Unterbahn

Everyone in Somerville got a notice, posted also at somervillecce.com, that noted an automatic enrollment in 5% renewable energy, at a 1.3% increase in cost (which for my household of 4, means $10 per year).

But I also noticed there’s an option for 100% renewable — and it’s only 27% more than current rates. Really, that’s not a lot. My household of 4 (plus dog and cat) would pay only:

$16.88 more per month, or $202.53 more per year

Split three ways as we do, that’s only $5.63 each per month for me. Here’s the full chart:

To enroll in 100% renewable electric energy, you can email DESCustCare@dynegy.com and ask:

I’d like to enroll in the 100% renewable option described in the notice described at https://somervillecce.com/ — my address is ___________

I did this and they wrote back confirming in an hour. I’m not saying we shouldn’t reduce energy usage, but any light left on overnight, any charger left plugged in for the day, any air conditioner or space heater, or any other electric use, can come from 100% renewable energy.

I wish fighting climate change were always this easy! Please do it and tell your friends and family!

Thank you!

As I recently posted, Alex Ezorsky made this great educational animated video about how a Community Benefits Agreement could help prevent housing displacement in Union Square, Somerville.

As I mentioned, it reminds me of the Home Movies’ episode where they make a Franz Kafka Rock Opera:

So — Alex sent me the lyrics. And he’s made the video and lyrics copyleft — Creative Commons Attribution!

This is TOTALLY a rock opera in disguise. If you can shred, PLEASE rescore this video and post it! Email me at jeff@unterbhan.com, too!

Here goes — just read these lines while listening to the rock opera above:

You love your neighborhood

But things are changing. Some changes are good for everyone

but others aren’t

The rent’s are rising so quickly many people can no longer afford to
live or work in the town they love.

You’re neighborhood is facing re-development and as a result the
current population risks displacement. 

So who is responsible? And how can you ensure that development
benefits the residents instead of replacing them?

Lets start with the basics. Re-development is when a private
development company buys property and turns it into something they can
make a profit from.

Re-development operations can vary in size, from a single lot, to an
entire “neighborhood development plan”

Ah good thought, why not voice your concerns to the city?

They might even offer you meetings with the developer or a city
appointed planning authority who will “listen to your concerns”.

The city will look out for you right???

Developers need city approval to build their projects, and here’s
where you’d want them to leverage a deal to benefit the residents. 

But developers have lots to offer a city,  with campaign donations,
project funding and the fact that new development can bring increased
tax revenue, new jobs, and amenities to attract new residents. 

It’s not hard to see how a City might do everything it can to please
 the developers…often at the expense of the residents.

Sometimes a small group is able to voice their needs. 

But what about everyone else? 

And how can you tell whether your concerns will be taken into account,
or dumped in the trash?

When you get a new apartment; do you just trust that the landlord will
respect your needs as a tenant?

No! You need a lease, or a legal agreement, to guarantee your needs
are met and both sides do what they say they will do.

A contract between the concerned residents and the developer is called
a COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT. 

A CBA gives decision-making power to the community.

A CBA is the only contract that can guarantee that the needs of the
residents, represented in community groups, are included in plans for
development.  Because in a CBA the community groups are signing and
enforcing the agreement.

Developers might not want to sign the CBA because it can restrict
their profits or because they are already working out a deal with the
City.

But development should benefit YOU, the people who live and work here
now, and YOU deserve to have power and influence over development.

Your power grows with increased participation.

With larger more organized and more diligent coalitions, with more
active members, and through protests, petitions, and participation in
public elections the residents CAN demand the proper attention and
leverage needed to get a CBA..

An unhappy public can be a huge threat to both the City and
Developers.

In contrast addressing the needs of the residents with a CBA will
ensure Developers benefit from a happy community in support of the
development to their city. 

Here in Somerville, US2 is the developer contracted by the city for a
neighborhood-wide re-development in Union Square.

We are, Union United, a rapidly growing coalition of Somerville
residents, businesses, churches, unions, and community organizaions,
joined in the effort to create development without displacement
through specific goals outlined in a legally binding CBA with US2 and
the City.

Time is running out and we need YOU to join us, participate in our
meetings, spread the word, and make sure Union Square in Somerville is
added to the growing list of communities across the Nation who’ve
developed with  a Community Benefits Agreement..

Alex Ezorsky, a member of Union United, made this amazing animated video about the politics of redevelopment in Union Square. It’s like the I’m a Bill video from Schoolhouse Rock! I want to re-score it in heavy metal, like Home Movies’ “Franz Kafka Rock Opera“…

A secret project I’ve been working on is a kind of Artemis/Space Team type collaborative starship game (nerd nerd) that’s both peer-to-peer and web-based. You can play the prototype at http://starsandcrafts.org (press “server”).

This weekend I watched the (not bad?) horror/sci-fi 90s movie Event Horizon with Sam Neill (ok, I watched it because he was in Jurassic Park), and was kind of shocked by the opening scene:

For reference, this the opening scene of Stars and Crafts:

WHAT’S GOING ON IN MY HEAD!??!!!