Change is Good; Change in Your Pocket is Even Better!
Elections for the local section officers were held at the October meeting in Oshkosh. Joe the Plumber was not able to attend, but we were treated to a very insightful and eye opening presentation on nutritional labeling by Dr. Gerald DeMenna. A good crowd was on hand, with a good group of students and faculty from several universities, including UW – Sheboygan (guests from the Milwaukee Section!).
With Halloween upon us and the Presidential elections soon to be history, are we ready for the cold to hit and our monthly heating bills to rise? Will our winter heating bills this year drop as much as our 401k’s? Probably not, but it is a good time to think about renewable energy, using less resources, and recycling more. Indeed, recycling is the topic of our November 11, 2008 presentation at UW-Marinette. See the announcement below for more details. Really, reducing your carbon footprint can actually save you money!
As I mentioned, elections were held for our 2009 Section Officers:
Chairman: Bob Brylski
Chair Elect: Corey Cunningham
Treasurer: Dave Thompson
Secretary: Steven Hurley
By rule, ballots for the local section Councilor must be mailed to ACS section members. When the ballot arrives, please consider your vote and return the ballot promptly. No long lines or hanging chads!
-- Bob Brylski, Chair.
Section Meeting !
Dr. William F. Carroll
November 11, 2008
William Carroll
Is that recycling bin the springboard to giving material a new life or is it simply a blue wastebasket? What about surplus materials from industrial processes? Do they find their way out the back door to the landfill? This presentation discusses the four critical steps in recycling-- collection, separation, reprocessing and remanufacture-and how they relate to plastics. The technology, the cost and the efficacy of the processes all matter. And the operative word, plastics, really is plural. Presentation includes a primer in the basic kinds of plastics, how they differ and how they're used in common articles, especially packaging. The presenter brings a few common articles for demonstrations, and promises not to recycle an old quote from "The Graduate."
NE WI ACS Newsletter
Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers
Passion for chemistry is most likely not a DNA priority. While our seeds have been sown by our own gestation and hard work, the germination process begins with our mentors and teachers. They share their experiences and best practices in associations like the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers. In fact, Dale Basler at Appleton East High school has been awarded their 2008 Excellence in Science Teaching Award. For the past 3 years a teacher from our NE WI Section has been given this highest award from this society. Congratulations and abundant kudos to all who choose to share their knowledge and wisdom.
If you don’t think it pays off, recently Lawrence University was the recipient of a $1.6 million gift from the estate of F. Stansbury Young, a Chemistry graduate from Lawrence in 1936. Stan used his chemistry education at Thilmany Paper Company, right here in Kaukauna, Wisconsin.
Local Communities are “Eco-Municipalities”
There are 20 “Eco-Municipalities” in Wisconsin. These cities have made a commitment to sustainability and providing residents with sustainable options. Neenah and Menasha in our NE WI Section are two of these Eco-municipalities. What exactly does this mean and what does it mean to the residents of the communities? Good question! If we don’t ‘dive in’ and get involved, we cannot contribute to the success of the effort. Visit the website, and consider your location for the next Eco-municipality. Also, check out the Steven’s Point Eco Website.
Northeast Wisconsin Section Website Updated
The local section website has been updated! Our section covers quite a large geographical area, which challenges our sharing and collaboration. The website is an excellent way to share and stay abreast of local developments. Please review the site, and send an email to the webmaster with ideas of additions and improvements:
Chemical Safety
Many years ago, the only chemical safety information that was available was the gray box “letters to the editor” of the Chemical & Engineering News. These blurbs typically outlined an unexpected chemical ‘incident’ to share. Today, an enormous amount of chemical information is available from reputable sources on the internet. In addition, no workplace can exist without proper chemical instruction and communication of the hazards and health considerations of chemicals. An emphasis now is placed on ‘near misses’ to reduce overall incidents. Visit the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board website to review actual chemical accidents to learn more about prevention.
Have information to share, or an idea for the newsletter? Please submit to steve hurley at