Bikes Not Bombs make a difference
GORHAM -- Pathways for Thursday’s Child, Gorham, Randolph, Shelburne Middle and High School, the Enriched Learning Center of Berlin, and youth group of the Community Bible Church in Berlin have worked together for the last several years to salvage well over 700 bikes. Ever wonder what happens to all those bikes? Let's take a quick look. The bikes are turned over to Bikes Not Bombs (BNB) for refurbishing and are now in use in the Boston area and developing countries throughout the world. The BNB web site at www.bikesnotbombs.org says that, “Since 1984, BNB has shipped over 50,000 bikes to partners in over 13 nations of the Global South along with technical assistance in developing their capacity to maximize their impacts and sustainability.” Some of those partner nations are: Ghana where in Koforidua a bike shop is owned and operated by physically challenged people, Northern Uganda where in the city of Kmura a group of about 400 volunteer village health workers use bikes to increase mobility of traveling to patients in rural areas, St Kitts& Nevis where on Nevis Island a grassroots youth bicycle program provides mechanics training, leadership development and bicycles throughout this Eastern Caribbean Island. In addition, there are programs in Guatemala, El Salvador and Sierra Leone.
BNB says that in and around Boston since 1990 when Earn-A-Bike was started 3, 000 youth have participated in the BNB Youth Programs. These programs include Earn-A-Bike for Boys and Girls12-18 in which participants learn to completely overhaul a bicycle and how to safely ride and navigate the city of Boston; Girls in Action another Earn-A-Bike Program for girls only; and Pathways - Youth Employment Program, which trains participants, to teach mechanics lessons, lead group rides, and be peer leaders. These employed youth receive one-on-one mentor-ship, and professional development training in resume and cover letter writing, job interviews practice, gender sensitivity, and teaching techniques.
“Bikes Not Bombs promotes bicycle technology as a concrete alternative to war and environmental destruction. For 27 years, BNB has been a nexus of bike recycling and
community empowerment both in lower income neighborhoods of Boston and in the nations of the Global South. BNB’s programs involve young people and adults in mutually respectful leadership development and environmental stewardship, while recycling thousands of bicycles.”
The BNB website is www.bikesnotbombs.org. It is worth checking out to see how your bikes, that you dropped off at the blue tarp lean-to, are used to benefit others. As the web site says, “Bicycles are comprehensive development tools that further the self-determined development of people by providing access to the goods and services needed to pursue their own development and the development of their families and communities. Bicycles are thus tools that both liberate and empower providing a vehicle for social change”.
BNB says that in and around Boston since 1990 when Earn-A-Bike was started 3, 000 youth have participated in the BNB Youth Programs. These programs include Earn-A-Bike for Boys and Girls12-18 in which participants learn to completely overhaul a bicycle and how to safely ride and navigate the city of Boston; Girls in Action another Earn-A-Bike Program for girls only; and Pathways - Youth Employment Program, which trains participants, to teach mechanics lessons, lead group rides, and be peer leaders. These employed youth receive one-on-one mentor-ship, and professional development training in resume and cover letter writing, job interviews practice, gender sensitivity, and teaching techniques.
“Bikes Not Bombs promotes bicycle technology as a concrete alternative to war and environmental destruction. For 27 years, BNB has been a nexus of bike recycling and
community empowerment both in lower income neighborhoods of Boston and in the nations of the Global South. BNB’s programs involve young people and adults in mutually respectful leadership development and environmental stewardship, while recycling thousands of bicycles.”
The BNB website is www.bikesnotbombs.org. It is worth checking out to see how your bikes, that you dropped off at the blue tarp lean-to, are used to benefit others. As the web site says, “Bicycles are comprehensive development tools that further the self-determined development of people by providing access to the goods and services needed to pursue their own development and the development of their families and communities. Bicycles are thus tools that both liberate and empower providing a vehicle for social change”.
Last Updated on Thursday, 02 May 2013 21:21
Hits: 37
Kickboxing self-defense class
Dick Kimber Kickboxing/Self-Defense Course just ended another six week session at the Milan Village School. Front row: l-r: Chris Kenison, Beth Cooney, Tina Lapierre, Shannon Bartlett, Nicole Lukaszewski, Kathy Bertin. Back row: Lynn Bacon, Kelly Ort, coach Dick Kimber, Nancy Salck, Karen Roy and assistant coach, Cody Haas. The information on the class call Kick Kimber at 723-2659.Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 May 2013 21:24
Hits: 36
Solar to hold book signing
DUMMER - Local author, Susan Howard Solar, is introducing her newest book, Who Will Water the Flowers, at a book signing on Friday May 10, from 3 to 6 p.m. at Savoir Flare on Main Street in Berlin. This book, which is her first novel, is a departure from her previous works which were cozy murder mysteries. Small town rural 20th century New England life is the backdrop, as an ordinary, yet extraordinary, woman goes about the task of tending to the graves of family and friends over the course of decades of life. As an added feature, recipes for the traditional New England dishes mentioned within the story are included.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 May 2013 21:11
Hits: 33
Community book drive and sale now accepting donations
BERLIN -- The Community Services Center is starting the third year of its book drive and sale in the old Movie Gallery building in the IGA Plaza. Volunteers are accepting new and used books and DVDs for resale. They are also offering an exchange program this year. Donate books and pick some out for free. Encyclopedia, dictionaries and magazine cannot be accepted.
Money raised from the sale of the books has been donated to various charitable organizations such as Relay for life, local food pantries, Toys for Tots and scholarships for local high school seniors as well as health and social programs for the Community Services Center. The plan is continue supporting all of these organizations depending on the success of the book sale.
The book drive will open May 6, at 8 a.m. and you can drop books off at anytime they are open or call 752-1005 and arrange for pick up with Danielle Hayford. The hours are: Mon 8:00-3:00, Tue 8:00-1:00, Wed 8:00-4:30, Thurs 9:00-5:00, Fri 10:30-3:00.
Money raised from the sale of the books has been donated to various charitable organizations such as Relay for life, local food pantries, Toys for Tots and scholarships for local high school seniors as well as health and social programs for the Community Services Center. The plan is continue supporting all of these organizations depending on the success of the book sale.
The book drive will open May 6, at 8 a.m. and you can drop books off at anytime they are open or call 752-1005 and arrange for pick up with Danielle Hayford. The hours are: Mon 8:00-3:00, Tue 8:00-1:00, Wed 8:00-4:30, Thurs 9:00-5:00, Fri 10:30-3:00.
Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 May 2013 21:07
Hits: 31
Solar energy explained
BERLIN -- If you are someone who thinks of the Berlin area as not being a very sunny place, you may be surprised to learn how many of your neighbors are using the sun to produce either hot water or electricity. In just the past two months the Berlin Area Renewable Energy Initiative (BAREI) has added four more solar thermal domestic hot water systems to area homes. The owners of these new systems, like others who have had similar systems for years, will save hundreds of dollars a year on their energy costs.
The process of making hot water from the sun is pretty simple. Have you ever gotten into a car on a bright sunny day and been surprised at how much hotter it is inside the car than outside? If so you have experienced the basic process of gathering solar heat. Solar thermal systems gather the sun’s heat, just like your car but much more efficiently, and transfer it to your home’s domestic hot water system.
How does the system transfer the heat to the hot water we use? A fluid (usually Glycol, a type of antifreeze, generally used in the North Country because of our freezing winter temperatures) is pumped to the solar collection array where it picks up heat. It then returns to your hot water tank and travels through a coil inside the tank, heating the water in the tank. The cooled glycol continues to circulate through the array and each time it is warmed several more degrees. This repeats all day continuing to build up heat in the water tank.
This storage tank is connected to your existing traditional hot water system and when the water is hot enough, your traditional heating system doesn’t run because it no longer needs to heat the water any further. Even on cloudy days, the solar array will heat your water, but probably will not provide all the heat necessary, so your current energy source would be used to bring the already preheated warm water up to temperature. Meaning it will run a much shorter amount of time.
Solar hot water systems are more affordable than ever and can help reduce your carbon footprint as well as save significant dollars on your hot water heating. Right now there are state rebates as well as federal tax credits that can make up over ½ the cost of a new system. They work with traditional heating systems as well as on-demand units, and can pre-heat your water whether you use natural gas, electricity, heating oil, propane, pellets or wood.
These systems generally last over 40 years and are about the only heating systems that will actually pay you back for installing them. A boiler, no matter how it is fueled, will always remain a cost. Solar hot water systems save you money until you have saved as much as they cost. From that point on you are receiving free heat!
The amount of energy striking the earth at any given moment is more than 7000 times the amount of all the energy used on the earth by man. It will be there for millions of years, virtually an inexhaustible power supply and it is free for the taking.
Credit Unions and banks are starting to offer loans toward energy efficiency and renewables making it possible to put in a system without having any upfront out of pocket expenses. Plus with state rebates and federal tax credits available and prices going down there is no better time to invest in your energy future!
For more information about solar systems, including information on how BAREI assists homeowners to install these systems using volunteer-based “energy-raisers,” contact any BAREI member, email BAREI@ tccap.org or call Ed at 752-3625 (Mon, Wed, Fri 8-5).
The process of making hot water from the sun is pretty simple. Have you ever gotten into a car on a bright sunny day and been surprised at how much hotter it is inside the car than outside? If so you have experienced the basic process of gathering solar heat. Solar thermal systems gather the sun’s heat, just like your car but much more efficiently, and transfer it to your home’s domestic hot water system.
How does the system transfer the heat to the hot water we use? A fluid (usually Glycol, a type of antifreeze, generally used in the North Country because of our freezing winter temperatures) is pumped to the solar collection array where it picks up heat. It then returns to your hot water tank and travels through a coil inside the tank, heating the water in the tank. The cooled glycol continues to circulate through the array and each time it is warmed several more degrees. This repeats all day continuing to build up heat in the water tank.
This storage tank is connected to your existing traditional hot water system and when the water is hot enough, your traditional heating system doesn’t run because it no longer needs to heat the water any further. Even on cloudy days, the solar array will heat your water, but probably will not provide all the heat necessary, so your current energy source would be used to bring the already preheated warm water up to temperature. Meaning it will run a much shorter amount of time.
Solar hot water systems are more affordable than ever and can help reduce your carbon footprint as well as save significant dollars on your hot water heating. Right now there are state rebates as well as federal tax credits that can make up over ½ the cost of a new system. They work with traditional heating systems as well as on-demand units, and can pre-heat your water whether you use natural gas, electricity, heating oil, propane, pellets or wood.
These systems generally last over 40 years and are about the only heating systems that will actually pay you back for installing them. A boiler, no matter how it is fueled, will always remain a cost. Solar hot water systems save you money until you have saved as much as they cost. From that point on you are receiving free heat!
The amount of energy striking the earth at any given moment is more than 7000 times the amount of all the energy used on the earth by man. It will be there for millions of years, virtually an inexhaustible power supply and it is free for the taking.
Credit Unions and banks are starting to offer loans toward energy efficiency and renewables making it possible to put in a system without having any upfront out of pocket expenses. Plus with state rebates and federal tax credits available and prices going down there is no better time to invest in your energy future!
For more information about solar systems, including information on how BAREI assists homeowners to install these systems using volunteer-based “energy-raisers,” contact any BAREI member, email BAREI@ tccap.org or call Ed at 752-3625 (Mon, Wed, Fri 8-5).
Last Updated on Tuesday, 30 April 2013 21:00
Hits: 32
