Sections
- Energy Action Team Moves Forward – Lining Up Resources for Winona Residents & Businesses
- Winter Sustainability Seminar Series
- Smart Winter Practices
Iowa State University Study – Behavioral Spillover
Energy Action Team Moves Forward – Lining Up Resources for Winona Residents & Businesses
This past November the Winona City Council adopted an Energy Action Plan for the community which was crafted by representatives of business, local institutions, city and county government, citizens, and Xcel Energy through their Partners in Energy offering. In just a few short weeks the Energy Action Team has surged into motion on the plan’s community wide goals of a 10% energy reduction by 2025 and carbon neutrality by 2050.
The Action Team’s first outreach efforts have resulted in around 250 individuals taking a survey to help guide implementation of the residential energy efficiency and renewable energy strategies outlined in the plan. You can still take the survey at this link (https://tinyurl.com/Winona-Energy-Survey). The team is now looking for outreach opportunities to advance information and engage with the community. If you belong to a group that would like to learn how to save money by reducing energy use, then the Action Team would like to talk to you. Action Team members will be speaking at the Winona Friendship Center on Tuesday January 23rd at 1 pm about residential efficiency and renewables. Register with the Friendship Center for this session by calling 507-454-5212.
Over 200 area homes across Winona County have already received energy efficiency services this year through Home Energy Squad® and SEMCAC. Any Xcel Energy customer interested in saving energy and money can sign up now for a spring Home Energy Squad visit. For a cost of just $100 (free visits available to income-qualified households), Home Energy Squad offers services and upgrades valued at over $600, including installation of energy efficient materials such as LED bulbs, programmable thermostats, high-efficiency showerheads and faucet aerators, and door and attic hatch weather stripping. Home Energy Squad will also complete an attic and wall insulation inspection, blower door and thermal image testing, and combustion safety test. After the visit, homeowners receive a report with additional recommendations, as well as resources to assist with follow-up. If additional insulation is recommended, Home Energy Squad can even generate a quote on-site and provide referrals to insulation contractors. To sign up for a visit, call 866-222-4595 or visit HomeEnergySquad.net
Minnesota State College Southeast, in partnership with the Action Team, was recently awarded a Clean Energy Resource Teams Seed Grant to train several local contractors in certified home energy efficiency insulation and air sealing. In addition, Minnesota State College Southeast will be adding Air Leakage Control certification to their building construction program. The Action Team wants to make sure these services are available locally and keep jobs in our community, as currently homeowners who wish to benefit from available Xcel Energy insulation rebates must look outside the area for contractors. Our first local certified contractors will be available this summer (2018).
The Action Team’s work with business energy users is also revving up. It is critical to engage with Winona’s industrial, institutional, and commercial entities as they consume over two-thirds of the electricity and natural gas in the community to power our local economy. The city will be forming a Mayor’s Green-Ribbon Commission over the next few months “to bring businesses together, recognize accomplishments, and implement best practices related to energy efficiency,” said John Howard, the City’s Natural Resources Sustainability Coordinator. The Action Team is also looking forward to a “business blitz” in the spring where volunteers will go door-to-door to share energy efficiency and rebate information with Winona businesses.
If you want to participate or learn more about any of our events or the Energy Action Plan please contact John Howard at the City of Winona, jhoward@ci.winona.mn.us or call 507-457-8273.
Winter Sustainability Seminar Series
On January 16th, 2018 Winona County will kick off the first in a series of four seminars to be held this winter. These in-depth workshops will begin with the topic of terrestrial invasive species, how to ID them, and how to manage them on your property. The remaining three seminars will cover prairie and pollinator yards, landscape approaches to slopes and trees, and rain gardens. Each of the topics were identified as points of further interest for the many attendees of the fall seminar “Creating Resiliency through Improved Landscape Practices”. The goal of these seminars is to inform both city and rural residents of landscaping practices geared toward keeping water on the land in order to reduce the severity of small flooding events. The seminars will take place on Tuesday nights (see dates below) from 6:30 to 7:30pm, with a Q&A from 7:30-8pm for those interested in staying. Locations will be posted when finalized. Anyone interested in attending a seminar should please email Lauren at ljensen@co.winona.mn.us to register, attendance is free.
January 16th: Invasives
Species identification, practices for management and eradication
Location: MN State College – Southeast, Room 205
Speakers: Jaime Edwards – MnDNR
Angie Gupta – UMN Extension Educator
February 20th: Prairie & Pollinator Yards
Creating attractive, native, and natural landscapes
March 13th: Rain Gardens
Location, design, and maintenance
April 3rd: Landscaping approaches for slopes & trees
Plants suited for slopes, non-invasive and non-native tree species
Smart Winter Practices
MN winters bring snow and ice that cover our roads, parking lots, and sidewalks. Safety concerns have prompted maintenance efforts including the use of deicers like salt. The over-application of salt during the winter months has led to chloride pollution in many Minnesota lakes and rivers – salty waters don’t work for fish or people!
The best way to reduce salt use is clearing as much snow as possible first. When we clear snow down to dry pavement we decrease the chances of it compacting and needing salt to melt it down. When you do need salt it’s important to know how much to apply and when. Salt is only effective at melting snow and ice when the pavement temperature is 15 degrees or above. No more than four pounds of salt is needed to cover 1000 square feet. One pound of salt is a full coffee mug and will cover the area of 2-4 parked cars.
Often times we hear about air quality alerts in the summer when days are hot and lawn mowing is a frequent task, but did you know running your gas snow blower for just one hour pollutes the air with one pound of carbon monoxide? Consider using an electric snow blower, prices are often similar or less than gas powered blowers and there are even cordless options available. Not only will you save money on gas, but you’ll help reduce noise emission as well!
We’re pouring millions of tons of salt on roads each winter. Here’s why that’s a problem
Improved Winter Maintenance: Good Choices for Clean Water – Mississippi WMO