The BEAT News April 10, 2014

News Headlines

Please send items of interest to Kristen.

 

Berkshares Businesses and Banks Keep Local Economy Strong

Berkshire citizens and visitors can now find the complete and up-to-date list of “BerkShares Businesses” in a newly printed pocket directory available at all thirteen participating bank branches, from Lenox to Sheffield. The pocket directory is a hand-held guide to all of the businesses that accept BerkShares, the Berkshire Region’s local currency.  Business listings are organized by type, (food, services, lodging, shopping, etc.), and each listing is coded to reflect the business’s location.

The number of businesses that have officially signed up to accept BerkShares is greater than ever.  This network of BerkShares Businesses spans economic sectors and includes food and beer manufacturers, artists, lawyers, dentists, plumbers, contractors, excavators, retailers, health care providers, restaurants and community non-profits, among others.

These businesses are all independently owned and therefore contribute substantially more to our local economy than their chain competitors.  A recent study of the Hudson Valley by Civic Economics revealed that “Hudson Valley retailers keep more than four times more money circulating in the local economy than corporate chains: 58.2 percent vs 13.6 percent.”  And that “Hudson Valley restaurants keep more than 2.5 times more money in the local economy: 77.7 percent vs 30.4 percent.”

Though the same study has not been conducted in the Berkshire Region, similar results have been found in studies all around the country.  As the Hudson Valley Reporter pointed out, the extra money that local businesses retain in the local economy produces “more jobs for residents, extra tax revenues for local governments, more investment in commercial and residential districts, and enhanced support for local nonprofits.”  Looking at it another way, Eric Wilska, owner of The Bookloft in Great Barrington, says, “It really does affect your wallet when money leaves town.”

BerkShares present an opportunity to retain even more money in the local economy and to support and enhance the success of local businesses.  The “BerkShares Accepted Here” sticker displayed by BerkShares businesses and exchange banks helps consumers to distinguish the locally owned businesses and the community-minded banks that make the Berkshires unique.  The 95 cents/1 BerkShare exchange rate incentivizes citizens to spend their money in locally owned businesses and encourages local businesses to recirculate the money by spending it with other local businesses.

While many regions such as the mid-Hudson Valley are just now developing tools to retain money in the local economy, the Berkshire Region already has one at hand—BerkShares. BerkShares are issued by a non-profit membership organization, in which the membership elects the board of directors.  This puts the economic tool of a local currency in the hands of the people of the region in which it circulates.

While the study of the Hudson Valley looked at retailers and restaurants, it did not consider the effect on the local economy of community-minded banks.  The Berkshire Region is fortunate to have many local banks, and it is these banks that invest in and provide service to the network of locally owned businesses.  Citizens wishing to use BerkShares can visit any one of thirteen branches of five local banks to trade their dollars for BerkShares.  The fixed exchange rate is 95 cents for one BerkShare, so 95 dollars will buy 100 BerkShares.  BerkShares can then be spent at face value, 10 BerkShares for a purchase worth 10 dollars.  The list of participating bank branches is available at www.berkshares.org.

Any person or business in the Berkshire Region may accept or spend BerkShares.  However, businesses that register with BerkShares, Inc. benefit from a free listing in both the online and printed directories and from promotion in BerkShares social media.  Business owners may register their business to be included in the BerkShares directory by visiting the “Business Sign-up” page of the BerkShares website, www.berkshares.org.

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Measuring Sprawl but Not in Massachusetts

On Wednesday, our friends at Smart Growth America released a report called Measuring Sprawl 2014 that ranks the most sprawling and most compact areas of the country.

Here’s what they found:

People in compact, connected areas have longer, healthier, safer lives. Life expectancy is greater in compact, connected areas, and driving rates (and their associated risk of a fatal collision), body mass index, air quality and violent crime all contribute to this difference.

People in compact, connected areas have greater upward economic mobility than their peers in sprawling areas. That is, a child born in the bottom 20% of the income scale has a better chance of rising to the top 20% of the income scale by age 30.

People in compact, connected metro areas spend less on the combined expenses of housing and transportation. Housing costs are higher in compact, connected areas, but these higher costs are more than offset by lower transportation costs. People in compact, connected metro areas also have more transportation options. People in these areas tend to walk more, take transit more, own fewer cars and spend less time driving than their peers in sprawling areas.

This is why the Alliance tackles difficult issues like zoning, which is the blueprint for either livability or sprawl in our cities and towns. And brownfields, so we can grow from within our communities rather than sprawl outward. (Take a moment and a few clicks to help us win.)

See my blog post explaining why Massachusetts is not included in the report and why DC is ranked 91st while Miami is 8th and Detroit 12th.

Have a great weekend!
Andre Leroux
Executive Director, MA Smart Growth Alliance

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Patrick Administration’s New Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Poised to Rev Up Key Clean Energy Sector

from the Conservation Law Foundation

Last Thursday, Governor Deval Patrick announced the roll-out of a brand-new electric-vehicle (EV) rebate program in Massachusetts. At a celebration of the launch of the Worcester Regional Transit Authority’s electric transit bus fleet, Governor Patrick announced that the new $2 million initiative – the Massachusetts Offers Rebates for Electric Vehicles (MOREV) program – will provide rebates for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles.

The MOREV program provides rebates of up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrids or EVs with 10 Kilowatt hours (KWh) or greater electric storage capacity (e.g., battery or fuel cell), or up to $1,500 for plug-in hybrids or EVs with less than 10 KWh electric storage capacity. These rebates will be available for new purchased vehicles or leased vehicles with a minimum three-year lease.

Electric vehicles have much to offer – fewer emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other air pollutants (such as particulate matter, with its well-documented detrimental health impacts); reduced fuel costs over the lifetime of the vehicle; less fuel price volatility than cars dependent on gasoline; and greater reliance on domestic fuel sources (including renewable energy sources), rather than foreign oil supplies.

State incentive programs like MOREV are designed to encourage consumers to purchase or lease EVs, with the goal of maximizing the environmental and economic benefits that those cars offer. When added to the federal EV tax credit of up to $7,500, these programs will help reduce the upfront costs of acquiring an EV. Given that those costs are still significantly higher than that of a traditional car or truck (a Leaf, Volt, or Plug-in Prius runs about about $10,00–20,000 more than the traditional Ford Focus), reducing the sticker price is key to driving EV sales.

Also on Thursday, Governor Patrick announced the recipients of nearly $600,000 in grants distributed through round two of the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Incentive Program (MassEVIP). The grants provide plug-in hybrid and EVs and “Level 2” charging infrastructure to municipalities, public universities, and state agencies. The Commonwealth has also invested in an electric school bus pilot, providing eight electric school buses with vehicle-to-grid energy storage capability, which can serve as a back-up energy source when necessary.

These advancements are a large step forward from this time last year. Last March, when CLF co-sponsored the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Roundtable with the Patrick Administration, the Commonwealth was falling behind. In a policy presentation at the Roundtable, CLF pointed out that while MA is seen as a leader in clean energy policy initiatives, states like Florida, Georgia, and both Carolinas (and many others!) had more incentives for potential EV consumers than Massachusetts. Spurred by the Roundtable, the Patrick Administration took action by creating the Massachusetts Electric Vehicle Task Force, a group of stakeholders tasked with recommending policy actions and other steps needed to bolster EVs in Massachusetts. CLF holds a seat on the Task Force and in that role has strongly urged the Administration to pursue a consumer incentive program to help get EVs on the road here.

CLF is delighted that the Patrick Administration has taken the important step of launching a consumer rebate program for EVs in Massachusetts. And we applaud Massachusetts in particular for including leased EVs in the rebate program – an element that goes a step beyond many existing programs in other states, and is expected to increase EV market penetration significantly. In the last year, Massachusetts has gone from falling behind states like California on clean-vehicle efforts to becoming a leader – from joining seven other states in signing a memorandum of understanding to get 3.3 million EVs on the road by 2025 (300,000 in Massachusetts), to the recently announced MOREV consumer rebate program, which will make great strides toward achieving that goal. Given that the transportation sector is responsible for at least one-third of the GHG emissions in Massachusetts, these efforts – taken together with investments in public transportation and other measures to reduce emissions from the transportation sector – are an important step toward reaching the GHG emission reduction mandates set out in the Massachusetts Global Warming Solutions Act (25% below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050).

Congratulations to the Patrick Administration for its increased leadership on EV deployment, and kudos on this important step toward reducing carbon pollution in the Commonwealth!

 

The post Patrick Administration’s New Electric Vehicle Rebate Program Poised to Rev Up Key Clean Energy Sector appeared first on Conservation Law Foundation.

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New England Food, Farming, and Nature

from Mass Audubon

A new report has been released that identifies policies helping New England to grow its capacity to feed itself, systems that are hindering this growth, and opportunities for new ways to strengthen our food system. The report, New England Food Policy: Building a Sustainable Food System, was released by the American Farmland Trust, the Conservation Law Foundation and the Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Working Group.


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Although it may not feel like it just yet, spring is upon us!

The Berkshire Conservation District needs volunteers to help fill plant sale orders and get organized for the plant sale day.

 

Plant Sale Work Week will be held Tuesday, May 6th through Friday, May 9th from 9am to 3pm daily in Pittsfield at the home of one of our supervisors in preparation for our Sale Day on Sat. May 10th. Coffee, snacks, and a light lunch are provided daily. All volunteers can receive up to $15 of retail plant items left over from our sale for free, just to say thanks, and that we appreciate your help.

 

If you are interested in helping we are looking for people to work half or full days (lunch only guaranteed for those who stay the full day). Please email or call Aimee at the district office.

 

Sincerely,

 

Aimee V. Annichiarico
Administrator
Berkshire Conservation District
Conte Fdrl Bldg, 78 Center St., Ste. 206

Pittsfield, MA 01201
(413) 443-1776 ext. 102
www.berkshireconservation.org
aimee.annichiarico@ma.usda.gov

berkshireconservationdistrict@gmail.com

 

Note: My office hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:30am to 3:30pm. The district board of supervisors meets every 2nd  Tuesday of the month at 4:15pm. Meetings are open to the public and meet in the conference room of Suite 206 in the Conte Federal Building, 78 Center St., Pittsfield.

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Lifeguards and Playground Leaders Needed for Summer Recreation Programs

The Pittsfield Department of Community Development Recreation Program is seeking applicants for Lifeguarding positions at the public beach within Burbank Park as well as for Playground Leaders for the Summer Playground Program.

Candidates wishing to be considered for a Lifeguard position must be First Aid and CPR certified and possess a current Lifeguarding Certificate; possessing a Waterfront Skills Certificate is strongly recommended. Applicants must be available to work the 4th of July holiday and weekends through the end of August. The Summer Playground Program provides activities for children at several different parks throughout Pittsfield during the week.   Playground Leaders will create safe, supervised, and fun-filled environments with activities including sports, games, arts and crafts, and nature activities.  Applicants must be available to work for the duration of the program.

In addition to the Playground Leaders, the Recreation Program is also seeking a responsible individual to assume the role of Playground Supervisor. The Supervisor will aid in the planning, supervision, and operation of the summer playground program, as well as promote and maintain a safe environment for the leaders and program participants.

Both positions will begin the first week in July.  Interested applicants for either position must submit their application to the Personnel Department at City Hall, 70 Allen St. by April 14, 2014.  All candidates must be 16 years of age or older.  For more information please call Rebecca Tefft, Recreation Activities Coordinator at 499-9370.

Please share with others who may be interested.

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Apply for The North Face Explore Fund and get more people outside!

Inspire the Next Generation of Explorers.

The North Face’s 2014 Explore Fund™ grant-giving program is now accepting applications!  The Explore Fund aims to inspire and enable the next generation of explorers by supporting organizations that connect children with nature.

In 2014, The Explore Fund will award 25 grants totaling $250,000.  15 organizations will receive $5,000 and the remaining 10 grants will be awarded based on online voting taking place this summer. The Explore Fund supports organizations that encourage youth outdoor participation, focusing primarily on:

  • creating more connections of children to nature
  • increasing access to both front and backcountry recreation
  • providing experiential education for both personal and environmental health

Deadline: May 1, 2014 – Apply Today!

For more information about grant guidelines and selection criteria, please visit the Explore Fund website.

Apply Now!

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