masthead-cycle.jpg

Fixing Tires, Fixing Buildings

Moist air filled greeted us as we awoke from our second slumber at the world's first KOA. After downing store-brewed coffee, we geared up for a jam-packed day of green building education. Yesterday's Exxon Mobile tour left us with the realization that corporate culture can be hard to change. “Business as usual” is obviously the path desired, and I felt a bit down about the corporate stronghold on America's energy portfolio. Thankfully, today, we had the opportunity to share the day with Ed Gullick, a visionary architect here in Billings, Montana, who showed us how changing the way our buildings are designed can be a valuable weapon in beating that culture.

The Sweet and the Sour: Oil and Gas Production in Montana and Beyond

Cradled in a bed of soft, green grass, beneath a stand of cottonwood trees, and within earshot of the Yellowstone River, I closed my eyes and went to sleep. These were prime conditions for a restful slumber, yet I woke up this morning stiff and aching. What could have gone wrong? I just finished a semester where the final weeks were spent daydreaming about a quiet outdoor overnight just like this. It’s strange how the scenarios for which we have hopeful anticipation often yield unexpected disappointments. Such is the case with energy production from fossil fuels.

The Next Revolutions

Sam and I made it to downtown Missoula by 9:45 AM. OK maybe closer to 10:00, an hour late for the start of a big adventure. I signed up for the Wild Rockies Field Institute’s Cycle The Rockies course to get a thorough education on sustainable energy systems and climate change. That’s my motivation, but I was so tired that morning - I’d been up all night getting my things in order. Not only packing for the trip, but my business, “College Hunks Blowin’ Chunks Lawn Care,” has been slammed with the new spring growth.

Welcome to the 2010 Course Blog!

Soon a group of university students will begin a course called, “Cycle the Rockies: Energy and Climate Change in Montana.” Students and their instructors, Nicky Phear, Dave Morris, and Noah Pollock, will spend four weeks cycling 650 miles from Billings to Whitefish to study our regional energy choices and the impacts of climate change. The course is run by the Missoula-based Wild Rockies Field Institute for six credits through the University of Montana.

Syndicate content