Greenfield Community College's Office of Community Education is offering a new workshop, Solar Money: New Grants to Help you make Power from the Sun, with Mark Skinder, owner of the Greenfield Solar Store. Come learn about the Commonwealth Solar program in Massachusetts and what it means for home and business owners interested in installing Photovoltaic (solar electric) panels. The workshop will cover the basics of photovoltaic technology, how to assess the solar potential of your site,...
Read More
Cloth diapering can be confusing simply because of the number of varieties now on the market. From pre-folds to all-in-ones, cotton to hemp, it’s hard to know where to begin. Start here as I break it down for you. Diaper Definitions: Pre-fold Diaper – Usually made of cotton, a pre-fold is a rectangular cloth designed to fold around your child. It needs to be covered by a plastic or wool diaper cover. Pre-folds are the cheapest way to get started in cloth. And unlike your mama’s...
Read More
Carlyn caught up with some local folk after April’s performance of The Turtle Island Medicine Show. They shared their experiences with recycling, reusing, and making environmentally conscious choices about their lifestyles. How We’re Goin’ Greener 1 airs tonight. But wait! There’s more! Carlyn talked with so many people that she created a series with four different videos. The next three clips will air on Monday nights for the next three weeks. So, we’ll expect...
Read More
A few months ago, a discussion came up on one of my on-line forums about energy efficient Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs. I finally had to admit publicly that, even though I do many other things green in my life, I still burn the ol' incandescent bulbs. The light is softer on my eyes: I've had nightmare images in my mind of having to cuddle up with a book under the flickering greenish glare of fluorescence. Plus, I excuse myself by saying that there are plenty of other things I do, I...
Read More
We're trying to make sure this blog is discovered by Technorati . Please, talk amongst yourselves during this post. Technorati Profile
Read More
Reducing your paper towel waste is unbelievably easy. So easy that it’s a little hard for me to understand why so many people still use paper towels in excess. Either shell out a few extra pennies for the rolls with sheets that are perforated in smaller sizes, or rip the sheets in half before using. A normal sheet of paper towel is way too big for most uses. Hang a cloth towel next to the kitchen sink for hand drying. There’s no reason for people to be drying their hands with paper...
Read More
If you’ve always wanted to try cloth diapering but you’re not sure where to start and you’re convinced you’ll be over-whelmed by laundry, how about beginning with just the wipes? Diapers aren’t the only thing filling landfills as a result of baby bottoms. Wipes take up a lot of space, use a lot of resources for their creation, and are often soaked in unnecessary chemicals. Pre-fabricated Cloth wipes bumGernius Flannel Baby Wipes Kissaluvs Baby Wipes Baby washcloths come anywhere from 3 to...
Read More
By ARN ALBERTINI Recorder Staff [ Originally published on: Friday, March 28, 2008 by The Recorder] The Franklin County Technical School hopes to save money while, at the same time, helping prepare students for a career in renewable energy by installing new energy-efficient components at the school. A few months ago, the School Committee hired Siemens Building Technologies of Canton for $12,900 to audit the school's energy use. Earlier this month, Siemens presented its findings,...
Read More
This past weekend, before putting my child to bed, I turned out all the lights in my house. By 8:20, when I emerged, Earth Hour had begun. For the next 40 minutes, I read by candle light and slowly but surely my body relaxed into sleep. By the time I could, with a clear conscious, turn my lights back on I actually had no desire to do so. All I wanted to do was go to sleep. Without the awake-inducing distraction of lights, computer, and the general visibility of the pile of dishes in my...
Read More
Help build an innovative ride sharing program for the Pioneer Valley. An organizational meeting and community forum will be held on April 3rd at the Jones Library. Join community organization and civic leaders to get involved and support an important pilot program that will revolutionize carpooling! Thursday, April 3, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. at the Jones Library, 43 Amity St., Amherst, MA. For more information go to...
Read More
