• We currently have $159.50 in hand.
• The state Winter Energy Taskforce is holding several hearings to solicit testimony about ideas that individuals and groups have for dealing with high energy prices during the coming winter. Cathy will send something on behalf of NQE, but individuals are also encouraged to email comments by Sept. 10 (winterenergy@state.ma.us) or to attend the Worcester public meeting on Sept. 9 from 5-7 p.m.
• Co-op Power is soliciting its membership for loans in $500 increments that the coop can invest in the planned Northeast Biodiesel plant. See Cathy if you are (or want to become) a Co-op Power member and are interested in more details.
• Pat, Brian, Steve, Janice, and Cathy presented a workshop at the Barre library on August 23 called "Exploring Energy," which covered several facets of energy conservation and renewable energy. This was part of the library's "Green Initiative" series, which also included a workshop on food preservation on that we might think about using as a model for a future event in the North Quabbin.
• Greenfield Community College is hosting a workshop for homeowners on at 6 p.m. on Sept. 18, in connection with Greening Greenfield. Several interested NQE members may carpool to this. Brian will be presenting his window design at the event.
The North Quabbin Community Coalition's first fall meeting will focus on energy/fuel assistance and weatherization. It will be held at the Elks Club on Sept. 19, 9-11 a.m. Pat will videotape this for future broadcast on AOTV.
• CET is presenting a workshop on greening municipalities at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife building in Hadley on Oct. 28.
• Tom Rich reported that Red Apple Farm in Phillipston has received a grant to install a wind turbine which is expected to be running by early winter and to produce 80% of the farm's electricity needs. He also noted that documentary filmmaker Bill Morton has recently been previewing the first of three segments of his film on energy.

Garlic and Arts Festival
We are posting and emailing flyers with the renewable energy presentation schedule. Our table/tent and the festival in general are still in need of volunteers. Most of the set-up will be done on the Friday of the festival weekend. We will have a good-sized tent for our displays, as well as the tent for presentations. We will tape several of the presentations for future broadcast on AOTV.

Hands Across North Quabbin
Mark Shoul spoke about the Hands "green economy" initiative, which emerged from a spring "visioning" workshop and the follow-up August 12 meeting. There is a meeting on Sept. 9 to which NQE members are invited. The group is currently narrowing its focus to four or five specific directions, including developing school-based curriculum and building practical mutual support networks in the area around energy concerns. In connection with the idea of strengthening local connections, we talked about the Transition Towns initiative which began in England and has been adopted by several U.S. cities. The concept of a controlled "energy descent" may be a useful one, as are some of the organizing strategies that Transition Towns offers. The approach is based on a common agreement that peak oil and human-affected climate change are real and must be addressed collectively. Janice went to a workshop about this and has the training manual. Members of NQE will look at the web materials from Transition Town and will revisit both this idea and the Hands connection at a future meeting.

• Linda reported on Petersham. The group now has a logo, designed by Ken Levine, and has purchased a set of energy-related books for the library. They had an information tent at Old Home Days, which included clotheslines strung around the tent with quotations pinned to dishcloths. They are currently putting together a website. Brian came to talk to the selectboard about making window panels for the Town Hall, and it was decided that insulating the attic was a bigger priority. Petersham is hoping to get onto the DOER audit list soon.
• Pat reported on Orange. Three big boxes of ink/toner cartridges and cell phones have been collected for the school fundraising/ recycling project. A teacher at Fisher Hill School started an energy committee there, and they are planning to use the "Green Team" curriculum component that is available from the state DEP recycling program. The Orange town committee is working on its mission statement and the town is trying to decide which way to go with the county-wide ESCO project - i.e. to wait for the town's own preliminary DOER audit or to get on board with the ESCO performance audit now being started for the participating towns.
• Brian reported on Athol. Deb Blanchard made a presentation about the proposed library renovation, at which various options for energy efficiency and generation were discussed. The town may get some grant money to illuminate flags at the cemetery with solar-generated electricity. Following the governor's recent visit to Athol, the committee has been discussing the Green Communities Act, which supports local power generation as opposed to the current utility monopoly system. Each committee member has been researching different local options; Brian has particularly been pushing the idea of efficiency. The town has received the results of its DOER audit for the Town Hall, the wastewater treatment plant, and some small water facilities, and the committee is considering where to go with this next. The various recommendations for energy savings would require a very large investment in the Town Hall (much of it for new windows) but the committee feels there may be other options that would be as wise at this point.
• Janice reported on Warwick. The committee is continuing to work on various problems at the Town Hall. They held another work day in October, and are planning to host a presentation at the library that will emphasize hands-on weatherizing skills for homeowners. The head of the highway department has requested the committee's input on two of the town buildings, and there are plans to insulate and make some thermal windows for those. The fire department may also make some window inserts. There are questions about materials in relation to the building/safety codes, which Les has been researching. The town has met with representatives from the Siemens Company to talk about their recommendations.

Window-making project
Ann drafted our grant proposal with input from Pat and Cathy, and it will be submitted Sept. 15. We applied for funds to cover the cost of materials, tool, publicity, and production of an instruction manual for the winter window panels. If we receive the grant, we will be able to hold two workshops in January 2009 to teach people how to make window panels. If we don't receive the grant, we may look for ways to hold at least one workshop anyway.

Possible projects

• We revisited our earlier discussions about co-hosting an event with the Chamber of Commerce, aimed at area businesses. Wind power and conservation were two ideas that we might pursue for this. Pat will talk to Steve Raymond at the Chamber about this. Cathy and perhaps others will be speaking at the Rotary Club on November 3 and that will be an opportunity to connect with business leaders who may be interested in energy issues. Any event with the Chamber will likely need to be after the New Year.
• We will look at our website and work on adding more resources on specific energy topics, as well as perhaps making it more accessible to people who want to add content.
• We need to begin talking with the Chamber of Commerce about this year's Energy Expo at the Home Show. Pat will start a discussion about that with Steve Raymond.

Next meeting
Wednesday, Oct. 8, 7 p.m.
Note:It was decided shortly after the Sept. 3 meeting to use the Oct. 8 date for a weatherization workshop presented by CET at the Athol Town Hall.

Return to Minutes page.

Return to North Quabbin Energy home.