Below you will find items concerning legislation from groups in the Omaha community:


From the desk of Repower America:

Alaska Senator Lisa Murkowski just left the Senate floor after speaking for 15 minutes in support of a Resolution of Disapproval (NOT an amendment to the debt ceiling legislation that she had threatened) that was co-sponsored by Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Ben Nelson (D-NE) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA). More updates, emails, and public statements to come.

If successful, this could undermine the Clean Air Act, one of the most successful laws ever passed to protect public health and the environment. This long-standing Act has greatly reduced the pollution that poisons our air and water, and continues to protect Americans’ health across the country.

Altering the Clean Air Act would roll back the clock on decades of progress reducing pollution, putting polluters like coal and oil in control of America’s clean energy future.

Call Senator Nelson’s office today, and tell him to support clean air and public health
by OPPOSING the Murkowski Resolution at (402) 391-3411 or Washington D.C.
(202) 224-6551.

From the desk of Legislative Aide Andrea Fox:

State Senator Heath Mello asked that you know about some of the green legislation that he has introduced during the current legislative session. Please see the below press releases for more information. In addition to the bills mentioned in the press releases, Senator Mello introduced two more green bills: LB 1100, a bill to allow Electric Vehicles to drive on Nebraska roads; and LB 997, a bill that would require counties and cities of a certain size to include an Energy Element in their comprehensive plans.

If you’d like to see the full text of any of these bills, visit the Nebraska Legislature’s website, www.nebraskalegislature.gov and use the “Search Current Bills” tool in the upper right-hand corner.

Press Releases:

Lead by Example
Green Jobs

From the desk of Robert Byrnes, President of Nebraska Renewable Energy Association:

LB 960 is scheduled for public hearing at the capital at 1:30 on Friday, January 29th. Likely the bill will not be heard until 2:30pm. If you want to counterweigh the lobbyists it is important that members of the Omaha community send e-mails to the Natural Resource Committee and their senators to support LB 960, Senator Haar from Lincoln is already on board. Even better, show up and speak your peace about poor policy limiting our ability to interconnect more significant green energy systems. Bill synopsis is below:

“LB960: Introduced bill to amend state statute on net metering that would establish two different classes of net metering users – those that net metering in a residential zoned district, and everyone else. Those that are in a residential area would remain at the 25kW limit set forth in last years bill, but LB960 would also raise the limit for “everyone else” to 125kW.”

Lunch with the Green Business Council

Join Craig Moody and Rick Yoder from the Green Omaha Coalition’s Green Business Council on January 19th from 11:30 to 1:00 pm, as they present some fun and interesting ways to develop more sustainable business practices.

The lunch will be held at the Sarpy County Chamber of Commerce PayPal conference room (located in the Shadow Lake Towne Center) at 7775 Olson Drive, Suite 207 in Papillion.

To RSVP, call Annisa Visty-Withrow at 339-3050 or email chamber@sarpychamber.org.

Cost is $20 including lunch with a $5 discount for Sarpy County Chamber members.

Environment Omaha: Public Meeting on Resource Conservation

What can Omaha do to better conserve the resources it relies on for daily life in the metro?

City officials and Omaha by Design will be hosting a public meeting on January 20th from 6:30 to 8:00 pm to begin addressing the issue. The event serves as the kickoff of the resource conservation component of Environment Omaha and will be held at the Scott Conference Center, located at 6450 Pine St.

The guest speaker for the event is Amy Malick, Midwest regional direct for ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability. The organization, founded in 1990 as the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, is an international association of local, regional and national government organizations that have made a commitment to sustainable development.

Malick’s presentation will be followed by an information open house. A series of information stations pertaining to water, air and climate, energy, materials and human resources will be set up.

Visit environmentomaha.com for additional details or to view a live webcast of the meeting for those unable to attend.

SustainLane’s Local Action Challenge is a way for you to make a difference in your community.

From December 7th to December 18th, global decision makers will meet at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark to develop a new climate treaty that will address issues before the Kyoto protocol expires in 2012.

The conference will bring together the world’s environment ministers who meet once a year. In addition, more than 15,000 officials, advisors, diplomats, lobbyists and journalists are expected to attend the conference, which includes the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP 15) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The two-week conference in Copenhagen will hopefully bring clarity to the issue on climate change and show the world where participating governments stand on the issue at hand. For more information please visit: http://en.cop15.dk/.

The conference in Copenhagen will be a window of opportunity for global leaders to get on track for necessary changes that need to be made worldwide. However, in the countdown to Copenhagen, you can take action locally. SustainLane is heading up the Local Action Challenge in partnership with Hopenhagen, an international movement to drive action on climate change. This nationwide movement inspires local communities to grab a camera and take the challenge.

Cities across the country, like Omaha, have sent in their top 10 lists of actions that residents can participate in to combat climate change and care for the planet, in their own communities.

Residents are directed to take their cities’ challenge, complete tasks on the list and upload photos of themselves doing the challenge. By doing so, residents are entered into weekly drawings to win prizes that are donated by green business sponsors.

Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle and the city’s office of sustainability submitted the following list of 10 challenges for our community.

Omaha’s major and the office of sustainability submitted the following list of ten challenges for our community.

1) Be Resourceful: Recycle at home and in the workplace. Omaha’s residential curb-side recycling includes clean paper, plastic, aluminum, steel, and cardboard. Drop-off centers also accept glass.

2) Ditch the Car: Drive less by carpooling, walking, bicycling, and using mass transit. If you do need to drive, reduce your number of single-purpose trips by combining trips when running errands and make sure your car’s tires are inflated to the right pressure.

3) Power Down: Use your computer’s “power down” or “sleep” function or unplug them and other electronics to reduce continued energy drain.

Reach for the Star: Replace old appliances with energy- and water-efficient appliances with Energy Star labels and replace burnt out light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs or LED technology.

9) Green Your Home: Weatherize and/or remodel your home with “green” techniques and technologies, like storm windows, weather stripping, programmable thermostats, daylighting controls, and occupancy sensors.

10) Be Fuel Smart: Purchase a fuel-smart car that gets more miles to the gallon than your current vehicle. (Take a pic of yourself with a fuel-smart car… doesn’t have to be your own!)

Want to take a challenge?

Here’s how to play: Go to www.SustainLane.com/hopenhagen

Choose your city.
Choose a challenge.
Take a photo of yourself in action.
Upload it.
Win a prize.

Repeat.

Participate in this nationwide contest by taking actions in your own community. Together we will make a difference not only in Omaha but for our planet.

FUEL the Movie
FUEL the Movie is screening on November 6 at 6pm with a panel discussion afterwards with local people who drive vehicles with alternative fuel sources.

Where: UNO College of Public Affairs & Community Service Collaborating Commons 6320 Maverick Plaza

The panel includes: Julie Conway ( Hydrogen Hybrid, from Green Future Technology); Eric Williams ( BioDiesel, president of the Omaha BioFuels Coop); Bill Moore ( Electric Vehicle, editor of EV World, and Robert Byrnes, who has vehicles that run on Hydrogen, Biofuels and seed oils, Founder of the Nebrasksa Green Fuels Coop).

–

November LEP Workshop
Project WET, WILD, Project Learning Tree, and Leopold Education Project Educator Workshop

Become certified in four curriculums at one workshop!

Projects WET, WILD, PLT, and LEP have been around Nebraska in separate workshops. Now you have the chance to become certified in all of them at one workshop! Not only will you become certified, you will also learn how they all work together to deliver effective activities and lessons to your students. At the workshop you will receive curriculum books along with supplemental materials for each of the projects. How could you pass this up?? To learn more about each of the curriculums you can visit their websites at www.projectwild.org, www.plt.org, www.projectwet.org, and www.lep.org.
When: November 6th & 7th , 2009 9:00am to 3:00pm
Where: Chalco Hills Recreation Area Natural Resources Center (154th & Giles Rd.)

New This Year – Information Fair at Village Pointe, Goodwill Accepting Donations

OMAHA – Metro area residents will have the opportunity to learn how to green their living environments this month in conjunction with the 2009 Green Home Tour. The event, presented by the Green Omaha Coalition and the Nebraska Flatwater Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, will be held Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9:00am to 1:00pm starting at Village Pointe.

The tour will showcase three west Omaha homes that have undergone a series of green home improvement projects. Free shuttle service to the homes will be available at Village Pointe. Tour goers are encouraged to carpool, walk, cycle or take the bus to Village Pointe and use the tour shuttle.

New to the 2009 tour is an information fair at Village Pointe in conjunction with its weekly farmers market. Vendors will include area businesses and nonprofits interested in green living. In addition, Goodwill Industries will be accepting donations on site at Village Pointe throughout the tour, and tax receipts will be available.

“We want the public to know that greener living techniques can be applied to homes of all ages, even those built only 10 years ago,” said Ron Duce, one of the tour’s co-chairs. The showcase of green projects ranges from new heat pump and furnace installation to weather stripping to the creation of a front yard rain garden.

The tour stops and themes are outlined below.
1804 N. 155th Ave.
Theme – indoor air quality, general energy efficiency

1422 N. 164th St.
Theme – materials and maintenance

606 S. 178th St.
Theme – family lifestyle and general energy efficiency

20832 Charles St.
Theme – new Energy Star home

Tickets, which are $5 per person, will be available the day of the tour at Village Pointe and at each of the homes. Please be prepared to remove your shoes and leave strollers behind.

The main sponsors of the 2009 Green Home Tour are the Green Omaha Coalition, the Nebraska Flatwater Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, Kiewit Building Group, RDG Planning and Design, Bemis Press and Village Pointe. Booth sponsors include Arcosanti Homes, Carlisle Insulation, Carmody Plumbing, CM Custom Lawn Care and Landscaping, Curbside Rewards, Earth Day Omaha, Energy Rescue, Energy Smart Company, Fluff Your Stuff Interior Redesign, Goodwill Industries, Habitat for Humanity – Restore, Hayneedle, Health and Energy Company, Hearthstone Homes, Home Energy Defense, Kelly’s Carpet Omaha, Kinghorn Gardens, Lifetime Home Services, Live Well Omaha, Metropolitan Utilities District, Nebraskans for Peace, Nebraska Furniture Mart, O’Daniel Honda, Omaha Family Magazine, Omaha Public Power District, Sierra Club, Natural Glow Soy Candles, Thermal Services, Todd Menard Homes and United Fixture Supply.

For more information, contact Brian Spencer at 402.679.7465 or Duce at 402.977.4500.

Omaha was given its chance to “think globally but act locally” when it was chosen by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as the host city for the North American celebrations of World Environment Day 2009 on June 5. Omaha was selected by the UN because of its commitment to environmental and sustainability issues in the community. The creation of the Green Omaha Coalition, former Mayor Mike Fahey’s signing of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and taking the 25th spot in SustainLane’s 2008 U.S. Cities Sustainability Rankings led to the city’s selection to host this highly recognized international event.

Thanks to volunteers such as Kate Cavanaugh and Mary Doherty, UN World Environment Day in Omaha was a success. Cavanaugh said World Environment Day raised an awareness amongst the community members that was only just beginning in Omaha.

The week began with a citizen’s roundtable sponsored by the Green Omaha Coalition. Panelists included Jim Suttle, the newly elected mayor of Omaha, city council members, representatives from various Omaha organizations and community members. Cavanaugh explained that, “this was a wonderful opportunity for the community members to bring their opinions to the table and discuss important environmental issues with a diverse group of people.”

Next on the agenda for the week was the Walk for the Environment, which took place along the Missouri River near the pedestrian bridge. Cavanaugh said, “this event was intended to be all inclusive…where community members who would not be inclined to attend the forum events would be excited to enjoy the beautiful Omaha day and at the same time become more educated about environmental issues.”

To kick off the walk, Omaha’s own “Environmental Celebrity” Ione Werthman, 82, spoke about the importance of educational programs and her dedicated work with Heron Haven at 120th and Maple.

The remaining events leading up to World Environment Day included a news conference at which the Nature Conservancy and the UNEP Regional Director for North America, Amy Fraenkel, presented a global report that encouraged investment in the storage and capture of carbon-based emissions. The Henry Doorly Zoo also hosted an event for young professionals. In addition, Omaha hosted a Pecha Kucha Night, at which sustainable and creative talent was shared amongst community members.

To conclude the week, the world premiere of HOME by Yann Arthus-Bertrand was released. Cavanaugh said, “This free screening occurred in over 100 countries, including at the base of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, New York’s Central Park and London’s Trafalgar Square.”

Participants explained that the film was “breathtaking” and “enjoyable to watch outside on a beautiful summer’s night in Omaha.”

Cavanaugh said what really made the week memorable was the “presence of a diverse group of community members attending each of the events.” In the future, Omaha hopes to host the event again to continue to raise awareness of climate change and make it possible for individuals within the community to make a difference.

Washington, D.C./Omaha, Nebraska – April 13, 2009 – The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has selected Omaha as the host city for the North American celebrations of World Environment Day 2009. This year’s theme is “UNite to Combat Climate Change.”

As host city, Omaha businesses, organizations and individuals will work with UNEP’s Regional Office for North America (RONA) to schedule a series of World Environment Day events, as well as events taking place during the six weeks that “bridge the gap” between Earth Day on April 22 and World Environment Day on June 5.

Commemorated each year in more than 100 countries around the globe, World Environment Day is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and enhances political attention and action. With thousands of events in UNEP’s six global regions including North America, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean and West Asia, World Environment Day is considered one of the largest environmental events of its kind.

The selection of Omaha reflects the city’s commitment to environmental and sustainability issues. This commitment is demonstrated by the creation of the Green Omaha Coalition, a partnership of public agencies, non-profit groups and private organizations dedicated to promoting a healthy, sustainable community through partnerships, policy, and smart solutions, as well as Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey’s signing of the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. In addition, Omaha was recently ranked 25th nationally in SustainLane’s 2008 U.S. Cities Sustainability Rankings.

According to Mayor Fahey, “Maintaining the sustainability of our environment remains a priority for the City of Omaha. The six-week campaign bridging Earth Day and World Environment Day offers an opportunity for individuals to learn about the environment, re-examine their own impacts and take action to prevent further environmental degradation.”

“The issue of climate change is one of the most important challenges of our time,” said Amy Fraenkel, Director of UNEP’s Regional office for North America. “While UNEP thinks globally, we must act locally by engaging partners from all sectors of society, including cities, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, youth, and the media. It is important to bring this message to all parts of the United States, and we are proud to partner with Omaha on World Environment Day 2009.”

Throughout Omaha and at venues around the world, events will highlight resources, initiatives and methods that promote low carbon economies and lifestyles, such as improved energy efficiency, alternative energy sources, forest conservation and eco-friendly consumption, among others.

Bayer Corporation, UNEP’s World Environment Day partner in North America, will sponsor the youth program, including the opening of a special exhibition of the International Children’s Painting Competition (ICPC) in Omaha, an awards ceremony for ICPC North American winners and an interactive environmental workshop for Omaha students led by Dr. Mae C. Jemison. Former director of the Jemison Institute of Environmental Studies at Dartmouth College and founder of the international science camp, The Earth We Share (TEWS), Dr. Jemison is a scientist, educator and the nation’s first African-American female astronaut. She also is Bayer’s national spokesperson for its company-wide Making Science Make Sense® program.

World Environment Day was established by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the June 5 opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Another resolution, adopted by the General Assembly the same day, led to the creation of UNEP. Mexico City, Mexico will serve as the 2009 international host city.

About the United Nations Environment Programme’s Regional Office of North America (UNEP RONA)
The Regional Office for North America (RONA), located in Washington, D.C., is one of six regional offices for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). RONA’s mission is to foster cooperation on environmental issues in the United States and Canada, thereby promoting effective responses to global environmental challenges. RONA’s strategy to achieve these goals includes promoting collaboration between UNEP and various sectors of North American society, facilitating the participation of the region in UNEP-sponsored global events and activities, developing environmental education initiatives, and organizing environmental awareness-raising campaigns.

For more information, please contact: Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, Deputy Director, UNEP RONA at egc@rona.unep.org, tel: (202) 974-1307 or (202) 812-2100; Tess Cieux, UNEP RONA at tc@rona.unep.org, tel: (202) 785-0465; and Kate Kavanaugh in Omaha at (402) 393-8537 or by email at kate.cavanaugh@gmail.com.

www.omahaenvironmentday.com
www.rona.unep.org
www.unep.org

Please register any environmental events between now and June 5 with Mike Klug at moklug@cox.net for publication on the Omaha Environment Day website.

Celebrate Earth Day!
Earth Day Omaha www.earthdayomaha.com
Saturday, April 18 Elmwood Park 808 S. 60th Street

Join the Earth Day Omaha celebration April 18 at Elmwood Park. Admission is free. Highlights include displays, exhibits, and hands-on events from noon to 6 p.m.; food and live music from noon to 8 p.m., and a beer garden from 3 to 8 p.m.

Earth Day Omaha also is teaming with GRX to collect and responsibly recycle electronic devices. GRX will be at Earth Day Omaha from noon to 6 p.m. to accept your devices and will take anything with a plug, except for refrigerators and air conditioners. It’s free; however, an $8 charge applies for computer monitors and a $15 charge applies for certain televisions.

The keynote speaker at Earth Day Omaha is Dr. Richard Komp, an international solar energy expert who has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry and a minor in physics. He has conducted ongoing research on solar panels since 1960 and lives in an off-grid home he designed and built in Maine. Dr. Komp will speak at 4.05 p.m. Find more information at ceen.unomaha.edu/nses.

Lincoln Earth Day
www.lincolnearthday.org
Sunday, April 19 UNL Campus

Lincoln Earth Day 2009 will be held Sunday, April 19th from 1 to 5 p.m. on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus. The theme is “Energy – A Time for Action” and the event will spotlight effective ways of using “energy” to make Lincoln a more sustainable community. Lincoln Earth Day will be full of learning opportunities for energy conservation and renewable energy innovations, but even more importantly, for using human energy in the form of personal and political engagement to hasten the transition to sustainability. Dr. Komp also will present at Earth Day Lincoln. The time has yet to be announced.

“The most important word in Community Garden isn’t garden.” This statement, attributed to food activist and journalist Mark Winne, reminds us that bringing good food to people is more about the people and culture than about carrots and potatoes.

In his book, “Closing the Food Gap: Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty,” Winne presents the benefits of community gardens: “In addition to supplying low-income residents with healthier and more nutritious food, community gardens have been tagged with many other beneficial characteristics by their advocates. Among those cited by Jerome Kaufman and Martin Bailkey in their paper “Farming Inside Cities” are reducing the amount of vacant and unproductive urban land, improving the public image of troubled neighborhoods, increasing the amount of neighborhood green space, developing pride and self-sufficiency among inner-city residents who grow their own food, and providing jobs for youths and adults.”

Community gardening is succeeding in the Omaha metro. The Green Omaha Coalition’s January Green Living Workshop will focus on the successes and challenges of these endeavors.

The GOC is hosting a community garden panel, titled “From Here to Community Garden.” The purpose of the panel will be to acquaint attendees with the concept and benefits of community gardens and provide them with practical information on how to support and/or start a community garden. Come and hear about the successes and the challenges of expert community gardeners around Omaha.

The panel will be comprised of the following representatives: Andy Jameton (City Sprouts Community Garden), Stephanie Ahlschwede (BIG Garden Project), Chris Foster (Gifford Park Community Garden), Dave Lampe (Lamp, Rynearson & Associates Corporate Community Garden), and Norita Matt and Dave Fanslau (City of Omaha Planning Department). Topics of discussion will focus on funding, volunteers, leadership, land acquisition, resources and case specific stories.

Please join us for “From Here to Community Garden – A Panel of Community Garden Experts and Zoning/Land Use Representatives” on Saturday, January 24 from 10 am to noon at the Neighborhood Center, 115 S. 49th Avenue in Omaha. This panel is free and open to the public. To RSVP, please e-mail Trilety Wade at trilety@hotmail.com.

OMAHA – How can Omaha improve the sustainability of its natural
environment? The City of Omaha and Omaha by Design are seeking the public’s
input on this issue at a public information open house set for Thursday,
Dec. 11. The event, which is free and open to all interested members of the
Omaha community, will be held at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St., from
6:30 to 8 p.m.

On Nov. 6, city officials and Omaha by Design announced plans to create an
Environmental Element (EE) for Omaha’s master plan to address the
sustainability of the city in a comprehensive manner. The EE will cover
five major topics: the natural environment, urban form/transportation,
building construction, resource conservation and community health.

The Dec. 11 event is an opportunity for the public to share their thoughts
on what should be included in the EE’ natural environment component, said
Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design.

The evening will include a brief overview of issues associated with the
natural environment, followed by a public information open house. An
information station for each of the natural environment’s strategic goal
areas will be set up. Members of the Natural Environment Advisory Committee
and city staff will be available at each station to answer questions and
record comments.

Funding for the initiative, which will receive significant city staff and
resource support, is provided by grants from the Papio-Missouri River
Natural Resources District, the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency and the
City of Omaha’s Stormwater Management Plan Program Grant from the Nebraska
Department of Environmental Quality. Communications support is provided by
HDR.

Metro Area Transit Route 10 stops at 6th and Bancroft near Lauritzen
Gardens. For those who drive to the meeting, carpooling is encouraged.

For more information, contact Omaha by Design at 402.554.4010 or email info@omahabydesign.org.