Omaha Needs A Jolt

Omaha needs a jolt.

Bridget and I live near these dormant grain silos.

Sadly, the silos are no longer home to one of the more novel public art projects we've had the good fortune to experience in this city...

An ambitious young lady named Anne Trumble started an organization called "Emerging Terrain" several years ago. The organization was responsible for the "Stored Potential" art project on the silos (which began in 2010), and had set its sights on bigger urban renewal and revitalization efforts in the Omaha area. 

Trumble left Omaha in 2014. She lives in California now.  

The website -- www.emergingterrain.org -- is still active. I'm not altogether sure if the organization itself is currently working on anything, but the website houses some interesting information on past projects. 

I've never met Anne Trumble, and only followed her efforts from afar. I liked the way she thought, and appreciated her mindful perspective on our city.

One of the initiatives I found fascinating was the group's "Belt Line" proposal. The project would have revitalized a long forgotten north-south transit corridor through the middle of the city (running by the grain silos pictured above, near 35th and Vinton). Emerging Terrain wanted to bring light rail to this area -- hoping to introduce mass transit and renewal to a neglected corridor running from North Omaha down through South Omaha.  

Sadly, the plan never got its footing, but you can read about it on the site:
www.emergingterrain.org/archives/practice/belt-line 

The idea of light rail (or even something less intrusive like street/trolley cars) is a hard sell in Omaha these days. The topic has become a "hot button issue" in this year's mayoral and city council races -- and candidates seem eager to distance themselves from the concept. 

The reality is that older parts of the Omaha are in need of revitalization and forward thinking. We're talking about areas that feature the oldest homes and commercial structures in the city -- property that is often being maintained by a lower income population that struggles to have the wherewithal to improve these structures. 

Projects like train and light rail might sound expensive on the surface, but they help promote development in older areas and jump start private investment and community interest. 

The novel art on the grain silos served as a catalyst to spur conversation on some of these heady topics facing our city. 

We live in a world where people want to shrug off responsibility, and focus solely on "immediate" wants and needs. 

For a city to thrive, it has to think beyond maintaining the status quo, and steer things in a different direction. 

I miss the artwork on the grain silos. The structure stands today as just another withering eyesore in Omaha's urban core...bland and faceless.

But for a while, the silos illustrated what our city could become...

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Listen to Anne Trumble talk about the "Stored Potential" art project (from 2011):

Let There Be Light

My wife will tell you that I am kind of obsessed with lighting. 

Close to a decade ago, I swapped out all the incandescent light bulbs in our home for lower-wattage CFLs (compact fluorescent lights).

The reason is that I wanted to lower the electrical pull on the older fuse box running electricity throughout the house, and see if maybe we could save a bit of money.

We did lower our electrical use and saved money in the process.

The main issue with the CFLs is that the light produced by the bulbs hasn't necessarily had the same "brightness" as incandescent counterparts (and many models were slow to warm up). Other drawbacks include the fact that most I encountered weren't designed for fully-enclosed fixtures, and many weren't able to function with dimmers.

But, I liked the fact that they used about one-quarter the wattage of a comparable incandescent.

The issue facing consumers the past few years is that the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 essentially redefined efficiency standards for bulbs. The legislation phased out certain watt incandescent bulbs between 2012 and 2014.

The past 18 months I have been swapping out CFLs for the latest-generation LED lamps -- and recently completed refitting all fixtures with LED bulbs, other than a lone fluorescent tube light and lights in our closets (which aren't on enough to justify a pricier LED at this juncture). Thirty-six bulbs in total have been changed around our house -- covering the interior and exterior of our home.

These bulbs use one-half to one-third the energy of the CFLs (in most instances).

The lumens (total quantity of visible light emitted) is vastly superior to the CFLs, and they are "instant on" in nature.

You can buy LEDs designed for fully enclosed fixtures (which includes 10 fixtures in our home), and there are many dimmable models available.

Couple quick things to keep in mind:

1. Warm-colored bulbs have a color temperature of 2700k to 3000k, so look for that on the packaging. Cooler-colored bulbs (meaning "bluer" light) tend to have a temperature closer to 5000k. 
2. While the "lit part" of LEDs tends to be cool to the touch, the aluminum base (heat sink) can get hot. The efficiency in LED bulbs comes from the fact that energy isn't lost to infrared heat (as it is with incandescents and fluorescents), but energy is still used to power the mechanics in the bulb.
3. Look for sales on bulbs. Many models are pricey, and it is a good idea to be patient and shop around.

I'll talk more about LED lamps in the future.

I can safely say that the overall quality of light in our home has improved significantly since the switch to LEDs -- things are much brighter (which is beneficial for 40-something-year-old-eyes).

The other advantage is that all 36 LED bulbs consume around 327 watts -- or the equivalent of about three of those old 100-watt incandescents.

Read yesterday's blog post: Food From a Really Nice Camper