GREEN ALLIANCE

Current Sustaining Members:

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Maria JK Hars Designs: The 70's commercial of the Indian on horseback and a tear in his eye with mountains of trash around him had a profound effect on me. To this day I refuse to litter. I reuse, reclaim and recycle. Being green is a healthy lifestyle. As a Sustainable designer, I believe I have a moral and ethical responsibility to use design-build practices and non-toxic materials and finishes. My late father, Anthony Hars, was an Architect and my mentor. I learned about passive and active solar and sustainable design-build practices from him which I still use to this day. I've designed and helped build a sustainable off the grid tiny home on wheels in Kalispell Montana. I lived in it for a full year to fully understand what tiny living/working is all about and I loved it. One of my goals is to design-build sustainable off the grid tiny home communities and campgrounds. I'm looking to partner with Eco-friendly people who share my vision and philosophy. 

 

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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.

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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. 

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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." 

 

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. 

 

Alison & Chris 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 Partner 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 is the Treasurer for the NH Women’s Foundation, sits on the advisory board of NH Charitable Foundation – Piscataqua Region, and is involved with the Seacoast Women’s Giving Circle.

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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.

 

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.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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."

 

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.

 

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!

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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.

 

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!"

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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.

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Marc Batchelder. Marc and Cheryl constructed their L.E.E.D. platinum house in Portsmouth with the help of many Green Alliance businesses including Little Green Homes, SEA Solar Store, Minute Men Painters, and Cornerstone Tree Care in the winter of 2008-09. We continue to use GA businesses as much as we can in order to support companies that share the same awareness for environmental issues as we do. You can usually find us with our two dogs outside every chance we get or having a pint of Cheryl's homebrew craft beer.

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Ann Grinnell. Ann became a lifetime member of the Green Alliance after the completion of her all electric home in Kittery, built by GA Business Partner, Little Green Homes. This home is the fourth house Grinnell has built and will be the retirement home for her and partner Marge Pelletier. The two purchased a 30 panel, 8.4 kilowatt solar electric system, essentially creating a self-sustaining energy source on the roof of the Kittery Foreside home. The house is rotated about 15 degrees so that the rear roof (with panels) faces as close to due south as possible. Pelletier and Grinnell reduced expenses by not paying for brand new, high-end products. Lower end and reclaimed items are used upstairs, such as sinks, vanities and doors. Grinnell said the home is designed for single-floor living, though there are two guest bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor for visitors throughout the year. As the second floor will likely only be occupied about 20 days per year, it is separated from the rest of the house by a glass door, and will only need to be heated when guests are present, reducing energy costs. 

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Jan & David Heirtzler. Jan and David Heirtzler live in Durham, NH, with their three children, Stephen, Sophia, and Susan; allowing David to walk to work at UNH, and Jan to walk or bike everywhere in town (the family's car is used almost exclusively for out-of-town trips). Reduced consumption is one of the core principles of Jan's home business making baby carriers: buying a single cloth carrier means that a whole host of baby paraphernalia becomes unnecessary. This proved helpful when their oldest child was born in 2000 -- a convertible car seat, diaper service, clothes, and a sling were really all that they needed. Sleeping Baby Productions LLC (http://sleepingbaby.net) has grown by leaps and bounds, helping other new families live simply and keep their babies close. The family's Green Alliance membership has paid for itself many times over, between discounts on bio-fuel heating oil and at local restaurants, and Jan hopes to use it in the near future to improve their home's energy efficiency. "Committing to a sustaining membership is an excellent investment -- I know we'll get much more out of it than we put in, and I truly appreciate the opportunities that it represents in our community."

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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. "Government 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 accountability". 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 Membership 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 take the Downeaster train on his visits to Boston and Portland. And of course, he patronizes businesses that show genuine efforts in sustainability. 

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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!"

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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.

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Saul and Jessie Davidson. We are strong believers in renewable energy and minimizing our use of fossil fuels. We regularly recycle every material we can. We own a hybrid vehicle and enjoy seeing fewer stops at the gas station. We recently added a 4.8kw photovoltaic solar panel array to the roof of our house and already we’re seeing it pay off. We hope to expand the system in the future and also add a solar hot water system to eliminate the need for propane hot water in our house. Being a member of the Green Alliance is exciting and shows us more and more opportunities to take advantage of in committing ourselves to living better and taking care of the environment. Alliance in June 2012, while pursuing his interest in all things 'green' as an Independent Associate of Viridian.

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Nils Bockmann. Nils interest in environmental affairs began in the mid 1960’s. Growing up in South Yarmouth, MA on Cape Cod, Nils observed the effects of unregulated environmental protection and felt compelled to take action. When he turned twenty-two, he became a Massachusetts Sales Associate for a California company that sold only biodegradable cleaning products. In 1978, Nils worked for the Congress of Claremont (NH) Senior Citizens and assisted the development of Senior Congress Park, an 82-apartment HUD Section 202 senior housing project that included 18 acres of green space and solar panels to generate hot water. At 46, while taking classes at the Cape Cod Community Center, Nils served as an Elected Student Trustee, to ensure that the leadership was dedicated to environmental technology. His contributions supported the continued sustainable development at the CCCC. Nils and his wife Christine, left education in 2008 and spent two years working as on-site management of independent senior living communities in coastal Maine and eastern New Hampshire. While working out of their home base in Kittery, Nils was introduced to Sarah Brown and became peripherally involved with the good works of the Green Alliance. Nils became a Sustaining Member of the Green Alliance.

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Kate Thut. Kate lives in Dover, NH with her husband and two teenage sons. They are glad that Green Alliance helps them to make choices about where they spend their money and happily support the businesses that do what they can to minimize our impact on this beautiful world.

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 and I 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 supporting members.

 

Other Sustaining Members:

Jean Blickensderfer ~ Susan Stevens ~ Judi Matthews ~ Maren Beauchesne ~ Lucy Neiman 

Loren Selig ~ Patti Andrews ~ Joseph Pagnani ~ Therese Hickman ~ Andrea Williams 

Dan Stevens ~ Lynn Rogers ~ Patricia Cabrera ~ Roger Stephenson ~ Jan Kirk 

Jacqueline Walker ~ Robert & Mary Welch ~ Billy Landenberger ~ Debra Luchsinger 

Melissa Bowen ~ Raphael Roman ~ Robert McElroy ~ Katherine Harris ~ Daniel Miltom 

JoEllen Cuff ~ Karen Doyle ~ Linda Tyring ~ Ned Raynolds ~ Paul Neve ~ Scott Szycher 

Bridget Sprague ~ David Anderson ~ Janet Dunn ~ Katherine Hood ~ Lynn McCarthy 

Nicole Giusto ~ Diane McDonough ~ Shirley Cornell ~ Amy Pollard ~ Victor Reno 

Therese Thompson ~ Thomas Leake ~ Gesele & George Scully ~ Susan Engel 

Ron Brush ~ Obidiah Kelley ~ Vicki Stewart ~ Cindy Henry ~ Rebecca Gove ~ Mike Carella 

Chris Pyott ~ Mary Campbell ~ Marybeth Reis ~ Kenneth Potter ~ Per Berglund 

James Hennelly ~ Boyd Allen ~ Christopher Mcquade ~ Bonnie Greaney ~ Carolyn Ostrom 

Deb Perry ~ Michele Alexander ~ Laura Piscitello ~ Joanne Russavage ~ Strider Sulley

Mary Clifton Horrigan ~ Georgie Jennison Sawyer ~ Drew & Rachel Barclay 

John Benford ~ Kendra Ford ~ Miranda Jones & Ben Kerwin ~ George Radford

Dawn Mirabella-Lewis ~ Renee Fifield ~ Jonathan Meltzer ~Christina Winn ~ James McLain

Robert Eckert ~ Kerry Gormley ~ Morry El-Badry ~ Peter & Sarah Lion ~ Sarah Gnerre 

Kevin Madley ~ Greg McCrone ~ Larry Elbroch ~ David Tibbetts ~ Marcia Tibbetts

Janna Barbour ~ Tammy Gewehr ~ Deidre Smyrnos ~ Lisa Teague ~ Laura Montville 

Patrick Trevino ~ Frank Stewart ~ Heidi Montanari ~ Aubrey Gewehr ~ Jan Pendlebury

Gavin Barbour ~ Margaret & William Naumes ~ Stephanie Denoncour

Emily & Michael Briggs ~ Myleta Eng ~ Natasha Goyette ~ Moira McKinnon

Jim Houghton ~ Charles Forcey ~ Tim Stone ~ Andrew Jackman