Green Home Initiative

Mayor Angel Taveras launched the Green & Health Homes Initiative Providence Neighborhood Innovation Pilot (GHHIPNIP). This initiative is dedicated to providing houses in the Olneyville and Valley areas with free weatherization. The GHHIPNIP will train minority contractors how to handle health hazards including, poor ventilation, lead paint, and much more. Unlike many other initiatives the GHHIPNIP tries to fix all problems pertaining to the house instead of fixing one aspect and leaving the other problems to another person or company. GHHIPNIP will also train the owners of these homes how to save money through saving energy, and how to live healthier.

With this program in play it will dramatically lower their heating and medical bills. With the weatherization of the homes families will not have to use the heat as much, saving money. Because GHHIPNIP doesn't focus solely on one problem all safety hazards will be covered, providing a healthier and safer environment for living. 

The funding for this great project is coming from the U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Partrnership Funds, as well as the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Lead Hazard Control Program. Funding is also coming from the Open Society Foundations made available by the Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning. The total amount of funding for this project is 1.8 million for training, and home retrofits.

Learn more about the GHHI at http://www.greenandhealthyhomes.org/index.cfm  

Worth waiting

Providence is a city full of hustle and bustle, even if some people don’t realize it. There are many stores and restaurants that people would wait in a line for. From Bagels at Bagel Gourmet to events at The Steelyard, Providence has a lot to offer.

I recently asked many people what they would wait in line for and I got a variety of responses. Some people responded simply with “red lights” or “lines in banks,” while others mention the Farmers Market or Mr. Lemon. I have to say, I wait in line for an iced tea with lemon at L’Artisan, a local cafe.One response in particular was very interesting, from a local dance teacher.

I think that this is a good question because something

about our life here makes us hate waiting in line.

Like we'd wait in line in Boston or NY but not in Providence.

I had a friend in retail when we first moved here and she

said it is a constant struggle in high end retail.  The refrain

was, "I'll spend a lot for a clothing item in

Boston and NY but not here in RI".

Is it our small size, our position between two

urban powers, our general inferiority complex

that makes us think nothing here is worth

too long a wait?  I am not sure but waiting

for anything in RI seems like a burden and yet

I'll wait in the half-price tickets line for a Broadway

show in NY for a couple of hours!

Some people noted that by living in Providence long lines are hard to come by. Other responses included the hot dog truck from Chez Pascal, Movies at the Avon, Nick’s on Broadway and Mama Kims. One very popular response was Julian’s, a restaurant on the West Side of Providence. People also mentioned waiting in line for Waterfire (even though it is pretty much just one long line), and great pizza at Nice Slice on Thayer Street.

So, If you’re having trouble coming up with a place for lunch, or wondering what to do on a Friday night , check these out, they won’t disappoint. After all, your neighbors think these are all worth waiting in line for.

For more information check out the links below:

Bagel Gourmet

The Steel Yard

The Farmers Market

L’Artisan

Mr. Lemon

Chez Pascal-Hot Dog Truck

The Avon Cinema

Nick’s on Broadway

Mama Kims

Julian'sWaterfire

Nice Slice

Feel free to leave a comment saying what you have waited in line for!