> Hi all
> Hope this email finds you doing really well.  I am reaching out to you specifically because you are a leader in your community and I need your help with some exciting work in innovating renewable energy, today.  In addition to the other great benefits of composting for farms and communities, composting kicks out high temperatures - 140-160F over several months.  That's a lot of heat that can be applied to other great uses like heating greenhouses, water and other applications.  Highfields and our awesome partners have been working on developing affordable, practical and super efficient.  We think compost heat can help growers extend their growing season and cut production costs.  

> To bring the technology to widespread application and use, Highfields is developing a Compost Heat Research and Development Program.  To begin with we need to build the physical system to researching these systems further.  Our Compost Heat R&D system will integrate multiple systems and strategies that can be coupled and decoupled to develop the most efficient strategies for the least cost.  Instead of waiting for corporate interests to advance this technology and hand down solutions to us, we believe we can develop a grassroots R&D program, beginning with grassroots funding for the system.  I am hoping you will get involved and help us move this forward.  I am writing to you because I think you care about farming, sustainable communities, and renewable energy development.  I also think you are a leader in your community and field.  I am hoping you can bring your excitement about this work and your social capital to bear on the project and help us raise the necessary funding to build this system.  We are using Kickstarter to crowd-fund the project and have 37 more days to raise the $40K we need to pull this off, or we don't get any of it.   Check out our short Kick Starter video and learn more about the project.

> Here's what I am hoping you will do:
> Support the project - we are hoping you can get behind us and help put your shoulder to the  wheel with whatever size donation works for you.  Of course larger donations are super helpful in gaining on our goal that much faster, but more than anything we want lots of people involved, so if $10 is what  you can do, we really appreciate it (if you don't have a credit card or don't want to use it, we can accept checks or cash as well).
> Share this project - We need far more folks involved than we have contact with.  You are an important part of our effort to put this in front of over 10,000 people and get as many grassroots backers involved as possible.  You specifically can be a huge help by bringing this project to your community through your lists, circles, facebook page and elsewhere.  This is a campaign you can feel proud to be a part of.  With your endorsement more people will get involved.
> Hang a poster or reach out - if you have a place of business, CSA, popular kitchen, register or favorite bulletin board, we would  love to send you some fliers and other outreach materials to post.  
> This project will actively provide designs and data to the broader global community, so your support and that of your contacts will go directly toward innovation and information dissemination.  Also, with KS you're contribution only is billed once we raise all of the funds, so you won't be charged until and unless we are successful.

> I really appreciate your support for this work.  To the many of you who have already come out to support this work, thank you.

> Rot on!
> Tom