Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston area that catch the editor's eye.
Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com is the web version.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events email gmoke@world.std.com
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Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com is the web version.
If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events email gmoke@world.std.com
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Mockingbird with Sparrow Chorus and Sunday Afternoon City Sounds http://youtu.be/2wyZ4ia9dtU
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Monday, May 28
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Nerdnite Boston
Monday May 28, 2012
8pm
Middlesex, 315 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
Featuring Nerd-appropriate tunes by Claude Money
$5
The lineup:
Talk 1. “The Walking Death, Poison Apples, and Tangled Proteins”
by Joe Mazzulli
by Joe Mazzulli
Talk 2. “Inhabiting the Global Anonymous (observations on the evolution of cities with a focus on Tokyo)”
by Ishita Sharma
http://boston.nerdnite.com/
Tuesday, May 29
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Energy Research in Chemical Engineering
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
11:00a–12:00p
MIT, Building 66-110, 25 Ames Street, Cambridge
Speaker: Rakesh Agrawal, Winthrop E. Stone Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University
Making large volunteer-driven projects sustainable. Lessons learned from Drupal
Tuesday, May 29, 12:30 pm
Berkman Center, 23 Everett Street, second floor, Cambridge
RSVP required for those attending in person at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2012/05/buytaert#RSVP
This event will be webcast live at 12:30 pm ET at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/webcast and archived there shortly after.
Dries Buytaert, original creator and project lead of Drupal
In this talk, Dries shares his experiences on how he grew the Drupal community from just one person to over 800,000 members over the past 10 years. Today, the Drupal community is one of the largest and most active Open Source projects in the world, powering 1 out of 50 websites in the world. The concept of major projects growing out of a volunteer, community-based model is not new to the world. Volunteer networks and communities exist in many shapes and sizes. Throughout history there are examples of pure volunteer organizations that were instrumental in the founding and formation of many projects. For example, the first trade routes were ancient trackways which citizens later developed on their own into roads suited for wheeled vehicles in order to improve commerce. Transportation was improved for all citizens, driven by the commercial interest of some. Today, we certainly appreciate that our governments maintain the roads. However, we still see road signs stating that a particular section of a highway is kept clean and trim by volunteers -- at least in some countries. When new ground needs to be broken, it's often volunteer communities that do it. But a full-time, paid infrastructure can be necessary for the preservation and protection of what communities begin. In this presentation, Dries wants to brainstorm about how large communities evolve and how to sustain them over time.
Some questions to think about ahead of the presentation:
Do you know examples of large organizations that have grown out of volunteer communities?
Why do some communities keep growing while other communities come to a halt?
Is the commercialization of a volunteer-driven community part of a community's natural life-cycle?
Is it inevitable that over time the operation and/or leadership of volunteer communities are transferred to paid personnel?
About Dries
Dries Buytaert is the original creator and project lead for the Drupal open source web publishing and collaboration platform. Buytaert serves as president of the Drupal Association, a non-profit organization formed to help Drupal flourish. He is also co-founder and chief technology officer of Acquia, a venture-backed software company that offers products and services for Drupal. Dries is also a co-founder of Mollom, a web service that helps you identify content quality and, more importantly, helps you stop website spam. A native of Belgium, Buytaert holds a PhD in computer science and engineering from Ghent University and a Licentiate Computer Science (MsC) from the University of Antwerp. In 2008, Buytaert was elected Young Entrepreneurs of Tech by BusinessWeek as well as MIT TR 35 Young Innovator.
Historically chemical engineering has played a central role in the current fossil resource driven world. Now, as the human race prepares to make inevitable transition from the fossil resources, chemical engineering is well poised to contribute to this transition.
Here we will discuss our energy related research in a three part presentation. First, an energy systems analysis, to identify opportunities and pitfalls as the renewable economy emerges, will be presented. We will focus on a future where the basic human needs of food, chemicals, heat, electricity and transportation will generally be met by solar energy. In a solar-energy-driven world, it will be particularly challenging to satisfy the need of the transportation sector due to its requirement of high energy density fuel and associated ease of handling. Some novel solutions to meet this challenge and sustain the current transportation sector will be presented. The importance of developing transition solutions that use both hydrocarbon resources as well as solar energy in a synergistic manner will be emphasized through examples.
Here we will discuss our energy related research in a three part presentation. First, an energy systems analysis, to identify opportunities and pitfalls as the renewable economy emerges, will be presented. We will focus on a future where the basic human needs of food, chemicals, heat, electricity and transportation will generally be met by solar energy. In a solar-energy-driven world, it will be particularly challenging to satisfy the need of the transportation sector due to its requirement of high energy density fuel and associated ease of handling. Some novel solutions to meet this challenge and sustain the current transportation sector will be presented. The importance of developing transition solutions that use both hydrocarbon resources as well as solar energy in a synergistic manner will be emphasized through examples.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Chemical Engineering Department
For more information, contact: Melanie Miller
617-253-6500
melmils@mit.edu
617-253-6500
melmils@mit.edu
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Making large volunteer-driven projects sustainable. Lessons learned from Drupal
Tuesday, May 29, 12:30 pm
Berkman Center, 23 Everett Street, second floor, Cambridge
RSVP required for those attending in person at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2012/05/buytaert#RSVP
This event will be webcast live at 12:30 pm ET at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/webcast and archived there shortly after.
Dries Buytaert, original creator and project lead of Drupal
In this talk, Dries shares his experiences on how he grew the Drupal community from just one person to over 800,000 members over the past 10 years. Today, the Drupal community is one of the largest and most active Open Source projects in the world, powering 1 out of 50 websites in the world. The concept of major projects growing out of a volunteer, community-based model is not new to the world. Volunteer networks and communities exist in many shapes and sizes. Throughout history there are examples of pure volunteer organizations that were instrumental in the founding and formation of many projects. For example, the first trade routes were ancient trackways which citizens later developed on their own into roads suited for wheeled vehicles in order to improve commerce. Transportation was improved for all citizens, driven by the commercial interest of some. Today, we certainly appreciate that our governments maintain the roads. However, we still see road signs stating that a particular section of a highway is kept clean and trim by volunteers -- at least in some countries. When new ground needs to be broken, it's often volunteer communities that do it. But a full-time, paid infrastructure can be necessary for the preservation and protection of what communities begin. In this presentation, Dries wants to brainstorm about how large communities evolve and how to sustain them over time.
Some questions to think about ahead of the presentation:
Do you know examples of large organizations that have grown out of volunteer communities?
Why do some communities keep growing while other communities come to a halt?
Is the commercialization of a volunteer-driven community part of a community's natural life-cycle?
Is it inevitable that over time the operation and/or leadership of volunteer communities are transferred to paid personnel?
About Dries
Dries Buytaert is the original creator and project lead for the Drupal open source web publishing and collaboration platform. Buytaert serves as president of the Drupal Association, a non-profit organization formed to help Drupal flourish. He is also co-founder and chief technology officer of Acquia, a venture-backed software company that offers products and services for Drupal. Dries is also a co-founder of Mollom, a web service that helps you identify content quality and, more importantly, helps you stop website spam. A native of Belgium, Buytaert holds a PhD in computer science and engineering from Ghent University and a Licentiate Computer Science (MsC) from the University of Antwerp. In 2008, Buytaert was elected Young Entrepreneurs of Tech by BusinessWeek as well as MIT TR 35 Young Innovator.
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Wednesday, May 30
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Interop: The Promise and Perils of Highly Interconnected Systems
Wednesday, May 30, 6:00PM
Harvard Law School, Wasserstein Hall, Milstein West AB
Free and Open to the Public; RSVP required for those attending in person at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/2012/05/interop#RSVP
Co-sponsored by the Harvard Law School Library and the Harvard Book Store
Reception to follow
John Palfrey and Urs Gasser
The practice of standardization has been facilitating innovation and economic growth for centuries. The standardization of the railroad gauge revolutionized the flow of commodities, the standardization of money revolutionized debt markets and simplified trade, and the standardization of credit networks has allowed for the purchase of goods using money deposited in a bank half a world away. These advancements did not eradicate the different systems they affected; instead, each system has been transformed so that it can interoperate with systems all over the world, while still preserving local diversity.
As Palfrey and Gasser show, interoperability is a critical aspect of any successful system—and now it is more important than ever. Today we are confronted with challenges that affect us on a global scale: the financial crisis, the quest for sustainable energy, and the need to reform health care systems and improve global disaster response systems. The successful flow of information across systems is crucial if we are to solve these problems, but we must also learn to manage the vast degree of interconnection inherent in each system involved. Interoperability offers a number of solutions to these global challenges, but Palfrey and Gasser also consider its potential negative effects, especially with respect to privacy, security, and co-dependence of states; indeed, interoperability has already sparked debates about document data formats, digital music, and how to create successful yet safe cloud computing. Interop demonstrates that, in order to get the most out of interoperability while minimizing its risks, we will need to fundamentally revisit our understanding of how it works, and how it can allow for improvements in each of its constituent parts.
About John
John Palfrey is Henry N. Ess Professor of Law and Vice Dean for Library and Information Resources at Harvard Law School. He is the co-author of "Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives" (Basic Books, 2008) and "Access Denied: The Practice and Politics of Internet Filtering" (MIT Press, 2008). His research and teaching is focused on Internet law, intellectual property, and international law. He practiced intellectual property and corporate law at the law firm of Ropes & Gray. He is a faculty co-director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. Outside of Harvard Law School, he is a Venture Executive at Highland Capital Partners and serves on the board of several technology companies and non-profits. John served as a special assistant at the US EPA during the Clinton Administration. He is a graduate of Harvard College, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard Law School.
About Urs
Urs Gasser is the Executive Director of the Berkman Center for Internet & Society at Harvard University. He teaches at Harvard Law School, at the University of St. Gallen (Switzerland) and Fudan University School of Management (China). He is a visiting professor at KEIO University (Japan) and a Fellow at the Gruter Institute for Law and Behavioral Research. Urs Gasser has written several books, is the co author of “Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives” (Basic Books, 2008, with John Palfrey) that has been translated into 10 languages (including Chinese), and has published over 70 articles in professional journals. His research and teaching activities focus on information law and policy issues. Current projects, several of them in collaboration with leading research institutions in the U.S., Europe, and Asia, explore policy and educational challenges for young Internet users, the regulation of digital technology (currently with focus on cloud computing), ICT interoperability, information quality, the law’s impact on innovation and risk in the ICT space, and alternative governance systems. He graduated from the University of St. Gallen (J.D., S.J.D.) as well as Harvard Law School (LL.M.) and received several academic awards and prizes for his research.
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Data Therapy: Creative Ways to tell your Story with Data
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
6:00 PM
MIT Media Lab, E14-525, 20 Ames Street, Cambridge
Got data? Tired of using the same old bar charts to tell your story?
You need some Data Therapy!
Join MIT Media Lab researcher Rahul Bhargava for a workshop on making creative and compelling presentations of data.
We will cover: a process for picking appropriate data presentation techniques; real-world examples of various creative techniques; online tools to help you while designing your presentation; "group therapy" time to brainstorm about your specific needs.
RSVP at http://meetupbos.hackshackers.com/events/63236472/?a=ea1_grp&eventId=63236472&action=detail&rv=ea1&rv=ea1
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Wednesday, May 30, 2012
6:00 PM
MIT Media Lab, E14-525, 20 Ames Street, Cambridge
Got data? Tired of using the same old bar charts to tell your story?
You need some Data Therapy!
Join MIT Media Lab researcher Rahul Bhargava for a workshop on making creative and compelling presentations of data.
We will cover: a process for picking appropriate data presentation techniques; real-world examples of various creative techniques; online tools to help you while designing your presentation; "group therapy" time to brainstorm about your specific needs.
RSVP at http://meetupbos.hackshackers.com/events/63236472/?a=ea1_grp&eventId=63236472&action=detail&rv=ea1&rv=ea1
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Climate Change: What We Know and Where We Go from Here
WHEN Wed., May 30, 2012, 7 – 9 p.m.
WHERE Harvard University, Pfizer Auditorium, Mallinckrodt Building, 12 Oxford St, Cambridge
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION Classes/Workshops, Science
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR Science in the News, sponsored by Harvard Medical School and the Graduate Student Council
SPEAKER(S) Presentations given by groups of graduate students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
COST Free
CONTACT INFO SITNboston@gmail.com
NOTE Hosted by Science in the News, a student run group at the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, our evening seminar series is free to the public! Discuss today’s hottest scientific topics, with seminars presented by current graduate students and aimed at a general audience. It's an interactive environment, so feel to ask questions at any point in the lecture! Hosted at Harvard University, Pfizer Auditorium, biweekly Wednesdays. See our website for the full schedule.
LINK https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/sitn-seminars/
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Cape Wind Public Hearing
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
7:00 p.m.
Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, 5th Floor, Boston
Help Cape Wind pass their last hurdle by attending a public hearing on the matter. They need support to point out that wind turbines will keep energy bills less volatile than fossil fuels:
Please arrive EARLY as speakers will called in the order in which they signed up. If you can come, please RSVP torsvpcapewind@gmail.com
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Thursday, May 31
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
7:00 p.m.
Department of Public Utilities, One South Station, 5th Floor, Boston
Help Cape Wind pass their last hurdle by attending a public hearing on the matter. They need support to point out that wind turbines will keep energy bills less volatile than fossil fuels:
Please arrive EARLY as speakers will called in the order in which they signed up. If you can come, please RSVP torsvpcapewind@gmail.com
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Thursday, May 31
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The Future of Human Longevity: Medical Advances, Lifestyle Adjustments
WHEN Thu., May 31, 2012, 7:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
WHERE Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Room FXB-G12, Boston, MA 02115
GAZETTE CLASSIFICATION Conferences, Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Lecture
ORGANIZATION/SPONSOR swissnex Boston, Swiss Re
SPEAKER(S)
Dennis Ausiello
Joseph Brain
Raju Kucherlapati
Eric Rimm
Agnes Vorbrodt
Aaron Cypess
And many more...
Joseph Brain
Raju Kucherlapati
Eric Rimm
Agnes Vorbrodt
Aaron Cypess
And many more...
LINK http://cgd.swissre.com/events/Future_of_human_longevity_medical_advances_lifestyle_adjustments.html
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Altitude, Air Pollution, and Energy Technologies among Nomads on the Himalayan Plateau
Thursday, May 31
3:30pm
Pierce Hall 100F, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge
A Harvard China Project seminar with Catlin Powers, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health; Executive Vice President and COO, One Earth Designs.
http://chinaproject.harvard.edu/seminar%20folder/seminar/Powers120531
Contact Name: Chris Nielsen nielsen2@fas.harvard.edu
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Friday, June 1
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Bilan Carbone: France's Methodology for the Assessment of GHG Emissions of Activities
Friday, June 01, 2012
10:00a–11:00a
Webex webinar
Speaker: Simon Dely, Bilan Carbone
Co-op Power Boston Metro East Energy Efficiency Crew Launch Party
Saturday, June 2
2pm
on the Lawn at Second Church in Dorchester, corner of Washington St & Talbot Ave, Codman Square, Dorchester
A celebration with music, food, tour of “green” home, and prizes. The Crew provides insulation, weatherization, air sealing to homes in the Greater Boston area. Co-op Power is a consumer-owned co-operative that uses its capital and market power to build good green jobs and community-based green businesses for the benefit of the community at-large.
RSVP and questions toolive@cooppower.coop or 617-282-8881.
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LEAP Sustainability Speaker Series
France is piloting a national experiment to display the carbon footprints of products, activities, and even communities. Learn the in's and out's of France's carbon footprinting methodology for activities, Bilan Carbone.
Register here: https://mitweb.webex.com/mitweb/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=644666517.
Register here: https://mitweb.webex.com/mitweb/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=644666517.
Web site: http://leap.mit.edu/speaker-series/
Open to: the general public
Cost: free
Sponsor(s): LEAP: Global Leaders in Environmental Assessment and Performance
For more information, contact: Suzanne Greene
6177155473
segreene@mit.edu
6177155473
segreene@mit.edu
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Saturday, June 2
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33rd ANNUAL CAMBRIDGE RIVER FESTIVAL
Saturday, June 2, 2012,
Saturday, June 2, 2012,
12:00 Noon - 6:00 p.m.
Charles River shore from Western Avenue to JFK Street on Memorial Drive
Rain or Shine!
Rain or Shine!
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Saturday, June 2
2pm
on the Lawn at Second Church in Dorchester, corner of Washington St & Talbot Ave, Codman Square, Dorchester
A celebration with music, food, tour of “green” home, and prizes. The Crew provides insulation, weatherization, air sealing to homes in the Greater Boston area. Co-op Power is a consumer-owned co-operative that uses its capital and market power to build good green jobs and community-based green businesses for the benefit of the community at-large.
RSVP and questions toolive@cooppower.coop or 617-282-8881.
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Tuesday, June 5
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Resilience Circle Webinar: Small Group Organizing 101
Want to start a Resilience Circle or small group for your community? Join this conversation for tips, tools, and inspiration!
Tuesday, June 5
3pm EDT / 12pm PDT
Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/821608694
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Want to start a Resilience Circle or small group for your community? Join this conversation for tips, tools, and inspiration!
Tuesday, June 5
3pm EDT / 12pm PDT
Register at https://www3.gotomeeting.com/register/821608694
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"The Last Venus Transit of the 21st Century."
Tuesday, June 5
6p.
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge
A rooftop viewing. Won't happen again until 2117.
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Lightning Project Talks
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge
Many of us are working on or have ideas for digital humanities projects. Let's meet together and share our projects and get feedback and support from the group. It can also be a good way to discover collaborators. There will also be wine and cheese accompanied unstructured conversation/networking at the end.
http://www.meetup.com/newenglanddigitalhumanities/events/64773702/
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Upcoming
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Upcoming
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ANCIENT ANDEAN WISDOM FOR OUR TIMES
A talk by Don Alberto Taxo
Master teacher from Ecauador
CAMBRIDGE COHOUSING, 175 RICHDALE AVE., CAMBRIDGE
WEDNESDAY 6 JUNE 2012, 7.30 P.M.
Refreshments will be served
Don Alberto is a teacher and healer of the Andean Quechua peoples. He speaks of the need for head and heart to unite, and to bring technology and wisdom together in healing our earth. He brings simple, ancient practices that open the doors of perception to our connection with all life, through gratitude and enjoyment.
NOTE: there are other opportunities to meet Don Alberto:
EVENING TALK, FRIDAY JUNE 8, 7.30 P.M., NEW VIEW COHOUSING, ACTON MASS.
PRIVATE HEALING CLEANSINGS, BY APPOINTMENT
For more intormation:
Events in Eastern Mass.--to make reservations etc.: Dori Smith, dsmith@newview.org 978-835-5568
Don Alberto’s work: www.ushai.com
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Fukushima 2011 - Documentary Film
Thursday, June 7, 2012
6:00 PM
Eastman Laboratories, 182 Memorial Dr. Bldg 6-120, Cambridge,
"Fukushima 2011"
...the film delivers the reality of the residents exposed to radiation, living in desperate circumstances. Director Hidetaka Inazuka will be attending!!
Where：MIT / MIT6-120 http: //whereis.mit.edu/
Open：6pm Screen : 6:30pm 85min.
Tewassa Report ：8pm
Ticket : Suggested Donation
Online Registration：http://xoops.jrex.us/modules/eguide/event.php?eid=49
Open：6pm Screen : 6:30pm 85min.
Tewassa Report ：8pm
Ticket : Suggested Donation
Online Registration：http://xoops.jrex.us/modules/eguide/event.php?eid=49
The film was directed by Hidetake Inazuka, who is known for his documentary, “Twice Bombed: The Legacy of Yamaguchi Tsutomu.” This documentary shows the distress of those who endured the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake.
Focusing on Minamisoma city and Iitate village after the nuclear accident, the film delivers the reality of the residents exposed to radiation, living in desperate circumstances.
The film features mothers caring for their children, men working on farms, and the vice principal of a kindergarten; all regular people.
This disaster attacked these people and created unparalleled damage.
Please watch and learn about the current situation in these places.
Focusing on Minamisoma city and Iitate village after the nuclear accident, the film delivers the reality of the residents exposed to radiation, living in desperate circumstances.
The film features mothers caring for their children, men working on farms, and the vice principal of a kindergarten; all regular people.
This disaster attacked these people and created unparalleled damage.
Please watch and learn about the current situation in these places.
http://www.meetup.com/boston-japanese/events/65366302/
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NEW ENGLAND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE FORUM (NEEJF) ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE SUMMIT
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts.
All community activists and residents, environmental justice advocates, lawyers, policymakers and others interested in public health and the environment in low income communities and communities of color are invited to attend.
Individuals may register for the event online by visiting the online registration page: http://newenglandejsummit.eventbrite.com/. There is no cost to attend the event. Food, childcare, and great company are included. The deadline to register is May 18, 2012. Travel scholarships are available for individuals and groups that need assistance to attend.
For the first time in New England, residents of low income communities and communities of color, together with community organizers, attorneys, public health and environmental professionals and government officials will assemble for a one- day summit on environmental justice. At the Summit attendees will share ideas, learn from one another and plan future work to address environmental and public health issues that especially affect low income communities and communities of color. NEEJF is a collaboration of Alternatives for Community and Environment, Connecticut Coalition for Environmental Justice and Rhode Island Legal Services.
For more information, please contact Steve Fischbach: neejforum@gmail.com or 401-274-2652 ext.182
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Greenup Medford
Saturday, June 9
Noon until 4 pm
At Whole Foods
Join Whole Foods Market in Medford for a fun and festive time for all ages. We'll have local artists selling handmade art designed with recycled materials and local green organizations here to show how you can make a difference. There will be a raffle and lots of great samples!
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The New England Electricity Restructuring Roundtable Presents: The Impact of Natural Gas on the Future of Electricity Markets and Clean Energy Strategies in New England
June 15, 2012
9 am to 12:30 pm
Foley Hoag LLP, 155 Seaport Boulevard, 13th Floor, Boston
Panel I: How Will Natural Gas Impact New England's Electricity Markets and Reliability?
Over the past two decades, New England's electricity generation has increasingly come to rely on natural gas. With the development of the Marcellus Shale in nearby New York and Pennsylvania, natural gas could be both plentiful and relatively inexpensive for years to come. Our first panel at the June 15th Roundtable will explore the potential impacts of natural gas on New England's electricity markets and reliability, exploring a wide range of questions and issues including:
What are "realistic" natural gas supply and price expectations?
What infrastructure is needed to deliver more gas to New England, and can we count on it?
What will be the likely impacts of more gas on electricity generation mix and electricity prices?
Should we be concerned about electric reliability from increasing reliance on natural gas-fired generation especially on cold days (FERC seems to be), and what should we do about it?
To help enlighten us on theses issues, we have assembled a tremendous panel of experts who carefully follow the gas and electricity markets from different vantage points. Susan Tierney, Managing Principal at Analysis Group, will share both her expertise on electricity markets, as well as her recent experience serving on U.S. Secretary of Energy's Advisory Board (including its Shale Gas Subcommittee). Richard Paglia, Vice President of Spectra Energy, will discuss Spectra's plans to build additional pipeline capacity in several different directions from Marcellus, and will also discuss a study that Spectra recently commissioned on New England's gas markets. Richard Levitan, President & Principal, at Levitan & Associates, Inc. will share his expectations for both the gas and electricity markets in New England, based on his extensive study of both markets and their interactive effects. Rounding out the panel isPeter Brandien, Vice-President for Systems Operation at ISO-New England, who will share the results of a recent study ISO commissioned on natural gas and the electricity markets, as well as the ISO's perspective on managing an increasingly gas-based electricity system.
Panel II: Revisiting Clean Energy Strategies in New England (in an era of potential cheap and plentiful natural gas?)
Following on the heels of the first panel, our second panel will reflect on whether or not (and, if so, how) New England should revisit and revise its clean energy strategies in light of the potential for plentiful and relatively inexpensive natural gas for the foreseeable future. Despite substantial reductions over the last decade in the cost of renewable energy resources, most notably in wind and solar, and given projections for further price reductions, (and in the face of diminished renewable energy tax credit support and low natural gas prices) most RPS-eligible renewables are still more expensive than conventional electricity sources. Some states are exploring opening up RPS eligibility to existing hydro and even energy efficiency resources, seeking less expensive ways to meet clean energy goals. Others argue that the long-term benefits of continuing to aggressively pursue our clean energy goals and targets with our existing strategies far outweigh any short-term price premiums. Meanwhile, Cape Wind may begin construction soon and Hydro-Quebec is ready to finance transmission to deliver substantial additional hydro resources into New England.
To discuss these issues, we have put together a full-spectrum panel including a regulator, a utility executive, and representatives from the Clean Energy Council, CLF, and AIM.
Commissioner David Cash, Massachusetts Dept. of Public Utilities
James Robb, Senior VP Enterprise Planning, Northeast Utilities
Peter Rothstein, President, New England Clean Energy Council
Robert Rio, Sr. Vice President & Counsel, Associated Industries of MA
Jonathan Peress, VP & Director, Clean Energy & Climate Change, CLF
Free and open to the public with no advanced registration
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Can Social Games Solve America’s Biggest Health Challenge?
Monday, June 18, 2012
3:30 PM to 5:00 PM (ET)
IBM Center for Social Business,1 Rogers Street, Cambridge
Register at http://shapeup-social-games.eventbrite.com/?ref=enivte&invite=MjA0ODE4OS9nbW9rZUB3b3JsZC5zdGQuY29tLzA%3D&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=invitenew&utm_term=attend
Event Details
The IBM Center for Social Business welcomes Dr. Rajiv Kumar, literally a game changer in tackling healthcare issues. His company, ShapeUp, designs social games for companies to bring employees together so they can help each other be healthy. The theory is that peer support and accountability are the keys to wellness success.
Refreshments at 3:30. Talk starts at 3:45.
About the talk
Facing rapidly rising health care costs driven by unhealthy behaviors and a national obesity epidemic, self-insured employers have told their employees to “shape up.” But regular physical activity and healthy eating are easier said than done. Many years and millions of dollars have been wasted on employee wellness programs that get astonishingly low participation.
Social gaming is changing that. ShapeUp has developed an online behavior change solution for employee populations that uses social gaming, in the form of team-based competitions, to activate, motivate, and guide participants toward reaching their healthy goals. This approach generates extraordinary company-wide engagement rates and has been shown to produce clinically significant health outcomes.
This talk will describe how ShapeUp has used social games over the past 5 years to reach 2 million lives across 93 countries at companies like HP, Aetna, Raytheon, and Sprint. It will also explore how the latest advances in mobile apps, personal fitness devices, and real-time rewards are creating new ways to enhance the wellness experience.
Rajiv Kumar on how ShapeUp came to be
"During medical school, I realized that many of the worst health problems we face as a nation--diabetes, heart disease, cancer, hypertension, osteoarthritis, depression--are related to our collective unhealthy lifestyle. I also learned through my clinical encounters that the patients who succeeded in adopting and sustaining healthy behaviors were those who leveraged their trusted social network for support, motivation, and accountability.
By launching a community non-profit organization (Shape Up Rhode Island) and a for-profit company (ShapeUp), I've dedicated my life to helping people reverse and prevent obesity-related illnesses through group behavior change models.
Our goal is to build the largest online social application that connects people around the world to improve their health."
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Opportunity
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CEA Solar Hot Water Grants
Cambridge, through the Cambridge Energy Alliance initiative, is offering a limited number of grants to residents and businesses for solar hot water systems. The grants will cover 50% of the remaining out of pocket costs of the system after other incentives, up to $2,000.
Applications will be accepted up to November 19, 2012 and are available on a first come, first serve basis until funding runs out. The Cambridge grant will complement other incentives including the Massachusetts Clean Energy Center solar thermal grants. For more information, seehttp://cambridgeenergyalliance.org/resources/additional-resources/solar-hot-water-grant-program
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Cambridge Residents: Free Home Thermal Images
Have you ever wanted to learn where your home is leaking heat by having an energy auditor come to your home with a thermal camera? With that info you then know where to fix your home so it's more comfortable and less expensive to heat. However, at $200 or so, the cost of such a thermal scan is a big chunk of change.
HEET Cambridge has now partnered with Sagewell, Inc. to offer Cambridge residents free thermal scans.
Sagewell collects the thermal images by driving through Cambridge in a hybrid vehicle equipped with thermal cameras. They will scan every building in Cambridge (as long as it's not blocked by trees or buildings or on a private way). Building owners can view thermal images of their property and an analysis online. The information is password protected so that only the building owner can see the results.
Homeowners, condo-owners and landlords can access the thermal images and an accompanying analysis free of charge. Commercial building owners and owners of more than one building will be able to view their images and analysis for a small fee.
The scans will be analyzed in the order they are requested.
Go to Sagewell.com. Type in your address at the bottom where it says "Find your home or building" and press return. Then click on "Here" to request the report.
That's it. When the scans are done in a few weeks, your building will be one of the first to be analyzed. The accompanying report will help you understand why your living room has always been cold and what to do about it.
With knowledge, comes power (or in this case saved power and money, not to mention comfort).
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Free solar electricity analysis for MA residents
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHhwM202dDYxdUZJVGFscnY1VGZ3aXc6MQ
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HEET has partnered with NSTAR and Mass Save participating contractor Next Step Living to deliver no-cost Home Energy Assessments to Cambridge residents.
During the assessment, the energy specialist will:
Install efficient light bulbs (saving up to 7% of your electricity bill)
Install programmable thermostats (saving up to 10% of your heating bill)
Install water efficiency devices (saving up to 10% of your water bill)
Check the combustion safety of your heating and hot water equipment
Evaluate your home’s energy use to create an energy-efficiency roadmap
If you get electricity from NSTAR, National Grid or Western Mass Electric, you already pay for these assessments through a surcharge on your energy bills. You might as well use the service.
Please sign up at http://nextsteplivinginc.com/heet/?outreach=HEET or call Next Step Living at 866-867-8729. A Next Step Living Representative will call to schedule your assessment.
HEET will help answer any questions and ensure you get all the services and rebates possible.
(The information collected will only be used to help you get a Home Energy Assessment. We won’t keep the data or sell it.)
(If you have any questions or problems, please feel free to call HEET’s Jason Taylor at 617 441 0614.)
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Resource
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Sustainable Business Network Local Green Guide
SBN is excited to announce the soft launch of its new Local Green Guide, Massachusetts' premier Green Business Directory!
To view the directory please visit: http://www.localgreenguide.org
To find out how how your business can be listed on the website or for sponsorship opportunities please contact Adritha at adritha@sbnboston.org
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Massachusetts Attitudes About Climate Change – An opinion survey of Massachusetts residents conducted by MassINC and sponsored by the Barr Foundation found that 77% of respondents believe that global warming has “probably been happening” and 59% of all respondents see see it as being at least partially caused by human pollution. Only 42% of the state’s residents say global warming will have very serious consequences for Massachusetts if left unaddressed. The 18 to 29 age group is more likely to believe global warming is appearing and caused by humans compared to the 60+ age group. African-American (56%) and Latino residents (69%) are more likely than white residents (40%) to believe global warming will be a very serious problem if left unaddressed. The MassINC report, titled The 80 Percent Challenge: What Massachusetts must do to meet targets and make headway on climate change (http://www.massinc.org/Research/The-80-percent-challenge.aspx), contains many other findings.
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Free Monthly Energy Analysis
CarbonSalon is a free service that every month can automatically track your energy use and compare it to your past energy use (while controlling for how cold the weather is). You get a short friendly email that lets you know how you’re doing in your work to save energy.
https://www.carbonsalon.com/
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Boston Food System
"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships, programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."
The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food, farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health, environment, arts, social services and other arenas. Hundreds of organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on week-to-week is not always well publicized.
Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let everyone know about these activities. Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of subscribers. Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and other posting guidelines will be provided as well.
It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs
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Artisan Asylum http://artisansasylum.com/
Sprout & Co: Community Driven Investigations
Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation, contact jmatthaei@wellesley.edu
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Bostonsmart.com's Guide to Boston http://www.bostonsmarts.com/BostonGuide/
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Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents http://hubevents.blogspot.com
Thanks to
Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the Boston Area http://www.BostonScienceLectures.com
Boston Area Computer User Groups http://www.bugc.org/
Arts and Cultural Events List http://aacel.blogspot.com/
http://www.massclimateaction.net/calendar/events/index.php
http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template
http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/
http://green.harvard.edu/events
http://microsoftcambridge.com/Events/tabid/57/Default.aspx
http://boston.nerdnite.com/
http://www.meetup.com/
http://www.eventbrite.com/
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