Hello friends of the Cambridge Energy Alliance!
Spring seems to be here early this year – take time during spring cleaning to get a free home energy audit available for homeowners, renters and landlords. There are also free business energy audits, so let your favorite business know how they can go green.
Events coming up include a Landlord Workshop this weekend on Saturday, March 3rd and Live Better Porter Square Volunteer Training on Saturday, March 3rd.
Volunteer opportunities include Phone Bank for Efficient Apartments, Tuesday, February 28th.
We hope to see you there!
Best wishes,
Meghan Shaw
Outreach Director
Cambridge Energy Alliance
In this edition…
Recent Events with the Cambridge Energy Alliance
Phone Bank for Efficient Apartments
Volunteer Opportunity Tuesday, February 28th
5:30pm-8:30pm
City Hall Annex
344 Broadway, Cambridge
5 minute walk from Central Square
CEA and a handful of partners are organizing a workshop to explain to landlords how making their buildings more energy efficient that would help them reduce water bills, tenant turnover, etc.
Bringing energy efficiency to apartments is a great way to reduce our impact on the planet and help many struggling students and low-income residents lower their energy bills.
Help us get a lot of landlords there by calling them to invite them to the workshop.
We’ll provide free chai and green tea, muffins & lollipops. Take home some free energy efficiency goodies.
Please sign up to help!
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Live Better Porter SquareLead a Neighborhood to Greatness!
Saturday, March 3rd
1:00 – 4:00pm
Main Library – Beech Room
449 Broadway, Cambridge
Live Better Porter Square is a brand new pilot project to make Porter Square and its neighborhoods a better place for residents and businesses. We are recruiting Neighborhood Captains who are interested in promoting community involvement and highlighting Porter Square as a model for the rest of the city in terms of thinking locally.
Over the next four months Neighborhood Captains will work in the Porter Square area to help neighbors boost the local economy by lowering their energy bills through energy efficiency and renewable energy, so more money stays in our local economy.
Want to get involved and learn more, sign up!
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Landlord Profitability Workshop
Water bills high? Hefty common-area bills?
Bed bugs, rats, or mice? Too much garbage?
Saturday, March 3rd
9:00 – 12:00pm
MIT Student Center
84 Massachusetss Ave, Cambridge
Free Workshop. Lunch by Whole Foods. Only 100 spaces.
Reducing Water Bills
Tackling Common Area Electricity Bills
Reducing Tenant Turnover
Vermin, Mold, and Smoke
and more topics…
Get paid to install solar!
Register for email alerts when water use spikes!
Sponsored by Cambridge Energy Alliance, HEET and Sustainable Business Network
Register today!
News!
Cambridge
$2000 for Solar Hot Water
Cambridge Energy Alliance, with the City of Cambridge, is proud to announce that we have funds available to help people install solar hot water heaters on their home or business. Solar hot water systems provide an easy and low cost way to create hot water sustainably. Solar hot water systems can heat water for laundry, bathing and washing dishes, and can often provide 50 percent to 75 percent of a household or businesses total hot water needs – reducing you utility bills and carbon footprint.
Cambridge Solar Hot Water Grants cannot be processed until you complete the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Program.
Start the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center application process as soon as possible.
Applications for the Cambridge Solar Hot Water Grant must be received by November 19, 2012.
Massachusetts
We’re #1! We’re #1!
In 2011, Massachusetts outranked California as the #1 energy efficiency state! Our clean economy is growing too – according to the 2011 Massachusetts Clean Energy Industry Report 4,909 clean energy firms and 64,310 clean energy jobs were created, with a 6.7% industry growth rate in this past year alone. Clean energy investments are paying off. Energy and Environment Secretary Rick Sullivan reports that the state’s investment of $2 billion has led to consumer savings of $6 billion.
NSTAR Merger an Historic Win for Cape Wind, Clean Energy
Governor Patrick announced an agreement with NSTAR allowing their merger with Northeast Utilities (NEU) to move forward and providing a rate freeze for ratepayers for the next four years. Most importantly, the announcement also represents an historic win for Cape Wind, allowing it to move forward as the first off-shore wind farm in the United States.
Under the agreement, NSTAR would purchase 27.5% of Cape Wind’s energy. In addition to the 50% of Cape Wind energy earlier contracted by National Grid, the NStar contract allows Cape Wind to now finance the development of 100 off-shore turbines. Cape Wind has already received all state and federal permits required to begin construction.
NSTAR has also agreed to fully support the intent of the Green Communities Act (GCA) passed in 2008, calling on utilities to increase their purchase of renewable energy and increase their customers’ energy efficiency.
Beyond Cape Wind, NSTAR will provide ratepayers a 50-50% split of anticipated savings from the merger, resulting in a one-time $21 million credit to ratepayers. The agreement will also protect Massachusetts workers should NEU seek to move jobs to Connecticut.
“This is a win-win-win,” said George Bachrach, President of ELM. “The Governor, Secretary Sullivan and their team deserve great credit for negotiating a critical settlement that protects ratepayers, protects the workforce and insures the Commonwealth’s national leadership in renewable energy with Cape Wind.
To read more on this historic development, please go here.
Resources
Business Discounts for LEDs
LED’s are twice as efficient at CFL’s, last up to 10 times longer and do not contain mercury. They can be a great way to cut down energy bills and be more environmentally friendly. LED’s are available at your local hardware store.
If you have a commercial energy bill, Energy Federation Incorporated is selling LED’s for as little as $5! The bulbs normally cost $50 to $100 each. Order through EFI and they range in cost from $13 down to $5 plus the cost of shipping. Whether you own a business or just work at one, check out the incentives.
To order contact Steve Lavelle
Energy Federation Incorporated
(800) 876-0660 ext. 4437
Cell: (508) 439-0208
www.efi.org/wholesale
Free CFLs for ALL
Pill Hardware is running a special on CFL’s (while supplies last)
One free CFL – Every Saturday
10am-3pm
Free CFL’s to any non-profit (packs of 10, 20, and 50)
Energy Advisor
If you live or work in Cambridge and have questions related to the energy assessment/audit process, energy efficient home and business renovations, or changes you can make in your own life to save energy, you can contact the Cambridge Energy Advisor. Whether you have already had an assessment/audit or are considering how you should proceed, Cambridge Energy Alliance is eager to answer your questions and help you navigate the process.
Stay Connected to Cambridge Energy Alliance
Stay up to date on Cambridge Energy Alliance events and other environmental activities around the city by checking out our Calendar or follow our Blog to learn more about local, statewide and national news related to energy and the environment.
Calling All Bloggers!
The Cambridge Energy Alliance’s Warm Home Cool Planet blog is looking for new contributors. Do you like to follow local environmental happenings? Are you interested in writing about Cambridge, Boston, and even national energy news? Do you already have a blog that you’d like to cross-post with CEA? Contact us at work
cambridgeenergyalliance
org (workcambridgeenergyallianceorg) with the subject “Blog” if you are interested in being a part of the Warm Home Cool Planet blog.