April 24, 2017 at 4:35 p.m.
Nicolet College hosts Northwoods Sustainability Fair
Over 30 groups and seven speakers participate in Earth Day event
Nicolet College hosts Northwoods Sustainability Fair
Very appropriately, the seventh annual Northwoods Sustainability Fair was held on Earth Day.
With over 30 informational booths, student experiments and research, and food from various organic farms, patrons had ample opportunity to further their knowledge about how to make their own lives more sustainable and reduce their carbon footprint. Further, speakers and roundtable discussions were featured throughout the day, adding to the educational environment of the event.
The theme of the 2017 was "If you build it...". To stay in line with the theme, numerous booths, such as Antigo's Green Design Center, Great Lakes Carpentry of Mercer and MMK Solar Thermal in McNaughton showcased techniques and materials that can be used to create a more environmentally-friendly home.
Randy Nilsson of Great Lakes Carpentry spoke about the concept of "passive homes." Passive homes meet a rigorous, voluntary standard of energy efficiency, with a minute ecological footprint. "Superinsulation" and advanced window technology create an air tightness, which limits the home's environmental impact.
"If passive homes were a car, they would get 230 miles to the gallon," Nilsson said. "Passive houses can save 90 percent on heating and cooling costs."
This idea extends to organizations such as the American Bird Conservancy, which was represented by Early Successional Habitat Private Lands Forester Nora Kennedy. Kennedy focuses on ensuring a proper habitat for birds can be retained on timber harvested lands.
"Depending on how you build your property, you can really enhance the quality and quantity of birds there. For instance, if you're doing a timber sale we can help them design it to make it more effective to bringing in birds," Kennedy said.
Joel Knutson of the Wisconsin Bat Project delivered information to the public about threats that the area's bats face. From White-nose syndrome, habitat loss and pesticide use, bats have been dropping in significantly in numbers. Knutson said the theme has helped tie individual groups together.
"We're really excited because this is a collection of doers. We have people working on gardens, bird habitat, energy efficient homes, and our help with bats is just adding to that equation," Knutson said. "A lot of the things that people are learning here (at the Sustainability Fair) in terms of habitat, and efficient home building keep bats out of your homes, but do well in developing a property that works for fish, insects, birds, as well as bats."
In all, the 2017 Sustainability Fair brought together a variety of organizations, experts and those passionate about the environment to the Northwoods to share thoughts, facts and feelings about the future of ecological maintenance and improvement.
Evan Verploegh may be reached at [email protected].
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