Hi! Introduce yourself! :)

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Permalink Reply by Michael Cornelius on February 25, 2009 at 2:48pm

Greetings to all,

I've lived in Lincoln for 24 years. By day I'm a software developer for a local company. By night (well, by day too, really) I crusade for good transportation planning and smart growth as a member of the Lincoln/Lancaster County Planning Commission. In that capacity I'm very interested in green policy as it pertains to urban development and planning.

In good weather, I commute to work by bike, but more on that in some other thread. If you want to categorize me as a cyclist, I'm one of those who likes dancing with cars, but I'll ride the trails too, if they get me where I want to go. If I can get my two wheels out in front of a car, though, I'd rather do that than be on a bike path. It's better advocacy! :-)

I've been a strict vegetarian for over a decade. I'm not vegan, but I don't, for example, consider bacon an honorary vegetable. (Or chicken. Or seafood. Etc.) It's hard to be vegan, though, when my wife, Barbara, is a cheesemaker.

I've been an advocate for issues of concern to Lincoln's neighborhoods since moving to the Hartley neighborhood. I'm a past president of the neighborhood association, and former board member for the Lincoln Neighborhood Alliance. I try to be involved in Free-To-Grow and the Lincoln Policy Network as my work schedule permits.

I've been practicing aikido for longer than I care to admit, considering the rank that I do not hold. I enjoy both the physical practice and the generally progressive attitude of my fellow practitioners. I've started practicing yoga, recently, too, and look forward doing it more.

Thanks to Andrea for putting this network together. I look forward to deeper participation in Lincoln's green movement.

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Permalink Reply by Robert Byrnes on March 2, 2009 at 8:16pm

When I reflect back on the last 7 years or so woring with renewable energy in Nebraska, I shake my head for two reasons. I am amazed at how far some things have come while discouraged at how tightly many fellow Huskers tend to cling to the status quo(and others that are paid to defend it).

I took our small farm off grid five years ago after being incensed by utility heavy handed tactics. Being the kind of guy I am, I told them basically to keep their power. The farm has biodiesel, oilseed crush, wind, solar and several other components of the farm energy cycle under development. The 'Energy Farm' is now a demonstration project and training center for our summer internship program in its' fourth year.

We started the Nebraska Renewable Energy Association to help close the awareness gap which is huge, we have done some good things for Nebraska with that. It will be moving its' HQ to lincoln this Summer if anyone is interested in getting involved.

I made the first licensed Biodiesel in the state some years ago and developed the 5 million gallon plant in Scribner, a great local, farmer owned facility which is the largest surviving plant in the state because of it's local model and vertical integration. We are developing a facility in Lyons to crush seeds and algae right now, the local oilseed facilities are a great opportunity for rural Nebraska.

We opened Nebraska Green Fuels in Lyons after we worked with the city to declare itself a 'Renewable Energy Friendly City' last Summer. That is a fuel cooperative that only deals with renewable fuels. Fun deal there.

The greatest challenge we have in Nebraska other than citizen awareness and lethargy is the terrible policy environment. Working around the utility lobbyists has been amazing process. I had one declare just today how citizens producing renewable electricity under net metering were 'competition'. My adage that public power does not approve of the public making power is as true as ever, tragically.

So I left a cush six figure job to take on this crazy mission of developing renewables in Nebraska and I do my best every day to make this happen. My victories have been small but rewarding and those that include empowerment of individuals in this area have been a joy.

So though I don't live in Lincoln, I appreciate being included on the 'Scene' and for Andrea for putting it together. Networking of citizens is a kay aspect of turning the good ship 'Status Quo' about before it's too late.

Some websites, FYI

www.NebraskaWind.com
www.NebraskaREA.org
www.NebraskaGreenFuels.com
www.NebraskaScrewPress.com

Glad to help folks as I can, plenty of opportunities to get involved and many workshops planned for Summer!

Robert

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Permalink Reply by Laura Chisholm on April 1, 2009 at 12:30pm

Hi!

I am a native Georgian married to a Brit living in Raymond, NE. We operate a small sustainable farm. We have five children ranging from 15 to 9 months. My passions are sustainable pasture based farming, raw milk, breastfeeding, and attachment parenting. Looking forward to getting to know more people!

Blessings,
Laura Chisholm

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Marie on June 24, 2009 at 11:24am

Well, I was born in Omaha and lived there until age 10 or so- then we moved to Lincoln. I really have no other frame of reference...lol Except the yearly trips to Opp, Alabama to visit step-grandparents- and sometimes trips to the beach in Florida. I am married (20 years this year- yeah!) with two kids and four grandkids- that I call my gaggle. (I'm Nana, by the way- we don't use the "G" word at our house)
I have an associates in environmental technology (SCC) and was a research technician, mainly at UNL for about 10 years. Went back to school at UNL in broadcast journalism. I now work for a non-profit in PR/Business Development.
My hobbies include crafts of all kinds, sewing (I'm really into recycling old jeans right now- into long/short skirts, bags, etc), rug making, mosiac, hiking, biking and roller blading. I'm also into digital photography (I get it from my mom, but she's really good- old school, 35 mm, black and white, does her own developing, printing, framing, etc), my favorite part is composition- I LOVE close ups. I'm also working on my first panorama right now that involves a train. I've also done and still do somewhat professional/freelance writing- which I enjoy as well. That's all I can really think of, except that I've always been the recycling type. They just started teaching it to my generation in school, I have fond memories of growing up in the 70s, ahhh, those were the good old days...

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Permalink Reply by Thaddeus Fonck on May 13, 2010 at 5:59pm

Hi, My name is Thaddeus. I go by Thaddeus. I'm a little nervous. I'm kind of new to this kind of group. I like taking care of our earth. But I've often been scared away by those far more overtly zealous than myself.
I've spent a lot of time in nature and have a huge respect for her. I was raised around people who took their livelihood from the earth. They all believed very deeply that they need to take care of and nurture the earth. I've taught and practiced 'Leave No Trace' and 'Leave a place better than when you found it" for most of my life. In summary, I believe in a balanced and common sense approach to being green.

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Permalink Reply by Elbert E. P. Hill Smith on June 10, 2010 at 5:11pm

Very nice introduction. Thank you. Where does the time go anyway? I didn't happen to see it way back when until n-o-w. I was into website design on Yahoo Geocities. I should get it back together on another platform I guess. Been studying Japanese like crazy for seven years now. Surely I'm getting it together in this period. Finally. I digitized a recording of some Unitarian choir music including a song from the Musical "Rent". Interested? I also speak French and Spanish. See you latah.

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