I asked Bev (from Temple's energy Committee) to share what they've done - very impressive! Thought maybe some of their work would provide us with ideas/inspiration. See attachment and website.
Michelle
From: nadesha@msn.com
To: mveasey@msn.com
Subject: Re: Energy Chapter request
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 2010 09:52:02 -0500
Michelle,
I'll be glad to have a phone chat with you some time next week (when I don't sound so scratchy with the cold I'm having). Meanwhile, I've attached a run-down that I'd had to print out for some event of the energy efficiency work our committee's done for our town's buildings. It doesn't include things like our recycling program for all major town events, our 4th of July parade float, our exhibits, etc. And it's mostly about what we've done here that goes up to last spring. Since then we've been working with writing contracts, interviewing construction contractors, making lots of decisions leading up to the start of our big retrofitting project to make our Municipal Bldg, Fire Department and library much more energy efficient!
We also had a huge exhibit in Sept. in our Town Hall to show our town folk what the RGGI grant will allow us to do, what our educational outreach will include this coming year, live demonstrations of solar panels at work and a wind monitor at work, and lots of enormous displays to educate folks about the latest climate change news, what RGGI is and how it works, and loads of information on how to weatherize your home, tips for reducing your CO2 output, an ongoing showing of a 20 minute DVD put to music about climate change and what we can do to help slow it down (produced by our committee's secretary),and we provided film showings on how to winterize your home that we got from "Button Up VT". Plus food!
We've also had a "Neighbors Helping Neighbors" event to get folks' input on how they'd like to see the NH Climate Action Plan manifest in the Monadnock region--what their priorities would be. And we've started our committee's eco-educational website, updated almost weekly with news items, etc. www.teec.info. Check it out if you'd like.
It does help to have more than 4 members on your committee, for sure. Partly, that's in order to have the hands available to make posters, etc.-- do the actual labor when that's called for in various projects, but also you just get more juice, more input and it doesn't feel so depressing if a couple of them can't show up for a meeting. We have 6 members now plus a representative from the Select Board, so we almost always have at least 4 show up for our meetings. That helps.
After I'm over this bug I'll email you to see about setting up a time to talk, if you'd like.
Bev
----- Original Message -----From: Michelle VeaseyTo: nadesha@msn.comSent: Thursday, January 07, 2010 8:09 AMSubject: RE: Energy Chapter requestHi Bev,
I would love to learn more about what you are doing and how you were able to get a RGGI grant. We have completed an inventory of our energy use and completed the Energy/Sustainable Development chapter, but we're floundering a bit now. Continuing to do educational outreach as we can, but need more vision for future goals. How big is your committee? We have a small committee (4) and everyone's juggling work and other volunteer commitments. Perhaps seeing what you've done will help to energize our group!
Michelle
From: nadesha@msn.com
To: mveasey@msn.com
Subject: Re: Energy Chapter request
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 11:35:26 -0500
Thank you so much, Michelle,It's wonderful to have this support. And I agree completely that we all need to help each other along in whatever ways we can.Clean Air-Cool Planet might be able to help you figure out how to put the chapter on the Wiki page. You might want to ask whoever it was that helped with the writing of your chapter.Thanks again! And feel free to contact me if you have any questions about our process here in Temple which lead to our obtaining a $320,100 grant from the RGGI fund for building retrofits and an educational outreach program or about any of our other projects.Sincerely,Bev----- Original Message -----From: Michelle VeaseyTo: nadesha@msn.comSent: Wednesday, January 06, 2010 9:19 AMSubject: RE: Energy Chapter requestBev,
No problem. I think it's important that we try to support each other. I'm trying to figure out how to put it on the Wiki page, but I'm not versed in that platform and find it difficult to add things without making a mess of our page.
Good luck with your efforts! Please let me know if you have any questions.
Michelle Veasey
From: nadesha@msn.com
To: mveasey@msn.com
Subject: Energy Chapter request
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 2010 09:09:52 -0500
Hello Michelle,It was wonderful to read about your new Energy Chapter being passed by your Planning Board in Atkinson. Good work!Our Temple Energy Committee has sponsored an audit of our Master Plan and Zoning Ordinances, and we have received the approval of our Planning Board to create an Energy Chapter for our Master Plan. But they had a number of criticisms of our first draft and suggestions for changes in it when we presented it to them back in November.So we're in the process of shortening it and making lots of changes before presenting again in Feb.I would really appreciate the opportunity to read your Energy Chapter to see what your Planning Board approved.And the Local Energy Committee newsletter said that we could obtain a copy of it from you. So, although I certainly I hope this will not mean that you become tediously burdened by supplying all of NH's local energy committees with copies, we would be very grateful. if you could send one our way.Thank you for offering this help!BevBeverly EdwardsChair, Temple Eco-Energy Committee878-3227
