Southeastern Massachusetts Council on Sustainability
Energy Working Group
November 2009
Vision: Become a force for developing a clean, healthy, and sustainable energy future for Southeastern Massachusetts.
Principles: Regional response, equity, energy-literate public, prioritize conservation measures
Goal: Promote Energy Literacy
Actions:
- Develop a coordinated public education campaign including information about Peak Oil, weatherization and conservation options, phantom loads, etc.
- Develop a lending library of sustainability tools, kilowatt-measuring devices, weatherization equipment, etc.
- Develop webcasts, videocasts, u-tube videos on energy-related matters
- Help to spread the word through energy fairs, energy panels, community education
Goal: Promote Energy Conservation Through All Possible Means
- Develop a Social marketing plan for weatherization projects.
- Research and disseminate best practices for community mobilization including group energy audits, block-by-block weatherization schemes, energy plans for schools like Joe Yarmac’s, etc.
- Develop a clearinghouse for energy information
- Support Demonstration Projects that can be scaled up quickly, eg, warming centers, barn raising, etc.
- Develop a Certification Program for Contractors
- Ensure that all new buildings are ‘green’ and energy efficient.
- Have region be poised to do projects when people are ready to spend; structures to spend energy dollars.
Goal: Promote increased use of renewable energy resources by all
Goal: Provide support for communities around energy issues
- Develop regional cooperative energy buying
- Regional grantwriting team
- Tool box situation for best practices—different communities need different tools.
- Develop internship training programs that teach students and community members how to do baseline energy and carbon assessment.
- Have forum for municipal energy coordinators and Green Communities liaisons.
- Consider a regional energy coordinator for smaller communities.
Goal: Research and Disseminate Energy Use Information
Use NSTAR to help collect and regionalize normative data, perhaps on a black by block area.
Goal: Remove Barriers to Re-newable Energy Development
- Publicize model by-laws for municipalities
- Disseminate information about the ‘true’ cost of the use of fossil fuels to combat the NIMBY attitude regarding renewable energy developments.
- Energy
INDICATORS:
- Regional Energy Mix
- Energy use by households
- Number of homes weatherized during certain periods and further divided by income/size (eg: number weatherized through governmental programs; through rebate programs, etc.)
- Renewable Energy Capacity added to region during specified period.
Immediate Actions for the Council (not necessarily confined to energy)
Coordinated Public Education Campaign about Peak Oil and Climate Change. Perhaps develop a slide show and teach ‘presenters’ from several communities to give the slide show broadly throughout the region. Alarmist without being fearful, like preparing for a hurricane.
Convene energy leaders, including new energy coordinators, the Green Communities Regional coordinator, utilities people, and others working on energy issues for a half-day symposium/meeting to discuss coordinating efforts as we move forward.
Choose a few high visibility ‘model’ projects like a block-wide weatherization plan or developing a ‘warming’ center, that can be publicized and scaled-up quickly.
A list of ‘low-hanging’ fruit steps for municipalities to take to start on the sustainability road.
Investigate the development of a Southeastern Massachusetts Regional Mutual Fund to funnel private dollars into weatherization and other sustainability projects.