 The
Chelmsford Library’s “CLEAN & GREEN” series presents:
"Xeriscape
Gardening" with Master Gardener
Paul Steen
We'll open the
March "Clean & Green" program with some tips on Spring Cleaning
& Yard Spruce-Up
from Jennifer Almeida and Jean Clements
Wednesday, March 24, 2010 at 7 p.m. at the Chelmsford Public Library
Plan your garden and landscaping this spring
with this introduction to Xeriscape Gardening by Master Gardener Paul
Steen. Paul Steen is the president of the Massachusetts Master Gardeners
Association, Inc. and a “Lifetime Master Gardener.”
Paul is a retired engineer, physician (internist) and executive in the
medical software industry who lives in Sturbridge, MA. He is an instructor
at Tower Hill Botanic Garden on tropical plants, home/hobby greenhouses
and shade gardening, and he is an Overseer for the Massachusetts Horticultural
Society. Paul has been editor-in-chief of Worcester Medicine for the past
five years. Mr. Steen's talk will begin at aprroximately 7:30.
Learn how to clean up your home & yard
for summertime energy efficiency. Get clean-up & clean-out information
now so you will be ready for another new England spring and summer.
Jennifer
Almeida from the town’s
Recycling Department will talk about how to get rid of the old stuff like
batteries, old paint, etc. What you can donate and where. She’ll
give you environmentally-friendly cleaning tips that work for her. She’ll
also explain important changes in Chelmsford's trash and recycling program.
Learn more about what is going to happen July 1st.
Jean Clements,
of ChelmsfordCAN, will provide energy efficiency tips that go hand-in-hand
with spring cleaning. She'll also tell us about recent activities of the
Massachusetts Climate Action Network (MCAN) and how Chelmsford is doing
with the Greener Chelmsford Initiative. Jean works at the Massachusetts
Clean Energy Center and will update us on the program that provides rebates
for solar panel installations.
**Mark your
calendars for this special "Clean & Green Roundtable" at
the Chelmsford Library at 7 p.m.**
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 7 p.m.
Get together with all of Chelmsford’s Green committees (from churches,
businesses, schools, etc.) to compare notes, share resources and learn
how together we can make Chelmsford a cleaner, greener community. Learn
about the upcoming Earth Fair on May 8th.
CLEAN & GREEN: Reducing
our Carbon Footprint:
A series of educational programs on the
topic of clean and green technologies and how to reduce your carbon footprint.
Clean and Green programs take place at the main library. This
series is co-sponsored by the Library, Chelmsford’s
Recycling Department and ChelmsfordCAN
(a chapter of MCAN -Mass
Climate Action Network- see www.chelmsfordcan.org)
and the Chelmsford Energy Conservation Committee. If you wish to be part
of the solution please join us for our next meetings. This series is funded
by the Chelmsford Friends of the Library.
Visit the websites of our
partners:
Chelmsford's Climate Action Network - www.chelmsfordcan.org
Chelmsford
Recycling Department - http://www.townofchelmsford.us/Recycling-Department.cfm
View of list of Green Resources [pdf], including books, databases
and websites that provide information on green living & technologies.
Related programs:
See
photos of the Library's Solar Panels being installed and view a graph
showing the "real time" electricity these panels generate at
http://www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/library_info/solar.html
Chelmsford's
Farmers Market
Town
of Chelmsford's GCI Greener Chelmsford Initiative
PAST PROGRAMS:
FEBRUARY 24, 2010
"Crafting with PLARN" (plastic
bag yarn), a hands-on workshop with Kristy Medina
In this workshop Kristy Medina showed us how to make plarn(plastic bag
yarn), a plastic bag wreath, and how to fuse (iron layers together) the
plastic bags to create a stronger bag. Here are some internet links to
both video and written instructions for
further information:
Kristy's website: http://www.textiles4you.com/
My Blog (lots of how to's on it): http://textiles4you.blogspot.com/
My You Tube Channel (lots of how to's): http://www.youtube.com/user/Textiles4you
JANUARY 27, 2010
The January “CLEAN & GREEN”
program presented author Lindsey Carmichael whose book “Greening
Your Family” was just released. Many of the household products lining
the shelves of our grocery stores contain ingredients that are linked
to adverse health effects. Lindsey Carmichael discussed tips and strategies
every family can use to minimize exposure to these hazardous ingredients,
by buying safe food, personal care, and cleaning products. Lindsey Carmichael
has a BA degree in English from the University of Vermont, She received
her Masters degree in Public Health from the University of NH after her
son developed asthma. In grad school she learned about commercial products
that threaten health. She has worked in the health field for 15 years
and is a frequent speaker about healthy and green living. She lives in
NH. Visit the author's website at
http://lindseycarmichael.net/
NOVEMBER 7, 2009
In November the "Clean and Green"
series presented a free Home Energy Savings Seminar which was sponsored
by the Mass Municipal Association. This
seminar, "Home Energy Savings," was one of 130 being held statewide.
The seminar covered the key elements to reducing home energy costs and
explained how to be most effective in reducing energy use and costs. Speaker
Laura Kischitz, stressed the importance of reducing heat usage by providing
do-it-yourself sealing techniques; information on which in-depth alterations
are most cost effective; tips on reducing electricity and water usage,
resources for home audits and resources for rebates and financing alterations.
She provided hands-on tips and handed out free educational materials.
Laura Kischitz is the president of Sustainable Life Solutions, a company
she co-founded to help companies and individuals take advantage of simple
changes to begin reducing energy, waste and toxins at home and in the
workplace.
SEPTEMBER 23, 2009
Jean Clements from Chelmsford’s Climate
Action Network and the Mass Technology Collaborative talked about how
saving energy reduces our carbon footprint. Jean summarized some of the
things we’ve talked about at previous programs and filled us in
on the upcoming climate change “Day of Action” on Oct 24th.
Summer Break
June 2009
- GREEN INVESTING
On Thursday, June 11, 2009, Rishi Sondhi, the originator of the Library's
"Financial
Fitness" series, presented a special program on "Green
Investing" at the Chelmsford Public Library.
Chelmsford Telemedia videotaped this presentation. Watch their schedule
guide to see when this program will be aired. The Library has a DVD of
Rishi's presentation that you may check out. Click
here to see a pdf copy of Rishi's PowerPoint presentation on green investing.
Did you know this about green
technologies?
-The biofuels, wind, and solar market
is expected to increase 50% from $76 billion in 2007 to $116 billion in
2008.
-The above benchmark technologies are expected to grow to $325 billion
in the next 10 years.
-Global investments in clean energy grew from $148 billion in 2007 to
$155 billion in 2008 in spite of a down market.
-Green business is no longer a fringe movement: General Electric's (GE)
environmental solutions Ecomagination unit is expected to earn $25 billion
in revenues in 2010. Rishi Sondhi talked about the future of energy, reviewed
alternative energy trends, and explored investment opportunities in green
businesses. Read more about our presenter, Rishi
Sondhi, at http://rishi-sondhi.blogspot.com/
Read more about his seminar and other Financial
Fitness programs at www.chelmsfordlibrary.org/programs/programs/financial_fitness.html
May 2009
On May 27th, Jennifer Almeida,
Chelmsford's Recycling/Solid Waste Coordinator presented "In
the Bin: Everything you always wanted to know about recycling in Chelmsford
but were afraid to ask!" Jennifer gave a brief overview
of recycling basics, explaining "dual stream" (and why it's
so important that we separate fiber and containers - and the exceptions
to that rule). She explained the reasons behind some of the rules that
seem arbitrary; and talked about the affect of the recession on recycling
markets and how that has an impact on what we put in our bins. She also
told us about some new things in the area of recycling and solid waste
management.
April 2009
On April 22nd, our speaker was Todd Melanson,
Environmental Compliance Manager for the Chelmsford
Water District. Todd's presentation, "Water and Energy: Today’s
Connection” encompassed present-day water issues (in terms of regulation
and water shortage). He showed how energy comes into play in delivering
you clean water. Todd has a degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry.
He is also a veteran with 11 years served (US Army and MA Army National
Guard). He has worked in the Environmental field as a Microbiologist and
Chemist for 19 years, having worked on projects from Hazardous Waste (Disposal
and Cleanup), Remediation, and Drinking Water, Waste Water and Surface
Water monitoring. He has a strong working knowledge of DEP and EPA regulations.
As the Environmental Compliance Manager for the Chelmsford
Water District Todd has the following duties: ensuring compliance
with DEP regulations in regards to water quality reporting, watershed
protection, water conservation, emergency response, community outreach
and education. In this vein of duties, energy planning and conservation
have become topics that he has needed to address and work on as well.
Visit the website of the Chelmsford
Water District at
www.chelmsfordwater.com
MARCH 2009
On March 25th Phil Jones of Jones Farm in Chelmsford explained the science
of composting and why you might want to compost. He touched upon organic
gardening and landscaping. He also told us about Chelmsford's community
garden. Virginio Mendonca of Chelmsford
also covered composting and told us about his veggie car. You can visit
Virginio's website to learn
more about his amazing means of transportation that actually helps to
clean up the environment!
FEBRUARY 2009
Our first speaker on February 25th was Jean
Clements from the Mass Technology Collaborative.
Jean talked about how saving energy means saving money through simple
energy efficiency tips, and she provided information on Renewable Energy
programs that are available to individuals and small businesses through
the Mass Technology Collaborative. She also introduced the new Chelmsford
chapter of MCAN. To learn more
about how Chelmsford can help reduce the carbon footprint visit http://www.chelmsfordcan.org/
Also that evening we heard from Scott McClintock of Nexamp.
He talked about the solar technologies that homeowners and small business
owners can install to lower their electricity bills and reduce their carbon
emissions. Check out his website at: http://www.nexamp.com/homeowner
We want to hear from you!
We want your input as we design future programs and choose speakers for
this new series! Please send your suggestions for topics and speakers
for future programs in this series. Email your suggestions to the Library's
Community Services Department at kcryanhic@mvlc.org
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