On Monday, June 21, Iowa’s first LEED™ Platinum-certified home will be awarded a certification plaque by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Located at 33 Pecan Street in Cypress Villages, Robert Smistik’s new home was over a year in the making. Constructed entirely by local contractors, the two bedroom home had to meet a rigorous checklist of requirements to attain LEED™ Platinum certification.

“The residential sector contributes greatly to climate change and is responsible for 21% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions,” said Nate Kredich, Vice President, Residential Market Development, U.S. Green Building Council. “Green homes like 33 Pecan Street are an immediate and measurable way individuals can make a difference for the environment, and this project will serve as an example to the community of the benefits of building green.”

LEED™ (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is an internationally recognized, point-based green building certification system developed by the USGBC. LEED™ measures how well a green home performs in the following categories: energy savings, water efficiency, C02 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, stewardship of resources, and sensitivity to their impacts. LEED™ Platinum is the highest designation of all.

The home marks the first of many future LEED™-certified buildings planned at Cypress Villages, a 144-acre eco-neighborhood being built north of Fairfield. “Every building and home at Cypress Villages will be built according LEED™ Silver or Platinum,” says Martha Norbeck, the community’s Project Designer and Sustainability Specialist. “Our goals are to live as a model of sustainability for ourselves and others, and to celebrate and protect the valuable natural resources of our planet.”

33 Pecan Street features low-e argon windows, high efficiency lighting fixtures, compact fluorescent bulbs and high insulation values. Other energy efficiency upgrades include a ground source heat pump for heating and cooling, a high efficiency water heater, a programmable thermostat, an energy recovery ventilator and solar electric panels. Low VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint, bamboo flooring, and regionally produced windows, gypsum board, wood trim and tile have been used throughout the house. With a monthly average utility bill of $82, the Smistik home is performing 40% more efficiently than a comparable code compliant home and has achieved the highest Energy Star rating which is five stars plus.

“At Cypress Villages, we’re about as green as you get,” says Norbeck. “We’re striving to build a self-sufficient neighborhood of LEED™-certified homes that go above and beyond most standards of sustainability. This home is just the first step.”

While they are “on the grid,” the community aims to be Net-Zero. This means their solar and wind-generated utilities will produce enough renewable energy each year to match or exceed what they consume from outside energy utilities, with no natural gas, fuel oil or liquid petroleum required. Cypress Villages also has 120 acres of certified organic farmland, is converting to permaculture food production and is partnering with a local entrepreneur to develop an eco-mall.

The entire community is invited to attend the open house and award ceremony that will take place at 2pm on June 21st at the Smistik home. Developer Dan Walker and designer Martha Norbeck will speak on the challenges and rewards of building green as well as Iowa’s sustainable future. State and local leaders will be present for the ceremony and refreshments will be provided. 33 Pecan St is located off of 177th St. North Highway 1 in Fairfield. For more information, visit www.CypressVillages.com.

If you ask the Rabalais (say “Rab uh lay”) brothers how their band Utopia Park won the award for Best Musical Act 2009 in Fairfield on FairfieldVoice.com, Phillip will tell you they stole it, with a grin on his face.  Dominic jumps in quickly to point out that while other local favorites The Jefferson County Green Band were leading the poll at the time the brothers discovered they were in the running, all it took was a few emails, Facebook and blog posts to mobilize their established fan base into voting them the winners.

Brothers “their whole lives”, Phil and Dom both got into making music in their mid-teens.  About two and a half years ago, they wrote their first original track, and they’ve been steadily producing, performing and refining their high octane, catchy electro-pop ever since.

Starting out with the band name Porno Galactica “pretty much as a joke”, the Rabalais brothers recently decided to change it to Utopia Park.  They feel the name speaks to the magic of their childhood growing up in a local trailer park of the same name.  Plus they were looking to match the aesthetic that evolved as they began to take themselves a little more seriously as a band.  What began as mostly a “laptop DJ” show has expanded to include live guitar and keys over their programmed backbeats.

Still, while their commitment to making music may have gotten more serious, the only thing serious about a Utopia Park show is the amount of fun to be had!  To quote the brief write-up in Fairfield Voice when the winners were announced, “If you don’t start dancing by the time Porno Galactica (Utopia Park)’s song Sea Best Released is over; then you just might be dead.”

Utopia Park recently returned from their Deep Chill tour of the Southern US, starting off this March in Austin, and looping back there again in time for SXSW by way of Houston, Louisiana, Georgia and Arkansas and a few other places in-between.  They played lots of shows, learned lots of things, made lots of friends and chronicled it all in their funny and irreverent blog (warning, it does contain occasional not safe for work language).

Since returning home, the brothers haven’t even stopped to catch their breath.  Between promoting and hosting shows in Cafe Paradiso, The Beauty Shop, and their house, they started a new label called Sweat Power Records.

Sweat Power Records is bringing back the cassette tape for limited edition releases by Utopia Park and several of their friends.  The novelty concept is sparking creative ideas among the bands releasing music on the label.  Some want to create a whole package deal where you buy the cassette with a walkman and headset.  Others want to do split EP’s with Utopia Park.  The beauty of it is that Phil and Dom have that, “Why not? Let’s do it!” attitude that not only supports creative ideas but actually makes them happen.

To me, that is part of what makes Utopia Park so deserving of their award for Best Musical Act.  Not only do they make great music and put on great shows, they serve the younger generations in Fairfield through their examples of how to take an idea and follow it through to reality.  In a small town where you aren’t as likely to have your entertainment handed to you on a platter, creating the environment you want to experience can be the difference between happiness and boredom.  I applaud their generosity, energy, and ingenuity and look forward to whatever the Rabalais brothers may come up with next!

In fact, I know the very next thing they are doing is this Saturday, May 8th at The Beauty Shop. Utopia Park will be playing their first Fairfield show since returning from their March tour.  They are sharing the bill with several other artists, including two bands who will be releasing their Sweat Power Tapes on the same night.

Check out the line up:

Valley Tounges from Iowa City — SWEAT POWER TAPE RELEASE!

Tall Too and Maid Marian from Ames — SWEAT POWER TAPE RELEASE!

Alex Body from Iowa City

Utopia Park

The show starts at 9pm at The Beauty Shop.  Cover is $2.

There’s a whole lot of noise going on about the Fairfield Quiet Zone over on the Facebook page for Fairfield, Iowa. It’s an issue that has had people on both sides of the tracks (pardon the pun) up in arms for about five years, so much so that at one point the Fairfield City Council put a ban on discussing a Quiet Zone for a period of time. Recent developments have people talking again, but there still seems to be a lot of confusion about Quiet Zones in general and what one would mean for Fairfield, so maybe we should back up a little and make sure everyone is up to speed.

First off, what is a Quiet Zone? Back in 2005, the Federal Railroad Administration issued a final rule about locomotive horns at train crossings. While the rule requires that the locomotive warning horns are sounded at all crossings, it also provides communities the chance to establish “quiet zones” by modifying the railroad crossings with safety measures that prevent people and cars from crossing the tracks when a train is coming. A 2007 study in Fremont California showed that when the Federal Railroad Administration’s Supplemental Safety Measures to create a Quiet Zone were adopted, the risk of accidents dropped by 75%-92%!

With numbers like that, it’s no surprise that cities all over the US are taking advantage of this law not only for safety’s sake but also to gain relief from train noise and increase property values for residences near the tracks. 155 Quiet Zones have already been established in Iowa’s neighbor states alone: Wisconsin has 68, Illinois has 20, Minnesota has 43, Nebraska has 2, and Missouri has 22. Iowa itself has 6 Quiet Zones in Boone, Nevada, Denison, Burlington, Le Claire and Bellevue. Marshalltown, IA has stated in their 2010 city plan that establishing a Quiet Zone is a “high priority”.

Some folks claim that they would miss the train horns as a quaint reminder of days gone by. That may be, but take into consideration that in Fairfield in the 1970’s there were less than 16 trains per day, often only sounding their horns once or twice with a long blast as they passed through town. Compare that to the increased numbers since the year 2000 – we now have up to 70 trains per day, with 20-30 required-by-law whistle blasts per train as it passes through Fairfield. This adds up to 2,100 whistle blasts per day, not to mention the horns are much louder now than in the 1970’s and 80’s.

Another concern raised by opponents to the Quiet Zone is that the City of Fairfield does not have the budget to make the necessary modifications at the railroad crossings. In November of 2007, the Fairfield City Council voted 5-1 to support a Quiet Zone subject to certain conditions, such as not using any tax revenue, and that the cost of the quiet zone would have to be raised by the community. The only exception being that the city agreed to contribute 50 percent of funds it will receive from Burlington Northern Santa Fe for the closing of the 3rd Street crossing. So the City of Fairfield will not use any money or tax revenue to establish a Quiet Zone. In fact, they would end up receiving $100,000 cash if they close both the 3rd and Main Street crossings.

Safer crossings, less noise for residents and businesses, increased property values, no money spent from the City budget or taxpayer dollars, cash back to the City from BNSF – it all sounds like a winning proposition to me. The Fairfield Train Safety and Quiet Zone Committee has reached their fund-raising goals and is ready to implement their proposed plan. All that is required now is the approval of the Fairfield City Council. What will you be telling your council members?

Senator Becky Schmitz (Iowa Senate District 45) has provided a form on her website for her constituents to offer feedback on important budget decisions in the coming months.

Here is one of the sections from the survey to give you an idea of the areas our legislators are examining:

Difficult choices will have to be made by lawmakers in order to balance the state budget. Which areas of the budget do you feel can least afford to be cut?

• Iowa Power Fund (Development of Alternative/Clean Energy Sources)
• Education (K-12, Community Colleges, State Universities, Early childhood)
• Agriculture (Farm to School, Farmers Market Program, DNR)
• Human Services (Child Abuse Prevention, Mental Health Facilities, HAWK-I, Veterans)
• Public Safety (State Patrol, Drug Enforcement, Fire Marshall)
• Unemployment Services (Unemployment Insurance, Regional Workforce Development Centers)
• Tax Credits (Including Individuals, Non-profits and Businesses of all sizes)
• Transportation (Roads & Bridges/Infrastructure Spending)
• Economic Development (Grow Iowa Values Fund, Workforce Development, State Parks)
• Small Business Incentives
• Other (please specify)

The survey also provides space for you to add your own feedback and opinions and the opportunity to leave your email if you would like to be contacted with a summary of the results.

Iowa State Senators

I hope that other Legislators around the state are providing such accessible ways for their constituents to offer input on important issues!  But even if they don’t have a web form, the questions Senator Schmitz is asking may help you figure out what input and questions you want to communicate to your legislators by phone or email.  This page provides links to contact info for all members of the Iowa House and Senate.

One thing to keep in mind is the Iowa Senate and Iowa House Districts cover slightly different territories and have different district numbers.  For example, while Fairfield residents are served by Senator Schmitz and Representative Curt Hanson who both live in Fairfield, Senator Schmitz serves Iowa Senate District 45, which covers Jefferson, Van Buren, Washington and parts of Wapello and Johnson Counties.  Representative Hanson serves House District 90, which covers Van Buren and parts of Jefferson and Wapello Counties.

If you aren’t sure who your legislators are, this page on the Iowa Legislature website will allow you to look them up quickly.  The results page will also provide you with all the contact information you need to get in touch with your Senator and Representative (both State and Federal).

There are some tough decisions coming up, make sure your voice is heard!

Here is another great opportunity for local gardeners new and experienced to learn more about growing their own food!  As part of his internship in the Iowa Master Gardener program, MUM Sustainable Living professor Alex Kachan is offering a series of workshops on various aspects of small-scale, organic gardening to the entire community for free.  The only requirement is that you register at least one week in advance because each workshop is limited to 15 participants.  If Alex gets more than 15 requests for a workshop he will schedule a repeat for the overflow members.

I had the great pleasure of both attending one of Alex’s lectures on Vermicomposting (using composting worms to biologically break down organic matter) and working with him at the Ecovillage CSA two summers ago.  He is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about growing food sustainably from every step in the cycle, so I am sure these workshops will be not only informative but inspiring.

Here is a brief listing of workshop times and topics.  Email Alex at the address below for complete descriptions and to reserve a spot in the ones that interest you.

Sunday, March 14th, 2010: Starting Seeds
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: SL Dept., room 111 & SL greenhouse

Sunday, April 18th, 2010: Making your bed – the art of Double Digging!
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: MUM Community Garden

Sunday, April 25th, 2010: Compost – learning to grow soil!
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: MUM Community Garden

Sunday, May 2nd 2010: Compost Tea – pampering your soil & vegetables!
Workshop length: 1:00– 4:00 PM (3 hours)
Location: SL Dept. room 111

Wednesday, May 5th, 2010: Garden Q&A’s
Workshop length: 2:00– 4:00 PM (2 hours)
Location: MUM Community Garden

Workshops will be filled on a first come, first served basis.  To register, choose the workshops you wish to take and send their titles, dates & your name to Alex at: akachan@mum.edu

Click here to download a flyer providing more details on the workshops.

There may still be snow on the ground, but the days are getting longer, the temperatures are creeping up and if you listen, lots of birds have returned from their winter journeys.  That means it’s the perfect time to start planning your garden!  For anyone thinking of starting a garden for the first time, or who wants to learn some new tips and tricks, the At Home Store is hosting a new garden planning series this spring.  Starting next week is a two-part class called Planting a Garden with guest lecturer Moni Hayne.

Here is the information from the At Home Store’s Facebook event page (click to RSVP):

Moni Hayne will be joining us to share her garden knowledge. An organic gardener, with lots of experience gardening in the Midwest, Moni will be lecturing on Garden Planning, and Beneficial Insects. Learn tips on how to plan your garden, how to start seeds (and how many to start!) and how to work with beneficial insects to make a healthy garden.

The first class will focus primarily on garden planning, and the second class will focus on beneficial insects of the garden, and how to enlist their help!

The first class is on Thursday, March 11th from 6:30 to 8:00pm.  The second class is Thursday, April 8th. Cost is $10 per class, or $15 for both classes.  The At Home Store is located at 52 North Main Street, on the Fairfield square.

Once again, here is a link to the event page if you would like to RSVP.

Here is the At Home Store page on Facebook.

Stay tuned to Fairfield Voice for more gardening tips and resources coming soon!