The Cambridge Energy Alliance has participated in many CFL exchange canvasses. On a chosen day, we and volunteers head out into neighborhoods and knock on doors, offering to give an equal number of CFLs for the number of regular light bulbs a household will hand us. As a special treat with Halloween approaching, Green Medford has announced an event that is a new take on this idea.

From the Green Medford blog:

Hi all! I want to share with you a very fun idea and ask for your help in making it a big success!

We’re calling our event “Reverse Trick or Treat,” thought up by JR Siegel, a student at the Fletcher School and a Medford resident. The idea is for a bunch of residents to… [view entry]

Under mounting pressure from 10-10-10 groups, 350.org’s Bill McKibben, and various other environmental activists, the Obama Administration announced today that it will re-install solar panels on the White House roof. After weeks of rallying support for the Solar Road Trip including over 40,000 signatures by citizens who urged the President to retrofit the White House, Bill McKibben, 350.org, Unity College students, and the 40,000+ who were following the event were ultimately disappointed; previous coverage. The White House refused to take the Carter-era solar panel which was removed when Regan took office, and has since been living in Maine. however, the administration promised that they would “continue deliberative processes” surrounding solar on their roof. Since that day, not much has been mentioned on this topic by 350.org/Bill McKibben,… [view entry]

Beginning September 7th, Bill McKibben and students from Unity College in Maine are on a road trip to Washington D.C., with a specific goal in mind. This 350.org-affiliated group plans to approach the White House to urge President Obama to install solar panels on his roof in order to finally make a stand on energy issues, set an example for citizens, and to participate in 350.org’s “Global Work Party” on October 10th (10-10-10).

In 1979, President Jimmy Carter put solar panels on the White House. In 1986, President Reagan removed them and they were never replaced. Years later, Unity College in Maine adopted the panels where they have lived ever since. Until now.

Unity College has removed one panel from their cafeteria roof and donated it to 350.org’s campaign… [view entry]

Brad Winnett from MassRIDES discusses green alternatives while other panelists look on.

On Wednesday August 25th, the Cambridge Energy Alliance and the Sustainable Business Leader Program hosted a Green Transportation Workshop. Panelists discussed ways to make a key facet of business operations, employee transportation, “green.”

Stephanie Anderberg from Cambridge Community Development discussed how businesses can support alternative transportation with help from Pre-tax Commuter Benefits. Basically, these are ways in which businesses can pay for their employees’ green travel (e.g. shuttles, vanpools, biking, the T) before taxes are considered. These can be administered in several fairly easy ways, including giving vouchers or using a 3rd party administrator.

Jim Gascoigne from the Charles River TMA opened with a significant statistic: a staggering 67% of people… [view entry]

One possible step toward Climate Change mitigation, cap and trade is a prominent topic of discussion among government officials and environmentally-concerned citizens alike. This very short film (by the creators of “Story of Stuff”) offers a comprehensive look into the cap & trade system, and carefully questions its legitimacy. This is an informative piece on a very comfortable level that will boost your understanding of what the true philosophies behind, benefits of, and concerns with cap and trade systems are. I recommend taking a couple of minutes to check it out, and then sharing with your friends.

Or watch here.

CEA canvassing interns: Stephanie, Mira, Danit, Trevor, Federico, Laurence

On July 7th CEA’s six volunteers took to the streets for the first time, canvassing businesses in Inman Square, and eastward on Cambridge Street. Over the next three weeks, they would reach out to over 440 people in small local businesses—barber shops, cafes, hardware stores, book stores, florists, bars, convenience stores, restaurants, bike shops, you name it—in North Cambridge, Leslie and Porter Square, Harvard Square and Church Street, Mount Auburn and Brattle Street, Dana Hill, Bow Street, Central Square, Lafayette, Concord Ave, Huron, East Cambridge, and Broadway.

In 90+ degree heat, over previously unfamiliar terrain, and sometimes through rain storms, the teams of interns  met with over 190 business owners and discussed energy efficiency opportunities—programs and incentives from… [view entry]

The Union of Concerned Scientists, a national non-profit of citizens and scientists for environmental solutions based in Harvard Square, have cleanly outlined several concrete actions for you to take to meet those ends. They have taken to the road, holding meetings focused on spreading the knowledge and skills to effectively use your constituency as leverage. Although yesterday the Senate majority leader Harry Reid announced that they will not look at climate legislation until September, others are firmly professing that all hope is not lost.

“This is not going to die, absolutely rest assured this is not going away,” Kerry told visitors to Congress.

“As long as I am in the Senate and I’ve got another four years … we are going to keep pounding away on this.”

The goal that the… [view entry]

The Gulf Oil Spill has been the event at the top of everyone’s mind for many weeks now, almost to the point of our adapting to the initially shocking concept. The images that have surfaced have been heartrending enough, though, that the shock factor hasn’t been allowed to completely fade. Predictions of the results to come in the next weeks and months are concerning to say the least, and the estimate of how much has been leaking each day continues to rise. BP comes up with a new method to “fix” the problem every few weeks, each seeming promising with a side-serving of bad news.  Effects on humans are starting to surface, some gruesome news and some simply tragic projections. With all of… [view entry]

CEA canvassing interns: Trevor, Laurence, Stephanie, Mira, Danit, Federico

Starting Wednesday, July 7th, a city-wide canvass will be visiting Cambridge business squares, bringing money- and planet-saving opportunities to the doors of hundreds of small businesses.  Canvassers will talk with business owners about what they can do to make their businesses more energy efficient, supplying them with ample information about which programs to employ to best suit their needs. During these short interactions, businesses will have the chance to sign up for a free energy assessment, and connect with other community resources including:

The City of Cambridge Facade Improvement Program provides technical and financial assistance to property owners or tenants seeking to renovate or restore commercial building exterior facades.

The City of Cambridge Better Retail Practices Program helps Cambridge retailers

… [view entry]

On June 29th, a two-hour gubernatorial forum was held in downtown Boston’s historic Old South Meeting House.

All candidates for Governor were welcomed to make a statement, followed by a short Q&A by the audience and two panelists.

The first candidate to speak, Governor Deval Patrick, spoke about Cape Wind, and addressed a question about the alternative of purchasing clean energy from other places, if it were cheaper than producing our own. In response to this, he unwittingly quoted Chairman Mao, “I don’t know who said it, but, we’re going to have to let a thousand flowers bloom,” and concluded that we’ve still got a long way to go, and no avenue should be left unexplored. Other topics he discussed were the state of parks after cut funding, the Evergreen… [view entry]