Greater Newburyport Eco-Collaborative 

Sets 2010 Focus

NEWBURYPORT – At the January Board of Directors meeting of The Greater Newburyport Eco Collaborative (Eco Collaborative), it was determined to build upon 2009’s accomplishments and focus on collaboration, communication, and educational activities. Earth Day (April 22) will be The Eco Collaborative’s first initiative for 2010 and it will demonstrate this focus by being a collaborative event to include area residents, local eco groups, businesses, the city of Newburyport and surrounding towns. In addition, each Earth Day event will include an education or awareness component.
 
A review of 2009 revealed the following highlights:

1)	Organized 2009 Earth Day Celebration that included Eco Info Center, Flower Market, Earth Expo and Green Building Tour.
2)	Awarded 4 Environmental Stewardship Awards: Audubon – Joppa Flats Educational Center, Bresnahan School, Salisbury Trails and Mark Richey Woodworking.
3)	Hired a Program Manager who led development of the Eco Matters Newsletter and Eco Blasts.
4)	Established a board of directors with 9 members.
5)	Hosted the Green House Gas and Energy Planning Dialogue which resulted in clarity on the optimal collaborative approach to developing an energy plan for the city.
6)	Played a key role in developing 3 grant application submittals: NE Grassroots Fund Grant for the Newburyport Carbon Challenge (awarded 9/2009) EECBG Grant for Energy Efficiency Measures for Kelley School (awarded 2/2010) High Performance Building Grant for Bresnahan School (awaiting award decisions)
7)	Developed educational presentations for local groups (e.g. boy scouts, Port City Women’s Group).
8)	Sponsored the Greener Greater Newburyport Chamber Breakfast which featured JoAnne Bisetta of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER).
9)	Co-sponsored, with the Chamber, the Greater Newburyport Business-to-Business and Green expo.

In looking forward to 2010, the Eco Collaborative has announced it will be helping to coordinate and promote the “Earth Day Celebration” in support of all the eco-oriented activities of the municipalities, conservation organizations, ad-hoc volunteer groups and businesses in the region. A steering committee has been established and specific details will be forthcoming about this program.

In terms of communication, last year the Eco Collaborative joined forces with the Seacoast Environmental and Energy Design (SEED) Coalition and this year we look to revamp the very popular SEED Yahoo Group. This group has proven to be a simple yet effective discussion tool that we look forward to revitalizing in an effort to spur online communication and collaboration in the Greater Newburyport area. The first step in this revitalization effort will be to formally rename the group to the Eco Collaborative Yahoo Group. We encourage anyone that lives, works, or plays in the Greater Newburyport Area to join the group by visiting http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EcoCollaborative/

The Greater Newburyport Eco Collaborative

The Eco Collaborative exists to “Foster Collaboration for a Greener, Greater Newburyport”. It currently fosters collaboration by serving as an umbrella organization to support the plans, activities, and programs of the City, the Chamber and other Eco-Network members as well as planning, organizing, and communicating green initiatives throughout the region’s municipalities, chambers of commerce, environmental groups and the broader community.