July 2009 Newsletter 

The Frog & Toad Store

Wind Energy Weekend at the Brewery

Lempster Wind Farm Dedication

Featured Customer: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

Small Business Profile - The Frog & Toad Store 

Situated on a cozy street corner on the east side of Providence, RI, sit a man and woman whose ambitions far exceed the dimensions of their shop.  Asher Schofield, who along with his wife, Erin, owns and operates Frog & Toad, a neighborhood boutique and gift store located at 795 Hope Street, has a longstanding interest in preserving the environment and uses his business as a way of promoting and demonstrating his beliefs.  Asher recently signed up to offset his business’ electricity usage with renewable wind energy through Community Energy’s program with National Grid.  We took the opportunity to chat for a minute with this dynamic and passionate supporter of the environmental movement and this is what we learned:

CEI: How did you first get interested in supporting renewable energy?

Asher: I’ve always had a broad interest in all things environmental perhaps from being raised by hippie parents.  I want to pass on a better world to our two daughters, Hazel, age 1 and Flavia, age 3. 

CEI: Aside from the environmental benefits, what else attracts you to renewable energy?

Asher: Everything is tied to the price of oil, and leads to higher prices across the economy.  So in my small way, getting our business signed up for wind is my vote for an alternative energy source and a better future.  Renewable energy is crucial for its ability to create jobs and stimulate the economy.

CEI: What other sorts of issues are you interested in?

Asher: I am very interested in supporting the Clean Power Now organization that is lobbying for the construction of the Cape Wind Project off the coast of Nantucket.  I also contribute to the Environment Rhode Island group to support the preservation of our natural resources.  I’m also a big advocate of recycling, which we do a lot of at the store.

CEI: What sort of products do you sell at your store?

Asher: We like to source our products from around the world, especially items made from recycled content and items that will support craftsman in small villages.  We have gift items from places such as Ghana and Kenya.  I recently acquired a number of bags and wallets made in El Salvador from recycled tires.  We like to find unique and sustainably made items that can’t be found in other stores. 

CEI: What advice would you have for anyone else wondering how they can help the environment?

Asher:  I try to learn and talk about the issues as much as possible to spread the word and get people interested and involved.  If everyone does something small, we can make a big difference!

CEI:  We could not agree more!

If you’d like to learn more about Asher and his store, Frog & Toad, please contact him directly at 401-831-3434 or via email at Frogandtoadstore@yahoo.com.  Thanks Asher!

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Wind Energy Weekend at the Brewery

Over the weekend of June 26th – 28th, Community Energy partnered with the Brooklyn Brewery to host a Wind Power Weekend — a new event that gives visitors to the Brewery the opportunity to sign up for wind power!  This event was exciting for both the Brewery and Community Energy because it promoted the Brewery's long standing commitment to New York wind-generated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) which offset 100% of their electricity usage, and it invited others to follow their lead.  Brooklyn Brewery customers were pleased to learn about the Brewery's commitment to locally-generated wind power and how their commitment was making a difference for the environment and New York State.  Community Energy staff encouraged attendees to sign up for their homes through the ConEdison Solutions wind power program.  Those who made the switch to ConEdison Solutions received complimentary beers from Community Energy, with many taking advantage of this frosty incentive.  About 50 customers signed up for the voluntary wind energy program, which adds about $7.50 per month to their electricity bills.

Brooklyn Brewery has been making a difference with wind power since 2003.   Their purchase of 338,000 kilowatt hours (kWhs) per year allows more pollution free, wind-generated electricity to enter into the New York State grid and displace the need for energy from fossil fuels. 

Compared to the standard mix of energy sources in the regional grid, over the past six years, Brooklyn Brewery’s commitment has offset the release of an estimated 700 metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.  This offset is the approximate equivalent to planting 630 acres of trees or not driving 1.6 million miles.   We applaud the Brewery’s leadership and continued enthusiasm and look forward to the next Wind Energy Weekend!

If you’d like to learn more about the ConEdision Solutions wind power program please visit www.newwindenergy.com/nyc or call Community Energy at 1.866.WIND.123 (1.866.946.3123).

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Lempster Wind Farm Dedication

On the grey and rainy morning of Friday, June 19th, over 500 people gathered in the small town of Lempster, New Hampshire, to celebrate the completion of the first modern, utility-scale wind farm in the state!   Iberdrola Renewables, the developer and owner-operator of the 24 megawatt (12 turbine) project, celebrated this milestone by hosting a wind farm dedication onsite with members of the local community, political dignitaries, customers and partners.

The attendance turnout was impressive, especially given the fact that the weather conditions were not exactly ideal.  But, the periods of drizzle and rain did not deter people from spending a few hours outside, or dampen their excitement and enthusiasm for being part of the celebration.  Attendees were greeted at the dedication with music from a lively local band, High Ground.   Local businesses, landowners, and town administrators all addressed the audience and spoke to how the wind farm project was already benefiting  the community by generating additional revenue, jobs, and business activity.  One Lempster business in particular, Sturgeon’s General Store, proudly displayed new Lempster Wind Farm t-shirts for sale – which will surely be a popular item for town residents and visitors.    After the program, which included Governor John Lynch and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, attendees ate a delicious barbecue lunch and took tours of a wind turbine, which provided a chance for every interested individual to get up close and personal with the impressive 396 feet tall clean energy machines.

Community Energy was pleased to attend and share the dedication event with customers Cascades, Windham Professionals and Two C Pack, who each purchase Renewable Energy Certificates to match 100% of their electricity usage.  We are proud to have them on board!

Events like the Lempster dedication are great because they make the  Renewable Energy Certificate (REC) product come to life and easy to understand.  Although Community Energy customers might purchase RECs from a combination of wind farms across the United States, these purchases are helping drive the demand for the next wind power projects, so in essence all REC purchasers are in some way a part of a local community story, too.
 

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Featured Customer: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

Many of us who are local to Pennsylvania frequently travel the “Turnpike,” and enjoy the convenience of being able to get from point A to point B in the quickest way possible.  But, did you know that their facilities buy wind power?  It’s true –  the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission purchases wind-generated Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to offset 100% of their electricity usage.  And, these RECs are generated by Pennsylvania-based wind farms which has created significant demand for developing more clean energy sources in the state. 
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, head-quartered in Harrisburg, PA, has been a longstanding supporter of regionally-generated wind power, and they were one of the first to make a commitment of this kind.  Their initial purchase was in 2002, when the REC market was just getting started and there were only a few wind farms in the entire state of Pennsylvania. 

Today, the Turnpike’s commitment is in its 7th year and their leadership has been recognized by inclusion in the Penn Future Energy Hall of Fame.  Their purchase of regionally generated RECs has, and will continue to fuel the development for more Pennsylvania-based wind farms, which now number a dozen according to the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA).  Their current purchase of 4,167,000 kilowatt hours of carbon-free wind power has the estimated environmental benefit equivalent to planting 2,430 acres of trees or not driving 6.2 million miles every year!

Community Energy applauds the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s commission to wind power and their outstanding leadership in the state.   The next time you are cruising down the Turnpike, keep their commitment in mind and enjoy the beautiful wind farm projects that you may pass along the way.  Thank you Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission for making a difference!  

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