2007 Alterra Green Scene Participants
Current as of 9/26/2007
Alterra an Alternative Energy Store, a division of Altalab, Inc.
Dealer of renewable and alternative energy products, including Harris Battery (Trojan, Discover, Optima, Energizer Minn-Kota, Harris Battery and Japlar/Schauer batteries), and DC Power Systems Renewable Energy Products:
- Iskra Wind Turbines
- Building Integrated Photovoltaics
- Inverters, balance systems, charge controllers, monitoring equipment
- Solar-Wind hybrid Systems
- Sharp, Uni-Solar, Suntech and Evergreen Solar
Appalachian Woodenware, Eddie Fletcher
Doug Arbogast, West Virginia Sustainable Communities Project (WVSCP).
The WVSCP is a non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of Energy and water and the reduction of waste in WV communities. These goals are accomplished in a number of different ways, all of which aim to raise awareness of environmental issues and show that everyone can take steps to reduce their personal ecological impact.A partnership between the Student Conservation Association and the WVDEP with funding from the Benedum Foundation, the WVSCP began two years ago and is now based in Fayetteville, WV. So far, work has mostly taken place in central WV, but this year the project project focus area may expand to include Greenbrier County.
Robert Baker, Baker Home Services
A presenter in the Conservation at Home and Work panel."I came to this area for a two week visit in the spring of 2000 and have been here since. The rural-home town attitude of the people in Greenbrier as well as the beautiful landscapes of the mountains and hollers drew me right in and beckoned me to stay! I currently live with my wife Cynthia and two kids Jamie May and Gage in Alderson.
Since 2002 I have been a licensed plumber working mainly for homeowners in the area. Wanting to grow my business and provide more services led me to consider what other needs I could serve. Many of the houses I work on lack proper insulation and this led me to the question, " What is the best insulation product?" The answer is polyurethane foam.
While my major motivation to start a foam insulation business is to make money, I feel great knowing that I can provide a superior product that will serve the customer for a lifetime! Saving energy means saving money, helping the environment, and lessening the load on national infrastructure. Foam insulation helps create betting buildings that are energy efficient and healthier to live in."
Bob J. Bennett, Recycling Coordinator for the Greenbrier County Solid Waste Authority
Bob is a presenter with the Green on a Grand Scale panel."I began to work for the GCSWA in July of 2000. In 2000 we recycled 700 tons of materials. In 2006 we recycled 1300 tons of materials. We have relocated from Fairlea to Ronceverte in February of this year. Each year I write Grants to purchase needed equipment to handle the increase in materials being processed at our center. We work closely with Summers, Monroe and Pocahontas Counties recycling programs."
Michael Buttrill, Bootstraps Farm
Michael Buttrill, coordinator and presenter on the Food Choices panel, has a B. A. in Ecological Philosophy from New York University. A West Virginia resident for six years, Michael came here to start Bootstraps Farm, an organic vegetable farm, and shortly thereafter co-started the Lewisburg Farmers Market. Another aspect of Michael's environmental activity is producing biodiesel to use in his tractor, truck, and station wagon. Michael is also working on reducing carbon emissions by supplementing the use of electricity at home with a biodiesel powered generator in a Net Metering relationship with Allegheny Power.Jean Collins
Self employed fiber artist and Master Gardener. Jean has raised a family and lived sustainably off-grid. Jean has been handcrafting wearable art in WV for 25 years.Karline Jensen, Cricket Dreams
Karline is the moderator of the Conservation at Home and Work panel. Karline designs and builds low tech systems to support her home and economy. Her straw bale house is built with locally milled lumber and includes a greenhouse on the South side for solar gain. She has solar panels for electricity and gravity fed water for the house and gardens. Chicken tractors fertilize the garden and rotationally graze the pasture for her dairy heifer.Christians for the Mountains, Allen Johnson
Christians For The Mountains is a network of Christians advocating for protection and restoration of the creation. The primary effort is to end the practice of mountaintop removal coal extraction that devastates mountains, streams, the ecosystem of living organisms, and human communities. A DVD, "The Mountain Mourning Collection," has been locally developed and produced and distributed. Thousands have been powerfully impacted by this message. Additionally, Christians For The Mountains has developed a DVD on the spiritual values of wilderness, "God's Gift of a Wild and Wonderful Land" that is specially focusing on the proposed wilderness areas in the Monongahela National Forest. Allen will be a participant in the Green on a Grand Scale panel. http://www.christiansforthemountains.org/Alicia Eisenbeiss
Alicia designed and implemented a micro-hydro system that powers her family home and business. She and her husband are members of MCRE (Mountain Communities for Responsible Energy) and live off-grid. She will present in the Conservation at Home and Work panel."I spent time in research and a lot of talking with people to gain the knowledge to do this right. We had help from Don Harris, Zantrex and Steve at NE Solar"
Lori Evans
Lori will be helping with kids activities.Greenbrier River Watershed Association, Marcia Wilson-Cales
Information and kids' activities about mushrooms and fungi, and their role in the Carbon cycle. Mushrooms are useful not only as food and medicine; some are also being used in bioremediation, to absorb and digest dangerous substances like oil, pesticides, and industrial waste.Peter Heus, The Enchanter's Garden
Expert in WV invasives, native plants, foraging in the forest. Peter will participate in the Food Choices panel, and at the conclusion of the discussion will lead a discovery walk through the woods.
Bob Hoffa, Altalab, Inc.
Altalab, Inc. and Alterra. Inventor, engineer with an interest in electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and biodiesel. Pictured here is the 2007 June Buggy, a plug in electric horseless carriage combining state of the art amish and mennonite buggy technology with contemporary controllers and electric motors.Highland Pastures Network, Donald Blake
Buy Meat and Eggs Direct from any of our independent family farms. The farmers of the Highland Pastures Network share a commitment to farming and growing meat in a health conscious way. We believe our pasture-based production systems are:- Healthy for soil, air, and water
- Healthy for farm animals
- Healthy for the local economy
- Healthy for you and your family
Highland Pastures Network, John Walkup
Presenter on the Food Choices panel. Walkup Farm has grassfed Angus beef - no hormones, no antibiotic, no grain.Diana Hunt
Diana will be helping with kids activities.Deborah Johnson
Deborah is an organic farmer from Pocahontas County.Wendy Lechner
Self employed fiber artist and jeweler. Master Gardener currently designing an off grid home.Jessica Levine, Community Arts Activist
Jessica is the founder and motivating force behind Dottywood Community Arts and Art in the Park. Dottywood Community Arts has just launched a new project. Mighty Thrifty, a store in downtown Ronceverte will provide quality used goods to the community and will benefit participating local non-profit organizations by giving them a share in the profit. Current partners include Bolling Inc, Carnegie Hall Foundation, Inc, Dottywood Community Arts, Family Refuge Center, GEHLE, Greenbrier River Watershed Association, and Greenbrier Housing Authority. http://www.dottywood.org/ Jessica will be moderating and participating in the Green on a Grand Scale panel.John Manchester, Mayor, Lewisburg, WV
John will be a presenter during the Green on a Grand Scale panel, discussing the challenges faces by the City of Lewisburg in being "green".Sarah L. Martin, CPA
WV CPA concentrating on small business consulting, and tax incentives for sustainable individuals and businesses. Currently researching legal ins and outs of biodiesel retailers and co-ops. Sarah is on the Conservation at Home and Work panel.Russell Osborne, Kids' Activities
Rusty taught 6th grade science and health in the Lewisburg area - always with a passion for conservation and ecological awareness. He will do a hands-on presentation on personal waste management.Pocahontas County Free Libraries
Pocahontas County Free Libraries is a national award winning system for its outreach into its communities. A special collection, The Farm and Homestead Collection, was unveiled in July, 2007. With funding provided by The Hollowell Foundation and the Pocahontas Development Authority, this collection is the most extensive in West Virginia offering hundreds of titles involving agriculture, alternative and small scale farming, rural building, alternative energy and water systems, and an abundance of other related topics. This extraordinary collection will be highlighted at Green Scene. Library patrons from Monroe, Greenbrier, Pocahontas and most surrounding areas should be able to borrow these materials using their library cards. http://www.pocahontaslibrary.org/Florian Schleiff
A panelist on the Conservation at Home and Work panel, Florian has an MA in Mechanical Engineering and an MA in Economics and Business Management. He emigrated from Germany, lives in Renick, and is now building houses in the Greenbrier Valley. He deals on a daily basis with people making decisions, many decisions are about alternative energy and alternative lifestyle. He takes a long view of this process, looking at the big picture. Florian views this decisionmaking process as part of an evolutionary path toward making a better world.Margaret Schleiff
Margaret and family will present a workshop on building a cold frame to speed seed germination and protect plants from frost. A cold frame extends your growing season with weeks of plant growth early and late in the year.Tenley Shewmake
Tenley will present "Developing an Energy Reduction Plan" during the Green on a Grand Scale panel."Most people want to do the right thing. The Alterra Green Scene is a solution oriented event providing tools for individuals, businesses and governmental organizations to act with more awareness in consuming energy."