Facebook
Submit a New Listing

More About Greening Greenfield

The Greening Greenfield Energy Committee (GGEC) is a citizen committee started in 2005 to work toward building a sustainable Greenfield so that current and future generations can sustain and enjoy life in this beautiful and abundant valley we call home. In February, 2007, the GGEC launched the Greening Greenfield campaign in collaboration with the Town of Greenfield to   create a collective vision for Greenfield’s future write and implement a living document called a Sustainability Plan...

Read More

Global Warming: Where are you, Andy?

Andy, the student in the second half of this clip , studies Information Technology at Greenfield Community College. He was the only one among a group of young people gathered on Greenfield's Main Street who could tell us what global warming is and what causes it. Andy is also aware that turning off unnecessary lights and appliances is as good for his wallet as it is for the environment. We hope Andy will show us other ways to save money and be good to the planet at the same time. But...

Read More

Video Transcript: Low Cost, Big Savings

Low cost big savings: Your Composting ToiletTranscript copyright earththrives.com Carlyn:  For about 500 dollars you can build yourself a two bay moldering toilet. Jonathan:  Yup it would definitely I think–so for the materials–yea, if its part of an existing house. Carlyn:  Does it save money? Jonathan:  Yea your expenses are just about done once you’ve built this. You might need to invest in a little bit of wood chips which is the ingredient that you add while using it. You can...

Read More

Video Transcript: What’s In It for Me?

What’s In it for Me? Transcript copyright earththrives.com Carlyn: If I was just on the fence trying to decide whether to get a compost toilet–even if I wasn’t going to build it myself but would have someone else build it for me–what would you say to me to get off the fence and decide to do it? Jonathan: Well I think I would encourage you to listen to the wisdom of the people that have lived in a very sustainable–and I like to use the word elegant–a very sensible way...

Read More

Video Transcript: Ventilation

Ventilation: Key Ingredient for Composting Toilets Transcript copyright earththrives.com Jonathan: There is a need to have directed flow of air through it for odor control and for moisture control. The moisture of the heat, the pile, it’s called is needed to be controlled.  It can’t get too moist or it doesn’t molder; it just kind of gets sticky. Air is the friend of any biological process and it needs air that the ventilation system gives it. That is done with plastic pipes: 4-inch plastic...

Read More

Video Transcript: Do You Need Town Permission for a Composting Toilet?

Do You Need Town Permission for a Composting Toilet? Transcript copyright earththrives.com Carlyn: Do you need any kind of particular permit to build this? Jonathan: Well, permits depends on your particular state and town in Massachusetts. Some states, it’s just a state issue and whether they allow them or don’t, they have that regulation. In Massachusetts everything is very much determined by the town, but as I understand it the state law enables the town to regulate these things. Our town...

Read More

Fly Ash – more important than you think

THE BASICSCoal Fly Ash (from CSI Section 03 05 13) Coal fly ash is a waste product of coal-fired power plants and can be used as a substitute for some of the portland cement in a concrete mixture-up to 60% is common, but even higher levels of substitution are possible. It makes the concrete stronger and gives it improved workability compared with a conventional mix. The environmental advantages include reducing the use of high-embodied-energy portland cement and reusing an otherwise landfilled...

Read More

About Rural Development, Inc (RDI)

It is the mission of RDI to advance the right of all people in Franklin County (MA) and the North Quabbin region to occupy environmentally responsible, energy efficient, affordable housing and to improve economic independence.  Further, RDI strives to promote environmental awareness, and to operate in a manner that is respectful of the rural character of our region. RDI works with residents and communities to expand affordable single-family and multi-family housing opportunities. RDI...

Read More

More About Mow Don’t Grow

Piyali, who appears in our Mow Don't Grow series wrote: “Originally from Calcutta, India, I was actually once a lover of city life. Years back, I came to the US to study English literature, but  at this point in my life, sustainability and fun are my passions.  I now avoid cities like the plague and live in a small town in western Massachusetts with my (former farmer) husband and six-year-old son. I'm taking courses toward a nursing degree and am quite content muddling around at...

Read More

Video Transcript: Taking Your Bike Makes a Big Difference

Transcript copyright earththrives.com Chris Mason: Massachusetts drivers annually produce 24 million tons of carbon monoxide.  That’s the equivalent of filling up 24 million blimps every year upon every year upon every year– comes out of our tail pipes of our cars and into the air–is causing our world to warm up and the climate to change.  James Lowenth: Every gallon of gas burned in a car causes about 20 pounds of CO2 to be emitted into the atmosphere. So I figure by not driving...

Read More

Video Transcript: The Gas Money Jar

Transcript copyright earththrives.com Beth:  One day a week I pick the boys up at the school. I would always walk over there.  It’s about a half mile from where I teach over to their school, and I would walk. The days I showed up, Eliot would say as soon as he saw me–just frown and grown and moan and complain at me–and I was just tired of it. So I said I am not the only one who’s going to walk and pick them up. So I got Garrett to say, “Okay,  yeah, we can walk.”  So we walk home...

Read More

Video Transcript: Ride Your Bike the Way You’d Drive Your Car

Transcript copyright earththrives.com Gina:  I took a bike safety course.  The most important things that I took away from the class was being confident on the road and not being scared of cars. If you are in a place with a lot of cars on the road and you’re very clear about what you’re doing and you drive your bike as if you would drive your car and follow the rules of the road then they know to expect. James:  A couple of very important rules on the road: very, very simple rules of the road...

Read More

Video Transcript: Good Talks While Riding with My Kids

Transcript copyright earththrives.com Gina:  One of the things I like best about riding my bike with my children because they seem to have so much fun riding and I really have to talk to them on the ride. Things we notice as we ride along–the cars, the people, the smells–that we would completely miss if we were in a car. (They get ready to go for a bike ride.) Gina: How are your brakes? Son: They're fine. Gina: Yours seem to be ok. Youngest son: That’s because of last time when...

Read More

Enjoy the Ride

Several of our clips: Sweet Rewards: The Gas Money Jar, Taking Your Bike Makes a Big Difference Ride Your Bike the Way You’d Drive Your Car Good Talks Riding with my Kids are excerpts from Enjoy the Ride, a film produced, directed, and edited by Paul Hake, Carlyn Saltman, and Scot Broderick of Franklin County, MA. For more information, visit Enjoy The Ride By Bike. DVD’s of Enjoy the Ride are available from the Office of Transportation Planning at the Franklin Regional Council of...

Read More

Companion Planting: Comfrey & Paw Paw

  Mai and Ethan, the students in our video Companion Planting: Comfrey & Paw Paw mention “Dave’s book.”  They’re referring to Edible Forest Gardens by Dave Jacke. For more information on companion planting, or the planting of different crops or produce in close proximity for mutual benefit:   National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service Golden Harvest Organics – guide to companion planting in your garden Companion Planting.net ...

Read More

Jonathan’s Scoop on Composting Toilets

Jonathan, stone mason and writer-editor of Wendell, MA, discusses the building of his mouldering toilet in several Earth Thrive’s episodes.  He tells us: “My partner and I lived for 19 years in a deepwoods homestead complete with garden & goats, a hand pump at the sink, a composting system for our biological wastes, and no electricity. It was elegant in the comfort & aesthetic sense, but also elegant meaning clean and simple, as in “an elegant mathematical...

Read More