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Isleas of Shoals hosts Steamship party cruise to help Make-A-Wish
It's that time of year again, finally! This Saturday, May 4th, Isles of Shoals Steamship Company is throwing its season opening Cinco de Mayo party from 6:30 to 10:00 pm.
This year, the party will not only be celebrating the start of a great season, but will also be supporting a great cause. Twenty percent of this year's ticket sales will be donated to the local chapter of Make-A-Wish Foundation, and party attendees will also have the opportunity to make cash donations to the foundation after the cruise.
The party will include a free photo booth, drink specials on Corona, Corona Light & Jove Cuervo 1800 Tequila, and dancing! Entertainment will have old school jams and Top 40 songs by DJ Terry Moran.
Tickets are $15 each, and all attendees must be age 21 or older.
Tickets will go fast, so be sure to get yours today!
To learn more or to buy your tickets, please visit www.islesofshoals.com.
Green Card holders: Remember you can buy one adult ticket and get a FREE ticket for one child, or buy one "Party Ship" ticket and get the second one FREE all season long! Also, save 15% on private charter bookings!
Green Collar Careers: Seascoast Energy Alternatives Owner Jack Bingham
Since their inception in 2008, SEA Solar Store, based in Barrington, has solidified it's role as the flagship business of renewable home energy products and solar systems in Southern New Hampshire. Gaining much of his experience in his eclectic work history before turning to solar full time, owner Jack Bingham, soon to be 59, brings a broad range of affordable alternative energy choices to the table. SEA offers everything under the sun of environmentally pragmatic products; ultra-insulated hot water storage tanks; waterless, composting toilets; even a zero-emissions electric scooter that goes 30 miles on a single charge.
But what has made SEA a force to be reckoned with in the green world are their prominent alternative energy systems – everything from solar hot water and electric systems to on-demand hot water heaters, small wind turbines, and more. Yet while SEA offers both electric and hot water systems, it is the solar hot water technology that has introduced a viable, affordable first step in renewable home energy use. High fuel prices have raised electricity and oil costs so much that most residential solar hot water systems pay for themselves in 5-6 years, resulting in 25 years of “free” sun-powered hot water.
“No matter how you cut it, you’re paying for energy; either continue to pay the electric or oil companies monthly, or pay for a 5 year block of hot water upfront and then get 25 years for free,” explains Bingham. “What used to be for the committed environmentalist has become a very realistic and competitive energy solution.”
Senator Shaheen's commends Favorite Foods, Inc. as leader in energy efficacy
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As support for national energy security continues to grow, it is here in our own state of New Hampshire efforts to develop and implement legislation are underway to increase energy efficiency technologies throughout the country. Spearheading the Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act, NH Senator Jeanne Shaheen visited Favorite Foods, Inc. to have an example of a business taking the necessary measures to implement energy efficiency technologies.
Since opening their doors twenty-one years ago Favorite Foods has taken local business to a new level. The family-owned and operated business has stayed true to its values and customer driven philosophies, to distribute to locally-owned independent restaurants. In addition to their value-laden approach, Favorite Foods has an extensive list of energy efficiency technologies at their facilities, including a 140 kW solar PV array, the largest rooftop solar array in New Hampshire.
“When we started the energy upgrades we didn’t intend to become this example of energy efficiency,” Chris Barstow President and CEO of Favorite Foods explained to the Senator. “But we noticed substantial financial savings and kept finding more and more places to reduce our energy demands. And now we are hooked. ”
Joining Senator Shaheen and the Favorite Foods staff were Mike Behrmann and Clay Mitchell of Revolution Energy, the company responsible for Favorite Foods renowned solar array. Revolution Energy and Favorite Foods are both Partnering Businesses of the Green Alliance, and their collaboration demonstrates the positive success that is generated from the GA’s network of 115+ local, green businesses. In addition to working with Revolution Energy, Favorite Foods also contracts with Simply Green Biofuels, another Green Alliance business, for biodiesel to fuel their delivery vehicles and on-site generator.
Metalwave & GA team-up on tech recycling
The Tech Age is upon us.
From cell phones to laptops to battery-powered gadgets, technological innovations have advanced rapidly over the years. Given the continuous improvements in technology, the turn over for old electronics has experienced a high increase. The growing amount of electronic waste, also known as e-waste, brings to light the importance of proper e-waste disposal, as the toxic materials in electronics have extremely harmful environmental and health effects.
In an effort to provide a simple and convenient e-waste disposal service for seacoast residents, Metalwave and the Green Alliance have implanted a FREE electronics collection program at the Green Alliance office in downtown Portsmouth. The program extends to Green Alliance members, in recognition of their ongoing support to advance sustainability through responsible business practices. A list of accepted items is detailed below.
Zev Yoga Studios Music Series Presents: The Ghost of Paul Revere
This May 5th at 7 p.m. enjoy some amazing music at the Zev Yoga studios at 16 Market Square in Portsmouth. The featured band this month is the Portland-based band The Ghost of Paul Revere. No matter if you like blues, soul, rock, or bluegrass you will surely not be disappointed by these guys. The concert will be picnic style, so you can enjoy a broad range of musical styles and rhythms while lounging on blankets and enjoying food and drink. Be sure to tell your friends about this amazing evening of music, food, drink, and good people all thanks to Zev Yoga Studios.
Tickets are $10 and you must RSVP by calling (913) 938.6384! Last months Zev Yoga Studio music series sold out, so be sure to call in and reserve your tickets today! You can also learn more about Zev Yoga Studios events on their webpage here.
AutoBeGreen’s Amazing Spring Special Offers
This week, April 29-May 3 AutoBeGreen is offering great deals on some of their sustainable alternative automobile items. Don't forget that these are in addition to the incredible deals that GA members already get from AutoBeGreen. What’s a better way to bring in spring than make your car as environmentally conscious as you are?
Special discounts this week include Conventional Green Motor Oil for $15.00 and Synthetic Green Motor Oil for $25.00, a 25% savings. Not only do these premium motor oils use less energy to be produced, but they also reduce your vehicle’s emissions while protecting your engine. Premium recyclable wiper blades are also being offered at $5.99 each. Take advantage of these special spring offers while they last!
New Freedom Laser joins the Green Alliance
250,000. When it comes to small business, that’s a huge number, no matter how you slice it. For New Freedom Laser – the Seacoast’s first cosmetic laser center – it’s a number that defines what it means to be a company committed to transparency, quality, and peerless customer service.
Since 1998, New Freedom has conducted 250,000 laser hair removal and skin rejuvenation procedures, in the process giving new leases on life to countless people – of all ages, from all walks of life, men and women alike. Founded by Rosemarie Golini, the business began when the FDA first approved laser hair removal systems, and has since grown to include cutting edge skin rejuvenation, microdermabrasion, skin tightening, and more.
How does laser hair removal work? Simple: By utilizing light at specific wavelengths capable of being absorbed by the pigment within the hair -- and only the hair, permanent hair removal lasers can do the needed job while leaving the skin virtually unaffected. The result is a quick,natural solution to unwanted hair and – more importantly – a renewed sense of comfort and confidence.
New Freedom has begun to carve out an even more unique niche here on the Seacoast, with their growing emphasis on natural and organic sunscreens, anti-aging creams, and products to help sooth and reduce acne. Likewise, New Freedom’s welcoming atmosphere, customer care, and commitment to educating their clients has helped put them a cut above the competition.
Green Tips: Zev Yoga
This week's Green Tips come from Zev Yoga. With locations in Portsmouth, Exeter and Dover. Zev offers an affordable, in-depth curriculum aimed at helping Seacoast residents find their own "inner sustainability."
1. Take probiotics. Probiotics are live bacteria that are beneficial for overall health, and are a great alternative to supposed "cure-all" chemicals and pills. Most health food stores carry them, so give them a try, and watch your health improve.
2. Speaking of natural health remedies, how about PREbiotics? PREbiotics are plant-based, fiber-filled foods that support the growth of good bacteria — raw onions, garlic, bananas, peas, asparagus, honey and burdock root, and the like. PREbiotics can also improve absorption of minerals, balance your pH, and improve heart health.
3. Give yoga a try. More and more people are eschewing expensive health clubs for the holistic benefits of yoga. At Zev Yoga, we help you cultivate an inner sustainability, while offering an affordable option that can help enable you to make your life even greener.
4. Bring your water bottle to the studio. Most studios will have complimentary water stations, but if you're visiting a studio in another city, don't get stuck buying bottled water.
5. Looking for a new yoga mat? Companies like Manduka (www.manduka.com) have a great selection of sustainably rendered options.
For information about Zev Yoga, Click Here!
Tree Companies Go Out on a Limb for Arbor Day
KITTERY, Maine — Friday, April 26, was Arbor Day, and what better reason for local tree companies to honor Arbor Day than through volunteering to take care of the city’s green giants?
The Seacoast Arborist Collaborative, a four-company group that includes Cornerstone Tree Care and Piscataqua Tree Care, celebrated Arbor Day by donating services— which it has done for the last five years — to help care for trees in a public park. This year’s event took place at Fort Foster, in Kittery Point. Eight internationally certified arborists from the four companies were present and available for questions throughout the park that day.
People attending the event watched the work unfold and learned something about the newest techniques and information in the field of arboriculture and the diverse trees that scatter our coastal landscape.
Started in 1872, nationally celebrated Arbor Day is a time to recognize the beauty and importance of trees, prompting both individuals and organizations to not only plant and care for trees on that day, but also all year-round.
“It’s our way of giving back to our community,” said Chris Kemp of Piscataqua Tree Care. “We formed the group called the Seacoast Arborist Collaborative. We all live and work on the Seacoast. Yes, we do all compete against each other. But most importantly, we share the same passion for trees, a passion that has helped forge a friendship among the companies. And above it all, we have a healthy and respectful competition.”
Public Forum for the Future of Great Bay!
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Congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter will be holding a Public Forum next week on the Future of Great Bay. The date is Tuesday, April 30 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm and will be held at the Great Bay Reserve’s Gregg Center in Greenland. A copy of the agenda is below. Please note that EPA Region 1 Administrator Curt Spaulding will be discussing the permit process.
For any community members who are not familiar with the issues facing Great Bay, this Forum is an excellent opportunity to learn about the progress that is being made and how we can most effectively move forward in cleaning up the estuary. It also is a chance to let the Congresswoman know the importance of protecting Great Bay and to express support for these efforts.
Please circulate to your friends and family and encourage them to participate!
AGENDA:
5:30 PM Doors Open and Sign-in
6:00 PM Opening remarks from Congresswoman Shea-Porter on the importance of Great Bay and her role in helping local communities in Congress
6:10 PM Cory Riley (GNBERR) presentation on current state of Great Bay ecology and water quality.
6:20 PM US EPA Region 1Administrator Curt Spaulding presentation on NPDES permits (highlighting their willingness to work with local communities and be flexible)
6:35 PM Peter Wellenberger, Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper (CLF) Newmarket presentation on success story of working with the EPA
6:45 PM Jamie Houle UNH Storm Water Center presentation on non-point source and innovative solutions for communities
7:00 PM Q&A
Exeter and Stratham are continuing their discussions to potentially share water and wastewater infrastructure. You can read about their efforts here.
REMINDER: The next Rescue Great Bay Meeting is Wedensday, May 1. Please contact Peter Wellenberger, Great Bay-Piscataqua Waterkeeper at pwellenberger@clf.org for further details.
5 Green Tips from AutoBeGreen and Green Alliance!
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The GA Green Tips campaign is designed to keep you informed about the many things you can do to lower your carbon footprint, while introducing you to our over 100 local, green-minded businesses throughout the region!
This week’s tips come from AutoBeGreen, a family-owned purveyor of eco-friendly car products and accessories! Learn more at www.autobegreen.com
1.) Monitor your fuel consumption in real time with the EcoMeter. While many new car models come equipped with fuel consumption monitoring, many older models don’t. Eco Meters are a great way to be more conscious of how you drive, helping you save money and lower your carbon footprint.
2.) Switch to environmentally friendly motor oils. New “green” motor oils are not only biodegradable and non-toxic, they are API Certified and outperform most standard brands. Whether you change your own oil or have it done, this is an easy opportunity to go green! Now through the end of May, GA members enjoy special deals when they get a green oil change at one of three Seacoast locations. Click here to learn more!
3.) Replace your spent wipers with Tripledge® Green Wiper Blades, the world’s first fully recyclable blades. Not only are these blades made of non-petroleum based materials and easy to recycle, they also come in eco-friendly packaging!
4.) Keep your tires inflated! Even though this is one of the most oft-cited tips for improving your fuel consumption, many people still don’t make an effort to keep their tires properly inflated and balanced. Spend five minutes once a month to properly inflate your tires, and watch your fuel use go down!
5.) Keep your car maintenance local. The family-owned AutoBeGreen offers these and many other cutting edge green products that can help you reduce your environmental footprint, while supporting the Seacoast's growing green economy!
Have green tips of your own? "Like" us on Facebook, and share them on our wall! Better yet, join the Green Alliance. We can't do it without you!
Special Discount from AutoBeGreen Through May!
With spring fully in bloom we want to make sure our members take advantage of all of the amazing deals our Green Cards give you access to. Check out this incredible discount from Auto Be Green that has just been extended through the month of May. Not a member? Join today!
Get $5 off oil changes when you choose green motor oil at Kerner's Quick Lube in Exeter, Dow’s Automotive Service in Portsmouth, or Keegan Auto in North Hampton, NH when you use your Green Card. Send your receipt from the oil change along with AutoBeGreen's coupon (on their website or at the mechanic's location), & get up to $10 back in the mail! Note: If you have a late model vehicle choose the Green Synthetic Motor Oil, and earlier model vehicles should ask for Green Conventional Motor Oil.
Thought Leaders to Gather for TEDxYouth@IFTA Conference in Dover
Dover, N.H. — A local environmental advocate and green entrepreneur will be a featured speaker at a cutting-edge conference focusing on how disruptive innovations will fundamentally change how the world works.
On May 11, TEDxYouth@IFTA will sponsor a regionally hosted version of the popular TED conference at the former McIntosh College in Dover. TEDxYouth@IFTA is a vibrant, youthful group made up of New Hampshire students ages 12 to19 dedicated to discovering and developing "ideas worth spreading."
Organized along the theme of “Disruptive Innovations — Game Changing Ideas,” the conference will be divided into four sessions, featuring 13 of the region’s most out-of-the-box thinkers and ideas of our generation. TEDxYouth@IFTA chose the speakers from a variety of industries, backgrounds, and ages representing such diverse fields as technology, entertainment, design, politics, music, ecology, and education, among others.
Sarah Brown, an environmental advocate, green entrepreneur, former international journalist and director of The Green Alliance, will present a talk titled “Green Entrepreneurs: Money Makers and World Changers!” during “Social Disruptions,” the fourth session.
In previewing her talk, Brown said: “As our local green economies grow across the country, young people need to think out of the box when it comes to green careers; there are sustainable paths in commerce all around us — from the five-star restaurant that is composting to the green dentist to the environmentally-aware landscaper. If sustainable entrepreneurs are properly paired, empowered and supported by the green-leaning consumers that support them, then the green economy can blossom in every single industry sector.”
The Green Alliance is a union of local sustainable businesses promoting environmentally sound business practices and a green co-op offering discounted green products and services to its members. It is the only organization of its kind in the United States, aiming to spread its influence across the country and engage young people in pursuing green careers.
GA Members: Check out your Exclusive April Discounts!
Spring is here, and we want to make sure our members get the most out of our Green Card. Check out the incredible discounts below, and get more for your GA membership in the month of April. Not a member? Join today!
1. Choose green motor oil & get $5 off oil changes at Kerner's Quick Lube in Exeter, Dow’s Automotive Service in Portsmouth, or Keegan Auto in North Hampton, NH with your Green Card. Send your receipt from the oil change along with AutoBeGreen's coupon (on their website or at the mechanic's location), & get up to $10 back in the mail!
Note: If you have a late model vehicle choose the Green Synthetic Motor Oil, and earlier model vehicles should ask for Green Conventional Motor Oil.
2. Need your house cleaned, but don’t have the time or the means? Green Maids has a great deal for new customers! Become a Green Maids customer & receive 25% off your first cleaning when you use your Green Card!
3. If you’ve been thinking of going green in a big way and delving into the hybrid world, now is a great time to do so! Seacoast Volkswagen is giving all Green Card holders a $1,000 discount under invoice on all TDI and Hybrid vehicles purchased in April!
There are only a few more days left in April, so redeem your exclusive discounts today before it's too late!
Become a Green Alliance member today and START SAVING on local, green goods and services! JOIN NOW
