Finding a Happy Media

While new members -- both business and individual citizens alike -- are certainly the bread and butter of continued Green Alliance growth, we can't forget how important a role the local media has, and will continue to have, in the future growth and recognition of the GA.

Just last week this piece was published in the Portsmouth Herald, and provided a brief but effective overview of the great work the GA has done, and how it sees itself drawing into the fray even more devotees in the future.

Green Alliance, Green Drinks Draw Record Crowd

On a night when an unexpected and heavy snow drove many to stay indoors, Green Alliance members established and prospective alike, in conjunction with Green Drinks, managed to turn the Lapanza Lounge of usual host Portsmouth Brewery into the biggest, best, and greenest party in town -- and the most flagrant fire code violation, no doubt.


With well over 100 greenies crammed into the 60-capacity basement abode of Alliance-member Brewery for this unprecedentedly well-attended event, Director Sarah Brown and Co. conducted a four-hour "Know Your Local Green Economy" round-robin, inviting both established members and potential allies alike to share in what Brown termed a kind of "green speed-dating" night. But with sweets provided by Beach Pea Bakery in Kittery providing the sugar rush, and the always-hearty libations served by the Brewery's top-notch barkeeps greasing the conversational wheels, the gathering soon morphed into a one-at-a-time sounding board, with business owner's and representatives from around the Seacoast taking turns giving short intros highlighting their causes, crafts, and, of course, customers.


For GA Director Brown, the turnout -- both the quantity and the quality -- couldn't have been better. " It's incredibly inspiring to see exactly how many people were interested," said Brown. "What was really unexpected for me was the sheer number of businesses that came -- not just GA business members, but a huge amount of other green business owners, or even the regular business owners who want to become green. It was really a testament to the strength of the appeal of green businesses going forward."

While all present enjoyed free food, drink, and good feelings, one lucky attendee in particular -- Michelle Daly -- walked away with a free year-long Green Alliance Co-Op membership.

All in all the night was a huge success, with a turnout and level of enthusiasm that, hopefully, signals a spring steeped in new members, new energy, and new possibilities, both for the Green Alliance as well as the entire Seacoast community.

Waiting For the Sun No more: SEA Solar Store Squeezes Most Out of Shy Seacoast Sun

No serious discussion about a sustainable economy can really be had without taking into account how, exactly, we plan to power this new, green society. But one thing is certain: solar power is almost always cited as a quintessential -- if not the ideal -- component for a completely re-vamped power grid. In fact, one study, presented at the International Solar Energy Society, concluded that a mere 93 square miles of solar panels -- strategically placed in the sun-soaked Nevada desert -- could provide enough electricity to power the United States... Completely!

To be sure, sun-soaked isn't exactly a befitting description for the New Hampshire seacoast. Still, for Jack Bingham and SEA Solar Store in Dover, a few thousand homes equipped with their state-of-the art solar hot water heaters and wind turbines would go a long way in putting a noticeable dent in New England's clean energy gap. To read more about Bingham and Co.'s impressive array of clean and efficient power services, click here.

A Totally Shameless, Biased Plug for My Other Employer: The (Unbeliveably Awesome) Portsmouth Brewery

Speaking as someone who actually works part-time at the Portsmouth Brewery, and having worked in restaurants on and off since I was 17, I can safely say that I've never come across an operation more admirable in its dedication to cutting waste and giving back to the community than Portsmouth's favorite Brew Pub. And I was in no way offered a raise to say that...

All joking aside, I remember coming to The Brewery about a year ago, after serving six long, wholly unsatisfying months in a barbecue-joint-on-Congress-Street-whose-name-I-will-not-mention. It took me about an hour to realize what made the Brewery special -- in its own right, sure, but particularly when compared to almost every restaurant of its size, anywhere. From CFL lighting throughout the restaurant to compost donations to local pig farms to extensive and steadfast commitments to local charities, The Brewery -- long known for its food and drink -- has increasingly set itself apart in all manners green. But don't take my completely biased word for it -- read the Green Story.

Beach Pea Sets Standard for Green Restaurants

Anyone who has been inside Kittery's Beach Pea Bakery -- and unless you've been living under a rock at Odiorne Point, you probably have -- understands pretty quickly the care and attention to detail permeating every aspect of the shop. The cakes, pastries and confections glow from under display windows in an immaculate halo of precision matched only by the smiles of the staff taking and filling the order.

Not surprising, then, that this same care and conscious focus on the minutiae of restauranteering should also be reflected in Beach Pea's herculean dedication to sustainable practices. Click here to read more about Beach Pea as they continue to set the standard for green eats on the Seacoast, in this recent Green Story.

Green Hair: Not Just for Punks and Freaks

When one thinks of green businesses, or businesses that would find the transition to more sustainable practices easier than most, a fully operational beauty salon doesn't necessarily spring to mind. Why with all the sprays, soaps, and truckloads of hair -- not to mention those ghastly looking machines you had to watch your mom sit under for two hours at a time -- it seems the most any greenie could hope to get out of a visit to their local barber or stylist is a new look... and a free Dum-Dum at the counter never hurts.

But for Laura MacKay and Allison Degan of Acorn Organic Salon in Dover, theirs is the new look that is changing the way you think about your hair. From chemical-free products to recycling and donating excess shag, to "free"-cycled furniture and beyond, these two Dover natives are offering a unique, refreshing, truly green alternative to the business-as-usual approach that defines most stylists and salons. Click here to read more about Acorn and their goals as they do what only a handful of salons nationwide have been able to accomplish: make green hair a reality, and not just an adolescent cry for help...

We're Still Here!

After a short fall-winter hibrination, the GA blog is back up and -- hopefully -- fully functioning. Much has transpired the last few months, with new Green businesses and organizations joining the GA fold, and lots of exciting prospects and projects waiting in the wings. Check back regularly to see what's new with the GA as it continues to make waves up and down the Seacoast.