2008

Biofuels: the Good, the Bad, the Ugly
When we first heard about biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel they sounded like a sure means to reverse global warming and end US dependency on foreign oil; but as the commercial biofuels industry expands exponentially, it is revealing itself as less than green. Does that mean that biofuels have no place in our country’s energy future? Get some food for thought at this presentation and discussion.

Maud Essen is not only the founder of the St. Louis Biofuels Club but also the daughter of a mechanical engineer and a chemist. Maud’s genes have finally kicked in as she has been making biodiesel from recycled vegetable oil since 2004 and hasn’t purchased petroleum fuel for her personal vehicle since 2005.

Building an Electric Car
The basic choices to meet individual needs and budget are listed. Then one project is described from start (selecting a donor car) to completion.

Charlton Jones is a retired college professor. He currently teaches in the AARP Driver Safety Program and the League Road Bicycling Program. He regularly drives by electricity.

Climate and Contextual Design for Missouri Homes
The workshop will present various strategies for incorporating climate and contextual design into new and existing homes in Missouri, including passive solar, photovoltaics, wind, and advanced energy efficiency, using Missouri materials.

Michael Goldschmidt is an assistant professor in the Department of Architectural Studies at the University of Missouri-Columbia and a State Housing and Environmental Design Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension. For 20 years, Michael has promoted green building design through professional practice and education.

Creating your own Green Roof
Learn to design and construct your own green roof using materials that are produced in St. Louis.

Kelly Luckett is president of Green Roof Blocks, located in Florissant, Missouri. Green Roof Blocks has green roof projects throughout the US including here in St. Louis, where the first project was at the EarthWays Center.

Green Homebuilding: From Concepts to Details
An overview of rating systems and key concepts of green building, along with a look at some details specific to our region.

Richard Reilly, LEED AP, is the COO of Boa Construction Company. He has been a construction professional for over 25 years. He started implementing green practices more than ten years ago.

Greening Your Interiors
Overview of finishes and furnishings available in today’s eco-friendly marketplace. Discussion will also focus on the criteria for “green” home decorating—how do you know if a product is really green?

Courtney Thompson has a degree in Environmental Design from the University of MIssouri-Columbia. She has been practicing Interior Design in St. Louis since 2004, and has always had a focus on sustainable design and its implementations.

Home Composting Made Easy: Goodbye Waste…Hello Black Gold
You can divert from landfills over 30% of you total residential waste simply by composting kitchen and yard debris! Learn how to transform this compostable matter into “black gold”—rich, organic material that you can use in your yard, garden, and for houseplants. A 31-page booklet and other handouts are included.

Jill Hamilton has worked as the Recycling Program Manager for the City of St. Louis Refuse Division for the past seven years. She obtained her M.S. in Environmental Studies from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. And, once upon a time she was well stocked for Halloween and Thanksgiving by a pumpkin patch growing from her compost pile.

Home Performance 101: Hands On Lab
Based on a quick poll of the class, the workshop will promise “hands on” training on what a homeowner can do to improve his or her home’s performance and energy efficiency.

David Rabenau owns Show Me Home Energy Solutions, a company that performs residential energy audits as well as Energy Star, LEED-H, and Builder Tax Credit verification. David is a certified HERS rater and a certified BPI Professional.

If Not Nuclear Power, What Then?
Is nuclear power a clean, green and affordable energy alternative that has a role to play in the transition to a sustainable energy future? If we don’t invest in new nukes, what’s the alternative that will allow us to make a rapid transition away from fossil fuels?

Mark Haim is Director of Mid-Missouri Peaceworks, a Columbia-based grassroots membership organization, as well as a co-founder of Missourians for Safe Energy, the Peace Nook, Peaceworks’ Center for Sustainable Living, and the Columbia Peace Coalition. He has been involved in sustainability and peace education for over 30 years.

Keeping City Chickens: A Primer
What can a few chickens do for you and your backyard? Presentation will feature lots of pictures, and will address topics of space requirements, city rules, coop design, breed choice, raising from chicks, feeding and watering, resources and supplies, and the honest pros and cons of city chicken husbandry.

Living a More Sustainable Life: One Year’s Results
We have actual results from our first year in a LEED Platinum home. We will also describe our year long project called “The Waste Diet”, a plan to live sustainably

Maren Engelmohr is a 20-year experienced architect and has completed two LEED Platinum projects, one corporate and one residential. She is an active advocate for living a sustainable lifestyle and creator of “The Waste Diet”, a plan to encourage others to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Making Clean, Renewable Energy Work for Missouri
How will Missouri transition to clean, safe, secure renewable energy?

Erin Noble is the Energy Policy and Outreach Coordinator for the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. She is the lead organizer for the Ozark Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Expo and co-founder of Renew Missouri, a collaborative of environmental and renewable energy organizations working to promote sound renewable energy policy in Missouri.

On the Path to Personal Energy Independence
Most homes bleed energy (and money). A well thought-out energy plan can move a home down the path to energy independence.

Gary Steps is the founder of Butterfly Energy Works. His background as a physicist, engineer, and certified project manager enable him to guide his team to deliver cost-effective integrated energy solutions for homes and small businesses.

Rain Gardens—Concepts, Principles, and Planning
We will be exploring the principles and concepts of rain gardening. Site assessment, location, and benefits will be discussed.

Cindy Collins and her husband Jerry have been the owners of Hartke Nursery for eight years. Cindy is a Missouri certified nursery professional, a certified Arborist, and holds a horticulture degree from SLCC-Meramec.

Residential Energy Savings: Air Sealing and Insulating Your Home
A basic introduction to diagnosing energy loss in the home and how air sealing and insulation can improve a home’s performance.

Home Green Home are building performance contractors who utilize advanced diagnostic techniques and specialized methods that enable homeowners to achieve improvement in the energy efficiency, comfort, and health of their home.

Saving Energy: Getting Energized with Renewable Energy to Fight Climate Change
Are you unhappy about our country’s lackadaisical response to climate change and the exploding energy crisis? I know I am! I want to make sure you know what you can do to turn that frustration into action. Saving money and energy through energy efficiency and energy conservancy is an important and critical first step to save ourselves. Renewable energy and how to use it in a way to alleviate your energy usage and help your finances.

Aur “da energy mon” Beck is an energy efficiency and renewable energy installer with his company, Advanced Energy Solutions (www.AdvancedEnergySolution.com). He is a founder and on the board of the Illinois Renewable Energy Association and the Southern Illinois Center for a Sustainable Future (www.sicsf.org). He has a weekly radio talk show, “Your Community Spirit,” (www.YourCommunitySpirit.org) but he would like to be known mostly for Oil Addicts Anonymous International (a real twelve step program), www.IamanOilAddict.org.

Solar Power for you Weekend Cabin or RV
Come learn about solar panels, charge controllers, batteries, inverters, system design and sizing for small off-grid solar electric systems.

John Ervin is the regional sales representative for Florida-based Solar Direct. He specializes in off-grid and grid tie systems, solar water heating, and solar pool heating. This is his third year participating in the festival.

Solar Thermal—The First Step in Going Renewable
Solar Thermal is an affordable, reliable, and efficient way to heat your water and your home. Learn about its benefits and what it takes to make the transition.

Henry Rentz is a pioneer of the renewable energy industry in Missouri. He has extensive experience in design and installation of solar and wind systems for residential, commercial, and agricultural clients.

The Three R’s of Rehabbing
Re-use, recycle, and re-purpose your construction and demolition “waste.” Ideas, tips, how-to’s and where to go’s.

Kathleen Schweitzer currently works as Grants Administrator for the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District. She was the founder and Director of Habitat for Humanity St. Louis’ ReStore from 1997–2006 where she also originated its “deconstruction” program for reclaiming building materials. She is a Certified Waste Auditor and a WasteCap Accredited Professional in Construction and Demolition Debris Recycling.

Tried and True: Missouri Native Plants for your Yard
Learn how to use native plants to reduce fertilizer and pesticide use, to save water, and to beautify your house.

Barbara Fairchild is Communications Specialist with Grow Native!, a joint program of the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Missouri Department of Agriculture (MDA) that helps protect and restore Missouri’s biodiversity by increasing conservation awareness of native plants and their effective use.