As More People Ride Bicycles, Safety Improves

Although it would seem that as more people are out riding their bikes, there would be more bicycling accidents. But research is showing that as ridership increases, the accident rate is not changing.

"When there are a lot of bicyclists on the road, according to this theory (Safety in Numbers), drivers take notice. They become more attentive, slow down, pass more cautiously, double-check their blind spots, expect the unexpected. They sense that the road has become a more complicated place, and adjust their behavior accordingly. As a result, the road becomes safer, presumably for everyone." says researcher Peter Jacobsen.

Read the entire article at Grist.org.

Rising Concern About Bottled Water Use on Campuses

"Wars in the past have been fought over oil. Wars in the future, experts say, will be fought over water. And it seems that the opening skirmishes are taking place on campuses, over water in little blue bottles."

These opening sentences are from a new article in the Chronicle of Higher Education. Students, faculty and staff on campuses are working to ban the sale and use of bottled water on their campuses. Read the entire online article here.

Noelwah Netusil, environmental economist, to speak on "Valuing Walkability and Vegetation in Portland, Oregon"

Friday, October 15
3:30 p.m., Room 230 Carl Wimberly Hall
No admission charge
Contact: Mike Haupert (haupert.mich@uwlax.edu, (608)785-6863)

Noelwah Netusil (Reed College) will be the next Economics Department seminar speaker. She will be here on Friday, October 15th to present "Valuing Walkability and Vegetation in Portland, Oregon." A copy of her paper is available from Mike Haupert (haupert.mich@uwlax.edu, (608)785-6863) upon request. The seminar will be at 3:30 p.m. in room 230 Wimberly Hall. Noelwah is an environmental economist whose research of late has focused on urban green spaces and sustainable growth. She is interested in talking with faculty with similar research interests. Contact Mike Haupert if you would like to visit with her, as she will have free time both Friday morning and between lunch and the seminar.

Group Wants Solar Panels on the White House

Bill McKibben, founder of 350.org, and a group of students in a biodiesel powered van are hoping to convince President Obama to have solar panels installed once again on the White House. President Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed in 1979, but they were later removed by President Reagan. McKibben and his crew also have one of the original solar panels once on the roof of the White House and want it to be placed on display on the grounds.

Read the entire article here.

UW-L Kayakers Featured in La Crosse Tribune Article

Jessie Conaway, outdoor programs manager at Three Rivers and a recreational management instructor at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse and student Elena Bantle were featured in a recent La Crosse Tribune article about La Crosse’s first paddle to work day, an event organized by Three Rivers Outdoors.

Read the entire article

La Crosse Tribune photograph

Will Allen Plans Five-Story Farm in Milwaukee

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Online:

The proposed five-story vertical farm - dramatic in shape and with an expansive, sloped glass front to absorb natural light - would be built at Growing Power's existing 2-acre farm at 5500 W. Silver Spring Drive through local and federal donations and grants. A half-dozen existing greenhouses would be preserved as historic structures. The estimated cost is $7 million to $10 million dollars.

It would have 23,000 square feet for classrooms, a demonstration kitchen, offices, staff locker room, retail store, food processing, loading dock and freezers. An additional 15,000 square feet of sloped area, facing Silver Spring Drive, would be devoted to growing vegetables and fish. Fish tanks for perch and tilapia would be trenched into the ground. The building would have a rooftop solar panel, would capture rainwater to be recycled for watering plants, and would transfer heat from the building top to a thermal mass underneath to store for future use.

Read the entire article

Will Allen Picked for TIME Magazine 100

Will Allen, founder and CEO of Growing Power, Inc. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was named one of the 100 people who most affect our world in the 2010 TIME Magazine 100: The World's Most Influential People . Read the article in TIME magazine.