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Pushing Green Transport in the Pioneer Valley

Pushing Green Transport in the Pioneer Valley From Pioneer Valley Relocalization ProjectBy Larry Ely, Steve Randall, and Rob Crowner “Whatever the nature of water, the fish will be the last to know.” — Chinese proverb Highways and roads are an expanding universe. Distances to work, shopping, entertainment, and services become ever greater. By design, the interstate highways and the exurbs they promoted have foisted car dependence on us. This must change because cars are the most money- and...

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GREENFIELD’S 2011 ENERGY USE REPORT CARD PUBLISHED NEW 10% CHALLENGE GOALS ANNOUNCED

GREENFIELD’S 2011 ENERGY USE REPORT CARD PUBLISHED NEW 10% CHALLENGE GOALS ANNOUNCED GREENFIELD, MA – The Greening Greenfield Energy Committee (GGEC) released its annual Energy Use Report Card today, and set a new goal for its 10% Challenge   “This report card shows that our 10% challenge is working in some ways and not in others” said Becca King and Susan Worgaftik, co-organizers of the 10% Challenge and members of GGEC. “Greenfield’s oil heating users are doing a great job, but our other...

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Farm to School Convention slated for March 15 in Sturbridge

The second statewide Massachusetts Farm to School Convention will be held on March 15, 2012 at Old Sturbridge Village in Sturbridge, Mass. This full-day convention will feature leaders in the farm to school movement providing information on everything from creating school gardens to overcoming logistical barriers to local foods procurement to the growing partnerships between schools and community farms. Read more at...

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USDA features Hadley, Mass. dairy farmer on new Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass interactive website

USDA has unveiled the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food (KYF) Compass, an interactive web-based document and map highlighting the department’s support for local and regional food projects and successful producer, business and community case studies. A report on the new website mentions John Kokoski, owner of Mapleline Farm in Hadley, Mass. for his work with the department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Read more at...

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Fast Talk About Food – Call For Proposals

CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS at PVGrow’s second “Fast Talk About Food” LIGHTNING TALKS BY FACULTY, STUDENTS, STAFF, LIBRARIANS & PARTNERS + COMMUNITY DISCUSSION Lightning strikes twice! Another showcase for the Pioneer Valley higher education community on food, agriculture and food systems. See the article and video about the previous ‘Fast Talk’ event at http://www.pvgrows.net Thursday, March 29, 2012, 5:30-8:00 p.m. at Smith Vocational & Agricultural High...

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Join the 5 Colleges ‘Blue Sky Initiative’

First meeting of the “Blue Sky Initiative” sustainability forum – Wed. 1/25 1:30-3 p.m. at the Campus Center Room 162-175. The second meeting will be Wednesday, February 29 from 1:30-3 p.m. at the Campus Center Room 162-175. Other ways to add YOUR VOICE to the sustainability movement across the five campuses: 1) Submit ideas to the website: http://www.fivecolleges.edu/sustainability 2) Post ideas to the FaceBook page for UMass Campus Sustainability Initiative 3) E-mail ideas...

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Berkshire Grown Events Generate $100k+

VENDORS AT THE HOLIDAY FARMERS’ MARKETS REPORT MORE THAN $100,000 IN LOCAL REVENUE GENERATED AT FOUR BERKSHIRE GROWN EVENTS COMBINED PRESS RELEASE – GREAT BARRINGTON + WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. (January 18, 2012) – In November and December, Berkshire Grown produced four Holiday Farmers’ Markets in north and south Berkshire County to feature locally grown and produced food during months when farmers’ markets are not open in the region. Berkshire Grown brought together more than 60 regional...

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Beginning Women Farmer Conference Dates Announced

PRESS RELEASE – S. Deerfield, MA Dear Women In Ag Participants, CISA, Holistic Management International, the USDA National Institute of Food & Agriculture and the University of Massachusetts have partnered together to sponsor a two day conference for farmers interested in improved quality of life, profitability, and health. The Beginning Women Farmer Conference: Exploring Whole Farm Planning will be held March 22-23, 2012 at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA,...

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PV Sustain Annual Dinner

You are Invited Third Annual Celebrate Sustainability Dinner/Party Pioneer Valley Sustainability Network Clarion Hotel, Northampton MA Wednesday, 2/22/12 6 pm – 8 pm Featured Speaker Jonathan Lash, President Hampshire College an internationally recognized expert on practical solutions to global sustainability and development challenges   former Director World Resources Institute co-Chair President’s Council on Sustainable Development one of the 100 most influential people in...

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Help Create the Franklin County Week of Winter Fare and Celebrate Locally Grown Food

Help Create the Franklin County Week of Winter Fare and Celebrate Locally Grown Food Saturday, February 4, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. and February 4-12 In the midst of winter, Franklin County will be abuzz with the fun and great flavors of indoor farmers’ markets and community events celebrating locally grown food. The monthly Greenfield Winter Farmers’ Market will be held the first Saturday of each month from January to March from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Second Congregational...

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USDA to help restore Western Mass. rivers and streams damaged by Tropical Storm Irene

USDA to help restore Western Mass. rivers and streams damaged by Tropical Storm Irene The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has approved nearly $2.8 million in federal funds to help Western Massachusetts towns recover from damage caused by Tropical Storm Irene along rivers and streams. The agency will provide help for emergency protection work for town roads, sewer lines, and buildings at 35 sites in 14 towns in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and...

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Healthy Environment/Health Springfield CARES

Healthy Environment/Health Springfield CARES Community Action for a Renewed Environment in Springfield We need your input! Meeting Dates DATES:Tuesday, January 10th  and Tuesday January 24th (*Snow dates – January 17 & 31) TIME:6-8 PM LOCATION: Springfield Technical Community College One Armory Square, Springfield MA Scibelli Hall, 7th Floor RSVP: Laura Hurley at Laura.Hurley@baystatehealth.org by January 6th, 2012 * Meetings will be rescheduled if schools are closed and/off-street...

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Sustainable Knowledge Corridor – Stay Connected and Engage!

As many of you know, the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission is currently working with the Capital Region Council of Governments and Central Connecticut Regional Planning Agency on an expansive Sustainable Knowledge Corridor Initiative.  This is a multi-faceted three – year Sustainable Communities Initiative grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.  Last week, we launched our new website for the Sustainable Knowledge Corridor at www.sustainableknowledgecorridor.org. We...

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Salazar Highlights Two Proposed Projects in Mass to Promote Outdoor Recreation, Conservation

AMERICA’S GREAT OUTDOORS: Salazar Highlights Two Proposed Projects in Massachusetts to Promote Outdoor Recreation, Conservation. Just days before the release of a 50-state report outlining some of the country’s most promising ways to reconnect Americans to the natural world, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar today highlighted two projects in the state of Massachusetts that will be included in the final report – representing what states believe are among the best...

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CLOSING VERMONT YANKEE … HOW YOU CAN HELP

CLOSING VERMONT YANKEE … HOW YOU CAN HELP A supper and a briefing session on December 6th and 8th by the Safe and Green Campaign. Just four months from now Vermont Yankee will face its scheduled, state-mandated closing, on March 21, 2012. Safe and Green Campaign will present two pot luck supper briefings as an opportunity to learn how to become actively involved in making sure the Vermont Yankee nuclear reactor is finally shut down in a safe and timely way. The briefing will include the...

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Common Good Finance Has a Solution

ASHFIELD, MA:  In this time of popular discontent with the 1% that controls most of the world’s wealth, a small nonprofit in Ashfield, Massachusetts has a solution. Common Good Finance announced this week its plans for a revolutionary new money system that it claims could lead quickly to an economy that benefits everyone. At the heart of the design for a Common Good Economy is a local money system called R Credits™. The R​ stands for Regenerative, Revolutionary, and taking Responsibility for...

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Thai Labor Leader Luncheon

Please accept this invitation to meet Jittra Cotshadet over lunch on Friday October 28 at the Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council, 640 Page Boulevard, Springfield (get directions here). Please reserve your seat now (no later than noon, October 27) by replying to wmjwj@wmjwj.org or calling the Labor Council, (413) 732-7970. Over the course of the past three years, Ms. Cotshadet has become a well-known labor activist in Thailand.  Her work as the President of the Triumph International Thailand...

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Clean Energy Connections – November 2, 2011

2011 Clean Energy Connections Plan to attend this premier cleantech networking andbusiness development event…Building on Success. REGISTER TODAY! Early Registration Ends on Oct 25 _____________________________________ SPEAKERS ANNOUNCED: Creating Cleantech Regional Innovation Clusters – Jim Robbins, Silicon Valley, CAReflections from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory – Walter Musial, Golden, CO Concurrent sessions:o A View from the Summits: The Confluence of Clean Energy Economic...

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Recycling Rally for Textiles, Confidential Papers, and Electronics

Recycling Rally for Textiles, Confidential Papers, and Electronics The Northampton Department of Public Works is sponsoring a recycling event on Saturday October 15th, in cooperation with the Salvation Army, Pro-Shred and JFK Middle School PTO. The event will be held at the JFK Middle School from 9 to noon.   Free Textile Recycling: The Salvation Army will be on hand to accept old textiles that can be reused as polishing cloths, carpet padding, building materials and fibers for insulation and...

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Creating Greenfield’s Future: Our Food, Economy, and Community

SAVE THE DATE – Saturday, Nov 5 Register Today and Save!   $25 Early Registration fee until Oct 14 $10 Scholarships (Students and others) Includes lunch & Free child care   Creating Greenfield’s Future Our Food, Economy, and Community   Sat, Nov 5, 8:30am-4:30pm Greenfield Community College, Main Campus     A forum for citizens, students and business leaders to discuss: How do we make good local food affordable? How do we develop a sustainable local economy? How do we enhance our health...

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Invitation to GreenWork’s first Annual Meeting

Please join us for GreenWork’s first Annual Meeting Wednesday, October 26, 2011 at Noon Pioneer Valley Central Labor Council 640 Page Blvd., Springfield Lunch will be served. Learn more about what GreenWork is up to and how you can contribute to GreenWork’s effort to create a “high road” green economy in western Massachusetts. Please RSVP by October 20, to Mary Vogel at maryvogel@builtbest.org GreenWork consists of advocates for a Green Economy which serves local...

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Call for Applications: NetImpact UMASS and NAWMBA UMASS Event

Do you have a “wish list” business issue that you just don’t have time to work on? Are you tired of the same issue and want a different perspective into a solution? Are you facing a challenge and want the opinion of creative, experienced and informed professionals and MBAs? NetImpact UMass and NAWMBA UMass are actively seeking businesses and startups who would be interested in presenting their own real-life challenge for small collaborative workshopping by participants in our...

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Registration is Now Open for the PVGrows Fall Forum – Oct 27

Putting Our Money Where Our Mouths Are Farm & Food Entrepreneurship in the Pioneer Valley Registration is Now Open for the PVGrows Fall Forum – Oct 27 Where are the business opportunities in the new local food economy? What role do entrepreneurs play in a healthy food system? Who provides the financing and investment? How can we support the growth of both for-profit and not-for-profit entrepreneurship? Join us for an interactive session about the future of our Pioneer Valley...

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Real Pickles greening with Greening Greenfield’s Challenge

Real Pickles Joins the Greenfield 10% Challenge GREENFIELD, MA – Last week Real Pickles, in Greenfield, MA, joined the Greenfield 10% Challenge. Dan Rosenberg, co-owner of Real Pickles gave Nancy Hazard of the Greening Greenfield Energy Committee, a tour of their new facility to learn what they had done to reduce their energy use by at least 10%. “I was amazed at Dan’s commitment, attention to detail and what he has been able to do with constrained finances.” Dan’s philosophy is to live...

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Clean Energy Connections

Clean Energy Connections is the premier regional business development information and networking cleantech event – CleantechWEST! Now in its fourth year, it is an exemplary program for individuals and organizations which accelerates the growth of our green economy. The event attracts more than 400 people each year including business owners, entrepreneurs, financiers, educators, career seekers, community leaders, and public agencies. The theme of this year’s conference is, “Building on...

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Find FREE $ and Upgrade Your Home

Find FREE $ – and UPGRADE Your Home   Tuesday, Sept 27, 7:00 pm GCTV, 393 Main St, Greenfield   Renters, landlords and homeowners are encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served.   Learn how you can save $1000 – $3000 on your heating bills each year AND be warmer in winter and cooler in summer. FREE energy assessments $2,000-$35,000 available per 1-4 family building based on your income   Meet Energy Smart Homes staff and others, who can help guide you through the process    ...

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EVENT: Solving Old Problems in New Ways

Please join the UMass Green Building Committee for the next lecture in the series “Solving Old Problems in New Ways.” This 6-part lecture series explores sustainable design solutions for the built environment. Fiona Cousins will be presenting her lecture “Energy in Buildings: An Engineer’s Perspective” at 4:00-5:15 pm on Tuesday, September 27th in the Cape Cod Lounge in the UMass Student Union. Fiona is a Principal of Arup with the New York office, where her...

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Valley Rallies for Clean Energy to Stop Climate Change

Valley Rallies for Clean Energy to Stop Climate Change Public rallies calling for more urgent action to stop climate change and build a clean energy, sustainable economy will be held in Northampton, Amherst, and Greenfield on the weekend of September 24-25. Thousands of similar events will be taking place in nearly every country of the world, coordinated by the environmental group 350.org.   Most climate scientists agree that the maximum safe amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is 350...

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UMass Amherst Dedicates One of the Nation’s First Public University Permaculture Gardens

UMass Amherst Dedicates One of the Nation’s First Public University Permaculture Gardens with Keynote by Acclaimed Author Frances Moore Lappe Innovative, student-led sustainability program to supplement University’s 27% local food supply PRESS RELEASE: Amherst, MA, Sept. 13, 2011 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Leading the local food movement in public higher education, the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst) Permaculture Garden today announced the public dedication...

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Health and Healing For Community Resilience

On Sunday, September 18th Montview Neighborhood Farm, in collaboration with C3, will be hosting two workshops on Health & Healing for Community Resilience as part of the L/A/N/D Project.  The workshops are $25-60 each and $40-100 for both, sliding scale. No one will be turned away for lack of funds. Space is limited. Please register at least one week in advance by emailing montview AT pedalpeople.COM. You can also pay and register via PayPal by visiting www.montviewfarm.org   Healing the...

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