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Take Charge: Takes StockBy Madeline King & Kara McCall
Take Charge Interns
05:56PM / Wednesday, December 03, 2008
This newsletter is provided by the Take Charge Campaign, a local initiative to encourage and to help people to conserve energy. It is published twice a month.
This Week In Clean Energy: Charged Up
Kara and I wanted to give an update on Take Charge! The fall workshops on saving money and energy in homes were well attended and sparked a lot of interest in environmental issues. We are working on planning another series for the spring, and would be open to any suggestions about what you are interested in learning more about. In addition, Take Charge will be present at several community holiday events and also at the Dec. 11 book signing by Bruce Harley (see calendar below).
Each of us tackled a big project over this semester. I helped organize the first "Winter Blitz" weatherization day by working with the Williams Center for Community Engagement, the Berkshire Community Action Council, Take Charge and the Northern Berkshire Community Coalition. Kara and MCLA joined us to create an awesome day with 126 people who went out and helped weatherize 43 homes in the surrounding area. Check out next month's NBCC newsletter to read more!
Kara presented at the Service Learning Conference on how Take Charge can be integrated into the school curriculum. She is planning on developing a curriculum that teachers of all grade levels can use to teach about energy. She will also be partnering with MCLA and Williams to bring college students into classroom to do presentations on renewable energy, energy conservation and how energy works.
For next semester, Kara and I are looking into doing a carbon footprint for North Adams to pinpoint where the most energy usage is and be able to target those areas in future projects. The group formerly known as the Green Group (still working on a new name!) is also beginning to start new initiatives beyond Take Charge, so we will keep you informed of all their exciting projects that you might be interested in.
Thanks so much for such an amazing first six months of Take Charge, and we are really looking forward to the rest of this year and 2009!
In Our Community:
North Adams environmental action committee meeting: Thursday, Dec. 4, 4:30 to 6
The Take Charge campaign is organized by an ad-hoc citizens group, and we meet on the third floor of the North Adams Public Library. This week's meeting will continue the work started on the mission statement and planning/brainstorming for the holiday season and upcoming months. Contact Madeline with questions.
Neighborhood Expo: Saturday, Dec. 6, 9:30 to 3
"Environment" is the theme for this year's 11th annual community exposition, which will be held at St. Anthony's Parish Hall in North Adams. Morning sessions will include discussions on the physical environment, enjoying our environment, and improving the environment. Booths and information will be available throughout the day. Contact Kathy Keeser at NBCC with questions.
Book signing with Bruce Harley: Thursday, Dec. 11, 6
This event will be held at the North Adams Public Library on the third floor. Check out the energy expert's newest book, "Cut Your Energy Bills Now: 150 Smart Ways to Save Money and Make Your Home More Comfortable." Green! Take Charge will draw a raffle for items such as programmable thermostats. If you attended any workshops or signed a pledge, you will be entered and contacted. E-mail Madeline with questions.
Good luck saving energy!
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