Events

Weatherizing your Home for Ultimate Savings: Wednesday, October 28, 7 pm

A Workshop by Alan Silverstein of CET at Tyringham Town Hall

Most Massachusetts homeowners could save 20% or more on their home fuel use. In this seminar, Alan Silverstein, co-director of the Center for Ecological Technology, will show us how to achieve those savings. This program will cover:

• Reducing your home energy costs.
• Cost-effective solutions that offer the most “bang for your buck” in terms of energy savings.
• Understanding and preventing heat loss in your home.
• Home energy efficiency programs and incentives that make money-saving improvements affordable.

The workshop will stress the improtance of reducing heat usage by providing do-it-yourself weatherizing techniques. There will be a slideshow to illustrate how the “thermal envelope” works in homes, a discussion on which improvements are the most cost-effective, and information on obtaining a no-cost home energy audit and accessing generous incentives to help reduce the cost of home improvements to improve energy savings. There will be free educational materials for everyone attending, and time for questions.

• Light refreshments will be provided.
• Door prizes for the first 50 attendees.

For more information, contact Marcia Powdermaker: 413.243.4176.

Broadband in the Berkshires: Friday, June 19, 3 pm

Berkshire South Community Center, Route 7, Great Barrington

Please attend this important meeting with the woman in charge of the Massachusetts Broadband Initiative in Boston. She will be here to gauge interest in broadband in the Southern Berkshires before  heading to Washington to ask for additional funds for this purpose. Access to broadband is not only an economic issue; it’s also a green issue — it would enable those of us who work extensively on the Internet to do so from home without driving somewhere to get connected.

3rd Thursday Goes Green: Thursday, June 1, 5-8 pm

Downtown Pittsfield

This month’s 3rd Thursday street festival has a green focus. The City of Pittsfield’s new Green Commission is presenting the city’s first Green Expo, cosponsored by Harrison Design Associates and Lenox Softworks.

This family-friendly event also features music, dance, and other and performances; hula hooping and puppetry; vintage cars; food stands and other vendors; after-hours shopping and art openings; and free admission to the Berkshire Museum.

For more information on this family -fun event and a map and schedule of the happenings, go to Cultural Pittsfield.

Tyringham Green Committee Meeting: Tuesday, June 16, 7 pm

Town Hall

Preliminary Agenda

Discuss options for more fuel-efficient police car, next town-wide event.

NOTE: This meeting was postponed. A new date is yet TBD.

Tyringham Green Committee Meeting: Wednesday, May 20, 7 pm

At the home of Kipp & Bess: 4 Stonebridge Way

Preliminary Agenda

1) Review highlights of the CET meeting

2) Evaluate how to begin to comply with Green Communities provisions

Please confirm via email if you plan to attend or if you need directions.

Berkshire Grassroots Green Gathering: Saturday, May 9

Bulbs, Bags, and Boldly Beyond: A Berkshire Climate Action Gathering

Who:      Individuals, climate action groups, town energy committees, and public officials, working at the local level on energy and climate action issues

When:    Saturday, May 9 – 9:00 – 11:30 am

Where:   Lenox Town Hall

At this event, we’ll share information and resources that will advance the specific goals of local initiatives and move forward our shared vision of working toward energy self-reliance in the Berkshires.  We will explore working together on Berkshire initiatives for 2009 that will support the work we are already doing, build spirit, and take result-producing action steps.

Please spread the word about this upcoming gathering to your network.

• RSVP your attendance by Friday May 1 to Wendy Penner at: wendypenner@hotmail.com.

• Please request form to provide organizers with more information about the group you represent: wendypenner@hotmail.com.

Amherst music festival promotes local solutions: Saturday, May 2

Ridebuzz.org Music Festival, Kendrick Park, Amherst, MA, 12 – 6 pm, free

Mark you  calendar for the first-ever festival to support ridesharing initiatives. This event features:

•   Live concerts featuring local bands

•   Guest speakers, including local political and business leaders

•   Recognition of businesses and organizations for their efforts in supporting rideshare

•   A diverse community in attendance, drawing from the 5 colleges and across the region

•   Vendors from local business showcasing quality goods and services

•   Volleyball tournament

•   Raffles + prizes

•   Food from local restaurants

•   Wheelchair accessible

This event is FREE for the community, but will rely on the generous support of participants and sponsors. Click here for more details on the Ridebuzz Music Festival. For information on sponsorship, contact Jeff Brown, Ridebuzz founder: 413-253-0681 or jeff@ridebuzz.org.

Together we can raise critical awareness around community-efficient strategies, which keep millions of dollars circulating in our local economy, and reduce vast amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.

Tyringham Roadside Clean-Up, Sunday, April 26

Meet at the firehouse at 10:45.  Hot dogs and drinks will be provided afterward.

For more information, or if you want to bring a side dish, call Al or Lynn at 243-2463. Rain date:  May 3.

Native Knowledge Conference April 25

On Saturday, April 25, 10am-4:30pm, Project Native presents a day-long conference on native plants at Monument Mountain Regional High School, Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

“Native Knowledge” features presentations by…

• Douglas Tallamy, Entomologist and author of the book “Bringing Nature Home”
• William Cullina, a nationally recognized speaker, writer and expert on native plants
• Russ Cohen, author of “Wild Plants I Have Known…and Eaten”

Plus breakout sessions with local experts!

General admission for full day: $25

For more information or to register online go to www.projectnative.org.

Free class on Herbal First Aid: April 18

Jane Kasten will lead a workshop on “Herbal First Aid” on Saturday, April 18 at 10:30 at the Monterey Meetinghouse. Jane will explain the medicinal properties of specific herbs, and show how to use everyday plants to heal ourselves. The workshop is free and open to the public, and appropriate for beginners and seasoned herbalists of all ages.

Says Laurily Espstein of Berkshire Grown: “I’ve been taking a gardening class from Jane since last October, and she’s absolutely terrific! Hope you and friends from Tyringham can make it over on the 18th.”

Upcoming Committee Meeting

April 16, 7 pm at Town Hall.

All are welcome to attend!

Community Meeting, March 18, 2009

Tyringham Green’s first community meeting on March 18 was a big success. As participants signed in at the door, many also signed up for a home energy audit from Western Massaschusetts Electric Company that could result in significant cost savings on energy-efficient home improvements, such as adding insulation. After Marcia Powdermaker kicked off the meeting, Nancy  Nylen from the Center for Ecological Technology explained how to interpret an electric bill, so we can track energy use over time.

Larry Bravo gave a presentation on compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), explaining that even though they cost a bit more to buy, they result in substantial savings in terms of energy use,  and they last many years longer than incandescent bulbs.

Nancy gave a demonstration of the many types of CFLs available, including outdoor flood lights. Two table lamps, one with a CFL and one with an incandescent, were used to demonstrate that the light cast by both types of bulbs is indistinguishable.

Chris Johnson talked about measures the town has taken to be more energy-efficient, including the purchase of a new truck that eliminates multiple passes to clear snow; the availability of a bin for safe disposal of CFLs at the transfer station; and the town’s registration for an energy audit of municipal buildings. He also outlined many actions he and his family have taken at home, such as building a chicken coop and producing their own eggs; installing CFLs; making sure to turn off the lights; and composting their kitchen waste. He also provided details about how to compost, either in a bin or with fenced-in piles.

Two other townspeople explained measures they have already taken to make their homes more energy efficient. Holly Ketron detailed the geothermal system she uses to heat and cool her home, using the constant temperature of the earth. And Judy Moorehouse talked about how nearly all her energy needs are provided through solar power.

Kipp Lynch wrapped up the meeting with a look at the future, concluding that for our small town, simple lifestyle changes will probably have more of an impact on energy conservation than complex, expensive technologies. Among the actionable ideas he brought up included the establishment of a town garden or a community-supported farm (CSA) to produce fruit and vegetables locally, eliminating wasteful food transportation costs and supplying high-quality produce to participants in the town.

At the end of the meeting, Bess Hochstein drew the names of winners of an eco-raffle. Winners chose either a CFL or one of five attractive, long-lasting shopping bags made from recycled materials, which were donated by Blue Q, a Pittsfield-based family business. Tasty desserts and beverages were provided by members of Tyringham Green.

We hope to hold another town meeting outdoors when the weather is better!