A List of Environmental and Telecommunications Events and Issues
August 8 to August 15, 1997
Published, Edited and Written by George Mokray for
Information Ecologies
218 Franklin St #3
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617)661-2676
gmoke@world.std.com
"A List..." is also a listserv. You can subscribe or unsubscribe by emailing a-list-request@world.std.com, leaving the Subject line blank, and typing "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" as the message.
Previous issues of "A List.." are available for your perusal at
http://world.std.com/~gmoke/AList.index.html
If you are interested in keeping Internet an open and free forum, contact
http://www.eff.org/
Listings
Wednesday, August 13 - Thursday, August 14
Internet Expo
contact (800)324-3976, ExpoReg@DCIexpo.com, or
http://DCIexpo.com/Internet
Hynes Convention Center, Boston
Wednesday, August 13
6:45 pm
Computer Organizations of New England (CONE) Board of Directors
meeting
contact A. Joseph Ross at 367-0468 or lawyer@world.std.com
Cambridgeside Galleria, meet at the entrance to the food court
Thursday, August 14
Environmental Roundtable meeting with US Rep Ed Markey
contact Jennifer Steel at 259-9506 x7201 for further details
6 pm dinner, 6:45 meeting
Environmental Roundtable - local environmental groups in
conversation and collaboration
contact Julie Wormser at 350-8866
Wilderness Society, 45 Bromfield St, Boston
RSVP if you want dinner ($5)
Friday, August 15 - Monday, August 18
Sustainability: From Vision to Practice
contact (413)259-1254
Eco-Village at Sirius Community, Shutesberry, MA
Saturday, August 16
10 am
6th Annual Jantzen Swim for Boston Harbor: Save the
Harbor/Save the Bay is sponsoring a back-to-the-beach swim,
including a one-mile swim race, a free beach party with
entertainment, refreshments, volleyball and fun games for all ages,
bring your swimsuit
contact 451-2860
Curley Recreation Center at M St Beach, South Boston
11:30 pm
Ninth Annual Boston by Bike...At Night ride - midnight-to-dawn tour
of architecture, history and more in and around Boston
contact 522-0259
meet in front of Trinity Church in Copley Square, Boston
Bring a bike with a light, wear something reflective, helmets are
recommended. The ride is free.
Sunday, August 24
10 am - 4 pm
First Annual Larz Anderson Bicycle Show: Swap Meet,
Demonstration of Period Bicycles, Trials Riding Demonstration, Fun
Ride, Repair Clinic, Manufacturer Displays, Cycling Organization
Expo, Museum of Transportation Bicycle Collection Display
contact 522-6547, http://www.mot.org/pages/dirs.htm or
http://www.bicycleclassics.com
Larz Anderson Transportation Museum, 15 Newton St, Brookline
Admission: $5.00 for Adults. $3.00 Children (6-16), students and
seniors (62+). Children under 5 free. Admission to the event
includes entry to exhibits inside the Museum. Patrons are
encouraged to bring a picnic, chairs and blanket, and stay for the
whole day.
Sources for Listings:
MIT _Tech Talk_ :
http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/www
Harvard _Gazette_ :
http://www.news.harvard.edu/hno.subpages/hno.calendar.full.html
Harvard Environmental Resources On-Line:
http://environment.harvard.edu
MA Executive Office of Environmental Affairs calendar:
http://www.magnet.state.ma.us/envir/earth.htm
Earth Day Network international/national listings:
http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/EarthDay/ednethome.html
Earth Day Greater Boston calendar:
http://www.earthdaygb.org
Computer Organizations of NE (CONE) User Group List:
http://bcs1.ziplink.net/cone/sig
Signet Calendar of events:
http://www.signet.org/cgi-bin/Calendar/calendar.cgi
Webmasters Guild
http://boston.webmaster.org
act-ma the Massachusetts activists mailing list:
subscribe by emailing majordomo@igc.apc.org, leaving the subject line blank and typing "subscribe act-ma" as the message
Peace and Justice Events Hotline at (617)787-6809
Table of Contents
CONE (Computer Organizations of NE) Application for Membership
Editorial Comment: CONE is one of the organizations that is trying to pick up the slack left when the Boston Computer Society decided to disband. You can see the end of the Listings section to find other local computer groups. CONE has been working for close to a year to organize themselves into a viable organization and are now ready to solicit members. The next Board of Directors meeting of the Computer Organizations of New England will be held on Wednesday, August 13, 1997 at 6:45pm. The venue for the meeting will be the Cambridgeside Galleria. The latest information is that people will meet right outside the entrance to the food court.
Computer Organizations of New England
Application for Membership
First Name:
Last Name:
Title:
Company:
Division: Mail Stop:
Address:
City: ST: Zip:
Email (Important):
Phone: Fax:
May we provide your name and address information to other organizations?
___Yes ___No
Optional Information (Please x the appropriate response):
1. Your Age: <21 21 - 35 35 - 55 >55
2. Sex: Male Female
3. Company Size (# of people): 1 - 99 100-500 >500
4. What operating systems are you interested in? (you may circle more than one)
DOS Mac Win 3.x Win95 Win NT OS/2 Unix Netware
Other________
5. Who is your Internet Service Provider?
6. How many computers do you own?
DOS___ Wintel___ Mac___ Other___
7. Indicate level of computer proficiency:
Beginner Intermediate Expert
8. What would you like to see from CONE?
User Group Mtgs Email Newsletter Printed Newsletter
Dial Up Help Vendor Discounts BBS
Other________________________
Dues: $10, cash or check payable to: CONE
Mail application to :
Gary Harding, Treasurer
CONE
128 Parker Street, #3A
Acton, MA 01720
Thank You for joining CONE!
Table of Contents
Boston Environmental Tech Job
Editorial Comment: Coralee Whitcomb (coralee@dnsmain.vw.org) of Virtually Wired (http://www.vw.org) received this announcement from Peter Miller (peterm@igc.apc.org) of the Community Technology Network (http://www.ctcnet.org) who got it from Tim Mills-Groninger (itrc@igc.apc.org) of something called the Information Technology Resource Center. I've always wondered what the Environmental League of MA actually did and why they seemed to be so absent from the circles in which I swim.
Date: Thu, 24 Jul 1997 21:44:48 -0500
From: rstuart@rffund.org
Subject: CR: Job Announcement
To: circuit-riders@igc.org
Greetings,
We had a hand in drafting the proposal that yielded a major grant to fund
this new environmental collaborative. Electronic networking including
"circuit riding" will definately be a major part of the job. If I was 10 years younger I'd apply; know anyone that wants to work in historic Boston?
POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT
Coordinator, Massachusetts Environmental Collaborative
The Environmental League of Massachusetts (ELM), an independent, non-profit advocacy and educational organization dedicated to bringing about strong, responsible environmental laws, policies, and programs, seeks a Coordinator for the Massachusetts Environmental Collaborative. The Collaborative is a new initiative to improve the research, communications, and advocacy capability of participating groups. The Coordinator will:
. Work closely with senior staff of member organizations from throughout
Massachusetts to devise and implement strategies to advance the
state's environmental agenda. Facilitate cooperative efforts by member groups. Recruit new groups to become members of the Collaborative.
. Establish and manage an electronic network of participating groups and
interested citizens; organize and take part in Collaborative meetings,
both in person and electronically. Develop and maintain on-line
conferences and web site. Act as a resource on communication and
networking issues for member groups.
. Work with the Development Director to raise funds to meet the
Collaborative's budget. Write funding proposals to foundations and
develop relationships with funders; write reports to foundations.
Organize major annual fundraising event for the environmental
community to support Collaborative activities.
. Distribute information to participating groups and citizens. Write
articles on policy topics for quarterly ELM Bulletin.
Qualifications: Bachelor's degree required; advanced degree preferred.
The successful candidate will be attracted by the challenge of building
a new institution to protect the environment. Political/community
organizing experience strongly preferred. Strong written and oral
communication skills, strong computer communication and networking
skills, strong interpersonal skills, commitment to the environment, and
practicality all required. Fundraising experience preferred but not
required.
Salary: $30-40,000, depending on qualifications. Health and dental
insurance.
To apply: Send a persuasive letter and resume to: Search, ELM, 3 Joy
St., Boston, MA 02108 (fax: 617 742-9656; e-mail: elm@tiac.net) by
8/15/97.
No phone calls.
ELM seeks qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual
preference, religion, national origin, age, disability, or any other
attribute not related to superior performance of this position.
Table of Contents
Satellite Videoconference on Pay-As-You-Throw
Editorial Comment: Marshall T. Spriggs (mtspriggs@igc.apc.org) found this item through Jeff Cantin (jcantin@TIAC.NET).
This notice is being circulated to encourage participation in a live video
teleconference on solid waste pricing systems. Please share with interested colleagues. Apologies in advance for cross-posting. Responses should be directed to the address listed at the bottom of the notice
<satforum@erg.com>. Thanks!
THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF PAY-AS-YOU-THROW...FROM THOSE WHO KNOW
A National Satellite Videoconference for Municipal Solid Waste Officials
Are you looking for ideas to help reduce solid waste, save money, and
increase recycling in your community? Are you wondering how to set rates for your pay-as-you-throw program, address barriers, or evaluate program options? The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with several national solid waste and governmental organizations, is sponsoring its second satellite forum on "pay-as-you-throw" (PAYT), a method of charging for solid waste services that many communities have found to be economically sustainable, equitable, and environmentally sustainable.
This live, interactive videoconference, entitled The Nuts and Bolts of
Pay-As-You- Throw...From Those Who Know, will take place on October 9, 1997, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. (E.S.T.) and will be accessible to downlink sites in the continental United States. The program will feature local government solid waste managers who will speak about the benefits they have reaped and the challenges they faced while developing and implementing PAYT in their communities. In addition, the panelists will address the questions and concerns of callers for a full hour.
How You Can Participate
You can bring this satellite program to your community by coordinating a downlink site. EPA has prepared a free kit that explains everything you need to know about coordinating a downlink site, including tips on identifying and reserving a downlink facility, spreading the word about the event, and working with the technical contact at the downlink facility.
About PAYT
PAYT, also known as unit-based pricing or variable-rate pricing,
provides a direct economic incentive for residents to reduce the amount of waste they generate. Under PAYT, households are charged for waste collection based on the amount of waste they throw away, in the same way that they are charged for electricity, gas, and other utilities. As a result, residents are motivated not only to increase the amount they recycle but to think about ways to generate less waste in the first place.
Let Us Know If You Are Interested
To request a free Downlink Site Coordinator's Kit, contact EPA's PAYT Satellite Videoconference Hotline at 703 841-2313 or send an e-mail to: satforum@erg.com (please put "Satellite Forum" on the subject line). Be sure to include your name, address, fax number, phone number, and e-mail address.
This conference is sponsored by EPA in partnership with: American Public Works Association (APWA); International City/County Management Association (ICMA); National Association of Counties (NACo); National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA); Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA); and U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCOM).
Table of Contents
Waste Treatment
Editorial Comment: Carl Schroeder (geostrat@ix.netcom.com) sent this to me. I have no idea what their process is and whether it works or not and found nothing aobut Xylan/Xymax in a Websearch. If you are interested, please investigate and make up your own mind. If somebody wants to report back to "A List..." on what was found, that would be better than good, too.
I represent a company called Xylan/Xymax, who has spent the past 10+ years perfecting a patented process that delignifies agricultural waste, and produces a number of very useful products. The main by product of the process is a pure hydrophobic cellulose fiber that has application in many industries.
We have spent years testing the fiber with unsorted, post consumer plastic, and produced dazzling results. By combining our fibers at 30% with raw, unsorted municipal plastic waste, we have extruded lumber and 4 x 8 sheeting that produce a structural material at a cost of around 80% of the wood alternative. We have also fermented our fibers, and produced ethanol at around 200% the quantity of the existing process on corn, with the remaining mass being processed into beautiful paper pulp, again at costs less than the wood alternative.
The byproduct of our process in steam. No toxins need to be added to our
product. It is stable, and ready to serve mankind now.
A single production line can process up to 30,000 tons of biowaste
annually. We can use any biowaste: wheat straw, rice straw, tree bark,
sugar cane, grass clippings, virtually anything.
We have financial backing to develop several facilities if we are able to
secure conditional contracts for our fibers in the market.
I am asking for your help in securing these contracts. We need at least
two or three companies that are in the paper, plastics, or ethanol business
to review our product, and the years of independent tests validating our
fibers, and to provide us with conditional contracts for the purchase of
fibers if we are able to produce them. Please consider passing this email
on to an associate or company that you feel would be interested in
participating with a conditional contract of these fibers.
I have a host of information, and will make it available to any interested
parties.
Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Carl Schroeder
VP Marketing
818-880-1411
Table of Contents
Questions for Natural Step Sweden Study Tour
Editorial Comment: Lysa Leland (lleland@tiac.net) posted this announcement to The Natural Step listserv (tns-consultant@igc.apc.org, to subscribe email majordomo@igc.apc.org and type "subscribe tns-consultant" as your message). She leaves for the tour of Sweden on Sunday, so email her your queries quickly. I've asked her to look at how municipalities have adopted Der Naturliga Steget to their needs.
Friends of TNS--
I am fortunate to be going on the Sustainable Sweden tour (11-22
August)(Terry Gips & Marta Swain, Gunnar Brundin & Torbjorn Lahti
co-leaders) which will be looking at DNS, Agenda 21, eco-municipalities,
ecological agriculture, education, Green Party and other sustainability
initiatives in Sweden.
I know that many of us outside Sweden have burning questions about the
hows, whys and wherefores. If any of you are seeking specific or general
information that I might be able to help find answers to, please let me
know and I will do what I can.
Lysa Leland
Table of Contents
Steve Cisler Reports
Editorial Comment: I got online to join the WELL (http://www.well.com), the Whole Earth Lectronic Link. One of the people I've met there is Steve Cisler who is trained as a librarian and works for Apple on their Libraries for the Future project. We've met once in real-time/biological physical space and I have found him to be a perceptive observer with a discerning eye, online and face to face. It is my feeling that the best librarians are the people who have the clearest idea of what the Net and the Web may bring. Steve is one of them. He posted this partly in response to my forwarding of "David Korten's Lunch at the UN" (http://world.std.com/~gmoke/AList.July1897.html/#David Korten's Lunch at the UN). He says he is honored to be included in "A List..." "A List..." is honored by his presence.
Topic 259 [wired]: Wired 5.07 The Long Boom
#241 of 241: Steve Cisler (sac) Tue Aug 5 '97 (18:17) 9 lines
Re: the World Bank conf--
In June and July of this year I visited a lot of different places and conferences: Amish farmers, World Bank Global Knowledge meeting, Appalachian preachers, and a European conf. on community networking. Those reports along with some books reviews are on my home page at:
http://www.research.apple.com/people/cisler/home_page.html
Feedback welcome at sac@apple.com
Table of Contents
The Sustainability Plan for San Francisco
Another discussion just started on the WELL's sustainability conference is about a recent sustainability plan for San Francisco (October 1996). It covers such topics as air quality, human health, water, and transportation. Each topic area has both long-term and 5-year objectives, and the actions necessary to achieve those objectives.
The plan is on the Web at http://www.igc.apc.org/sustainable
Table of Contents
What Happened In Central Square
The Central Square zoning advisory board has been holding public meetings on the proposal by Holmes Realty Trust to build an 11 story building at the corner of Magazine St and Mass Ave. Citizen attendance has dwindled as the discussions have gone on. I stayed for the entire first meetings histrionics. At the second meeting, I spoke first and had to leave when I finished. I literally could not stay in that room without blowing up. At the third meeting, last Wednesday, I prepared a whole portfolio of information and taped it to the walls before the meeting started.
At the front of the room were two posters of Central Square and the building in question over the last century. They were based upon photographs that I xeroxed from the Historical Commission. At the back of the room, I had a poster of two articles from the _Boston Globe_ about similar situations happening in Brookline right now. I did not include the two cover articles from last week's Sunday _Globe_ real estate section about the paucity of rental units and the developer push to build same. My father taught me that when a trend hits the papers it has probably already peaked. Makes me wonder if Holmes Realty Trust is as smart as they think they are. I also did up a poster version of my "sustainable Central Square," illustrations from John and Nancy Todd's work and my own comments about the projects I have tried in and around Central Square over the years. At the bottom of that poster I included the phone contacts for two sustainable developments in Cambridge: the Center for Sustainable Building's renovation of a multi-unit house and the Union of Concerned Scientists' renovation of their Harvard Square office building. I also went through _A Pattern Language_ (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=0195019199/alistA/) once more and copied a series of the patterns that I felt would apply to the Central Square development. I xeroxed those patterns out of the book, enlarged them and taped them to the wall for display. There was nothing said that night that didn't relate to at least one of the patterns taped to the back wall.
Before the meeting, I announced that the posters were there. A few people looked at the historical posters. A few more people looked at the news, sustainability, and pattern language posters before they left. One of the advisory board members kept pushing for a public design review. It is my belief that _A Pattern Language_ could serve as a framework for such a design review and provide the basic information to allow non-design "professionals" to develop their own ideas competently. Nobody from the advisory board looked at the pattern language information on the wall.
All members of the zoning advisory panel expressed deep reservations about the proposed building. Or so it sounded to me. They will review their final report on August 20 (tentatively) at yet another public meeting. Holmes Realty Trust will then decide whether to take their petition for a zoning variance to the zoning board. If the zoning board takes the same position as the advisory board, Holmes Realty Trust will have an opportunity to appeal.
Something will happen on that corner and probably soon. I doubt that it will be the proposed building but it will be something and MONEY will have the last word, as it almost always does. Will there be any planning that is not by and for MONEY anywhere any time soon?
Steve Provizer and Radio Free Allston (106.1 FM and http://www.tiac.net/users/error/radiofreeallston/) is beginning an ongoing investigation into the issues of community development (a true oxymoron in my experience). They plan on working from a level of local detail to try and clarify the larger questions. They have already drawn analogies between what is going on in different local communities and will certainly continue to do so.
Steve writes: "The group undertaking this is rather small - about 6 people - all of whom must squeeze this work in between jobs and personal life; an old story. This is a very large project but theoretically one that could have an impact. I would like to invite anyone who is interested in participating in this venture to get in touch with me <improviz@gis.net> or with Evelyn Darling, who is Director of our news staff- <edarling@engineers.org>"
Table of Contents
The Begging Bowl
I have been surprised at how much emotional capital the Central Square situation has taken out of me. When I spoke publicly, I was polite and non-combative but inside I was seething at the venality and stupidity of the situation, opponents and proponents both. A refrain kept going through my mind:
They say that money talks
but all it says is
"More, more, more."
Money lies
because what it means is
less, less, less.
Hypocrite that I am, "A List..." has received $587 from 18 people so far this year. I guess that money isn't saying much to me at all. Any contributions - information, prayers, cash or checks - will be gratefully accepted.
How "A List..." works:
If you want to have a listing included in "A List..." please send it to me before noon on the Friday before the event and if said even is deemed suitable for coverage, it will be included in the appropriate edition of "A List..." Articles and reviews, ideas, rants and opinions are also solicited. Publication is up to the erratic discretion of the editor.
"A List..." is also a listserv. You can subscribe or unsubscribe to the listserv by emailing a-list-request@world.std.com, leaving the Subject line blank, and typing "subscribe" or "unsubscribe" as the message.
"A List..." is a freeware/shareware publication. If the information is of any value to you, please contribute - money, information, encouragement, prayers and good wishes are all valid currencies for feedback and will be gratefully appreciated by
George Mokray
Information Ecologies
218 Franklin St #3
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617)661-2676
gmoke@world.std.com
This publication is copyrighted to George Mokray and the individual writers of the articles. Permission to reproduce is granted for non-profit purposes as long as the source is cited.
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