@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Courier New"; }@font-face { font-family: "Wingdings"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }p { margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0in; }ul { margin-bottom: 0in; } Sustainable Hanover Committee Minutes for

sustainablehanovernh.org

Wednesday, July 21, 2010 

Next Meeting: Wednesday, August 18, 2010, 8:00-9:30

Town Hall, Selectmen’s Room

 Attending: Lyn Miller (chairing), Larry Litten, Peter Kulbacki, Mary Ann Cadwallader, Chris Kennedy, Chris Soderquist, Marjorie Rogalski, Anthony F. Decotis, Jr., (Guest)

Minutes:  June 16 minutes to be approved with today’s minutes of Sustainable Hanover Committee at next meeting, August 18.

The Committee decided to have the Action Items of the Minutes sent to members as soon as possible.  The rest of the Minutes would be sent out with the Agenda for the next meeting during the week before the meeting.

Dates of Upcoming Events: 


·      August 25 & Sept. 1 (Wednesday): Farmers Market Displays

·      September 11, 2010 (Saturday): Community Yard Sale

·      October 10, 2010 (Sunday): 350.org Climate Day of Action;

·      10/10/10: October 10, 2010 (Sunday): 350 households on Hanover Community Carbon Challenge

·      November 13-14 (Sat/Sun): Naked Table Project – Hanover

·      Winter 2011: Catamount Earth Institute Discussion Groups

 

Action Items (July):

·      Committee Members will work on creative ‘tag lines’ for each ‘key word’ so that we can create effective posters for the late August Farmers Markets;

·      Committee Members:  Read June & July minutes for August approval;

·      Larry and Lyn will update the SHC Plan for discussion at August meeting.  The plan will include an ‘organizational structure’ for the SHC to clarify communication about who we are;

·      Larry will contact Sally Wilson to clarify SHC attendance at FM (Last week August, First Sept.)

·      Lyn will revise letter to boards to serve as summary statement for the plan & will circulate this to all SHC members;

·      Lyn will re-create the Carbon Challenge / energy sheet for August distribution at FM;

·      Chris S. and Lyn will have the Facebook and Twitter pages ready to go by August;

·      Marjorie will consolidate Lawn Mgmt information sheet for August distribution at FM

 

Action Items (June):

·      Lyn will follow up on the contact made at the Jumble.

  • Lyn will send out the job description of the upcoming Swap, Yard Sale.
  • Emily will talk with Sally Wilson about recycling at the Farmers’ Market after Committee’s assessment, June 23.
  • Lyn will meet with Judith Esmay to continue the discussion begun at the Planning Commission.
  • Lynor her designatewill meet with the school board, middle school faculty and Ms. Kornfeld at the high school in the fall about disseminating the Carbon Challenge.
  • Joanna will consult with Emily on Dartmouth’s guidelines for large events. 
Guest’s Input:  Anthony told us that he just sold Dartmouth a solar trash compacter which is located near the Green.  He’s visited several sustainability committees around the state and reported that they are dealing with the same issues we are; ones of getting the message out, involving others, and keeping abreast with new technology and ways to encourage energy conservation.  Anthony is part of Nashua’s Green Team  (KT & T Distributors, Inc. (603) 809-6638)..

Review of Effectiveness of Farmers Market Kiosk as communication strategy:

Members of the Committee shared seemingly divergent perspectives on our presence at the Farmer’s Market. 

  1. Being there is a great way to be part of the community and to demonstrate the SHC role building a more sustainable town;
  2. Being there, as we are currently presenting ourselves, presents a confusing view of who we are and what we do.
Questions:

    • Do people leave with a clear understanding of what the SHC is?
    • Do people leave the FM booth with a specific ‘take-away’?
The Committee agreed that the display at the Farmers Market has led to few conversations and may not even be giving the message we wish to portray.  The lack of a single overriding message may make us look disorganized or overwhelm the viewer in the age of logos and branding. We decided that the kiosk functioned best in a billboard capacity, didn’t need someone to sit with it, and should be simplified.  The information previously contained on each panel could be made into an 8 by 11 handout available on a table inside the kiosk. (Furthermore the text of these handouts could be replicated in several forms in the future.)

The new panels would each have our name and website.  There would be one for each of our initiatives that would name the initiative and pose a teaser question or action to try.

For example:

                       Carbon Challenge  

  Be part of the solution, take the Challenge!



                  Sustainable Hanover Committee

                       Sustainablehanovernh.org

 

Ideas Discussed for Reaching and Involving People in the Community (Communication Strategy:

We need learning opportunities that are direct and personal.  Lyn has approached Town boards and has written a piece that does a good job of defining our goals.  The Goals get traction and board members begin talking about what their board can do. On the other hand, they have not taken the Carbon Challenge although strongly urged.  The motivational piece, the ‘Why should I get involved?’ is huge because people are involved with other good deeds and don’t necessarily see energy conservation as their job.  Motivation to do things differently requires a strong vision that people may not have yet.  We need to invite them in, listen to them, and get them to generate ideas for changing their behavior. 

The committee brainstormed this list of ways to involve others

- Invite in a group of interested people to brainstorm, ‘How do we define sustainability or liveability and how do we package this to share with others?’

-Invitation to do something and to do something together around Goals.

-Use Facebook and Twitter by posting new information weekly in each of the areas in which we’re working.  Think in terms of a curriculum that may involve homework.

- Have a series of eco-parties in different neighborhoods in 2010-2011.  People respond to a direct ask.

-Post stories exemplary of actions people can take on our website.

-Approach the Town for a display space downstairs.  

-Make use of the new Town Website.

-Mailings

-Article about the Committee in Business Journal and later in Valley News.

-Use the schools to get to parent community. Lyn is going to principals rather than school boards in the fall to get faculty and staff involved.

-Work with the Coop to expand their Fair to include Energy issues.

- Go to the schools, churches, events with computers to get people to take the Carbon Challenge.

-Learn from Woodstock’s success. Woodstock’s work on sustainability began at the Universalist Church. Perhaps we should work with the churches here to realize our goals and involve more people.

-Collaborate with other established groups in Hanover.  Work with churches to create an interfaith.  Ask a minister to help. Michael Mayor’s, the Lutheran minister, name was mentioned. –do this in august. Look at our plan in August for the next couple of years. Reread Lyn’s letter. By Aug. operational Facebook and Twitter.  Keep posting info. we find.

 

Work with the Town to Promote our Goals:

The Committee plans to work with the Town on the building code and to advocate for the revolving fund that the Case Bill made possible to improve energy conservation. The Case Bill allows a town to have a revolving fund that can loan money to folks who are willing to retrofit and remodel to conserve energy.

The state will be asking towns for energy information and making a coordinated energy audit.  We hope to receive Hanover’s information when completed so as to complete our town baseline. The new state databank should help us target initiatives and record accomplishments as well. 

Peter Kulbacki reported that the Town was ready to begin neighborhood meetings on street lights.  Parts of town deemed safe by the Police and Fire Departments without street lights will be convened to decide whether to keep their street lights.  Giving up street lighting contributes to energy savings and decreases light pollution in the night sky. All street lights are going to be changed from mercury vapor to____________.  Removal of unwanted lights will be free if done before the power company changes the light.

Peter also announced that the Town is planning to do a pilot for commercial recycling in the Town parking lot if they get funding.  It will either be Single Stream going to Cassella’s MERF or a dual stream going to Lebanon with no charge for paper. Transport in this option still has to be worked out..   Larry announced that $5,000 has been committed for a feasibility study of commercial composting for Hanover.

Need for Structure; Making Our Goals and Work Clear to Others:

We have no lack of ideas and initiatives in our Inbox, but while we discover how to inspire others to join us, we need to make sure that the goals and structure we hang our initiatives to are clear.  Otherwise, we may confuse and overwhelm the folks we hope to involve, must involve in order to meet our goals.  It was suggested that we must be less ‘warm and fuzzy’ and more ‘directed’ as a committee.  This meant different things to different members of the committee.  How do each of us answer the question, ‘What do we do?  We will review our mission at our August meeting and attempt an answer.  Then, we’ll take a look at our initiatives over the next 2-3 years and how our actions promote our goals. 

We were to be a coordinating group for groups set up by First Step.  The Recycling Group (Emily) and the Composting Group (Larry) have been active.  Joanna Whitcomb finds that the BikePed/Trails Committee is addressing transportation issues and has really become the Transportation Group. Chris K. wants to see the benchmarking done in the Carbon Challenge so that the Energy Group can move into promotion of energy conservation activities. Marjorie has put together information and lobbied town and gown on saving energy through less mowing and less fertilizing.  Lyn and Chris S. have been working  on the Carbon Challenge and Vision.  Lyn has just completed a round of board visitations to acquaint them with the work of the committee. All of us have helped with the Farmers Market kiosk to promote the committee and its work.

In August we will look at approaching churches or their clergy about working with us. We will also attend to our mission and planning for the next 2-3 years.

Short updates may need to be given on                                                                            The Community Yard Sale, Peter, Lyn, and Emily’s trip to Cassella in August, The Naked Table, and whether to do the Focus on Food project in Winter/spring 2010-11, Lyn’s conversation with the Conservation Commission about the Energy Challenge—all items on our agenda for July.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Ann Cadwallader

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Sustainable Hanover Committee Minutes for

Wednesday, June 16, 8:00-9:30

Next Meeting: Wednesday, July 21, 2010 8:30-9:30

Town Hall, Selectmen’s Room

Approved Minutes:  May 19, 2010 Minutes of Sustainable Hanover Committee

Attending: Larry Litten (chairing), Lyn Miller, Peter Kolbacki, Mary Ann Cadwallader, Chris Kennedy, Joanna Whitcomb, Emily Neuman, Marjorie Rogalski.

Calendar of Events:

 September 11, 2010 (Saturday): Community Yard Sale

October 10, 2010 (Sunday): 350.org Climate Day of Action;

10/10/10: October 10, 2010 (Sunday): 350 households on Hanover Community Carbon Challenge

November 13-14 (Sat/Sun): Naked Table Project – Hanover

Winter 2011: Catamount Earth Institute Discussion Groups

 

Main Projects:

 

Community Conversations about Vision & Context

Community Carbon Challenge

Ray School Compost Pilot Project

Web Presence (Facebook, Twitter)

 

Action Items:

Farmers Market:

·      Chris K.with helper, Marjorie, Lyn, and Mary Ann will all arrive at the Farmers’ Market at  2:30, June 23 to set up.

  • Emily will talk with Sally Wilson about recycling at the Farmers’ Market after Committee’s assessment, June 23.
  • Larry will pick up a composter and contact Hanover Hardware about loaning us an electric lawn mower.
  • Lyn will bring some give-aways to advertise the Swap.

 

Other Matters:

  • Joanna will consult with Emily on Dartmouth’s guidelines for large events. 

·      Lyn will follow up on the contact made at the Jumble.

  • Lyn will send out the job description of the upcoming Swap, Yard Sale.
  • Lyn will meet with Judith Esmay to continue the discussion begun at the Planning Commission.
  • Lyn or her designate will meet with the school board, middle school faculty and Ms. Kornfeld at the high school in the fall about disseminating the Carbon Challenge.
  • Lyn will call Mariam Osofsky about specifics for the 10/10/10 event

 

Review of Recent Public Outreach:

Lyn, Larry, Marjorie, Chris K., and Mary Ann spoke of what they learned standing with our materials at the Co-op, St. Thomas’ Jumble, Farmers’ Market. 

 

The Co-op proved to be a hard place to engage people who were intent on their shopping. 

 

Lyn chatted with workers at the Jumble and made contact with one person who seemed interested in working with us.  She felt getting our message out and recruiting one person made it worth it. 

Everyone liked the location we’ve been assigned at the Farmers’ Market.  Chris talked with two people in his hour and a half. The craft activity at the NH Craftsmen’s booth next door drew young children and their parents who we might interest with a more hands-on display.  The size of Chris’ tent will accommodate all our displays and accompanying items like a black composter, worm castings, an electric lawn mower, and give-aways to advertise the Swap.

 

Ideas for Expanding Our Display and Appeal at the Farmers’ Market:

 

-We will bring all of our displays—carbon challenge, lawn care, recycling/composting, Naked Table/Swap materials. (Chris has 2 easels.)  They will be placed in corners? or center? so that people can circle and see them all.

-Larry will pick up a composter and contact Hanover Hardware about loaning us an electric lawn mower on our days at the Farmers’ Market.

-A Naked Table could be displayed with materials about the upcoming event.

-The display of the Carbon Challenge will include a tear-off slip with the website.  A sample from the list of things-you-can-do suggested at the end of the Challenge could appear as a ‘teaser’ or a survey (something discussed earlier). Chris will supply the setup for a Tally when we decide what we want to know—What people like about Hanover? Or What people are doing to conserve energy? or…. A computer could be used to show the website, but Chris will enlarge the computer display of ‘Tell Us About Your Household and Vehicle Emissions’ from the Carbon Challenge website to easel size for one of our displays.

-The Swap can be advertised by giving away FREE items..

-Additional information about the Carbon Challenge website and the Swap could be given to interested people by the person working the booth.  These materials could be kept in a bag.

-Recycling containers at the Farmers’ Market as well as at larger events need to be addressed. (More later.)  We will check on how to make recycling work at the Farmers’ Market when we’re there on the 23rd.

 

Swap Planning: Susan Edwards will head up the Swap, our lawn sale which is an outreach of the Recycling Committee, but needs help.  We need to get a group together and assign tasks before a planning meeting in mid-July.  Should we run a transaction ad with a number to contact for those interested? We definitely need to talk it up at our booth. 

 

Lyn’s Meetings with Town Boards and Committees: 

Lyn has recently met with the Planning Commission and the Hanover Recreation Board and has written a letter to the Howe Library membership about the Carbon Challenge.  At this point, there are still 15 participants – some of whom were inspired be the presentation to the Board of Selectmen and the Planning Board. The Town is following the NH Energy Action Plan 2009. 

 

Lyn will meet with Judith Esmay to continue the discussion.   She will talk with the School Board and with Bruce Williams’ help at faculty meeting in the fall at Richmond school.  Chris suggested that the Carbon Challenge would take off if it became a school based initiative or was made an assignment for the Environmental class.

 

Kendal is another organization that should be approached about our initiatives.

 

Composting and Community Gardens: 

We recommend that the Town contract with High Fields to devise a plan for downtown composting before the recycling fund runs out.

 

In an effort to bring our concerns to the neighborhood level we discussed teaching people how to compost and honoring community gardens and gardening efforts like the front yard garden on E. Wheelock and Larry’s Japanese garden with photos and an essay. 

 

Other possibilities might be a tour of gardens or a roving group of experts that some Saturday would help people in their own neighborhood create raised beds or a compost system. Neighborhood composting was suggested as a way to bring people to sustainable practices.

 

Chris reminded us that UNH has master gardener and composter courses.   Graduates of these programs, I believe, promise to teach in their communities.  Perhaps they could offer to work in neighborhoods on composting and gardening.

 

Larry mentioned that Scot Stokey was running way behind because students were no longer volunteering at Dartmouth’s organic farm.  How might we work with the organic farm? 

 

As we focus more on Food and Agriculture in the 2010-2011 school year, we can perhaps gain additional insight regarding  these questions.

 

Recycling Initiatives:  The Waste Reduction Action Group has stayed focused and is working on 2 initiatives. The Community Yard Sale taking place Saturday September 11 and Low Waste Guidelines for Events. 

 

Emily will submit these guidelines to the Committee for our approval and then we will present them to the Town for adoption.  After Town adoption, event planners would have to present a recycling plan in order to get a permit.  If they didn’t follow their plan, a fine could be imposed.  Joanna will consult with Emily as Dartmouth has guidelines for large events, and would like to share ideas for smaller events.  Shelburne Farms VT might be a good resource for guidelines.

 

Dartmouth Begins Single Sort Recycling Today:  Single sort recycling has 2 choices—recycling or trash.  Employees are being given small containers to keep on their desks for recycling.  These and the trash will be emptied in one of some 300 centralized stations which replace 3,900 bins. The goal is to increase recycling by 40% by 2013. Presently, dining halls compost but residential facilities don’t. 

 

The President’s Fellow to replace Marissa Knodel has been appointed. Genna Pollack is a recent PhD graduate of Thayer.  Joanna will continue to be the College’s representative at our Meetings. 

 

10.10.10 Initiative has been adopted by Area Energy Committees:

Joanna Whitcomb, Lyn, Chris K., Emily and Dick P.attended a conference of local town’s energy committees. The  23 area energy committee’s will create hands-on activities for the October 10, 2010 initiative and each will get 4 more organizations involved.  The hands-on activities promoted on this work day will represent established goals or programs of the energy committees involved. Lyn will call Mariam Osofsky about specifics.  Chris and. Dick will work on this. 

 

We might build gardens for the spring or promote composting in neighborhoods as mentioned previously. 

 

Communications Strategy: The underlying theme of our meeting was how to get the word out and get people involved with our work.  The word ‘Sustainable’ has gone out of fashion apparently, probably because it reminds us all of the responsibility we have to the future and feel incapable of doing anything about  Marjorie offered to pay for a mailing that would inform households of our work and solicit their involvement. Other modes of communication and their audiences were discussed—Facebook, blogs, websites with info. and links, face-to-face asks, just showing up.  Are we sure enough of our goals and the effectiveness of what we propose?

After 3 Farmers’ Markets we need to decide how we’re doing.  With our agenda we need to continue meeting and our next meeting will be, July 21st at 8:30.  In the fall we may wish to change our location to the high school or the Black Center to get high schoolers involved.  We must limit ourselves to 3-4 issues for next year, have targets (media?), a message, and sense for our audience (market).  We need to ensure that we have a clear focus.  As of now we’re doing things on a pilot basis and gaining experience.  

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Ann Cadwallader

 

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@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }@font-face { font-family: "Courier New"; }@font-face { font-family: "Wingdings"; }@font-face { font-family: "Tahoma"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p { margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.BalloonText, li.BalloonText, div.BalloonText { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 8pt; font-family: Tahoma; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }ol { margin-bottom: 0in; }ul { margin-bottom: 0in; } Sustainable Hanover Committee Minutes for

Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 8:00-9:30

Next Meeting: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 8:00-9:30

Town Hall, Selectmen’s Room

Attending: Lyn Miller (chairing), Larry Litten, Chris Soderquist, Peter Kolbacki, Mary Ann Cadwallader, Chris Kennedy, Joanna Whitcomb, Marissa Knodel, Emily Neuman, Marjorie Rogalski.

Approved Minutes: April 21, 2010 Sustainable Hanover Committee Meeting

Action Items:

Lyn Miller: Meetings with DHMC representative this week and Planning Commission 6/8, arrange a meeting with Wayne Gersten and Jonathan Brush.  Making a trifold and leaflet on Carbon Challenge.  Creating an intro to Sustainable Hanover that will appear on all trifolds. Sitting at a table, Saturday, 5/22 at Coop with trifold 9-10, 12-1:00.

Larry Litten:  Attend meeting with Wayne Gersten and Jonathan Brush with Lyn, meet with Ray School composters.  Making a trifold and leaflet on Composting. Sitting at Sustainable Hanover table, Saturday, 5/22 11-12.

Marjorie Rogalski:  Making a trifold and leaflet on storm water pollution and lawn care. Sitting at Sustainable Hanover table, Saturday, 5/22 9-10 at Coop.

Mary Ann Cadwallader:  Sitting at Sustainable Hanover table, Saturday, 5/22 10:30-11:30 at Coop. 

Chris Kennedy offered to keep the table etc. needed for our booth at the Farmers Market in his office.  He also offered help with large graphics for our few trifold displays or a poster or two. Sitting at Sustainable Hanover table, Saturday, 5/22 10-11.

Members of the Committee: Need to sign up for Buck Thorn removal, sitting at the Sustainable Hanover table at Farmers Markets this summer; consider how they can become involved in the upcoming Naked Table event and the Tag Sale.

MINUTES

The Naked Table Project: This April’s Naked Table event at Dartmouth was inspiring.  The Town’s contribution to it relied too heavily on too few and suffered from some communication problems, both of which we plan to avoid when Hanover sponsors the next Naked Table event November 13—14, 2010.  The Black Community Center is lined up to house the event free and the Hanover Water Company is donating the wood to make the tables.  Lyn will work to assemble a committee to run the event and is meeting with John Lee of DHMC about sponsorship of a table for someone in their employ and volunteers.  Lyn spoke of the spiritual experience evoked by the trip to the site of the trees harvested to make the tables. This and the desire to donate tables to families in need of one, led to the decision to approach churches and the United Valley Interfaith Project about building tables. Each table costs $775.

Carbon Challenge update: To date fifteen people have taken the Carbon Challenge, one of Sustainable Hanover’s Pilot Projects. In its plan for a Sustainable Hanover; One Natural Step at a Time.  Lyn has received Select Board approval for this initiative and the writing of a comprehensive plan for Sustainable Hanover.  The Housing Commission has also approved the Challenge. Other players that need to be involved include the Schools and the Planning Commission (Lyn will speaks to the PC, June 8). 

Presently, Lyn is the go-to-person for Ray School person. She thinks we should approach schools as we would neighborhoods—ask their leaders, principals, to identify a liaison who would disseminate our information and report school initiatives to us. The Committee felt that Dresden should provide someone from Facilities or someone empowered by the School Board as the School District Administration has to be plugged into Sustainable Hanover initiatives. Larry and Lyn will arrange a meeting with Wayne Gersen and Jonathan Brush.   Facility sustainability and two-way communication on initiatives may need different approaches, but the Committee needs to get the School District’s attention and cooperation in any effort to make Hanover sustainable.

Capital Improvement Plan (CIP):  We need Town policy to drive cityscape decisions like the one to improve S. Park Street for shared vehicular, pedestrian and cyclist use.  E.g there could be a policy that required every street-rebuild to add a bike lane.  Like zoning, the CIP when written, must be adopted by the Planning Board and funded by the Selectmen after public hearings.  Town staff members have been giving their input for this large Town initiative. Sustainable Hanover’s Vision and Plan when finished should be factored in.

Plant Swap and Clear-cutting:  Barbara McIllroy wants help publicizing the plant-sway initiative.  We will put this out on our mailing list and can disseminate her leaflet.  We will volunteer to help remove Buck Thorn on a date to be announced. Peter Kulbacki reminded us that clear-cutting, a common practice among landowners and on Town lands creates the environment for Buck Thorn.  It was suggested that Saturday’s lunch at the Naked Table event could include a panel on forestry practices and land use (invite the Conservation Commission to organize and/or to speak about policies the town might adopt.)  The Town needs policy that drives decisions made about land and energy use.

Dartmouth had an interesting panel on land use and forests for their earth week celebration, but there is no shared plan for Hanover. 

Compost update: Larry is meeting with Ray School and has been in contact with Alison Baker, Vital Communities Local First Alliance person who has a composting background, about a plan to enlist farmers of Valley Food and Farm to recycle food waste.  She is consulting with a local chicken farmer to step in to take Lou’s Restaurant compost.

Emily Neuman reported that the new Coop store in White River Junction will compost at the Lebanon Landfill. When it comes on line, it will be cheaper for Hanover to compost there, too.

Community yard sale and Recruitment of organizers and workers: Volunteers and leadership need to be found for the community yard sale as well as for the Naked Table project.  Lyn suggested the following way to recruit.

The Committee agreed to person a table at the Hanover Farmers Market two Wednesdays a month where we will promote the September 11 Yard Sale (raindate, Sunday 9/12) at Dewey Field and the Naked Table event, November 13-14 at the Black Community Center by drumming up interest in contributing to and working the events. We will also have a table at the June 5 rummage sale at St. Thomas for this purpose.  The Black Center is another possible place for a table sometime.  In addition, Lyn will try to find coordinators and volunteers.   

Dartmouth already has a coordinator for the Yard Sale but logistical details like where to register and the manner of payment for a table, a deposit fee which is refunded afterwards, need to be worked out.  Chris Kennedy will keep the table, awning and chairs in his office for us as he’s close to the Green. 

Trifold Displays:  At each Farmers Market appearance the Committee will feature a trifold display and leaflet on one of its initiatives in addition to its recruitment efforts.  Lyn has produced a trifold on the Carbon Challenge, Marjorie one on protecting groundwater, and Larry one on composting.  Ones on Sustainable Agriculture and the Naked Table may also be made.  Each trifold will contain some basic information on Sustainable Hanover’s agenda which Lyn has prepared.  Trifolds should be easy to read with bullet points when possible.  They should motivate by answering the question, ‘Why should I care?’.  They can reference websites that contain specific information.  Accompanying leaflets can give details and more sources.

At our June meeting we will continue our discussion about how to poll people about their need for information, their priorities in the area of sustainability for themselves and the town.

June 19 The Clean Air/Cool Planet Local Energy Solutions:   Lyn will carpool with Chris.  Yolanda Baumgartner and Dick Podolec are planning to go. We need to find out more about NH initiatives because of the recent state law passed allowing towns to loan up-front money to householders improving energy efficiency with major improvements which are paid back through the tax system.  For more information--<http://cleanair-coolplanet.org/les2010/> 

Electronics Recycling was down by 2/3s last Saturday 5/15. We will promote Montshire’s fall recycling and may get out of the business as Systems Plus and Best Buy do it for free and Lebanon Landfill for a fee similar to ours. 

Looking Ahead to our June Meeting and Meetings this Summer and in the Fall:   At our June meeting we will make a summer action agenda including our Farmers Market presence and the work that must get done on the Naked Table and Tag Sale. 

We need to discuss further how to put out our core principles and get input at the Farmers Markets. We might ask folks to order how they value 10 initiatives.  We may want to expand our audience and have a way to do surveys on line.  The need to rework the way we communicate electronically with our constituency comes up often. E.g. emails are a bad way to search. Our address is <www.sustainablehanvoernh.org>. Should we consider a Facebook page to involve the next generation? 

We need to continue our discussion of the goals and progress indicators in our Vision document and the graphing of progress on a website. The goals should have dates and research to back up what outcomes will ensue if we don’t meet them.  We must finish the document and educate ourselves to be ready to roll out document at a Board Meeting in the fall. 

We decided not to meet as a Committee in July and August.  In the fall we plan to have an informational meeting with a guest speaker in way of educating ourselves and others who are interested in attending once a month as well as our regular meeting the third Wednesday of each month.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Ann Cadwallader


Agenda:May 19, 9 – 9:30 AM, Town Hall Selectmen’s Chamber


Lyn Swett Miller, chair

8 AM – Approval of April minutes (attached)

8:05 – Naked Table proposal (Lyn)

8:10 – Carbon Challenge update (Lyn)

8:15 – Plant swap publicity (Larry)

8:30 – Compost update (Larry)

8:35 – Community yard sale [coordinator needed] (Emily)

8:40 – Public education on lawn care / storm water pollution (Marjorie)

8:45 – Rain garden update (Larry)

8:50 – Committee composition

8:45 – Summer action agenda, Farmer’s Market presence, Coop table

9:05 – Vision / Website (attached)

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Sustainable Hanover Committee

Minutes Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Next Meeting: Wednesday May 19,  8:00-9:30,

Town Hall, Selectmen’s Room

Attending: Larry Litten (chairing), Chris Kennedy, Marissa Knodel, Emily Neuman, Dick Podolec, Marjorie Rogalski, Brian Walsh

ACTION ITEMS:

A.  Marjorie will investigate the possibility of a table at the Hanover Coop to promote the work of the SHC and recruit participants in our cause.  She will also send notice of the Local Energy conference to Denis Rydjeski and the CPC mailing list.

B.  Larry, Dick, and Chris K. will work the May 15 electronic recycling event at DPW

C.  Lyn will contact the two people who indicated an interest in the committee at the Coop Expo.

D.  Emily will prepare a brochure describing the initiatives of the Waste-reduction/Recycling Action Group for use at our displays.

Meeting topics

1. Update on curbside program

     A contract has been signed with Northeast Waste to continue the current program with substantial savings.  A portion of the savings will be put into a reserve account that will cover the penalty of early termination of the contract should a more attractive option appear.

2. Naked Table event

     Twelve tables were made at the event on 4/17-18.  Fifty lunches were served.  Wood for 4 tables remains.  Lyn has a plan for a November event that will be presented at the May meeting.

     Special thanks to Lyn and Donald Miller for donating a table to the Montshire Museum in the name of Sustainable Hanover.  Thanks also to Marjorie Rogalski and Dick Podolec for serving at the lunch.

3. Earth Day event on 4/28 to review sustainability vision

     Plans to have a community review of the Hanover Sustainability Vision during the Earth Week celebration that was postponed due to school vacation were shelved because (a) we have not reviewed a final draft of the plan and (b) the town is distracted by the school budget issue.

     We need to have vision of where we will go once the vision is discussed.  We shall postpone a community discussion of the vision until the fall and proceed with an agenda of specific initiatives through the summer.  The May meeting will both review the vision and our action agenda.

     We will explore the possibility of having a table at a couple of Hanover Farmers’ Market this summer and a table in the Hanover Coop to promote our agenda (especially composting) and recruit participants to our cause.

4. Electronics recycling event, May 15

     We need volunteers to help direct traffic at our annual electronics recycling event.  Chris, Dick and Larry signed up.

5.  Earth Week activities at Dartmouth

     Marissa described an extensive array of Earth Week activities at Dartmouth.  A list of the activities can be found at: 

www.dartmouth.edu/~news/releases/2010/04/16.html.  Larry will represent the SHC at the rally on The Green on Thursday and make a brief presentation.

6.   Local Energy Conference

     The Clean Air / Cool Planet Local Energy Solutions conference is June 19 in Concord.  Chris attended last year and highly recommends it.  Information can be found at: http://cleanair-coolplanet.org/les2010/.  Marjorie will spread the word.

7.  Compost initiative

     Lou’s is composting; Kendal will start this summer.  Both are using Bob Sandberg, the Coop’s composter.  Although Highfields Institute sent a proposal for a feasibility study that focused on the region, the SHC is disposed toward a pilot project with a few restaurants with general fund funding.  We do need to look for more local destinations than the Coop’s present arrangement, perhaps a chicken farmer.

8. Streetlight initiative

     Neighborhood meetings will be arranged to discuss the policy adopted by the Selectmen after Town meeting.  Town staff will conduct these meetings, with SHC members in attendance.

9. Pesticide/fertilizer campaign

     Conversations have been held with Dartmouth to promote the avoidance of fertilizers; they use considerable fertilizer to green-up the campus for major events.  Conversations will be held with policy makers.  The town is not using fertilizers and pesticides.  Conversations with the SAU have not yet occurred.  We are still looking for a good brochure to insert into Water Company mailing.

10. Water retaining rain gardens

     Conversations with the Garden Club and the Town have started to explore a workshop on rain gardens that will capture storm water and a group is exploring possible sites.  The Committee endorsed this as an action item in our agenda.

11.  NH Carbon Challenge

Following Lyn’s presentation to the Selectmen and a note from Julia to committee/commission chairs, 11 people have taken the New England Carbon Challenge.  All members of the SHC are encouraged to participate in this “leadership phase” of the challenge.  Participation can be tracked on www.sustainablehanvoernh.org, where there is a link to the challenge.

12. Recruiting new committee members

       We need to recruit new members to the committee.  We need to look especially for people who will work on energy issues. 

May agenda items

1.  Review the vision statement and plan for community discussion

2.  Prepare an action agenda for the summer

3.  The future of the Naked Table project

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March 31, 2010: Focus on Vision.
Town Hall, 8 - 9:30am.

Items to keep track of:
  • 10/10/10 Day of Action (350.org)
  • Portsmouth, NH work
  • Co-Op Tri-fold design

Helpful links re. Vision - Keene, NH - The Transition Keene 'Constitution' is attached below.  They have a great City Web site as well.
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Sustainable Hanover Committee
Date: March 17, 2010
Location: Town Hall Board Room
Time: 8:00 - 9:30 am

Agenda:
1.  Approval of February minutes

2.  Update on curbside program (Peter)

3.  Naked Table lunch volunteers (Lyn)

4.  Building code initiatives (Chris K.)

5.  Coop expo – composting (Larry)

6.  Earth Day Conversations (see forwarded e-mail from Julia Griffin that follows)

7.  NH Carbon Challenge (Lyn)

8.  Fertilizer impact initiative (Marjorie)

9.  Second draft of goals document

10.  Next meeting date (standard 3rd week of April or sooner?)

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February 3, 2010

SHC Extra Meeting, Town Hall, 8 - 9:30am

 

Action:

  • Chris K. will communicate with Ryan Borkowski, Town bldg inspector
  • Chris K. will bring a sample document
  • Peter will create a list / report re. current building audits.
  • Lyn will distribute vision doc to committee
  • Committee will read and begin to flesh out some of the details
  • Committee will share ideas with Lyn and Larry to update Vision statement
  • Next meeting:  Marissa will give Dartmouth update – Sustainability Summit (Weds. Feb 10, 3:30 – 7:30 – Stoneman classroom @Tuck)

 

Notes:

  1. Approval of January Minutes
  2. Composting in Hanover:
    1. Restaurants – Compost conversation with restaurants.  Presentation.   
      •  Lou’s signed on and has started composting
      • Highfields – get a proposal for a more comprehensive program.
      • Those present: Boloco, Lou’s Molly’s, Canoe Club, Rosie Jekes,  (Not present: Dirt Cowboy, Circle K), Hanover is part of the college.
    1. Schools met w/ Central Vermont Solid Waste Mgmt.
      • Leslie Connolly preparing to get Bridgman funding.
  1. Education Summit: Review gathering; Vision, but specific working groups.  # of repetitions, # of exposures…frequency, visuals, different triggers move people along the continuum.
  1. Vision & Principles (Discussed, using Google Docs)
    1. The committee found it very helpful to use an overhead projector for this conversation , as it ensured that we were all looking at the same words as we began crafting our Community Energy report and vision for action.

 

Respectfully Submitted,

Lyn Swett Miller

Co-chair, Sustainable Hanover Committee

Agenda:

February 3, 2010; Town Hall, 8 AM; Larry Litten, chairing

Below is the agenda for the first of two scheduled extraordinary meetings of the SHC (2/3 and 3/3).  We shall decide after the 3/3 meeting about altering the frequency (and perhaps times) of our regular meetings.

1.  Approval of 1/20/09 minutes

2.  Very brief reports on composting developments and education summit

3.  Discussion of goals 1 and 2 of the draft Sustainability Goals document (attached)

       As part of this discussion, Chris Kennedy will present ideas regarding energy policy and initiatives.
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Sustainable Hanover (formerly Recycling) Committee Minutes Wednesday, January 20, 2010

2 Meetings in February: Wednesday February 3 and 17:  8:00-9:30 in the Town Hall Meeting Room

Mapping Sustainable Hanover Goals, January 29, 10-12:00 Howe Library - Rotary Room

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Brown Bag Talks, Feb. 17 and 25, 12:00-1:30, Howe Library (League of Women Voters)


Attending: Brian Walsh, Peter Kulbacki —Town, Larry Litten, Lyn Swett Miller—Co-Chairs, Chris Soderquist, Chris Kennedy, Emily Neuman, Marjorie Rogalski, Mary Ann Cadwallader.

Approval of December minutes—Please change the spelling of Brian Walsh’s name and Dick Polodec’s name and email address dickpolodec@comcast.net

ACTION ITEMS:

  1. Lyn, Chris S., Larry, and Mary Ann will meet at 10:00 on Friday, Jan. 29, to work on mapping Hanover’s Sustainability goals.  Chris S. will guide systems-thinking based discussion of Emily Neuman’s plan document.
  2. Systems-based plan from 1/29/10 will be the basis for discussion of the two February meetings in preparation for Sustainable Hanover’s report to the Town.
  3. Larry will contact Crossroad Academy about the January 28 SAU composting meeting at Ray School.
  4. Larry will see Julia about the change that needs to be made in our proposal to Tuck Business School for a business plan study of composting.
Action Items from Nov. and Dec.’s meetings not discussed at January’s meeting

  • Marissa will ask President Kim if he will make a Naked Table preferably at the summer event.
  • Lyn will write a proposal for getting grant funding to create a stand-along movable kiosk for schools, library and town hall.
  • Peter K. will investigate converting the annual town report to a system where people can either opt out of the mailing of
Conclusions Reached:

The Committee will have 2 meetings in February and schedule others as needed until their Sustainability Plan for Hanover is ready for publication.

 

Discussion that Supports Action Items and Conclusions:

1.     Update on streetlights policy: 

a.     Peter Kulbacki reported that decisions on types of lighting and placement of poles will be made after the Selectmen address the policy statement he and Nick have prepared, have had a public hearing on it, and then have adopted it as a policy.  Safety, minimizing energy consumption, and dark skies are all addressed in the policy. 

b.     After the policy is adopted the Town police will play a part in determining where lighting is needed for public safety and security. 

c.     Challenge: Peter explained the difficulty in managing lighting variables, which include the intensity of light at ground level, the actual wattage of a bulb, and the kind of light that is created in the context of relevant objectives for each light (security, intersections, etc.) 50 watt low power sodium lights are all that is available to replace the pole lights we already have. LED’s give more detail on the ground than the sodium lights but have a colder color.

2.     Update on town building weatherization:  

a.     Peter Kulbacki said the Town will be applying in mid-February for awards made in mid-March to change streetlights to LED lights and for weatherization of town buildings.  Grant funding won’t exceed $400,000. 

b.     It has already been decided that weatherization of the Fire building is too expensive at this time, but a new heating system will be in place this spring. 

c.     The Committee asked that ‘before and after’ figures for energy use be kept so we can quantify the Town’s progress toward Sustainability.

3.     Composting initiatives: 

a.     SAU 70 Initiative: Larry Litten reported that there will be a presentation by Theresa Murray-Clusan, School Compost Coordinator for the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District, for all schools in SAU 70 at Ray School, January 28 at 3:30. 

                                            i.     Ray School 2nd graders already have begun worm composting in their classrooms. 

b.     The Coop will have a worm workshop in March. 

c.     Business Owners: Sally Wilson of the Chamber of Commerce has called a meeting on composting for all restaurant owners for January 26 at the Howe Library. Bob Sandburg of Corinth, Vt who does the Coop composting, and Vin Wendell, owner of Colatina Exit and founding member of the Bradford, VT composting program, will speak.  Response has been lackluster so ask at Hanover restaurants if they recycle and engender interest.

d.     Lebanon’s Solid Waste Facility: Manager Marc Morgan is talking with the DHMC about taking all their food waste. He wants to start small using his current staff and move ultimately into the composting of the area’s household food waste.  All compost must stay on site until Marc can get a license as a composting facility. 

4.     Business recycling proposal:

a.     Andy Ferrera, a Dartmouth senior who has an internship with the Hanover Area Chamber of Commerce, has been working on developing downtown businesses’ recycling.  He’s identifying vendors, places to put dumpsters or totes, types of containers, what’s best to recycle, and how to avoid contamination.

 b.     The code that the Town gives to those that use the dumpsters behind the Town Hall seems to be working to keep out unwanted trash.

 c.     Andy plans to implement a pilot program in April - most landlords are willing to entertain the cost.  He hopes that an economy of scale will lower the cost. Peter advised that the program start by separating trash from paper even if single stream vendors are used because vendors will take paper at no cost.  At the least, the program could begin with paper recycling. (Paper makes up 4/5 of all landfill.

 d.     Peter has sent a map of possible locations for dumpsters to Andy. 

 e.     Chris Kennedy, speaking from his firm’s experience, said it would be best to have the dumpster on public property and to have it managed by an entity like the Chamber or the Town.  Someone else suggested that the School St. property behind the Town parking lot would be a perfect place for this.

 f.      Some committee members wondered if business recycling couldn’t be made mandatory by amending the Town ordinances.  This would require enforcement and couldn’t be enacted without state legislation allowing it.  Others thought that perhaps an economic incentive would work best. Andy will ask Julia about the legal issues.

5.     Sustainable Hanover Report: 

a.     Goal Mapping meeting: January 29 at the Howe Library Rotary Room.  The goal of this meeting will be to create a visual representation of our sustainability goals for Hanover.  The outcome will be a ‘table of contents’ for our annual report, a report that will balance general frameworks with specific goals and actions to achieve those goals.  This Report will be the basis for continued community conversation in 2010, as we continue to develop a plan for action between 2010 and 2030.  The goal is to balance the Natural Step framework, which deals with stopping damage, to a more proactive set of goals that focus on restoring a state of resilience in our community.

b.     Managing the Process:  The decision was made to have at least 2 extra meetings to see this through in a timely manner.  Our deadline would be the Town Report submission deadline. Next full committee meetings at the Town Hall, Feb. 3, Feb. 17.

6.     Sustainability baselines and measurable outcomes:

a.     What should be our goal?  Does it make sense to have a zero emission goal, or should we actually go farther than that?  What are realistic goals and what is easiest to market to the community at large? 

b.     Using zero as the eventual goal for emissions simplifies computation, rather than a percentage of emission reductions from a certain date. But we need to look at the use of baselines – should we begin measuring from the nineties or 2000 or we could use each person’s allotment of a global level of 350 parts per million as an output goal?

c.     Any use of a ‘zero’ emissions goal needs to be stated with the caveat that it’s a target to aim for, albeit probably impossible to achieve.

d.     Brian summarized saying we needed the caveat, measurable outcomes showing progress toward achievement of stated goals  (like changes in the amount of local food consumed). 

e.     We plan eventually to create a website with details and ways for families to shrink their environmental footprint. Indicators in visual mapping language would allow mapping of ‘what if’s’ and family progress. 

7.     Focus on Accomplishments to Date: We need to accumulate a list of what we’ve done since 2000 that has made a difference in Sustainability, e.g. yearly registration of vehicles by type to note savings in gas consumption, regional self-sufficiency in food, regional improvement in public transportation, regional use of the water supply.

Respectfully submitted,

Mary Ann Cadwallader

Sustainable Hanover Committee meeting agenda

January 20, 2010; 8 AM; Town Hall, Board Room

Facilitator - Lyn Swett Miller, Co-Chair


 

1.  Approval of December minutes – see attachment

2.  Update on streetlights policy (Kulbacki)

3.  Update on town building weatherization (Kulbacki)

4.  Composting initiatives (Litten)

5.  Business recycling proposal (Ferrera)

6.  Education initiatives (Miller)

7.  Sustainability goals (Miller, Litten, Neuman) – see attachment

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Welcome! This is where we will post our minutes for the Sustainable Hanover Committee as well as for the Waste & Recycling Committee.  This is in the form of a blog so that we can have a running record of our conversation.  It will also allow you to sort by various topics to find what you are looking for.  This is an experiment, but I hope it will be helpful.  The most recent events are always at the top.
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