By Joseph A. Curtatone

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Somerville has a rich history of supporting creativity and entrepreneurship. We recognize the value that creative thinkers of all stripes bring to our community. Artists have thrived in Somerville, with several groups sponsoring events that showcase our local talent. The “maker movement” is the term used to frame the next industrial revolution of small-scale production that is happening right now in Somerville, but we’ve had makers in Somerville for generations, from pasta makers to furniture builders. The new makers of today carry on that tradition—as do the entrepreneurs working in green technology. Green tech innovators are using hard work and creativity to try and solve the biggest energy and environmental problems we face as a city, a nation and a planet. Just as we’ve supported artists and the makers old and new alike, we want to support these innovators. That’s why we’re asking emerging green tech companies to give us their best product pitch.

We want to be first in line to give a shot to green tech ideas these entrepreneurs are developing. So we released a request for information, or RFI, asking emerging green tech companies to fill us in on projects or services they are looking to pilot, demonstrate or launch. We’re going to use the responses we get through the survey at somervillema.gov/greentech to develop a new City Green Tech Program that we will detail early next year. Through the program, we aim to partner with these companies to make their projects a reality. By working with them to pilot their innovations here, we will both work toward the city’s sustainability goals and support our emerging green tech companies.

Just as we value creativity and entrepreneurship, we value sustainability and environmental stewardship. It’s right there on page four of SomerVision, our 20-year comprehensive plan created by the community that asks not what we want to build but who we want to be: “Build a sustainable future through strong environmental leadership … and effective stewardship of our natural resources.” On that same page in SomerVision, the community commits to continued innovation and our responsibility to current and future generations in all of our endeavors. These values all collide in the realm of green tech.

Based on those values, we’ve set a goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. Exactly how we will zero out our carbon emissions in next 35 years is not settled, but part of it will be with the help of technologies that do not exist today. We want to be first in line for those technologies, helping us achieve our sustainability goals and move the needle on greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting the creative innovators who share our values and also want to make a difference. We need to focus on creating profitable, sustainable economies, and on doing social good—and they’re not mutually exclusive.

We want to launch ideas and feed imaginations, to have curiosity burn here and people to chase their dreams in Somerville. We’re seeing this kind of innovation right now in Union Square, where clean tech innovators, artisans and makers are bumping into one another, sharing ideas and working together. And if Somerville can serve as an incubator for the new green tech products and services, we can help other cities learn how we can tackle the challenge of global warming.

This program is a mutually beneficial partnership, but it’s about more than that. It’s about understanding who we are as a community—our shared values and our assets that make us attractive. Our values of embracing innovation, entrepreneurship and strong environmental stewardship are laid out in SomerVision. Our assets are clear from atop any of Somerville’s seven hills—we sit at the center of the Tufts-Harvard-MIT triangle, where innovative ideas born in universities meet with the physical needs of industry found in our industrial spaces and workforce. If we leverage our assets with our values, we can make a real difference for our city, our environment and our children’s future.

Green tech companies interested in participating in this program invited to fill out the survey online at somervillema.gov/greentech, describing their technology, providing available links to demo or informational materials, and explaining why the city would be a good customer or test case for their technology. Responses are due by the end of the day on Monday, Dec. 1. Copies of the RFI can also be downloaded from the website. An informational session about the program will be held Thursday, Nov. 6, from 5-7 p.m., at Aeronaut Brewing Co., 14 Tyler St. in Somerville.