Other Communities
Our Immediate Neighbors
Norwich, VT Energy Committee
The Norwich Energy Committee is part of the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network.
Contact: Alan Berolzheimer, Chair (802) 649-2857/bercress@sover.net or Ames Byrd (802) 649-1269 / ames.byrd@valley.net
Contact: Alan Berolzheimer, Chair (802) 649-2857/bercress@sover.net or Ames Byrd (802) 649-1269 / ames.byrd@valley.net
Lebanon, NH Energy Advisory Committee
This
committee was established by the City Council and issued the following
charge: To identify opportunities and make recommendations to the City
Council with regard to reducing energy use, increasing energy
efficiency, exploring alternative energy usage and reducing pollution,
to the environmental and fiscal benefit of the City. Charge modified on
2/18/09 to include: To promote energy conservation measures for city
residents and businesses, thereby cutting greenhouse gas emissions and
reducing energy costs for taxpayers.
Thetford, VT Energy Committee
The Thetford Energy Committee (TEC) works with
the Town, its residents and businesses to help reduce energy use,
save money and protect the environment.
Contact: Bob Walker (802) 785-4126 or bobwalker@valley.net
Contact: Bob Walker (802) 785-4126 or bobwalker@valley.net
Lyme, NH Energy Committee
Currently promoting the Lyme 20% Challenge. Their web site provides downloadable worksheets for tracking transportation and electrical usage.
The Lyme Energy Committee mission is to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources among the residents, businesses, community organizations town government and Lyme School through education and action. The committee has a three-year charge that focuses on education and conservation projects.
Contact Co-Chairs: Carola Lee (603-795-4639 or Carola.Lea@Valley.net) & Rebecca Lovejoy.
The Lyme Energy Committee mission is to promote energy conservation, energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy resources among the residents, businesses, community organizations town government and Lyme School through education and action. The committee has a three-year charge that focuses on education and conservation projects.
Contact Co-Chairs: Carola Lee (603-795-4639 or Carola.Lea@Valley.net) & Rebecca Lovejoy.
White River Junction, Vermont
White River Junction has embraced the Transition Towns approach to promoting sustainability in its community.
Transition Town White River Junction - Raspberry Revolution, Community Garden, Partnering with the Upper Valley Co-op.
The Center for Sustainable Practice CSP's Mission is to support the development of sustainable culture in White River Junction and beyond through sharing the results of experiments with the intersection between spiritual practice and the practice of living in balance with nature.
Transition Town White River Junction - Raspberry Revolution, Community Garden, Partnering with the Upper Valley Co-op.
The Center for Sustainable Practice CSP's Mission is to support the development of sustainable culture in White River Junction and beyond through sharing the results of experiments with the intersection between spiritual practice and the practice of living in balance with nature.
New Hampshire
Keene, NH
The City of Keene, NH, like Hanover, has a proactive approach to managing climate change in the context of city/town government. The community is also promoting ways for individual residents to contribute and make a difference.
Cities for Climate Protection Committee
Keene - Sustainability Site
Transition Keene Task Force
Cities for Climate Protection Committee
Keene - Sustainability Site
Transition Keene Task Force
Portsmouth, NH
The City of Portsmouth strives to become an eco-municipality. Participated in The Natural Step training (as did Hanover) in 2006. Their work has evolved into a range of initiatives and programs:
The Piscataqua Sustainability Initiative (http://www.thepsi.net/)
Portsmouth Sustainability Fair (May 14, 2011)
City of Portsmouth, Sustainability Committee
The Piscataqua Sustainability Initiative (http://www.thepsi.net/)
Portsmouth Sustainability Fair (May 14, 2011)
City of Portsmouth, Sustainability Committee
Vermont
Brattleboro, Vermont
Brattleboro has a number of groups planning for a sustainable future.
1. Brattleboro Energy Committee
2. Brattleboro Area Transition group
3. Post Oil Solutions, a community organizing initiative, is a particularly active group, whose mission is to empower the people of the Central Connecticut River Valley bioregion to develop sustainable, collaborative, and socially just communities leading to a self-sufficient post petroleum society.
Brattleboro also has a Recycling Action Team (RAT) that works specifically on Recycling issues.
1. Brattleboro Energy Committee
2. Brattleboro Area Transition group
3. Post Oil Solutions, a community organizing initiative, is a particularly active group, whose mission is to empower the people of the Central Connecticut River Valley bioregion to develop sustainable, collaborative, and socially just communities leading to a self-sufficient post petroleum society.
Brattleboro also has a Recycling Action Team (RAT) that works specifically on Recycling issues.
Montpelier, Vermont
Montpelier has also embraced the Transition Towns approach to promoting sustainability in its community.
Transition Town Montpelier - TTM's mission is to help facilitate the development of resilient systems for overcoming peak oil and climate change in Montpelier and surrounding communities. Our tools consist of Open Spaces, workshops, trainings, information sharing, networking, working groups, and passion for re-introducing a wide range of skill sets and developing visible manifestations of progress toward a more sustainable future.
Transition Town Montpelier - TTM's mission is to help facilitate the development of resilient systems for overcoming peak oil and climate change in Montpelier and surrounding communities. Our tools consist of Open Spaces, workshops, trainings, information sharing, networking, working groups, and passion for re-introducing a wide range of skill sets and developing visible manifestations of progress toward a more sustainable future.
National/International
Whistler, British Columbia
As with other communities in Canada, Whistler has created an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) which serves as the background basis for the initiatives described below.
Whistler2020: Moving Toward a Sustainable Future.
ishift Business & ishift Citizen Take Action Challenges.
Whistler Center for Sustainability
In action: The community installed 4 new electric vehicle charging stations.
Whistler2020: Moving Toward a Sustainable Future.
ishift Business & ishift Citizen Take Action Challenges.
Whistler Center for Sustainability
In action: The community installed 4 new electric vehicle charging stations.
Lawrence, New Jersey
The Goal of Sustainable Lawrence is to promote the adoption of sustainable practices throughout Lawrence Township, NJ. Seeking to become an eco-municipality, Sustainable Lawrence is a large group of residents,
businesses, congregations, and other organizations dedicated to creating a
sustainable community - A community in which the present needs of all of its
citizens are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their needs.
Sustainable Lawrence: Earth - Life - Community
In action: Rain Barrel creation, Podcasts, Living Lawn Campaign and more.
Sustainable Lawrence: Earth - Life - Community
In action: Rain Barrel creation, Podcasts, Living Lawn Campaign and more.
Other Communities - US
Bedford, NY - The Town of Bedford, NY, with its 39.3 square miles encompassing the hamlets of Bedford
Village, Bedford Hills and Katonah, is situated in northern Westchester
County with a 2000 census of 18,133 residents. It is rural / suburban in nature and has a similar demographic to the greater Hanover/Norwich/Lyme/Thetford communities. They are seeking to reduce their carbon footprint by 20% by 2020. To learn more about their pledge and efforts in general, visit their Green Page: Beford 20 by 2020.
Chicago, IL - Setting the standard for proactive thinking and action.
Port Townsend / North Olympic Peninsula - Local 20/20: Local 20/20 is an unusual name for our organization, but so is our work. We are a new citizen-based organization dedicated to exploring opportunities in our local community to promote economic self-reliance, environmental stewardship, and community well-being. The name refers to 20/20 vision… such as planning for the quality of life in our community in 2020.... as well as a variety of other individual meanings.
Santa Monica, CA: The Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment has a comprehensive web site. We were particularly interested in the Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan, which included a comprehensive set of goals as well as indicators to measure achievement of those goals (to download the plan, click on the text above). Although Santa Monica is a large city and has staff to develop and oversee this work, their goal/indicator matrix is a helpful model.
Sarasota County, Florida: Extensive online resources and projects in the public and private sectors.
Stevens Point, Wisconsin: Stevens Point, WI is one of 17 eco-municipalities in Wisconsin. Based on the Natural Step framework, the Stevens Point Eco-Municipality Task Force wrote an impressive report called: "A Path to a Sustainable Stevens Point." Their vision includes 6 primary goals, each with specific objects associated with those goals as well as specific actions linked to each objective. Like Santa Monica's plan, this provides a different example of how to organize around achieving measurable sustainability goals.
See Also: Madison, WI; Albany, CA; Dubuque, Iowa;
American Institute of Architects: AIA selects 6 Communities for long-term sustainability project.
Chicago, IL - Setting the standard for proactive thinking and action.
Port Townsend / North Olympic Peninsula - Local 20/20: Local 20/20 is an unusual name for our organization, but so is our work. We are a new citizen-based organization dedicated to exploring opportunities in our local community to promote economic self-reliance, environmental stewardship, and community well-being. The name refers to 20/20 vision… such as planning for the quality of life in our community in 2020.... as well as a variety of other individual meanings.
Santa Monica, CA: The Santa Monica Office of Sustainability and the Environment has a comprehensive web site. We were particularly interested in the Santa Monica Sustainable City Plan, which included a comprehensive set of goals as well as indicators to measure achievement of those goals (to download the plan, click on the text above). Although Santa Monica is a large city and has staff to develop and oversee this work, their goal/indicator matrix is a helpful model.
Sarasota County, Florida: Extensive online resources and projects in the public and private sectors.
Stevens Point, Wisconsin: Stevens Point, WI is one of 17 eco-municipalities in Wisconsin. Based on the Natural Step framework, the Stevens Point Eco-Municipality Task Force wrote an impressive report called: "A Path to a Sustainable Stevens Point." Their vision includes 6 primary goals, each with specific objects associated with those goals as well as specific actions linked to each objective. Like Santa Monica's plan, this provides a different example of how to organize around achieving measurable sustainability goals.
See Also: Madison, WI; Albany, CA; Dubuque, Iowa;
American Institute of Architects: AIA selects 6 Communities for long-term sustainability project.
Other Communities - Europe
Freiburg, Germany: This is a downloadable 2008 Powerpoint about initiatives occuring in Freiburg, Germany. Of interest is the question of wind energy and the landscape. Frieburg has a population of over 200,000, but given its location, there are a number of parallels to Hanover and the Upper Valley. Here is a PDF file with additional information about Freiburg's approach.
