Northwest ConnVERT

Agenda

Litchfield Energy Task Force

January 6, 2011

3:30 pm

Review of 2010

 

this old house of worship, hs fund raiser, presence at farmers market, post office, energy forum,

lights at intermediate school, no buzzing, lots of energy savings;  timers on sidewalk lights, turn off at midnight, will swap out to cfls,

 

 

 

 

Discussion of Goals for 2011

DEP and CCEF Grant for Intern

HES program for senior citizens

Preview films “End of Suburbia” and “Crude Awakening.”

Minutes

Litchfield Energy Task Force

September 9, 2010

Meeting start: 3:30 pm

Present: Lynn, Jack, Jerry, Tony Mitchell, Dean Absent: Dan, Brian, James, Sonya

 

Review minutes of last meeting. Minutes accepted with corrections/additions from Jerry and Lynn

Litchfield Energy Plan: Jack, Jerry, Dwight

·         No new business

·         Concern from group that the Vision statement prepared by Jerry and Jack and shared with the 1^st Selectman has not been reviewed/approved to date. Jack to follow up with Leo Paul.

 

Berkshire Challenge: Dean

·         The Challenge was not initiated with the start of the new school year as proposed. Communication regarding the initiative may have faltered. Dean to follow up with LHS Principal.

·         Tony Mitchell agreed to promote the Challenge with his Berkshire League contacts. Dean to send Tony program proposal (see below).

Website: Dan

·         Dan addressing recent problem with server.

·         Site needs info regarding:

1)      $ savings realized by the town with the energy supplier switch

2)      info regarding improved lighting at LMS

3)      how $ savings could be used to promote renewable energy

4)      promotion of the electronics recycling at LHS on 10/23 from 9:00 – 1:00 pm

·         Jerry agreed to provide information to Dan for site and to prepare an article for the newspaper. Lynn will send Jerry “press release” format document.

Tabling at the PO in Sept and Oct.

·         Dean to prepare “Litchfield Energy Task Force” laminated banner to be available for the PO information table to be set up 9/19 from 9:00 – 12:00

·         Jack will speak with the postmaster and with the Preservation trust who owns the building as a courtesy.

·         Lynn to recruit members to work the table

 

 Energy Expo: Lynn, Dean, James

·         Sustainable Living Expo scheduled for 11/6/10 from 1:00-5:00 at LHS. Dean booked facilities.

·         Proposed name change: “Our Energy Future” Expo/Panel Discussion

·         Dean confirmed that Cindy Orefice from LHS was interested in having her students prepare and serve soup and other dishes made from local produce

·         Promote the LHS event at the 9/18 event in Winsted with flyer/poster with emphasis on differences in the programs

·         Contact proposed key note speakers:

1)      Amey Marrella, DEP Commissioner (Jack)

2)      Lynn Stoddered, DEP (Lynn)

·         Contact proposed panel members (Lynn)

1)      Roger Lydell, Energy Analyst

2)      CT Representatives from both the Energy and Environmental Committees

·         Contact proposed workshop presenters

1)      Nancy Hazard from Greenfield, MA (Dean)

2)      Mathew Forest from Wethersfield, CT (Dean)

3)      LHS Greener Impact regarding composting (Dean)

4)      LETF (LETF)

5)      Envirothon (maybe poster or other presence) (Dean)

6)      Winsted presenters through Jean (Lynn)

Global Action Day 10-10-10

·         Group agreed that we have insufficient time to prepare an organized effort and agreed to “talk it up” and observe the 10-10-10 Action Day.

Meeting Minutes

·         Secretary (Sonya) will send minutes out via email in a timely manner and the minutes will be posted on the web site by Dan 7 days later. This will allow time for members to suggest corrections.

·         Meeting agendas to be posted on web site (Lynn & Dan)

Next Meeting: 10/13/10 3:30-5:00 pm Public Works Office

Meeting adjourned 5:05 pm

Each of the eleven Berkshire League High Schools

 

With almost seven billion people living together on Earth, we have to do a much better job of managing the planet's limited resources. Many students understand this clearly and yearn for a venue to contribute toward positive change. All schools are under pressure to tighten budgets and improve efficiency. This is an opportunity for school districts to help reduce their environmental footprint, involve their student body, and save money at the same time.

 

Principals will document total campus wide energy usage for September 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010. This will serve as a bench mark. Participating schools will introduce the Energy Challenge to their respective campuses and encourage students and faculty to identify and implement energy saving strategies and practices. Principals will document total campus wide energy usage for September 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011. The school with the greatest percentage reduction in energy consumption is crowned BL Champion, awarded a trophy and a grant to be invested in future energy savings.

 

Energy usage will include total kWh, gallons of oil, and lbs of propane or cubic feet of natural gas. All energy data will be converted to equivalent Btu’s for comparison. Energy usage and percent reduction will be calculated in Btu/ft² of building space for the high school campus.

 

All data will be certified by school principals and calculations will be certified by the Litchfield Energy Task Force. Other town energy groups are welcome to participate.

 

Benchmark data (September 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010) submitted before September 1, 2010.

Competition data (September 1, 2010 through April 30, 2011) submitted before June 1, 2011.

Berkshire League Energy Championship trophy awarded within the first two weeks in June, 2011.

 

The Challenge can be modified to include additional categories.

·       alternative energy initiatives

·       solid waste reduction

·       water usage

 

The Challenge can be expanded to include other schools or entire school districts.

 

 

 

Participating School Principals please complete the following form and send it to:

 

Dean Birdsall

c/o Litchfield Energy Task Force

55 High Bridge Rd

Bantam, CT 06750

 

Email: dabirdsall@optonline.net

 

 

Name of school: ________________________

 

Total size of heated school campus buildings (ft²): ___________________

 

Electricity usage September 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010 (kWh): ________________

 

Heating oil usage September 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010 (gal): ________________

 

Propane usage September 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010 (lbs): ________________

 

Natural gas usage September 1, 2009 through April 30, 2010 (ft³): ________________