Educating young people about energy issues is the best way to create an energy independent future for Sitka.  To kickstart energy discussions in classrooms, the Sitka Conservation Society spearheaded a campaign of visiting schools.  Our discussion topics included Sitka’s current energy consumption, Sitka's potential for energy conservation, fossil fuels in Alaska, home weatherization, and home and building energy audits.  The program also included tours of the Blue and Green Lake hydroelectric dams. SCS is no longer running our Kids' Energy Awareness campagin, but we remain committed to providing youth education opportunities through our 4-H, science mentorship, and Fish to Schools programs

Funded by a $100,000 Alaska Department of Labor grant, the Energize! Sitka program is a partnership between the Southeast Alaska Career Center and the Sitka Conservation Society.  Our aim is to make Sitka more energy efficient.  This program provides residents with extensive professional training and certifications for “green” jobs in the areas of construction, carpentry, and weatherization techniques. It also provides community-wide outreach for home weatherization, energy efficiency, and other state programs.

Weatherization 101 is a six part series produced by the Sitka Conservation Society and the City and Borough of Sitka Electric Department to help Sitkans increase their energy awareness, conserve electricity, and save money. Links to all six videos are below.

The State of Alaska has set a goal of achieving a 15% increase in energy efficiency per capita by 2020. This effort is especially important in Sitka because the demand for electricity exceeds supply. This effort is also important because the community has set goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In an effort to help Sitkans take steps to reducing their energy use and save money on energy costs, SCS has teamed up with local partners to create a series of "how-to" videos. The partners in the project include the City of Sitka Electric Department, Sitka Girl Scout Troop 4140, and local contractor Marcel LaPerriere.

Weatherization 101: Programming your Heater

You can save up to 10% of your space heating bill by turning your heater 3 degrees lower for only 8 hours a day. This video demonstrate how to use a programmable thermostat on a Toyo Heater.

 

Weatherization 101: Lightbulbs

Weatherization 101: Hot Water Heater

Weatherization 101: Choosing the Right Type of Caulking for SE Alaska

Weatherization 101: Caulking with Troop 4140

Weatherization 101: Home Breaker Panels

Video by Andre Lewis.

 

During a panel outage, every electric user should turn off the breaker panels to ensure that the electric department can get power up and running again across the whole community. This video shows how to use your breaker panel to turn off the highest energy uses in your home.

Weatherization 101 is a six part series produced by the Sitka Conservation Society and the City and Borough of Sitka Electric Department to help Sitkans increase their energy awareness, conserve electricity, and save money.

Video by Andre Lewis.

Girl Scout Troop 4140 has been learning all about energy during their Get Moving Energy Journey project as they work towards completing the requirements for their badge. Part of their project was to share what they learn with the community. In this video, join Girl Scouts from troop 4140 as they demonstrate the proper techniques for chalking your home.

Weatherization 101: Caulking from Sitka Conservation Society on Vimeo.

Weatherization 101 is a six part series produced by the Sitka Conservation Society and the City and Borough of Sitka Electric Department to help Sitkans increase their energy awareness, conserve electricity, and save money.

Video by Andre Lewis.

The videos this week will deal with caulking. Making sure that windows, doors, and seams are caulked and sealed will help save energy and money on home heating. This video will teach how to choose the right type of caulk.

Weatherization 101: Choosing Caulk from Sitka Conservation Society on Vimeo.

Weatherization 101 is a six part series produced by the Sitka Conservation Society and the City and Borough of Sitka Electric Department to help Sitkans increase their energy awareness, conserve electricity, and save money.

Video by Andre Lewis.

Girl Scout Troop 4140 has been learning all about energy during their Get Moving Journey, which focuses on energy. The journey consists of three prestigious Girl Scout awards, each containing several projects within itself. In addition to the regular Journey requirements, Junior troop 4140 took an additional task of recording weatherization videos to promote energy efficiency. Join Girl Scouts from troop 4140 in this video to learn about light(two word)bulbs and how to choose more efficient lighting..

Weatherization 101 is a six part series produced by the Sitka Conservation Society and the City and Borough of Sitka Electric Department to help Sitkans increase their energy awareness, conserve electricity, and save money.

Video by Andre Lewis.

The Sitka Conservation Society released a report today on the Future of Energy in Sitka that calculates how much energy Sitka uses in a year, how much energy will be needed to sustain the community over the next 20 years, and how much money will be spent on oil if there is not an investment in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The Sitka Conservation Society has worked in Sitka for 45 years to protect the natural environment of the Tongass and support the development of sustainable communities in Southeast Alaska. This study is part of the Sitka Conservation Society's sustainable communities program which seeks to power Sitka on renewable energy, implement thorough energy efficiency actions, and reduce Sitka's carbon footprint.

Andrew Thoms, Executive Director of the Sitka Conservation Society, explains the rationale behind the study, "We did this study because we wanted to figure out how we could completely reverse our current energy mix in Sitka. Right now, Sitka runs on oil: 75% of our energy comes from non-renewable energy sources while 25% comes from renewable energy. We want to figure out if it is possible to completely reverse that within 20 years. We know that oil prices are increasing because of reduced supply and increased demand. We also know that burning fossil fuels causes climate change. There is an urgent need to shift to renewable energy."

For SCS board member Lexi Fish, the impetus to do this study is all about the future of the community. "The 20 year projection gives us an idea of what the next generation of Sitkans will be dealing with. If a child is born today in Sitka, in 20 years they will be soon considering where to start their careers and family life. Will we have enough energy to sustain our community and economy? Will we have taken continual action to prevent the destructive impacts of climate change? This project gives us an idea of where to start now, so that our future generations will have a solid ground to stand on in Sitka's community, environment and economy."

The study found that Sitka, with a population of 8,881, currently uses approximately 1,585 Billion Btus of energy per year which is the equivalent of almost 275,000 barrels of oil or 465,000 Megawatt/hours of electricity. According to Scott Brylinski, former City of Sitka Public Works Operations Manager and the principal investigator of this report, "Sitka will spend between $1B and $1.5B on oil over the next 20 years. By making investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects now, we can avoid much of those costs and keep dollars flowing within the local economy rather than leaking out of the community through purchase of oil."

Garry White, director of the Sitka Economic Development Association, and member of the Southeast Conference, adds, "Having aviable energy supply is key to economic development and overall quality of life for Sitka. The recently released Southeast Alaska Integrated Resource Management Plan provides some direction and potential paths. Sitka has the opportunity to take information from both reports and shape the direction that works best for our community and our energy future."

SCS's report sought to find solutions that took advantage of local opportunities and proven technology with successfully demonstrated commercial applications. Local business owner Gary Smith, who was interviewed in this study, comments that, "There is no silver bullet solution for meeting our energy needs. It will take multiple initiatives and technologies working together. This presents a huge opportunity for us to create local jobs and a local workforce installing and maintaining energy efficient technology like heat pumps."

"Because of the scale and scope of the issue of energy, informed public and private sector investment is needed to ensure a viable energy supply for SE Alaska communities. The State of Alaska legislature is currently working on legislation related to energy that includes oil tax structures, energy efficiency rebates and weatherization, emerging energy technology research, and renewable energy funds. As can be seen from this report, it is critical that the legislature makes the right decisions on these issues because energy is a critical element for the sustainability of Alaska communities and we know that our oil supplies are running out and we need to think beyond oil," comments Andrew Thoms.

The full report outlines a range of scenarios for Sitka's energy mix over the next twenty years and recommendations on actions that should be taken to ensure a viable energy supply.

The report can downloaded: here

To look at a timeline of the Sitka Conservation Society's work on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, click: here

The second biggest user of energy in your home is the hot water heater. Adjusting your hot water heater to the correct temperature can save a great deal of energy in your home. In this video, local contractor Marcel Laperierre shows us how to adjust the hot water heater temperature for energy savings.

 

Weatherization 101 is a six part series produced by the Sitka Conservation Society and the City and Borough of Sitka Electric Department to help Sitkans increase their energy awareness, conserve electricity, and save money.

Video by Andre Lewis.