 Thanks to Green Newton for sharing this!
Plant-based food blogger Marla Felcher has created The 14-Day Greener Plate Challenge, a free, low-lift, online campaign to help us along a sustainable eating journey. From February 9-23, the campaign will educate participants in a fun, engaging way, about the environmental impact of what we eat. There’s a bit of health-related information too, because what’s good for our bodies is good for the planet. How will The 14-Day Greener Plate Challenge work? Every day for two weeks, participants will get one email with three “challenges.” Participants are asked do at least one of the three; e.g., watch a short 3-5 minute video, order a plant-based meal at a restaurant, or take a quiz that reveals their personal carbon “food print.” The campaign will teach easy food swaps, provide useful Apps, and include simple, scrumptious plant-based recipes. And there’s more! On the evening of February 15, chef Diana Goldman will teach a live Zoom cooking class. Who Will Benefit from The 14-Day Greener Plate Challenge? Anyone who eats and cares about climate change and health: omnivores, flexitarians, pescatarians, vegetarians, vegans, and anyone in between. When? February 9-23, 2024. PRICE? It’s free. Marla and chef Diana Goldman have created this campaign to help people learn the relationship between what’s on their plate and the health of our planet. Sign Up & More Info? Join the 150+ like-minded eaters who have already committed to learn how to “eat their values.” Join the Greener Plate Challenge Some of the highlights of the challenge are: ✅ For 14 days you will receive Daily Cooking + Coaching emails. ✅ You will receive resources galore including fabulous recipes, grocery shopping guides, starter packs, cooking tips, nutrition advice and guidance on how to eat more sustainably. ✅ The challenge is a fun way to connect with friends, create a team, and win a $250 restaurant gift certificate or $500 donation to their favorite environmental NGO. You’ll receive details when you sign up for the program. ✅ It’s for everyone, whether an omnivore, pescatarian, vegetarian, vegan, flexitarian, reducetarian, or something in between. In addition, Chef Diana Goldman of Beantown Kitchen will be leading a cooking class on Thursday, February 15 at 5:30pm. During the class, she’ll be making these two planet-friendly dishes: Black Bean Tortillas with Cabbage Slaw & Lime Crema and Chocolate Mousse. Both the Greener Plate Challenge and Diana’s Zoom cooking class will be engaging ways to understand how each of us has the ability to decrease our carbon “food print,” easily and deliciously.  Great ideas from RecycleSmart MA With the holiday season fast approaching, we would be remiss if we didn’t talk about the topic on all of our minds…. food. Despite our love of Thanksgiving leftovers – it turns out we aren’t that good at gobbling up all of our food, especially at the holidays. Each year we throw out over 200 million pounds of turkey alone during the week of Thanksgiving[1]. Over the course of a year, up to 40% of the food in the U.S. goes uneaten[2] – food that could have benefited the one in 11 Massachusetts residents that is considered food insecure[3]. The good news is that there are simple things we can all do to decrease wasted food (and save money). Here are 5 tip to reduce our “foodprint” during the holidays:
Remember that food and liquids do NOT belong in the recycling bin. Wasted Food Facts that will Floor You!
[1] Cabrera, Yvette. “Giving Thanks and Wasting Less,” Natural Resources Defense Council, Nov. 2019, https://www.nrdc.org/experts/yvette-cabrera/giving-thanks-and-wasting-less [2] Gunders, Dana. “Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm too Fork to Landfill,” Natural Resources Defense Council, NRDC Issue Paper, Aug. 2012 IP:12-06-B [3]New Data Shows Cost of Food in Massachusetts Highest in United States, The Greater Boston Food Bank, May. 2019, https://www.gbfb.org/news/press-releases/cost-food-massachusetts/   The Wellesley Recycling & Disposal Facility (RDF) is supplying food waste collection starter kits for your kitchen in an effort to increase food waste diversion from residential trash. Collecting your food waste separately keeps it out of a landfill and creates clean energy; furthermore, it’s easy.
Call the RDF ahead of time to reserve your no cost kit at 781-235-7600 x3345. Then, simply put all of your food waste (bones too!) in your bin at home. Then place it in the the green totters marked "FOOD WASTE" located by the trash compactors at the RDF. The food waste is then taken to a facility where it is turned into clean energy. So get your kit and start diverting food waste today!  There are many ways to reduce the impact of your events this season. Thank you Wellesley Green Schools for this helpful Smart Event Guide!
 If you missed the Sustainable Wellesley/Wellesley Books discussion with author Paul Greenberg about his inspiring, accessible book, the Climate Diet last week, you can watch it here.
What a treat for our group to hear directly from the author! "Naked food" and "shipped vs. flown" were just a few of the inspirational stories he shared on ways we can address our own household carbon footprints. As Paul says, "everyone can and should do something," and this book offers a wide array of things you can do. He calls this book a "peace offering," for adults and teens/millennials that shares ideas that are not only good for the planet, but good for your health and wallet too. Take some time to read The Climate Diet this summer. Its short, informative and available at the library and the local book store! Then share the book; we all have something to learn.  New, Updated Gas Leaks Map shows Wellesley still has 250 unrepaired pipeline leaks, emitting a whooping 91 MT of methane (natural gas).
This puts Wellesley in the state’s top 11 emitters of methane, with the other 10 being much larger cities & towns: Worcester, Weymouth, Quincy, Newton, Medford, Lynn, Dorchester, Brookline, Arlington and Boston. Methane has more than 80 times the climate warming power of carbon dioxide during the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere. Leaky, corroded pipes run all over under our town and the entire state. The estimated cost to repair all if these pipes is enormous, at the ratepayers’ expense. Despite the fact that 70 pipe lines have been repaired in Wellesley so far, it seems even more leaks have sprung anew. It’s time to stop using “natural “ gas for our heating and cooking. Gas is unhealthy, dangerous, costly (we are paying for all those leaks!), and bad for the environment. Consider going electric! Email us to learn more!  For those doing something different next week for the school April break, take a minute this week to:
1) Write/call your Town Meeting Member letting them know that you support the Town's updated greenhouse gas emissions reductions goals. These goals appear in Article 24, Motion 1 and call for reductions in town-wide GHG emissions of 50% below Wellesley’s 2007 baseline by 2030, 75% below Wellesley’s 2007 baseline by 2040, and net zero town-wide GHG emissions by 2050. These science-based goals follow State policy, are in line with The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, support Wellesley’s Unified Plan, and echo similar climate actions taken by an increasing number of Wellesley’s peer communities across the Commonwealth. 2) Enjoy Sierra Club's free plant-based cooking classes! You know that going meatless is good for the environment and for your health. The production of meat and dairy generates a lot more greenhouse gases than the production of comparable amounts of plant-based proteins. Check out two upcoming online cooking classes from the Sierra Club for inspiration and helpful tips. Sunday, April 18, 6-7pm Plant-based Cooking Demonstration: Learn how to make healthy plant-based food with the Plant-based Planet Team! We’ll demonstrate how to make various plant-based dishes at home. Feel free to ask us questions! Register in advance here. Tuesday, April 20, 6:30-7:30pm Our Sustainable Kitchen Cooking Class, Second Episode: Professional vegan chef Diana Goldman will teach you virtually how to prepare delicious plant-based food. Register in advance here. 3) Enjoy the week!  The Town of Wellesley is looking to understand the specific retail, restaurant and business wants, needs and patterns in Wellesley Square in an effort to bring vitality and new businesses to our community.
Imagine, a pedestrian weekend main street, re-use and plastic free stores, no styrofoam, EV charging stations, community refrigerator, a fix it shop, in town composting and recycling, etc. Let them know what YOU want by filling out this survey. It takes less than a minute to fill out the survey.  Wellesley residents are invited to share a delicious vegetarian dinner prepared by local chef Dave Becker of Juniper on March 29 at 6:30 p.m. Take a night off from cooking and learn the benefits to your health and the well-being of our planet when you make Mondays meat-free, all while you support the efforts of the Wellesley Food Pantry to help those in our community who need it most. This event is sponsored through a partnership by LWV Wellesley and Sustainable Wellesley.
Participants will pick up a dinner at Juniper and then return home to watch a live, fun cooking demonstration as they dine. The cost to join this exciting community event is $75, which will include a three-course meal, the chef’s own cookbook and a generous donation to the Wellesley Food Pantry. A red or white wine pairing can be included with dinner for an additional $20 per bottle. "Meatless Monday" Menu:
What’s Included: The $75 fee includes: a 3-course takeout meal for two, a cooking class with Dave on Zoom, a Dave Becker cookbook, and a donation to the Wellesley Food Pantry. Additional donations for the Wellesley Food Pantry are welcome. A small fee for ticketing and use of PayPal will be added to your final cost; if you have questions, please email [email protected] Register before March 22 –Space is limited! Each meal serves two but you may purchase more than one meal. The Wellesley Food Pantry currently serves approximately 200 Wellesley households and more than 420 individuals; about one-third are children and another third are seniors. The Food Pantry has provided supplemental and emergency food to Wellesley residents in need since 1989. “Meatless Monday” is a global movement that encourages people to reduce meat in their diet for their health and the health of the planet. Since it began in 2003, the movement has taken root in over 40 countries and been adapted to 22 different languages. Eating less meat and more healthy plant-based foods can help reduce the incidence of chronic preventable diseases, preserve precious land and water resources, and combat climate change. More information is available at the “Meatless Monday” website. This event was created by the League of Women Voters of Wellesley and Sustainable Wellesley in the interest of fostering both community support for those who need it, as well as an awareness of the many ways individuals can act to promote a more sustainable lifestyle. LWV Wellesley is a nonpartisan political organization encouraging informed and active participation in government. It works to influence public policy through education and advocacy. Sustainable Wellesley strives to engage residents, businesses and the Town of Wellesley to take sustainable actions to protect biodiversity; minimize waste; and ensure environmental justice.  Swing by Roche Brothers in Wellesley on Saturday, November 23rd from 10am-2pm to learn about kitchen composting and the Wellesley RDF's Food Waste Program. Volunteers from Sustainable Wellesley will be on hand to demo the process and answer all of your questions. In addition, from 1pm on Leslie Richman zero-waste lifestyle coach will also be there to answer additional questions you might have about plastic-reduced and plastic-free grocery shopping and more!
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