Daily Sitka Sentinel

October 4, 2019, Community Happenings

Climate Connection: Carbon Footprint Part 2

By Lisa Sadleir-Hart

Last week, I shared that if everyone lived like me it’d require 2.1 earths, and we’d overshoot what the earth can regenerate by the first day of summer (6/21) each year. Additionally, I learned that my household requires 398 trees annually to offset 28 tons of carbon dioxide. These were “come to Mother Earth moments” for me as our household is highly carbon conscious, AND it’s insufficient given the current climate emergency. So here are my top 7 actions to help my household reduce my carbon emissions.

1. Reduce the number of times I fly each year and fly like a NERD (new aircrafts/economy class/reduce number  of connections/direct flights). I think realistically I can drop 1 trip per year and then offset the carbon emitted by making a per trip donation to Sitka’s Carbon Offset fund (https://www.sitkacarbonoffset.com/)

2. Encourage others to purchase an electric vehicle. We’ve driven our Leaf for 6+ years and/or bike commuted. Because Sitka’s got clean hydropower, our household has made significant carbon savings and want to get this message out.

3. Install a programmable thermostat and lower it by 2 degrees in the winter. Each degree of reduction saves .06 tons of CO2 emissions. I can always add a layer.

4. Commit to yearly preventative maintenance on our heat pump. Since we’ve had it done this summer, our heat pump is running more efficiently and putting out more heat. (https://sway.office.com/NNPUeERtb4CaNQiI)

5. Replace our 20 plus-year-old appliances with Energy Star appliances over the next 2 years. This will not only save us money to run them, but may also provide us with tax credits and further reduce our emissions(https://www.energystar.gov/).

6. Commit to Meatless Mondays and maybe add another day each week. We already eat a mostly plant-based diet with small amounts of fish and we can do more. Every day of the week one commits to no red meat reduces carbon emissions by .4 metric tons.https://www.meatlessmonday.com/.

7. Reduce food waste - I’ve talked about this before in Climate Connections and know it will save our household money that we can put toward improvements to our large production garden or more organic food. We already compost all of our produce waste so this won’t be too hard to pull off.

Transportation, home heating and food/food waste are the top 3 carbon producers for the majority of households. So consider taking a deep look using a carbon footprint calculator and then commit to reduce and offset your carbon emissions so that generations to come can enjoy this amazing world. Challenge family members or neighbors and get the kids involved to lighten the load and make the work more joyful; plus it improves accountability.

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Submitted by Lisa Sadleir-Hart, volunteer Sitka Chapter of Citizens Climate Lobby

Cancer Support

Group to Meet

Sitka Cancer Survivors Society invites the public to a cancer support group meeting 3-4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 20, at Mt. Edgecumbe Medical Center in the fourth floor boardroom.

The group welcomes cancer patients in treatment or recovering and their family members.

Contact Diane Linn at 512-659-3156 with questions.

The group meets the third Sunday of the month.

Cycling Club

Ride on Oct. 12

The Sitka Cycling Club’s next group ride will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12.  Cyclists will leave from the new Salty Spoke Bike Collective, in the back of the Hames Center.

The route will go from Indian River Road to the Sitka Cross Trail to Kramer Avenue and then back into town. The ride will stop at a couple of points to show the new paths that are part of the proposed Sitka Cross Trail mountain bike enhancement project.    For more information go to sitkacycling.wordpress.com.

Woman’s Club

Meets Oct. 5

Sitka Woman’s Club will meet noon Saturday, Oct. 5, at Westmark Sitka. Those with questions may call  Robin at 752-8575.

The non-profit, community service organization meets monthly Sept. through May.

Unitarians to Meet

Suzi McClear will present a program on Norse Mythology at Sunday’s meeting of the Sitka Unitarian Fellowship. ‘‘Mythology is Religion in Story Form’’ is the topic.

Gathering begins at 10:30 a.m., with the program beginning at 10:45.  Soup and bread follow at noon. The Fellowship Hall is located at 408 Marine Street, with parking behind off Spruce Street.  All are invited to attend. For information, call 747-3702.

Wildlife Tour

On Boat Oct. 26

With support from Allen Marine, the Sitka Rotary Club will hold its third wildlife tour of the waters surrounding Sitka on Saturday, Oct. 26. 

Embarkation will commence at 12:30 p.m. at Crescent Harbor. The vessel will depart promptly at 1 p.m. and will return at 4 p.m.

Seating is available for 140 guests. Ticket prices are: under age 5, free;  ages 5-12, $15; ages 13-20, $35; ages 21-64, $45; and ages 65 and older, $35.To purchase a ticket, post on Sitka Rotary Club or Sitka Duck Race Facebook groups, or call John  Weitkamp (818) 207-2993, email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or post on his fb page.

Volunteers Sought

By Credit Union

ALPS Federal Credit Union is seeking volunteers for its supervisory committee. Contact Cathy Hazel for more information at 738-0450.

College, Career

Fair on Oct. 10

 Students, parents and other community members are invited to attend the College and Career Fair Oct. 10 at Sitka High School.

More than 50 representatives from various career technical schools, universities and military service branches will be in attendance.

The schedule for students, by grade, is: 10-10:50 a.m., juniors; 10:55 a.m., lunch, seniors; 1-1:40  p.m., sophomores; and 2-2:40 p.m. freshmen.

Class Dismissed

Early on Oct. 18

Sitka School District will be dismissing classes in all schools early on Friday, Oct. 18, in observance of Alaska Day. Lunches will be served.

Schools will be dismissed as follows: first grade bus pick-up, 11:45 a.m.; kindergarten parent pick-up, noon; grades 2-5, noon; Pacific High School, 12:30 p.m.; Blatchley Middle School, 12:45 p.m.; and Sitka High School, 12:50 p.m.