News : January 2012
Cotton diapers a green bundle of joy
Jan 30, 2012Published by The Portsmouth Herald, Business NH Magazine, and The Granite State Sentinel.
By Jim Cavan
During the 1950s, few consumer products hit the shelves with a more welcome thud of convenience than the disposable diaper.
And with good reason: What had for centuries been a thanklessly necessary ritual had suddenly transformed into one as easy as flipping open the trash can.
But as with so many other once nagging tasks suddenly rendered simple, it took a while before the implications of all those plastic-based diapers — anywhere from 6,000 to 8,000 per child — began to reveal themselves.
The next five decades would find industry giants Pampers and Huggies battling to prove theirs were the cleanest, cheapest and most convenient.
Read the full story at The Portsmouth Herald and Business NH Magazine or pick up a copy of The Granite State Sentinel at a local drop-off location.
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Solar Company Uses Social Media to Raise Money for Maine, NH Nonprofits
Jan 27, 2012Published by Portsmouth Patch
A local installer of solar hot water and photovoltaic systems is providing Maine and New Hampshire communities with more than just clean, renewable energy. ReVision Energy raised a total of $6,000 for a dozen local nonprofits in 2011 through an innovative social media program dubbed Check in for Charity.
We were looking for a way to both raise awareness and money," says Fred Greenhalgh, who runs the program as ReVision Energy's Online Marketing Manager. "The goal is to make it is as easy as possible to contribute in a small way to each nonprofit, and then share the effort with friends online..."
Get the full story on Portsmouth-NH.Patch.com
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Green Happenings at the York County Shelter Programs
Jan 27, 2012Bill McKibben Brings Climate Change Fight to Exeter
Jan 26, 2012Published on Portsmouth Patch
Anyone who says the green movement lacks leaders hasn’t been to a Bill McKibben event in New Hampshire. Hundreds of people packed into the South Church to hear the author and climate activist from neighboring Vermont speak during his 2008 visit to Portsmouth.
McKibben returns to New Hampshire on January 26, 2012 for a Climate Change Awareness Lecture at the Congregational Church in Exeter, UCC, located at 21 Front Street. The event starts at 7:00 PM, but judging by past crowds at McKibben events around the Seacoast, attendees should plan to arrive a little early...
Read the entire story at Portsmouth-NH.Patch.com
Green Alliance Couple in Dover Donates Firewood to York County Shelter Program
Jan 26, 2012Published by Portsmouth Patch
By David Anderson
One of the great things about joining the Green Alliance is the sense of meaning that comes with being part of a growing community of people who care not only about protecting the environment, but are also always willing to help out a neighbor in need.
It was a typical Monday in early January when GA Director Sarah Brown received an email from Diane and Peter McDonald, two GA members living in Dover.
“Hi Sarah! We have some firewood that we'd like to donate to someone in need if they can pick it up. Do you have any leads?” the couple inquired.
Read the complete article online at Portsmouth-NH.Patch.com
Great Works Chiropractic Helps Kids Become Well-Adjusted
Jan 25, 2012From Portsmouth Patch
By Scott Szycher
The benefits of chiropractic for adults is well established – almost 20 million men, women, and children visit licensed chiropractors annually as part of their health, wellness, and pain management regimens.
But now an entirely new and potentially unlikely group is experiencing the drug-free benefits of chiropractic: infants and young children. And Dr. Seth LaFlamme, founder and owner of South Berwick-based Great Works Chiropractic, has been strongly advocating for infant chiropractic care for several years. “Our birth rituals are often unnatural and cause harm,” noted Dr. LaFlamme. “It’s very important to get an infant checked, as injuries are common during delivery.”....
Read the full story in Portsmouth Patch by clicking here!
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Green firms buck trend in 2011
Jan 25, 2012Published in Foster's Daily Democrat
By David Anderson
What is a green job?
It’s a question economists have been struggling to answer for years, but one thing is certain: we have a ton of them here in New England.
Green Alliance launches workshops
Jan 23, 2012From Foster's Daily Democrat and The Portsmouth Herald
By Jim Cavan
Local journalist and activist Sarah Brown launched Green Alliance in 2008 with the aim of connecting sustainability-minded consumers with businesses committed to reducing their environmental impact.
Nearly 100 businesses and 3,000 consumer members later, GA is setting its sights on helping its partnering businesses more effectively connect with one another and garner tools to maintain a successful green business.
At a glance
On Wednesday, Jan. 25, GA will host the first in a series of educational events at its new 75 Congress St. headquarters. The workshops, which will include wine and light appetizers, are free for GA Business Partners, $25 for GA Community Members and $50 for any business owner or employee who is not a GA Green Card holder. The fee includes a one-year GA membership...
Read the full story in Foster's by clicking here.
Or find the full article on Seacoast Online
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Climate Week enthusiasm is gaining steam
Jan 19, 2012From The Boston Globe
By Andreae Downs
After last winter’s widely attended inaugural Climate Week, Brookline environmental activists started gearing up in the fall for an encore. They were surprised at the enthusiastic response they received - and from disciplines they had not expected.
“This year, people are calling us,’’ said Mary Dewart, cochairwoman of Climate Week.
The second annual Climate Week, slated to run Saturday through Jan. 29, will include fresh local produce at a much-talked-about Winter Marketplace, activities for children, an arts stroll, workshops on winterizing, a reading by Frances Moore Lappe, author of “Diet for a Small Planet,’’ and opportunities to recycle.
The week kicks off with skating to live music at the Kirrane rink in Larz Anderson Park, where the auto museum will provide free hot chocolate, an exhibition on bikes and green cars, and a scavenger hunt.
Art installations will be scattered around town, with one on water usage at Brookline Booksmith and the S.S. Pierce Building, and one on earth and climate science games at Eureka! Puzzles in Coolidge Corner.
Click here to read the full story in The Boston Globe online!
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Green Launching Pad funds awarded to businesses in Portsmouth, Brentwood
Jan 19, 2012From the Portsmouth Herald
CONCORD — The Seacoast was well represented when Gov. John Lynch on Wednesday announced the three businesses selected to participate in the next round of Green Launching Pad funding.
The most recent funding will support businesses that help the state achieve objectives of the ARRA-State Energy Program and N.H. Climate Action Plan, with an emphasis on green manufacturing while creating new jobs and contributing to the state's economy.
The winning teams are LDI Corp. of Portsmouth, RAS-Tech LLC of Brentwood, and Earthtec of Portsmouth.Since its inception in February 2010, 14 companies have received Green Launching Pad funding, and more than 450 people have attended Green Launching Pad seminars and events designed to help them commercialize their green products and services...
Read the full story on thePortsmouth Herald website!
New Space Helps ReStore Take in More Donations
Jan 18, 2012From Portsmouth Patch
By Jim Cavan
It used to be that when Habitat for Humanity ReStore Manager Doug Willey would accept a large donation – be it a discarded door or heirloom dining room set – he’d have to think long and hard how to best fit the new addition into his 10,000 square foot Dover showroom.
“There were times when we couldn’t accept a delivery because the showroom was too full, or other times where we’d have a trailer unloading that was blocking three parking spaces,” recalls Willey of his store’s halcyon Dover days. “It always felt like we could do a lot better if we just had more space.”
That all changed on October 1st of last year, when the ReStore officially opened its new Newington showroom...
Read the full story in Portsmouth Patch by clicking here!
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Riverworks Printing eschews all-or-nothing approach to green
Jan 16, 2012From the Portsmouth Herald and New England Real Estate Journal
By Jim Cavan
GREENLAND — A common misconception about going green — particularly with respect to businesses or industries — is that doing so is an all-or-nothing proposition.
Either you're green, or you're not. Worse still, if you aren't going all-out, you must be "greenwashing" — masquerading your businesses behind a façade of sustainability.
But what about the many businesses that find themselves on the path toward green — doing everything in their power, despite a tough economy and prohibitive cost constraints — and who don't pretend to be at sustainability's finish line?
Take Riverworks Printing, a Greenland-based company specializing in commercial advertising for clients both local and national...
Check out the full story in the Portsmouth Herald by clicking here! To read the story in NEREJ, click here (use the right arrow button to scroll to find the story).
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Exeter Helps Promote Green Growth
Jan 13, 2012Published in The Granite State Sentinel
by Andrew Tiebout
A Drive down the Swasey Parkway in Exeter reveals sprawling farmland that gives way to Revolutionary War-era buildings and a downtown bandstand decked out in tri-colored flags. It's clear at a glimpse that Exeter is a city that takes pride in its history and natural beauty, so it's not surprising that Exeter is also just one New Hampshire city helping to lead the way to an independent, sustainable future.
According to a study by the Brookings Institution released this past June, New Hampshire has the fastest growing green economy in New England, with an average 5.3% increasein green jobs from 2003 through 2010. In fact, green job growth outpaces overall job growth New Hampshire, which is already second in the nation at 1.4%. The southern counties of Merrimack, Hillsborough, and Exeter's own Rockingham, are the epicenter of this trend and provide most of the state's green jobs.
To read the full story, pick up a copy of The Granite State Sentinel at your nearest location!
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Dover Firm Leads Solar Hot Air "Revolution"
Jan 12, 2012From Portsmouth Patch
By Jim Cavan
What if you were able to heat a building using little more than a small array of solar panels? Until recently, such options were virtually non-existent. But one New England company aims to change the way we think about the sun; what it can provide; how; and what it might mean for the future of solar energy.
Launched in 2008, the Dover, New Hampshire-based Revolution Energy has since installed nearly a half-dozen solar systems, in the process becoming the single largest owner of on-line solar equipment in the stat. As such, their expertise ranges from standard alternative energy systems to lesser-known, burgeoning technologies – one of which they’re betting will become a game changer in their ever-changing industry.
Click here to read the full story in Portsmouth Patch!
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Shawnee Peak's Mountaintop Cabin Combines Rustic Charm and Comfort
Jan 12, 2012Published in Portsmouth Patch
by Scott Szycher
It’s like a lot of other cabins you may have rented across the hilly expanses of northern New England: it’s got a gas-powered fireplace for heat, a kitchenette with a propane gas stove for cooking, two bunk beds, a sofa, and a natural outhouse and fire pit just steps away.
But there’s one thing that makes this cabin somewhat unique: it’s located at the top of Pleasant Mountain, otherwise known as the Shawnee Peak Mountain Resort. And it’s new this Winter for outdoor sports enthusiasts, as well as folks just looking to take a break from the stresses of modern life, without the enduring frigid overnight temperatures that plague Winter camping.
“When we came up with this idea, we envisioned a rustic cabin that still has the basic necessities to attract families,” said Rachael Wilkinson, Shawnee Peak’s Marketing Director. “The Pleasant Mountain Cabin is a great way to connect with nature and the alpine spirit while still maintaining comforts like heat and beds for a good night’s sleep.”
To read the rest of the story, click here!
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The Influencer Index
Jan 10, 2012Published in NH Business Magazine
By Erik Cohen & Matthew J. Mowry
Sarah Brown founded The Green Alliance in Portsmouth to bring attention to environmentally sound and sustainable businesses, help them market their services and connect them with like-minded organizations and consumers. The alliance has grown from two companies three years ago to 98 as of December....
The Green Alliance's very own Sarah Brown makes NH Business Magazine's list of the top 65 leaders who "make it happen" in New Hampshire. See who else made the list! The 2012 Influencer Index can be found in the January 2012 edition of NH Business Magazine, on newstands now.
Law firm helps fund restoration of Strawbery Banke sites
Jan 10, 2012Published at Fosters.com
By Jim Cavan
PORTSMOUTH — When Portsmouth law firm Coughlin, Rainboth, Murphy and Lown (CRM&L) decided to renovate their Middle Street office, they did so out of a steadfast commitment to preserving a little slice of the Port City's unique historical heritage.
So it came as no surprise when the law firm decided to donate $1000 to the Heritage House Program (HHP), an initiative launched to help renovate underutilized buildings in and around Strawbery Banke and provide affordable housing for area residents. HHP calls for at least 10 houses in and around the Strawbery Banke campus to be restored to their original period condition within the next few years.
The 10 newly-renovated buildings are expected to generate upwards of $300,000 annually once occupied.
CRM&L's donation went specifically towards the restoration and renovation of the Lowd House. Built in 1810 and named for original resident, cooper Peter Lowd, the building -- like the nine others slated for renovation -- will see its downstairs remain a museum exhibit, while the upstairs will be transformed into a residential rental unit.
Read the full story at Fosters.com by clicking here!
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Green jobs reality in New Hampshire defies campaign rhetoric
Jan 10, 2012Published in The Portsmouth Herald
By David Anderson
In 2008, the presidential nominees for both major political parties agreed on one thing: that clean energy could create green jobs across the nation.
"With green technologies, we can create thousands, millions of new jobs in America," said Arizona's Republican Sen. John McCain, whose win that year in New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary set the stage for a successful run for the Republican Party's nomination.
Then Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama similarly pledge to "establish a green energy sector that will create up to 5 million new jobs over the next two decades."
A lot can change in four years.
"The 'green' technologies are typically far too expensive to compete in the marketplace, and studies have shown that for every 'green' job created there are actually more jobs destroyed," Mitt Romney now claims in his jobs plan...
Get the full scoop on SeacoastOnline.com
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Cornerstone Treecare joins fight against nitrogen pollution in Great Bay
Jan 10, 2012Published on Seacoast Online
By David Anderson
Local arborist Micum Davis of Portsmouth has become the newest member of the New Hampshire Coastal Protection Partnership's Board of Directors.
Founded in 2008 by a group of local citizens concerned about declining water quality in the Great Bay Estuary, NH Coast is a Portsmouth-based nonprofit organization dedicated to combining sound science with education, collaboration and advocacy to protect the natural resources of the coastal watershed and effect long-term visible change.
"I was honored to be asked to join the organization," said Davis, who has been active in the group as a donor and program sponsor for several years now.
Read the full story on SeacoastOnline.com
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Green jobs help drive the area's economy
Jan 9, 2012Published in The Portsmouth Herald
By David Anderson
What is a green job? It's a question economists have struggled to answer for years, but one thing is certain: There are a lot of them in New England.
A 2011 study by the Brookings Institute estimated the number of green jobs in New Hampshire at 12,866; 12,212 in Maine; and 43,207 in Massachusetts.
Those numbers seemed low to Sarah Brown, who, as director of the Portsmouth-based Green Alliance, works closely with 98 local green businesses to promote sustainable products and services to the greater Seacoast.
"We keep track of how many people work at each local green business we certify for sustainability," Brown said.
After some quick work on her calculator, Brown estimated that the nearly 100 businesses in the Green Alliance employ about 1,851 people…
Read the full story on SeacoastOnline.com
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Behind the Scenes at Redhook Brewery
Jan 5, 2012Published in Portsmouth Patch and Exeter Patch
by Scott Szycher
Long before Nick Wright was promoted to Pub Manager of Redhook Brewery’s popular Cataqua Pub, he had quite a track record with the organization.
It started during his days at UNH, when he was pursuing an undergraduate degree in Business Management and Sociology: he would come for the brewery tours, fascinated by both the brewing process, and the management of the operation.
After graduation, he started working for Redhook as a server. Within a year, he was promoted to a joint position of bartender and pub supervisor. Then, after three years with Redhook, he was promoted to Pub Manager, helping make 2011 the Pub’s most successful year on record. But his current management responsibilities haven’t dampened his infectious enthusiasm for reporting to work.
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Yankee Thermal Imaging offers snapshot of energy savings
Jan 4, 2012Published by Portsmouth Patch
By David Anderson
Chris and Kathleen Meyer know all too well the feeling that comes with watching home heating oil and natural gas prices continue to climb year after year.
“I own a property holding company,” said Chris Meyer. “In the mid-2000s, as heating oil prices went up, we started recognizing the real need for identifying the efficiency of our building. Traditional building inspections missed things like the efficiency of a building’s heating system and insulation. We said, ‘We’ve got find a service out there that will tell us what the costs and savings will be for energy efficiency.’”
Disappointed in the quality of the existing services that were out there at the time, the Meyers followed the age-old adage, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” In 2008, they launched Yankee Thermal Imaging in Dover, New Hampshire, with the ambitious goal of providing energy audit services to all of Northern New England...
Get the full scoop on Portsmouth-NH.Patch.com
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Green Alliance Home Demonstrates Synergy Between Solar, Geothermal
Jan 3, 2012Published by Portsmouth Patch
By David Anderson
When Ray and Joann Whitley installed a geothermal heating system in their Salisbury, MA home two years ago, they were thrilled to eliminate the cost of heating oil from their budget.
“While our electric bill did go up because the geothermal back up is an electric fan, it only went up about a third of what we had been paying for oil for the year,” according to Joann.
“We decided to go ahead and install some solar panels on our garage to offset the electrical cost of running the system,” Ray chimed in...
Read the full story at Portsmouth-NH.Patch.com
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Green card giveaway!
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