Western Mass Green Consortium Slates Green Night for May 10

NORTHAMPTON — The Western Mass Green Consortium has slated its next Green Night for Wednesday, May 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Platform Sports Bar in Northampton.

Greenfield Community College (GCC) has significantly contributed to Massachusetts’ national prominence in renewable energy and energy efficiency, and its interns are often on the forefront of these fields. Student interns have contributed to such forward-looking developments as manufacturing fuel from recycled vegetable oil, assessing the energy performance of the region’s building stock, increasing outreach to businesses and volunteers for a local low-income housing franchise, and designing and installing solar arrays.

At Green Night, recent and current interns will give a thumbnail sketch of their experiences working for local organizations such as Northeast Biodiesel, Power House Energy Consulting, and Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity. Representatives of host sites will also be on hand to discuss their perspective of the internship process. Teresa Jones, GCC’s Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency (RE/EE) program director; Christine Copeland, GCC’s internship coordinator guru; and Beth Paulson, adjunct faculty for the RE/EE program, will update attendees on GCC’s accomplishments, describe how other businesses can get involved, and introduce the presenters.

GCC’s pioneering Renewable Energy/Energy Efficiency degree and certificate programs have been closely aligned with local sustainable businesses since the program began in 2008. It is a leader in not only the state, but the country. It has graduated 29 students in the degree program and 79 students in the intensive, one-year certificate program.