Dear GAzette Readers: The day has finally arrived! Tonight we host our third annual Green Alliance Cruise Into Summer aboard the Isles of Shoals Steamship Company's Thomas Laighton! From 7 to 9:30, GA Business leaders and community members can enjoy a relaxing night on Portsmouth Harbor, complete with live music courtesy of my brother Adam's band, Blue Eye Brown! If the last two years are any kind of bellwether, this year's installment of this now annual ritual should be hopping from the get-go. But don't fret, there's still plenty of room! If you're a GA member, just send a quick email right now to becky@greenalliance.biz. If you're not a member, join online and get the special cruise discount -- get a Green Card, and party with us for FREE! You can also join at the dock the night of, but you'll have to pay the regular $35 rate. With summer finally upon us, we're using the cruise as a way to remind people to support local green businesses. Every dollar you spend matters, and in this economy, shifting just 10% of your spending to locally-owned businesses helps keep our vibrant community booming!   Sincerely, Sarah Brown GA Director Become a fan on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

  

Most people dream of going to work everyday to do something they love. Ethan Korpi and Peter Robie of Eco Sound live out their passion each day by helping people renovate and build homes that are beautiful, high performing and earth-friendly. Ethan Korpi began Eco Sound Builders, LLC in 2007 with his father, Roger, and Robie joined the duo in 2009. With Roger overseeing operations in the NH Lakes region, Korpi and Robie are changing the way people think about homes here on the Seacoast.

A current project in Rye embodies much of Eco Sound’s philosophy, as their task is to retrofit an old home while preserving its historic character. Walking the line between preserving the old and embracing the new is what these guys do – it’s in their blood.

The father-son connection is obvious with Ethan, who has worked with his father on the construction site since he was a boy. With over 40 years in the building trades, Roger Korpi has undoubtedly passed on a great deal to his son. Perhaps the most tangible is Ethan’s dedication to honoring the historical value of a building..

According to numerous recent studies, nearly 500 million people worldwide own smart phones – iPhones, Androids, and the like. That number is expected to double in the next few years, meaning hundreds of millions more tuned in and turned on to the hand-held wonders.

Combined with the ever-growing reliance on online commerce, the boom in smart phone use has meant as many challenges as opportunities – and potential customers – for businesses of all sizes. Here on the Seacoast, one startup is geared to show how creating a business-specific app doesn’t have to mean diving in the red.

Launched in 2011 by local entrepreneur Alex Bakman, Snappii -- currently hard at work on the GA's own forthcoming app -- provides creative, custom mobile phone applications for businesses in every sector. To date, the company has spearheaded the development of over 6000 different mobile apps, all from a platform supporting 17 different languages.

With the rapid growth, improvement, and increasing user-friendliness of smart phone technology, more and more people – and more and more businesses – are beginning to use their phones as a primary means for accessing information. But that still leaves the problem of making sure your business and your brand can be as easily accessible as it is noticeable.... read more here!

Early April teased the senses with scents of summer and warm sunny days while May has thrust us back into the grey New England spring we so often see. It may be hard to remember what the heat of the morning sun feels like upon your face when each day you are greeted by an achromatic sky. Daily duties render a mood that is lachrymose as the heavens weep a cold and relentless drizzle.

However, we are not doomed to dreary days! Summer is quickly approaching, soon the sky will be alive with vivid hues of golden light. Push away the grey with thoughts of temperate evenings in a new, sustainable, green sun room. Imagine the outdoor gatherings on the green built patio or deck; memories waiting to be made of time spent grilling, socializing or just unwinding.

Brian Burris owner of Nicely Done wants to make those summer dreams a reality, one you will enjoy for years and years to come. Nicely Done is a local renovation and construction firm that proudly uses only green and sustainable products. Brian understands that his customers are seeking to work with a responsible business, with high standards; they want a product that is both green and has lasting value. Nicely Done installs cutting edge material in all of their projects. Recently they renovated a Durham home, adding a Timber Tech green deck and removing hazardous lead paint from the property, among other things....read more here!

GA members receive a FREE window installation with the purchase of five or more windows, AND receive 5% off all labor costs with Nicely Done! Click here to learn more!


Crossroads House goes for solar seconds

Being the largest transitional housing complex in the region, the folks at Cross Roads House in Portsmouth know a thing or two about loyalty and trust. Which is why it came as no surprise when – needing a second solar hot water system to help meet growing demand from residents – the powers that be put in a call to a familiar face.

Having installed Cross Roads’ first solar hot water system – a 16-panel, 900-gallon tank unit – back in 2009, Jack Bingham, owner of SEA Solar Store, was all too pleased to comply.

While smaller in scope, the new six-panel, 100-gallon system will provide solar-heated water to four shower units and a community kitchen located in the newly constructed family wing of the complex. Taken together, the two installments form one of the city’s largest solar hot water systems. But as far as points of pride are concerned, size and scope are by no means at the top of Jack Bingham’s list.

“What’s truly special about this project is that it’s providing clean energy and water to such an important part of the community,” said Bingham of the two-part installation. “I was thrilled when Cross Roads wanted to do a second installation, because I believe in what they’re doing.”... check out the full story in our blog by clicking here!

Join the GA and save $250 on a solar hot water or solar PV system from SEA Solar Store, as well as 10% off all in-store items under $500! Click here!

 

Middleton shows why now's the time to insulate

With summer just around the corner, few may think that a home’s energy efficiency is a priority. Even though New Englanders don’t like to think about cold weather during our idyllic summers, Andy Carberry of Middleton Supply, Inc. thinks we should and here’s why.

“The spring and summer are in fact the perfect time to do those home energy improvement projects that cant be done during the snowy, blowy months of winter. Its when we can find the time to get this stuff done so that come next winter, our homes are all buttoned-up,” explains Carberry.

Middleton Building Supply, a LaValley family company, is a local, family-owned, full-service hardware and lumber yard that has, for nearly 50 years, serviced home owners and contractors throughout New Hampshire. The Middleton stores in both Dover and Hampton have a decidedly green focus with both locations working hard to green the options on their shelves so as to offer a myriad of more sustainable options for home improvement projects from paints to lights, to insulation...read more here!

Green Card holders save 5% on all regularly-priced, in-stock items at both the Middleton Dover and Middleton Hampton locations! Click here to learn more!


ReVision solar system already providing benefits

Recently, Green Alliance member ReVision Energy installed a solar electric array on the roof of Durham Boat. Durham Boat is a manufacturer of carbon fiber oars and rigging parts and provides non-powered indoor rowing tanks.The project was completed at the end of last year and Durham Boat has already enjoyed the benefits of a solar energy system. Since the system was installed, Durham Boat's energy has already exceeded their expectations. In fact, the energy they gained in April was well ahead of their target amount. In the first quarter of 2012, they reduced their single phase energy usage by 53% and their polyphase energy usage by 31% from the amounts last year.

Durham Boat wanted to reduce the company's carbon footprint. This mimics the sport of rowing because of its minimal effects on the environment. They have various eco-friendly programs, which include a conservation program, a recycling program, and a scrap metal program, which have all contributed to the reduction of the carbon footprint.

In the autumn of 2010, they applied for a state incentive and received it in January of 2011 and applied for the REAP grant in June of 2011, and received the final approval in October of 2011. If the project was completed by the end of the year, they would qualify for the Federal Tax Grant. Like the other two grants, they received the Federal Tax Grant and were able to receive a 100% write-off for the costs. "ReVision was a lot of help with the state, REAP, and Federal Tax Grant support information, as well as doing a fine installation," says Coleen Fuerst. of Durham Boat.... Read more here!

Save $350 on a solar hot water system and $375 on a solar PV system with ReVision energy when you join the Green Alliance! Click here to find out more!

Interested in promoting local revolutionary history and inspired by its own “revolutionary” past, Redhook Brewery has teamed up with Exeter’s American Independence Museum to launch a new seasonal beer. The aptly named American Independence Ale will be served at the museum’s Folsom Tavern, the inspiration for the beer — where beer has not been served for 100 years — as part of Redhook’s Backyard Brewery Series. The summer seasonal brew will also be available throughout New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont until early fall.

“We will be able to sell the beer. It’s a nice fundraiser,” said Julie Tiebout, the museum’s marketing and development director.

Calling Redhook “socially aware and responsible,” Tiebout said the introduction of the brew benefits both organizations. “They’re giving us a chance to showcase the museum and we’re giving them a chance to open up the Exeter market.” And when Red Hook informally launched the beer on May 17, “a lot of people we have never seen before came to the museum inspired by the beer and then became interested in our local history.”

Tiebout said Folsom Tavern was a beehive of activity during the American Revolution when Exeter was New Hampshire’s capital, and revolutionaries had lots to discuss, a point that attracted Redhook to the museum, Redhook spokesman Ted Lane said..... Read more in our blog by clicking here!

By Paul Fowler
adaptDesign

Everyone knows that how we live in our homes has an effect on the environment; and simple lifestyle changes can have major impacts. But what about our living environment itself; how can we make changes to our homes that lessen our impact locally and globally? What do we need to do to begin this change?

You have to start with the house itself. A house is made-up of many different parts. How they work together has a direct effect on the environment. For a home to work at its best, all of the parts need to work together to give the occupants a lifestyle they desire within the climate they inhabit; while leaving the smallest footprint.

Even if you plan on attacking projects one at a time, the first step must always be looking at a holistic or systems approach for improvement. This begins by looking at your living place as a whole, asking questions, discovering places for change, setting goals about your lifestyle, available finances and construction costs.

Think of this process in three parts:

1.) Think: Establish a detailed understanding of how your current house is impacting the environment and then decide where you want to implement change. You must also ask how your current way of living affects how you use your home.... Read more in our blog by clicking here!

Being the owner of one of the most environmentally friendly and innovative landscaping companies in the industry would have been impressive enough. But for Brian Wade, owner of Wade Landscaping & Property Maintenance LLC, good deeds come in numbers. A sustainability pioneer committed to educating employees and the community about green issues, Wade is also a professional firefighter, and serves on the board of directors for the Annual Trans NH Bike Ride to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Wade has been a pioneer of sustainability in his field since his company's inception. Wade Landscaping uses organic hydroseeds and eschews the chemically harmful fertilizers used by most other landscaping companies. They compost clippings and recycle mulch. Their equipment uses non-toxic 2-cycle fuel, and all vehicles run on Simply Green BioFuels. The company also has an anti-idling policy which significantly reduces their carbon emissions.

Wade's endeavors to educate about sustainability are commendable as well. He has contributed to local publications including Foster's Daily Democrat and the Dover Daily News to inform individuals about steps they can take to reduce their impact on the environment. Wade keeps employees up-to-date about the products the company uses and how employees can make greener choices at home..... Read more in our blog by clicking here!

With summer just around the corner, parents are already thinking about how to keep their kids active and engaged while off from school. With vacation being so long, parents are understandably concerned with what educators call “summer learning loss.”

Yet, summer is a wonderful break from the classroom and there would certainly be a number of rebellions right here on the Seacoast if it were taken away. Perhaps the answer to the loss of learning in the summer lies in stimulating kids’ minds in a different way – a way that isn’t as possible during the school year.

Enter Prescott Farm in Laconia, NH. Family-owned and operated for the better part of 200 years, Prescott Farm has a history as vibrant as its surroundings. Originally established by Colonel Dudley Prescott of the New Hampshire Militia, who had received land grants for his service during the Revolutionary War, the proceeding decades and centuries would see the farm change family hands multiple times, before ending its tenure as an active farm in 1950.

Today, the sprawling 160-acre farm is stewarded by the Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center (PFEEC), which transformed the historic grounds into an expansive campus rife with beautiful scenery offering unique environmental education opportunities.... Read more in our blog by clicking here!