Aquidneck Island Energy Conference

When:

Sep 20, 2008
8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Details:

O'Hare Academic Center
Salve Regina University

Keynote Speaker: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse

Come do your part for Aquidneck Island!

Dozens of exhibits, speakers, breakout sessions...

A cross section of Aquidneck Island community leaders have come together to plan an island-wide, day-long, energy symposium to be held on September 20, 2008 at Salve Regina University. Spearheading the Aquidneck Island Energy Conference is a trio of agencies including Salve Regina University, Channing Memorial Unitarian Universalist Church and the Aquidneck Island Planning Commission. The steering committee also includes representatives from each of the three communities and Naval Station Newport.

The group’s goal is to provide information about sustainable practices for energy conservation within the Newport, Middletown, Portsmouth and Naval Station Newport communities. According to the project’s leader, Don Mallinson, “We hope to bring the island communities together to identify opportunities to reduce our carbon footprint, achieve energy independence and explore new avenues for collaboration that will result in a healthier environment, lower energy costs as well as create new jobs.”

Public interest on Aquidneck Island and across the region in cleaner energy, energy efficiency and renewable sources of energy has been growing and the conference is aimed at providing a forum to address these issues. The Newport Energy and Environment Commission, recently formed by the City Council, is an example of grass-roots interest in identifying solutions to energy conservation. Both Middletown and Portsmouth are actively exploring ways to provide sustainable and energy saving renewable resources.

The day-long event will include a keynote address by US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, who is a member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, numerous breakout sessions for smaller groups to explore specific topics, and an exhibit area set aside for vendors and non-profits. Topics under consideration include green energy production along with applications focusing on energy conservation. Among the many initiatives to be highlighted at the conference are the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environment Design) “Green Building” program and the City of Cambridge Energy Alliance (CEA) $100 million initiative to implement massive energy and clean energy generation throughout that city.

The public as well as community leaders are invited. Registration will be from 8-9:00am. A $10.00 donation will be solicited.

Contact Information:

Channing Memorial Universalist Unitarian Church
Don Mallinson, (401) 841-9810
dmallinson@verizon.net

Directions:

NEAR: Newport

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