Staunton Green 2020

How does a Virginia Beach commute today compare to the same commute in 1995? Or a Staunton commute, for that matter, if the records existed?

How many roads in Virginia are in “poor” condition compared to other states?

This and more information here about the state of transportation in Virginia and America in general can be found here. Transportation issues and the environment are closely tied so it’s good to get some facts and join the conversation.

Staunton apartment dwellers: you, too, can make a difference by “going green”.

I’ll be sharing a regular column called “Apartment Earth” that focuses on green initiatives you can take. Homeowners can benefit, too. Here’s the first installment concerning energy-efficient ways to cool off. If you have suggestions about future topics relating to green apartment living you’d like me to cover, let me know! – Katie

Living in a rental without central air conditioning? You’re not alone. So, while you’re debating the merits of buying a window air conditioning unit, a fan, or just sitting around your place naked, here are some ways to evaluate effectiveness and stay cool.

SEER Rating
Window air conditioning units are rated with SEER – which stands for seasonal energy-efficiency rating.

Jump to RentedSpaces to read the rest.

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• By Degrees: White Roofs Catch on as Energy Cost Cutters (nytimes.com)

What’s the greatest threat to humanity? Watch this short video for one interpretation.

Now consider how much of Staunton is built in the “old” way. Many neighborhoods have mature trees and sidewalks. Neighborhoods like Sears Hill even have walking access to Amtrak! In addition, many of us are fortunate enough to be within walking distance of downtown.

As a result, we predict the few places like Staunton that managed to escape “yesterday’s modernization” will have explosive growth and value in the future!

Yes, you may have noticed a trend. Young people all over the nation are operating under a “Green is Good” philosophy (as opposed to the 1980’s, Gordon Gekko inspired “Greed is Good” philosophy).

Here is an excerpt from USAToday:

Dina El-Mogazi, director of the Campus Greening Initiative, says courses in a variety of disciplines will fulfill the requirement.

“We feel that it’s very important, given the current state of the world, that students understand both the way the environment supports human life and the way human decisions” affect the environment’s ability to function.

A growing number of schools, including community colleges, are training students to operate green technology.

There are local options, too!

If you’re interested in furthering your education to work for (or create!) a sustainable business here in Staunton there are two local resources. First, check out Staunton Creative Community Fund, which offers funding and entrepreneurship training. Secondly, you can investigate the sustainability-focused MBA program at Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg. Watch for another Staunton initiative which is partial to green-themed entreprenuership to be announced soon….

Our neighbors to the east are exploring an innovative way to help homeowners make energy-saving improvements to their homes and save money at the same time.

Here’s an excerpt from Charlottesville Tomorrow:

“LEAP would make loans to homeowners to help them cover the cost of energy-saving improvements. In the long-run, the program would be sustained in part by charging interest on those loans. Homeowners would pay for the loans in part by using the savings that come with lower energy bills. The grant application claims that between 915 and 1,271 jobs would be created as much as 69,685 metric tons of carbon emissions would be eliminated in the first seven years.”

Wouldn’t it be great to do something similar in Staunton? Check out the website to read more and/or listen to a podcast on the topic.

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• McKinsey report: U.S. energy conservation could save $1.2 trillion (dailyfinance.com)
• Just How Many Trillions of Dollars Can Energy Efficiency Save Us? (treehugger.com)

Here’s another opportunity for Staunton residents!

September 11 and 12 the Virginia Conservation Network will be meeting at the Frontier Culture Musuem and doing a tour of our city. It’s a great opportunity to meet other like-minded people from around the state.

Highlights include:

• VCC and VCN annual membership meetings
• Local foods dinner Friday night
• Green tours of historic Stanton
• Hikes
• Farm visits
• A fun day at the museum for your family !

Click here for more information.

A big thanks to all of you in the Staunton community who are getting involved here at our website, on Facebook, and taking real-world actions to improve our city’s carbon footprint (among other environmental issues).

Please consider joining us for the Commonwealth of Virginia Energy Symposium (COVES) conference in Lexington October 6th. Please visit: www.vmi.edu/coves for more information on COVES and to register for the event. Please RSVP to Ryan Cornett (rpcornett -at- gmail.com) by September 21.

~also~

Check out SG2020 member Bruce Dorrie’s recent News Leader article highlighting simple things you can do to do your part.

Thank you for your continued efforts!

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