[act-ma] Energy (and Other) Events

George Mokray gmoke at world.std.com
Sun Aug 19 11:41:48 PDT 2012


Energy (and Other) Events is a weekly mailing list published most  
Sundays covering events around the Cambridge, MA and greater Boston  
area that catch the editor's eye.

Hubevents  http://hubevents.blogspot.com is the web version.

If you wish to subscribe or unsubscribe to Energy (and Other) Events  
email gmoke at world.std.com

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Convivial City  http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/17/1121434/-Convivial-City

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Monday, August 20
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Identifying Architectural Modularity in the Smart Grid

Monday, August 20, 2012

12:00p–1:00p

Webinar, register at http://v.gd/sdm_rogers

Speaker: Brad Rogers, MIT LGO '09; Managing Consultant at Navigant

One significant challenge facing a broader deployment of modern grid  
technologies is integrating with legacy systems while driving toward  
elegant, interoperable solutions in future grid integration efforts.  
This challenge is compounded by the de facto approach of customizing  
point-to-point integration solutions, resulting in an "accidental  
architecture" of the existing grid.

The Design Structure Matrix methodology is applied to two publically  
available architecture models to demonstrate how this approach can  
help define smart grid architectures and to help identify  
architectural groupings that can lead to better modularization of  
smart grid systems and standardization efforts. The analysis concludes  
that initial smart grid architectural efforts can be improved upon by  
identifying areas of modularity and organizing around them.

Web site:  http://v.gd/sdm_rogers
Open to: the general public
Sponsor(s): SDM activities - sponsored by GSC

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Intelligence and Neurons: can we begin to build a bridge?
Monday, August 20, 2012
2:00p–5:00p
MIT, Building 46-5165, McGovern Institute 5th Floor Reading Room,  43  
Vassar Street, Cambridge
MIT I^2 presents a mini-workshop "Intelligence and Neurons: can we  
begin to build a bridge?"

We plan to discuss whether it is feasible and useful to work on (low- 
level) neural correlates of high-level intelligent abilities, such as  
social intelligence, language, theory of mind. A panel with optimistic  
and pessimistic views will argue about what can be achieved in the  
next 5-10 years and *how*.

We hope to get interesting ideas and perspective from the audience.

Panel:
Matthew Wilson, BCS Dept., MIT
Gabriel Kreiman, Harvard U., Children's Medical Boston
Nancy Kanwisher, BCS Dept., MIT
Joshua Tenenbaum, BCS Dept., CSAIL, MIT

Moderator: Tomaso Poggio, BCS Dept., MIBR, CSAIL, MIT

Alternate location 45-3189 (in case of overwhelming attendance)
Web site: http://isquared.mit.edu/
Open to: the general public
Cost: Free - Open to public
Sponsor(s): MIT Intelligence Initiative, McGovern Institute for Brain  
Research, Brain and Cognitive Sciences
For more information, contact:  Kathleen D. Sullivan
kdsulliv at mit.edu


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Tuesday, August 21
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GreenPort Forum:  NEIGHBORHOOd SOLAR PANEL TOUR IN CAMBRIDGEPORT
Please join us for a local house tour of both solar thermal and  
photovoltaic panels.  Learn about pros and cons of different  
approaches, installation issues and procedures, and paybacks.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 21, 2012
(Rain or Shine)

Tour Locations and Approximate Times:
6:30 -- 26 Glenwood Avenue
7:00 -- 116 Henry Street
7:30 -- 21 Acorn Street
8:00 -- 15-17 Whitney Avenue

GreenPort envisions and encourages a just and sustainable  
Cambridgeport neighborhood

For more information, contact Steve Wineman at swineman at gis.net

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Boston New Technology Meetup
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
6:30 PM
Brightcove Office, 4th Floor, 290 Congress St, Boston
RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/Boston_New_Technology/events/74979712/

Come learn about 7 innovative and exciting technology products and  
network with the Boston/Cambridge startup community! Each presenter  
gets 5 minutes for product demonstration and 5 minutes for Q&A. Please  
follow @BostonNewTech and use the #BNT20 hashtag in social media  
posts: details here.

Products & Presenters:
1. Trendslide / @Trendslide - Personalized business intelligence when  
and where you need it! (Jeffrey Vocell / @JVocell)
2. SociableNow / @SociableNow - URL's let people contact you directly  
via voice and capture analytics! (James Jones / @outcast)
3. Handybook / @HandybookHQ - Lets you schedule household services  
like cleaners and handymen in 2 minutes! (Oisin Hanrahan /  
@OisinHanrahan)
4. Mapocosm / Map Explorer - Mobile app with innovative features for  
exploring and sharing custom maps! (David Asher / @AsherDavid)
5. ShopDAQ - Comparison shopping browser extension finds the best  
prices while you shop online! (Lenny Grover / @LennyGrover)
6. PowerInbox / @PowerInbox - Makes email interactive! Purchase items,  
play games and more within an email! (Dileep Thazhmon)
7. ADC2 Technologies - Superior video compression/decompression  
technology! (Dr. Angel DeCegama)

Agenda:
6:00 - Setup time for presenters
6:30 to 7:30 - Networking hour (we're still seeking a sponsor for  
dinner)
7:30 - Presentations, Q&A
9:00 - (Optional) Gather at a nearby bar for drinks and more networking

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"Do It Yourself Medical Technology."
Tuesday, August 21
7p.
Tavern in the Square, Porter Square, Cambridge

Jose Gomez-Marquez, Little Devices Group  http://littledevices.org/
Science by the Pint  https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/science-by-the-pint/

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Data Visualization MeetUp - Gabriel Florit: Instant Feedback
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
7:00 PM
Bocoup Loft, 355 Congress St., Boston
RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/bostondatavis/events/76659832/

Description:
Most creative processes exhibit instant feedback. A painter's brush  
stroke immediately colors the canvas. A guitarist's fingerpicking  
immediately creates sound. An opera singer's vocal chords immediately  
fill the room with her voice. Coding, also a creative process, often  
lacks this immediate feedback, replacing it instead with the familiar  
write-compile-load cycle. In this talk, Gabriel Florit will present  
various browser-based tools that try to add instant feedback to the  
creation of web graphics. Examples presented will be written in html/ 
css/javascript/d3.

Thank you PayPal Data Science for Sponsoring this meetup! Pizza & Beer  
will be available.

About Gabriel:
Gabriel Florit makes data visualizations for the Boston Globe.  
Previously, he wrote software to keep track of trains, fell 200 feet  
off a mountain and got lost in Alaska for two years.

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Green tech Entrepreneur Forum & Brainstorming.
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
7:00 PM To 10:00 PM
Eastern Bank, 647 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge
RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/Boston-Clean-Tech-and-Energy/events/73500372/

The Agenda is:
We will introduce ourselves and tell about our interest, expertise or  
work (1st hr)
You can give a ~3 to 5 minute elevator speach about your startup if  
you would like. (We will divide the 1st hour by # of people.)
What stage is your ideas or startup?  What is your goal?
Tell what personnel or additional expertise, funding, etc. you are  
seeking,
Discussion and Brainstorming on (2nd hr)
ideas for viable moneymaking startups,
methods of collaboration, networking, forming teams & partnerships etc.
marketing, media, social media, ideas that have worked well for  
publicity
Agencies, websites, companies that assist startups
Boston Greenfest & Gov't opportunities.
What would ou like to see in future meetups?

This bank is near the center of Central Sq., where Prospect and Mass  
Ave cross, - there is a Starbucks on the Northeast corner of the  
intersection.  Next to Starbucks is a Flower shop, and next to that is  
Eastern Bank.  You can see the conference room thru the window, so  
just wave to us and we will let you in.

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Wednesday, August 22
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Biz2Bands: A Music and Innovation Showcase
Wed, 08/22/2012
7:00pm - Thu, 08/23/2012 - 12:00am
Storyville 90 Exeter Street Boston, MA 02116
RSVP at http://biz2bands.eventbrite.com/
Biz2Bands is a unique hybrid event that showcases the enterprising  
spirit of the local music community and blends it with the  
entrepreneurial minds behind great start-up companies. It all comes  
together in a hip, sexy, comfortable environment that fosters  
creativity and positive interaction: a concert, a networking event,  
and a creative business showcase all rolled into one.

The event will start at 7PM with the start-up showcase and open  
networking. Music will start at 8PM.

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Midsummer Night's Feast: Potluck for Urban Gardening Enthusiasts
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
6:30 PM To 8:30 PM
Somewhere in Cambridge
RSVP at http://www.meetup.com/Urban-Homesteaders-League/events/76883702/
	
Join us on Wednesday, August 22nd for a summer potluck feast!
Our goal is to unite food, farming, and gardening enthusiasts under  
one roof to build community and share tips on urban gardening and  
homesteading ideas.
This will mark the Northeast Organic Farming Association’s third  
potluck in the Metro Boston area.
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Thursday, August 21

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*A Service Rooted in the Sikh Tradition*  A Demonstration of  
Solidarity and Support

Thursday August 23

6:00 pm
Trinity Church, 206 Clarendon St Boston
Guru Ka Langar* meal to follow

Offered by the Gurdwara Sahib in Milford, Guru Ram Das Ashram and  
Gurdwara in Millis, Gurudwara Guru Nanak Darbar in Medford, and the  
Sikh Sangat Society of Boston in Everett

Hosted by the Islamic Council of New England, the Jewish Community  
Relations
Council of Greater Boston and the Massachusetts Council of Churches

*The langar, an integral part of Sikh religious practice, demonstrates  
a commitment to sharing and equality, and is much more than just a meal.
Please join us in the Undercroft beneath the Sanctuary to continue our  
time together as all are fed a traditional vegetarian Indian meal by  
the local Sikh community.
In solidarity and support, join us to pray for those killed at Sikh  
temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin and peace among all people. Musicians  
from the four Sikh Gurdwaras in Massachusetts will share shabads   
(songs) from the Gurmat Sangeet (Sikh Sacred Music) Tradition. All are  
welcome to listen and learn about this religious community. Christian,  
Jewish and Muslim Leaders
will speak in support of religious liberty for all. All are invited to  
stay for the Guru Ka Langar (meal) to follow.

In solidarity with the Sikh community, you are invited to cover your  
head when entering the Sanctuary as you feel comfortable. If you would  
like to participate, scarves will be provided at the entrance to the  
Sanctuary. In several Eastern traditions, including Sikhism, it is  
customary to cover one's head while entering a holy space as a mark of  
respect.

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SOMERVILLE CONFERENCE ON THE CREATIVE ECONOMY

Thursday, August 23, 2012

7 to 9 pm
Artisan's Asylum, 10 Tyler Street, Somerville

Uncover What's Next for the Creative Economy
CreativeNEXT is a series of 21 state-wide events held bythe  
Massachusetts Creative Economy Council, an advisory Council to the  
Legislature and the Executive Office of Housing and Economic  
Development, and a variety of local partners. The MA Creative Economy  
Council is tasked to develop a statewide strategy for the enhancement,  
encouragement, and growth of the creative economy in Massachusetts.  
Working with the Creative Economy Industry Director this listening  
tour will help to guide the future priorities of the Council. The  
greater Boston event, co-hosted by the Artisan's Asylum and Union  
Square Main Streets, will take place on Thursday, August 23, 2012 from  
7 to 9 pm at the Artisan's Asylum, 10 Tyler Street, Somerville. Join  
colleagues in a discussion on furthering the visionary growth of your  
business and other creative industries across the state. Who should  
attend? Businesses, Organizations, and Individuals working in:  
Marketing: Advertising and marketing agencies and professionals  
Architecture: Architecture firms and architects Visual Arts + Craft:  
Museums, galleries, theatres and curators, artists, + artisans Design:  
Industrial, interior, graphic, web, fashion firms and designers Film +  
Media: Film, TV, animation, and radio businesses and talent Video  
Game: Companies, programmers, and individuals producing games Music +  
Performance: Venues, producers, and performers Publishing: Content  
creation, editors, writers and distributors What's on the agenda? You  
are! We want to hear from you, about you, as we explore future  
opportunities for like-minded businesses within the creative  
landscape. Through a round table discussion we hope to gain valuable  
insights concerning the growth and sustainability of your business  
within the state of Massachusetts.

For more information and to register your space: http://creativenextgreaterboston.eventbrite.com

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National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance
SUSTAINABLE VISION VENTURE LAB
8/23/2012 - 8/27/2012
9:00 am - 8:00 pm
Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA  
02142

Audience: Faculty and students from New England and throughout the  
country working to commercialize ventures for the developing world
Description: Sustainable Vision VentureLab is an intensive, five-day,  
highly experiential and immersive workshop designed to enhance the  
success of base of the pyramid ventures. Students from Boston  
University, Northeastern, MIT (including Legatum fellows) Harvard and  
Tufts will meet and work with students from other programs around the  
country to develop strong, sustainable business models that create  
products or services for the benefit of people living in poverty.

$100 per team
Register at https://secure.nciia.org/WebObjects/NciiaApplyForGrants.woa/wa/EV/instantRegistration?i=1000319

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Saturday, August 25
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Fruit Trees: New Orchard Maintenance

Saturday, August 25

10:00 - 11:30 a.m.

Nightingale Community Garden, 512 Park Street, Dorchester

So you have planted some new fruit trees. What do you do now to ensure  
fruitful trees for future seasons? This informative program will  
illustrate the training, pest control, pruning, soil building and  
fertilization techniques required to grow healthy trees and delicious  
fruit.  Co-sponsored by Boston Tree Party.

Program is FREE but registration is required by calling 617-542-7696  
or info at bostonnatural.org

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Save the Silver Maple Forest nature hike
Saturday, August 25
4pm
meet at Alewife Station on the Red Line (passenger pick-up area),  
Cambridge

The Silver Maple Forest, an urban forest adjacent to Alewife  
Reservation in Cambridge, is slated to be cut down to make way for  
housing development.

This walk will introduce people to the Reservation and Silver Maple  
Forest so they can understand the importance of this urban wilderness  
and join activists and concerned citizens working to preserve it.

In this walk we will learn to identify some of the wild plant foods  
and medicines found here.

Leading the walk is Jules Kobek, co-founder of DIO (Do-It-Ourselves)  
Skillshare and knowledgeable forager.
call 617-492-2340 for more info about walk

Heavy rain cancels (call if not sure)
Be prepared for rough ground and possibly mud, mosquitos, and ticks (I  
strongly recommend wearing long pants tucked into socks and long  
sleeves)

for more info about the Silver Maple Forest, check-out these websites:
Coalition to Preserve the Belmont Uplands: http://www.belmontcoalition.org
Friends of Alewife Reservation: http://friendsofalewifereservation.org/homepage.htm

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Tuesday, August 28
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Micro-Finance OPEN HOUSE - Volunteering Opportunity with Social  
Enterprise
Tuesday, August 28
6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EST)
Stata Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 32 Vassar Street,  
Cambridge

MONTHLY OPEN HOUSE
Philanthropist.org invites you to join us for our Monthly open house  
to learn about how to get involved with our new micro-finance and  
micro-philanthropy startup venture. We are currently looking to add  
members to our team.  This is a great opportunity to get in on the  
ground floor of a promising new social enterprise.  Please BRING YOUR  
RESUME!  Also submit your resume and desired role in advance via:  http://philanthropist.org/volunteer 
    The ideal candidates are energetic problem-solvers, networkers,  
big-picture thinkers, and experts at execution.
Current opportunities allow qualified candidates to demonstrate deep  
involvement without the risk.  At the moment, we only need ONE NIGHT  
PER WEEK of your time as we lock down our strategy, develop processes,  
and perform the basic "blocking and tackling" required to get a  
venture off the ground.  The team currently meets weekly on Tuesday  
nights from 6-10pm.
Open House Agenda:
6:00-6:30 Networking/Introductions
6:30-7:00 Video Presentation
7:00-7:30 Group Interviews
7:30-8:00+ One-on-One Interviews
There is no Cost to attend, but please be on time as we cannot accept  
late arrivals.

Learn more:
give at philanthropist.org
http://www.youtube.com/user/philanthropistorg
http://www.facebook.com/philanthropist.org
For those looking for entrepreneurial adventure, consider joining us  
on our next inspiring Micro-Finance Profiling Field Trip in January.   
View Pictures from the last trip in September:
http://picasaweb.google.com/philanthropist.org/MicroFinanceFieldStudyDominicanRepublic
***Did you know?  In the Dominican Republic (alone) the Market for  
Micro-Finance Loans is over $28 Million?  The Average Loan is $361 USD  
with over 50,000 clients having small loans.  Over 70% are women, and  
payback rates exceed 97% (better than traditional banking).  Please  
see the few examples on Youtube, and research Micro-Finance prior to  
Arrival so you are fluent in terminology:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro-finance

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Minute to Pitch it
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
6:00 PM to 9:00 PM (EDT)
1 Marina Park Drive Boston

Minute to Pitch It
Join MassChallenge for an evening of speed pitching!
Be wow'd by pitches from the teams working to change the world.  
Finalists have one minute to pitch their companies to a crowd of  
supporters and startup enthusiasts!

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Suggestions?
events at masschallenge.org

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Upcoming
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Tour of International Markets
Sat, September 1st
2pm-3:30pm
Union Square, Somerville
As part of our ArtsUnion project, the Somerville Arts Council gives  
tours of Union Square international food markets. Join us and learn  
where to find ingredients like Nepalese timur (a fragrant spice used  
in pickles), squid ink pasta and Haitian akasan (a cornmeal drink).  
Beyond discovering the culinary exotica available in Union Square,  
we’ll learn about the history of these stores and how their clientele  
represents the cultural community of Somerville. Each tour visits  
three markets and we’ll point out others along the way. Featured  
markets include: Casa de Carne, Well Foods Plus Halal Market, La  
Internacional, Little India, New Bombay Market, Pao de Acucar &  
Brazilian Buffet and the Reliable Market. Without leaving Union  
Square, we’ll visit Brazil, Korea, India, Nepal, Guatemala and Haiti!  
Dates:  Sat, September 1st, 2pm-3:30pm Thur, September 13th,  
6pm-7:30pm Cost: free How to sign up: send an email toartsuniontour at gmail.com

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The Circus of the Possibilitarians
Sunday, September 2nd
3 pm
Cambridge Common, Cambridge

kicks off Harvard Square’s annual “Revival Month”

Bread & Puppet Theater: The Circus of the Possibilitarians . Held  
outdoors on Sunday, September 2nd at 3 pm on the Cambridge Common,  
near the intersection of Mass. Ave. and Garden St., Cambridge. Free  
performance [pass-the-hat donations welcome], rain or shine. For  
further details, call the Boston-area Bread & Puppet Theater  
information line 617-286-6694 or log onto http://www.breadandpuppet.org.

Soon to begin celebrating its 50th anniversary, the award-winning  
Bread & Puppet Theater, from Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, presents  
their The Circus of the Possibilitarians on the Cambridge Common, a  
public space they used to frequent prior to the mid-1980’s. Last year  
the theater finally returned to help launch Harvard Square’s inaugural  
“Revival Month.” And now a return engagement is in order.

The Circus of the Possibilitarians is a satirical horse and butterfly  
circus, addressing pertinent national and international issues in a  
clownish fashion, features rotten ideas, a wild dancing horse, a  
saxophone ballet, a solemn salute to the world's casualties and much  
more! Not to mention The Dire Circumstance Jubilation Ensemble  
providing a little bit of brass and a lot of noise. Please take note  
that if some of the circus acts are politically puzzling to adults,  
accompanying children can usually explain them. The audience is  
welcome to examine all the masks and puppets after the performance,  
and Cheap Art will be for sale. Examples of Bread & Puppet’s work can  
be found at http://www.breadandpuppet.org.

Bread & Puppet’s outdoor Circus on the Common is serving as the kick  
off to what is now Harvard Square’s annual “Revival Month,” an entire  
month of “reincarnations” which will spill over into early October  
with the return of the HONK! Parade: Reclaim the Streets for Horns,  
Bikes, and Feet Parade on Oct. 7th, a Bread & Puppet-inspired  
procession on Massachusetts Avenue leading into Harvard Square’s  
Oktoberfest. For complete information on Harvard Square’s “Revival  
Month” visit http://www.harvardsquare.com. For more information on  
HONK! and the parade that runs from Davis Square to Harvard Square,  
log onto www.honkfest.org.

Special thanks to the Cambridge Arts Council and the Harvard Square  
Business Association for helping make this event possible; funded in  
part by the Cambridge Arts Council.

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American Red Cross Workplace Safety Seminar
9/5/2012
8:00 am - 9:00 am
Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA  
02142

Description: The American Red Cross, the largest non-profit  
organization in the world and world leader in emergency response, is  
offering a Workplace Safety Seminar to business leaders in  
Massachusetts to assist in identifying gaps in safety protocols and  
save lives by having procedures in place for any anticipated emergency.
Key speakers and panel guests include:
American Red Cross Preparedness Health and Safety Services, offering  
the latest resources from the Red Cross to help your company identify  
gaps in safety procedures to be proactive in emergency preparedness;
OSHA, outlining safety requirements in various workplace environments;
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, presenting the plan that  
keeps their employees safe and why they feel it is so important to be  
a model of safety in the community; and
Cardiac Science, demonstrating the ease of operation of a state of the  
art fully automatic AED.

This event will be a benefit to your business, offering you an  
opportunity to find out not just what is required of you according to  
state and federal mandate, but the gaps in your preparedness plans  
that can help to protect and save the lives of your staff to keep your  
business running smoothing when an emergency strikes.
Audience: COOs, Property and Office Managers, Safety and Emergency  
Preparedness Directors and other business managers from Boston and  
across Massachusetts.
Twitter: #redcross
Contact:  tara.craft at redcross.org

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FUTURE ENERGY - INVESTOR FEEDBACK FORUM
9/10/2012
6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Microsoft New England R&D Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA  
02142
	
Description: Future Energy is a brand new conference where you can see  
the most revolutionary energy technology of the future before it hits  
mainstream. At each Future Energy event, 8 startups present to a panel  
of energy and cleantech venture capital investors for feedback,  
advice, and networking. The audience votes on the best presenters who  
win prizes and media attention to help launch their business.

Applications to pitch can be submitted at http://ultralightstartups.com/future-energy/application-form/
The platinum sponsor for this event is the Shell International Game  
Changer program.
Audience: Entrepreneurs, Investors, Media, all are welcome
Twitter: @crisdeluca
Register at http://futureenergyboston.eventbrite.com/
Editorial Comment:  Early bird tickets are $10 and general admission  
is $20.  Not free but still relatively inexpensive access.

----------------------------

Tour of International Markets
Thur, September 13th
6pm-7:30pm
Union Square, Somerville

As part of our ArtsUnion project, the Somerville Arts Council gives  
tours of Union Square international food markets. Join us and learn  
where to find ingredients like Nepalese timur (a fragrant spice used  
in pickles), squid ink pasta and Haitian akasan (a cornmeal drink).  
Beyond discovering the culinary exotica available in Union Square,  
we’ll learn about the history of these stores and how their clientele  
represents the cultural community of Somerville. Each tour visits  
three markets and we’ll point out others along the way. Featured  
markets include: Casa de Carne, Well Foods Plus Halal Market, La  
Internacional, Little India, New Bombay Market, Pao de Acucar &  
Brazilian Buffet and the Reliable Market. Without leaving Union  
Square, we’ll visit Brazil, Korea, India, Nepal, Guatemala and Haiti!  
Dates: Thur, September 13th, 6pm-7:30pm Cost: free How to sign up:  
send an email to artsuniontour at gmail.com

----------------------------

New England Electricity Restructuring Roundtable

Friday, September 21, 2012
9:00am - 12:30pm
Foley Hoag LLP, 155 Seaport Boulevard, 13th Floor, Boston
Better Aligning Capacity Markets with Policy/Planning Objectives

Perhaps no development in the history of electricity markets in New  
England and throughout the US has been more controversial than the  
emergence of capacity markets. With New England contemplating numerous  
changes to its capacity market design (partially in response to a FERC  
order, and partially due to the efforts of ISO and other stakeholders  
to better align capacity markets with planning and policy objectives),  
now is a perfect time for a dedicated Roundtable on capacity markets.

In our first panel we will explore evolving regional capacity markets  
in three ISOs: New England, New York, and PJM. To share both the  
lessons ISOs are learning and the improvements they are contemplating,  
we are very pleased to have joining us President and CEO of the New  
York ISO, Stephen Whitley; Vice President of Market Operations and  
Demand Response at PJM, Stu Bresler; and Vice President of Market  
Development at ISO New England, Robert Ethier. We have asked Johannes  
Pfeifenberger, Principal at the Brattle Group, who has worked with  
many ISOs in the U.S. and beyond, to lead off the panel with an  
overview of the role of capacity markets and an "apples-to-apples"  
comparison of the three ISOs' capacity market designs and performances  
to date.

For our second panel we have invited a cross-section of leading  
stakeholder group representatives to share their perspectives on how  
to better align capacity markets in New England to ensure resource  
adequacy, while also meeting other important regional policy/planning  
objectives. Our illustrious panel will include:

Chairman Thomas Welch, Maine Public Utilities Commission
Commissioner Elizabeth Miller, VT Deptartment of Public Service
Peter Fuller, Director of Regulatory Affairs, NRG Energy
James Daly, VP Energy Supply, Northeast Utilities

We have also asked Bob Ethier to join this 2nd panel for the Q & A and  
discussion among the panelists.

Contact Name:  Susan Rivo
susan at raabassociates.org

---------------------------------
SOCIAL INTEL: GAINING INSIGHTS FROM AN OPEN SOURCE KNOWLEDGE DISCOVERY  
PLATFORM
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
6:00 PM To 9:00 PM
Microsoft N.E.R.D. Center, One Memorial Drive, Cambridge
	
Because social media is essentially 'real-time' information, it  
provides an efficiency mechanism to reduce intelligence time to action  
if it can be harvested effectively. Fusing social media with  
traditional intelligence information provides additional context and  
connections of entities and events, which increases quality, relevance  
and predictability.
Learn how with IKANOW's open source platform, Infinit.e, your  
organization can gain valuable intelligence by fusing social media  
data with traditional enterprise data.
Presentation will be given by one of IKANOW's Intelligence Analysts  
and food and drinks will be provided by IKANOW.

Register at http://www.meetup.com/Open-Analytics-Boston/events/67990392/


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Opportunity

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*************
Where is the best yogurt on the planet made? Somerville, of course!

Join the Somerville Yogurt Making Cooperative and get a weekly quart  
of the most thick, creamy, rich and tart yogurt in the world.  
Membership in the coop costs $2.50 per quart. Members share the  
responsibility for making yogurt in our kitchen located just outside  
of Davis Sq. in FirstChurch.  No previous yogurt making experience is  
necessary.

For more information checkout.
https://sites.google.com/site/somervilleyogurtcoop/home

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Boiler Rebate
If your boiler is from 1983 or earlier, Mass Save will give a $1,750  
to $4,000 rebate to switch it out for a new efficient boiler that uses  
the same fuel (i.e. if you have oil, you have to continue to use oil)  
so long as it is installed by July 31, 2012.

Call Mass Save (866 527-7283) to sign up for a home energy assessment  
or sign-up online at  www.nextsteplivinginc.com/HEET  and HEET will  
receive a $10 contribution from Next Step Living for every completed  
assessment.

This is a great way to reduce climate change emissions for the next 20  
or so years the boiler lasts, while saving money.

------------------------

CEA Solar Hot Water Grants
Cambridge, through the Cambridge Energy Alliance initiative, is  
offering a limited number of grants to residents and businesses for  
solar hot water systems.  The grants will cover 50% of the remaining  
out of pocket costs of the system after other incentives, up to $2,000.

Applications will be accepted up to November 19, 2012 and are  
available on a first come, first serve basis until funding runs out.   
The Cambridge grant will complement other incentives including the  
Massachusetts Clean Energy Center solar thermal grants.  For more  
information, see
http://cambridgeenergyalliance.org/resources/additional-resources/solar-hot-water-grant-program

-----------------------

Cambridge Residents: Free Home Thermal Images

Have you ever wanted to learn where your home is leaking heat by  
having an energy auditor come to your home with a thermal camera?   
With that info you then know where to fix your home so it's more  
comfortable and less expensive to heat.  However, at $200 or so, the  
cost of such a thermal scan is a big chunk of change.

HEET Cambridge has now partnered with Sagewell, Inc. to offer  
Cambridge residents free thermal scans.

Sagewell collects the thermal images by driving through Cambridge in a  
hybrid vehicle equipped with thermal cameras.  They will scan every  
building in Cambridge (as long as it's not blocked by trees or  
buildings or on a private way).  Building owners can view thermal  
images of their property and an analysis online. The information is  
password protected so that only the building owner can see the results.

Homeowners, condo-owners and landlords can access the thermal images  
and an accompanying analysis free of charge. Commercial building  
owners and owners of more than one building will be able to view their  
images and analysis for a small fee.

The scans will be analyzed in the order they are requested.

Go to Sagewell.com.  Type in your address at the bottom where it says  
"Find your home or building" and press return.  Then click on "Here"  
to request the report.

That's it.  When the scans are done in a few weeks, your building will  
be one of the first to be analyzed. The accompanying report will help  
you understand why your living room has always been cold and what to  
do about it.

With knowledge, comes power (or in this case saved power and money,  
not to mention comfort).

---------------------

Free solar electricity analysis for MA residents
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dHhwM202dDYxdUZJVGFscnY1VGZ3aXc6MQ

-----------------------

HEET has partnered with NSTAR and Mass Save participating contractor  
Next Step Living to deliver no-cost Home Energy Assessments to  
Cambridge residents.

During the assessment, the energy specialist will:

Install efficient light bulbs (saving up to 7% of your electricity bill)
Install programmable thermostats (saving up to 10% of your heating bill)
Install water efficiency devices (saving up to 10% of your water bill)
Check the combustion safety of your heating and hot water equipment
Evaluate your home’s energy use to create an energy-efficiency roadmap
If you get electricity from NSTAR, National Grid or Western Mass  
Electric, you already pay for these assessments through a surcharge on  
your energy bills.  You might as well use the service.

Please sign up at http://nextsteplivinginc.com/heet/?outreach=HEET or  
call Next Step Living at 866-867-8729.  A Next Step Living  
Representative will call to schedule your assessment.

HEET will help answer any questions and ensure you get all the  
services and rebates possible.

(The information collected will only be used to help you get a Home  
Energy Assessment.  We won’t keep the data or sell it.)

(If you have any questions or problems, please feel free to call  
HEET’s Jason Taylor at 617 441 0614.)


*********
-----------

Resource

-----------
*********

Sustainable Business Network Local Green Guide

SBN is excited to announce the soft launch of its new Local Green  
Guide, Massachusetts' premier Green Business Directory!

To view the directory please visit: http://www.localgreenguide.org
To find out how how your business can be listed on the website or for  
sponsorship opportunities please contact Adritha at adritha at sbnboston.org

--------------------------------------------------

Massachusetts Attitudes About Climate Change – An opinion survey of  
Massachusetts residents conducted by MassINC and sponsored by the Barr  
Foundation found that 77% of respondents believe that global warming  
has “probably been happening” and 59% of all respondents see see it as  
being at least partially caused by human pollution.  Only 42% of the  
state’s residents say global warming will have very serious  
consequences for Massachusetts if left unaddressed. The 18 to 29 age  
group is more likely to believe global warming is appearing and caused  
by humans compared to the 60+ age group.  African-American (56%) and  
Latino residents (69%) are more likely than white residents (40%) to  
believe global warming will be a very serious problem if left  
unaddressed.  The MassINC report, titled The 80 Percent Challenge:   
What Massachusetts must do to meet targets and make headway on climate  
change (http://www.massinc.org/Research/The-80-percent- 
challenge.aspx), contains many other findings.

----------------------------------------------------

Free Monthly Energy Analysis

CarbonSalon is a free service that every month can automatically track  
your energy use and compare it to your past energy use (while  
controlling for how cold the weather is). You get a short friendly  
email that lets you know how you’re doing in your work to save energy.

https://www.carbonsalon.com/

---------------------------------------

Boston Food System

"The Boston Food System [listserv] provides a forum to post  
announcements of events, employment opportunities, internships,  
programs, lectures, and other activities as well as related articles  
or other publications of a non-commercial nature covering the area's  
food system - food, nutrition, farming, education, etc. - that take  
place or focus on or around Greater Boston (broadly delineated)."

The Boston area is one of the most active nationwide in terms of food  
system activities - projects, services, and events connected to food,  
farming, nutrition - and often connected to education, public health,  
environment, arts, social services and other arenas.   Hundreds of  
organizations and enterprises cover our area, but what is going on  
week-to-week is not always well publicized.

Hence, the new Boston Food System listserv, as the place to let  
everyone know about these activities.  Specifically:
Use of the BFS list will begin soon, once we get a decent base of  
subscribers.  Clarification of what is appropriate to announce and  
other posting guidelines will be provided as well.

It's easy to subscribe right now at https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/bfs

----------------------

Artisan Asylum  http://artisansasylum.com/

Sprout & Co:  Community Driven Investigations

Greater Boston Solidarity Economy Mapping Project  http://www.transformationcentral.org/solidarity/mapping/mapping.html
a project by Wellesley College students that invites participation,  
contact jmatthaei at wellesley.edu

------------------------

Bostonsmart.com's Guide to Boston  http://www.bostonsmarts.com/BostonGuide/

********************************************
-----------------------------------------------------

Links to events at 60 colleges and universities at Hubevents   http://hubevents.blogspot.com

Thanks to

Fred Hapgood's Selected Lectures on Science and Engineering in the  
Boston Area  http://www.BostonScienceLectures.com

Boston Area Computer User Groups  http://www.bugc.org/

Arts and Cultural Events List  http://aacel.blogspot.com/

http://www.massclimateaction.net/calendar/events/index.php

http://www.mitenergyclub.org/calendar/mit_events_template

http://www.environment.harvard.edu/events/calendar/

http://green.harvard.edu/events

http://microsoftcambridge.com/Events/tabid/57/Default.aspx

http://boston.nerdnite.com/

http://www.meetup.com/

http://www.eventbrite.com/

http://www.greenhornconnect.com/events/calendar

http://harddatafactory.com/mobileapp.shtml

http://bostoneventsinsider.com/boston_events/







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