Sustainable Living In Shawnee Candidates Forum

Thanks for joining Sustainable Shawnee at  City Commission Candidates Forum. I think we had a helpful discussion on a number "quality of life" issues including sidewalks, trails, bike lanes, water quality and recycling. Remember the election is in June so get out and VOTE!

Sustainable Shawnee plans to host another forum for the House and Senate candidates later this summer so keep an eye out for the date!

Look for an article on the event in the next edition of the Countywide! 

Sustainable Shawnee at St. Gregory's Art Trek 2012

Donna Schoenkopf at the Sustainable Shawnee Booth

Sustainable Shawnee's Cody Deem and Donna Schoenkopf spent a beautiful Saturday at St. Gregory's Art Trek. Sustainable Shawnee has had a children's booth at the Earth Day event for several years now and we enjoy showing kids how to reuse items they have at home. Rather than throw away magazines, small tin cans and the like use them for arts and crafts activities with the kids! Of course, don't forget the recycle the rest! Thanks again for your support of the arts and education.

Happy Earth Day!

Sustainable Shawnee Participates in Trash Off! 2012

Sustainable Shawnee participated in a nationwide initative called Trash Off! on April 21st in honor of Earth Day. Several civic groups, church youth groups and families pick up trash along roadways around the city. Sustainable Shawnee was assigned Bryan between Independence and Highland along with a short section of Independence south of Bryan.Sustainable Shawnee president, Shawna Turner said, "I picked up 3 full bags of trash from about 500 yards of road on either side of Independence south of Bryan. I couldn't believe how much trash was hidden in the weeds and just what people were throwing out of their cars. It was an education! My advice to the city is areas that are regularly mowed attract a lot less trash than areas that aren't. So mow and enforce mowing statutes along roadways as much as possible to reduce litter."

Shawna Turner and "Puppy"

Sustainable Shawnee is considering participating in the city's Adopting-a-Street program and would appreciate feedback from members. Would this be a productive use of our time? Would the group support the activity? Let us know at sustainableshawnee@
gmail.com. 

“Smart-Metering Electricity At Home: What Does It Mean For You?”
Guest Speaker: Penny Seale, OG&E will discuss the energy and money saving benefits of the new OG&E Smart Metering Program.

What is a Smart Meter System? The smart grid uses a secure wireless network for two-way, real-time communication with smart meters installed on the outside of customer homes. In the future, that meter could communicate with programmable thermostats or other technology inside customers’ homes.

The smart meter allows OG&E to remotely read, connect and disconnect service. It is part of a secure system that allows you to see your energy use and cost information anytime on a secure website called myOGEpower.com.

Smart Meters have been installed in most Shawnee homes. To find out how they work and how you can save energy at home, join us for the next Sustainable Shawnee meeting! Questions? Email sustainableshawnee@gmail.com

Oklahoma Water Plan: Take Action Now!

Make a Comment Today!

Several Sustainable Shawnee members have participated in the Oklahoma Water Planning process. This fall the public input report will be submitted to the OK Legislature. At this time, Oklahomans have the opportunity to submit comments specifically to the Legislature on how you’d like them to use the report. Don’t waste a moment a going to OKwaterplan.info to leave your hopes for how water use and quality in our state. Politics being what it is; legislators need to hear your views because big business will certainly express theirs. Click on “Make Comments” in the left-hand corner of the page.

EPA to go ahead with regional haze plan over Oklahoma's objections

The Oklahoman
Published: December 15, 2011

The U.S EPA is standing firm with its plan to force Oklahoma's two largest electric utilities to reduce emissions from their aging coal plants. The federal plan finalized Wednesday by the EPA has been criticized for failing to consider the financial impact on Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. and Public Service Co. of Oklahoma customers if those companies are forced to install expensive scrubber technology. Utility officials have estimated the EPA-mandated improvements to reduce emissions could raise electric rates as much as 20 percent over three years.

“We're disappointed by what we've seen thus far from the EPA,” Oklahoma Gas and Electric Co. spokesman Brian Alford said. “We continue to stand by the Oklahoma plan that uses less coal and more natural gas, and believe it would do a much better job of improving visibility at national parks for far less cost than what the federal government is mandating.” The EPA's ruling is meant to improve visibility at national parks and wilderness areas, while protecting the public from pollutants coming from three state power plants, the agency said on Wednesday. “Controlling emissions that improve visibility also prevents health risks including increased asthma symptoms and premature death,” according to the prepared statement issued by the EPA.

The EPA plan would require OG&E and PSO to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions from three coals plants. Each plant, built more than 30 years ago, has two electricity-generating units. “This can be accomplished by retrofitting the six units with dry flue gas desulfurization technology, commonly known as ‘SO2 scrubbers,'” according to the plan issued Wednesday. “EPA believes that these limits can also be met by wet scrubbing technology or switching to natural gas.” EPA estimates scrubbers would cost about $600 million for OG&E and $274 million for PSO, although the companies' estimates have been significantly higher.

Click here to read more.

EPA Issues First National Standards for Mercury Pollution from Power Plants

WASHINGTON – The U.S. EPA has issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, the first national standards to protect American families from power plant emissions of mercury and toxic air pollution like arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide. The standards will slash emissions of these dangerous pollutants by relying on widely available, proven pollution controls that are already in use at more than half of the nation’s coal-fired power plants.

EPA estimates that the new safeguards will prevent as many as 11,000 premature deaths and 4,700 heart attacks a year. The standards will also help America’s children grow up healthier – preventing 130,000 cases of childhood asthma symptoms and about 6,300 fewer cases of acute bronchitis among children each year.

Power plants are the largest remaining source of several toxic air pollutants, including mercury, arsenic, cyanide, and a range of other dangerous pollutants, and are responsible for half of the mercury and over 75 percent of the acid gas emissions in the United States. Once final, these standards will level the playing field by ensuring the remaining plants – about 40 percent of all coal fired power plants - take similar steps to decrease dangerous pollutants.

The standards also ensure that public health and economic benefits far outweigh costs of implementation. EPA estimates that for every dollar spent to reduce pollution from power plants, the American public will see up to $9 in health benefits. The total health and economic benefits of this standard are estimated to be as much as $90 billion annually.

For more information on the new standards, visit www.epa.gov/mats

Composting Essentials Talk a Big Success!

Dr. George Dreiver's talk on "Enriching Your Soil the Natual Way: Build and Use Your Own Compost" was outstanding. Dr. Dreiver is the new Horticulturist on staff at the OSU Extension Center. He has a strong background in natural and organic gardening for vegetables as well as flowers so use him as a resource. We're hoping to have his presention on composting available on the website soon.

Remember, the Shawnee Community Garden, located at the corner of Wall and Park Streets, is in winter production so stop by for some lettuce, radishes and other favorites. Work days will begin in February. We'll get the word out when the first Saturday is scheduled!

2011 Recycling Christmas Wish List

1. Call Central Disposal at 275-5854 and ask to be placed on the Curbside Recycling for Shawnee list. The more people that call, the closer we are to making curbside a reality for Shawnee!

2. While talking to Central Disposal, ask them to provide you with a 75-gallon trash container rather than the 90+ bin you presently have. Save money AND send less trash to the landfill in 2012!

3. Recycle your old/damaged Christmas lights at LOWE’s this season. The recycling center is located next to the entrance just inside the store. They are recycling rechargeable batteries and compact fluorescent bulbs as well so make a trip of it!

4. Read over Sustainable Shawnee’s Recycling in Shawnee 2011 to see what can be recycled in town and where to take it!

Happy Holidays From Sustainable Shawnee!

Sustainable Shawnee/OBU Win 2011 KOB Environmental Excellence for Community Garden

Each year Keep Oklahoma Beautiful (the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful) holds a statewide Environmental Excellence Awards Competition to recognize the good works of Oklahomans for exceptional environmental improvement efforts. A statewide call for nominations goes out on June 1st for awards in a variety of categories. After a rigorous judging process, the top three finalists in each category are notified and invited to attend the Environmental Excellence Awards Banquet in November. This highly anticipated event is well attended and full of fun, surprises, inspiring stories, good food and entertainment. Each finalist is honored with a media presentation telling the story of their achievements just before the winners in each category are revealed. In early October, Sustainable Shawnee received news from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful that the Community Garden of Shawnee had been selected as a finalist for the 2011 Environmental Excellence Award for Community Effort.

On November 10, Timothy McCollum, director of the garden and assistant professor of anthropology at Oklahoma Baptist University, accompanied by four OBU students - Chad Ward, JoBeth Hamon, Janeth Carreon, and Cody Yount - attendedthe 21st Annual Environmental Excellence Awards Banquet hosted at the Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City. The evening proved eventful, not only because the garden was presented and honored as a finalist, but because it was declared the winner and was one of five statewide projects honored as "Best of the Best."

During the acceptance of the award, McCollum addressed the audience, "I would like to thank the organization and institution that formed the working partnership to establish the garden, namely, the active and generous membership of Sustainable Shawnee and Oklahoma Baptist University, especially those students, faculty, and members of the Student Government Association who been supportive and involved. And it would be remiss not to express gratitude to Larry and Barbara Smith for the land, to Direct Colors, to Shawnee Sawmill, to Minick Materials (Oklahoma City), and to the many neighbors and local participants who have helped bring the garden to life." McCollum concluded, "This recognition by Keep Oklahoma Beautiful is a testament to the dedication and work of many wonderful people, all devoted to cultivating a modest idea into beautiful fruition. Indeed, the garden motto captures the essence of our community effort: Let's Grow Together!"