Public works includes the delivery of potable water, treatment of used water, collection of recyclables and discards, management of traffic, maintenance of roads and building inspections. In TOES Town public works is linked as closely as possible to the energy and natural resources sectors to conserve energy, water and material flows in the community. (Like any town, you want to be on good terms with the local administrator, council member or mayor so you can get quick response to special favors like bulk white good collection for recycling.)
Global Recycling Network
The internet connection between recycling and economic development.
For recycling to succeed on the local level it must be integrated
into the flow of materials though the local economy. Business
development around "high-grading" of collected recyclables for
marketing, and use of them as resources for local manufacturing and
use conserves energy and resources, and strengthens the local
economy.
Tellus Institute
Tellus Institute is a non-profit research and consulting organization
that promotes equitable and sustainable resource management. The
Institute conducts studies on environment, resource, and development
issues, develops and applies analytical methods, works to strengthen
human and institutional capacity and provides support to government,
multi-lateral, and non-governmental institutions and businesses.
Research Groups: Energy - Solid Waste - Risk Analysis - Stockholm
Environment Institute - Boston (SEI-B)
Links to solar and
related sites
AMERICAN SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY Links to solar and related sites. ASES
Chapters, Non-Profit Organizations, Universities, Solar and Renewable
Energy Commercial Endeavors.
The American Solar
Energy Society Position on Electric Utility Restructuring
The American Solar Energy Society (ASES), the nation's leading
assemblage of supporters of renewable energy science, applications,
and policy, believes that restructuring of the electric utility
industry in a manner that introduces free and fair competition, that
provides meaningful customer choice in the selection of energy
services at the retail level, and that produces a market that
guarantees fully equitable access to the fruits of that competition,
has the potential for lowering costs to all consumers, while
increasing the opportunity to capitalize on the public's strongly
expressed support for renewables.
Northeast
Sustainable Energy Association
The Challenge is to develop practical alternatives to traditional
energy sources that do not threaten the environment, and maintain the
quality of life as we know it.
DEVELOPING A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE IS POSSIBLE. Since
1974, NESEA has been working toward a vision of sustainable energy
for the Northeast which includes conservation, the use of energy
efficient equipment, and the use of renewable sources of energy such
as solar thermal, solar electric, hydro, and wind.
Solstice: Sustainable Energy
and Development Online!
Sustainable Living: Environment, Green Products & Practices,
Planning, Case Studies, related Net Sites
ILSR WWW Home Page
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) is a nonprofit research
and educational organization that provides technical assistance and
information on environmentally sound economic development strategies.
Since 1974, ILSR has worked with citizen groups, governments and
private businesses in developing policies that extract the maximum
value from local resources (recycling). We have been actively
producing educational and technical reports over the last 22 years.
EEBA Home's Page (V4.0)
The Energy Efficient Building Association: Source for Resource
Efficient Building Information and Training.
The Solid
Waste Group at Tellus Institute
The Tellus Institute Solid Waste group performs research, planning
studies and computer modelling on issues of waste management,
materials use, and related economic andenvironmental impacts. The
goal of these activities is to promote the efficient management
ofnatural resources through appropriate solid waste programs and
materials policies. The Solid Waste group's areas of expertise
include: Full Cost Accounting, Materials Policy, Source Reduction,
WastePlan Software, Recycling Organic Waste Management, Rate
Structures and Pricing, Forecasting and Measurement.
Rocky Mountain Institute
Established in 1982, RMI has forty full-time staff and a $2.2-million
annual operating budget derived from programmatic enterprise
(including E SOURCE, the premier technical information service on
electric efficiency), foundation grants, and individual and corporate
donations. Its research is focused in seven interrelated areas:
Energy. Transportation. Green Development. Water. Long a leading
source of technical and popular information on water-efficient
technologies, RMI now focuses on implementation and on ensuring that
utilities can profit by saving water.
Economic Renewal. Corporate Sustainability. Security.
Energy
There are many reasons the folks of TOES Town plan energy use. In community meetings different groups of residents spoke out for an energy policy that would show personal and community responsibility for the local and global effects of energy use. Some people have chosen to disconnect from the "grid" and use only that energy available to them on their property in order to internalize the actual cost of energy as much as possible. They ordered their equipment from one of the links below. Other folks, while acknowledging their neighbor's responsible behavior, instead choose to focus on conservation and promote wider spread responsible behavior by the energy utilities. Campaigning for demand-side management, and investment into community conservation efforts such as no-interest loans for home insulation improvements with monthly payment through the power bills led successful efforts to shape the TOES Town energy plan. The building code was also amended to encourage the use of energy efficient materials and building methods. Other folks set their sites nationally and worked for even broader based energy policy with respect to nuclear power and law governing the use of renewable and non renewable fossil fuels. The discussions developed a keen awareness among the citizens of TOES Town that energy is a flow through their ecology and economy, and that the more work (or heat) that was utilized per unit of flow the better for both.
ACEEE
Home Page American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy,
ACEEE
Exploring the Frontiers of Energy Policy and Energy Efficiency
Energy Ideas
Clearinghouse
Established in 1990, the Energy Ideas Clearinghouse provides
information and technical support for increasing energy efficiency in
the commercial and industrial sectors. Up-to-date information on
products and technologies; national, state, and local programs; and
the environmental aspects of energy use is available at the
Clearinghouse.
The Department of Energy's
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Network
This is the primary page for obtaining information from EE's Office
of Building Technology, State, and Community Programs, Federal Energy
Management Program, Office of Industrial Technologies, Office of
Transportation Technologies, Office of Utility Technologies. Access
search engine and alphabetical list of sites is provided here.
Center for Building
Science
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory's Center for Building Science
is an international leader in developing and commercializing
energy-efficient technologies and analytical techniques and in
documenting ways of improving the energy efficiency and indoor
environmental quality of residential and commercial buildings
Critical Mass Energy
Project
Nuclear Power and Reactor Safety, Radioactive Waste Policy, Cutting
Polluter Pork from the Energy Budget and Tax Code, Energy Efficiency,
Renewable Energy, Transportation and Fuel Economy
hebtoc
Rocky Mountain Institute: #1 Lighting, #2 Windows, #3 Refrigerators
&;Freezers, #4 Water Heating, #5 Cooking Appliances
&;Dishwashers, #6 Washers, Dryers, &;Miscellaneous
Appliances, #7 Computers &;Peripherals
CREST
Guide: Renewable
112 good energy links...
Mr. Solar
Home Page
Welcome to the Mr. Solar Home Page-- Your contact point for
information, products and services about every aspect of solar, wind
&;water power. (well, almost)
Real Goods Main
Menu
Who We Are; Programs; Solar Living Center; Renewable Energy;
Sustainable Living; Product Catalog
Energy
Solutions for Cities and Counties
This is one good site! Planning and Sustainability; Energy
Efficiency; Economic Development; Buildings; Public Utilities;
Transportation; Water Systems
ENERGY STAR Heating
and Cooling Program
The ENERGY STAR Residential Heating and Cooling program is a
voluntary program in which manufacturers agree to manufacture and
market high efficiency heating, cooling and control products. By
using the ENERGY STAR label on high efficiency products, the
manufacturing Partners in the program can help consumers
differentiate between standard efficiency and high efficiency
products.
Links to solar and
related sites
AMERICAN SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY Links to solar and related sites. ASES
Chapters, Nonprofit Organizations, Universities, Solar and Renewable
Energy Commercial Endeavors.
The American Solar
Energy Society Position on Electric Utility Restructuring
The American Solar Energy Society (ASES), the nation's leading
assemblage of supporters of renewable energy science, applications,
and policy, believes that restructuring of the electric utility
industry in a manner that introduces free and fair competition, that
provides meaningful customer choice in the selection of energy
services at the retail level, and that produces a market that
guarantees fully equitable access to the fruits of that competition,
has the potential for lowering costs to all consumers, while
increasing the opportunity to capitalize on the public's strongly
expressed support for renewables.
Northeast
Sustainable Energy Association
The Challenge is to develop practical alternatives to traditional
energy sources that do not threaten the environment, and maintain the
quality of life as we know it.
DEVELOPING A HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE IS POSSIBLE. Since
1974, NESEA has been working toward a vision of sustainable energy
for the Northeast which includes conservation, the use of energy
efficient equipment, and the use of renewable sources of energy such
as solar thermal, solar electric, hydro, and wind.
Solstice: Sustainable Energy
and Development Online!
Sustainable Living: Environment, Green Products &;Practices,
Planning, Case Studies, related Net Sites
EEBA Home's Page (V4.0)
The Energy Efficient Building Association: Source for Resource
Efficient Building Information and Training.