Sunday, July 29, 2012

Energy (and Other) Events - July 29, 2012

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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Solar Stove Design Challenge
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/27/1114088/-Solar-Stove-Design-Challenge

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Monday, July 30
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Nerdnite Boston
Monday July 30, 2012
8pm 
Middlesex, 315 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge
Featuring Nerd-appropriate tunes by DJ Claude Money
$5
The lineup:
Talk 1. “Too Close For Missiles, Switching to Guns: Stories From the Front Lines of an Immune Response”
by Sarah Bettigole
Talk 2.  “Silk: The Ancient Material of the Future”
by Max Chalkin
For more information about the speakers and the talks:  http://boston.nerdnite.com/2012/07/22/nerdnite-july-30-inflammation-and-silk/
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Tuesday, July 31
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OEB and Robobees Special Summer Seminar
Tuesday, July 31, 2012 
12:00pm
HUCE Seminar Room, 24 Oxford Street 3rd Floor, Cambridge
Dr. Anna Dornhaus, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, "Individual and collective problem-solving in social insects"
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Amazons, Witches, and Critics – A Liberated Novelist Asks, “Now What?”
Tuesday, July 31, 12:30 pm
Location TBA
RSVP required for those attending in person:  http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/events/luncheon/2012/07/abruzzi#RSVP
This event will be archived at http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/interactive/webcast shortly after.

Brad Abruzzi, Berkman Center Fellow
How does an author find readers?  In the olden days, a writer hoped to catch the eye of an aristocratic patron who might supply a well-placed word of endorsement.  The Gutenberg press wrested authors free from this feudal condition, only transfer writers' indenture to publishers, who by owning the means of [re]production acquired the final say regarding what volumes would and would not land on store shelves.  This gatekeeping privilege of publishers largely survives to this day, and depending on how well you think they do the work, we might celebrate publishers as Stewards of Culture or lament the state of a Literature Held Hostage.

Now digital media and the Internet propose to devolve the means of [re]production upon authors themselves.  Any would-be novelist can flog his work in a digital format over Amazon KDP, Smashwords, and other open outlets for textual works.

Berkman Fellow and practicing university attorney Brad Abruzzi is one of those would-be novelists.  Ten weeks ago, without any word of encouragement or assent from Big Publishing, Brad released his novel, New Jersey's Famous Turnpike Witch, on Amazon.  And now, for Brad, the age-old question recurs: where are my readers?  On Tuesday, July 31, Brad will lead a discussion about self-publication, author independence, and the prospects for a literary culture fostered by reader criticism, rather than publishers' whims. 
About Brad
Brad Abruzzi is an attorney in the Office of the General Counsel at MIT. Brad graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 2001, where he served as Executive Editor of the Harvard Law Review and published a note on Internet and digital media’s promise for reorientation of the author/publisher/reader relationship.
A former law clerk to The Honorable Nancy Gertner in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts, Brad joined the Harvard OGC in 2005 and moved from there to MIT in 2012.
Although Brad’s primary focus at Berkman has been on uncertainty in copyright law and its implications for free speech and online self-publication, at present he is drafting an article that questions the legal basis for the Supreme Court’s  deferential review of congressional enactments under the Constitution’s “Intellectual Property Clause.” Brad is also interested in exploring the extent to which provisions of state law may protect online expression from private censors.
Brad also holds M.A. (New York University, 1998) and A.B. (Princeton University, 1995) degrees in English literature.
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Living Light:  The Art & Science of Bioluminescence
July 31, 2012, 6pm
Harvard Science Center, Hall B. One Oxford Street, Cambridge

Featuring:  Sylvia Earle, Explorer in Residence, Nat Geo;  J. Woody Hastings, Prof. of Natural Sciences, Harvard;  Kristin McArdle Dance performing Aqua Borealis

Free and open to the public, general admission seating.
$5-10 suggested donation.

For more information on this and other events,http://chge.med.harvard.edu/events

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The future of local jazz radio — An open meeting of Greater Boston's jazz community
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
6:00pm until 8:00pm
Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Mezzanine Conference Room, Boston

WHO IS INVITED
Members of the jazz community and allies inside and outside the arts world who share our concerns

PURPOSE
To forge ties, agree on goals, and begin developing strategies for collaborative action to address the immediate issue of WGBH's withdrawal from weeknight jazz programming and the broader issues of local jazz radio and the place of the music in our city's cultural life

FORMAT
Conversation led by JazzBoston board members Emmett Price, musician and Chair of African American Studies at Northeastern University, and José Massó, community activist and announcer/producer of ¡Con Salsa! on WBUR FM.

Contact http://www.jazzboston.org/

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Boston Green Drinks - July Happy Hour
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (ET)
kingston station, 25 kingston street, Boston
RSVP http://jul12bgd-es2.eventbrite.com/?rank=353

Join the conversation with sustainability professionals and hobbyists.  Enjoy a Drink at Kingston station and build your connection with our green community!
Keep sending feedback to Lyn@bostongreendrinks.com for ideas about speakers or content for the future and mark your calendar for drinks on the last Tuesday of every month.

Boston Green Drinks  builds a community of sustainably-minded Bostonians, provides a forum for exchange of sustainability career resources, and serves as a central point of information about emerging green issues.  We support the exchange of ideas and resources about sustainable energy, environment, food, health, education.

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Wednesday, August 1
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Art of the Algorithms at Boston Cyberarts Gallery (free!)
What: free movie showing with Q&A with the director and emcee
When: Wednesday, August 1, 7PM
Where: The Boston Cyberarts Gallery, inside the Green St. Orange Line MBTA station building
Sign up at: http://moleman2-bcg.eventbrite.com/

The demoscene is an electronic art subculture which began in Europe in the late nineteen-eighties, whose participants include programmers, graphic artists, animators, musicians, electrical engineers, and more.

Hungarian studio Flame Film recently completed a documentary intended to introduce people to the scene's remarkable technical accomplishments and productive artistic community. You can view the trailer and the opening sequence below.

@party is a local demoscene event, or demoparty, a collaborative electronic art festival where people meet and participate in a variety of competitions which allow them to demonstrate their technical and artistic skills. In addition to competing, attendees at demoparties socialize, network, learn from each other, and sometimes collaborate onsite on last minute entries.

@party and the Boston Cyberarts Gallery are programs of Boston Cyberarts, a non-profit arts organization created to foster, develop and present a wide spectrum of media arts including electronic and digital experimental arts programming. They exhibit and promote the media and digital arts of Boston, New England and the world to audiences in the New England region and beyond and by doing so, helping to promote a sense of media and digital literacy, locally and regionally.

Sign up at: http://moleman2-bcg.eventbrite.com/

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Thursday, August 2
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metaLAB Copyright Hackathon
Thursday - August 2
12 pm to 8 pm
23 Everett Street, Cambridge MA 

What happens to copyright in the wild? How do we go about determining who owes what to whom when we go about making, remixing, and sharing? What resources do we turn to in understanding the tortured terms and contested boundaries of “intellectual property”?

On Thursday, August 2nd, join metaLAB for a day of copyright experimentation, hacking, and exploration.

Schedule 
12pm - 1pm: Keynote 
1pm - 2pm: Pitches and group formation
2pm - 7pm: Hacking
7pm - 8pm: Show and Tell

RSVP at http://metalabcopyright-es2.eventbrite.com/?rank=217

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EarlyShares 24/24 Nationwide Crowdfunding Education Event - Boston
Thursday, August 2, 2012 
1:00 PM to 5:00 PM (ADT)
Seaport Hotel Boston, 2nd Floor Seaport Ballroom, 1 Seaport Lane, Boston

Event Details
President Obama signed the JOBS Act into law on April 5, 2012, making Equity-Based Crowdfunding available for startups and small businesses while creating a new investor class - everyday Americans. This is groundbreaking news; however, most people don't know what to make of it. Realizing there is lack of knowledge on the subject, EarlyShares.com has launched a 24 Cities in 24 Weeks Nationwide Educational Roadshow and will be coming to Boston, MA on August 2, 2012. Join us at the Seaport Hotel to learn about Equity-Based Crowdfunding. Two presentations will be given by founder and CEO Maurice Lopes, followed by Q&A sessions. 

Topics covered:
Investor Education. What Crowdfunding means from investors?
Entrepreneurs. What Crowdfunding means for entrepreneurs?

A presentation on how to prepare a business for capital raising will also be given by Scott Levine, founder of AEGIS Professional Services. Additionally, 3 local startups will be featured on stage.

The event will be of interest to startup founders, small business owners, business incubators and accelerators, venture capitalists, angel investors, and, of course, everyday Americans looking for a new way to invest in companies they see potential in. Attendees will enjoy complimentary lunch and beverages and have the opportunity to network in an informal setting.

RSVP at http://crowdfundingboston-es2.eventbrite.com/?rank=222

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Northeastern University Social Entrepreneurship
Thursday, August 2 
5:20 pm - 7:20 pm
Venture Cafe (Mandalay) @ CIC, One Broadway, Cambridge, MA
Description: 
Dr. Tita and Venture Cafe regular Rob Schultz have partnered to create a social enterprise learning lab environment for the Northeastern University course "Social Entrepreneurship." Hear social entrepreneurs Kathy Sorabella and Fritz-Socra Leherisson speak about their inspirational ventures, and build relationships with the Venture Cafe community.

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Social Hour with the BSA and LivableStreets
August 2, 2012
5:30-7:00 PM
BSA Space: 290 Congress Street Boston
“Join LivableStreets and the BSA for a social hour that celebrates vibrant communities and the value of building connections. Learn more about the work of both organizations, and view the BSA’s new Let’s Talk About Bikes exhibition, which explores the role of the bicycle in urban centers like Boston. LivableStreets is your advocate for biking, walking and transit to make the Boston region a better place to live, work and play. LivableStreets fought for and won bike lanes on the BU Bridge and Commonwealth Avenue, and hosts the annual Boston Bike Update.” Admission is free and open to the public, and the exhibit is handicap accessible and appropriate for families and all ages.

http://bsaspace.org/events/social-hour-with-the-bsa-and-livablestreets/
If you have any further questions, please contact me or Angela King at aking@architects.org

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Friday, August 3
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Robotics Design Meetup
Friday, August 3rd
7:30 pm
Artisans Asylum 10 Tyler Street, Somerville


Hello all,
Think robots are cool? Like free drinks and food?
Come share your robotics enthusiasm/thirst/hunger at August's Robot Design Meetup,
August, Friday the 3rd, 7:30pm, at Artisans Asylum (10 tyler st, Somerville, MA)
We'll be having at least the following, and looking for more:
Update on Project Stompy, its Kickstarter and example pieces of the full-scale parts (http://projecthexapod.com/blog/stompy-is-coming/)
ArcBotics' Codename Discbot and Wisp: low-cost educational robotics platform project and micro-quadcopter project
Your own project! let us know at joe@arcbotics.com

RSVP:  https://www.facebook.com/events/280823695357943/

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Saturday, August 4
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Spare Change for Big Oil
Saturday, Aug 4th

Want to take part in a big of climate activism street theater?

Big Oil, Coal, and Gas companies need our help!  In this time of recession and economic stagnation, the Big Five oil companies -- BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell -- are not making enough money.  They made only $137 billion in 2011.  They deserve more than just the $11 billion of our taxpayer dollars in subsidies.  It's important that we come together to support them in this time of need.

So on August 4th, citizens across Massachusetts will hold Spare Change for Big Oil! donation drives. We want to find out how Americans really feel about these handouts.

Let's keep this simple.  None of this fancy lobbying for us.  Head to the beach, farmer's market, or Main Street with your donation coffee cans, set up an old-fashioned lemonade stand, or hold a bake sale! Imagine people conducting these drives all over the state!

Here's the plan:
Make some signs ("The fossil fuel industry needs YOU!", "Help raise ExxonMobil's profits today!", or "Billions more for Big Oil!").
Stick our snazzy "Please Donate" label on coffee cans.
Get friends and allies together and go to a high traffic place, like the beach, your town square, or your farmer's market.
Ask for donations for Big Oil, Coal, and Gas and take pictures and videos of your interactions.
Email your photos and YouTube links to photos@350MA.org.
Let your local newspaper know what you're doing with a media advisory (before event) and press release (after event)
Then, in early September, we will hold a press conference and present a check to our elected representatives who have supported subsidies for Big Oil, Coal, and Gas, on their behalf.

Susan and Adi in Boston, Katie in Amherst, and Bonnie in Somerville have already started organizing actions.  The planning meeting for Boston will take place this Thursday, July 18 from 6 to 7:30pm at the Democracy Center in Cambridge. Join them by planning an action in your community!

You will find a suggested script and other resources for your action at http://350ma.org/august4/.

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Sunday, August 5
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Boston Media Makers
Sunday, August 5
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Doyle’s Cafe 3484 Washington Street Jamaica Plain, Boston, MA, 02130

Boston Media Makers get together at Doyle’s in Jamaica Plain on the first Sunday of each month from 10 AM – Noon. We gather around a big table and answer the question, “What are you doing?” If you are interested in meeting people who are working with audio and video on the web, this is a great meeting to attend. We get podcasters, videobloggers, filmmakers, artists, writers, PR and social media people.
http://bostonmediamakers.wordpress.com/ 

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Sunday, August 5
10 am-1 pm
Rose Kennedy Greenway, Boston

Come out to walk, bike, dance, and roll on open, car-free streets in and between our parks! Circle The City is free and open to people of all ages.

Featuring a car-free corridor along the downtown waterfront.

Organized by the Emerald Necklace Conservancy, the Boston Collaborative
for Food and Fitness, LivableStreets Alliance, Franklin Park Coalition, and the City of Boston.

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Annual Hiroshima/Nagasaki Commemoration on George's Island
Sunday, August 5, 2012
10:30am

On August 5th the Community Church of Boston will hold our annual Hiroshima/Nagasaki Commemoration on George's Island.  People wishing to attend should gather together at the Long Wharf North Pier (map, right next to Columbus Park and the Aquarium T stop) at 10:30am to get on the 11:00am ferry to George's Island. Tickets can be purchased before hand or at the Pier.

Everyone is encouraged to bring food to share and other picnic related things.  We will have a short service together while we eat and share time with one another, living for a world free of nuclear weapons! Visit www.bostonharborislands.com to learn more about the different islands.

Round trip ferry tickets are $15 for adults (12-64), $11 for seniors (65+), $9 for children (4-11), free for young children, and $43 for a family 4 pack (2 adults, 2 children or 2 adults, 1 child, 1 senior). Return ferries depart on the half hour until 6:30pm!

Community Church of Boston
565 Boylston St. (Copley Square)
www.communitychurchofboston.org

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Sustainable Liberia Conference
Sunday, August 5th, 2012
3:30 PM
University of Massachusetts at Boston, 100 Morrissey Boulevard, Wheatley Building, second floor, Room 200, Dorchester


Greetings Friends of Liberia,
I am writing to invite you to join with us in working towards the Sustainable Development of The Republic of Liberia.
Sustainable Development means the improvement of Liberia using methods that will not damage the country or its people but can be used by Liberians themselves for many years to come.
We want to improve nutrition by using GREEN agricultural methods!
We want to improve health by using GREEN methods to dispose of human waste
We want to bring the light of GREEN energy to Liberia by building solar devices inside Liberia!
We can make these things happen FASTER with your support.
Come get more information and hear our ideas at the:
Sustainable Liberia Conference
Sunday, August 5th, 2012
3:30 PM
University of Massachusetts at Boston
100 Morrissey Boulevard, Dorchester, MA 02125
Wheatley Building, second floor, Room 200

Primary Guest Speaker: Dr. Richard Komp, www.skyheat.org  on Building Solar in Liberia
Guest Speakers: Nataka Crayton-Walker and Bobby T.E. Walker, The Village Farm, ncrayton@gmail.com on Urban Food Production - Growing Nutritious Food yourself.
And more…
Please RSVP to Owen Toney at sustainableliberia@hotmail.com , 617-427-6293
Or Delores Adighibe at lorpu@aol.com
Co-Sponsors include: The Green Neighbors Education Committee, Inc.; The Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts at Boston; The Foundation for a Green Future, Inc. and some Friends of Liberia

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Monday, August 6
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Safety characteristics of ITER - First fusion machine undergoing full nuclear license
Monday, August 06, 2012
2:00p–3:30p
MIT, Building NW17-218

Speaker: Carlos Alejaldre, ITER Deputy Director-General
Plasma Science and Fusion Center Special Seminar
After "Fukushima" the safety of nuclear installations is being revisited all over the world, following the principle of "imagine the unimaginable." ITER, classified in France as a "Basic Nuclear Installation," is no exception; it is undergoing a strict process of technical and public examination in order to get its nuclear license. In this talk the licensing process of ITER, the safety characteristics of ITER (and by extension of fusion) will be presented with a particular emphasis on the identification of risks and their possible impact on people and the environment, as well as the status of the Project.
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): Plasma Science and Fusion Center
For more information, contact:  Paul Rivenberg
617-253-8101
info@psfc.mit.edu 

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Upcoming
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Devil’s Tango (how I learned the Fukushima step by step)

FRIDAY, AUGUST 10
Joan Ecklein’s house, 14 Sterling Street, Newton
Potluck •6 pm

Book talk by award-winning author Cecile Pineda
Sponsor:  Boston Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

Organizer: Joan Ecklein 617.244.8054

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SOMERVILLE FESTIVAL OF FOOD AND CULTURE 
Saturday, August 11, 2012
6 pm to 10 pm
Union Square, Somerville

Event Description The Hungry Tiger Street Festival, now it it’s second year, transforms Union Square into a night market like those of East Asia or Europe. Local restaurants selling small street food and fire throwers draw in a big crowd. We’ll keep the fun alive with face painting, buskars, interactive booths, face painting, and more.

Somerville Arts Council Call: Craft Vendors Wanted! Hungry Tiger Street Festival A Festival of Food and Culture in Union Square Saturday, August 11th, 6-10pm Application Deadline: Friday, August 3rd, 2012  

What we’re looking for you to add is a unique spin on craft vending. Specifically items a customer can wear or carry with them (think masks, hair accessories, fake moustaches, buttons, maybe bags or purses, and especially anything that lights up). This is a really fun night market, we look forward to some interesting applications! 
Contact Meagan O'Brien,  ArtsUnion Coordinator Somerville Arts Council at megart04@gmail.com 
http://www.somervilleartscouncil.org/artsunion/2012/hungrytiger

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Comparing Boston v. SiliconValley & NYC w/ Social Media APIs,TextMining (Group1)
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
6:30 PM To 7:30 PM
Microsoft New England Research and Development Center, 1 Memorial Drive, Cambridge
RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/Boston-Predictive-Analytics/events/71583112/
Price: $5.00/per person
Refund policy
The $5 fee will first go to pizza (50%), then charity as described below (25%) and some O’Reilly books (25%) to be given away to the group.  The fee is towards reducing no-shows which range anywhere from 30-50% of rsvps when there is a free event.  Please note there is a no-pizza, $2.50 for charity, session #2 at 7:45.

Boston's Meetup Tech and Business scene has grown stronger; however Silicon Valley and New York City have both higher adoption and scale.  What might Boston do to improve its Tech and Biz community landscape?

Social Network Analysis and Machine Learning are used on data pulled from Meetup's API.  The talk will cover the application-side, analytics using R, and some on pulling data via an API.

Background/Summary:
This talk is a follow-up to the "Utilizing Meetup to Analyze Boston, Silicon Valley and NYC" presentation I gave back February. This extension includes additional Social Network and Machine Learning analysis towards addressing questions such as "What specific Meetup Groups would be helpful for Boston towards improving its tech and biz scene relative to Silicon Valley and NYC?"
There are two main layers of the presentation:
(1) Regional Comparisons:  Silicon Valley, not surprisingly, has a higher percentage of tech and business groups than either NYC or Boston.  NYC is slightly above the national average; whereas Boston has an on-par tech scene, though lower than average percentage of business groups.  This will be explored in more detail.
(2) Analytics:  Social Network Analysis and Machine Learning as a means to describe different communities.  "R" (tnet and RTextTools libraries among others) was used with data originating primarily from the Meetup API.
Please note the talk is low on hardcore Computer Science, i.e. there is not going to be discussion of achieving 99.999% accuracy using 20 different models ensembled together ala Amazon or Netflix.   Please refer to Stanford's Online Learning website (www.coursera.org) which has a great ML course; and both Coursera and Udacity have upcoming Social Network Analysis courses.  It would be great to have a 2-hour ML event; however this is not the time for it.
The fee, which is to reduce the no-shows/waitlist, will partially be given to charities.  One thought is to have the donations given to a local non-profit for whom Meetup could be a benefit (much as it has shown to be in tech and biz communities). Interestingly, this brings up a different set of questions including "What is the adoption rate of Meetup in inner cities?"   As of this time I don't know which organization; however there's time to explore this before the event, and I may be able to go back into the Meetup data and local economic data to see if those sources can be helpful.  If you are interested in helping out in identifying a non-profit organization, then please let me know.

Sponsor:  Boston Predictive Analytics

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Boston GreenFest
Thursday, Aug 16   5 pm - 9:30 pm
(Performers/Food)
Friday, Aug 17       noon - 9:30 pm
(Exhibitors/Food/Vendors/Performers)
Saturday, Aug 18    11 am - 8 pm
(Exhibitors/Food/Vendors/Performers)
Sunday, Aug 19    10 am - 5 pm
Featuring: The Movement Festival!
(Dance/Food/Vendors/Performers)

Boston City Hall Plaza, One City Hall Square, Boston

http://www.bostongreenfest.org/index.html
info@bostongreenfest.org
617-477-4840

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SOMERVILLE CONFERENCE ON THE CREATIVE ECONOMY
Thursday, August 23, 2012
7 to 9 pm
Artisan's Asylum, 10 Tyler Street, Somerville

Uncover What's Next for the Creative Economy
CreativeNEXT is a series of 21 state-wide events held bythe Massachusetts Creative Economy Council, an advisory Council to the Legislature and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, and a variety of local partners. The MA Creative Economy Council is tasked to develop a statewide strategy for the enhancement, encouragement, and growth of the creative economy in Massachusetts. Working with the Creative Economy Industry Director this listening tour will help to guide the future priorities of the Council. The greater Boston event, co-hosted by the Artisan's Asylum and Union Square Main Streets, will take place on Thursday, August 23, 2012 from 7 to 9 pm at the Artisan's Asylum, 10 Tyler Street, Somerville. Join colleagues in a discussion on furthering the visionary growth of your business and other creative industries across the state. Who should attend? Businesses, Organizations, and Individuals working in: Marketing: Advertising and marketing agencies and professionals Architecture: Architecture firms and architects Visual Arts + Craft: Museums, galleries, theatres and curators, artists, + artisans Design: Industrial, interior, graphic, web, fashion firms and designers Film + Media: Film, TV, animation, and radio businesses and talent Video Game: Companies, programmers, and individuals producing games Music + Performance: Venues, producers, and performers Publishing: Content creation, editors, writers and distributors What's on the agenda? You are! We want to hear from you, about you, as we explore future opportunities for like-minded businesses within the creative landscape. Through a round table discussion we hope to gain valuable insights concerning the growth and sustainability of your business within the state of Massachusetts.

For more information and to register your space: http://creativenextgreaterboston.eventbrite.com

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National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance
SUSTAINABLE VISION VENTURE LAB
8/23/2012 - 8/27/2012
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142

Audience: Faculty and students from New England and throughout the country working to commercialize ventures for the developing world
Description: Sustainable Vision VentureLab is an intensive, five-day, highly experiential and immersive workshop designed to enhance the success of base of the pyramid ventures. Students from Boston University, Northeastern, MIT (including Legatum fellows) Harvard and Tufts will meet and work with students from other programs around the country to develop strong, sustainable business models that create products or services for the benefit of people living in poverty.

$100 per team
Register at https://secure.nciia.org/WebObjects/NciiaApplyForGrants.woa/wa/EV/instantRegistration?i=1000319

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Opportunity

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Boiler Rebate
If your boiler is from 1983 or earlier, Mass Save will give a $1,750 to $4,000 rebate to switch it out for a new efficient boiler that uses the same fuel (i.e. if you have oil, you have to continue to use oil) so long as it is installed by July 31, 2012.

Call Mass Save (866 527-7283) to sign up for a home energy assessment or sign-up online at  www.nextsteplivinginc.com/HEET  and HEET will receive a $10 contribution from Next Step Living for every completed assessment.

This is a great way to reduce climate change emissions for the next 20 or so years the boiler lasts, while saving money.

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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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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/

http://www.greenhornconnect.com/events/calendar

http://harddatafactory.com/mobileapp.shtml

http://bostoneventsinsider.com/boston_events/

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