Hi, Green Friends,
(I always hear the voice of Kermit when I type that greeting. Appropriate, since this is the 40th anniversary of Sesame Street.)
A very important meeting coming up on this Thursday night, November 19. It's of crucial importance to all customers of the Newport Water Department, no matter where we live. Come ask the Newport City Council and the Utilities Department essential questions about the planned U-V installation at Easton's Beach. See the write-up in the calendar, below.
And yet another reminder that http://www.neighborhoodenergychallenge.org/ is open for business. Come visit, and sign on to save energy and money and earn prizes!
As we learned in science classes, trees sequester carbon, and Newport is blessed with a fabulous collection of them. The Newport Tree Society has updated its web site, and has initiated its first Newport Tree Walk, a one-mile self-guided tour starting at Washington Square. Learn more about the organization and the walk at http://www.newporttreesociety.org/.
Recently, a friend forwarded an email with advice, credited to Andy Rooney, about ways to stop telephone and mail solicitations. As is my habit, I checked it out on Snopes.com. As usual, not only did the advice not come from Andy Rooney, the recommendations do not work. Instead, Snopes recommends the following strategies:
To stop phone solicitations, sign on to the National Do Not Call Registry: www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx
To stop most direct mail solicitations, go to the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service: http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html
To stop most unsolicited credit card and insurance offers, go to the Opt Out service offered by the four major credit rating companies: www.optoutprescreen.com/opt_form.cgi. (You can opt out permanently or for five years, and you can return to opt in, if you choose to.)
Beth
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Energy Efficiency Opportunities for your Business
Time: 12 to 2 PM
Location: Newport County Chamber of Commerce, 35 Valley Rd., Middletown
Increasing Your Bottom Line Through Energy Savings.
Presented by Energy Action: Aquidneck Island & Jamestown, A National Grid Community Initiative. Lunch will be served!
Please RSVP to Kathleen Papp
Free for Newport Chamber members
$25 for non-members
RI Interfaith Power & Light Cool Congregations training
Time: 6:00 to 9 PM
Location: Christ Church, 7 Elm St., Westerly
Help your congregation save Creation by shrinking their carbon footprint at home. Become a Cool Congregations trainer for your congregation! Become better stewards of Creation by understanding your own household's energy usage and learning practical steps to increased energy efficiency. It's fun and informative!
Pizza will be served. Limited enrollment. Call 401-267-0029 by November 14 to enroll. There is a suggested $10 donation but no one will be turned away.
For more information, go to www.riipl.org, and click on "Cool Congregations" on the menu.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Workshop on U-V treatment system-Newport city Council
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Newport City Hall, Broadway
A statement from the Aquidneck Island Watershed Council: "It is important to have a good turnout at this meeting to show the Council and City officials that the citizens of Aquidneck Island have concerns about this project. The UV plant does not solve the problem of beach pollution. Middletown is not participating in the project even though the Esplanade outfall pipes are the primary cause of the beach closings at Atlantic Beach. Newport, Middletown and the DOT need to work together on a comprehensive strategy for storing and treating storm water runoff. The UV plant is an expensive, end of pipe solution to a complex non-point pollution problem.
"What is the real cost of the project? With the specter of climate change and a carbon tax on the horizon, it does not make sense to build a plant that uses enormous amounts of electricity when natural solutions are available. What is the estimated annual electricity cost of the plant? What are the estimated maintenance costs? Personnel costs? Depreciation? Debt service? Opportunity costs? (What other projects will be deferred or rejected because of the cost of this project?)
"Please call your elected representatives and express your thoughts on the project. Come to the meeting next Thursday and bring your friends."
(Note: this may be one of the only opportunities for public input on this proposal, which we rate payers will ultimately be paying for.)
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Electronic Waste Recycling Day
Time: 8 AM to 1 PM
Location: Easton's Beach, Newport
Recycle electronic waste and plastics during the Clean City Program’s Fall Recycling Day. Saturday, November 21, 8am to 1pm. All RI residents welcome.
Examples of electronic waste accepted are: computers/CPUs, monitors, keyboards, mice, scanners, televisions, laptops, fax machines, modems, routers, VCRs, DVD players, miscellaneous computer parts and wires, digital cameras, cell phones & accessories and more.
The following items will not be accepted: Freon bearing items such as air conditioners, dehumidifiers, refrigerators and large metal items such as washers and dryers.
Plastic items that will be accepted for recycling during this one-day event are not accepted in the curbside recycling program. Examples of plastic items accepted are: #3-7 plastics, plastic toys, buckets, milk & soda crates, laundry baskets, lawn furniture, landscape items such as edging, microwave trays, plastic totes, plastic drums (food grade only, no chemical containers), pet carriers, plastic pallets, coolers, shelving, closet organizers, dish drainers, flower pots (no soil), garbage cans, recycling bins, waste baskets, 5 gallon water bottles. All plastic items brought for recycling must be free of any wood, metal, glass, wires or batteries.
Newport residents can exchange their old recycling bin for a new bin for $5, regularly $8. This discounted price will be available at this event only and recycling bins will be offered on a first come, first serve basis. Please bring a check for payment and proof of Newport residency.
For more information about the Fall Recycling Day or the City of Newport’s residential solid waste and recycling collection program, contact the Clean City Program at 845-5613 or visit www.cityofnewport.com/cleancity.
Sponsored by the City of Newport’s Clean City Program, Good Point Recycling, Sony Electronics Inc., and Waste Management.
Monday, November 23, 2009
"LEED Core Concepts & Strategies"
Time: 8:30 AM to 5 PM
Location: NE Institute of Technology, Warwick
This workshop, offered by the RI Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council, is the first of two that have been approved as eligible training programs under the federal Workforce Investment Act. The first is a non-technical course, intended for students, property owners, facilities managers, emerging or experienced green designers, engineers, builders and product manufacturers and service providers, including realtors, appraisers, trades people, attorneys and government officials.
Tuition fees, with reduced rates for signing up before November 15. For information about the workshop, visit http://www.usgbcri.org/.
Unemployed or underemployed applicants may be eligible for free tuition under the Workforce Investment Act. Eligibility must be established before the workshop. For information about eligibility, visit www.networkri.org/centers.htm.
The second, more advanced workshop, "Building, Design and Construction, the LEED Implementation Process," will be held early next year.
