Save the planet (and your wallet) at expo

Date: 11/24/2008

By Courtney Llewellyn

Reminder Assistant Editor



EAST LONGMEADOW The Green Committee has only been in existence since June, but it is already taking a proactive role in aiding the citizens of East Longmeadow with saving the environment ... and what's in their pockets.

The first ever "Bringing in the Green" Exposition will be taking place Dec. 6 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Council on Aging, located at 328 North Main St. The goal of the event is to provide information and opportunities to reduce energy use and costs and to increase environmental awareness.

"We were looking at ways to try to come up with venues to show people how easy some of the steps [to going green] can be," Green Committee Chair Jim Driscoll, also chair of the Board of Selectmen, said of how the exposition came about. "It's about reducing your carbon footprint and your financial footprint."

Driscoll added that the event will be looking at both old and new green concepts as well as those that cover a variety of price ranges.

"We felt we needed to focus on what the residential areas of town could do, and not just the community as a whole," Carleen E. Fischer Hoffman, an at-large member of the Green Committee, said.

Hoffman explained there would be a large variety of vendors at the exposition, including local gas, electric and water utilities providers and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), as well as a number of local "green" businesses.

A representative from A.W. Brown will be speaking about composting; there will be a presentation on how to build a green house; and the Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) organization will also be present.

"We don't want people to go and see all the regulars," Hoffman said. She continued that she "went way outside the box" when looking for new and unique vendors.

All the vendors will have displays set up on tables throughout the senior center, and each will give a 10 minute presentation, according to Hoffman.

"We need to educate, educate, educate," Hoffman stated. "We want to try to make [going green] easier."

Driscoll said that every homeowner interested in saving the environment and some money should come to the exposition.

"This [the exposition] is just step one," he said.

The East Longmeadow Green Committee was established to explore all alternative energy sources and resources available to our community that could positively impact our economic and environmental status while continuing to be a regional and statewide leader for environmental responsibility.