SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY FOR ART LOVERS!
Volunteers Needed NOW!
Working in an Allentown warehouse, Oscar Lloveras continues to make glorious progress on his art installations for this year's Festival. The enormous sculptures will be mounted on three poles, donated by Met-Ed and recently installed on the Festival grounds. Each is six stories high! For more about Oscar Lloveras, see his Japanese website and this recent article, Art Inspired by Nature. Volunteers are warmly invited (and needed!) to help complete and install these works of art. To join in this rare opportunity, please contact Janice Eshleman, 484-553-0358. |
NEEDED:
A FEW SMART COOKIES WHO LOVE THIS STUFF!
This year we will have an "Ask the Renewable Energy Engineer" table in the pole barn with engineers answering questions from Festival goers one-on-one. In addition to public education, we hope the engineers at the table will actually talk to each other and invent new ways to save the world! Volunteers with at least 4 hours of service will receive free admission to the Fest. If you have an engineering degree and you would like to sit at the table, please get in touch with Nick Pine at nick@early.com or 484-973-6701. |
|
VOLUNTEERS,
PLEASE SEND US YOUR INFORMATION!
We've created a simple form we're asking our volunteers to fill out so we can do everything possible to give you the assignments, times and days you'd like to help!
Please take a minute to fill out the form by September 10th! As always, thank you!
|
|
ABOUT US
The Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association (MAREA) is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to informing and educating the public on renewable energy production, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through meetings, workshops, educational materials, and
energy fairs. |
|
GASLAND
SCREENING
JUST ADDED!
Main Stage
The award-winning documentary Gasland will be shown at a special Sunset Screening on Friday, September 17 at the Main Stage. Festival goers may attend at no extra charge.
When director Josh Fox was approached to lease his Milanville, PA property to a natural gas company for hydraulic drilling, he decided to take to the road instead to learn about the consequences of drilling from property owners around the country who had already permitted natural gas companies to drill on their land.
His property sits atop the Marcellus Shale that is at the heart of a debate taking place right now in Pennsylvania and neighboring states. Natural gas drilling is being promoted as the solution to our economic woes, but at what cost? The natural gas industry will tell you that drilling is safe, but the people who live in Gasland tell a very different story. Please join us for our screening of this important and timely documentary. |
YOGA: THE RENEWABLE ENERGY WITHIN
Start your festival day with yoga. Taught by a certified local yoga instructor. Open to all levels. Please feel free to bring your own mats and props (none are provided). See the MAREA tent for location of yoga each festival day. Class will start at 9:15am and end at 10am. Namaste. |
|
GET YOUR TICKETS!
TREK FX+
ELECTRIC BICYCLE
Est. Value $2,679.99
Donated by
Ticket Prices
$2 each
$10 for 6 tickets
$20 for 12 tickets
ACOUSTIC GUITAR
Est. Value $1799.00
Donated by
Ticket Prices
$2 each or
$10 for 6 tickets
$20 for 15 tickets
|
|
|
|
|
Hello Friends!
It is hard to believe that we are in our sixth year of hosting the Pennsylvania Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Festival. The festival this year will be September 17, 18 and 19th. It seems as if just yesterday we were meeting in Sam Yoder's basement office in planning the first festival, which was a huge success. Our festival has been the premiere festival of its kind on the east coast throughout these years. But a lot of changes have happened to the festival since then and this year is no exception.
We have expanded MAREA's Board of Directors by 100% in order to improve an already fun and exciting festival.
Our Alternative Transportation section has grown every year and has inspired many individuals to convert their own cars to run on alternative fuels. You will see dozens of alternative fuel vehicles and even some prototypes of future transportation.
The Green Building tent is also new and improved this year, discussing new ideas as well as revisiting old building techniques. This year all of our speakers are experts who live and work in this area, so they know what our economy, culture, climate and resources are.
There will be over 170 exhibitors and vendors who keep topping themselves each year with new information, greater knowledge and grander displays as the alternative energy industry grows. At our first festival we had three locally based PV installers, last year we had over thirty installers from all over the USA.
While you are here, please take some time to relax and listen to music created by some very talented bands and singer song writers. Or walk around and admire the environmentally inspired art and the beautiful Kempton landscape. And don't forget about all the great food. I don't know how you will be able to pick a favorite, perhaps you just have to taste a little each day.
Please enjoy your stay; this festival is for our members, first time guests, and folks who visit us every year. If you like what we do here please let us know by becoming a member. I trust that if you enjoyed the festival you would enjoy our year long offerings as well. Sincerely,
Dan Brown, President Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association (MAREA) |
|
At Issue
Shedding Light on New Solar Legislation
Solar advocates continue to work for improvements in PA solar policy. With the state rebate program, federal tax credit, emerging REC market and expiring electricity price caps, market conditions have finally been right for a solar industry to get off the ground in PA. Two years ago, there was a handful of solar installers in PA, now there are hundreds. And over 20 megawatts of residential solar electric has been installed in the last 18 months.
To maintain and extend this growth, however, we need to take PA's solar policy to the next step. This doesn't mean more rebates, just simple improvements to our existing renewable energy portfolio standards. These standards currently say that by 2021 one half of one percent of the electricity sold in PA must come from solar sources. New legislation would increase this to 1.5% and include solar hot water, plus it would require that renewable energy credits be bought from PA sources (right now they can come from solar generators in many other surrounding states).
These simple changes would make a big difference for the future of solar in PA and all the goodness it brings. Though reasonable and involving no impact on the state budget, two recent attempts at similar legislation in PA have failed due largely to the deep pockets and political skill of the coal-industry and utility companies, among others.
If you support this legislation, your voice could make a difference. By and large, Pennsylvania legislators want to do right by their constituents and want to hear from you. The new attempt is House Bill 1128. It is more focused than previous attempts and is strictly solar. To find your legislator, go to http://www.legis.state.pa.us. To express your opinion, visit in person (best!), call, write or email (sometimes gets lost in spam). You don't need to be an expert, just care. If you'd like more info on the bill or how to help, contact Vera Cole, vera.cole@themarea.org. |
|
Higher Learning:
Rooftop Solar Workshop
From as far as Staten Island, NY to York, PA, participants in MAREA's most recent Solar Installation Workshop sweated and smiled through four vigorous days of cooperative work and learning. This installation took place on a residential rooftop in Kutztown, PA at the home of Gene and Vivian Mosca. The installed solar electric system uses microinverter technology from Enphase with 30 Solon 225W solar modules for a system power rating of 6.75 kW. The system is expected to offset about 80% of the home's annual electricity consumption. The state-of-the-art system was designed by Bill Hennessy, a NABCEP-certified PV installer and partner in Berks Solar, the business responsible for the installation.
Each day involved both classroom training and rooftop installation. Vera Cole, author of Pennsylvania Homeowner's Guide to Solar Electricity and faculty member in Penn State's Energy and Sustainability Policy Program, led many of the training sessions on topics including solar electricity principles, site and design considerations, system sizing, and financial considerations. Phil Jones, a LEED®AP and BPI-certified Building Analyst and director of Green Business Solutions at EMS Environmental, led an afternoon session on energy conservation and efficiency-essential considerations for all renewable energy generation projects.
Though the workshop was MAREA's fifth PV installation, there were many firsts, including a rooftop site, Enphase microinverters with monitoring, and a new Power Rail racking system from DPW. It kept things hopping! Workshop participants, with the supervision of instructors and Lee Kauffman, the project electrician, worked on all aspects of the installation, learning first-hand (literally with their hands!) the nuts and bolts of solar systems. Most had no previous experience with solar but found this to be a great way to learn, and have fun doing it. Doughnuts, ice cream and fresh sandwiches delivered from Betty's Wraps each day didn't hurt either!
For more pix and info, see http://www.themarea.org/workshops-10.shtml |
|
SPECIAL FESTIVAL PREVIEW!!
6th Annual Pennsylvania Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival
Kempton Community Center, Kempton, PA 19529
Kempton Community Center
82 Community Drive
Kempton, PA 19529
(between Allentown and Reading)
Festival Hours:
Fri & Sat 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sun 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Main Stage Entertainment:
Friday 7:00 - 9:30 p.m.
Sat 5:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Kempton Community Center
82 Community Drive
Kempton, PA 19529
|
|
Admissions
Welcome to the 2010 Festival!
Nobody likes waiting in long lines. We understand! We've made some changes to our admissions area to get you out of the line and into the festival. Starting this year, 2010 MAREA members (who joined before August 31) can move quickly through Express Entry at a Members Only entrance. It will help if you bring your membership card to show the greeters, but don't worry if you forget it. You can still check in at that entrance.
If you missed the August 31st deadline, you can join right at the admissions area and still enjoy free admission all three days, just one of the many reasons to join! We'll have membership forms on hand, but you can bring a completed form with you to get signed up faster. Download a form here. Bring along a check made out to MAREA or pay with a credit card when you get there.
Still not interested in becoming a MAREA member? Not a problem. You can go straight to the admissions line when you arrive. This year, you'll be able to pay by credit card, check, or cash. Admission to the festival is $12 for adults and $6 for children 12 - 18. Children under 12 are admitted free. On Friday, we're offering special pricing to school groups of 10 or more. Students pay $4 and teachers and chaperones pay $6. Please email themarea@gmail.com with the name of your school, name of a contact person, and the number of people in your group so we can check you in quickly when you arrive.
Admissions is at a new location this year, look for the geodesic dome!
If you have any questions about your membership status, please email themarea@gmail.com or call 610-678-7726. |
|
Transportation
Many Transportation Solutions to Improve Your Environmental Footprint
Transportation impacts the environment almost as much as our homes and businesses. It plays a part in the food we eat, how we live and the work we do. New and rediscovered alternatives abound for getting us and our goods from one place to another. The Alternative Transportation center at the Renewable Energy & Sustainable Living Festival explores what powers our vehicles, the vehicles we drive, and how we drive to get where we want to go.
At this year's festival, we want to help people take the next step to making their transportation more environmentally friendly, more efficient and more fun. We will have a variety of alternative powered vehicles on display, including bio-fueled, hydrogen and electric powered cars, trucks and tractors. Some of these alternatively powered cars you can buy. Alternatively, you can convert your own car to run on a different fuel, and we have workshops to show you how. We will also have presentations to consider the technologies and the alternatives. Take a look at alternatively powered lawn mowers and lawn tractors. Maybe you are not ready for a new vehicle, but you are interested in just using it more efficiently. Come to the driving clinic to learn how to get the most from a tank of gas (or any other fuel you use).
Just want to see some cool cars? Take a look at the electric powered Tesla Roadster, one of the fastest street legal vehicles on four wheels. It goes 0-60 in 3.9 seconds - try that in any gas car. Find out how electric not only has superior performance, it has a smaller environmental impact, and, if you are its owner, Don Auker, you can charge it from your home's solar panels to give it an operating environmental impact of almost zero.
Another way to get more efficient is to change from four wheels to two. We help you take that approach a step further by showing you how you reduce the impact of two wheels. We will be displaying gas motorcycles converted to electric and one of the first production electric motorcycles you can buy without having to convert it.
 
Alternative Transportation not only presents alternative powered vehicles, it presents how the fuel is made. Valley Organic will show how to make vegetable oil fuel a part of sustainable farm operations. John Bailey will demonstrate how to make biodiesel. Richard Freudenberger, from Mother Earth News and Backhome magazines, presents alcohol as an alternative sustainable fuel and how to produce and convert your vehicles to use it.
The Alternative Transportation area also presents a look into the future, showing plug-in electric hybrid vehicles and hydrogen powered vehicles. One of the first production plug-in diesel-electric hybrid school buses on display at the festival transports children to and from school everyday in nearby Nazareth, PA. Air Products is helping to bring the hydrogen fuel cell powered vehicles into the mainstream. Don Bucci will present its plans and bring along the GM hydrogen fuel cell powered Equinox and hydrogen powered shuttle bus. Joel Anstrom, Director of the Hybrid and Hydrogen Vehicle Research Laboratory at Penn State, is bringing his hybrid research vehicle and presenting the 21st Century Auto Challenge that asks if we come up with an alternative, how do we test to see if it will satisfy our needs?
Every year we meet people at the festival who first came a few years ago to consider the alternatives and are now back with an alternative. Meet Sherman Cox and his newly converted electric Mazda Protégé. Meet Matt Keller and his veggie-fueled Volvo. Meet Don and Bob Young and their family's fleet of electric powered vehicles. Come and consider the transportation alternatives and maybe you will find just what you are looking for. |
|
Get Your Raffle Tickets!
Win an Electric Bike or a Martin Guitar!
Keeping it fresh and doubling the fun, this year's Festival has two raffles. One for an Electric Bike and the other for a Martin Guitar SWDGT made from ecologically responsible wood and rescued Sitka spruce. For more info and to buy tickets, visit Electric Bike or Martin Guitar.
|
|
|
|
|
Solar Cooking
Sunny Side Up Please!
 Got sun? We all do! And that is the great thing about solar cooking, we can all do it. At this year's festival, see different examples of solar cookers at work. Learn about the benefits to ourselves and our planet by cooking with the sun. In many countries, wood is needed to burn to be able to cook food. This not only depletes their trees, it also leaves families exposed to smoke while cooking with fire. For millions of people who lack access to safe drinking water and become sick or die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses, water pasteurization using a solar cooker is a life-saving skill.
For us, using a solar oven can be a creative, relaxing, educational and just a fun way to eat! It takes slow cooking to a new level. Cook full meals while playing on the beach, reading a book, camping...oh, and you can forget about it and that's ok, it won't burn!! We hope you will stop by and see what's cookin'! Got a cooker of your own? Bring it along with some food you'd like to cook! |
|
Bagzilla on the Loose!!!
See the disposable Bag Monster at the Energy Fest! Visit the MAREA information tent to find out how you can wear the bag monster costume around the festival grounds and help spread the word about plastic pollution. Wearers of the costume must be 18 years of age. See display at the MAREA information tent for more info on how YOU can be a part of the solution.
· According to the EPA, a sturdy, reusable bag used at least 11 times will have a lower environmental impact than using 11 disposable plastic bags.
· Bring and use reusable bags when shopping.
· Reduce use of plastics - get back to the tap! Fill a container with water and reuse it. |
|
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Our Vendors and Sponsors
In our sixth year, we'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Festival vendors and sponsors, many of which have been with us for years! Without your participation, support and expertise, we wouldn't be where we are today. We are very appreciative.
This year at the Festival there will be more than 150 exhibitors offering new information, services and technology. Or, as in the case of one of our newest vendor/sponsors - BreezeDryer - old technology that still works: clotheslines (especially fabulous ones, of course!).
The Festival Program Guide is printed and vendors can expect to receive it in the mail, along with their Vendor ID Tags and set-up information, by the end of the week.
So, huge thanks to all of you with special thanks to Advanced Solar Industries for their very generous support as a vendor/sponsor year after year. See you soon! |
Questions or Comments? Drop us a line or call Bill Hennessy at 610-682-4300. |
|
|
