 Reshared with permission from Brian Hodgson, a Green Newton board member.
As a parent of five, I think a lot about the kind of world my children have grown up in. Like most parents, I want to give them every opportunity for a bright future. For many of us, that means making significant investments in their education—college tuition, room, board, and other expenses that can easily exceed $200,000 for a four-year degree. But while education is essential, I’ve come to realize that there’s another investment that’s just as critical: doing everything we can to address climate change today, for a brighter, more sustainable tomorrow. We’re all feeling the effects of climate change, and while no one can predict exactly what the future holds, one thing is certain—our reliance on fossil fuels is making the world harder for the next generation. By reducing my home’s carbon footprint, I’m not just saving on energy costs; I’m actively contributing to a healthier planet for my children and generations to come. That’s why I’ve almost fully electrified my home. We have an old Victorian that had an oil furnace and steam radiators. We recently upgraded our insulation and invested in geothermal heating. The work in an old home is complicated and can be stressful. These changes have made a big difference, both in reducing our energy use and in making our home more comfortable year-round. My children are mostly grown and almost all through college. With this in mind, I wanted to make sure that in 20 years I could look myself in the eye and say I tried my best to ensure they have a better world to live in, and raise their children in. If you’re thinking about starting your own journey toward a clean energy home, the best place to begin is with a MassSave Home Energy Assessment. It’s free and provides personalized recommendations for improving your home’s efficiency, such as air sealing and weatherization. These simple steps alone can cut heating and cooling costs by up to 20%, and there are great incentives available to make weatherization upgrades even more affordable. Once you have an assessment and weatherization, there are smaller steps and bigger investments homeowners can make. One of the prerequisites to further electrification is ensuring your home is the right electrical service level. This may require an upgrade to your electrical panel. This is best to discuss with your electrician, although there are also incentives introduced as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. Some of the smaller steps include replacing your gas stove with an induction stove, or upgrading appliances to more efficient models. Luckily there are also many incentives to help the costs. More significant projects include installing heat pumps or solar panels. While these are major projects and do take reasonable capital, they can have concrete paybacks. To get a quick estimate of payback there are a number of tools: For solar you can use Project Sunroof, for heat pumps Mass Save | Heating Comparison Calculator. Ultimately, these projects are best taken on as part of other initiatives. That might be a major home renovation, the end of life of your current heating systems, or when you need a new roof. While these investments are more complex and expensive, planning the time and allocating budget is critical. Finally, the incentives for heat pumps and solar are significant, and can offset a good portion of the costs. If you are looking for advice, a great place to start are WELLESLEY energy coaches. They have a tremendous amount of knowledge and scheduling an appointment is straightforward. Another excellent resource is Green Newton’s Green Pages, a directory of green service providers. Last year was a major year for us, as we completed our geothermal installation, which was the last of a number of investments over the years including new windows, upgraded electrical panel, and an induction stove. Cooling in the summer is way more efficient. We used to have only a few window units in the children’s rooms. Now for about the same electricity costs, everyone in the house is much more comfortable. The heating is almost much more consistent throughout the house, and each bedroom can control their own temperature. We’re still measuring savings, so more precise payback calculations will have to wait. But in the meantime, we know these investments will, over time, pay for themselves and then some…and the energy saved will be available for our kids’ generation.  Photo credit: Sen. Creem's Office. Here she met with the Wellesley Select Board to answer questions and discuss legislative activity on Beacon Hill as we begin the 194th General Session. As the new legislative session begins, below are some of the climate related bills that were filed by our Senator, Cynthia Creem. Hear more from her and Rep. Alice Peisch at Sustainable Wellesley's Conversation with the Candidates on Wednesday, February 26th at 7pm at the Wellesley Free Library.
SD.1924, An Act relative to a tactical transition to affordable, clean thermal energy: This bill builds on the DPU’s groundbreaking 20-80 order and the gas provisions included in the climate law that was passed last session. It would require gas companies to spend a gradually increasing percentage of GSEP funds on networked geothermal and other alternatives to gas pipe replacement. In addition, it would require gas and electric companies that share territory to develop joint tactical thermal transition plans detailing how the utilities will meet emissions reduction mandates by moving customers from gas to clean forms of heating. SD.802, An Act to expand the Bottle Bill: The bill expands the types of containers covered by the deposit system to include water bottles, juice drinks and more, raising the deposit from 5 cents up to 10 cents, similarly inline with other states. SD.764, An Act establishing the Municipal Reforestation Program: Trees are essential pieces of climate resilience and environmental justice infrastructure. They clean the air, sequester carbon, reduce ground temperatures on scorching hot days, and absorb stormwater—among other benefits. This bill creates a program through which participating cities and towns will receive funding to implement local plans to rebuild their tree canopies. SD.1327, An Act aligning the Commonwealth's transportation plans with its mandates and goals for reducing emissions and vehicle miles traveled: This bill requires that the Commonwealth's Department of Transportation (DOT) strategies and plans be aligned with emissions reduction mandates and new vehicles miles traveled goals. Additionally, this bill creates interagency council on reducing vehicle miles traveled (VMT) to further support these efforts. SD.753, An Act to incentivize the adoption of local climate resilience policies: This bill creates the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Plus program, which would give cities and towns access to a guaranteed stream of climate adaptation funding in exchange for adopting a suite of local resilience policies, including adopting a stretch resilience code, incorporating green stormwater infrastructure into municipal projects, creating a floodplain overlay district, and more.  The Wellesley community has a long-standing and strong commitment to service. One way to combine your wish to help others and your sense of sustainability is to donate your like-new household items to families experiencing hardship.
Luckily in our backyard there is a Newton nonprofit organization called Welcome Home that does just that. Welcome Home strives to provide families experiencing hardship with basic household items they need to live with dignity. Any items that they cannot use are repurposed or recycled appropriately. With a waiting list of almost four months for families who have requested goods, the organization is low on the basics:
If you have extras of these items at home, please consider dropping off the items during a drop off shift held 3x per week. The items will be in their new homes by the end of the week, and these days, often by the end of the day. Make an appointment to drop off here. Welcome Home served more than 10,000 people in 2024. If you are looking for more opportunities to combine your wish to help others and your sense of sustainability email us at [email protected].  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. NEW: Senator Cynthia Creem and Representative Alice Peisch will kick off the meeting. 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. |
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