Hoboken

We raised a grand for Carpe Diem and both regulars and non-regulars alike went out to support the event! The promotional strategy used social media and traditional media.  Social networking sites likes Justmeans, facebook, twitter, and this blog were used heavily. In addition, guerrilla marketing definitely made a difference for the downtown Hoboken area. Next time, getting people in a room to talk about why it is important and how to further get the word out is a surefire way to get more support. The fun part is being creative with how to find those people who are interested in joining.

The biggest plus about the event was that NJ’s state news agency, News12NJ did a spot before the event, we were also mentioned on Time.com (yeah!), and Fox News also did a piece on the event. The two day event brought a lot of attention to Carpe Diem. The residual media coverage was not something that I expected but is popping here and there. For example, a NYC station wanted to cover it as well as a college station in NY. There is defininetely interest in NYC media, that is for sure.

As for the New York City carrotmob, there is certainly enough people in NYC for a real statistical chance of having an organizer in there somewhere.

Attention! Tomorrow and Sunday those who want to get a crash course in Building Performance Institute (BPI) training can sign up for the weekend of May 9th and 10th! The BPI weekend will prepare you to take the BPI test. By passing that, you will earn a certification that holds value for an employer who wants weatherization and energy efficiency projects. This is a perfect example of a “green collar job” – a job that helps the environment and society. The first job you will get is most likely a Building Analyst.
For more info go here http://www.bpi.org/content/contractors/faq.html

The trainer course will take place in New York City, is FREE, and is through the Win Win Campaign, a super awesome project supported by the Manhattan Borough President’s office. For a video on that check this out:

Come out to Carpe Diem this weekend and have a drink. Have breakfast. Catch up with friends or meet new people. With your patronage, you will be helping a bar go green. It is easy to do – just do what you would normally do at a bar. It is fun – you will be around people who care about the same things you do.  It is simple – 70% of sales are being spent on energy efficient upgrades.

If the weather holds, and as of 11pm it looks like it won’t rain on Saturday and Sunday is looking better too, then sit outside at the outside patio.

I just emailed Josh at The Lazy Environmentalist and basically said to him that people aren’t going to be made to feel guilty about having to green their lifestyles. Carrotmob uses zero guilt – it uses an awesome community event, which I find much more enjoyable. I am pretty sure anyone shares that stance with me too.

Last but not least, check out the great writeup on Hoboken 411 here.

The First Energy Group did a report on Carpe Diem.  I really want to thank them, especially, Mechele, Rueben, Rickey, and last but not least, Jay. The report is really thorough and here are the main points.

Special Emphasis, Concerns, or Limitations

- Disruption – A key concern is designing and installing any equipment or systems in this facility with no disruption during operating hours.
- Reliability & Durability – Long term solutions with solid life cycle costing are required.
- Operation Cost – A major driver of this report is to reduce operating costs and take advantage of the savings and incentives to subsidize replacement of aging or inefficient equipment and improvement to the environment.
- Rebates –  Utility rebates will be applied for and will be directly sent to the client.

Recommended Energy Conservation Measures:

1. Improve performance of kitchen-hood exhaust and outside air intake fan.
2. Installation of Dual Enthalpy Economizer on the primary roof-top heating and cooling system.
3. Installation of supplementary 2-ton, ductless split, air conditioning system for the first floor.
4. Replacement of the 2 bathroom exhaust fans with units providing exhaust, light, and heat.
5. Installation of programmable time clock to turn the amplifiers on and off on a schedule.
6. Installation of a Honeywell series 8000 programmable thermostat to control the roof-top heating and cooling system.
7. Retrofit the exit signs with LED kits.

Wow. Just still impressed by the amazing flyer that was made by Christian Clothier. He did a great job and it looks great.

As a rule of thumb if you are coming from New York, you want to take the PATH to Hoboken and take a taxi to the bar. You should not try to take the NY Waterway – the ferry does not run from Midtown to Hoboken on the weekends.  Another option is taking the Light Rail from the PATH. It goes behind Hoboken and leaves you three blocks away from Carpe Diem. You can also walk 20 minutes from the PATH.

If you are driving, there is parking around Carpe Diem, but public transportation is encouraged!  If you do not have a Hoboken parking permit, you can park where the sign has a white background with green letters. If you do not have a permit, do not park where there is a green background with white letters sign.

Well the only other main social media outlet that was missing through this entire initiative was MySpace. No longer! Check out Carpe Diem’s myspace and join their page! Myspace!!!!

I am also reinserting the Facebook page link here http://tiny.cc/TXp4c

Carrotmob Makes It Rain from carrotmob on Vimeo.

Carrotmob leverages consumer power to make the most socially responsible business practices also the most profitable choices. A big mob of consumers buys products to reward a business that makes the strongest commitment to improve the world. It’s the opposite of a boycott. Carrotmobs have happened all over the country, and have been featured in such news sources as the Economist and the New York times. On May 2nd and 3rd, a Carrotmob is coming to Hoboken. Carpe Diem, an Irish bar and restaurant, has committed to investing 70% of all sales to energy efficiency upgrades. The more people show up, the smaller Carpe Diem’s carbon footprint becomes. Eat, drink, and be merry – and make the world a better place while you are at it!

You can show support in three ways. 1) RSVP on Facebook 2) Tell your friends (spread the message through word of mouth or invitations on Facebook) 3) Join the Mob on May 2nd and May 3rd!

Where: Carpe Diem bar/restaurant located at 1405 Grand Street, Hoboken, NJ http://www.carpediemhoboken.com/

When: Saturday, May 2 and Sunday, May 3; 11am – 4pm

RSVP: On Facebook: http://tiny.cc/TXp4c | Blog: hoboken.carrotmob.org | Twitter: NJCarrotmob

Thoughts?  What are the strengths?  Where could it be improved?

News 12 is filming a Carrotmob spot tomorrow at Carpe Diem. I along with the owner will be interviewed. Make sure to watch!!!

http://tiny.cc/TXp4c

This link will take you to our Facebook event group. Click on this to RSVP!