I had a great time at BuildingEnergy, as always, and met many people young and old, that wanted to get into the green career field; many of them came up to me and said “Can you help me get a job in green/sustainability/energy efficiency/etc?”

And I asked them all, “Are you a NESEA member?”

If they said yes, I said yes, and helped them. I think I got one kid on the path to a new job in about 15 minutes.

If no, I said, “Join NESEA, then come talk to me.” And they asked a second question, and I said, “We’re a community, and our community needs support. Become a member, then come talk to me, and I’ll be happy to help.”

The mothership needs the support and participation of committed NESEA Members. And we all talk about community, support, networking, learning the greater good, and how NESEA fulfills that need.

So I’m asking all of you to look deep into your wallets, examine your conscience, and ask yourself, “Have I paid my NESEA dues? Am I  indeed a member? Or am I a NESEAfaux?”

I’m also asking those that did workshops this year to donate their “bounty’ in the workshops back to NESEA. New readers may not be aware, but presenters at Tuesday workshops do get a cut. I’ve been doing it for years, and it has allowed me to become a lifetime member. Last year, Bernice Radle became a lifetime member because we donated back our workshop booty. This year, Erica Brabon became a NESEA lifetime member when we gave it back.

So now that we’ve had a successful conference, and are preparing for next year’s show, I join the chorus of Lifetime, Sustaining, Supporting, NESEA/ASES, Basic and Student members and ask you all to join. And when people ask you for pro-bono help, ask them if they are NESEA members, and encourage them to join if they are not.

And don’t help them until they are.

Thank you members, you help make the conference great. And for those of you that helped with the conference and forgot to renew – remember to do it, OK? It’s why we’re here.

Thanks, Andy