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Carvalho & Associates, P.C. Goes Solar

February, 2015/in Climate Change, Community, Energy, Environmental, News, Sustainability /by Carvalho-admin

Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA – Carvalho & Associates, P.C.’s Massachusetts Coastal Office is now solar powered. In late 2014, Atlanta-based Carvalho & Associates, P.C., a law firm specializing in environmental, energy and real estate matters, installed a 14,000 kWh photo-voltaic (PV) solar system at the firm’s Massachusetts Coastal Office in the Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea. The system, consisting of 40 ‘Signature Black’, high efficiency PV panels and dual inverters manufactured by SunPower, was connected to the grid in January 2015 and will supply the law firm’s daytime electrical power needs. The system is backed up by a natural gas fired high efficiency backup generator, and remains connected to the grid through net metering. “PV solar power makes sense for a lot of reasons”, says the firm’s President and Founder, Michael P. Carvalho, Esq. “We hedge future energy costs by using domestically produced energy, contribute to local job creation, enjoy tax incentives and reduce our contribution to global warming. It looks cool, too,” says Carvalho. The system was designed and installed by Colorado-based Independent Power Systems.

EnvironMentors Awards $10,000 Emerging Leader Scholarship

July, 2014/in Community, Environmental, Events /by Carvalho-admin

Top placing students from each EnvironMentors chapter travel to Washington, DC to compete for these college scholarships at the annual EnvironMentors National Fair. The 2014 Fair was held on Monday, May 19, 2014, at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. Environmental Attorney Michael Carvalho, past Chair of EnvironMentors Advisory Board and Member of the Board of the National Council on Science and Environment, was honored to serve as Emcee.

The EnvironMentors Emerging Leader Scholarship is the top scholarship awarded by EnvironMentors in the amount of $10,000. This scholarship is granted to an EnvironMentors student who is a graduating senior, has participated in EnvironMentors for at least two years, has been admitted to college, demonstrates a genuine commitment to the environment, and who, as a result of their participation in EnvironMentors and other related experiences, has decided to pursue and environmentally-related college degree program.

The 2014 EnvironMentors Emerging Leader Scholarship was awarded to Marcus Padia. As part of his project, Marcus built a scale model of his own wind turbine design and sought assistance from a local manufacturing company when the initial proto-type did not work as intended. He worked nights and weekends in a restaurant to earn funds for his project materials. Marcus participated in EnvironMentors for four years in High School, and was the 2013 recipient of the National Ronald M. Carvalho, Sr. Environmental Policy Award in connection with this project on community support for Wind Turbines in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Marcus was recognized for his sincere interest in engineering and science, and his ambition to study and pursue STEM related programs for the betterment of his community. Marcus, a first generation immigrant, has been accepted to Colorado State University where he plans to study Environmental and Electrical Engineering and pursue his interest in wind turbine design.

For more information about the EnvironMentors program, please visit www.ncseonline.org

“Underwater in Salem Sound” – Environmental Lecture Series

February, 2014/in Climate Change, Community, Environmental, Events, Regulatory Matters, Sustainability /by Carvalho-admin

MARBLEHEAD, MA – On Wednesday, February 26, 2014, Environmental Attorney Michael Carvalho will attend the Salem Sound Coastwatch lecture series, “Underwater in Salem Sound.” In this lecture series, which will be held the last Wednesday of the month January through April, experts will explore life in local coastal waters.

The Lecture Series is part of a MET (Massachusetts Environmental Trust) grant awarded to Salem Sound Coastwatch to study the issue of turbidity in Salem Harbor over the next two and a half years. Turbidity, which is cloudiness in the water column, affects the ability of the water to sustain marine life.

On January 29, 2014, Dr. Robert Buchsbaum, conservation scientist with Mass Audubon, gave an illustrated presentation on the fascinating arctic birds that are only visible in Salem Sound during the winter. These seasonal guests come to local waters for the abundant food provided by Salem Sound’s fish, snails, mussels and underwater plants.

Then in February, Dr. Brad Hubeny, professor of geologic sciences at Salem State University, will talk about “History Revealed by the Sea Floor.” Hubeny’s research includes using sediment records to reconstruct pollution and human influence on natural water bodies.

In the third session, “Changing Climate, Changing Fishes,” Dr. Mike Armstrong of the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries will talk about the decline of flounder, the burgeoning squid population and the changing species of fish resulting from changing water temperatures.

The series wraps up in April with “Shellfish, Shellfish Everywhere and Not a Clam to Eat” — a look at Salem Sound’s productive, but not edible, shellfish beds, by Barbara Warren of Salem Sound Coastwatch.

“Salem Sound’s natural resources play a huge role in the ecological, social and economic life of our region,” said Warren, Coastwatch’s executive director. “This is a wonderful opportunity to learn about our great neighbor, the ocean.”

To learn more about this lecture series, please go to: Underwater-in-Salem-Sound Lecture Series.

This Lecture Series is funded in part by a grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET). MET is funded through the sale of environmental license plates. Every Massachusetts driver who purchases one of the “Preserve the Trust” license plates is contributing to the Trust and to the state’s environmental well-being.

EnvironMentors Scholarship Fundraiser

February, 2014/in Community, Environmental /by Carvalho-admin

WASHINGTON, DC – On Wednesday, March 12, 2014, Attorney Michael Carvalho will be a sponsor at the 2014 EnvironMentors Scholarship Fundraiser to be held at The Embassy of Finland in Washington, DC. This is the second annual fundraiser event that celebrates the EnvironMentors program. The event provides an opportunity for donors to meet with Environmentors students and hear first-hand about the transformative impact of the environmentors program. All event proceeds will go to the EnvironMentors Scholarship Fund, which provides youth the financial support to pursue their dream of college.

Over the course of the school year, students work with mentors to develop rigorous environmental science projects based on relevant environmental circumstances in their communities. Upon completion of their chosen research projects, they develop lesson plans and present to an elementary school class, at local science fairs, as well as at the annual EnvironMentors Science Fair where they have a chance to compete for college scholarships. The top three students in each chapter are competitively selected, by their chapters and their chapter adviser, to attend and compete in the National Environmentors Science fair. This year the Science Fair will be held at The U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, DC on May 19, 2014. Students present their research findings to a distinguished panel of judges at the Science Fair in May 19, 2014 in Washington, DC. Winners of this event receive college scholarships.

Founded in 1992 as an environment-based mentoring program, EnvironMentors envisions young adult leaders from all cultural, ethnic, and socio-economic backgrounds becoming active stewards of their communities and the environment. By creating a bridge that encourages underserved youth to explore environmental education in college we open potential pathways for them to move toward successful environmental careers.

EnvironMentors is uniquely positioned to increase the number of under-represented students in environmental and related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields nationwide and help build a diverse, skilled workforce for the new green economy. Students, who would typically not have the exposure or opportunities to access environmental and related degrees and careers, gain invaluable mentoring, scientific research skills and support in college preparation. Equally important, students become more informed and active stewards of their local communities and the environment through EnvironMentors.

Currently, EnvironMentors has expanded to include thirteen chapters at: Alabama State University, Alabama A&M University, Arkansas State University, Colorado State University, Heritage University, Kean University, Kentucky State University, Louisiana State University, North Carolina State University, University of California, Davis, University of the District of Columbia, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, and West Virginia University.

Event tickets begin at $75 with proceeds going to the EnvironMentors Scholarship Fund. For more information please contact Jessica Soule via email or (202) 207-0017.

For more information about donating to EnvironMentors, please visit NCSEonline.org.