That quote is from Michael Blasnik, who has been mentioned on this blog several times. The full article can be seen here. I have the discussion with people all the time – people who insist that they’re going to save … Continue reading →

A quick post with a pic from travels this weekend. Cheap bulbs aren’t worth what you pay for them. These bulbs may not cost much but you’re goingkeep need to keep replacing them as they burn out. Until they do, … Continue reading →

THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE – THREE TYPES OF COMPOST NOTE: Each year Arlington holds an EcoFest where people gather to learn about various environmentally related issues. This year I was asked to discuss compost with people. Below is a version … Continue reading →

This Saturday, March 31, Sustainable Arlington will host its annual EcoFest. This year the focus is on local food. Local in the sense of buying from a local farmer, and in the sense of growing it in your yard. I’ve … Continue reading →

This Sunday, March 18 at 9 am we’ll hold another Q-Lon training for Team Leaders/potential Team Leaders in East Arlington. There will be people from HEET groups around the area learning how to install our favorite door air-sealing kit. If … Continue reading →

It’s time to ‘spring forward’ which also means its time to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors AND CO monitors. You do have carbon monoxide monitors, right? State law says that you must have carbon monoxide monitors on all … Continue reading →

I’ve spoken a lot about choosing bulbs, including here, here and here and in person with a lot of people recently. Here’s someone else talking for a change. A short (two minute) video by MassSave explaining how to choose bulbs and … Continue reading →

I’ve highlighted a number of cheap or free ways to find leaks in your home in earlier posts (and of course a free energy audit from Mass Save is always a top-choice.) Here’s one more: If your hearing is good, … Continue reading →

A short post on this, the first snowfall of the year, even if it is only a dusting. If your roof has stripes like this, you’ve got a problem. Either your insulation is failing/missing or you’ve got an air-sealing problem … Continue reading →

There are two weatherization barnraisings in Waltham on MLK weekend. Sat. Jan. 14th A low-income home 1 Spruce Street 10 am – 2 pm If you recall the post a few weeks ago about a family spending $280/year to keep … Continue reading →

Mark Sylvia Commissioner, Department of Energy Resources (DOER) View Mark's Bio Using the sun to power our homes, businesses, and government buildings has come a long way in Massachusetts. Solar capacity has increased 30-fold since 2007, when Governor Patrick set his goal of installing 250 megawatts by 2017. We’re now...

Dan Burgess Clean Energy Fellow, Department of Energy Resources View Dan's Complete Bio Less than thirty minutes from Boston, the Blue Hills Reservation is a haven for those who enjoy exploring the outdoors. Now the area is also the site of a 48 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) array which produces...

Secretary Richard K. Sullivan Jr. Secretary, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs View Secretary Sullivan's Bio With new science emerging on the health impacts of fossil fuel consumption and increases in extreme weather and storm events relating to climate change, it’s clear...

Maia Fitzstevens Multimedia intern, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) View Maia's Bio We continue today with our brand new Video of the week series, which each week highlights a video or two about clean energy in the Commonwealth. Today we bring you “Investing in Solar for your...

Mark Sylvia Commissioner, Department of Energy Resources (DOER) View Mark's Bio The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is continuing to have a positive impact for communities across the Commonwealth. Recently, I joined Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, Secretary Rick Sullivan and many others to celebrate the installation of new, stimulus-funded energy...

Madeleine Barr Multimedia intern, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) View Madeleine's Bio Today we are starting a new Video of the Week series in which we highlight a clean energy video from the Commonwealth. With so many great clean energy stories happening across the state, it will...

Since the Green Communities Act was passed in 2008, 86 communities in the Commonwealth have been officially designated as a Green Community – that means more than 2.7 million Massachusetts residents are living in a municipality that have met five clean energy benchmarks.

Phil Guerin was named a “White House Champion of Change” in a West Wing ceremony on February 15. Three levels of government – federal, state and local – brought an energy project to life. Guerin, the City of Worcester’s Director of Environmental Systems for the Department of Public Works and Parks, was the key “person-on-the-ground” who brought project to a successful conclusion in the form of a 135 kw solar array that provides electricity to an energy intensive water filtration plant.

Dan Burgess Clean Energy Fellow, Department of Energy Resources View Dan's Complete Bio You can download the text of this infographic here.

Maia Fitzstevens Multimedia intern, Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) View Maia's Bio Interested in investing in energy efficiency to cut costs and reduce energy use at your business? If so, you should know that energy efficiency services, incentives and technical assistance are available for all Massachusetts industries...

When all else fails, electroconvulsive therapy can provide unprecedented relief to people with severe depression. British researchers have for the first time uncovered how the treatment may work, which could lead to the development of safer equally effective therapies in the future.

Is road safety an environmental justice issue? A growing body of research shows why poor people suffer significantly more pedestrian car accidents compared to wealthier people.

Scientists are working on a space-based solar power station that would capture sunlight and then use microwaves or lasers to beam the energy back to earth.

Rent.com recently put together a list of the top 10 cities for recent college graduates.

The Institute for Local Self Reliance has mapped municipal broadband networks in the United States, and has a recent study on the economic impacts in three cities.

It is passe, if not cliche-ish, to say that MRI images of the brain show similar activity for some people shown food images compared with cocaine addicts shown coke images.

But a study at Dartmouth College — published April 18 in The Journal of Neuroscience — goes a step further, using images from the brain’s rewards center to predict who is likely to gain weight six months hence.

Not only that, but researchers used the same technique to predict sexual desire.

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I’m reminded of the “lock box,” which was a largely unsuccessful political gambit promoted by Al Gore during his 2000 presidential run as a way to make Social Security tax increases more palatable. The idea was that we would ensure that taxes collected for this purpose would not be redirected, making it just one more tax increase.

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A proposed standard for nutrition claims in New Zealand and Australia is being opposed by an industry group.

Yes, I know, that's hardly news. After seeing the US food industry insist on no more than voluntary guidelines and then using tens of millions and all its other muscle to defeat those, it's clear that the industry will truck no curb, no matter how innocuous.

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A question that keeps recurring: Why are the free-speech rights of corporations more important than our shared imperative to protect children?

No rights are absolute, as exemplified by falsely shouting "fire" in a crowded theater, as expressed by Oliver Wendell Holmes in a 1919 Supreme Court case. In the larger sense, there are very few absolutes in a world colored in shades of gray, anyway.

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I'm late to this topic, and perhaps have failed to add to, or take advantage of the momentum generated when this special Reuters report on food marketing to children was released April 27. But it's too important not to bring it to your attention, and by more than just a tweet.

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Historically speaking humans have always had a special interest in music and long to be surrounded by it as much as possible. Discoveries of primitive instruments, as well as paintings of instruments being played, journals detailing specific rituals or even songbooks, have opened the eyes of modern man to the many thousands of years of musical prominence in almost every imaginable society and culture. In addition to these finds we see amazing advances in musical portability over the past forty years indicating desire to evolve even further toward complete immersion in melody and song.

In the northern Pacific Ocean swirls a circular current known as the North Pacific Gyre and within it resides the largest accumulation of toxin emitting plastic debris on the planet. With over 80% of this plastic having come from land, it is high time we educate ourselves and reduced our dependence on non-biodegradable, disposable plastic products.

Just as the Industrial Revolution and Information Age spawned a surge of jobs on a global level, the boon toward protecting our Earth has opened new doors into the creation of viable employment opportunities. The global market is redefining what it means to make a living with the introduction of the Green Collar market.

In the current housing market there is a growing trend to leave the ideals of the past behind and move toward a new way of thinking -- green design. Environmentally sustainable products are growing in popularity with the building trades and many people are taking advantage of their availability, from large corporations to the every day homeowner, sometimes utilizing them for the construction of an entire home. Now that is thinking outside the box.

When the concept of time, time zones and Daylight Savings were invented it is unlikely our forefathers considered how many electronic devices would be in use in each home across the United States. As we increase our technology based devices the use of energy creates a serious impact on our planet. Using Daylight Savings Time to its best advantage will ensure an environmentally positive impact on energy usage during the entire year.