Growing awareness of climate change; state energy goals skyrocket; wasted food becomes a major regional and national issue; upcycling becomes stylish; CET undergoes a statewide and regional expansion EcoBuilding Bargains expanded to a much larger facility to become the largest store of its type in New England A deep energy retrofit of the new location
Some increased public awareness about climate change; MA Global Warming Solutions Act and Green Communities Act enacted, MA became a national leader in investment in efficiency and renewable energy; Mass DEP expanded waste bans/recycling programs; CET became a Massachusetts leader in building consumer awareness, acceptance and demand for energy efficiency and renewable energy Helped address
Utility energy efficiency programs grew; federal solar tax incentives disappeared; electric restructuring occurred; municipal recycling grows Launched the Pittsfield Business Recycling Cooperative in 1997 to collect office paper from small businesses Our efforts and others like it helped encourage private recycling haulers and on-site shredding companies to enter the market Conducted Non-profit energy efficiency program
High energy costs; increased interest in conservation; solar tax credits; decade of the garbage crisis Small business energy program provided some of the first energy assessments for businesses to identify opportunities to increase their energy efficiency Energy Circuit Rider provided grant writing services to municipalities to apply for funding to install energy conservation measures BTEP
Heightened awareness of the environment signified by first Earth Day, national environmental legislation (Clean Air and Clean Water acts, National Energy Act) and establishment of EPA; decade of oil crises and oil embargo. 1976 – CET was founded in Pittsfield, Massachusetts CET is one of the few environmental organizations of its kind across the country