2016 Press

PRESS RELEASE
March 24, 2016

CONTACT
Jen Boudrie
508-481-0569
jenboudrie@gmail.com

Event: The 6th Massachusetts Sustainable Communities Conference and the 5th Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses Conference connects stakeholders from government, grassroots, education, and business to promote best practices.  The event will be April 15 at Hampshire College and April 16 in Northampton, MA. Details are available at www.MaSustainableCommunities.com.

Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses and Communities
April 15, Hampshire College
April 16, Northampton, MA

Amherst and Northampton, MA – Massachusetts continues to advance sustainability at every level. From grassroots to government, colleges to companies, future-minded individuals and groups not only implement, they initiate, and innovate.  And, most importantly, they share ideas and resources.

Campuses and communities will be sharing best practices when local and state leaders come together at the fifth Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses Conference and sixth Massachusetts Sustainable Communities Conference on Friday and Saturday, April 15-16.

“This conference brings together people from rural, suburban, and urban communities, and from small and large campuses across the state,” says conference director Jen Boudrie. “This year our theme, Sustainability on Campus and Main Street, shines a light on two exemplary models – Northampton, a STAR community, and Hampshire College, one of the greenest colleges in the world, and dozens of other communities and campuses across The Commonwealth.”

Keynote speakers on April 15 will include:  Steven Strong, President of Solar Design Associates and Jonathan Lash, President of Hampshire College.  On April 16 the keynote speakers include: David Narkewicz, Mayor of Northampton; Richard Alcombright, Mayor of North Adams; Thomas Hutcheson, Town Administrator of Conway; and Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning and Sustainability, Northampton.

Sustainability solutions are expanding statewide. Twenty-eight workshops will be led by recognized experts: Judith Judson, Commissioner, MA Department of Energy Resources; Ken Kimmell, President, Union of Concerned Scientists; Bradley Campbell, President, Conservation Law Foundation; Sarah Hammond Creighton, Sustainability Director, Endicott College; Winton Pitcoff, Director, Massachusetts Food System Collaborative; Sarah Hastings, tiny home builder and advocate; Audrey Schulman, President, Home Energy Efficiency Team; Winton Pitcoff, Director, Massachusetts Food System Collaborative; Chris Kane, Zero Waste PLAN; Morgan Drewniany, Director, Springfield Central Cultural District;  William Martin, Mayor of Greenfield; Marjorie McGinnis, Town Administrator of Leverett; and Alex Morse, Mayor of Holyoke, to name a few.

Eight walking tours highlighting sustainability will be led by experts including: Chris Mason, Sustainability Officer, Northampton; Nancy Hanson, Vegetable Grower and CSA Manager, Hampshire College; Dano Weisbord, Sustainability Director, Smith College.

“This conference is an opportunity to engage in conversation with your colleagues, friends, and neighbors. The panels and presentations will highlight visionary projects and people and will remind us that we all need to be heroic in our efforts to heal the planet,” said Susan Jennings, former presenter from UMass Dartmouth.

Conference sponsors include Solar Design Associates, Sierra Club Massachusetts, and Going Green.

Conference director, Jen Boudrie, an instructional designer and sustainable development advocate, creates conferences with the support of an advisory group and on-site conference team comprised of professionals from government, business, education and communities.

“Each year we see more success stories to learn from all over Massachusetts,” Boudrie says. “Every community and campus in the state is doing something.  With the help of its new solar facility, North Adams now generates more solar power than the entire state of Massachusetts did ten years ago.   Bike routes, local food options, and sustainable choices are increasingly common on campuses and in communities.”

Speakers this year represent cities and towns across Massachusetts:  Amherst, Conway, Greenfield, Holyoke, Leverett, Northampton, North Adams, and Springfield.

Campuses include:  Amherst College, Boston University, Clark University, Conway School of Landscape Planning and Design, Endicott College, Green Mountain College, Greenfield Community College, Hampshire College, Harvard University Extension, Middlebury College, Northeastern University, Smith College, UMass Amherst, and UMass Boston.

Organizations & Local Small Businesses represented are:  BioCitizen, Climate Action Now, Community Resilience & Transition, Co-op Power, Conservation Law Foundation, Energia, Enerscore, Franklin County Co-op, Greater Northampton Chamber of Commerce, Hilltown Families, Home Energy Efficiency Team, Mass Divest, Mass Food System Collaborative, Mass Green Network, Northeast Greenway Solutions, Pedal People, Quiet Communities, Rhizhome, Silent Spring Institute, Tranformations-Inc., Union of Concerned Scientists, Valley Venture Mentors, and Winter Moon Organics.

Exhibitors include:  Antioch University, Campus Wall, The Conway School, Green Mountain College, Greenfield Community College, Kestrel Land Trust, Mass Solar, Natur-Bag, PV Squared, Sirius Community, Solar Design Associates, Student Conservation Association, Transformations-Inc, and others.

Full details about the conference can be found at www.MaSustainableCommunities.com

CONTACT
Jen Boudrie
508-481-0569
jenboudrie@gmail.com.

FAQs
WHAT & WHEN
The fifth Massachusetts Sustainable Campuses Conference, April 15, 2016
The sixth Massachusetts Sustainable Communities Conference, April 16, 2016

WHO & WHY
Stakeholders from local and state government, grassroots, business and education gather to share best practices and resources for sustainability

WHERE
Hampshire College, Amherst, April 15, 2016
Northampton, April 16, 2016

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Steven Strong, President, Solar Design Associates
Wayne Feiden, Director of Planning and Sustainability, Northampton
David Narkewicz, Mayor, Northampton
Richard Alcombright, Mayor, North Adams
Thomas Hutcheson, Town Administrator, Conway

SPEAKERS
75 Government, grassroots, business, and education experts share their knowledge and experience in 28 workshops and 8 walking tours.
Campus:  http://masustainablecommunities.com/agenda/complete-program-2016/
    Community:  http://masustainablecommunities.com/agenda/complete-agenda-communities-2016/

SPONSORS
Solar Design Associates
Media:  Sierra Club Massachusetts, Going Green

PARTICIPANTS
Educators, municipal employees, students, community leaders, business partners, the public – any and all people interested in learning about and expanding sustainability initiatives in communities and on campuses in New England

DETAILS
Attend one or both days.  The $20-$50 entrance fee per day covers 75 speakers, 20 exhibitors, 28 workshops, 8 walking tours, lunch, and networking.  Discount promotional codes at http://masccc.eventbrite.com.  College students and teacher-chaperoned high school groups FREE on SATURDAY 4/16.  Walk-in registration (if not sold out in advance) is $20-$75. Conference details are at www.MaSustainableCommunities.com.

HOST
Green Workforce Training and Associates includes Jen Boudrie, an instructional designer and sustainable development advocate, with the support of an advisory group and on-site conference team comprised of professionals from government, business, education and communities.

CONTACT
Jen Boudrie
508-481-0569
jenboudrie@gmail.com