Public Awareness

The Public Awareness initiative seeks to increase the profile of renewable energy with the public. In particular, it aims to provide visible evidence that renewable energy is being used ever more widely across the Commonwealth and that it can indeed ultimately supply a large share of the state’s energy. This Initiative provides Massachusetts residents with information about what they can do to support the development of renewable energy. The overall message is: “Clean energy: it’s real, it’s here, it’s working. Let’s make more!”

The Union of Concerned Scientists recently published five facts sheets on wind energy which the Trust funded. These publications aim to develop and deploy targeted public educational materials to encourage individuals, advocates, local and regional decision makers, and the media to carefully consider the benefits of wind development during project siting debates. Follow this link to the UCS site to download the fact sheets.

The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative and New England Sports Network (NESN) are highlighting opportunities to conserve energy and implement clean energy solutions that save money.

Watch the MTC video announcements broadcast on NESN during Red Sox games and throughout the day, along with other short videos on the benefits of renewable energy.

Other activities in the initiative have included:

  • Grants to organizations for educational activities that increase public awareness of and support for renewable energy among Massachusetts residents.
  • Exhibits and activities at the Museum of Science and the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts (MASS MoCA).
  • Displays at renewable energy facilities and buildings funded by the Trust.
  • Title sponsorship of the NESEA Building Energy Conference in Boston on March 13-15, 2007.
  • Extensive public information about clean energy on the MTC website.
  • Clean energy television ads as a part of the National Clean Energy Education Campaign with the Clean Energy States Alliance.
  • A Clean Energy Tour in 2004 with large-scale events in five communities.

CONTACT:

Marybeth Campbell, Public Education Manager, at campbell@masstech.org or 508.870.0312, ext. 238.

Martha Broad, Manager, Renewable Energy Markets, at broad@masstech.org or 508.870.0312, ext.254.