Thank you Tatiana for giving it your all and running the Boston Marathon to raise money and awareness about climate action in Wellesley. Also, a big thank you to those that donated!! Please consider helping her surpass her fundraising goal by donating today. Click here:
www.givengain.com/campaign/tatiana-is-running-the-marathon-for-sustainable-wellesley The money raised from Tatiana's marathon fundraising enhances Sustainable Wellesley's ability to do all that we do, including:
Learn from some incredible gardeners at Wellesley’s Community Gardens on Sunday, April 21st from 1:00 - 3:00 at Wellesley’s Community Garden on Weston Road. The program - co-sponsored by Sustainable Wellesley, Wellesley Conservation Land Trust, and Wellesley’s Natural Resources Commission - will cover site selection, crop suggestions, growing tips, and more.
Longtime gardener, John Spencer will launch the event with tips on how to start a garden. Michael Tobin -- a 15 year Weston Road Community Gardener whose specialty is growing enough garlic to last his family and friends through the entire year, plus use the seed for the next year's crop -- will talk about techniques for minimizing maintenance. Then, Lisa Moore -- Environmental Education, Outreach and Compliance Coordinator for the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission -- who enjoys learning new gardening techniques will offer an opportunity for the community to dip their toes into gardening. Side conversations may include pruning and growing flowers. This community, in-person event is open to anyone interested in starting a garden, including those who already have plots. All attendees will be gifted strawberry starter plants. Please click here to register for the event. See you in the garden! Rain date Is April 28th. Thank you to our co-sponsors: The Wellesley Conservation Land Trust is Wellesley’s local 501(c)(3) non-profit land trust that protects 14 sanctuaries across more than 45 acres of natural land in Wellesley and bordering lands in Needham and Weston. More information about our mission, the sanctuaries and membership can be found at WellesleyConservationLandTrust.org. The Wellesley Natural Resources Commission (NRC) oversees the use, preservation and protection of the town’s parks and conservation areas, serves as tree warden, sets policies for insect control and pesticide use, and protects the town watershed areas. The Commission also appoints the Wetlands Protection Committee and Trails Committee. The NRC serves as administrator for two community gardens in Wellesley that provide rental plots to residents. You are invited to Wellesley's first Climate Cafe on Thursday, April 25, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at the Wellesley Free Library in the Commons.
Mark your calendars so you can chat with an Energy Coach while enjoying FREE coffee and refreshments. Why should you make time from your busy day? week? life? We can help you save money, increase the value of your property, improve your health, and preserve the planet for the people you love. Learn about: ● Local, state, and federal financial incentives for electrification ●No-cost technical advice to help you prepare to upgrade your HVAC, water heater, and appliances ● Lower heating and cooling costs ● Increased property value ● Improved indoor air quality ● Public transportation ● Impressive financial incentives when you buy an electric vehicle ● A safer yard for children, pets, and the environment ● Reduced waste We can help you shrink your carbon footprint today See you next Thursday! A Zoom Workshop on Transitioning to Electric Equipment and Other Healthier Practices for Residents of Lexington and Wellesley:
Join Quiet Communities Founder Jamie Banks and American Green Zone Alliance President Dan Mabe and other special guests for a discussion about how residents can support a healthy transition away from fossil fuel-powered equipment to improve the health of workers, children, the public, and the environment. Bring your questions. Register here Residents of both towns are invited to attend a hands-on electric equipment demonstration on May 8th at 12:15 p.m on the lawn at Cary Memorial Hall, 1605 Massachusetts Ave, Lexington. For more information, contact rsvp@quietcommunities.org Wellesley's Municipal Light Plant, Wellesley's Climate Action Committee and Sustainable Wellesley are hosting our 5th annual Wellesley EV Test Drive and Showcase on May 9th. Details and registration information coming out soon!
We have many cars secured already, but are looking to add the following vehicles to our showcase area. Please email info@SustainableWellesley.com to let us know if this is an option for you and/or if you are willing to help out on the day of. Its a fun, community appreciated day.
The Wellesley EV Test Drive and Showcase Team Tatiana is giving it her all running the Boston Marathon to raise money and awareness about climate action in Wellesley. Please consider helping her surpass her fundraising goal by donating today.
Use this QR code to go to our new WhatsApp group where you can donate to our fundraiser and connect with others in the community taking action on climate in a variety of ways. This Sustainable Wellesley community WhatsApp chat will allow you to see the impact of donations made to Sustainable Wellesley. Maybe you have suggestions on where the funds should go and/or have a climate related initiative you would like funded. The money raised from Tatiana's marathon fundraising enhances Sustainable Wellesley's ability to do all that we do, including:
Thanks for the support! As the weather gets warmer, consider turning off your engine while waiting in car line or elsewhere. Idling is especially dangerous around schools because children are highly susceptible to air pollution from car exhaust. Children's developing lungs have a smaller surface area and a higher inhalation rate (can be over 3x that of adults), which means greater exposure and potentially permanent damage to lung function.
Either way, idling is expensive and illegal. Please join your community in saying "Idle No More in 2024!" With lower fees and the upcoming elementary redistricting, now is the perfect time to sign up for the bus! Wellesley Public Schools has reduced fees to $300/student with a $700 family cap for 2024-25, with more cuts planned for future years. Parents, reduce the amount of time you spend in traffic and help the town reach its goals of reducing carbon emissions! Current families MUST register by April 5. Visit wellesleyps.org/ transportation to read the annual letter and pay fees online.
Thank you to Michael M. for sharing his story about converting to electric from oil and the costs savings.
After attending a Town-sponsored webinar on Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), we contacted Abode Energy Management to set up a personal Zoom meeting. Abode spoke to us at length about our particular situation: a 100-year-old home with oil heat and radiators, (no ducting or air conditioning), and discussed what solutions might be available to us. We did learn that we would need to upgrade our electrical system from a 100 AMP to a 200 AMP service, and we worked with an excavator, an electrician, and the Town to make that happen. This was less complicated than it sounds. Abode then directed us to the Town's website for a list of approved vendors for ASHPs, and we contacted two of them. Both came to our home and provided a detailed installation proposal and quote. Each vendor proposed unique configurations and different equipment manufacturers. Abode reviewed both proposals to ensure they would be sufficient to heat and cool our home - with no backup system. While Abode deemed both proposals would do the job, they helped us compare them, and even tweaked them, so we felt comfortable moving forward. We chose Endless Energy to install an LG system with two heat pumps. Our first floor has ductless floor units, (as we were sensitive to maintaining the character of our home), the second floor is a ducted system with vents in the ceiling and the air handler in the attic. Our install was completed in December of 2022. We have been very pleased with our conversion to electric from oil. The units are quiet and remote-controllable. Our home maintained a comfortable temperature throughout the past two winters, and it was pure joy to turn on the AC last summer, vs. having to lug heavy, (and noisy and energy-inefficient), window units down from the hot attic. Many people had suggested we keep a "back-up" system for cold days, but with our two heat pumps that has not been necessary. After a severe cold spell two winters ago when the temperature dipped below -10 degrees for two nights in a row and we stayed warm, we removed our furnace, oil tank and radiators. (This required us to replace our oil-powered hot water heater with a heat-pump hot water heater. Abode again assisted us, and we decided on a 55-gallon Bradford White model; we've been very pleased with its performance.) A side benefit of removing the radiators was freeing up lots of floor space in our home. This made a big difference in every room, but especially in our dining room and in a narrow passageway. Finally, the cost savings have been even more dramatic than we had planned. Our energy bills are coming in at less than half of what we have been paying, thanks in part to Wellesley's favorable electric rates, and the high cost of oil. We also realized further savings by discontinuing the insurances on the oil tank, the annual furnace maintenance, and annual chimney cleaning. Abode also assisted us in claiming $10,000 in rebates. Suffice it to say it was a good installation experience all around thanks to the Town, Abode, and Endless Energy, and it's been a great fossil-free solution for heating and hot water, with the added bonus of air conditioning, for our historic home. If you missed the “Clean Heating and Cooling for Your Home” webinar, here are the webinar slides and the webinar recording. If you are considering home weatherization, heat pumps, electric vehicles, watch the recording. If you want some coaching, reach out to a Wellesley Energy Coach at no cost.
During the webinar, they shared information about no-cost home energy audits as well as the financial incentives for electrification. Learn more about residential climate action, why it’s important, and what advisory services and financial support are available to you. |
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