To the Editor:
Sustainable Girdwood is a new group growing out of former Girdwood resident Doug Wu’s original efforts to promote sustainable energy and economic development here in Glacier Valley. Doug has since moved on, but our efforts are continuing.
We now have two, clear, short term goals and need your help.
First, we want to support the “Girdwood Renewable Energy Research and Discover Center” proposed by UAA. The center they have proposed would create a nexus for ongoing efforts to make this town sustainable, using ambient hydropower from the creeks and tides, wind, solar, and possibly even geothermal power. UAA faculty and students for training and research would use it, and any of us who live here would be welcome to visit and collaborate.
Student assignments would be to develop real designs and plans for renewable energy systems here in this valley. The center could include an electric greenhouse to grow organic produce for the restaurants and community year round. Tourists would be able to visit and use interactive displays to learn more about renewable energy.
To accomplish this first goal, we are initiating a letter writing drive, with the goal of gathering 100 letters of support from residents in this community. These letters will be consolidated by Sustainable Girdwood, and copies will be given to the major decision makers at the Muni, HLB, DNR, US Department of Energy, UAA, and so on. We want to help UAA get this center. One it is built, it will be a part of their regular programs.
Showing community support will help us get the funding needed to make these dreams real.
UAA has already measured the year round water flow in this valley over a period of two years. The UAA study proposed four small creek hydropower projects for Virgin, Crow, Alyeska, and California Creeks. Combined, they would provide 10 percent of the power this town consumes, with no dams, and no negative impacts on fish.
Thus, our second goal is to start where the need is greatest, and determine community support for an actual hydropower project on upper Crow Creek, to supply power to the 40 or so homes there that are “off the grid.” We will be conducting a door to do neighborhood survey to document the ratio of support among those residents.
You can help us. Politicians and business leaders at every level give lip service to these ideas now. By seizing the day, as they say, we can get them to put their time and money into making these projects real.
Sustainable Girdwood is sponsoring three Events in May:
1. Sustainable Girdwood - Work Planning Meeting, starting on time, Wednesday 7-8 p.m. May 13 at Maxine’s – followed by Open Mike Night. Goals include planning our letter writing drive in support of the proposed “Girdwood Renewable Energy Research and Discovery Center,” and commencement of an Upper Crow Creek Road community hydropower support survey – to see if there is as much support for hydropower there as we suspect.
2. A talk entitled “Change and Resilience in the Coming Times - a look at what on Earth is going on,” with John Doyle, 7-9 p.m. Thursday May 21 at the Gerrish Library and Community Center (next to the Girdwood Fire Station).
3. Sustainable Girdwood - Volunteers Barbecue Potluck, at Lorna and Derek’s House on Cortina Street (call Lorna at 783-3083 for directions), 6 p.m. until it’s over, on Wednesday May 27.Goals include relaxing, socializing, and sharing ideas.
If you want to help with this effort, please consider writing a letter of support and/or joining Sustainable Girdwood.
Contact me to share ideas and get on our volunteers list.
Thank you for your support.
Evan Cutler
Volunteer for Sustainable Girdwood