Hello Sustainable Mondays,
We wanted to put out one final reminder about tonight’s special programming, a local energy expert panel, that is happening from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Rail River Folk School!
Where does our energy come from before arriving in Bemidji? What is the history of utilities in our region?
Have to opportunity to speak with local authorities on energy and discuss the many types of energy and each of their advantages and disadvantages.
The panel will feature several local energy authorities including Sam Mason, Manager of Customer Service at Beltrami Electric, Ken Johnson, Energy Management Representative at Otter Tail Power, and Chris Waltz, Energy Advisor at Franklin Energy. Come find out about your energy background and details from local authorities and ask questions you’ve always wanted to know about energy in Bemidji and Beltrami County!
Participants will learn valuable information and make connections they can take back to their own households. The event is free and open to the public. Snacks and tea will be provided. All are invited to attend!
Spread the word and bring all your friends, this is the panel and speaking opportunity that the rest of the month has building towards!
Hi Brett/Simone -
Thanks for the great discussion last night at Sustainable Monday. It was a great first foray into the difficult topic of local energy. It left me wanting more…. I can understand the panelist’s dilemma – their customers are used to and demand cheap energy on demand. The part we started to get to – but really need more discussions – is the compromise part: the needs of the environment in conflict with the needs (and wants) of humans. I’d really like to see more discussions about the environmental part – and the true costs, not just the costs we are used to seeing. I think that Chris Waltz understands this – you can’t quote Albert Bartlett without understanding we really are in a predicament. Ken Johnson kept saying “environmentally safe”. That’s a topic I’d like to expore more also!!!! Would also like to explore the building resilient communities concept. Chris touched on some of this with his comments about localizing food systems – hurrah!
Anyway, thanks for the Sustainable Monday events – I really like the panel discussion format, and look forward to more of that.
Diana