 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!  Last week after the Massachusetts Legislature put its climate bill on the Governor’s desk for the second time, Governor Baker signed it into law. This sweeping and historic statute is the first piece of climate legislation passed in Massachusetts in over a decade, creating the foundation for bold and robust statewide climate policy for years to come.
Specifically, the Roadmap Bill strengthens Massachusetts’s emissions reduction targets to establish a 50% reduction by 2030, a 75% reduction by 2040 and a goal of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Having targets like these will hold the Commonwealth accountable to reduce emissions in our energy, transportation and building sectors. To make these goals, the act stipulates the development of a Net Zero Energy stretch building code, which it empowers communities to adopt by 2022. It also mandates energy efficiency standards for appliances by 2025, and authorizes another 2,400 megawatts of offshore wind power. It also provides protections for Environmental Justice communities. What does this mean for Wellesley? Later this month, Wellesley’s Sustainable Energy Committee (SEC) will be updating the Town’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals and bringing them to the Annual Town Meeting (ATM) 2021. These goals, contained in Article 24, 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. Residents are encouraged to contact their Town Meeting Members letting them know they support these emissions reductions goals for our community. OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOU! ADVISORY
There are six positions on the 15 member Advisory Committee that will become open at the end of the current fiscal year that Town Moderator Mark Kaplan will be filling to take effect as of July 1, 2021. Five of the openings are for three year terms and one is for a two year term. All Wellesley (residents) (town meeting members) who are interested in being considered for one of these vacancies should contact Mark Kaplan at moderator@wellesleyma.gov by no later than April 23, 2021. Please include a current resume if you have one as well as a brief description of your background including (1) any prior involvement in either town government or the community in general; (2) any knowledge, expertise or experience that you have that you feel may be relevant for service on the Advisory Committee; and (3) the reasons that you are interested in being considered for appointment to the Advisory Committee. ______________________________________________________________________________________ PRECINCT F TOWN MEETING MEMBER A special election for Precinct F will take place on Tuesday, April 13, 2021 at 7 p.m. to fill a Town Meeting Member vacancy. Section 8A, Chapter 202 of the Acts of 1932 specifies that in the event of a vacancy in the full number of Town Meeting Members, the Town Clerk shall call a special meeting of the Town Meeting Members from the affected precinct to elect a new member until the next annual election. The special election candidates shall be from the registered voters of the precinct. A quorum for this special meeting is a majority of Precinct F Town Meeting Members. The special election Town Meeting Member will serve until the next annual election. Town Meeting Members, or others, should nominate candidates for this position on or before Tuesday April 6, 2021. Nominations should include the candidate name, address and email address if available, and should be submitted in writing or by email. The nominee’s permission should be secured in advance. Any resident may propose nominations and candidates may propose themselves. Please submit nominations by email to kckato@wellesleyma.gov or by phone at 781-431-1019 ext. 2252 no later than April 6.  The Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) has rescheduled two public listening webinars on the Interim Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2030 (2030 CECP). Below are the dates and registration information. Please register in advance for the webinar you plan to attend. Please also indicate that you would like to make a public statement during the listening session. We will consider the speakers on a first-come-first-speak basis as much as we can.
The two webinars will follow the same format and stakeholders are invited to attend either one. First, EEA will give a presentation and overview of the Interim 2030 CECP, after which attendees will be invited to provide oral public comment (up to 3 minutes). These comments will be recorded and considered with the other public comments on the Interim 2030 CECP. If you have a specific question about the CECP, please send it to gwsa@mass.gov at least 24 hours in advance of the webinar you will be attending, and the team will try to address your question during the presentation portion. During the listening webinars, EEA will be in “listening mode” and will not be taking live questions. Listening Webinars on the 2030 CECP
We will continue to take public comments on the Interim 2030 CECP until 5:00pm on March 22, 2021. Details are at www.mass.gov/2030CECP. Please send any questions on this process to gwsa@mass.gov.  Style. Fashion. Inspiration. All in a conscientious way.
Join the Zoom chat this Thursday, March 4th, at 7. Learn more about who is really paying the price for fast fashion. We will be looking at not only the sustainable factors but the ethical and societal as well. After offering some solutions, we will be opening it up to questions and answers. To Attend: Please fill out this form and submit your questions or comments.  Be part of Mass Power Forward's Virtual Lobby Day on Thursday March 4th from 3pm-6pm to advocate for a suite of Environmental Justice legislative priorities, 100% Renewable Energy, and the Mass Renews Build Jobs and Justice Act.
DEADLINE TO RSVP is March 1st at 12pm It’s time to build some momentum behind our environmental justice and climate action legislative priorities. Sign up today here or on Facebook and share with friends, family, colleagues in Mass. WHY?: New state-wide laws are one of many critical actions we must take to transform our state for climate and environmental justice. WHAT?: For the new legislative session, Mass Power Forward will be advocating for 3 main groups of bills. 1. First, we are supporting the Environmental Justice Table’s priorities. We will be working to reform the Energy Facility Siting Board, Improve Air Quality for pollution hot spot communities, restore the ability to sue the government for unequal impact and clarify the definitions of environmental justice 2. Second, we are supporting the MA Renews Alliance work to rapidly retrofit homes to be affordable, efficient, electric and climate healing- with priority to environmental justice neighborhoods. 3. Third, we expect to be continuing our work from last session to get Massachusetts to 100% renewable energy. WHAT TO EXPECT: Meetings Thursday, March 4th between 3 and 6pm The Mass Power Forward Planning team is setting up Zoom meetings with State Legislators. Optional Educational Webinars the week before Lobby Day Trainings Option 1: Monday March 1st 1pm - 2:30pm Option 2: Tuesday March 2nd 6pm -7:30pm Participants will have an opportunity to meet ahead of time and organize their meetings. The lobby day guide and meeting logistics/instructions will be provided.  SUSTAINABLE WELLESLEY IS SHARING AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE SIERRA CLUB MA:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We’re approaching the end of this legislative tug of war between House/Senate and Governor and we need your help. On Sunday, February 7, Baker (to no one’s surprise) vetoed the bill AGAIN. In the second veto he scaled back a few of his earlier criticisms and instead proposed a series of amendments that would weaken and water down key aspects of the bill, specifically...
Tell Your Legislator: Don't Water Down The Climate Roadmap Bill! The legislature now must choose one of three options to move forward and they have no timeline in which they are required to act:
After you've sent your message, please also take a moment to call your legislator's office. You can use the following phone script: Hello, this is {ADD YOUR NAME HERE} calling from {ADD YOUR TOWN/CITY HERE}. I am calling today to thank you for your leadership on climate and environmental justice issues this past year. I am calling today to ask you to request that [House/Senate] leadership move urgently to reject any of the Governor’s amendments to the climate bill (S.9) that would weaken the legislation. It is critical that the legislature preserves the following parts as originally passed:
Thank you for your action! Sincerely, Jacob Stern Deputy Director, Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter  Wellesley's Annual Election is Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Residents will vote on Town-wide officials, Town Meeting members, and a referendum on Indigenous Peoples Day.
The deadline to register to vote in this election is Wednesday, February 10 at 8:00 p.m. Residents who are 18-years-old and older may register online or may drop off a voter registration form in-person at Town Hall by appointment only. Appointments can be scheduled by email or by calling 781-431-1019 ext. 2252. Voters may request a Vote by Mail ballot by completing the application and returning it to the Town Clerk's office by email or by using the Town Hall ballot and payment drop box. The last day to request a Vote by Mail ballot is Wednesday, February 24. To allow time for mail processing, voters should request ballots as early as possible. Ballots for the Annual Election will be mailed by February 16 to all voters who have requested them.  Join Sustainable Wellesley’s Conversation with the Candidates on Wednesday, February 24 from 7:30 – 9:00pm.
Meet the candidates running for the many important town positions and hear where candidates stand on issues specifically related to sustainability. Send in questions in advance to info@SustainableWellesley.com. Mark your calendars for this event and make sure to get your ballots and vote in this election. Get your spot on the Zoom call by clicking here.  Wellesley residents and students will mark the one year anniversary of standing up peacefully for the climate on Friday, February 5th and encourage you to join them.
Residents of all ages, and their colorful signs, stand on the lawn in front of the Wellesley Town Hall, on Washington Street/Rt.16 every Friday from 3-4pm. A year ago Wellesley resident Ken Batts, inspired by Greta Thunberg’s Fridays for the Future movement, decided he would personally stand out every Friday to bring awareness to climate change issues. He wasn't alone. “It's really a highlight of the week when a variety of community members come together, having interesting discussions, networking and simply having a relaxing, non technology hour in the week,” Batts said enthusiastically. “Plus, the waves, honks and cheers from people driving, biking and walking by are really encouraging. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend any Friday at 3pm outside the Wellesley Town Hall. There is a Facebook group called FRIDAYS FOR FUTURE-WELLESLEY, MA with photos and more information. Bring friends, family and neighbors to stand socially distanced and masked. Feel free to bring a sign or use one in the collection. |
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