Energy issues are on the front burner, with high heating and transportation fuel prices, supply concerns, energy security, global climate change, and energy-related environmental issues making headlines daily. Closer to home, Carleton’s wind turbine has demonstrated the feasibility of utility-scale wind development in this area, other local wind projects are in the works, new initiatives to promote building energy efficiency, geothermal and solar technology are soon to be launched by RENew Northfield, and discussion of the possibility of creation of a local municipal electric utility has surfaced on northfield.org and elsewhere.

In addition, the Northfield City Council adopted a resolution on December 5, 2005 committing the City to participation in the international “Cities for Climate Protection Campaign.” This campaign, with over 650 international participants, including 163 U.S. cities and/or counties, is designed to support municipalities in taking aggressive action to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases responsible for global climate change. Participants are doing so in recognition of the fact that this is both sound environmental policy and sound economic development policy.

You are cordially invited to discuss these and other issues at the next Fourth Monday Forum, “Northfield’s Energy Future: Policy and Practice for the Next Generation,” from 7:00 to 8:45 p.m. at the Northfield Public Library meeting room on February 27th. The event, co-sponsored by the Northfield League of Women Voters and RENew Northfield, is designed to give area citizens and policy-makers the opportunity to learn about and express their opinions about the area’s future energy supply and distribution options.

Speakers will include Mike Bull (Assistant Commissioner for Renewable Energy, Minnesota Department of Commerce),

Michael Noble (Executive Director, Minnesotans for an Energy-Efficient Economy),

and Bruce Anderson (Executive Director, RENew Northfield). Following brief presentations, there will be ample time for a question-and-answer session and audience dialogue.

I had the good fortune to be invited to talk with a high-energy group of middle schoolers at the Northfield Middle School Youth Center this afternoon. MSYC Site Supervisor Pam Roberts and assistant Brian Collins extended the invitation, which I happily accepted.

After about 30 minutes of presentation and discussion, I left them with the challenge that they take the following actions (or talk with their parents about taking them):

Replace as many incandescent light bulbs as possible with compact fluorescent bulbs. Each bulb replaced not only keeps over 1,000 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere over its lifetime, it also saves roughly $50 in energy and bulb replacement costs.

Turn the thermostat down at least 10 degrees at night and while the home is empty during the day (manually or via programmable thermostat). This saves roughly 10% on your heating bill at no loss in comfort.

Walk or bike on short trips around town rather than firing up the family firebreather. Short vehicle trips are extremely inefficient and polluting, and should be avoided when possible. A little walking or biking never hurt a body, either. Northfield is a perfect sized community to get around in by foot or bike.

Buy green power from Xcel Energy or your local rural electric co-op. While I have mixed feelings about this option (it’s an inefficient and inequitable way to send market signals to the utilities), it does nonetheless lead to the construction of more wind power in Minnesota.

As I told these young folks,

The regular, third-Thursday-of-the-month meeting of the RENew Northfield transportation committee is coming up this Thursday, February 16 in the RENew Northfield conference room (2nd floor, 402 Washington St.). All are welcome, and refreshments will be served.

The meeting, chaired by Charlie Stark, will have the following agenda:

7:00 Refreshments and socializing

7:15 Introductions/interests/concerns

7:25 Minnesota Dept. of Transportation green transportation initiatives
-MNDOT Program Specialist Jarvis Keys

7:45 NuRide ridesharing initiative
-Charlie Stark

7:55 Northfield as a Bicycle Friendly Community
-Bill Ostrem

8:20 Northfield Biodiesel Buyers’ Club progress report
-Bruce Anderson

8:30 Adjourn

I’m a pretty private guy, and not one to blow my horn, but I gotta say I’m thrilled by the positive review RENew Northfield has been given by a relatively new member of the community (who has just recently discovered RENew), Bill Ostrem. Bill writes an online column for , (Northern Letter: A Journal on Upper Midwestern Culture, etc., by William Ostrem).

Bill said some very flattering things about RENew a week ago (February 03, 2006
RENew Northfield: Creating a Different Future for Energy Use), and subsequently interviewed me. He has now posted the first portion of that transcribed interview, with the second portion to follow within the next week or so.

Thanks, Bill, for your interest and support! Thus does a movement grow…

…and, quoting from one of my crusty literary heroes, a thought for the weekend:“One final paragraph of advice: Do not burn yourself out. Be as I am – a reluctant enthusiast… a part time crusader, a half-hearted fanatic.”

The Northfield Biodiesel Buyers’ Club came into being on January 19, 2006! Master woodworker Loren Larson displays the handcarved sign he made at his son-in-law’s (yes, that’s me) request.

The first batch of fuel (a winterized B47, or 47% blend of biodiesel with #1 petroleum diesel and an anti-gelling agent) was delivered by Chad (Ole) Olson of Farm Country Co-op in Wanamingo.

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