Clean energy on campus ballot
by Tabitha Dial
The Metropolitan
With the help of wind turbines and Denver mayor John Hickenlooper, Auraria
may be on the right path to realizing clean energy.
Joel Sayre, president of Metro State Active Voices for the Environment
met Hickenlooper at the Denver caucus on April 13. Sayre introduced himself
to the mayor and told him about the Auraria Clean Energy campaign.
Sayre said Hickenlooper suggested an official Auraria Clean Energy Day.
"We talked for ten minutes," Sayre said.
Hickenlooper said he remembers meeting Sayre but said he needs more time
to take steps toward supporting Auraria Clean Energy.
"The mayor was very excited to learn about students getting engaged
in environmental issues and would like to support future efforts in any
way possible," said Lindy Eichenbaum-Lent, communications director
for Hickenlooper.
Excel Energy account representative Doug Ryan said the $3 billon energy
bill Auraria Clean Energy claims the campus pays is grossly exaggerated.
Excel is not permitted to release their customers' information.
"There are a number of programs that customers can take part in
to reduce their energy demands," said Steve Roalstad, Excel media
relations spokesman.
Roalstad said he is glad the students have a chance to think about clean
energy and vote on it for themselves, and Excel encourages their customers
to conserve energy through information distribution and a business solutions
center.
"We think that Windsource (an Excel Energy program) is a wonderful
way to encourage the development of renewable energy sources," Roalstad
said.
A student fee of one dollar per semester would generate enough money
among all Auraria schools to pay for wind power in the Tivoli and in the
new portion of the Auraria Events Center, both powered by student fees.
Auraria will use wind farms to power these buildings if the Auraria Clean
Energy Vote passes this week.
One of the wind turbines near the Wyoming border currently has a University
of Colorado sticker on it, evidence of student support for clean energy
at CU in 2000. The turbines belong to Ponnequin Wind Farm, part of Excel
Energy's WindSource program.
"We are looking forward to slapping a CU- Denver logo, a Metro logo,
and a CCD logo on (those turbines)," said Philip von Hake, a MSAVE
volunteer and UCD student.
Von Hake was one of the first students at Auraria to help MSAVE with
the Clean Energy campaign. MSAVE is a 20-member student organization established
by Sayre in October of 2003. It has raised money for Auraria Clean Energy
through one bake sale and endless hours of soliciting local businesses
to lend their support.
In addition to the local businesses and restaurants who lent their support
to Clean Energy for Auraria, EnviroCitizen has also taken an active role.
EnviroCitizen is an organization which supports students in their endeavors
to protect the environment.
Faith Winter has been an active member of EnviroCitizen for over a year
and is helping students at Auraria promote clean energy.
"You can see the brown cloud (that the city is famous for) above
Denver on most days," Winter said.
Auraria campus spends $3 billion dollars on energy every year, according
to Winter. "Currently, new wind is cheaper than coal," said
Winter.
Roalstad said that Excel's Windsource program costs 2.5 cents per kilowatt-hour,
more than Excel's standard service.
According to Winter, there are 120 campuses across the nation now working
on clean energy. Boulder was the first to adopt it through a student fee
increase in 2000.
After the vote, Auraria will accept bids from companies like Excel, Native
Energy and Renewable Choice. Solar companies are expected to make bids
as well.
The Denver Botanic Gardens provided MSAVE with memberships to give away
during the Auraria Clean Energy Vote on Thursday, April 22.
The Auraria Clean Energy Vote is an event which will begin with a concert
by The Mercury Project at 11 a.m. between the King Center and the Tivoli.
From noon to 1 p.m., the Auraria Clean Energy Vote will feature several
speakers, including a representative from the Colorado Environmental Coalition.
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