‘Greens’ shiver for a passion / PSC

By REID MAGNEY | La Crosse Tribune


Is recycling sexy? How about organic food and hybrid cars?

Progressives at University of Wisconsin-La Crosse think so, and they’ve produced a “Green Is Sexy” calendar to buff the image of environmentalists. It features 12 pictures of students in various states of undress promoting green causes and products.

“Whether you call yourself a green, an environmentalist, a conservationist, an ecologist, a tree hugger, a dirt-worshiper, or a simple friend of the earth, you are sexy,” said Kristen Pitts, who helped put the calendar together.

Greens get unfairly cast as “eco-terrorists or crazies,” Pitts said. The calendar shows “we know how to have fun.”

Though the calendar’s theme is Green, several models may have turned blue during photo shoots. Six of the photos were taken outdoors in mid-November, and “every shot was cold,” Pitts said.

For the cover photo, which promotes alternative transportation, 18 students wearing only socks and shoes posed with bicycles from UW-L’s Green Bikes service.

Pitts said the coldest photo shoot was in the La Crosse Marsh, where they portaged a canoe so three women and one man could paddle naked. There was ice on the marsh that day, so the picture was digitally altered to put the canoe in a more summer-like scene, she said.

Indoor photos promote water conservation (“shower together”), eating low on the food chain (five naked co-eds eating a vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner) and education (20 naked people in a classroom).

Photographer Daniel Durtsche took all the pictures and managed to pose the models so most of their privates are strategically covered. Joe Gullo handled publishing.

“We’re all graduating this year,” Pitts said. “Hopefully, someone will pick it up and do it next year.”

Proceeds from calendar sales will be divided three ways between Campus Progressives, the UW-L Environmental Council and The Second Supper, a campus humor magazine published by Gullo.

The group also got sponsorships from Organic Valley, Popcorn Tavern, Simply Living and the People’s Food Co-op, Pitts said. They printed 250 copies to start and will order more if sales warrant.

The calendar is dedicated to Professor Kenn Maly, who is retiring from the philosophy department. Pitts said Maly, who also is the director of environmental studies, is an example of how one person can make a difference in the world.

PSC allows Xcel to increase rates

By STEVE CAHALAN | La Crosse Tribune

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Xcel Energy will be allowed to raise electric and natural gas base rates in January, but less than the company had requested, officials said Thursday.

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin on Thursday verbally approved an 11 percent increase in overall electric rates, and a 2.5 percent increase in overall natural gas rates.

The PSC said it trimmed the company’s electric request by about 4 percent and its natural gas request by 2.5 percent.

Under the PSC decision, an Xcel residential customer using 750 kilowatt hours a month will see a monthly increase of $8.50 for electric service, the company said. A residential customer using 65 therms per month will see a monthly increase of $2.25 for natural gas service.

Xcel said the new base rates are expected to take effect in mid-January, after the commission issues a written order to finalize the rates.

The utility said the increase in base rates is needed for major electric and natural gas system improvements for its growing customer base in Wisconsin, and also to cover higher costs for purchased power and fuel. It said the approval marks the first time since 1998 that Xcel has increased base rates for capital and operating expenses, other than periodic changes for the cost of fuel.

The company said when the new rates are finalized, its residential electric and natural gas customers will continue to have the lowest rates of all major utilities in Wisconsin.

“We’ve worked really hard keeping our rates low through efficiencies and minimizing expenses,” Xcel spokesman Brian Elwood said.

Charlie Higley, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board consumer watchdog group in Wisconsin, said he is glad the commission approved smaller rate increases than Xcel had sought. “But given high energy prices, we feel the commission should do far more to reduce utility profit levels and take other steps to lower rates for consumers,” he said.

“The commission, not only in this decision but with other utilities, has made movements in the right direction toward more reasonable rates, but more is needed,” Higley said.

In its decision, the commission set a return on equity for Xcel shareholders of 11 percent, down from the current 11.9 percent. It also decided to require quicker rate reductions when natural gas market prices go down.

Xcel filed its application for a rate increase in June and updated its request in August and December.