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| 8/18/2009 6:00:00 AM | Email this article • Print this article |
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Journal/Sam Green
Andrew Martinez lights up the bulbs on a stationary bike at the solar roller booth during the Four Corners Energy Efficiency Exchange at Southwest Colorado Community College on Saturday. |
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Events turn energy efficiency ideas on
Verde Fest, Energy Efficiency Exchange promote savings
Hope Nealson
Journal Staff Writer
Energy efficiency abounded this weekend at Cortez City Park and Southwest Colorado Community College.
Between the Verde Fest in Cortez and the Four Corners Energy Efficiency Exchange at SCCC, vendors put their best green foot forward to display to the public and other industry owners the latest alternative energy trends through educational demonstrations and information exchanges.
According to Betty Janes, who helped organize the Montezuma Climate Action Network-sponsored Verde Fest, 40 exhibitors were on hand to educate the public about sustainable practices, including alternative energy providers like solar, hydrogen transportation and renewable energy companies.
"There were lots of sustainable businesses, even small businesses working out of their (Montezuma County) houses," she said. "It was great to highlight them and bring them out into the open to celebrate all that's going on in this county that's working towards being sustainable."
Janes said more than 500 people attended Saturday's second annual Verde Fest, which also featured speeches ranging from composting to growing trees and building strawbale houses.
Local nonprofits were represented, such as the Montezuma Land Conservancy on land preservation and 4Corners Recycling Initiative and the Salvation Army for the recycling cause.
A Re-Creation Station, in which kids put together art projects from leftover business materials, eco-bag making, face painting and sand-foil painting, was one of the activities offered for children.
Food vendors served up their sustainable cuisine, from bicycle powered smoothies to locally grown salads.
Verde Fest even shared a speaker with the second annual Four Corners Energy Efficiency Exchange: Lee Boughey of Tri-State.
The Colorado Rural Electric Association, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, La Plata Electric Association and Empire Electric Association sponsored the two-day event, which catered to industry Friday and the general public Saturday.
Doug Sparks, manager of Member Services at Empire Electric, said the Energy Efficiency Exchange tried to coordinate Saturday speeches with Verde Fest so people could attend a morning or afternoon exchange session and also spend time at Verde Fest.
Friday brought together regional business and landowners, who shared their ideas to increase energy efficiency, from thermal solar to hydroelectric technology the city of Cortez is planning to utilize.
Vendors also were on hand at SCCC, educating consumers about their product.
Cortez-based Muscanell Millworks owner Karen Harbough offered information about energy efficient Woodchucks, all-wood fire logs made for regular woodstoves, made from the sawdust and shaving byproducts of the hardwood floors the company makes.
"For us, the success for that part of the business is going to be very important for the survival of our business in Montezuma County," Harbough said.
Landscaping techniques as simple as tree planting along the southern periphery of the building were Friday. John Shaw, who called trees nature's swamp cooler.
Shaw bought and converted the 48,000 square-foot Smiley Building in Durango, formerly a junior high, into an energy efficient and sustainable compilation of apartments, studios and offices using solar and renewable energy. The building won the Governors Excellence in Renewable Energy Award in 2007.
Sparks noted organizers plan to hold the Energy Efficiency Exchange next year in La Plata County as part of their partnership between Montezuma and La Plata counties.
"The people that came were happy - they found out what works and what happened firsthand," he said. "As it grows and people know about it, we hope to push it further to include Farmington."
Reach Hope Nealson at hopen@cortezjournal.com
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