Fairhaven Sustainability

Farmers Market Indoor Season

2011-10-10T10:11:00.000-04:00

Transition Town Meeting! Sept. 12th

2011-09-05T10:45:00.000-04:00

The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee and the Southeastern Massachusetts Council on Sustainability are hosting an informational meeting about the possibilities of developing Transition Town initiative in Southeastern Massachusetts.
The International Transition Network supports community-led responses to climate change and shrinking supplies of cheap energy, building resilience and happiness. We will be meeting at 7 pm at the Fairhaven Town Hall on Monday, September 12th to discuss the development of a pilot initiative in one or two cities and towns as well as a regionwide dicussion and training.

We hope you will be able to join us on the 12th.

Sustainability Committee Open Meeting Monday night!

2011-08-21T20:33:00.000-04:00

Please join us for an Open Meeting Monday August 22 at 7pm at Fairhaven Town Hall. We would love to hear new ideas and thoughts about our committee. Come and listen to what we are doing and plans for the future. Any questions, please call Deirdre Healey 508-999-7561.

Take the SouthCoast Energy Challenge!

2011-08-03T15:33:00.000-04:00

Save Money.
Build Community.
Protect the Planet. It's FREE, FUN and EASY!
Check out the new website. SouthCoast Energy Challenge

Farmers Market 4th Season starts SUNDAY!

2011-06-17T12:42:00.000-04:00

We are pleased to start our 4th year of the Fairhaven Farmers Market this coming Sunday, June 19th.

Join us from 1-4pm on the lawn of the beautiful Fairhaven High School on the corner of Route 6 and Main Street.

Last Market of the Year Dec. 19th

2010-10-04T08:30:00.001-04:00

3rd Annual Eco/Energy Fair

2010-08-16T11:05:00.002-04:00

Please join us for our 3rd annual Eco/Energy Fair on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 in the Center of Fairhaven from 10am-2pm. As in past years there will be educational booths and companies available to explain their alternative energy products. Join us for this wonderful free event. Lunch will be available for purchase on the porch of Harrop Center at the Unitarian Church.

Non-profit applications for Farmers Markets 2010

2010-04-17T13:43:00.004-04:00

The new application for non-profit organizations to be included in this years market are now available. Please fill out the form and return as instructed. Link to form.

Community Garden year two!

2010-04-17T13:41:00.001-04:00

We are pleased to announce the second year of our Fairhaven Community Garden. This year the garden will be expanded at the current location at Wood School on Sconticut Neck Road. For more information and photos please visit their garden website.

Mini- Grant Proposals for Fairhaven Schools

2010-02-01T07:22:00.001-05:00

The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee (FSC) is seeking "mini grant"
proposals to be funded for completion by the end of the school year.
Up to $300.00 is available for a school based project to help the
sustainability committee achieve it's mission to study, recommend
and facilitate actions and systems that will educate and engage the
community and lead to the responsible consumption of resources
and the implementation of life sustaining practices in order to
create a healthy environment and future for our community. Teachers
or staff from all disciplines in the Fairhaven school system are
encouraged to apply.

Applicants must complete the short mini-grant application and submit
it to the (FSC) by March 19th. Proposals will be judged by the Fairhaven Sustainability committee and a winner will be selected by April 1st for
implementation by the end of the school year.
Here is a copy of the application which can be emailed to dhealy@umassd.edu
or mailed to Deirdre Healy 2 Layfette Street Fairhaven

Entertainment- Oct. 4th

2009-10-13T13:19:00.003-04:00

On Sunday, October 4th we will have entertainment at the
Fairhaven Farmers Market. We will have Jay and Abby Michaels from 1-4pm playing beautiful music during the market. This performance is made possible from a grant for the Fairhaven Cultural Council.

Eco/Energy Fair Event Schedule

2009-09-17T15:49:00.002-04:00

Here are two links for our fair on Saturday.
This one is the schedule of events throughout the day.
This one is the alphabetical list of all the vendors who are participating. Remember it is FREE , from 9-3pm
Saturday, Sept. 19th.

2nd Annual Eco/Energy Fair

2009-08-31T17:29:00.004-04:00

On Sept. 19th from 9am-3pm there will be a Green Fairhaven Eco/Energy Fair in the center of Fairhaven. This event is free and open to the public. It will be held rain or shine on the grounds of the Unitarian Church on Green and Center street.
Here is the flyer for the event with more details about exhibit and workshops.

Community Garden Photos

2009-07-06T12:06:00.004-04:00

Laura Gardner had a Garden Storytime on July 6th at Community Garden. Here are some photos of garden helpers watering Ms. Laura's veggies. Notice the new Picnic Table courtesy of United Way Community Building Mini-Grant.

2009-06-17T08:14:00.002-04:00

We are very excited to start our second year of The Fairhaven Farmers Market. It is located at the corner of Main and Route 6 on the lawn of Fairhaven High School. Please join us this weekend with Pumpkin Head Ted Band made possible from a local cultural council grant and The Massachusetts Cultural Council.

Community Garden Day!

2009-04-18T15:04:00.004-04:00

Opening Day April 18th Community Garden

2009-04-07T12:00:00.001-04:00

We have chosen Wood School on Sconticut Neck Road for the site of our first community garden in Fairhaven. We will have an Opening Day work day and celebration on Saturday,
April 18th from 9-11am. Please join us to celebrate Earth Day and our new garden. If anyone is interested in making a donation of tools, plants, seeds or time to the garden please contact Lisa Elliott.

Community Gardens Meeting- Jan. 26th

2009-01-10T07:41:00.005-05:00

The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee will host a public meeting about community gardens on Monday, January 26th at 7pm at Town Hall.
The committee would like to discuss the idea of having a community garden
in Fairhaven this coming growing season. Derek Christianson of Brix Bounty Farm in Dartmouth will be one of the speakers that will be on hand to give examples of community gardens and explain his success story from last season at The YMCA in Dartmouth. The meeting is open to the public and we welcome anyone who is interested in this idea

Discounted Compost Bins for sale.

2008-11-03T12:08:00.001-05:00

Discounted Compost Bin Sale

Why bag leaves and grass and put to the curb?
Limited time, limited quantity at discounted price -
$53 instead of over $100 retail!

 An easy way to compost
your leaves and yard waste as well as some household food scraps.
 Save money for you and the
town in reduced soil purchases and disposal costs.
 Great for your garden and
yard, enriches the soil.
 Add leaves, grass clippings,
shredded paper, wood chips, pine needles, egg shells, tea bags, fruit and vegetable waste.
 It is a convenient, beneficial
and inexpensive way to handle your organic waste.
To Order Your Compost Bin
1. Fill out the form below.
2. Include your check or money order for the total amount of $53.
3. Payment must be received by Nov. 10, 2008.

To Pick Up Your Bin:
Bins must be picked up at: 5 Arsene Street, Fairhaven, MA on
Saturday Nov. 15, 2008. between the hours of 9:00 and 11:00 am--ongoing composting demonstrations!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fairhaven Compost Bin Program

Name:___________________________________Phone:_______________

Address: ______________________________________

E-Mail Address: _______________________
Make checks Payable to: New England Plastics Corp.
Drop off or Mail to: Fairhaven Board of Public Works, 5 Arsene Street, Fairhaven, MA 02719 by Nov. 10th

Green FairHaven- Saturday October 18th

2008-08-27T19:29:00.009-04:00

There will be a Green Fair in town on Saturday, October 18th. It will be in the beautiful, historic center of Fairhaven. More details will follow, for more information please email this site. Vendors are welcome, please contact us for details. It will run from 9am-3pm. Events will take place in the library, town hall and Unitarian Church and outside on the lawn.
For more info go to this website.

Summer/Fall Reading!

2008-07-28T16:24:00.003-04:00

All area book groups and readers are encouraged to read the same book this summer. The title Animal, Vegetable and Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. The first meeting and book discussion group about this title will be held during the Green Fair. Time and exact location will follow. Enjoy this wonderful title and come to share your thoughts, recipes and food ideas at the market.

Fairhaven Recycles Plastics & Paper! New Items!

2008-07-24T10:18:00.003-04:00

Fairhaven curbside recycling now accepts all plastics 1-7 in our bins. We can also recycle cardboard, cereal boxes, brochures, fliers, file folders, mail, magazines, shredded paper in closed paper bag. It is ok to recycle your paper with paper clips, staples, plastic windows and also metal spiral notebooks. You can check out Mass Recycles Paper website for more info.

Waste Reduction Discussion

2008-07-06T08:34:00.003-04:00

On Monday, July 21st at 7 pm there will be Waste Reduction Discussion at The Fairhaven Town Hall. Guest speakers will include Pat Fowle, Fairhaven Health Agent and Kathy Mirza from The Dept. of Environmental Protection. This is a free public event.

Market Day!

2008-06-23T02:18:00.002-04:00

Farmer Market This Sunday!

2008-06-16T18:28:00.004-04:00

The new market is finally here! We are very excited to have a new farmers market in Fairhaven.
The first 100 people to purchase something from a vendor at the market will receive a free canvas shopping bag. For more information you can go to this link.

RENOWNED "EARTH COMMUNITY" AUTHOR TO SPEAK ABOUT "THE WORLD WE WANT"

2008-05-28T19:52:00.002-04:00

David Korten, author of The Great Turning and When Corporations Rule the World will be giving this free talk at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Fairhaven Monday, June 9th, 7 pm, as part of UMass Dartmouth's Sustainability Program. His latest book is The Great Turning: from Empire to Earth Community published in 2003.

David Korten's classic bestseller, When Corporations Rule the World (1995) , was one of the first books to articulate the destructive and oppressive nature of the global corporate economy. Now, over ten years later, Korten shows that the problem runs deeper than corporate domination—with far greater consequences.

David Korten is board chair and co-founder of the Positive Futures Network, which publishes Yes! Magazine. His web site is www.davidkorten.org.

Rain Barrel Saturday!

2008-05-27T08:11:00.010-04:00

We distributed the rain barrels this past weekend.
Hopefully everyone set up their new barrels and they are filling up with this beautiful rain. Our rain barrel award went to a gentleman who bought six barrels!

Adopt-a-Shoreline

2008-05-12T13:35:00.006-04:00

If you are interested in helping with a Fairhaven beach cleanup, please contact Deidre Healey at 1-508-999-8641. To view the results of the last cleanup click this link.

Green Film Series Continues- Recyclergy

2008-05-01T19:11:00.005-04:00

Film: The Recyclergy: 33 minutes of Garbage
Friday– May 16 18 at 7pm
Sunday, May 18 at 12 noon
Fairhaven Unitarian Church- 102 Green Street
For decades the San Francisco Bay Area has been a hub for the recycling movement. Even the garbage companies have a long history of recycling practices. After the first Earth Day celebration in 1970, community, non-profit recycling centers appeared in schools, garages, and neighborhood centers—with the goal of bringing recycling organizations to their cities. By 2006, only two non-profit recycling organizations remained in San Francisco. Despite the lack of surviving community recycling centers, the Bay Area is still home to a unique community.
The owners of New England Demolition and Salvage will be on hand to give a lecture about their New Bedford business. You may visit their website here.

Rain Barrels- WE SOLD 185 Barrels!

2008-04-13T17:45:00.005-04:00

Fairhaven BPW Discounted Rain Barrel Sale- Through a grant from the Massachusetts Dept. of Environmental Protection, the first 50 Sky Juice Rain Barrels are available for $55, almost %40 off the retail price of $90 to Fairhaven residents. For more information to order a rain barrel by
May 9th call: Kathy Tripp at 1-508-979-4030.

Green Film Series Continues

2008-04-02T08:25:00.000-04:00

Fairhaven Unitarian Church- 102 Green Street in Fairhaven

Friday, April 18^th 7pm and Sunday, April 20^th Noon

WHO KILLED THE ELECTRIC CAR? This film chronicles the life and mysterious death of the GM EV1, examining its cultural and economic ripple effects and how they reverberated through the halls of government and big business. In 1996, electric cars began to appear on roads all over California. They were quiet and fast, produced no exhaust and ran without gasoline...........Ten years later, these cars were destroyed. A lack of consumer confidence... or conspiracy?

FREE and open to the public! Refreshments served!

Comments please!

2008-03-22T16:55:00.000-04:00

Please leave a comment or suggestion on this website. We would love to hear from the public about issues that you think we should address and work on in the town. Please keep your comments to green, sustainable topics. Thanks! We look forward to hearing from you.

Sustainable Stormwater Management Practices -Monday, March 31st

2008-03-18T17:35:00.000-04:00

The Fairhaven sustainability committee has invited Dr. Joe Costa, Executive Director of the Buzzards Bay National Estuaries Project to discuss the need for sustainable stormwater management practices to reverse the damage that has been done by decades of development and "get the water out" stormwater design on Monday March 31 at 7:15 pm in the Fairhaven Town Hall. The Buzzards Bay National Estuaries Project has been focused on the health of Buzzards Bay for over 20 years, and in that time a significant volume of data has been collected on the health of the Bay. Much of this data reveals the significant contribution of stormwater to the declining water quality of the Bay. Pollutants such as bacteria, sediment, road runoff, fertilizers, to name a few, are routinely found in stormwater and have a direct role in ecosystem impairment. Dr. Costa will present some thoughts on creative stormwater designs that can significantly improve the water that pours into the Bay during every rain storm. All are welcome to attend Dr. Costa’s presentation and learn more about the water quality of the Bay.

Fairhaven Farmers Market

2008-03-10T17:11:00.000-04:00

The Farmers Market in Fairhaven has been approved. We will have a kickoff on Sunday, June 22 fro 1-4pm. The market will be held at Fairhaven High School at the corner of Route and Main street.

Green Film Series Continues

2008-02-21T10:46:00.001-05:00

Produced and directed by Mischa Hedges, Sustainable Table is a feature documentary that takes an unadulterated look into the food you eat. What’s on your plate? Where does it come from? What effects does it have on the environment and your body? What can you do to help? There are many questions about the sustainability of our current agricultural practices. This film tries to find some of the answers to problems that we face today and will face tomorrow.
This film is free and open to the public. It will be shown on Friday, March 21st at 7pm and Sunday, March 23rd at noon at The Unitarian Church in Fairhaven.

Green Film Series- Unitarian Church Fairhaven

2008-01-27T15:18:00.000-05:00

Friday- February 15th 7pm and
Sunday, February 17th Noon
Kilowatt Ours
The Green Sanctuary Task Force of The Unitarian Universalist in Fairhaven is sponsoring a Green Film Series. All the movies are held in the Auditorium of the church, which is located at 102 Green Street.
All are free and refreshments served. Handicap accessible.
"This Jeff Barrie documentary is an inspirational and enlivening film that demonstrates how easy it is to conserve energy that is produced from traditional sources as well as the many ways the average consumer can easily become part of the renewable energy revolution. The film reveals the connection between personal choices and energy use and introduces us to individuals, businesses, schools and universities who have cut their energy use in half by taking simple steps that benefit the consumer, the environment and the economy." For more check out the film's website.

Southcoast Sustainability Blog

2008-01-27T15:15:00.000-05:00

There is a new blog for all of the Southcoast for sustainability issues and events. Keep up to date with all the area events with this new site.

Meeting Notice- Farmer's Market in Fairhaven Discussion

2008-01-10T11:43:00.000-05:00

The next meeting of the Fairhaven Sustainability Committee will be held on Thursday, January 24th at 6:30pm. The beginning of the meeting will be a short business meeting, then at 7pm we will have an open public discussion of the possibilities of a Farmer's Market in Fairhaven. Please join us for this meeting if you are interested in the idea. We will be joined by Sarah Kelley of Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership and Andy Pollock of Silverbrook Farm in Dartmouth.

Better World Handbook

2007-12-20T13:56:00.000-05:00

This is a title that everyone should own. It is an extremely addictive book. Once you start to read it and use it, your shopping life will change forever. It lists all the companies that are environmentally and socially responsible. Every dollar you spend does make a difference, so become educated and make good choices.

Green Tip for the Holidays

2007-12-16T12:10:00.000-05:00

There are many things that you can do during the holidays to think GREEN. One of the easiest tips is to switch your lights to LED energy efficient strings for your holidays lighting. The cost and energy savings is quite remarkable. You can check out the saving and all the numbers on the website for NSTAR at this site.

Local Editorial View- Standard Times

2007-12-01T19:52:00.000-05:00

There was an editorial article about our efforts in Fairhaven. Hopefully other residents will be inspired to help and come to our next meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 4th at 6:30pm at the Fire Station.

Fairhaven Green Committee Meeting

2007-12-01T19:38:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to an article in the local paper about the new commitee.

The Natural Step- Fairhaven

2007-11-29T16:05:00.000-05:00

The Natural Step for Communities : How cities and Towns can change to Sustainable Practices
by Sarah James & Torbjorn Lahti This title is a one book that anyone who is interested in sustainability should read. It is a very practical guide to effecting change within your own community.

Sustainability Links and Resources

2007-11-25T16:22:00.000-05:00

There are now many website links added to
this site that might be interesting to anyone
involved in community sustainability.
Soon there will be a bibliography
that will be posted for those of you who
prefer in print resources.

One of the best books to start with
is The Sustainability Revolution written by Andres R. Edwards.

Composting Workshop

2007-11-20T19:47:00.000-05:00

Here is a link to the composting workshop that was led by Deidre Healey at The Unitarian Universalist Church in Fairhaven.

Fairhaven Sustainability Committee

2007-11-19T17:09:00.000-05:00

The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee was recently appointed by the Selectmen. We would like to move toward creating systems that not only reduce global warming but enhance revenue for our town. This group would meet to recommend actions that would create a sustainable future for our community.

The following list are members of the new committee.

Nate Bekemeier
Penny Brewer
Judith Downing
Lisa Elliott
Bill Elliott
Ann Healey
Deirdre Healey
Patrick McLoughlin
Ann Richard
Mary Jane Richard
Shawna Sweeney

Please feel free to contact any committee member with questions.

Step It Up Fairhaven!

2007-11-01T19:56:00.000-04:00

Local towns participated in the nationwide Step It Up! event.
The local paper covered the event during the weekend storm.

Letter to Selectmen

2007-10-10T09:51:00.000-04:00

July 28, 2007

Dear Selectmen,

We appreciate your dedication to the health and future of the town of
Fairhaven as demonstrated by your signing of the Kyoto protocol. We
also commend your energies toward creating systems that not only
reduce global warming but enhance revenue for our town.
In an effort to continue to sustain this important work, the list of
names below represent town residents committed to supporting these
efforts. We feel it would be in the best interest of the town to
create a sustainability task force as many Southcoast Massachusetts
communities have started. This group would meet to recommend actions
that would create a sustainable future for our community.
We look forward to working with you. Please let us know the next
available opening on your meeting agenda.