Sustaining the good earth
Julie Backenkeller
Age: 46
Education: Graduated from Parker High School in 1981 and from Horst Institute, a hair dressing school in Minneapolis, Minn. She went on to sell hair care products.
Family: Husband Kim; two sons, Ross, 14, and Evan, 9; two stepchildren, Derry, 23, and Haley, 27; one stepgrandchild
Business: A proud, fifth-generation Rock County small business owner. She owns Package Pro Express Delivery, a business-to-business courier, with her husband.
Personality traits: She is persistent and not afraid to say what's on her mind. "Just ask my mother. Sometimes it's good; sometimes it's not so good. When I think back a lot of times, I should have kept my mouth shut." She recently got into a political argument with a friend that got so hot, he stomped off. She called goodbye after him and then yelled: "Next time, we'll talk religion!"
Why she is passionate about farmland preservation: "As a community, we need to realize we need to support our farmers. They've been feeding us for centuries. For us to expect them to donate (their land) into a conservation easement is silly, especially when a developer comes knocking at their door to pay them big bucks."
How she unwinds: At a family cottage in northern Wisconsin where there is no computer. She likes to read, but mostly information. A romance book would be a waste of time. Her favorite magazine: "Cooking Light."
Role models: Her mom and dad
Her priorities: Her kids and family. "It is helpful that I have the husband that I do because he is very supportive of everything I do."
Warning: Do NOT let her loose around a karaoke machine. Enough said.
Photo
Julie Backenkeller
JANESVILLE — Julie Backenkeller tells it like it is.
And she's been telling anyone who will listen that we'll be in deep trouble if we don't start preserving and conserving.
Backenkeller knows her dog-with-a-bone style sometimes rubs people wrong. Development and expansion can be touchy political issues.
"I'm not afraid to say what's on my mind," Backenkeller said.
Backenkeller's zeal has put conservation and land preservation on the front burner.
"I don't like talking," she said. "I like doing."
Amy Loasching, city council president, said Janesville still would not have a sustainability committee if not for Backenkeller.
Backenkeller contacted Loasching and urged Loasching to bring the idea to the council.
"She helped educate me and helped educate other council members, as well," Loasching said.
"She has so much energy, and she is so excited about helping and educating people on the importance of land preservation and saving the environment," Loasching said.
"Her energy level is almost contagious, and she gets you excited about the project, and she makes you understand the importance of it."
Backenkeller, who is a write-in candidate for city council in the April 7 election, spends hours researching issues, making phone calls and writing letters and e-mails.
"This is a woman who has a family, owns a business and works full time," Loasching said.
Backenkeller is co-founder of Rock Environmental Network, which sends action alerts to about 150 other people and groups. She began an Environmental Café, bringing in guest speakers for informal gatherings. And she writes columns for The Janesville Gazette on environmental issues.
Last spring, Backenkeller wrote a letter on the county's Web site expressing her concern about turning the county farm into the fairgrounds. She got a call to join a group that includes past and current county board members who are concerned about farmland preservation.
Alan Sweeney, a county board supervisor and group member, said the group had lost a clear sense of direction. It had no funding, and county staff were busy dealing with last summer's flood.
Backenkeller's involvement put the spark back, he said.
"Julie is one of the motivators in this group that really pushed this to the front," Sweeney said.
"She's certainly a go-getter," agreed Neil Deupree, a former county board supervisor and also a member of the group. "She gets things going, and then other people say, 'Oh, well, I guess this is pretty important.'"
Backenkeller, in cooperation with Rock County planning staff, wrote a proposal that brought to Janesville last month's workshop on protecting farmland.
Backenkeller said she is passionate because she believes time is running out.
"This is for my kids and grandkids, especially farmland preservation. The growing worldwide population and the fact that we continue to take the best farmland for the worst purposes—it flies in the face of common sense.
"There's nothing in it for me except it's the right thing to do."
Jun 28, 2012 at 12:16 a.m.
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Yup.
Jun 27, 2012 at 11:56 p.m.
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I believe that we are now in a phase of Eco Tyranny. Our jobs were shipped to China by American manuacturing companies like General Electric, GM, etc.. They are probably polluting more now that they are not in the US and Europe and aren't subject to stringent regulations, however, that does not save the planet. The planet is not healthier by any means and the pollution is just being generated in a different country. China is still part of our planet and they are manufacturing and polluting with our old jobs. The formula just doesn't withstand logic. Oil production was suspended in the Gulf by President Obama and many rigs left for South America and other parts to drill elsewhere. He then gave 2 billion American Dollars to Brazil to drill the same oil we can't drill here. He also promised them we would purchase their oil....wait a minute.....didn't we already give them $2 billion? I guess that doesn't count toward our purchases. So, we are not actually saving the planet. In reality, we are just distributing the wealth by generously giving them our jobs and resources. Canada is very involved in using sustainable practices and Pres. Obama won't allow them to bring the pipeline down through the states even though it could bring many jobs. He decided he needs another study to see if it is "safe" enough enironmentally. Economically, Canada is doing very well and has kept its industry. So what is it that we are doing wrong? Or, could it be that the entire scheme is just a scheme to make us feel good while we lose our entire economy to a population who will never benefit because the wealth they produce with our former industries will be taken by the dictators who rule them. I guess we can call it redistribution of wealth while we redistribute pollution. The only difference is that in a short time, we will not be able to purchase their goods and neither will they. US unemployment numbers are rising. Job growth is falling. The GDP is stagnant. Personal wealth in our country has fallen almost 40% but we can all "feel so good" because we are green.
Jun 27, 2012 at 6:44 p.m.
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I have no doubt that Ms.Backenkeller firmly and sincerely believes that 'sustainable practices' is how we will save the earth. I have nothing against sensible environmental protection for the planet. However, as the Green Guru, James Lovelock recanted his previous stance that human beings were the cause of all Mother Earth's ills. Quote: "So-called sustainable development is meaningless drivel." and: "I was alarmist about climate change and so was Gore.The fact is, we don't know what the climate is doing." Many have been skeptical about the push to control society via "Smart Growth". They apparently are being proven correct. Climategate and Eco-Tyranny (both by Brian Sussman) are good resources for those who want to get this perspective. Let's make reasonable, informed and sensible policies that ensure private property rights are protected, for that is the basis of Liberty.
Apr 11, 2009 at 8:28 a.m.
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I hope she runs for city council again. I think she received more votes as a write in candidate in the last election than a few of the candidates that were on the ballot.
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