Lighten the Load - An Update and New Initiatives
Lighten the Load has found its feet. Born with the support of the Wild Gift program and made successful through the insightful guidance of a nation-wide network of advisors and mentors, Lighten the Load had a successful first year. In this year it provided a select group of affordable housing managers in the States of Massachusetts with the technical assistance and support necessary to retrofit their existing affordable housing projects to reduce their environmental footprint and operating costs. As with most building projects, results are not immediate, but all of the projects assisted through this program have begun to implement the recommendations that were made and I continue to work with them to implement these recommendations and track the benefits that result.
Given the need for these services and the program's success in its first year, New Ecology, Inc. (NEI), a non-profit organization in Cambridge MA that promotes sustainable development in low income communities, has signed on to support Lighten the Load into the future by bringing it into the fold of services offered. As a full-time staff person at at NEI, I will have the opportunity to continue to develop this program and expand its scope and reach.
Additionally, NEI is currently in the process of creating a building energy use database and online energy tracking tool that will enable homeowners and housing managers to more simply determine if their building or home is using more energy than it should be and take action to improve its performance. Stay tuned for developments...
I have also started to work with a friend who is a member of the Lutheran faith to look at the energy use of congregations that are part of the New England Synod of the Lutheran Church. Over a year ago, a pastor from Vermont passed a non-binding resolution that stated that all New England congregations should have an energy audit of their buildings. It was an expression of the belief that faith-based organizations have a strong moral responsibility to protect the environment and the vulnerable populations that will be the first to feel the negative effects of global climate change. Unfortunately, a year since the resolution was passed, only 2 of the 190 congregations in New England have had an audit. We are currently in the process of investigating resources available to faith-based institutions to support this type of work and in the beginning phase of developing a program that would make it easier and less expensive for congregations to take the first steps towards reducing their carbon footprint. We have come across the national network of the Interfaith Power & Light organization, but not much else. Anyone out there with experience in this venue? Any and all information that could help make this happen is much appreciated!
Given the need for these services and the program's success in its first year, New Ecology, Inc. (NEI), a non-profit organization in Cambridge MA that promotes sustainable development in low income communities, has signed on to support Lighten the Load into the future by bringing it into the fold of services offered. As a full-time staff person at at NEI, I will have the opportunity to continue to develop this program and expand its scope and reach.
Additionally, NEI is currently in the process of creating a building energy use database and online energy tracking tool that will enable homeowners and housing managers to more simply determine if their building or home is using more energy than it should be and take action to improve its performance. Stay tuned for developments...
I have also started to work with a friend who is a member of the Lutheran faith to look at the energy use of congregations that are part of the New England Synod of the Lutheran Church. Over a year ago, a pastor from Vermont passed a non-binding resolution that stated that all New England congregations should have an energy audit of their buildings. It was an expression of the belief that faith-based organizations have a strong moral responsibility to protect the environment and the vulnerable populations that will be the first to feel the negative effects of global climate change. Unfortunately, a year since the resolution was passed, only 2 of the 190 congregations in New England have had an audit. We are currently in the process of investigating resources available to faith-based institutions to support this type of work and in the beginning phase of developing a program that would make it easier and less expensive for congregations to take the first steps towards reducing their carbon footprint. We have come across the national network of the Interfaith Power & Light organization, but not much else. Anyone out there with experience in this venue? Any and all information that could help make this happen is much appreciated!
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