Going Green in Hannibal

I am resolved to work on sustainability projects affecting both my home and my community.  I am retired and live with my wife and mother-in-law in a home that we own situated on a high ridge of land in Hannibal, Missouri.

For my home, I have already replaced incandescent bulbs with fluorescents in high use fixtures, and I have purchased some LED light bulbs (much more expensive and not very bright, but very low energy consumption). I also have LED nightlights that use 0.3 watts. I plan to get cost estimates for installing a geo-thermal system to reduce our heating and cooling energy needs.  I have already identified a local heating and cooling contractor that does geo-thermal systems, and our lot is large enough to accommodate such a system.  Since our home is on a ridge, the wind is almost always blowing here.  Therefore, I also plan to determine whether it is feasible both technically and within zoning restrictions, to purchase one or more wind power generators and install them on our property.

For our community, I have already had an initial meeting with our City Manager.  He is quite open minded, but told me that so far, ecological criteria “have not yet been on the radar screen” for purchasing and policy decisions made by our city government.  I plan to identify specific ways to raise awareness in our city government of sustainability issues.  For example, I have found LED street lights for sale that consume only 19 watts of power.  I have discovered that the Rocky Mountain Institute provides on its website tools and services for communities to formulate ecologically sound plans for alternative energy and economic development.  Hannibal has recently been selected to participate in Missouri’s DREAM project (Downtown Revitalization Economic Assistance for Missouri).  I hope to stimulate the planners and city government officials who are developing a plan for Hannibal’s future to incorporate issues of sustainability into these new plans, possibly by utilizing the services and expertise available at the Rocky Mountain Institute.  Hannibal has its own agency, Hannibal Board of Public Utilities, that supplies our electricity.  I hope this board can be persuaded to participate in the DREAM plan and contribute sustainability options.  For example, it could offer customers the option to buy “green” electricity (energy produced from sustainable sources).

Finally, I plan to contact the Billings Corporation and interview Dr. Roger Billings.  Dr. Billings has promoted the use of hydrogen since the 1960’s.  I want to determine if the Billings Corporation can offer services or expertise to this plan for Hannibal’s future.

If all of the above initiatives bear fruit, I believe Hannibal could enjoy vigorous new economic development and emerge as a regional leader in alternative energy solutions for northeast Missouri.