Last week, Dr. Marybeth Martello, The Town of Wellesley's Sustainability Director gave a preview of Wellesley's Climate Action Plan. To watch the video, click this link and to see the presentation slides use this link.

There are numerous programs our town has in place to incentivize changes you want to make. Check them out below.

Clean Comfort Program 
Wellesley Drives Electric              
Energy Efficiency Rebates
Food Waste Challenge
Sustainable Mobility Plan

​Wellesley has a goal to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050. Make changes that will help us get there. 

Full disclosure: I have 3 mini splits (one is circled here). I really only use them to cool the house on hot days, or warm on really cold ones. However, after watching Abode Energy Management and Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP) presentation last week, I realize I can be optimizing them so much more.

As the days get shorter and the cooler weather is upon us, perhaps you are thinking of ways to heat more efficiently and comfortably. If so, consider air source heat pumps, they can take on New England's winters and summers.

Click here to watch the Webinar Now
Click here to download the Slide Deck

Wellesley Municipal Light Plant has extended its Clean Comfort Program to June 2022 and Abode is the  contractor they have hired to help Wellesley residents explore heat pump solutions.  Abode's Heat Pump Specialists are provided at no cost to Wellesley residents. This program also includes a $2,000 rebate to those who replace air conditioners or furnaces with efficient, quiet, air-source heat pumps.

To learn more about the financial rebates as well as unbiased, personal, expert advice, call 781-235-7600 or email cleancomfort@wellesleyma.gov.  Schedule a consultation to improve your home's heating/cooling systems today.

You will be more comfortable and will reduce you energy usage. Don't forget, buildings emit 56% of the greenhouse gas emissions here in Wellesley, and 58% of that that comes from the residential sector. Wellesley has an emissions reduction goal to meet so lets re-think the way we heat and cool our homes. You will find many benefits along the way.

Individuals who are curious, concerned or interested in following the direction of Wellesley’s current projects are encouraged to consider becoming more directly involved in their community by running for Town Meeting Member or an elected board.  Now’s the time to get organized for the March 1, 2022 Town Election!  

The League of Women Voters of Wellesley invites members of the community to a virtual presentation, “How to Run for Local Public Office” on Wednesday, December 1 at 7:00 pm.   The speakers, Mark Kaplan (Town Moderator) will cover Town Government structure and how it works, and KC Kato (Town Clerk) will review offices on the ballot and the pragmatic nuts and bolts of running a campaign.  Questions will be welcomed from the audience. 
 To register for this event, visit: lwvwellesley.org . 

Useful links on the LWV Wellesley website: 
Road Map to Running for office 
Town of Wellesley 2022 Election Candidate Handbook 
Town Government Handbook 2021

Nomination papers will become available on December 1.  Candidates must take out nomination papers in person, by appointment only, from the Town Clerk’s office on or after this date.  For an appointment, please email Elections@wellesleyma.gov.

WELLESLEY TOWN ELECTION CALENDAR 2022
Nomination Papers Available from Town Clerk
By appointment only
December 1, 2021 at Noon

Last day to obtain Nomination Papers for town-wide offices
January 7, 2022 at 5 pm

Last day to return Nomination papers for town-wide offices (50 Signatures)
January 11, 2022 at 5 pm

Last day for incumbent TMM to file notice of candidacy with Town Clerk
January 18, 2022 at 5 pm

Last day to obtain Nomination papers for new TMM candidates
January 21, 2022 at 5 pm

Last day to return Nomination papers for new TMM candidates (10 signatures in precinct)
January 25, 2022 at 5 pm

Drawing for position on the ballot
January 27, 2022 at 10 am

Last day to register to vote for March 1, 2022 Annual Town Election (8 am to 8 pm)
February 9, 2022

LWV Candidates Night
February 10, 2022, 7 pm

Annual Town Election
March 1, 2022

Annual Town Meeting begins
March 28, 2022 at 7 pm

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization dedicated to promoting political responsibility through informed and active participation in government.
​

​CREATING A MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME:
PERSONAL STORIES from Weston, Wayland and Lincoln residents
November 16, 7:00 p.m. via Zoom
Register here

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, more than half of a home’s energy
bill is spent on heating and cooling. A well-insulated home is a surefire way to
help keep your power bill manageable in both winter and summer (if you have
air conditioning). Once a home is insulated, the benefits of other energy-saving
investments, like new heating and cooling systems, grow. And an energy efficient home is not only better for your pocketbook, it’s better for the
environment too!

Three local residents will tell us about their own efforts to drive down fossil fuel
consumption and decarbonize their homes and properties. In each case they
took a systems approach by making several improvements to their houses such
that both their overall CO2 production and energy costs went down.

Register here to hear personal stories from:
Bill Churchill, Lincoln
Sarah Maas Scheuplein, Weston
Roger Wiegand, Wayland
​
This event is brought to us by MetroWest Climate Solutions. This is a growing partnership between First Parish in Wayland, First Parish Church in Weston, First Parish in Lincoln, the Congregational Church of Weston, Sustainable Weston Action Group, and other communities and individuals. Their mission is to share strategies for moving towards a low- and no-carbon-based society and economy and to suggest activities that enable individuals to help bring about solutions. For more information, visit: www.metrowestclimatesolutions.org.

Save yourself from shlepping more things to the dump, save some trees and reduce the amount of trash that Wellesley sends to landfills.  

You CAN reduce the amount of junk mail you receive.  

Go to www.catalogchoice.org, follow a few simple steps and Catalog Choice will do the rest.

Every year, over 100 million trees are cut down to produce junk mail like catalogs, credit card offers and coupons that go into trash or at best into a recycling bin. Not to mention the amount of resources it takes to produce and distribute all that junk mail.

Stop one frustration in your daily life by getting rid of your junk mail.

To find out about additional opportunities to reduce, visit the RDF’s website here.

YES! The good news is that you CAN recycle greasy pizza boxes.  

Greasy pizza boxes should be deposited in with the boxboard and chipboard, not with the cardboard and paper bags. The grease contamination on the cardboard pizza box degrades the fiber to the same value as most chipboard & boxboard.

​Removing greasy pizza boxes from the cardboard and brown paper bags will maintain the high value of the clean non-greasy cardboard and brown paper bag fibers.

We love those compostable, "environmentally friendly" containers, cups, utensils, etc. They make us feel better and are a better alternative to plastic. However, if they are not  industrially composted, they wont do all the magic they want them to.

The Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF) is turning that around.  They are piloting a compostable products area at the RDF. Similar to the totters to collect food waste, the RDF will have a container near the yard waste where you can discard your compostable products. They will then mix the compostables in with the yard waste which will allow the products to break down. Nice!

This is a great opportunity to take compostable products out of the waste stream and put them into an environment where they can become actual compost.  The RDF will pilot this effort and evaluate its effectiveness for future operations. 

Keep hearing about Electrification? Want to know how it affects our future and how you can do it?

There are 3 events that can help clarify.

Thursday, November 4 from 7-8:30pm
How To Electrify Homes - Are you considering new construction, renovations, replacing your HVAC or wanting to learn more about new technology in hot water and cooking? Register for this event for lots of insights. Thank you to Newton’s Climate and Sustainability Team for organizing this event.  Register here.

Tuesday, November 9th  7-7.30PM
Winter Heating - Experts share information on:

• New/modern heat pump technology in our New England climate 
• Costs - Heat pump performance and operating cost comparison 
• Best Practices - How to optimize the use of your existing system and heat pump 
• Informational Resources 

To Register for the Event, click here.
This event is presented by Abode Energy Management in partnership with Northeast Energy Efficiency Partnerships (NEEP). 

Tuesday, November 23, 7:00 PM  8:00 PM
Mechanical Systems
Ready to heat with electricity instead of fossil fuels? Learn about different types of heat pumps available (air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, ducted and wall mounted) and their best applications. Experts will review hybrid systems which pair heat pumps with existing heating systems as a transition strategy. The presentation will also cover operating costs of electric systems vs. fossil fuels. Presenters: Travis Anderson, Placetailor and Nick Falkoff, Auburndale Builders. Register here.