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What's PlayingBazaarsNov. 21
St. Stanislaus School benefit, 9 to 4 in Kolbe Hall, Adams. Bake sale, snack bar, games, Chinese auctions, money raffle, crafts, and pierogi.
Blackinton Union Church, 1373 Massachusetts Ave., North Adams; 10 to 2. Crafts table, bake sale, Chinese auction, the Christmas table, and kid's grab bag. Lunch $4, $2 kids.
First Congregational Church, North Adams, 9-2.
Nov. 28
Becket Federated Church, Route 8, holiday bazaar from 9-3. Lunch, crafts, baked goods, holiday and other items. Information: Mary Peltier, Parish House, 413-623-5217.
Dec. 5
Holiday Fair at First Congregational Church, 25 Park Place, Lee, from 10 to 3; handcrafted items, raffles, children's shop, bake sale, cut Christmas trees and lunch from 11 to 1. Includes angel-themed goods from SERRV. Information, 413-243-1033 or www.ucc-lee.org.
Dec. 12-13
North Adams Country Club, crafts 9-4; food from That's a Wrap from 11-2. Information: Sheryl Morehouse at 413-822-3329.
Planning a bazaar this season? Submit information to info@iberkshires.com to have it listed here. |
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The government's issued controversial new guidelines stating that women shouldn't get annual mammograms until age 50, rather than age 40.
iBerkshires will be meeting with local medical experts Monday. Have a question you'd like answered on this issue? Send it info@iberkshires.com with "mammogram" in the subject line. |
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Click Here: Agriculture New Battleground for FuelStaff reports
iBerkshires
08:59AM / Thursday, June 26, 2008
Skyrocketing gas and oil prices are propelling the alternative fuels industry, particularly the development of biofuels. Corn-derived ethanol's been around for awhile but newer technologies are paving the way with other flora — soybeans, woody brush — in the race for new energy resources.
An energy bill passed last year by Congress calls for ethanol production to increase from 7 billion to 36 billion gallons over the next 12 years.
What does that mean? In Massachusetts, a biofuels task force has encouraged the use of cellulosic biofuels such as soybeans, brush and biomass derived from marginal lands. The type of harvest suitable for the yeoman farms prevalent in New England and an extra crop to help sustain them.
Farther west, corn and soybean are major cash crops for food, feedstock for animals and for biofuels — and livestock producers are beginning to feel the pinch. BusinessWeek last year described it as "one of the first signs of a coming agricultural transformation and a global economic shift."
The governor of Texas has called for a reduction to federal biofuel production and is being backed by farmers across the nation who are blaming ethanol for rising food prices.
At a National Press Club the other day, it seems Berkshire County's Lee Harrison, executive vice president of the planned $65 million Berkshire Biodiesel, was the lone voice of dissent.
Read The Associated Press story below. (Note that AP incorrectly places Berkshire Biodiesel in Williamstown. Harrison lives in Williamstown but Berkshire Biodiesel is in Pittsfield.)
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| Excellent comments. Unfortunately, in most cases, the driver here isn't an improved environment or the development of more efficient energy production materials...it's money. Most entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of opportunities are looking for that big return with minimal input. The same applies. Production and demand are knowns here....it's that next-gen visionary that we need to support and fund because, as we can see, we simply don't have enough resource to go around....if it comes down to a simple decision...do we eat or do we drive, the choice is no longer a choice. People may protest high gas prices but they will kill for food. | | from: Amused | on: 06-26-2008 |
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I think they are both right. Using any foodstock to create fuel is poor way to produce energy. Without know what the Texas governor's plan is or what Harrison plans to use for feedstock for his bio-diesel are, its hard to say who has the better plan.
I think the article is symptomatic of the overall problem with energy production and usage today. People/companies are so tied to a single product or solution they fail to see the big picture or look for ways that produce a win-win for both sides.
Getting the country off of petro-chemical fertilizers and agri-business, and producing power from waste streams and renewable sources is where we have to go. I hope Harrison is looking to algea for his future feedstock or he won't be any better off than if he owned an oil well. Channeling the CO2 emissions from fossil-fueled power plants into algea farms will help sequester the CO2 and provide a feedstock for bio-diesel at the same time.
| | from: CJ Vadnais | on: 06-26-2008 |
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