|
Bluegrass GreenExpo Workshops
Workshop Descriptions - Saturday, October 30, 2010
General Track
1-2 pm -- Industrial Hemp "The Real Green Crop". Craig Lee presenter
This workshop
highlights a current-day enlightenment of industrial hemp and will discuss its
history, how it is harvested and how manufacturing hemp products has developed.
2-3pm -- What NOT to do to your trees! Dave Leonard presenter
Many people do things to trees in total innocence that may be harmful long-term. There are many myths about trees as well that need to be corrected.
3-4 pm -- Clean and Healthy Homes. Greg Capillo presenter
Did you know that many household cleaners contain toxic chemicals linked to asthma and reproductive harm? But you can free your home from these unsafe chemicals! We’ll show you how. Kentucky Environmental Foundation presents “Clean & Healthy Homes,” a hands-on demonstration teaching YOU how to make safe, inexpensive cleaning products. Call us to schedule a demonstration for you and your friends or for your church, social or civic group! 859-986-0868
4-5 pm -- Introduction to Fair Trade. Teresa Hendricks presenter
What is Fair Trade? What are the nine fair trade principles used to define the concept? What products are available? Why choose fair trade? These topics will be discussed along with what you can do in your everyday life regarding fair trade.
Technical Track A
1-2 pm -- Got wind? Need electricity? Generate your own! Toni Kirkner presenter
Kentucky is considered a state where wind-generated electricity is not feasible. However, localized winds and down-home American ingenuity make an affordable solution possible for those with sufficient winds. With the right technology, even light and low winds can be converted to electricity. This electricity can be used, stored for future use, or sent back to the “power grid” to offset public utility usage. Free, clean, renewable wind energy can be an important sustainability resource in Kentucky and anywhere the winds blow.
2-3 pm – Super-Efficient, Passive Solar Homes. Gary Watrous Presenter
Gary Watrous, Solar Architect, started his Louisville firm in 1985. Since that time he has designed a large number of passive-solar homes, churches, schools, and other buildings. The goal of his practice is to design works of architecture that are functional, beautiful and energy efficient. He wants his custom-designed Sun-Earth homes to cost the same as conventional custom homes, yet save two to three times the energy. In his talk, he will describe his design methods and techniques in detail including use of the patented Solar Airfloor.
3-4 – Solar Water Heating Systems. Andy McDonald presenter
This workshop will explain the two main types of freeze-protected solar water heating systems used in northern climates: pressurized glycol and drainback systems. Topics will include system design and components, solar site assessments, system sizing and costs, financial analysis showing long term economic benefits, maintenance requirements and environmental benefits.
4-5 pm -- Solar Electric Systems. Matt Partymiller presenter
This course will cover the type of solar electric systems available today as well as their implementation, cost, and production. The course should leave attendees comfortable approaching the installation of a solar electric array.
Technical Track B
1-3 pm – Prepare Affair - Energy Efficiency for Renters and Homeowners* Lauren Bennett, Mark Miller, Justing Jarnigan, & Lloyd Hockensmith presenters
This discussion will focus on energy saving practices for your home. Areas covered include the use of insulation and how to weatherize your home, the importance of maintaining gutters and the importance of energy saving bulbs in the home. Other options for lowering utility bills by reducing energy usage will be discussed.
*Energy Efficiency for Renters and Homeowners is part of the Prepare Affair Program of the three Lexington Lowe’s stores, the Realtor Community Housing Foundation, the Remodelers Council of the Home Builders Association of Lexington and Shiloh Baptist Church. Repairs are made on homes of low-income home owners to help prepare for the winter as a part of this program. Log on to http://www.RCHF-KY.org or contact the Realtor Community Housing Foundation for more information by email at RCHF@LBAR.com or by phone at 859-276-2693.
3-4 pm – Living Off Grid – Self-Contained Renewable Energy Systems. Aur Beck Presenter
Aur Beck has lived off grid for 18 years and you can too. Learn real, fun, interesting and low cost ways to start living off grid now. Start Simply, Start Now! Aur ‘Da Energy Mon’ Beck, chief tech of Advanced Energy Solutions, educator and radio personality, empowers YOU to get energized with renewable energy.
4-5 pm – KY Home Performance – Energy Efficient Home Improvements. Van Meter Pettit
KY Home Performance is a new market-based home energy improvement program that gives single family homeowners the opportunity to invest in the comfort, energy efficiency, and health of their homes with the help of specially trained professionals and the assistance of rebates or loans.
Workshop Descriptions - Sunday, October 31, 2010
General Track
1-2 pm -- Green Entrepreneur Program – How to Start a Green Business. Bobby Clark presenter
This program highlights a local non-profit that has developed a Green Entrepreneur Boot Camp. Participants will get an overview on developing a business plan with a "green" or Triple Bottom Line (social, environmental and economic) focus. Ideas will be discussed on how to create programs and products that support sustainability to meet emerging “green” opportunities. Characteristics of an entrepreneur, how to generate business ideas, elements of a business plan and free resources for assisting in business plan development will be addressed. The workshop will interest adults and students that have contemplated starting their own business and being their own boss while doing something that is friendly to our planet.
2-3 pm – Clean and Healthy Homes – Make Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaning Chemicals. Elizabeth Crowe presenter
Did you know that many household cleaners contain toxic chemicals linked to asthma and reproductive harm? But you can free your home from these unsafe chemicals! We'll show you how. Kentucky Environmental Foundation presents "Clean & Healthy Homes", a hands-on demonstration teaching YOU how to make safe, inexpensive cleaning products. Call us to schedule a demonstration for you and your friends or for your church, social or civic group! 859-986-0868
3-4 pm -- Using Better Home Energy Management, Operations & Behaviors. John Robbins presenter
Learn some simple and inexpensive ways to manage home energy use to achieve much lower usage, cost and emissions. These usually do not qualify for tax credits or energy subsidies, but can be implemented to cut energy use sometimes as much as 25% to 33%.
4-5 pm – Viewing of Carbon Nation. George Parker and Kiley Lane presenters
Carbon Nation is a documentary movie about climate change SOLUTIONS. Even if you doubt the severity of the impact of climate change or just don't buy it at all, this is still a compelling and relevant film that illustrates how SOLUTIONS to climate change also address other social, economic and national security issues. You'll meet a host of entertaining and endearing characters along the way. Peter Byck director/producer (see workshop presenter bio).
Technical Track A
1-2 pm – A Historical and Demonstrative Retrospective on the Roots and Identity of Bluegrass Music. Art Mize presenter
Bluegrass, invented in 1945 by Bill Monroe, is often associated with the Bluegrass State. It actually embodies a complex story of the mixing of roots music forms with popular styles current in the 1940s. The synthesis which Monroe achieved, given the broad and continuing interest in imitating it, has served to define Bluegrass as a unique form of music and has embedded it in the American consciousness as a traditional form of music. I will explain and exemplify the core elements involved in this synthesis.
2-3 pm -- Net-Zero Energy via the Passive House Standard. Michael Hughes presenter
A building that meets the Passive House Standard, the highest energy efficiency standard in the world, uses 90% less energy than typical new construction for space heating and cooling, making easier the goals of energy and carbon neutrality. Certified Passive House Consultant, Michael T. Hughes, of the CSC Design Studio, will explain the design and energy modeling process behind the Passive House Standard, show examples of Passive House Buildings from around the world, and explain the difference between the old paradigm of passive solar design and the new and more comprehensive Passive House Standard."
3-4 pm -- Developing Realistic and Implementable Sustainability Planning for Universities, Cities and Regions. Jason Delambre presenter
This presentation will discuss the logistics of developing realistic and implementable sustainability planning for universities, cities and regions and how to foster the important interconnections that exist between. It will begin with a brief introduction to the international, national, regional and local context of sustainability planning, as it relates to: energy, transportation, education, government, waste, water, food, buildings, materials, land use and health planning. From this foundation, the core of the presentation will focus on the elements essential to developing sustainable planning processes within these geographic/organizational contexts and across this diverse range of technical expertise silos.
4-5 pm -- “Bio Mass Heating for Homes and Small businesses” Richard Larsen presenter
This workshop discusses some of the current types of heating appliances for homes and small businesses that include: wood pellet flex fuel stoves and furnaces; current wood stoves; and water furnaces. Purchasing and installation tips will be discussed.
Technical Track B
1-3 pm – Understanding Home Energy. John Robbins presenter
Learn (1) how to evaluate and compare energy use per home size and number of occupants, (2) what best and worst local home energy performance look like, (3) how to set reduction goals, (4) how to breakdown energy use into categories like heating, cooling, water heating, refrigeration lighting, appliances and electronics, (5) what strategies achieve different levels of reductions and (6) how cost and CO2 differs among conventional energy sources.
3-4 pm -- Re-localizing Agriculture: Making It Personal. Rebecca Glasscock presenter
After an introduction focused on the necessity of re-localizing and de-industrializing agriculture, the presentation will shift to some practical steps for having a productive small-scale vegetable garden in 2011. We’ll discuss bedding down a plot for the winter and waking it up in the spring, choosing seed, keeping pests away without chemicals or traps, and where to go for help. Compost plays an important role in soil maintenance and, in the course of the workshop, setting up a simple vermicompost (worm compost) system will be demonstrated.
4-5 pm – Retrofitting Homes for Energy Efficiency. Bill Goetz presenter
New federal and state initiatives are in place for the construction of energy efficient homes. At present, only home weatherization programs exist for low-income housing and some tax credits available for those households making energy efficient appliance purchases or major system renovations. For homeowners, such a haphazard approach to energy efficiency is expensive and does not accomplish their energy savings goals. An energy efficient house is a set of integrated energy efficient and energy saving systems working together. This workshop is a case study of an existing home, its systems, and then retrofitted for energy efficiency. This energy efficient home renovation project is a demonstration project…theories into practice, attention to details and the materials available to “make it happen.”
|
|
