Category: Resource Links

MassBike Pioneer Valley — bicycling advocacy group, “promoting the bicycle as a safe, healthful, enjoyable, efficient, and environmentally sound means of transportation for the Pioneer Valley, Massachusetts.” Resources include bicycling tips, government contacts, newsletters.

Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition — MassBike Online – advocacy group with information on bicycling laws, transit programs, political initiatives.

Regional Travel Information Center — site offering traffic information for Route 116 and the Route 9 construction corridor, facts about commuting alternatives, upcoming events, and other information for travelers in the Route 9 corridor, and tips for avoiding construction delays.

Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) — All the information necessary for using the Pioneer Valley bus system, including maps, schedules, fares and bike rack information.

UNEP Inventory of Sustainable Energy Funds — United Nations Environment Programme PDF inventory of funding sources.

Rockefeller Brothers Fund Grants: Sustainable Resource Use — with examples of grants for sustainable resource use in 2002.

Pioneer Valley Planning Commission — “The Pioneer Valley Planning Commission is an advisory body to member communities and to private business groups, performing research and analysis services in a wide range of planning areas.”

Massachusetts Small Business Development Center — provides management assistance, counseling and training to current and prospective small business owners in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Small Business Educational Resources — part of Business Utility Zone Gateway, a portal site for Massachusetts businesses. Offers a wealth of information and free tools for small business owners, as well as B2B networking.

 

Corporate Social Responsibility Newswire Service — corporate responsibility and sustainability press releases, reports and news. Events, educational resources.

Institutional Shareowner — corporate social research, mutual funds and community investing information, shareowner action resources, investor tools.

Shareholder Action Network — a clearinghouse of information and resources empowering shareholders and supporting socially resposible investing.

SocialFunds.com — comprehensive personal finance site devoted to socially responsible investing. Mutual funds, community investments, research, Social Investment Indexes.

Social Investment Forum — provides research information and resources to assist in finding socially responsible investments. Includes guide to aid newcomers.

SRINews.com — Social Investment Newswire. News, emailed news alerts, investment indicator reports, mutual funds information kit.

Pioneer Valley Aquatic Club — a competitive swimming club

Pioneer Valley Hiking Club — “The club’s primary goal is to provide hikes for people who enjoy the outdoors while practicing minimum impact guidelines, conservation and land stewardship.”

Massachusetts Rural Development Council – “The Massachusetts Rural Development Council, Inc., (MRDC) a not for profit corporation, serves as a partnership between the national government, Massachusetts state government, municipalities, private for-profit and private not-for-profit sectors to provide development opportunities for rural Massachusetts residents. It is dedicated to improving the quality of life in rural Massachusetts while preserving the characteristics that give rural communities their unique sense of place.”

Franklin Regional Council of Governments – “The Franklin Regional Council of Governments (FRCOG) is a regional municipal services and planning organization based in the upper Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts.”

The Center for Rural Massachusetts – studying and promoting controlled growth in rural Massachusetts. Site includes summaries of research projects.

Brower & Company – Energy and Environmental Consulting — conducts research on energy and environmental issues. Focus on wind mapping and GIS, renewable energy and electrical utilities, and population, consumption and the environment.

Earth Share of New England — (formerly the Environmental Federation of New England) — a coalition of environmental organizations working to protect and preserve natural resources and public health. Works to foster environmental philanthropy through public education and workplace giving.

Mass Energy Consumers Alliance — nonprofit consumer advocacy organization. Offers discount energy efficient products and is working to pool consumer demand for clean, renewable power. Online product catalog available.

Wind Resource Assessment of Western and Central Massachusetts — maps of wind speed in Western Massachusetts and a PDF file.

Renewable Energy Research Laboratory – UMass –“The Renewable Energy Research Laboratory (RERL) exists to promote education and research in solar and wind energy conversion technologies.” Site includes research notes, “Wind Energy Explained”, software simulation tools, links to other renewable energy programs.

 

Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust — organization to promote the development of renewable energy in the Commonwealth. Site includes links to projects, articles and editorials, and “Index of the Massachusetts Innovation Economy – 2001” a downloadable report.

Massachusetts Department of Housing & Community Development — Division of Municipal Development; development funding programs.

EPA New England Grants and Funding — information about funding, doing business with the EPA, and general environmental accounting information.

EPA New England Press Releases — some examples of grants made recently.

Massachusetts Office of Business Development – Finance and Tax Incentives — general loan programs for business development.

Massachusetts Small Business Association – Financing — local financing information.

Massachusetts Technology Collaborative –“The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) is an an independent, economic development organization established to enhance the Commonwealth’s knowledge-based Innovation Economy. In addition, MTC administers the Renewable Energy Trust, which was established to promote the supply and use of renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar, hydroelectric and fuel cells. “

Northeast Sustainable Energy Association — “The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) is the nation’s leading regional membership organization focused on promoting the understanding, development, and adoption of energy conservation and non-polluting, renewable energy technologies.” Lots of interesting links, tours of solar homes, alternate-fuel transportation, workshops.

DOER Renewable Energy Programs — Massachusetts Division of Energy Resources (DOER) Renewable Energy Programs. Tax incentives, definitions and examples of Massachusetts area projects.

Massachusetts Environmentally Preferable Products Procurement Program — Information on environmentally considerate building materials, products and supplies. Links to general recycled product and service information.

Green Seal – provides a rating system for the environmental sensitivity of products and services. Includes product recommendations.

The International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives — The mission of the ICLEI is to build and serve a worldwide movement of local governments to achieve tangible improvements in global environmental and sustainable development conditions through cumulative local actions. The site offers ICLEI publications, including case studies, environmental campaigns and projects, and links to regional resources.

Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) — tools for businesses striving to operate in environmentally, economically and socially responsible manner.

Ecosustainable Hub — connects users to many examples of sustainability projects, tools, information, discussion forums. Links page provides index of very large number of resources, organized by topic.

Sustainable USA Network — news, job database, examples of projects, youth programs, help getting involved.

Seed Coalition — Texans supporting clean air and clean energy.

Renewable Energy Policy Project — knowledge exchange for renewable energy, sustainable development practices and energy efficiency. Information on solar, wind, geothermal, bioenergy, hydrogen, hydropower and more. Rich resource list in ‘Global Energy Marketplace.’

ASES – the American Solar Energy Society. Dedicated to advancing the use of solar energy for the benefit of U.S. citizens and the global environment. ASES promotes the widespread near-term and long-term use of solar energy.

The Twin Cities Green Guide – while much of this site is specific to the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, there are many great articles on a wide variety of sustainable-living topics, from recipes for household cleaners to “green business” tips.

Green Media Toolshed – Green Media Toolshed is a nonprofit project of the Tides Center, established in 2000. Our mission is to provide media-related tools and information to our members – environmental nonprofits – so that they can more effectively project their messages to the public and decision-makers.