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ONE CITY'S ACTIONS
Many thanks to Fort Atkinson city departments, businesses, schools, churches and organizations who continue to work hard to reduce energy usage and cut our community flarb. Here are their stories...
FORT ATKINSON...THE CITY
- In March 2007, the Fort Atkinson City Council passed Resolution 1118, a modified version of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. That agreement was originally adopted by the City of Seattle, and many other U.S. Cities have since done so. Fort's resolution recognizes that global warming pollution is a problem and that the city has and should take actions to reduce it. Each of the departments has undertaken measures to reduce energy usage, saving taxpayers' money. The city will continue to seek ways to reduce its energy usage, and will work to educate citizens about how they can do so as well.
- Fort Atkinson is a Tree City, part of a national program supporting urban forestry.
FORT ATKINSON...BUSINESS COMMUNITY
We'd love hear from businesses about what they are doing to reduce energy usage. Send your story to photos@theatkinsondiet.com.
From a business perspective, pollution means waste and waste means inefficient operation. An inefficient operation reduces profitability and increases vulnerability to competition. Companies can reduce emissions and minimize fossil fuel dependence while saving money, reducing compliance costs, and avoiding additional tax burdens.
- The Chamber of Commerce, Heart of the City representatives and other citizens have met to bolster The Fort Atkinson Farmer's Market. The group is working together to recruit more vendors and increase traffic for this wonderful venue that spotlights local vendors. The Farmer's Market is held each Saturday from 8am-12pm 1 block east of Main St. across from the Post Office.
- The owners of Uncle Josh Bait received a call from the utility company suggesting that something was wrong with their meter because their electric usage had lowered dramatically. There was nothing wrong with the meter- their usage had reduced considerably when they moved product from a large cooler to a smaller cooler to which they added shelving, saving the cost of cooling the larger unit. Owner Patrick McDevitt says, "You could be burning up energy (and money) right under your eyes. It's a good idea to analyze your utility expenditures and see where you might be wasting energy. It could save you a lot of money."
- John Anderson of W & A Distribution Services notes, "With the installation of energy-efficient lighting from Orion in our new warehouse, we were able to get an increase in candlepower at the floor level, which improved working conditions. At the same time, we realized short-term cost savings in installation through the WE Energies incentives program, as well as long-term savings in our monthly energy bills. In addition, W & A encourages customers to minimize their packaging and utilize the blankets and reuseable protective covers we offer. This reduces waste and cost of packaging, as well as labor costs in making the packaging. Trucking companies are finding that many companies at the receiving end try to refuse packaging because they do not want to be responsible for its disposal."
- Fort Health Care’s CEO Mike Wallace and Wellness Director Katy O’Brien have met with Heart of the City to discuss how a commitment to wellness requires a commitment to environmental health. The hospital will be looking into policy changes that support a healthy planet, such as improved recycling and reduction of waste, greater energy efficiency, and incentives under the employee wellness program for following Atkinson Diet tips.
- The VyMaC Corporation has purchased and restored the Creamery Package Manfacturing Company building in downtown Fort Atkinson, and a once-empty storefront is now home to corporate offices and the Verlo Mattress retail store. David Young, developer, was excited to peel back the years and restore the 5-story building, recycling scrap from the old building and incorporating new green building techniques.
The demolition crew reused the original window frames and recycled over 60 yards of paper left behind by previous tenants and occupants.
“We’re also proud of the fact that we were able to put close to 295,000 pounds worth of scrap back into the building instead of plugging the landfills,” David said.
Other energy-efficient elements incorporated into the restoration include:
- Modulating boilers that heat up and cool down as needed
- Fluorescent lighting that consumes less electricity
- Sensor-controlled lighting to go out automatically when there’s no one in the room
- Heating and air-conditioning systems that utilize large-volume units for ducts
- A Carrier comfort system which allows each space to be controlled very efficiently and allows changing of set points as space requires
- Automatic blinds using solar sensors to use and manage passive solar power for heating and reflection.
“We did a great deal of research on building green,” David said. “The challenging part was assessing what we really could do. We grounded our green-building efforts in utilizing energy efficiencies while remaining true to the building’s original design and character.”
FORT ATKINSON...EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY
Purdy and Barrie Elementary Schools are air conditioned for the first time in their histories. The geothermal upgrade to the heating and cooling systems of these schools and Fort Middle School was authorized by referendum, and is expected to save the district thousands of dollars in energy costs a year after the payback period.
The district has also:
Invested in efficient lighting, resulting in annual energy savings of $63,000 with a 4 ½ year payback.
Invested in compressed natural gas kits for the buses at a cost of $57,000, resulting in annual energy savings of $19,000, for a 3 year payback.
Purdy School Principal Rick Brietzke, an Atkinson Diet signer, reports that Purdy switched to lower wattage lights 3 years ago. It borrowed money to do this but the pay back due to energy savings was very quick. Motion sensors have been installed in many rooms. Brietzke makes certain that environmentally sound recycling policies that also happen to be state-mandated are followed. More than a decade ago, students at his school questioned the use of styrofoam in the cafeteria, resulting in the district returning to the use of washable trays in all schools.
Principal Jeff Zaspel, also an Atkinson Diet signer, plans to focus on improving recycling efforts at Fort Atkinson High School with students leading the charge.
FORT ATKINSON...FAITH COMMUNITY
Bryan Engfer, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, says that his church has done many energy-savings measures, including installation of a new efficient 2 small boiler heating system, a switch to fluorescent lights, and the use of a programmable thermostat. Focus on Energy gave rebates for some of these measures, and between that and energy savings the payback has been quick.
A resource for churches is the Wisconsin Interfaith Climate and Energy Campaign. It is one of more than 20 state campaigns of the National Religious Partnership for the Environment (NRPE). The aim of WICEC is to inform, train, and activate faith congregations to take concrete steps to reduce global warming and work toward a sustainable future out of a faith-based value orientation.
Find out if your church has taken measures to reduce its energy usage. Urge your council to take action if it hasn't, looking to the above-listed sites for suggestions. Remember to contact us at photos@theatkinsondiet.com so that we can list your church's energy-saving measures on this site.
FORT ATKINSON...YOUR NEIGHBORS:
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