Want to help Wellesley residents make informed energy decisions about their homes? Become a volunteer Energy Coach!

From keeping homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer to reducing energy bills and planning for long-term home improvements, Energy Coaches help neighbors understand their options and make informed decisions about upgrades that can pay off for years to come.

The Wellesley Municipal Light Plant (WMLP) is seeking volunteers interested in helping residents navigate heat pumps, weatherization, energy-efficiency improvements, and financial incentives available through Mass Save and WMLP.

You don’t have to be an expert! Some knowledge of home energy improvements is helpful, but curiosity and a willingness to learn are just as important. WMLP will provide training to help you get started.

Share your knowledge, learn practical skills, and help your neighbors make their homes more comfortable, affordable, and energy efficient—all while supporting our community.

Ready to make a difference? Apply by October 18!
Learn more and become an Energy Coach →
Questions? Contact Rebecca Manley, WMLP Sustainability Program Coordinator, at [email protected].

A message from our landcare team:

On Tuesday, November 10th from 5:30-6:30PM the Native Plant Trust will take a deep dive into the ecological benefits of changing your fall cleanup practices while exploring how to manage the practical and aesthetic concerns that arise.

Explore how fallen leaves, decaying logs, and gone-by flowers can nurture overwintering birds, pollinators, fireflies, turtles, and more. You’ll gain practical tips for best ways to “leave leaves” and explore how doing so can enrich your soil, suppress weeds, and more. You’ll also leave with new knowledge about the multi-year process of saving stems. This class is geared towards both new and experienced gardeners, whether you are gardening at home or in public spaces.

A recording of this class will be available for 30 days after the class date.

This course fee is $25 and you can register here.

National Drug Take Back Day is Saturday, October 24 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Residents can dispose of old or unused medicine at the Wellesley Police Department at this time. For prescription medicine disposal at other times, please drop off at the Newton Wellesley Hospital main desk. The Health Department is currently looking into expanding local resources for medication disposal.

This is a safe, convenient, and responsible way to dispose of unused or expired prescription drugs to prevent pill abuse and theft, and protects the environment from improper disposal like flushing or throwing them in the trash.

Join Sustainable Wellesley and Green Newton on the first Tuesday of EVERY OTHER month at 7.30pm for the internationally known Green Drinks event.  This fun, casual event will be held at The Bluebird Bar (NEW LOCATION) at 1293 Washington Street in Newton for those who are active in, or curious about the environment and emissions on 11/3.

It is a lively mixture of people from environmental groups, academia, government and business.  It's a great way of catching up with people you know and also for making new contacts. Everyone invites someone else along, so there's always a different crowd, making Green Drinks an organic, self-organizing network.

These events are very simple and unstructured, but many people have found employment, made friends, developed new ideas, done deals and had moments of serendipity. It's a force for the good and we are happy Green Newton has included us as well.

If you’d like to be notified about future gatherings, contact organizer Brian Hodgson.

Representatives from HomeWorks Energy, a MassSave partner, are continuing to reach out to Wellesley homeowners who want to consider an energy audit. Did you know 676 of your Wellesley neighbors have completed assessments with HomeWorks in the past two years? So far, 169 of this group moved forward with weatherization upgrades. The program is part of a collaboration with the Climate Action Committee. Customers who heat with natural gas who sign up for the audit can take advantage of cost-saving incentives.

Schedule a home energy assessments now by calling HomeWorks at 781-305-3319 or visiting HomeWorks Energy Wellesley. Residents who heat with oil, propane, and/or electric resistance, are not eligible for the Mass Save program. These residents should call the Center for EcoTechnology at 888-577-8448 or schedule an assessment with the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant here.

You may have seen, heard, or read that Wellesley has a growing rat problem.

Since rodent poisons—especially second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs)—can kill or seriously harm raptors, foxes, coyotes, and other wildlife that eat poisoned rodents, we think its worth writing about. Plus, they also pose risks to pets and children.

Thus, we are sharing the opportunity for you to learn more from Mass Audubon here.
Take note that they are urging the Massachusetts Legislature to allow cities and towns to restrict or ban anticoagulant rodenticides within their communities. Giving municipalities this tool could help Wellesley address rats while reducing unintended harm to wildlife.

If you care about solving Wellesley’s rat problem while protecting our local ecosystem, please consider signing Mass Audubon’s petition by September 30, 2026.

The North 40's future (the forested area next to MoPo, where the Weston Rd. Community Gardens are, near local water supplies, etc...) will be discussed in a public meeting on Thursday, October 1 at 6:30 p.m. in the Wellesley High School cafeteria- NOTE NEW LOCATION.  
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The meeting will include a presentation and discussion of:

• The history and purpose of the Town’s acquisition of the North 40
• Potential future uses, including a proposed fire station
• Establishing a conservation restriction to protect 13.12 acres
• The future use and stewardship of the North 40

The Town wants to hear from you so please attend or write in.

If you can make it, advance registration  is encouraged. 

If you can NOT attend, please share comments on the North 40 property by emailing [email protected] and note that the meeting will be recorded by Wellesley Media. ​

With gas prices continuing to rise, you might be interested in the Green Energy Consumer Alliances' series of webinars on electric vehicles (EVs).

How To Calculate Electric Vehicle Fuel Savings
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 12-12:30 pm
Register here

How To Save On An Electric Vehicle In Massachusetts
Thursday, Sept. 24, 12-1 pm
Register here

Everything You Need To Know About Charging Adaptors
Friday, Oct. 9, 12-12:30 pm
Register here

How To Use Online Tools to Plan An Electric Road Trip
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 12-12:30 pm
Register here

Winter Driving In An Electric Car
Thursday, Dec. 3, 12-1 pm
Register here

Electric Vehicle Battery Health
Wednesday, Dec. 16, 12-12:30 pm
Register here

They also have a ton of other non-EV but clean-energy-related events, which you can see here. 

In the complex world that we live in, almost every action has environmental implications, and it can be easy to become overwhelmed trying to balance them with all the other aspects of your life. However, when you focus on changing habits on a smaller scale, sustainability becomes a more manageable goal.
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I interviewed Chiara, a junior at Dartmouth College, whose mom taught her how to build sustainable routines into their daily life growing up. Despite the hustle and bustle of living in a dorm, eating in the dining hall, and having a different class schedule each day, Chiara has used her mom’s inspiration to create sustainable habits at school. Here is her advice:

Use reusable water bottles One of the most well-known ways to be sustainable is to carry reusable water bottles. Almost 1.5 billion plastic water bottles are bought daily, making them a huge contributor to landfill waste and pollution. However, as reusable water bottles have gained popularity, Chiara has noticed a problem in the culture surrounding them: “People are always buying the newest trendy water bottle […] that is actually more wasteful.”  Constantly buying reusable bottles doesn’t yield additional sustainability benefits. Still, don’t be afraid to buy a few nice, high quality ones. In the long run, you will save both your money and our planet.

Shop with reusable bags Another small habit that Chiara builds into her routine is always bringing a reusable bag with her whenever she goes out. Whether it’s stopping by a convenience store, buying clothes, or picking up take-out, she never knows when she might need one. Chiara also notes that “Canvas tote bags take more energy to create than plastic bags, so you actually have to use them.” While you might think that buying a reusable bag at the grocery store is sustainable, if you purchase a new one each time, the harm to the environment outweighs that of using paper or plastic. If you store reusable bags near your keys or wallet, leaving your home with one will quickly become second nature.

Bring reusable containers for food and drink A third way that Chiara makes her daily routine more sustainable is by bringing reusable containers to cafes. While there is a small one-time cost of buying a tumbler or tupperware, many stores offer discounts or deals when you do so. For example, at Starbucks, when you bring a reusable cup, not only do you get a discount and double rewards points on the app, but you also get a free refill if you drink your order while you’re in the store. You can also find similar deals at numerous other places, like The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, Peet's Coffee, and Just Salad. While the majority of cafes will serve you drinks in a mug or tumbler that you bring, some venues won’t give you food directly in your own container because of stricter hygiene standards. However if you ask them, they will often be able to hand your order to you directly or place it on a small paper plate or napkin for you to transfer to your own container, thus minimizing waste. Although this may sound inconvenient initially, portable food containers are quite easy to carry with you in the car or on a walk, and are often more leak-proof than disposable ones.

Whether you elect to adopt one, two, or all three of these suggestions, you don’t have to completely overhaul your lifestyle. By integrating these simple habits into your routine, they will quickly become second nature, and in the long run, they will save you both time and money.

The Wellesley Municipal Light Plant (WMLP) just announced that it is raising its solar rebate for residential customers and will now offer a solar rebate to large commercial customers.

Under the updated solar rebate program, residential and small commercial customers who install a qualifying solar system are eligible for a rebate of up to $15,000, an increase of $3,000 for residential customers. For the first time, large commercial customers are also eligible for a rebate of up to $30,000. In both cases, the rebate is $1,200 per installed kilowatt-direct current (kW-DC) of solar capacity, not to exceed 50% of total installation costs. The Municipal Light Plant Board unanimously approved these changes on August 19, 2026, and they are effective immediately.

Additionally, the WMLP is also expanding its net metering program. Under this program, the WMLP issues monthly bill credits, valued at the wholesale price for electricity, to residential and small commercial customers who export excess solar energy to the grid. Previously, only solar systems up to 15 kW-alternating current (AC) in output capacity were eligible for net metering, but the WMLP has increased the cap to 20 kW-AC. The WMLP plans to institute this increased net metering cap effective October 1, 2026, pending approval from the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities.

"Wellesley's low electricity rates and prohibition on power purchase arrangements with third parties present a challenge for the economics of solar investment, as the payback period is typically longer than what customers of investor-owned utilities experience," said Dave Wood, Director of the WMLP. "This is precisely why these rebates are so important. With the expiration of the federal tax credits, Wellesley has also seen a decline in solar installations this year. It is important that the WMLP take steps to help close that gap. Our goal is to ensure that Wellesley residents and businesses interested in solar can make sound financial decisions to do so."

Wellesley has approximately 2,835 kW of solar capacity installed on commercial, residential, and municipal properties. In 2025, 14 customers applied for the solar rebate before the federal tax credit for residential solar expired at the end of the year. Thus far in 2026, only two (2) customers have applied for the rebate. The increased rebate is intended to further support the installation of solar in Town as a local source of clean, renewable energy and help the Town achieve its climate action goals by helping fill the gap left by expiring federal tax credits. Businesses may still be eligible for the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit for solar installations, but should consult the appropriate experts to confirm. Many residential customers in Massachusetts are also eligible for and are encouraged to pursue the 15% personal income tax credit of up to $1,000.

“The WMLP’s expanded solar rebate and net-metering program make solar a more attractive investment for Wellesley residents and businesses,” said Marybeth Martello, Sustainability Director for the Town of Wellesley. “By improving the economics of installing solar, these programs can encourage more customers to generate their own electricity, helping them save money on their energy costs over time. In addition to lowering heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, local solar generation also helps reduce demand on the electric grid during solar production periods, providing financial, environmental, and resilience benefits for the community as a whole.”
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Learn more about the WMLP’s solar rebate, and see if you’re eligible. 
Questions? Contact Chris Chan, WMLP Assistant Director.

Last month, Jayden - a Sustainable Wellesley intern and rising high school senior - attended the Northeast Miniforest Summit, hosted by Biodiversity for a Livable Climate (Bio4Climate). The summit brought together foresters, soil biologists, environmentalists, and PhD students to talk about the Miyawaki Method, a Japanese approach to ecological restoration that uses extremely dense, native plantings to grow small forests quickly, even in tiny urban spaces.
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The summit opened with a keynote from Mio Urata, a Japanese forester who has worked directly with Dr. Miyawaki, the pioneer of the method, and closed with a keynote from Ethan Tapper, a Vermont forester and author known for his writing on forest stewardship. Urata's message came back to three core principles: amend the soil before you plant, plant densely, and plant what the land actually wants (not just native plants to the region, but native plants that would have historically been in those specific conditions and ecosystems).

Over the course of the summit, a common theme kept surfacing among the experts: the Miyawaki Method isn't a silver bullet. It's just one more tool to combat the climate and biodiversity crisis. Some concerns included that it has not been studied extensively over the long term; it's resource intensive: excavating and amending soil, sourcing enough native saplings to plant at high density, and accepting the relatively low survival rate of individual trees; and what works well in one spot may not translate directly to another depending on soil, species, and site conditions.

This method has become popular in recent years, with over twenty forests planted now in Massachusetts, due to its amazing claims of 10 times faster tree growth and fully mature forests in 20-30 years instead of 200-300 years. Many experts at the summit, however, refuted these claims, pointing out that in general Miyawaki forests are planted in urban areas, which already have faster tree growth due to increased heat, sun, and carbon, and that more data would need to be collected in order to verify these statistics. But there were some real benefits of the method that were talked about as well.

One point that came up a lot was the heat island effect. The air inside a miniforest measures noticeably cooler than the surrounding area, and even slightly cooler than the shade from a single large street tree covering the same footprint. For a town like Wellesley dealing with hotter summers, that may be a benefit worth paying attention to.

Another topic, and a more contested one, was community impact. Some speakers argued that miniforests are genuinely good for community building since planting day brings a lot of people out together. Others pushed back, pointing out that a planting is largely a one time event rather than an ongoing project, and that something like a ball field or another shared community space might do more for a neighborhood over the long run than a miniforest would, if the purpose of the project is community.

​None of this makes the method a bad option, especially somewhere like Wellesley. In small, densely populated areas, a corner of a yard, a strip along a public park, at a school for educational reasons, this method can pack in a surprising amount of biodiversity quickly, helping push back against pollinator and insect decline while pulling some carbon out of the atmosphere and cooling the immediate area. Maybe the real value of the Miyawaki Method isn't in following it exactly, but in the simple principle behind it: planting more and planting diversely, can help restore an ecosystem.

With the high temperatures expected tomorrow, Wellesley's Municipal Light Plant would appreciate the community's help in reducing our system peak usage. 

You can do this by minimizing the use of your air conditioner(s) and turning off electric vehicle (EV) chargers and other appliances (clothes dryers, dehumidifiers, pool filters), especially between the hours of 4 PM and 7 PM. Turning up your thermostat by just a few degrees will go a long way towards reducing our energy costs and greenhouse gas emissions.  Learn more about reducing peak energy demand here.
 
Each megawatt of electrical demand reduced during our region’s peak hour recorded each month and year saves the WMLP and its customers about $18,000 in transmission and capacity costs per month.

During the shoulder months of Sep, Oct, and Nov, it is more difficult to predict Wellesley's peak hour for the month. Thus, the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant thanks the community in advance for its understanding if they end up issuing multiple peak alerts this month. 
 
Thank you for your support!

Note:  If you want to receive the Town's peak alerts, please send an email to [email protected].

Looking for a simple and meaningful way to support the causes you care about?

If you have a donor-advised fund (DAF), you can recommend a grant to Sustainable Wellesley directly through your DAF provider—simply search for Sustainable Wellesley, enter the amount you would like to give, and submit your recommendation. Many DAF providers also make it easy to set up recurring grants, allowing you to support our work throughout the year.

Giving through a DAF offers flexibility while helping you put charitable dollars to work. Because contributions to a DAF are generally eligible for a tax deduction when you fund the account, you can later recommend grants to organizations like Sustainable Wellesley when the timing is right for you. 

As an all-volunteer, nonprofit we rely donations to help us with our mission of mobilizing the residents, visitors, businesses, and the Town of Wellesley to: reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect the Town’s air, land, and water, preserve biodiversity, eliminate waste, and champion environmental justice.    

Your gift helps create a healthier, more resilient community by supporting local efforts around clean energy, sustainable transportation, waste reduction, greener schools, and environmental education.  DAF gifts are especially valuable to Sustainable Wellesley because they provide flexible funding that helps our all-volunteer organization plan ahead and expand our impact. Whether your grant is $100, $500, $1,000, or more, your support helps turn community ideas into action and build a more sustainable Wellesley for generations to come. Consider recommending a grant to Sustainable Wellesley from your DAF today.

If you are 70.5 or older, you may be eligible to make a tax-advantage gift to Sustainable Wellesley directly from your IRA via IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions.

Of course traditional donations are welcome.  Simply click here.

​THANK YOU! 

Pot Recycling Days at Weston Nurseries are August 28th, 29th, and 30th!
Please empty and clean the pots before you bring them in. Look for the signs directing you to where you can drop them off at 93 East Main Street in Hopkinton.

This fall, the MBTA is piloting several programs to make riding the T cheaper and a little easier.

Massachusetts residents age 75 and older who no longer have a driver’s license will be eligible to ride all MBTA services -- bus, subway, Commuter Rail, and ferry services - for FREE!  This pilot is in partnership with the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) and aims to give our older generation more dignity, autonomy, and travel options.  The Car-Free Senior Program will be available to the public in Fall 2026. Riders will be able to apply for the program online using their Massachusetts ID. Free rides from Wellesley to the T are available Catch Connect. 

The MBTA is also starting a new “unlimited two-hour transfer window”. 
Starting Sept. 1, riders can make practically unlimited bus, subway and ferry transfers within two hours while paying only once. That means you could stop for coffee, pick up lunch, run an errand and then get back on the T while paying only one fare. (Just remember to use the same payment method). The change should make transferring between buses and the subway more attractive and could ease commuting costs for workers who rely on multiple modes to get to work.
 
Also, beginning Sept. 1, the T is eliminating its higher express bus fare, dropping the price from $4.25 to the regular $1.70. That includes two routes that use the Pike to get into Boston: the 504 from Watertown through Newton Corner and the 505 from Waltham through West Newton.

Remember, we are not IN TRAFFIC, we ARE TRAFFIC, so try public transit again! 

On Tuesday, September 8, the Metro West Regional Transit Authority's buses that  connects Wellesley to Newton and Natick will have a new schedule (new signage and bus number too).   

​Learn more about the newly numbered 201 bus which goes from Woodland Station to Natick Mall via Wellesley Square and Route 9, making stops at MassBay Wellesley, Babson College, Cross St., 9/27 Plaza, and MathWorks campuses 7 days a week.

Click here for the Metro West Regional Transit Authority bus tracker, routes, fares and click here and the map for Wellesley.

Join Green Newton for an afternoon of hands-on fun where science, sunshine, and s'mores come together!
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Kids will design and build their own solar ovens, then harness the sun's energy to make gooey, delicious s'mores. While the ovens do the work, children can enjoy clean-energy-themed games and activities, and parents can get inspired about practical tips on saving energy, lowering utility bills, and reducing their home's carbon footprint. To take this to the next level, Wellesley residents should contact a Wellesley Energy Coach for specifics on incentives here in town.

This engaging event is part of a series of fun, memorable ways to explore renewable energy and discover how the power of the sun can make a difference — in this case one s'more at a time.

See what a climate-friendly home looks like—through art.

Discover a striking public art installation that transforms home siding into a powerful visual story of how simple energy upgrades can dramatically reduce a home's carbon emissions. Inspired by research from MIT's Sustainable Design Lab, the installation shows the impact of adding insulation, installing efficient appliances, switching to heat pumps, and generating clean solar power—all on the path to a net-zero home.

Experience it at one of these nearby events:
Framingham Launch Event
Thursday, July 16
Framingham Centre Common, 2 Oak St.
Artist Talk
Tuesday, July 22 | 3:30–4:30 p.m.
Morse Institute Library, 14 E. Central St., Natick

​Come explore how art, science, and climate solutions come together to imagine a home for future generations. Every colorful shingle tells the story of emissions avoided—and the choices that help build a cleaner, healthier future.

Click to learn more about the artists Raquel Fornasaro and Julia Csekö.  

Nearly 200 Wellesley residents joined our ice cream social last month to learn about quieter lawn mowers, blowers, etc.., ways to get around town, what Wellesley Green Schools is working on, waste reduction tricks, composting info, how to protect our local watershed, met with energy coaches, signed up for home energy audits, all while enjoying J.P. Licks ice cream and meeting friends and neighbors.

Thanks to all who entered the raffle and though we only could gift to one winner - congrats Jayne - we hope you will all consider electric-powered lawn care equipment at your home.   Mass Save offers rebates when you switch to electric lawn equipment, or borrow your neighbors ;-). 

If you missed the event you can watch Wellesley Media's excellent coverage here. Of course if we can offer any information on any of the topics above, feel free to email us at [email protected].  Have suggestions on how we can improve for next year? Email us too!

A shout-out to the Swellesley Report  for breaking the news that Wellesley has received a $1 million grant from the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources through the Climate Leader Communities program. The award will help fund solar panel installations at Hunnewell and Hardy Schools, reducing costs for taxpayers while advancing the town's clean energy goals. Of course big thanks to MA DER, our Town's Climate Action Committee, Sustainability Office, School Committee and the Municipal Light Plant for getting us here.