Your lifetime membership helps provide the level of support we need to add more green businesses, across more industries, across more communities than ever before! If you like what you see in the Green Alliance, help us to increase our impact by showing your support.

Please join us as we contribute to a more just, sustainable and healthy business community. 

 

Never doubt that a small, thoughtful group of citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

 - Margaret Mead

Current Sustaining Members:

1. Matt Knowlton. Matt and his wife Leah received their 1st Green Alliance membership as a Christmas Gift in 2009, and they've made such good use of of the discounts at Simply Green Biofuels (for their B20 blend heating oil), as well as for the great deals they get at Robert's Maine Grill in Kittery and the Portsmouth Brewery, that they decided to become Sustaining Members! They plan on utilizing the Green Card for various work they may need when they move into a new dwelling.  Matt & Leah recycle and compost everything they can, and have drastically reduced their trash output over the last few years through this highly effective, low-cost strategy.

2. Brooke Keeler. Brooke and her husband Jeff live in Stratham, NH, with their 2 young daughters, Morgan and Parker. While Brooke's husband Jeff is organically involved in the sustainability movement, as one of NH's premier old fashioned wood turners, Brooke has become a sustaining member as a catalyst to help move her towards a more sustainable lifestyle. "I'm relatively new to the green movement, but I've been insipired by my friend Sarah Brown, Green Alliance Director, to think more about the environmental impact of the choices I make as a citizen and parent. I hope to use my Green Card as an aide to make more sustainable choices on a daily basis," says Brooke, about why she became a Sustaining Member. 

3. William Gilbert. William lives with his wife Wendy in Eliot, ME, on a beautiful piece of property that includes fruit orchards. They are hoping to expand on their organic gardening efforts. As they explore potential home improvement and renovation projects, the Gilberts hope to tap into the resources and discounts offered by many of the builders, remodelers, and renewable energy purveyors in the Green Alliance business community. "In addition to supporting what the Green Alliance stands for, there's great financial benefits to being a Sustaining Member," says William. "With all the green business in the Green Alliance that I plan on using, I think a lifetime membership makes great financial sense." 

4. Patty O'Connor. Patty is new to the Green Alliance but finds it easy living la vida verde! She lives in a geothermal, insulated concrete form, passive solar home featuring older-model Energy-Star appliances. She recycles, shops at Freecycle and at farmers markets, and belongs to a CSA. Patty is distressed by the waste she sees in our society. "When a relative was in the hospital in Boston, I was appalled at the waste and the lack of recycling," says Patty.  Her long-term goals is to get small, medium and large commercial establishments to genuinely address their waste streams, and minimize the amount of solid waste destined for landfills. Patty is a big fan of the Portsmouth Brewery. 

5. Alison Pyott. The husband/wife team of Alison and Chris Pyott don't just practice sustainability in their spare time; they also facilitate it during long hours at their respective positions! Alison is a Wealth Manager and Certified Financial Planner™ for the Portsmouth office of Veris Wealth Partners, a wealth consulting firm that emphasizes sustainable investing. Chris is an environmental scientist for the Massachusetts. DEP.  At home, they recycle, use all natural and organic personal care products, clean with green cleaning agents, eat local, organic food, and maintain a low-carbon footprint through a heightened consciousness of what they consume. They also give back to the Seacoast Community; Alison sits on the advisory board of Coastal Enterprises Inc. and is involved with Leadership Seacoast.

6. Sherri Watson. Sherri, Dan and their son Jack live in a 200+ year old farm house in Dover. Dan is originally from Minnesota and Sherri from Pennsylvania. They both grew up in farming areas, and are excited to have a bit of land to grow food and keep chickens. They have used their Green Alliance card at ReStore in Dover, and for Bioheat from Simply Green. They are hoping to put in a solar electric system through ReVison Energy within the next year and currently each drive a vehicle from Seacoast Volkswagen. But the most joy they have received so far from the Green Card is at the Portsmouth Brewery, which has quickly become Jack's favorite restaurant.

7. Jessica Sheldon. Our seventh Sustaining Member is also someone whose career is devoted to protecting the environment. A University of Maine graduate, Jessica Sheldon currently lives in Berwick, Maine, and works at the Air Resources Division of the NH Department of Environmental Services, helping to protect our region’s air quality. Jessica purchased her Green Card at the 2010 Sustainability Fair in Portsmouth and uses the Card at ReStore and other local businesses. At home she recycles, composts, gardens, raises chickens, and enjoys hiking in her spare time. “I believe it is of utmost importance to conserve and respect the Earth and its natural resources,” comments Jessica, who volunteers at her local farmers market in Rollinsford. Over the past few years, Jessica has become increasingly interested in supporting local farms and businesses, which made supporting the Green Alliance an easy choice. “I appreciate the Green Alliance's connecting customers to environmentally-friendly local businesses,” she concluded.

8. Shirley Cornell

9. Amy Pollard

10. Victor Reno

11. Tim MacCannell. After moving to the Seacoast with his wife Alex 10 years ago, Tim settled into his home and started greening multiple aspects of his life, including using a super-efficient biofuel heating system, organic lawncare from Purely Organic; tree care from Cornerstone Tree Care; bikes, tune-ups, and accessories from Papa Wheelies bike shop; skiing at Shawnee Peak; dining at Poco’s Bow Street Cantina and the Portsmouth Brewery; and lighting products from Rockingham Electric! The MacCannells also grow their own organic garden to teach their kids where food comes from, and the work involved to grow it. “And we use the Green Alliance as a primary resource when searching for something new - be it a contractor or a restaurant,” said MacCannell. “Having the Green Alliance ‘stamp of approval’ means more success in finding businesses with similar values to ours.”

12. Ron Brush

13. Barbara Fletcher. Barbara works right next door to the Green Alliance as a contributing artists to the Kittery-based Just Us Chickens artists coopeartive. Just Us Chickens, located at 9 Walker Street, features hand-crafted items from local artists, and is a Partnering Business in the Green Alliance. Barbara is a jeweler, and prides herself in hand-crafted items made & sold right here on the Seacoast! "My husband want to support the organizations in our community that are really making a difference. The Green Alliance is one of those organizations, and we're proud to be Sustaining Members!"

14. Kent Wien. Kent Wien and his wife Linda discovered the Green Alliance in 2008 and have been using it as their only referral service ever since. So far, every business we've discovered through the Green Alliance has been fantastic. We started by changing to Simply Green biofuel for our house and then tried Little Green Homes for a closet addition, SEA Solar for a PV solar installation, and even switched to Dr. Nathan Swanson at Newmarket Dental. We've more than made our money back from our Green Alliance membership, so we thought it was time to sign up for life." Kent says. Having grown up in Germany, Linda was looking for an alternative to the products offered by traditional home improvement stores and is really happy with the Acorn Organic Salon she found through the GA early on. Before deciding on anything, Linda says she checks the Green Alliance site first. "The discounts they offer help as well." she said. Kent flies as a co-pilot for a major airline and writes a blog called Cockpit Chronicles, where he recently talked about the tricks some pilots have adopted to save fuel while flying.

15. Paul Wiles.  Paul, his partner Dawn, and nine year-old daughter Kelsey live in Durham, and he feels strongly about the need for consumers to become a driving force for sustainability in our communities. "I feel our votes with our consumer dollars are just as important as our votes in the booth," said Wiles. "Goverment policy only goes so far, and most businesses will settle for the bare minimum of environmental standards unless our consumer dollars demand a higher level of accountabilty". Wiles lauded the Green Alliance for bridging the gap between consumers and businesses, and raising the bar. And as for his investment in the Green Alliance's Sustaining Member program? "Between the discounts at Redhook, the Portsmouth Brewery, and the UNH Dairy Bar, this Sustaining Memberhsip will pay for itself by Labor Day." The Wiles household also recycles whenever they can and heats their home with geothermal,  while Paul brings his mug to his local coffee shop, and takes the Downeaster train on his visits to Boston and Portland. And of course, he patronizes businesses that show genuine efforts in sustainability.  

16. David Tibbetts

17. Therese Thompson

18. Deborah Chase. Deborah has made good use of her Green Card to obtain discounts at several Business Partner locations, including Rockingham Electric, the Portsmouth Brewery, and the Beach Pea Bakery. But she received the biggest bang for her (green) buck when she used her Green Card at Little Green Homes, which she enthusiastically refers to as "the outstanding design/build company renovating my home!"

19. Thomas Leake

20. Gesele & George Scully

21. Susan Engel

22. Amy Gendreau. Amy Gendreau lives in Newmarket with her husband and two children. She is the owner of Stolat Organics (the name is derived from a Polish phrase meaning, "100 years of prosperity"), which specializes in natural and organic body care products.  Stolat's line includes daily care products as well as lotions, salves and cleansers with natural ingredients targeted to help heal skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, rashes, etc. "My children suffered from skin problems, but I wasn't comfortable  using harsh pharmaceuticals on them," said Gendreau. "So I developed my own line, with the assistance of a naturopath and dermatologist.  I source as many local ingredients as I can, including sustainably-harvested sea kelp from Maine." She's even coming out with a line of pet products, including a calming lavender spray, and a product that eliminates the smell of skunks! More info on Stolat Organics can be found at www.stolatorganics.com, and Amy can be contacted at info@stolatorganics.com, or at 603-659-7946. And in her spare time, Amy and her family use their Green Card at the Riverworks Tavern and Simply Green Biofuels.

23. Thomas Obrey. Thomas lives in Barrington with his 3 young boys, Mason, Dylan, and Jackson. He is an avid CSA member and sustainability advocate. Thomas prides himself on being a "slow food" father, preferring home-cooked meals made from scratch for his boys, and buying local food products, including vegetables, meats, dairy, fruit, and more from Brookford Farm, Little Brook Farm, and several local markets. Raised in Dover, NH, Thomas co-founded PixelMEDIA (a leading digital marketing firm in Portsmouth) in 1994, which now boasts of 60 full-time employees. When he's not working, Thomas is devoted to spending time with his boys, and providing support to community organizations such as Mayhew, the Cross Roads House, City Year NH, and the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund. He purchased his Green Alliance Sustaining Membership "because it makes sense, and I want my boys to understand the importance of a local and sustainable lifestyle, for both goods and services."

24. Obidiah Kelley 

25. Vicki Stewart

26. Jason Bryant. Jason and his wife Emily have integrated sustainability into their lives in multiple ways, including composting, recycling, and growing their own vegetable garden. They both work in health care industry (where they telecommute 2 days/week), and have pushed to help their employers to reduce paper usage without compromising patient care or privacy. Jason and Emily immensely enjoy outdoor activities, including biking, kayaking, and hiking with their two english bulldogs. They use their Green Cards at several Green Alliance Business Partners, including the Portsmouth Brewery, Redhook Brewery, and Simply Green Biofuels.

27. Sara Cleaves. Sara has been a UNH Sustainability Academy associate director since 2006, and integrates sustainability thorught UNH's curriculum, operations, research, and engagement efforts. She also oversees the Academy's budgeting and staff management, and participates in strategic planning and program evaluation for its 4 inititaives in biodiversity, climate, food, and culture. She lives with her boyfriend in Dover, NH, and loves the outdoors, music, singing, and all things sustainability!

 28. Liza Dube. Liza, Jack and their son Quinn (pictured, left) recently moved into their first home in Kittery, ME. Hoping to turn every home improvement into an opportunity to be a little more green, they believe that supporting the Green Alliance is a win-win-win for local business, the environment and their family.

29. Cindy Henry 

30. Nancy & Eric Geib. Nancy and her husband Eric have deeply integrated sustainability into their own life, as evidenced by their aggressive recycling, their use of high-mileage, low- sulfur deisel vehicles that get 500 miles per tankful, and making the choice during their basement renovation to insulate with a material made of recycled blue jeans! They also make judicious use of their Green Card at area restaurants such as the Riverworks Tavern, the Portsmouth Brewery, and Redhook, and use the Green Alliance website as a resource when researching potential vendors. After being on a standard membership for one year, Nancy and Eric recently purchased a Sustaining Membership. "It made economic sense to purchase a lifetime membership since we know that we want to be members for a long time," said Geib. "We were excited to see a movement like this here on the Seacoast. It's a phenomenal benefit that the Green Alliance represents such a broad spectrum of businesses; it's everything from restaurants to retailers to contractors!"
 

31. James Hennelly

32. Rob Ricard. Rob Ricard received a sustainable lifetime membership as a Christmas gift from the love of his life, Dawn Brazeau. Rob was raised with a keen awareness of the environment and earth's natural resources. He comes from a Civil Engineering background, but has always possessed a strong interest in alternative energy, and living a clean & green lifestyle. Rob is an accomplished triathlete, and enjoys the outdoors, so it's only natural that he does what he can to protect the environment. He is an active participant of YCORE (York County Organization for Renewable Energy) and the Berwick Energy Committee. In an effort to reduce their total combined environmental footprint, Rob and Dawn have completed several home improvement projects, such as: attic insulating (R-50), building interior storm windows, installing a rain barrel, and using a Kill-A-Watt meter in the Berwick Library.

33. Rebecca Gove

34. Mike Carella

35. Rebecca Gove

36. Chris Pyott

37. Mary Campbell

38. Marybeth Reis

39. Vicki Stewart

40. Kenneth Potter

41. Per Berglund

42. Renay Allen. At her core, Renay is an advocate for Simplicity. She lives a mile from her job, and owns a Girl Scout mess kit. She charges her cell phone by solar, and has reduced her trash by 80%.She is co-chair of the Green Sanctuary Committee at her UU church. Renay oversees the small “Feed My Lambs” community garden, (100% of the harvest goes to the associated food pantry) – and she would love to give you a tour and chat about it! She is also a local author (available at RiverRun & Water St Books) and blogs monthly about the intersection of Sustainability & Spirituality at http://NHgoddess.Wordpress.com