Sun, Nov. 18, MCAN's 6th Annual Conference, MIT's Stata Center, Cambridge, MA 9:30am - 5:30 pm. Join climate activists from across the state and take part in the day-long series of workshops and presentations. Featured speakers include Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Ian Bowles; efficiency expert and the driving force behind the Cambridge Energy Alliance Rob Pratt; and Mass Renewable Trust head (and local climate activist!) Warren Leon.

Eighteen different panel workshops will be offered, and lunch will be served. Registration costs $45 for MCAN members, $60 for non-members, and you can join/renew and register simultaneously for a discount. The prices go up after November 9, so register today.

http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm
?bevaID=143327&CFID=6915889&CFTOKEN=13336492.

Wed, Oct.31, Go Green! Workshop & Tour, Residential and Small Business Applications Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Massachusetts Audubon, Wellfleet, MA, 9- 3 PM, free, bring your own lunch, For information and to register, call Melissa Lowe, 508-349-2615.

Downloadable flyer: http://cirenew.info/GoGreenWellfleet07.pdf

Sat, Nov.3, Go Green! Workshop & Tour, Residential and Small Business Applications 9 AM - 2:30 PM, Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Route 28, East Falmouth, MA Workshop: Please register (suggested donation $10, includes locally grown lunch from Coonamesset Farm) 2:30-3:30 PM: (free) Tour of Waquoit Bay Reserve Renewable Energy Installations & Coastal Impacts of Climate Change Field Walk Space limited, please register: Laurie Tompkins 508-457-0495 ext.108, laurie.tompkins@state.ma.us.

Downloadable flyer: http://cirenew.info/GoGreenWBNERR07.pdf

Both workshops include: Energy Use Impacts, the Source of Cape Cod's Energy, Cut your Electric Bill (Cape Light Compact), Reduce Your Fuel Bill (Building Diagnostics), Transportation Tips (Self Reliance), Renewable Energy Options (Clean Energy Design). Free CFL bulb For downloadable flyers for both workshops and registration form for Falmouth workshop, go to www.waquoitbayreserve.org call or e-mail for further information 508-457-0495 x107 or joan.muller@state.ma.us

Jim Powell Show has interviewed members of Save Our Sound. Talk will air Mon, Oct 22 and Mon, Oct 29 on Channel 13 at 7PM

If you couldn't attend any this summer's Island Plan Forums, here is a chance to see what you missed. The proceedings for each of the forums have now been completed and are all available on the website: www.islandplan.org.The six forums were: Housing, Energy and Waste, Water Resources, Natural Environment, Development and Growth, Livelihood and Commerce.

In addition to the main Proceedings which summarize the presentations and discussions, each set of Proceedings has an Appendix made up of the poster, agenda, discussion paper, and presentation slides. If you didn't attend the forum, looking over the presentations would be useful.

Copies of the Proceedings and Appendicies will be distributed to all town libraries in the next few days. We'll also send separate e-mails to each work ! group member with the Proceedings attached. If you'd prefer to have us mail you a paper copy, please call the MVC at 508-693-3453.

Troubled Waters: An analysis of 2005 Clean Water Act compliance

October 2007
U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Executive Summary
October 18, 2007 marks the 35th anniversary of the Clean Water Act, a landmark law intended to restore and maintain the physical, chemical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters. In passing the Clean Water Act, Congress set the goals of eliminating the discharge of pollutants into the nation’s waterways by 1985 and making all U.S. waterways fishable and swimmable by 1983. Although we have made significant progress in improving water quality since the passage of the Clean Water Act, we are far from realizing the Act’s original vision.

http://static.uspirg.org/reports.asp?id2=35946

BARNSTABLE — There was no surprise in a unanimous decision by the Cape Cod Commission yesterday to deny a wind farm proposed for Nantucket Sound.

The vote, 12-0, came after about an hour of sometimes contentious debate. It tops six months of back-and-forth between the commission, Cape Wind's developer and advocates for and against the proposal.

http://capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20071019/NEWS/710190331

It's a great irony of the modern world that attempts to make us safer sometimes make us less so. Fire causes billions of dollars in damage every year and kills thousands. Plastic items like small electronic gear and building materials are petroleum-based and would be very flammable if not for chemicals added during the manufacturing process known as brominated flame retardants, or BFRs.

http://capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
article?AID=/20071015/NEWS/710150327/-1/NEWS01

Earlier this year, the Cape Light Compact decided it could not stand by and watch NStar go green without asking some questions.

This week, the Compact — which represents the purchasing power of 170,000 electricity customers on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard — reached an agreement with NStar on the company's plan to start a green energy program.

http://capecodonline.com/apps/
pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071017/NEWS/710170315