In a world increasingly focused on sustainability, a grassroots movement is gaining traction in Franklin County. Known as “Green Drinks,” this global initiative originated in London during the 1990s and has since spread worldwide, drawing environmentally conscious individuals together for informal gatherings.
Recently, Incandescent Brewing in Bernardston hosted Franklin County’s inaugural Green Drinks event, attracting over a dozen clean energy advocates. Organized by Kristin Cole and Samantha Wood from Greenfield Community College’s Workforce Development program, the event was a collaborative effort with the MassHire Franklin Hampshire Career Center, the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, and FirstLight Power. Inspired by similar meetups in Northampton, the organizers aimed to bring this concept to a local audience.
“This went on for years in Northampton. It was called Green Drinks and this is kind of based on a global movement,” Wood explained. “They’re all over the world. They’re meetups of people who are into sustainable energy and taking care of the climate.”
Scheduled for the fourth Thursday of each month from 4 to 6 p.m. at Incandescent Brewing, these events facilitate informal conversations and community connections among clean energy professionals and enthusiasts. Cole emphasized the importance of community building within the clean energy sector, stating, “We’re going to start small. We’re planning to build this up over time. The goal is just to bring people together. It’s a very informal relationship-building, folks that are all working in this space together.”
The first meeting drew attendees from organizations such as Greenfield Community College, MassHire, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and several local energy companies. Discussions revolved around the latest advancements in technology, policy changes, and developments in clean energy, including updates on residential tax credit incentives for solar projects.
Ryan Martin, co-owner of Current Energy in Bernardston, addressed concerns about the expiration of a solar credit, noting, “That residential solar credit went away, but that doesn’t mean it’s not worth it.”
Jessye Deane, executive director of the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, expressed her initial apprehension about the event due to the potential awkwardness of networking. However, she was pleasantly surprised by the turnout and the enthusiastic interactions among participants. “It’s really nice when you can unite similar interests across sectors and across communities,” Deane remarked. “I think this is a great representation of regional partnerships coming together to make those connections and build better business, and make Franklin County a little greener.”
Wood also highlighted the diversity of attendees, noting, “I think it’s super successful already. We’ve got people across different industries and I’m just super happy about that. We’ve got some design and build people, we’ve got somebody from the American Farmland Trust. … It’s a wonderful thing to have a local gathering place.”
The next Green Drinks event is scheduled for March 26, promising continued collaboration and discussion among those passionate about clean energy and sustainability.
Original Story at recorder.com