jillithian: (pwnd Cute Overload)
This is awesome:

from St. Cloud Times website

Athletic complex upgrades bring savings
By Lawrence Schumacher • lschumacher@stcloudtimes.com • December 3, 2008

If not for the deep fryer in the concession stand, natural gas would no longer be needed at St. Cloud’s Municipal Athletic Complex.

“We’ve had a normal gas bill of $14,000 or $15,000 a month, but this month I figure it’ll be more like $200 or $300,” said Todd Bissett, arena operations manager at the MAC.

Bissett, other city officials, builders and contractors and some curious residents showed up Tuesday at Dave Torrey Arena to see what’s making the MAC not a little, but a lot “greener” these days.

The answer is a $1.7 million geoexchange heating and cooling system installed during the summer and fall. It is ready for this winter’s skating season.

The system will cut natural gas use by 95 percent, electricity use by 30 percent, save 4 million gallons of water and eliminate 300,000 pounds of greenhouse gases while saving the city money, said Bob Swanger, vice president for Harris Companies, the group that sold the technology to the city.Read more... )
jillithian: (typewriter)
Senator Coleman and I have been corresponding a lot, lately. I've sent him a couple of emails recently (along with similar emails to my representatives) and he's been kind enough to respond (or, has some well appointed staff members). The Congress.org website can be dangerous in the hands of an opinionated and demanding woman such as myself.

My most recent email I've sent him:
I oppose the $25 billion in emergency loans to the auto industry because
bad management should NOT be rewarded. These car companies are hurting
because they haven't actually had to COMPETE with any foreign car
companies due to the funds the government has already sent them over the
years. Let's get American cars competitive again! If they don't have to
fight for their own existence - like any other company out there - they
get complacent, uncompetitive and too big - like they are now.

Sincerely,


Jill


And his very informative response:Read more... )

It took me a second to remember that we have a threatened Ford plant in St. Paul ([livejournal.com profile] viksin and [livejournal.com profile] princeaeneas both lived near it for a while). It seems the more I learn in my Internation Business Management class, the less I am for government bailouts. The history of Nokia is interesting in that they came from a highly competitive environment and had to be competitive in order to succeed and survive. However, I think the failure of the $600 billion financial bailout is looming large in the minds of Congress right now - and rightly so! - and they are finally looking at it in a financially smart way. Banks shouldn't give out money and loans willy nilly without seeing how the money will be used. Governments shouldn't either.

In similar news, the recount resumes today. Looks like Senator Coleman may be beating Mr. Franken by only tens of votes. Talk about every vote counts!

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Jill

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