Past Events

On October 30, 2024, Ariana Zimney, Education and Communication Fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, spoke at the Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library in Baraboo, Wisconsin about light pollution. Her presentation, “Dark Sky Baraboo”, described the dangers light pollution presents for animals, humans, and plants, and measures we can take to limit or prevent light pollution in our own environments. This presentation was co-sponsored by the Aldo Leopold Foundation and Powered Up Baraboo.

What actions should people, corporations, and nations take to help substantially lower global temperature and prevent further climate disasters?
On Thursday, September 26, Dave Kinzer, a trained facilitator in the En-ROADS Climate Simulation software, presented a climate workshop to give participants hands-on experience in changing factors affecting our global temperature and seeing the effect one or more of these changes will have on the climate. This exercise helped attendees realize that significant changes in any of the factors affecting climate change effects will be costly and require policy changes and probable increased expenses. This means that, in addition to our own personal actions to conserve energy, support increased use of renewable energy, and support green spaces that sequester carbon, we will have to communicate with our elected representatives about the urgent need to take national and global action, and elect representatives we think will move this forward. This free program was co-sponsored by Powered Up Baraboo and the Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library.

People who want to be part of local climate action could see how area farms that practice climate friendly agriculture can help restore the land, heal the atmosphere, and produce good food for the community during a free tour of Bula's Pleasant Valley Farm on August 12, 2024.

During the tour featuring the no-till garden and livestock on pasture, members of the Bula family explained the regenerative agricultural practices they use, and the benefits these practices have for building healthy soil, growing healthy plants that feed people and animals, sequestering atmospheric carbon, and contributing to clean waterways.

After the tour, there was a free door prize drawing in which tour participants could win farm-fresh food products from the farm.

Bula’s Pleasant Valley Farm is located about 8 miles west of Baraboo at S4473 Scenic Rd., Baraboo, WI.

On June 12, 2024 Powered Up Baraboo hosted a virtual presentation, Solar Energy for Your Home, Business, and Farm. Panel participants who have had solar arrays installed on their homes, business, and farm were on hand to discuss what led them to seek out solar installations, how they chose their installer, how they financed the project, and how their solar installation has affected their power bills. Virtual attendees also heard from the installers who made these solar wishes a reality, including how the process begins for the customer, what services the installer can provide, challenges a project might encounter, and potential financing assistance for which customers might qualify. See video at the Powered Up Baraboo YouTube Channel: https://youtu.be/52r_uFcdXzA

On Tuesday, May 14 Through the Looking Glass: Studying and Reducing Bird-Window Collisions was presented at the Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library. At this free event, Brenna Marsicek, Director of Outreach, Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance (formerly Madison Audubon) discussed the problem of bird-window collisions and showed how to make your windows safer for birds. All attendees were eligible to enter a door prize drawing. This program was co-sponsored by the Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library and Powered Up Baraboo as part of a local observance of World Migratory Bird Day.

See a video of this presentation at https://youtu.be/-Me7NsGAqMU?si=IkzCjrZ1h0ktHMqu

On Saturday, May 11, 9 AM - 12 PM at the Baraboo Arboretum, 700 Hill St., Baraboo the public was welcome at a free event, where they could learn about how researchers band birds that migrate through the Baraboo area from scientists who study them and work to protect them. Throughout the morning, attendees could observe Bird Banding Demonstrations by UW-Madison Wildlife Ecology graduate students, who explained why they are capturing birds, how they do so in a way that is safe for the birds, and what information the bands provide to wildlife ecologists. All attendees were eligible to enter a door prize drawing. This program was co-sponsored by the Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library, Powered Up Baraboo, and the City of Baraboo, as part of a local observance of World Migratory Bird Day.

All bird banding was conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the

U.S. Geological Survey's Bird Banding Laboratory.

 See the video of highlights of this event.

Play your way through Baraboo! This interactive experience highlighted how kids, age 1 to 11, can learn more about green energy and conservation at the various places where they live and play. We had story times every hour (2:00, 3:00, 4:00), and a book raffle throughout! This program was a collaboration between Powered Up Baraboo, Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library, and Habitat for Humanity.

On Saturday, September 16, the Home & Business Action Team of Powered Up Baraboo sponsored a free tour of Baraboo area homes demonstrating measures homeowners can take to enhance the energy efficiency of their homes. Eight local homes were featured on the tour, representing a variety of house styles and ages. The changes made to the homes range from moderate to major improvements. Reasons for making the improvements varied for the homeowners, and included improving home comfort, saving money on utility costs, and addressing the climate. Tour-goers were able to talk to homeowners for first-hand accounts of their experiences and results of the home improvements.

Just in time for gardening season, Powered Up Baraboo hosted a sale of native plants to help you establish eco-friendly planting areas in your yards.

Reduce emissions and help feed the bees during May in Baraboo by observing Low Mow May!

What in the 'Boo can WE do to help create Baraboo's clean energy future?

Imagine Baraboo was a program designed to help educate people of all ages about renewable and clean energy efforts and opportunities, while encouraging participants to imagine the bright Baraboo of the future. We held story times, worked collaboratively to create a large-scale diorama of our ideal Baraboo, gave away books about renewable energy and conserving resources.

This program was co-sponsored by Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library, Powered Up Baraboo, and the City of Baraboo Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department, and supported in part by the generosity of the Rooted in Conservation Fund of the Community Foundation of South Central Wisconsin.

Alison Holets of Canopy Climbers LLC took us through the steps of planting a tree, including considerations such as the types of trees to plant, location, soil type, and more. Tree seedlings, donated by the Chief River Nursery Company, were given away to attendees. The presentation took place on March 30 in Baraboo, WI. The program was co-sponsored by the Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library, Powered Up Baraboo, the Chief River Nursery Company, and the Baraboo Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Department.

On October 15, certified Master Composter Rick Eilertson presented a free program about the basics of starting, maintaining, and making use of composting in your backyard. Rick discussed best practices for composting, the benefits of static vs. dynamic composting systems, and DIY compost system options. This program was co-sponsored by Powered Up Baraboo and the Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department.

Powered Up Baraboo sponsored a free information session featuring the latest information about installing solar at your business or organization, including updates on new federal incentives. Speakers Mark Hanson, Director of Sustainable Services for Hoffman Planning, Design, and Construction, and Niels Wolter, owner of Madison Solar Consulting, drew upon their 50 years of experience in energy-related projects to present this program.

Powered Up Baraboo supporters and interested community members were invited to the Greg Wise Pavilion at the Maxwell Potter Conservancy in Baraboo for an evening of celebrating PUB’s recent accomplishments, networking, and brainstorming ideas for PUB’s next actions to promote the use of renewable energy, energy conservation, and sustainable practices in our area. We recognized two Climate Champions for Baraboo: City Parks, Recreation, and Forestry Director Mike Hardy for his climate-conscious accomplishments in his department; and Baraboo School District Board Vice President Mike Kohlman for his efforts to get solar electric panels installed on both the Jack Young Middle School and the Baraboo High School. S'mores over a campfire and other treats made the event even sweeter.

On September 10, the public was invited to a free presentation about the benefits of using rain barrels. Attendees could register for a chance to win one of eight rain barrels to be given away during the program. Baraboo resident Rick Eilertson, a stormwater engineer, discussed the reasons for using rain barrels, how to set up and use a rain barrel in your yard, and how to maintain and winterize rain barrels. Eilertson has been involved with planning, designing, inspecting, and maintaining stormwater facilities throughout Wisconsin and other portions of the United States for the past 25 years. These facilities have varied in size from 10-acre stormwater treatment systems to the rainwater harvesting and infiltration system on his 0.2 acre residential property in Baraboo. This program was co-sponsored by Powered Up Baraboo, Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library, Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Department, and the Rooted in Conservation Fund of the Community Foundation of South Central Wisconsin.

On August 20, the Home and Business Action Team hosted a free LED lightbulb exchange at the Powered Up Baraboo booth during the Baraboo Farmer's Market. Powered Up Baraboo, along with a generous PUB volunteer, purchased LED bulbs to give away for this event in exchange for incandescent light bulbs.

The Green Spaces Action Team presented a free tour of Baraboo area properties that reduce dependence on lawns and demonstrate the beauty, utility, and practicality of sustainable landscape design. Baraboo Landscape Designer Marcy Huffaker and Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Soil Conservation Technician Serge Koenig discussed sustainable design techniques that homeowners and landowners can use, and the reasons the landscapes in these locations were converted from typical grass lawns to more sustainable plantings of native plants. Marcy and Serge also discussed factors people should consider when converting lawns to sustainable or productive space, including plant choices and maintenance. Attendees traveled to the model properties where the techniques have been implemented.

Torrance Kramer of Accurate-Airtight Exteriors discussed factors homeowners should consider when choosing an Energy Audit practitioner, and typical areas of a home's construction where energy is lost. This program was sponsored by Powered Up Baraboo and recorded via Zoom on March 22, 2022.

On February 26, 2022, Serge Koenig, Sauk County Land Resources and Environment Conservation Technician, and Roman Miller, Baraboo area farmer and practitioner of Management-Intensive Grazing, presented a program "Why Farmers Matter". In their presentation, Koenig and Miller described how switching from conventional farming to Management-Intensive Grazing can benefit the grazing ruminants who eat nutrient-rich forage; the wildlife returning to the pastures; the soil which becomes richer, denser, full of life, and remains in place instead of eroding; the nearby waterways which become cleaner and life-sustaining because they are not inundated with runoff from the fields; the atmosphere from which carbon is being sequestered into the healthy soil; the farmer who spends less time tilling and harvesting in the fields or worrying about profits and losses; and the consumer who can purchase safe, healthful food products at a fair price while helping to support local farmers.