ICARE OFFICERS Chair Jason Wertz Green Car Festival Chair Web Bingham Treasurer Robert Stone Communications Director Heidi Paek

Ipswich Citizens Advocating Renewable Energy (ICARE) is a grassroots, community group that formed in June, 2005. Our membership is comprised of residents from various walks of life, who all believe that Ipswich can be an environmental leader for clean energy. Our mission is to promote renewable energy in Ipswich.

The founding member is Bill Ford, Superintendent of the Ipswich Power Plant. Bill announced formation of the group in the Ipswich Chronicle, and eleven people attended the initial meeting. These interested citizens chose the group's name, elected officers, and drafted a mission statement.

Since that first meeting, forty additional members have stepped forward to offer their ideas, their time, and their expertise. The team is focused on educating the public about renewable energy, and for implementing renewable energy projects wherever possible in Ipswich.

ICARE members have met at regular meetings and in subcommittees. They have studied the economic and environmental benefits of the proposed wind turbine, toured the intended site on Town Farm Road, and visited a working turbine in Hull. Internal communication continues on a nearly daily basis via a dedicated email list service. In April 2006, Town Meeting voters overwhelmingly approved pre-development funds for the new wind turbine.

In addition to the wind turbine, ICARE has formed research initiatives to investigate feasible renewable energy applications of Solar and Bio-diesel in Ipswich.

In November 2005, ICARE hosted an Ipswich Winter Heating Efficiency forum to discuss heating fuel conservation options with Keyspan, MassEnergy, and the Ipswich Electric Department.

In July 2006, ICARE hosted a The Green Car and Transportation Festival, a extremely successful event that drew over 1000 in attendance with dozens of sponsors, exhibitors, and speakers.

In November 2006, ICARE member Web Bingham initiated the formation of an Ipswich Commission on Energy Use and Climate Protection. The Commission will help identify how municipal decisions affect energy use and the generation of harmful emissions that come from electricity and fossil fuels. In the future, such decisions will be viewed as opportunities to reduce the town’s production of climate-changing pollution, while preserving or even enhancing the quality of life for town residents. For more information visit the Ipswich on Energy Use and Climate Protection

In March 2007, ICARE hosted a free Residential Energy Efficiency Fair for homeowners, builders and designers with keynote speakers William Moomaw, PhD, Professor of International Environmental Policy at Tufts, and Barbra Batshalom, LEED AP, Executive Director, The Green Roundtable