Blog : June 2010
Green Alliance special at Bob's: Take-out family dinner for 4
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Come to Bob's on Tuesdays to receive a take-out family dinner that feeds 4 people for $23.95. Choose any two items from Maine shrimp, haddock, chicken, or clam strips. The special includes fries, onion rings, AND Annabelle's Ice Cream. Ask how you can "go green" to get $2 off. So come down to Bob's on any given Tuesday and enjoy a great meal at a great price. For more info, click here.
Zero Waste and Tim Gaudreau Bring Recycling to Downtown Portsmouth
By Laura Roach
Residents of Portsmouth can expect a change to the scenery of downtown in the coming months. Due to the initiative and hard work of the members of Portsmouth Zero Waste, the rusty trash bins in downtown may soon be accompanied by recycling receptacles at artistically designed waste stations. Zero Waste is a grassroots organization and partnership of the Islington Creek Neighborhood A.jpg)
ssociation, EcoMovement and Tim Gaudreau Studios. The organization will be starting the first public recycling program in Portsmouth. Tim Gaudreau, local artist and environmental advocate, is teaming up with the Portsmouth school system to design the waste stations.
Zero Waste began when Tim Gaudreau met Karina Quintans, a self-employed consult, a year ago and they discussed their common concerns. The mission of Zero Waste is to drastically reduce the amount of waste being dumped into the Turnkey landfill through recycling and eventually compost. Last year the Portsmouth Department of Public Works collected 5,259 tons of waste which is equivalent to roughly a quarter ton per resident. Public recycling in downtown is just the first step being tackled by Zero Waste to cut waste to zero.
Hands Across the Sand to protest offshore drilling
Join Maine Interfaith Power & Light and our partner organizations as we stand on Portland’s East End Beach for HANDS ACROSS THE SAND on Saturday, June 26th. People will arrive at 11am, we’ll hear speakers from the community, and at noon we’ll join hands briefly.
Together, residents from across Maine will stand in solidarity with our fellow citizens on the Gulf Coast in their time of crisis, making a powerful statement: we will not allow the same thing to happen on the Maine coast. We must keep the pressure on to move our politicians in Washington to a clean energy future that does not rely on unsustainable, dangerous, and costly fuels.
Questions? Call us at 207-721-0444 or email me at katie@meipl.org. We look forward to speaking with you soon.
Bob's and Robert's curb trash with new green initiatives
By Jim Cavan
When it comes to staples of New England Americana, you’d be hard pressed to find a more worthy and noticeable icon than Kittery’s Bob’s Clam Hut.
A Route 1 staple since Bob Kraft first opened its doors – or walk-up window, as it were – back in 1956, Bob’s has since grown into a quintessential area eatery, offering some of the finest, fastest and freshest fried fish fare anywhere on the Seacoast.
On a typical summer day the parking lot spills over, the line bends near around the since-expanded building, and the smell of golden fried eats wafts so far adrift even Route 1 passers-by can’t ignore it. They’ve been featured in Restaurant Business Magazine’s “Best of Everything” list, and they recently complete filming a spot for Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
But there’s something else that Bob’s – and many other road-side digs like it across the country – are also known for: producing trash. Lots of it. From the paper baskets and napkins to plastic to-go containers to the countless plastic forks, knives and spoons – it wouldn’t be uncommon for a restaurant like Bob’s to fill up multiple trash cans of refuse a day.
That was before Bob’s saw the writing on the wall – the “green” writing, to be precise. Starting this spring, Bob’s, along with its brother restaurant, Robert’s Maine Grill (just across the street on Route 1) have been slowly but surely re-evaluating their serving and packaging materials, in an effort to render their business more environmentally sustainable.
Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Enter to win FREE Oil from Simply Green
Simply Green has released a new promotion and it is a steal: Simply Green is giving you a reason to sit back, put your feet up, and watch the snowflakes fall this Thanksgiving. If you are a customer of Simply Green you have a chance to win FREE oil! You can register by clicking here and you are entered for a chance to win your heating oil for free if it snows at least 4 inches from noon to midnight on Thanksgiving Day at Pease Airport. Weather Watch will record the snowfall. Ten houses will be selected at random to receive $2,000 if we get a white Thanksgiving this year! Click here to learn more about this great deal.
GA Greener Shoals Cruise: a quick look at this summer's premier green event
Last week's "Greener Shoals Cruise" was a huge hit. Many thanks to the folks at Isles of Shoals, 92.5 The River, and the hundreds of business owners, entrepreneurs, and local greenies who helped make it the green event of the summer. For those of you who missed all the fun -- and if you watched Game 7 between the Celtics and Lakers, you really didn't have any fun that night -- here's a quick snippet of the good times had by all aboard the famed Thomas Leighton:
Here's the Latest "Green IT Idea of the Month" from Jenaly Technology Group
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Sharing PC’s Can Save Energy & Money
Sharing computers in libraries, internet cafes and other public spots is not a new idea. However, some people are applying this concept at the workplace in their attempt to reduce their energy use by reducing the number of PC’s. This can be particularly effective in the instance of job sharing—1 PC can be used by multiple users at different times. Certainly security issues need to be carefully considered and solutions implemented, but this is a viable solution to greening up your IT.
To learn more about Jenaly Technology Group click here!
Middleton Donates to Zero Waste
Middleton Building Supply of Dover and Hampton is taking a progressive step forward from green business to green advocacy. Recently they joined forces with Tim Gaudreau, a Portsmouth-based Eco-Artist and Karina Quintans to aid in their Zero-Waste initiative in Portsmouth. The idea behind this project is to dramatically reduce the amount of waste dumped into Rochester’s Turnkey landfill. The project would place artistically designed bins around Portsmouth for recycling and composting.
Middleton’s role in this task is integral. They are collecting donations from building materials suppliers as well as providing lumber from their own yard. Moisture Shield is one noteworthy vendor that has made a large donation to the project. In addition to materials, Middleton is providing all transportation for the project; a substantial contribution as this entails trucks, cranes, forklifts, and manpower to construct and carry containers between 500 and 600 pounds to their appropriate locations. “We first were introduced to this project through our partnership with the Green Alliance – they brought the Zero-Waste folks to a Green Alliance Business Partner meeting and encouraged some of the businesses to get involved and we could see right away the synergy between our company and this worthy effort,” says Middleton Manager Andy Carberry. “We are really working to offer more green options in our stores and collaborating with such a group on a very visible project such as this one was a perfect fit. We knew we had a lot to contribute in terms of materials and equipment.”
Cuzin Richard Entertainment helps turn green roots to green notes
Cuzin’ Richard Entertainment Associates (CREA), based in Portsmouth, has been the Seacoasts’ premier, full-service music and event planning agency since its inception in 1976. Founder and owner, Richard ‘Cuzin’ Smith, has a long history of representing musicians and entertainers, having first thought up the idea when he was asked to DJ a UNH fraternity party. CREA has since become renowned as the region’s number one entertainment consulting, planning and management company. First Night Celebrations in Portsmouth, Portsmouth Jazz Festival, and White Mountains Jazz and Blues Festival are just a few of the many top quality events produced by Cuzin Richard over the years.
Richard is known in and around the Seacoast not only for his involvement with events and festivals; but also for his commitment to many local charities and environmental organizations. Richard is currently co-chair of the Pierce Island Commission, helping to protect the small island off Prescott Park in Portsmouth, and hopes to one day see a wind turbine erected on the island to help power local homes and businesses.
Until recently, Richards’s business and environmental interests have been separate entities, but he is determined to bring the environmental and sustainable outlook into his business practices. Not only has the CREA office taken steps to reduce its waste, recycling whatever it can whenever it can, but they’re also educating their artists and clients to do the same. By partnering with businesses such as Clay Hill Farm, who recycle, compost, and use alternative energy sources, and by signing artists such as Liquid Blue (www.liquid-blue.com) and Entrain who are committed to reducing their dependence on fossil fuels and their carbon footprint, CREA is well on its way to greening its business. By donating a percentage of the proceeds from the annual Comedy Extravaganza at the Portsmouth Music Hall to the Green Alliance, CREA is aligning itself with the key local businesses at the forefront of the green movement.
Bobs Clam Hut and Roberts Maine Grill is Offering 2 Energy Efficient Water Heaters
The Owner of Bobs Clam Hut and Roberts Maine Grill is selling a used premium grade natural gas heating system. This entrepreneurial businessman is offering this top-notch commercial heating technology at a low price. This will help your business save a lot of money. The offered model is the The A. O. Smith BTH-300A Cyclone Xi.
This piece of technology is as great as its name is long. This system boasts 96% energy efficiency. Owners experience dramatic energy savings in comparison with older 80% efficiency models. The new model uses centrifugal force to more effectively transfer heat to the 130-gallon water tank. This method also eliminates scale and sediment buildup. It uses 4” ducting and supports inexpensive PVC, CPVC, and ABS piping for intake and exhaust. This model was designed with space in mind, and is one of A. O. Smith’s smallest models. Best of all each system comes with an LCD screen that displays a comprehensive control system.
If you want to replace your old water heating system and lower your energy costs, then look no further. For more info or to buy this system, email mlandgarte@aol.com.
A lean, green entertainment Machine: AHS helps make your home entertainment system affordably efficient
By Jim Cavan
Technically we’re all still glorying in the dog days of summer. But as sure as summer’s end comes quicker than its arrival, one thing’s for certain: fall and winter are right around the corner. That means more days and nights spent indoors, more early nights, and, of course, more football.
For many – and certainly for more than a few guys – the arrival of fall means rekindling your months-dormant relationship with your living room and, more specifically, your television. Maybe yours is of a Spartan sensibility: one or two couches, a nice recliner for the ruler of the roost, and a stand-alone television whose only speakers reside on the appliance itself. Maybe you don’t even have couches. Maybe you’re one of the countless guys who have been looking for an excuse to turn your living room into your own personal I-MAX theater.
Well, that might be a stretch. What’s less of a stretch, however, is the notion that – money being no object – one of the first things thing’s we’d look to do is bolster our home’s entertainment system. And while such endeavors are by no means cheap, there’s one Massachusetts company that’s not only offering itself as a surprisingly affordable alternative – but one that is “green” as well.
After years working in retail selling home audio and video systems, Nahant, Massachusetts native Paul Ford decided he was tired of simply “pushing boxes out the door”. In 2005 he started his own business, Atlantic Home Systems, which provides custom home entertainment as well as home automation and energy management systems.
What exactly is an energy management system? In short, it allows the homeowner to control the bulk of their home’s appliances – everything from TVs to sidewalk lighting to heat and air conditioning – from one interface. Because the systems offered by Atlantic allow you to put your entire home on a specific, set schedule, everything works more efficiently, saving you money and reducing your home’s carbon footprint in the process. You can even subscribe to an online program that allows you to monitor your home and its energy use from the other side of the world. When the equipment on the interface is not in use, it will go into “standby” mode, meaning a significant amount of energy is being saved.
SEA Solar Store Dockside Party and Reggae Cruise
Join SEA for an evening of cocktails and riverside socializing aboard the Thomas Laighton. Get a chance to meet Green Alliance business partners. Find out a little about these businesses and what makes them "green". Free cruise for SEA Guests that arrive before 6pm. For more info, email info@seasolarstore.com.
ReVision’s Clean and Efficient “Solar Spill” on YouTube
ReVision is getting the word out about solar energy. The state of Maine receives an overflowing amount of sunshine. Sunshine = solar energy. Solar energy can be used to heat your home's water or generate electricity using solar panels. Watch ReVision's short video below to learn more!
Hands Across the Sand
Hands Across the Sand is a movement made of people of all walks of life and crosses political affiliations. This movement is not about politics; it is about protection of our coastal economies, oceans, marine wildlife, and fishing industry.
President Obama recently announced that Shell Oil’s plans for exploratory drilling in the Arctic will be postponed until at least 2011, preventing the next oil spill disaster. But as the current disaster in the Gulf continues unabated, we must keep the pressure on to limit offshore drilling and move our country toward a better, cleaner, safer energy future.
Become a Green Alliance member today and START SAVING on local, green goods and services! JOIN NOW
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