extent of changes to this remote landscape. Personal narratives complement the photos to help visitors understand what these changes mean for the world in which we live.

Click here for more information.

Really Free Market to be held Saturday

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Friday, May 21, 2010:

Air quality open houses planned for this week

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner:

The Fairbanks North Star Borough is hosting two air quality open houses this week to discuss a proposal to curb air pollution, a borough announcement said.

The first open house takes place today at West Valley High School Performing Arts Center. The second open house is Wednesday in the Weller Elementary School gym. Both start at 5 p.m.

The announcement said experts will be available to discuss air quality issues, such as PM 2.5, and answer questions about a range of issues, including regulatory deadlines, the proposed wood stove exchange program and recommended wood burning practices.

The borough air quality testing trailer will be on display.

For more information, contact the Fairbanks North Star Borough, visit the new Fairbanks air quality website at www.AQfairbanks.com or call Information Insights at 450-2450.

Barnette Middle School students win national design competition

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Monday, May 3, 2010:

Barnette Middle School has won the grand prize in the School of the Future Design Competition, a contest that asks students to come up with plans to redesign their school in an environmentally friendly fashion.

The school was awarded a $2,000 prize for winning.

The competition begins in September, and each competing team must submit a model made from recycled materials, a short presentation and a 750-word essay describing the planning process behind the project.

Barnette’s student team studied the blueprints of Barnette’s most recent renovation, read architecture magazines, and examined techniques used by other “green” schools.

Click here to read the full story.

Hensley: Do-it-yourself rural energy is needed

From The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Tuesday, April 27, 2010:

Willie Hensley said this morning that Alaska, particularly its energy-starved rural communities, should think about bracing for tough times.

Oil development and federal financial aid have left Alaska with great per capita wealth. They’ve declined in recent years, and Hensley, an icon in modern Alaska Native history, told an energy conference that Alaskans should “reconfigure our value system” to escape from dependence on aid and major development projects.

Such federal support, Hensley told roughly 400 people at the downtown Westmark Fairbanks Hotel, once meant major subsidies for power plants so villages could electrify their homes and public buildings. But Hensley said he expects Alaska may need to rely more on ingenuity and resourcefulness if it expects future improvements to the quality of life here.

“It has been nothing short of phenomenal to see the kinds of programs and services and facilities and infrastructure that we now enjoy,” Hensley said. “The big question is, is it sustainable?”

Click here to read the full story.

Lecture: OFF GRID ON A MOUNTAIN TOP – UNIVERCITY'S JOURNEY TOWARD A LIVING COMMUNITY

Jonathan Tinney, Director of Community Development, Simon Fraser University Community Trust

Fairbanks – Monday, April 26, 6:00-7:30 pm – To register/RSVP go to  http://fbkstlsharris.eventbrite.com

Anchorage -Tuesday, April 27, 7:-8:30 pm – To register/RSVP go to  http://anchoragetlsharris.com

The UniverCity Project at Simon Fraser University is being developed around the “Four Cornerstones of Sustainability” –  Environment, Equity, Education and Economy.  The community, adjacent to the SFU Burnaby Mountain Campus, has been recognized with many regional, national, and international awards for its innovations in sustainable urban development.  To date, more than 1,000 homes have been completed, along with the first phase of the Town Centre.

Jonathan Tinney is the Director of Community Development for the SFU Community Trust. Through the development of UniverCity, Jonathan and the rest of the Trust team are making significant and innovative contributions toward the creation of independent and universal green building standards to ensure a high level of urban design and environmental performance. He is charged with overseeing the Trust’s initiatives to incorporate the development of leading edge planning policy, innovative green building and infrastructure standards, and pioneering community building programs to create a complete and truly sustainable urban community.

COST:  Free for Cascadia members and Full-time Students (please RSVP);

            $5 with online registration/RSVP;

            $10 at the door.

Mayor Hopkins revises air quality control plan

From the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Tuesday, April 13, 2010:

Borough Mayor Luke Hopkins revised his air pollution control plan, adding a provision prohibiting dense chimney smoke that creates a nuisance for neighbors.

Hopkins said Monday that he plans to ask for assembly approval in June.

The measure, Ordinance 2010-17, sets limits on chimney smoke opacity, bans the burning of certain materials and imposes fines on the worst polluters starting late next year. The measure also establishes government programs to help people replace old, dirty stoves.

Click here to read the full story.