Event news (blog)

Here's a link to a mention of SPLASH! on the Great Lakes Town Hall blog by Gary Wilson of the Biodiversity Project - very nice reminder as just 150 tickets are left for the public tasting:

http://greatlakestownhall.org/forums/community-bulletin/3514

Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley, and Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle will tour Crave Brothers Farm and Dairy Operation in Waterloo, Wisconsin Friday to see bioenergy in action.

Crave Brothers is an example of a successfully operated modern dairy, using green energy sources to power the farm, cheese factory and 120 area homes. Crave Brothers Dairy Farm and its cheesemaking enterprise, Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese, have a  computer-controlled anaerobic digester system that generates electricity from biogas created by organic waste from their 750 pampered and productive Holsteins.

The Administration and State officials will discuss the opportunities for rural America to embrace science and lead efforts to create clean energy jobs, achieve energy independence, mitigate climate change, and transition to a clean energy economy.

Congratulations to the Crave family - and sign up to meet Debbie and George Crave in person at SPLASH! on October 26, 5-8 PM, Discovery World, Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Film Festival will feature two screenings of the powerful documentary about the Great Lakes, Waterlife. The film screens this Saturday Sept 26 at 7 pm at the Oriental Theatre as well as Tues Sept 29 at 5 pm at the North Shore Cinema; details at www.milwaukee-film.org. 


"A stunning ode to the natural beauty and environmental crisis surrounding the last great supply of fresh water on Earth. Five Great Lakes. One Last Chance. Under assault on all fronts by a deadly combination of industrial toxins, sewage, invasive species, climate change, and profound apathy, the Great Lakes are on the verge of irreversible collapse. Toronto filmmaker Kevin McMahon reveals the extraordinary beauty, ecological complexity, and extreme state of distress of our local waters. A must-see for the 35 million people along the Third Coast who drink from the lakes, swim in the lakes and depend on their waters for survival. Narrated by The Tragically Hip's Gord Downie and featuring music by Sam Roberts, Sufjan Stevens, Sigur Ros, Robbie Robertson and Brian Eno. Waterlife is a dire warning in the vessel of a tone poem, simultaneously a lyrical paean to the lakes' lingering beauty and a relentless documentation of their rising toxicity. "-- Rick Groen, The Globe and Mail

Here's a link to the press release from Reuters about the platinum sponsors, The Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. and Beer Capitol Distributing Inc.

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS132709+09-Sep-2009+PRN20090909

Here's news of Genesee County, given the go-ahead on pumping up to 85 million gallons of water daily from Lake Huron, forwarded by Josh Rubin, beer writer for the Toronto Star:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-mi-lakehuronwithdraw,0,2532075.story

Water is meant to be returned to the Lake, mixed with groundwater, in greater supply than the withdrawals.

http://www.biztimes.com/daily/2009/8/19/craft-brewers-will-focus-on-water-conservation-at-milwaukee-conference

http://www.forbes.com/feeds/prnewswire/2009/08/19/prnewswire200908190810PR_NEWS_USPR_____PH63134.html?partner=email

MILWAUKEE, Aug. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The first independent conference on water conservation for craft brewers brings together water policymakers in the Great Lakes and experts in water saving systems from Bridgeport Brewing Co. (Jeff Edgerton), New Glarus Brewing Co. (Dan Carey), Odell Brewing Co. (Doug Odell), and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Fred Strachan). Dick Leinenkugel, Secretary of Commerce for the state of Wisconsin, delivers the keynote address for The Great Lakes Craft Brewers & Water Conservation Conference.

The conference will help craft brewers save water and save money. With many water utilities in North America increasing fees by 25% or more in the next year, this conference will pay for itself through practical systems for water savings. Early registration is just $195 per person, until September 18, 2009.

Policy panel discussions cover the Great Lakes Compact, which affects 20 percent of the world's supply of freshwater.

Dick Leinenkugel, Secretary of Commerce, State of Wisconsin , discusses the Milwaukee-7 Water Council and initiatives to foster water technology and innovations in his keynote address on Monday, October 26, 2009.

Jeff Edgerton, Assistant Brewmaster, Bridgeport Brewing Co., Portland, OR , discusses water savings and retrofits, from rinse water reclamation to re-use of bright tanks, and how procedural changes added up to significant annual savings.

Dan Carey, co-founder and Master Brewer, and Randy Barr, New Glarus Brewing Co., both will conduct tours of the Hilltop Brewery's new wastewater treatment center, which is the first of its kind to be installed outside the Pacific Rim.

Doug Odell, co-founder and "head water guy," Odell Brewing Co., Ft. Collins, CO, talks about how to work with your local government -- and a few innovative systems that let Odell achieve a ratio of just 3 gallons of water to brew a gallon of beer.

Fred Strachan, Supervisor, Water Process & Systems, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, CA , discusses water audits and equipment monitoring to track water usage throughout the brewhouse and pub operations, and how to work with your water utility.

The panels and presentations will begin on Monday, October 26, at the Pilot House, Pier Wisconsin, in downtown Milwaukee, an architectural jewel overlooking Lake Michigan. Monday evening features a dinner buffet and reception with award-winning cheesemakers of Wisconsin and craft breweries, with tickets available to the public, $60.

On Tuesday, October 27, the group will meet for Doug Odell's presentation followed by a bus trip to tour the wastewater treatment facility at the New Glarus Brewing Co.'s Hilltop Brewery.

Early registration for the two-day conference is $195, including lunches and the reception until September 18, when the rate will raise to $250. Space is limited to 250 attendees. Online registration and details are available at http://www.conserve-greatlakes.com.

For more information, contact h20greatlakes@gmail.com, or call 800-760-5998 to reach conference organizer Lucy Saunders, F&B Communications LLC.

"I think the Conference is a great idea. Craft Brewers have the opportunity to be leaders in water conservation and sustainability. All we have to do is apply our natural penchant for innovation and we can change the norm. Many of us have made good progress but there is more we can do through collaboration," stated Doug Odell, co-founder, Odell Brewing Co.

CONTACT: Lucy Saunders 800-760-5998 h20greatlakes@gmail.com

I met Chris O'Brien at Ohio Brew Week, and we had a long talk about sustainability - and even though he's due to be in Seoul Korea during the GLCB water conservation conference, he added this post to his blog - thanks!

http://beeractivist.com/2009/08/16/great-lakes-craft-brewers-water-conservation-conference/

Look for the call for posters to be distributed this week!