Should the World Bank Go to the Brew Pub?

by gmoke

On the afternoon of November 16, 2010, Andrew Steer, special envoy on climate change for the World Bank, spoke at Harvard about "Why Developing Countries Urgently Need a Global Climate Deal ... and Why They Shouldn't Wait for One.”

There was a small reception afterwards with wine and cheese.  At six, Dr Steer was escorted to dinner.  That happened on Oxford Street, northwest of Harvard Square.

At 7, on the other side of Harvard Yard, at John Harvard's Brew Pub on Dunster Street, an Intercollegiate Energy Social for the local Energy Clubs began.  Invited clubs included the Babson Energy and Environment Club, Boston University Energy Club, Fletcher Energy Consortium, Harvard Business School Energy and Environment Club, Harvard Energy Journal Club, Harvard Kennedy School Energy and Environment Professional Interest Council, MIT Energy Club, MIT Sloan Energy & Environment Club, and Tufts Energy Forum.  The social was organized by the Collegiate Energy Association http://collegeenergy.org

What would have happened if Dr Steer had attended the Energy Social?  Should the World Bank have gone to the brew pub?

continued at Daily Kos....

Weatherization Barnraising Results

by gmoke

On June 26, at the Cambridge, MA YWCA Emergency Family Shelter, about 30 people from Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET)

Reduced the leakiness of the building by 12% (reducing the air leakage by 1,500 cubic feet per minute as tested by a pre and post blower door test.  Each 100 cfm reduction = 7 therms of gas savings.  Thus saving $1,480 for them over the next decade in heating.)

Installed 20 cfls [compact fluorescent lights] (saving probably $11 per year on each one because of the high occupancy of the building)

Installed 3 incandescent exit signs with LED retrofit kits (saving 36 watts per bulb  24 hours a day all year long.  Since there were 2 bulbs in each of the 3 signs this will save over $388 in total per year)

Installed 7 low flow showerheads (each saving $42 each in heating the water and $26 in water and sewer charges) $476

Installed 2 programmable thermostats which can save up to 10% on heating if used to turn the temperature down during the winter when no one is home or everyone is sleeping.

We did other work too, but we should save the shelter at least $14,260 in total in energy bills over the next decade.  

Thanks for all your work.

continued at Daily Kos....