 You Are Invited to This Town Event
Tuesday, February 11th Wakelin Room at the Wellesley Free Library 6:30 p.m. - pizza and socializing 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. - program Register HERE to Learn how you can:
Town representatives will discuss financial incentives for decarbonizing buildings and vehicles; no-cost, one-on-one energy coaching; traversing Wellesley without a car; resources for sustainable landscaping; and more. To REGISTER please click here and click here for more information.  Wondering how to prevent stormwater pollution and reduce your stormwater tax fee? Click here to see the stormwater runoff video that the Town of Wellesley's Natural Resources Commission, Department of Public Works and Wellesley Public Media created. Learn:
 Thinking about a new or used electric vehicle? Register for this upcoming webinar to learn how you can save with the Massachusetts MOR-EV rebate.
Webinar: Understanding the Massachusetts MOR-EV Rebate for Electric Cars Tuesday, February 11th @ 1:00 PM or Wednesday, February 12th @ 7:30 PM Learn all about the rebate and how to apply it.
Register for 2/11 @ 1:00 PM Register for 2/12 @ 7:30 PM Free & open to the public!  It might not feel like it, but spring is on the way. Did you know that the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission (NRC) has a free tree program? In an effort to expand and protect our Tree Canopy and replace trees lost due to construction, the NRC will plant a tree on your property for free. Find your tree soulmate and start a "treelationship" that lasts a lifetime.
Learn more here. Email the NRC here to sign up.  Join Sustainable Wellesley’s annual event: A Conversation with the Candidates on Wednesday, February 26th from 7-9pm.
Meet the candidates running for the many important town positions and hear where candidates stand on issues specifically related to meeting Wellesley's climate goals and prioritizing resiliency. Local issues matter and these folks will be at the table making decisions. Mark your calendars for this event as well as Election Day which is on Tuesday, March 4th. Be sure to get your ballots and vote in this election. Confirm your attendance by emailing [email protected].  Sure its cold out there but that wont stop Celia Sanabria to start training for the 2025 Boston Marathon (her first) in support of Sustainable Wellesley. As a lifelong Wellesley resident, Celia has seen firsthand how the community comes together to tackle climate change, reduce waste, and promote clean energy and wants to be part of the solution.
"Running 26.2 miles is a big challenge, but knowing each step supports a cleaner more resilient future makes it all the more meaningful," said Celia. Celia’s goal is to raise $5,000 to help fund programs like:
Thanks for donating today and help us achieve even more in 2025!  Wellesley Green Schools is collaborative group of caregivers, students and staff working together to reduce Wellesley schools' ecological footprint and to inspire students to create a healthy sustainable world.
Please join us for our next meeting this Thursday January 16th@10:00 where we will discuss food waste, composting, busing, WHS student projects, WMS House Unplugged and more! Email [email protected] for location details. Upcoming Meetings Save the date for the rest of the WGS meetings: 3/13 and 5/15  Are you looking for a new career path with minimal requirements, paid on-the-job training, and transitional and financial support for up to your first 6 months on the job (upon meeting eligibility criteria)? The Bridges to Green Jobs training program might be a good fit for you. Bridges to Green Jobs is a 2-week technical and soft skills training launched in 2022, that prepares Massachusetts residents for jobs in clean energy.
The Weatherization (Wx) Technician track is the lowest-barrier pathway for residents who are seeking basic, yet transferable, skills for immediate employment in the trade with its own high-income potential and growth opportunities (such as Weatherization Crew Lead). However, we also help residents explore and connect to other wide-ranging, and high-demand, set of opportunities across the clean energy sector, such as HVAC, energy auditing, solar, and more. Next cohort is February 3-14th in Boston, MA. Deadline to apply is January 20th, 2025. The Program (offered in Boston or Lawrence):Timeline and Services:
What's The Next Step? Please fill out the form below to apply for the next scheduled training(s) in Massachusetts on February 3rd-14th, 2025 in Boston, MA (Dorchester) Classes are two weeks long, Monday-Friday, from 9am - 3pm. Schedule is always subject to slight change. CLICK HERE TO APPLY  As you consider where you are donating this giving season, please consider donating to Sustainable Wellesley.
Over the last 16 years, Sustainable Wellesley has become part of the fabric of our community in a variety of ways. Whether you read our newsletter, check our website to see what is happening in town, meet us at July Jubilation or Wellesley Wonderful Weekend, come to our book and garden events, interact with us in the schools, hear us speak at local organization meetings, test drive EVs at the town event, get composting supplies from us at the dump, learn about local candidates first hand (save the date Feb. 26th), or follow us on social media, you are getting educated and inspired to take individual and household actions that cut pollution, reduce emission and drive local policies and progress in Wellesley. Thank you for being part of our community, we are grateful. The majority of our work is done by volunteers like you (learn more here*), but your holiday donation will enable us to bring in speakers, rent space for events, pay technology and design experts, print materials when needed, dabble in ad buys and other opportunities to let our community know about simple solutions to low impact living. Specifically, your donation will help electrify these initiatives:
Your gift today will help us to achieve even more in Wellesley and beyond. Thank you! Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy New Year! *We are a community of volunteers and would welcome you to our team. Email us at [email protected] to connect. p.s. Looking for a new years goal? Try this list!  A request from the Town of Wellesley's new Transportation & Mobility Manager.
You know how to get around Wellesley better than most. Share your expertise with the Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization by answering a few questions in their Vision Zero Plan - A Roadmap to Safer Streets survey. The Boston region is working to create safer streets to allow us to enjoy more walking and biking. With your input, not only will Wellesley have a presence in this plan, but it will also position the Town for grant opportunities. Feel free to pinpoint on a map areas of concern / near misses and offer solutions by going to https://www.bostonmpovisionzero.org/. Simply click in the middle of the page click on "Safety Concerns Map - Open Map in New Window." Then click on the icons to see what others are saying. Repeats of what others say is ok, as it gives weight to the issue. Do the same for another issue/location if you wish. Fill in the information in the form that pops up for that location. Drag the map and use the plus and minus signs to scroll in to your location. Click to drop the pin. Click on the "Submit a Safety Concern" bar on the lower right. Fill out the survey: https://www.bostonmpovisionzero.org/ In the middle left, click on "Take the Survey." Thank you for helping us make our streets safer!  Mass Save® Partner Reps in Yellow Vests & Town Logo to Visit Wellesley Neighborhoods With Details on How to Lower Home Energy Use and Emissions while Improving Comfort
A new Town of Wellesley collaboration with HomeWorks Energy, a Mass Save® partner, can lower energy use and carbon emissions while improving home comfort for Wellesley residents who are gas customers of National Grid. HomeWorks Energy representatives are visiting Wellesley neighborhoods to invite residents to schedule a no-cost home energy assessment. Representatives wear bright yellow vests displaying Town of Wellesley and HomeWorks Energy logos. When a HomeWorks Energy specialist visits a home for a scheduled assessment, they review the home’s energy performance and show the resident how to save energy year round. Benefits of a no-cost energy assessment for natural gas customers under the Mass Save program include: • No-cost custom home energy report • Eligibility for Mass Save incentives, such as: o 100% off the cost of air leak sealing o 75-100% off the cost of insulation o Up to $10,000 in heat pump rebates o 0%financing for energy efficiency upgrades up to $50,000 • No-cost energy-saving items(e.g., thermostats, water-saving devices, and advanced power strips) • See full list of energy-related incentives here Residents can schedule home energy assessments now by calling HomeWorks at 781-305-3319 or visiting HWE.Works/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 at www.wellesleyma.gov/EnergyAuditForm. The Town of Wellesley recommends residents get multiple quotes for heating and cooling system upgrades. Home energy assessments and upgrades are voluntary, and agreements, arrangements, and implementation regarding such services are exclusively between residents and their chosen vendors. HomeWorks Energy has canvassed across numerous Massachusetts towns including Carlisle, Lexington, Melrose, Arlington, and Canton. During a recent canvassing effort in Lexington, over 600 residents scheduled their no-cost home energy assessment. HomeWorks Energy conducts thousands of home energy assessments per year. “A home energy assessment is the first step to insulation and air leak sealing and to electrification, with, for example, heat pumps, a heat pump water heater, and an induction stove,” said Sue Morris, Chair of Wellesley’s Climate Action Committee. “Residential buildings contribute approximately 34% of townwide greenhouse gas emissions. Transitioning Wellesley’s buildings off fossil fuels is, therefore, a key strategy in Wellesley’s Climate Action Plan and the Massachusetts Decarbonization Roadmap. Good examples of municipal building electrification include Wellesley’s all-electric Municipal Light Plant building, two new net-zero elementary schools, and the electrification of Wellesley’s historic Town Hall.” The HomeWorks Energy canvassing program is part of the Town’s broader climate action Be Part of It! campaign designed to support residents with climate action in areas of home weatherization, heat pumps going solar, getting around sustainably, sustainable landscaping, and reducing waste. The Town also offers no-cost energy coaching to provide personalized advice for residents on energy related home improvements.  We are happy to introduce 2 new Leadership Team members.
PAUL EPSTEIN Dr. Paul Epstein's commitment to sustainability began many years ago here in Wellesley where he learned the value of recycling and its impact on the health of future generations. Having a son who is the President of an environmental consulting firm and a now a granddaughter, this 40 year Wellesley resident is even more inspired to take action in new and meaningful ways. As an avid lover of the outdoors—whether skiing, hiking, golfing, or enjoying water activities—Paul believes that a healthy environment is vital to the well-being of all people. Since selling his long time dental practice, Paul now practices part time and he has chosen to use his extra time to commit to sustainability efforts. Paul served for six years as the President of Neurofibromatosis Northeast, where he oversaw research fundraising and organized an annual charity golf tournament that raised money for research over the course of 36 years. Not only does he bring his science, small business and fundraising backgrounds to our leadership team, he also has educational experience teaching at dental schools and dental society programs. Paul is excited to bring his experience, enthusiasm, and a strong desire to create a lasting, positive impact on the local environment. JEFF PROWDA Jeff Prowda is passionate about the environment and sustainability with a diverse global background in the legal and pharmaceutical industries. He is a corporate lawyer by training and has practiced law for over 24 years, with the last 15 years working in house on legal teams. He is currently the Chief Legal Officer and General Counsel at Valo Health and was previously the SVP and Head Corporate Counsel at Shire Pharmaceuticals. He has been active in ESG initiatives over the years at both Valo and Shire. He has been interested in sustainability and the environment, but was motivated to join Sustainable Wellesley by his daughter Madison and her commitment to environmental and sustainability issues during high school. In his personal life, he has installed solar panels on two houses in Wellesley, drives an electric vehicle and is an avid recycler and composter. He is focused on maximizing the impact Sustainable Wellesley can have on the town of Wellesley and building efficiency and networks by collaborating with other local groups and students interested in environmental issues and sustainability. Jeff will serve as Sustainable Wellesley's Treasurer. Thank you to Jeff and Paul for your energy and insights. Their personal and professional experiences and commitment to environmental stewardship will help drive positive change in the community. Plus, they are fun to have around! Want to get involved? Simply email us at [email protected].  Are you thinking about getting involved in Town government?
Consider running for the following board positions: Select Board Health Natural Resources Planning Public Works School Committee and more In addition to town board positions, there are 10 spots for each precinct for Town Meeting. Nomination papers for candidates for Town wide offices and Town Meeting member seats are available starting Wednesday, December 4, 2024. You can pull papers at the Town Clerk's office, located at 888 Worcester Street, Suite 140 until December 18. As of December 26, nomination papers will be available at the reopened Town Hall building at 525 Washington Street. Nomination papers must be returned by 5:00 p.m. on January 14, 2025. The Wellesley League of Women Voters will be hosting a seminar on How to Run for Office on Wednesday December 4 at 7:00 p.m. at the Warren Recreation Building (90 Washington Street). Wellesley's Annual Town Election is Tuesday, March 4, 2025. Visit the Town Clerk webpages for additional information or message [email protected]. GreEn Friday Holiday Gift Guide: For Fashionistas, Foodies, Book Lovers, Travelers & More!11/25/2024
 Below are some fun holiday gift ideas and local stores you can find them. Feel free to gift experiences too such as a course, a game, an activity (set up garden for them, etc.) or a local adventure. Send us your favorite ideas as well at [email protected] and we will include them here.
Foodies/Entertainers:
Travelers: Sea lovers, even public transit travelers
Sustainable Wellesley has tried to suggest where to buy these items at local stores. When in your favorite local store, ask them for a sustainable gift idea. Mention Sustainable Wellesley at Fulfilled Goods in Newton and get a discount on any low-waste, package-free pantry staples, dry goods, personal care items and sustainable cleaning products. This market and refillery also has gift cards you can get for friends and family- teachers and colleagues too. When wrapping consider using reusable gift wrap. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, household waste increases by more than 25%?! That's over 1,000,000 tons of additional waste! Wellesley's RDF wants to remind the community that wrapping paper is not recyclable. Find out more in their Holiday Waste Guide.  Last week, Governor Maura Healey signed into law An Act promoting a clean energy grid, advancing equity, and protecting ratepayers. This legislation will accelerate clean energy development, improve energy affordability, create an equitable infrastructure siting process, allow for multistate clean energy procurements, promote non-gas heating, expand access to electric vehicles and create jobs and support workers throughout the energy transition.
Sustainable Wellesley would like to thank Senator Creem and Representative Peisch for listening to their constituents about the importance of this bill, and working hard to get bill passed. Read the press release here.  Some of our leadership team members The Sustainable Wellesley community (that includes YOU) is thankful to live, work, study, and play in a town with a strong commitment to reducing greenhouse pollution. So, a big thank you goes to: residents, students, businesses, and municipal officials for the actions - big and small - that you all are taking.* More shoutouts go to the state of Massachusetts for its clean and efficient energy priorities.
Clean energy costs across the United States are coming down while renewable technologies are booming to new heights. Solar and wind electricity is getting cheaper than fossil fuels and hyper-efficient heat pumps are outselling gas furnaces. Some of this is from federal policies, but much happens on the local and state level. That is why we need you. More voices, more people, and more actions lead to more success. If you feel the need to DO something find out how here! There are teams in our community you can be part of to move things forward. What resonates with you?
Reach out and let us know what you are considering, or what you want help with. Let us know what you like to do; what you want to do; what you are good at; or if you just want our advice and direction. Many thanks to all of you and have a happy Thanksgiving! Sustainable Wellesley Leadership Team, Scott Bender, Philippa Biggers, Paul Epstein (NEW!), Mary Gard, Lisa Gieger, Trish Glass, Quentin Prideaux, Jeff Prowda (NEW!), Phyllis Theermann and Berry Witek P.S. You can donate here to keep all of our initiatives (& more) going:
*Did you know that:
 **Big thanks to Judith Boland, Resident and Retired Physician for sharing this
Another sun-drenched, colorful fall day in October. I step outside. We love that we live within a walk of two elementary schools, athletic fields and Wellesley Square. A grandmother is pushing her grandchild for a stroll. Leaves are drifting down like confetti - magical. Simultaneously, two, two stroke gas engine leaf blowers are up and running in unison around the block. My decibel app shows 60 dB- (the American Academy of Pediatrics warns against this and greater levels of noise for babies). The grandmother is most likely aware - she is having to raise her voice to respond to the toddler- and she probably can smell the fumes, even from here -as can I. We are breathing in Volatile Organic Compounds. Benzene - a long known carcinogen, nitrous oxide - a powerful greenhouse gas, and tiny particles known as PM2.5 which, among other alarming cardiovascular and respiratory health risks have now been shown to be linked to the EGFR mutation in various cancers. See the Resolution of Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers passed by the Mass. Medical Society here. As she and the baby walk closer to their neighbors’ landscapers they will also be breathing in the dust from dried animal feces, pesticide and herbicide residues, brake dust, mold spores, possibly lead residues from old paint and more...The risk to the baby is concerning to say the least. All of these exposures and their risks are highest for the operators of the two stroke engines. Later that day I walked past that same grandmother’s house. The yard is carpeted in oak leaves, piles of deep red oak leaves are edging the streets. She is using a lithium battery leaf blower to create a big pile of leaves, possibly to be vacuumed up into a landscaper’s truck. Nearby is a rake. She might not put it this way but she is demonstrating public health risk mitigation. I aim to do the same. Would you? When speaking to my landscaping crew, I will take into consideration that they are now being told that one of their most basic tools of their trade is risky. So much so that communities near and far are banning the use of two stroke gas engine leaf blowers to protect the health of workers, children, the public, and the environment. Instead of having the landscaping company do their twice yearly “business as usual”, I will try something new:
 The Natural Resources Commission is holding a land conservation charrette on Thursday, November 21 to gather ideas from the community on a plan to preserve open space.
The meeting will take place in person from 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. in the Wakelin Room of the Wellesley Free Library. All members of the community are encouraged to attend. Help the NRC define priorities and identify strategies to protect open space. Advance registration is recommended; sign up here to indicate your interest in participating. Members of the NRC hope that by engaging in a Town-wide planning process and gathering support now, the Town will be well prepared when conservation opportunities come up in the future. While you are at it, share your opinions in the town's Strategic Housing Plan Survey here.  In an attempt to eliminate plastic, Holly Cleaners is now offering the option of purchasing reusable dry cleaning bags in lieu of plastic packing for your clean garments. {update: we just got word that Lapels Dry Cleaners offers green cloth bags for dry cleaning too}.
This plan is similar to supermarket programs- you buy your own bag and bring it with you at drop-off. They are offering 2 sizes of bags. They cost $2.55 and $3.10 respectively. The bags are yours to keep. When you drop your clothes, you give them your bags to package your garments in after cleaning. They are non-woven eco-friendly zipper bags with a small window on them. Depending on the amount of dry cleaning you do and the services you use, it may require purchasing several bags. In order to protect your clothes, they can only fit about 3 / 4 garments per bag. This is not mandatory but a great option to plastic. We applaud this plastic reduction initiative.  You know there are many connections between climate and children’s health, so come to this meeting to learn how you can make a difference.
Wellesley Green Schools is collaborative group of caregivers, students and staff working together to reduce Wellesley schools' ecological footprint and to inspire students to create a healthy sustainable world. Please Join us for our Next Meeting Thursday November 14th at 10:30 am via Zoom (please note later time). Get Zoom link here. Learn about what is happening in schools across Wellesley and share what is important to you/your school community. Save the date for the rest of the WGS meetings: 1/16, 3/13 and 5/15  Looking to buy an EV?
Did you know that Wellesley's power comes from ~80% non-emitting sources and should increase to ~100%? That means when you drive electric and heat your home with electric heat pumps, you are using a good chunk of clean energy. Plus, electric vehicles and heat pumps create less emissions than their counterparts -- no matter where your energy comes from. Want to learn about the EV rebates out there? Check out this free Webinar: Understanding the Massachusetts MOR-EV Rebate for Electric Cars on Thursday, November 14th @ 1:00PM or 7:00PM to learn all about the rebate and how to apply it. Insider scoop:
Register for the 1pm event here and the 7pm event here.  Guess what?
Wellesley can now rely on battery power during our summer hot spells instead of relying on power from the dirty (& expensive) “peaker plants" to help reduce our peak electricity usage. Not only are the cost and emissions savings exciting, the stored battery energy available could be used to power municipal departments for a few days if need be. Plus, we will be contributing less to emissions in environmental justice communities. How are we doing this? Wellesley's Municipal Light Plant (MLP) is launching a nearly 5 megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS): six lithium ion battery storage systems and inverters that convert DC to AC power. A big thanks goes to our MLP and the non-profit Citizens Energy Corp. Citizens Energy Corp actually paid for the upfront costs of our new system located on nearly 4 acres of MLP property. You too might consider incentivized solar and battery storage systems.  Did you know our own Wellesley Free Library has a library of things?
This collection of non-traditional library items is ever-expanding and items are available to you with just your library card. The THINGS you can borrow include:
 Anxiety is part of life but the amount we -- and our children (of all ages) -- are feeling is high. One reason many folks are anxious is due to their concerns about the future, and how extreme storms, droughts, and other climate related events will effect the health of their planet.
We realize this topic is deep and heavy, but it weighs on many including on our youth. If we don't acknowledge it and talk about it, we are just making the anxiety worse. In good news, Heather White, CEO & Founder of OneGreenThing, will be at Wellesley Books in Wellesley discussing her book on this topic: 'Eco-Anxiety: Saving Our Sanity, Our Kids, and Our Future' on Wednesday, November 13th, 7 pm. She will share some of the practical tools to manage overwhelming emotions and turn anxiety into meaningful climate action. Tickets for this event are $5 but can be put towards the purchase of the book at the event. Alternatively, you can add on a purchase of the book to your order and receive a free ticket. To buy tickets click here, or call Wellesley Books at 781-431-1160 to purchase a ticket directly and avoid Eventbrite fees. Heather has over 20 years of experience in environmental policy, law, and nonprofit management and focuses on the mental health impacts of the climate crisis. Through her nonprofit, OneGreenThing, she addresses eco-anxiety by promoting joyful daily actions to inspire a cultural shift toward climate solutions. Sustainable Wellesley is proud to co-sponsor this event with Mass Energize.  Interested in greening your house of worship? Do you want to connect with others who want to protect the environment – and our climate – by working within their congregation? Gather with other congregants and faith leaders to share the challenges and successes you’ve had, learn about how the Building Emissions and Reduction Disclosure Ordinance will affect your congregation’s buildings, and learn from others in the community.
You’ll also learn about greening congregations from Eric Grunebaum and Chris Lewis of Greener U who will discuss the many ways that houses of worship and other nonprofits can plan and implement decarbonization projects, and how organizations can create manageable, realistic pathways and phasing for energy projects over time. During this online event on Tuesday, October 29 from 7-8:30pm (Sign up below), you’ll learn the journeys of other nonprofits and houses of worship that have significantly reduced their energy use. You’ll have support from exerts and from fellow congregants to discuss your current and potential projects and how you can build momentum to move them forward. This event is for anyone involved in building decision making, such as clergy, financial teams, green teams, property management, board members, or other leadership. This free event is hosted by Green Newton, The Climate Action Task Force of the First Unitarian Universalist Society in Newton and the Boston Catholic Climate Movement. Please RSVP by October 25. |
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