Author: Donna Ardizzoni

The third annual Sustainability Fair organized by TownGreen2025, a program of the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation, will be held on Saturday, September 29 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the O’Maley Innovation Middle School on Cherry Street in Gloucester.

 With something for every member of the family, the TownGreen2025 Sustainability Fair offers up-to-date information on saving energy and money through more energy efficient homes and businesses. Visitors will learn about new solar techniques and installation and clean energy delivery models. See the latest electric and hybrid cars, go for a test drive, and learn about discounts and subsidies.

Programming for the day includes:
– 11:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon Keynote speaker Nathaniel Stinnett, CEO of The Environmental Voting Project in Boston offers ways to make better and more informed choices and how to make a difference for the environment by voting, particularly in this critical year of mid-term elections.
– 12:00 noon – 1:00 p.m. Program Panel on Carbon Pricing – the transformation to a new and needed clean energy economy. Carbon pricing uses a fee on emitters of carbon dioxide (utilities, oil companies, gasoline and heating oil companies) to make it more expensive to pollute. All or most of the income from the tax is returned to individuals, families, and companies, to offset the added costs to the public. Representative Ann-Margaret Ferrante and Senator Bruce Tarr both supported the carbon pricing bill that passed the legislature this year but was pulled from the Omnibus Energy bill in the final conference committee as a result of pressure from the utilities.
– Reforest the Tropics – an innovative plan to offset the entire carbon footprint of Cape Ann schools through reforestation.
– Teachers and students from Rockport and Gloucester share their work on climate change.
– Enjoy healthy food and snacks.
– And more!

 Dick Prouty, lead organizer of the TownGreen2025 Sustainability Fair and a member of the Board of Directors of the Gloucester Meetinghouse Foundation, describes the program’s mission to create a carbon footprint for Gloucester and Cape Ann that is zero or as low as possible. “The climate change that is already affecting our lives and communities is mostly caused by the burning of fossil fuels which releases carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere and results in global warming and all its related effects,” stated Prouty.” “The amount of carbon dioxide that each community adds to the air is known as its carbon footprint,” he continued. “We believe that Cape Ann can become a model for how one region can achieve much cleaner energy and a more sustainable existence in a decade.” Prouty anticipates that the benefits of this work will be reduced and stabilized energy costs, increased local clean energy related jobs, and an attractive climate for business and innovation.