Local Energy committees across the state have been hard at work trying to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their towns.
Last year, 164 towns passed non-binding global warming resolutions asking town selectmen to consider appointing the volunteer groups.
One year later, more than half the towns have formed them or are in the process.
New Hampshire Public Radio’s Amy Quinton reports on what they’re doing to save energy and combat climate change.
In the New Boston town library, a group of residents is debating whether it’s possible to reduce the town’s energy use by 10 percent…or more.
(well there’s a question we should all decide right now I think, say ten and then dazzle them with 30….I’d say 20 and dazzle them with 30) sound under
This 11-member volunteer climate and energy committee formed in July last year.
But Chair Susan Carr says the committee is really just beginning its work.
(the hope is that we’ll raise awareness in our town about the importance of energy conservation and the effect of climate change.)
But Carr’s being a little modest about the committee’s goals.
The committee is aiming to reduce New Boston’s carbon emissions 80-percent by the year 2050.
And they’ve petitioned two warrant articles for this town meeting that would give tax breaks to homeowners and businesses that install solar or wind power generators.
(people were very excited and interested and continue to be in fact at the deliberative session someone wanted to amend our warrant to include water power, and people wanted geothermal, so the public was clamoring for more)
This idea of tax breaks has gained momentum.
At least five other New Hampshire municipalities will consider property tax exemptions for homes using alternative energy.
But New Boston Energy Committee member Gerry Cornette, who also represents the town, says it’s important the committee remains practical.
(it’s a new committee there’s a lot of hopes and dreams but we have to do what’s realistic and that’s where I’m trying to keep the committee grounded)
Cornette says the town itself has only a few buildings that they can work on to reduce energy consumption -- the rest has to come from residents.
Roger Stephenson is with the environmental group Clean Air Cool Planet.
He says energy committees across the state are making significant accomplishments.
(things are happening; Hancock has put a solar array on their fire station, in Lancaster they’re talking about re-enforcing anti-idling, Wolfeboro is starting a town-wide greenhouse gas inventory.)
Clean Air Cool Planet along with the Carbon Coalition, helped push the global warming resolution during last year’s town meetings.
Stephenson says since then, 92 municipalities have started or are starting energy committees.
The town of Barrington is on that list.
There, Energy task force members are in the process of calculating the town’s carbon footprint.
But they are also encouraging residents to be more energy-efficient.
Member Cynthia Hoisington says they’ve established two working groups.
(The one committee is really looking more at municipal usages and on the other hand residences at least in community like Barrington make up the majority of energy usage, that’s why we have the two subcommittees to handle the two arms of the problem.)
To get homeowners more involved, they’ve held compact florescent bulb drives– in the hopes of getting five in every home in Barrington.
That would reduce 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere and save 238-thousand dollars in energy costs every year.
And Hoisington says they have bigger plans.
Next year they hope to enact a green building ordinance that would require all new construction be energy-efficient.
(Based on our research we feel that as little as a three percent increase in the cost of the building can get huge reductions, 30-percent reductions in the emissions of the building and the energy usages of the building)
Initiatives like that may be a hard sell in many New England towns.
But Gerry Cornette with New Boston’s Energy Committee remains hopeful.
(a lot of the little towns, the old New England way of thinking is it’s always run well why change it, I’ve always been raised that change is good, if you make sure you do your homework before you change.)
For NHPR news, I’m Amy Quinton.
