Interested in renewable energy, energy conservation, and learning new or old skills to thrive locally? We are! The North Quabbin Garlic and Arts Festival is committed to strengthening our communities, and this means promoting energy self-reliance and education about how to reduce consumption and waste, use renewable forms of energy, and re-skill our lives to create a better future for everyone.
The area at the north end of the festival site has been named the Portal to the Future, where we bring together important trends that contribute to community-building and local resilience. Last year the theme was: The future is born of our imaginations. Come and conjure up the world, community and even the you of your fondest dreams.
There are presentations that happen each day from 12:00-4:00 in the “energy tent.” The 2022 presenters covered green energy topics, ideas for building community and living with nature, the healing value of the food you eat, forest conservation, and growing chestnut trees. At left, Brian of North Quabbin Energy explains “winserts” – home-made window inserts. Conservation is first in the holy trinity of energy consciousness – conservation, efficiency, renewables.
There are also booths in the Portal with new technology, ideas for you to consider, and experts to learn from.
Pioneer Valley Photovoltaics (PV²) are energy experts who have been part of the festival for many years. The music on the Main Music Stage is typically powered by a solar electric system that they provide. In 2019 all of the festival, including the vendors in the Portal to the Future were powered by solar energy and batteries. Learn what these folks have been doing to continue to support residential and commercial solar installations.
This Chevy Volt powered the Renewable Energy Tent!
Transportation is responsible for much of the past, present, and future greenhouse gas emissions. Are there alternatives? Sure there are! E-Bikes and hybrids and fully electric cars, such as this Chevy Volt, are here to stay as battery technology keeps advancing by leaps and bounds. Come check out some examples and learn how this car can be used as a generator.
