Cool Monadnock Solutions

(photo: http://www.antiochne.edu/anei/programs/coolmonadnock/)

by Sheila Vargas

The Cool Monadnock energy conservation group will be on campus for the first time ever to host a discussion on finding solutions to environmental problems such as green house gas emissions and reducing energy.

The group is a three-year project between the Clean Air-Cool Planet group and the Antioch New England Institute in Keene. According to Cool Monadnock’s regional energy assessment, the 36 towns and cities in the region spend $350,000,000 a year on building energy and transportation. Their calculations have also shown that if simple energy conservation methods are taken, the residents of this region would save $105,000,000 per year.

Cool Monadnock, who has already held similar type discussions in Rindge and other neighboring towns, is looking to create a Climate Action Plan or a Neighbors Helping Neighbors arrangement for the region. Their plan is to hear as many ideas and opinions as possible on the subject. “They are looking to hold a similar type of meeting here, due to the fact FPU is such a significant part of the community,” said Michelle Comeau, the sustainability coordinator at Franklin Pierce.

Comeau, who attended the energy discussion in Rindge, recently said, “The meeting is set up where there are five different categories, or sources, of emissions, and each category has at least three proposed ways to reduce emissions. People then discuss each option, and end the meeting by voting on their preferred reduction option.”

Cool Monadnock’s upcoming discussion will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 16 at Pierce Hall.  UPDATE:  The event is open to the public.  Faculty and staff will be attending, according to Professor Molly Haas, the event’s co-organizer.

After this information is obtained it will then be compared with information from the other towns in the region in an effort to create an official Climate Action Plan. The New Hampshire Charitable Foundation made the entire project possible.

For further information, visit Cool Monadnock’s website at http://www.antiochne.edu/anei/programs/coolmonadnock/, or email Christa Koehler at CKoehler@cleanaire-coolplanet.org.