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This is environmental injustice. Clean air is a right.

The Wellesley Department of Public Works (DPW) is helping cut carbon emissions with a significant investment in electric landscaping equipment.  Starting this week, residents will see this new equipment in use in parks and open spaces and the entire Town will reap the benefits of these positive climate actions.

The department recently expanded its rechargeable battery-powered fleet, using funds from its Fiscal Year 2022 budget to purchase a large EGO riding mower and EGO brand cordless outdoor equipment including: two electric push lawn mowers, a pole hedge kit, six carbon fiber trimmers, and 4 leaf blowers. These new tools are in addition to other small rechargeable equipment like trimmers and leaf blowers that DPW bought in 2020. All are the same make and batteries for the equipment are interchangeable.

The purchases were spurred by panel discussions a year ago sponsored by the Town of Wellesley, Lexington DPW, Wellesley Natural Resources Commission, and Sustainable Wellesley in partnership with two nonprofits, American Green Zone Alliance and Quiet Communities, Inc.

Look for DPW crews using the new equipment at four established green spaces: Central Park near the Wellesley Square post office, Church Park in front of the Village Church, the Wellesley Police Department grounds, and the Tolles Parsons Center on Washington Street. These high-traffic parklands showcase pesticide-free landscaping and low-maintenance native plantings to foster birds, bees and other useful insects.

Because they run on rechargeable batteries, this equipment eliminates fumes and vibrations that are harmful to operators and passersby, and have lower decibel levels to reduce use noise. To keep equipment charged when away from power sources, DPW Director Dave Cohen is mounting charging stations on a trailer. “We are eager to see how this set up works and if the equipment can give crew members the sustained service that is required during long work days,” said Cohen.

According to Paul DePhillips, Assistant Superintendent of the DPW Park & Tree division, the team is also considering adding a solar panel to the roof of the trailer to provide some additional charging capability and reduce or even eliminate plug-in charging time. DePhillips’s crew has also added four electric chainsaws.

The most expensive piece is the rider electric mower, which retails for about $4,999 and can cut up to two acres on a single battery charge. The motor emits a sound that resembles a ‘faint whine,’ instead of a louder mowing noise.

In the coming months, DPW will be collecting data to quantify the benefits of shifting to electric equipment and will present this information to the Town to help inform future decisions about expanding the electric landscaping program.

Climate Action in Wellesley 
​The electric landscaping equipment program is helping support the Town’s climate action goals to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 50% below 2007 levels by 2030 and reach net-zero by 2050. Wellesley is currently developing a Climate Action Plan that will serve as a roadmap for reaching these goals. To learn more visit https://www.wellesleyma.gov/1584/Climate-Action-
Plan.

The Federal Tax Credit, MA State Rebate, and Drive Green Dealer Discounts Can Lower the Purchase Price of an Electric Vehicle 

The town of Wellesley is striving to achieve a 50 percent, community-wide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. Transportation currently accounts for 43 percent of Wellesley’s greenhouse gas emissions. Electric vehicles (EVs) are an important part of Wellesley’s emissions reduction strategy along with increased biking, walking, and use of public transit. For those considering buying a new EV, current federal tax credit, state rebate, and Green Energy Consumer Alliance Drive Green programs offer significant savings.

The Drive Green program, for example, offers negotiated dealer discounts on EVs from a range of makers, including Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, and Nissan, making it easy to compare prices and find a dealership with knowledgeable sales staff. Special offers on pre-owned EV and hybrid vehicles are also available. Tesla EVs are not part of the Drive Green program.

“Transportation, along with buildings, is a leading contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Wellesley,” said Dr. Marybeth Martello, Wellesley’s Sustainability Director. “Every one of us can help combat climate change by replacing older, gas-powered vehicles with EVs. EV purchase incentives make it more cost-effective for each of us to do our part.”

As one example, a new Hyundai Kona Electric, an EV with a battery range of 258 miles, is now available for just $24,497. Normally retailing for $38,575, this EV is available now for $14,078 less, thanks to a Green Energy Consumer Alliance Drive Green discount, a federal tax credit, and the state of Massachusetts MOR-EV rebate:

$38,575 Retail price
($4,078) Drive green dealer discount
($2,500) MA state rebate
($7,500) Federal tax credit
$24,497 Final effective price

To learn about the Green Energy Consumer Alliance, click here. 

To learn more about Wellesley’s Climate Action Plan, click here. To comment or ask a question, email [email protected]. 

FROM GREEN NEWTON:
​A hearing on three bills regarding manufacturer funded recycling programs will take place in the Massachusetts State Legislature from 1-5pm on June 22. Passing these bills on extended producer responsibility (EPR) for paint, mattresses, packaging, and paper would help defray the cost of disposing of or recycling these items that cities and towns in Massachusetts currently bear. It would also set a precedent in Massachusetts for a better way to manage the items that are thrown away each year. The three bills are:

• Paint EPR H.938 – this bill is the most likely to get passed this session, it has support from the paint industry and 10 successful programs nationwide, including neighboring states of CT, RI, VT, and ME.
• Mattress EPR S.569 – this bill would ensure that mattresses are recycled in Massachusetts.
• Packaging & Paper Products EPR H.878/S.517/S.610 – this bill would reimburse municipalities for their recycling programs.

We need you to:

• submit written testimony by midnight on June 22. You can use this template to support all three bills or you can simply write, “I’m in favor of each of the bills because they are beneficial to the environment.”  Send by 11:59pm on Tuesday, June 22 to [email protected].
• contact your legislator and tell them you strongly support the three EPR bills because cities and towns should not have to bear all the cost of recycling products. You can find your state legislator here.

What is Extended Producer Responsibility?
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)  legislation makes manufacturers have a stake in recycling the products and packaging they generate.  An EPR bill would create a fund to cover the cost of recycling and incentivize companies to make their packaging more recyclable.
​
Why is EPR needed?
Municipalities have little power to control the barrage of materials flooding the Commonwealth but are responsible for managing recycling and disposal.

• Recent fluctuations in the recycling market have drastically increased costs for municipalities, which now pay tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year.
• A growing percentage of packaging waste is plastic – 40 percent of all plastic production is used for packaging. However, just 10 percent of all plastic produced is recycled. The rest is burned, buried in landfills, or lost in the environment, contributing to air and water pollution, the formation of microplastics, and a growing litter crisis in our oceans.
• Companies that sell packaged products do not have an incentive to design packaging so that it can be recycled, or to use recycled content in their manufacture. While producers benefit from wrapping their products in disposable materials, local taxpayers are responsible for cleaning up litter and paying for trash and recycling, regardless of whether they purchased the products.

I’ve never heard of EPR–is this a new idea?
Extended Producer Responsibility has been tested and proven in countries all over the world.

1. Successful product stewardship programs have transformed waste management in the EU, Canada, Israel, Brazil, Chile, India and Russia.
2. California, Connecticut, and Rhode Island already have EPR legislation for the recycling of mattresses. 10 states nationwide have laws on recycling paint. Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York are joining together to call for the positive transformation that an EPR program would bring to not just Massachusetts, but the entire Northeast region.

An energy efficient building code that still allows the combustion of fossil fuels is not helping Massachusetts achieve its goal of Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

Because of the state’s Net Zero goals outlined in Gov. Baker’s Clean Energy Climate Plan, new homes will have to either be built to Net Zero now or be retrofitted later. It is less expensive to both the state and owners to build Net Zero buildings now than to retrofit buildings down the line. But cities and towns are prohibited from exceeding the state’s “stretch” code (a building code that requires higher energy efficiency standards for new buildings than the base code) even while many developers are already building to Net Zero standards at little to no a to no additional cost (ReadyforNetZero_03.01.21.pdf).
That’s why Massachusetts needs a new “Net Zero” stretch code that includes the use of renewable energy instead of gas or oil.  
To keep the pressure up to guarantee that the Net Zero stretch code developed by the Department of Energy Resources is truly Net Zero, please consider:
1) Writing to the Board of Building Regulations and Standards ([email protected]) to let them know that a true Net Zero stretch code means building safe and healthy housing, affordable to heat and cool, and effective in mitigating climate change. A true Net Zero stretch code transforms our buildings from a major source of emissions to being part of the climate solution.  

2) Share the news on your favorite social media and include any and all of the following hashtags:  #NetZeroForAll, #NetZeroNow, #ProtectOurAir, #ElectrifyEverything, #AllElectric, #PassOnGas, #GasFreeHomes, #CleanEnergy, #AirPollution·         
Need inspiration? 
Harvard Study estimates burning fossil fuels for buildings costs Massachusetts $8.4 billion in annual health impacts 
An interactive map shows health impact of building emissions by state
Thanks!

Many Town Boards, Committees, and Commissions positions are available.
Take a look here. Positions are appointed by Wellesley Select Board.

Council on Aging: The Wellesley Council on Aging (COA) was established by legislative action in 1972 to coordinate and carry out programs and services to meet the needs and objectives of the population age 60 and over. The COA is funded through local taxes, state, federal, and local grants, and private contributions.

Cultural Council: The Wellesley Cultural Council administers money that the Massachusetts Cultural Council allots to Wellesley from state funds, including the state lottery. These funds support the arts, humanities and sciences in the Wellesley community. The Council also serves as an advocacy voice for the arts in our community and state.

Historic District Commission: The Commission's primary responsibility is the review of applications for alterations to exterior architectural features for the sixty-five (65) properties within the Cottage Street Historic District and four (4) Single Building Historic Districts.

Historical Commission: The Wellesley Historical Commission works to protect and preserve tangible evidence of the architectural, aesthetic, cultural, economic, political and social history of Wellesley.

Sustainable Energy Committee: The Sustainable Energy Committee (SEC) leads efforts to accomplish the goal adopted at the 2009 Annual Town Meeting (ATM): to reduce Town-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 10% below 2007 levels by 2013, to monitor and report progress toward that goal, and to propose further goals for emissions reductions to Town Meeting. The 2014 ATM adopted the SEC proposal to establish a new goal to reduce Town-wide emissions 25% below 2007 levels by 2020. The Unified Plan also identifies sustainability and energy conservation as important goals.

Veterans Advisory Board: The West Suburban Veterans’ Services District (WSVSD) operates under the provisions established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 115. The office provides veterans and their dependents with a full range of benefits and services based on qualifications and eligibility requirements, using all available Federal, State and Town government agencies. The department also monitors the care and maintenance of all veterans’ graves and sixteen veterans’ monuments in Town. There are five board members with three year terms. Updated: April 15, 2021

Veterans’ Graves and Ceremonial Officer: This appointed position works with the Veterans Services Officer to register and maintain veterans’ graves including the placement of a United States flag on each grave on Memorial Day. Coordinates and supervises the observance of Memorial Day and Veterans’ Day in the community in conjunction with the WSVSD and ceremony committee. (Must be a Wellesley resident).

Wellesley Housing Development Corporation: The Wellesley Housing Development Corporation's mission is to sponsor and assist in the development of affordable housing opportunities for persons of low and moderate income in the Wellesley, Massachusetts in order to implement the Town's Affordable Housing Policy.

Youth Commission: The Wellesley Youth Commission provides programs and services designed to ensure that Wellesley's youth feel they are a valued part of the Wellesley community.

Zoning Board of Appeals: The Zoning Board of Appeals is a quasi-judicial board which interprets and enforces the town Zoning Bylaw by hearing and deciding on petitions for appeals of town officer or board decisions, Chapter 40B comprehensive permits, site plan approvals, special permits and variances.

Learn More! For detailed information on Town of Wellesley Boards and Committees, please visit here: To volunteer for any Town Board or Committee, please complete this volunteer form.

Sustainable Living Wellesley Facebook page was all a flutter as the new year began. It all started with Courtney’s simple question about what others are doing for sustainable swaps in their homes.

This is such a great question as we all aim to ditch the bad habits from last year and aim for new ones that go easier  on the planet (and our wallets)! 
    
A key factor in finding sustainable items is getting items that can be reused numerous times rather than once. 

Let's start in the kitchen:

• An easy swap is to switch from paper towels or napkins to cloth alternatives. After each use, just throw your cloth napkin in the wash and it’s good as new. Wellesley town resident, Joan Minklei, shares that they have washcloths that she stashes under the sink to use instead of paper towels.
• Make the swap to reusable snack bags. The little ziplock bags that so many people use for leftovers, storage, and school and work lunches contribute to the billions of pounds of plastic already conjugating in our oceans. These reusable snack and stasher bags are a sustainable option that can be used over and over! Not sure how to clean them? Kelly Caiazzo posted on the Facebook Page that she just puts her “stasher bags in the dishwasher by stretching them over the rack prongs gently and then just towel dry the inside.” Or, if it’s laundry day, Courtney Carter adds “I dump the crumbs out and then flip them inside out and throw them right in with the kids’ laundry.” Easy; affordable and helps the planet.
• Elizabeth May recommended buying “in bulk as much as possible” to cut down on the packaging. She admits that they have had to swap out some of their former “everyday foods in plastic packaging like yogurt and certain ice cream brands.”
• Others mentioned buying cleaning products in bulk as well.

 
Moving on to the laundry room:

• Wellesley residents have swapped out dryer sheets for wool dryer balls which can be used hundreds of times and absorb moisture to help dry clothes more quickly. Courtney Carter made the switch a few years ago and admits “I love mine so much I bought my mother-in-law some for Christmas” because who wouldn’t want wool dryer balls for Christmas? 

Bathroom:

• Resident Meredith Lepper has switched to shampoo and face soap bars. Rather than buy these essentials in the usual plastic packaging, these alternatives are waste and package free. They’re simply your usual shampoo, conditioner, face wash, etc., but in bar form instead of liquid that you rub to create a lather. 
• Others are using reusable razors as well.

Closet. Yup, we said it. Your closet!:

• Got some clothing items you don’t wear anymore or don’t fit? People are able to sell their clothes to consignment or thrift stores where others can buy them secondhand. Buying second hand is great for the environment and for finding extreme discounts on items! When using websites such as The RealReal and thredUP, Kelly Caiazzo explains that “not only do I sometimes score amazing designer dresses for a steal but it's a huge environmental win because of the waste produced by the textile industry.” 

    
We loved the communal idea generation on a topic near and dear to all of us. These items may seem small individually, but at large can make a difference.

These were just a few ideas shared in that chat. For more ideas, join Sustainable Living Wellesley Group on Facebook!
    
​Thanks to Kate Lapierre for contributing to this story!
    

On Thursday, January 28, from 6-7:30 p.m., Sustainable Wellesley will sponsor a panel discussion entitled Banking on Our Values, inviting the community to learn more about investing in companies that prioritize climate action and equity. Financial experts Heidi Vanni, Chief Client Officer at Boston Trust Walden, Sumeit Aggarwal, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Finhive, and Glenn Migliozzi, Lecturer in the Finance Division at Babson College, will share their expertise and field questions on the non-financial factors that influence investment decisions. Personal and professional investors will learn from this conversation on the short- and long-term benefits of incorporating these investment strategies and how one may begin to embrace them.  

Heidi Vanni is Managing Director and Chief Client Officer at Boston Trust Walden, a Boston-based investment management firm that invests in publicly traded companies. On behalf of clients, the firm seeks to advance sustainable business practices around climate, equality and governance. Ms. Vanni works with both institutional and private wealth clients, building portfolios that enable them to align their investments with their mission or values. 
​
At Finhive, a Massachusetts-based social enterprise building personal finance into the core capabilities of communities and small businesses, Co-Founder and Managing Partner Sumeit Aggarwal is focused on narrowing the gender gap in investing and finance. Finhive hosts training sessions on topics like investing and financial health for individuals, and consults with small businesses providing cash flow analysis, budgeting, profit margin analysis, pricing strategies and other financial topics.

Babson College lecturer Glenn Migliozzi, teaches courses in personal finance, alternative investments and business ethics. Prior to joining the Babson staff, he held a range of financial positions from corporate finance director to hedge fund manager. In his free time, Migliozzi supports agencies that address food insecurity, financial literacy and legal services.

Organizers and moderators Jacob Nichols, President of the Babson Sustainability Club and Sustainability Intern at Babson; and Jacob Landau, a Sustainable Wellesley Intern, speaker at the October 2020 Wellesley Climate Rally and Wellesley High School junior, will guide the conversation about how values-based investing can maintain or improve financial returns, while better meeting social impact goals. 

Register for this free event here. Sign up today. Space is limited to 100 participants. 

Questions? Contact [email protected]. 

On Thursday, January 14, 7:30pm join a community discussion about housing in Wellesley with:

• Jennifer Raitt, the Director of Planning and Community Development for the Town of Arlington, Massachusetts, and
• Don McCauley, Wellesley’s Planning Director.

Jennifer has served local, regional, state, and national housing, community development, and planning organizations and she recently became a Climate Reality Leader with the Climate Reality Project.

The discuss will center around how Wellesley’s zoning created our desirable community, but also contributes to Wellesley’s increasing lack of affordability. How can we ensure that Wellesley’s housing supports our values? What action steps can we take to allow a greater diversity of people to call Wellesley their home?

To register for free Zoom event, please click here.
 
This event is presented by the League of Women Voters of Wellesley, and the Wellesley Free Library and sponsored by many organizations, including Sustainable Wellesley.

DATE EXTENDED
Please Call the Governor’s office at (617)725-4005 and email him.**

GREAT NEWS: The Mass. Legislature is poised to approve a dramatic revision of our state climate laws.  An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy (S.2995) is the strongest effort of its kind in the country.  

WE NEED YOUR HELP TO HELP THIS BILL CROSS THE FINISH LINE: The Governor may want to weaken it or veto it outright.  Thus, he needs to hear from YOU. Please urge the Governor to sign S.2995, the new climate bill, by emailing him here or calling his office at (617) 725-4005. Let him know you want him to pass this and why it is important to you. Once you do, please share this request with friends and family in the Commonwealth via social media or anyway you can. 

Governor Baker has until Thursday, Jan. 14th to sign this bill, so make reaching out to him a priority.

This legislation moves us forward in some important ways:

1. Including environmental justice into Massachusetts law and provides new tools and protections for effected neighborhoods.
2. Creating for the first-time greenhouse gas emissions standard for municipal lighting plants and imposes a five-year moratorium on biomass. 
3. Allowing for a local option "net-zero stretch energy code" and adds 4 energy efficiency seats to the Board of Building Regulations & Standards.

We thank the work of legislators and advocates who have gotten us this far.

Advocates at Mass Climate Action have some talking points here.

Thank you!

​

✔Health 
✔Housing
✔Library
✔Planning
✔Recreation 
 
These are just a few of the spots open this election season.  

If you are interested in making a difference, read on.

There is a spot with your name on it.

The Town of Wellesley depends on community volunteers who hold elected offices in municipal government, lead boards and committees, and serve as Town Meeting members.

The nomination period for all elected officials opens on Wednesday, December 2, 2020 at noon. Candidates for public office must be Wellesley residents.

Due to COVID-19, nomination papers are available by appointment only at Wellesley Town Hall. Interested candidates should email the Town Clerk or call 781-431-1019 ext. 2252 to pull papers.

The last day to obtain nomination papers to run for Town-wide office is January 8, 2021. The last day to obtain nomination papers to run for a Town Meeting member seat is January 22, 2021. 

The Annual Town Election is scheduled for Tuesday, March 2, 2021. 

For students at home this holiday season looking for something to do, here are 3 ideas.

1) EVERY Friday, you can join the weekly climate vigil from 3-4pm on the grounds of Wellesley Town Hall (525 Washington St., Wellesley).  Bring your friends, family and neighbors to the this local Greta Thunberg inspired Fridays For Future event. Wear a mask, and feel free to bring a sign about why protecting the climate matters to you! 

2) Share your/family/local friend/local business/neighbor's story with us! You know you get inspired by others so let us get inspired by you/them! We know you are doing something cool for the planet, and we want to hear about it. Check these out ideas and then write to us about local climate friendly acts, or send in a video!

3) Collect the cardboard and newspapers in your house and bring them to the RDF. As you can imagine, those items are in high demand and the Wellesley RDF ("dump") is being offered a lot of money for them. Help recycle high quality goods and make money for the Town!

4) Sustainable Wellesley is redesigning its logo and is inviting you to submit entries. Wellesley residents (students too) are encouraged to participate and can submit up to three entries in .png, or .jpg format. Submissions will be accepted until December 31, 2020 here. A mood board for some inspiration is here. 

Have another climate friendly idea/interest you want to talk about, join forces on, etc.? Simply email us at [email protected]. We are a group of volunteers and a platform to inspire and raise awareness around lower impact living. "We" includes You!  

Wellesley’s Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF) wants your clean, recycled newspaper and cardboard. The RDF is urging residents to step up their recycling, or start recycling these high demand products.

Keeping our newspapers and cardboard out of landfills not only helps the environment, but domestic and international buyers are paying good money for Wellesley’s high quality, separated, recycled paper products.

 To learn more about recycling at the RDF visit the Town of Wellesley website.

We get inspired by others.

We are sure you are doing something cool and we want to hear about it.

Let us know some climate friendly act --big or small -- that you, your family member, friend, or neighbor is doing. For example,

• Have a streamlined home recycling set up?
• Growing your own herbs year round?
• Upcycle something cool?
• Figure out a work around to using less plastic?
• Encouraged someone else to eat less meat?
• What have you renewed?
• Switch to gas powered lawn care?
• Do errands on a bike with kids in tow?
• Installed solar back up battery?
• ETC...

Please email us at [email protected] and share your story. We can make a difference learning from one another.

We cant wait to hear from you!

A freshman at Babson College is working on revamping Babson's Climate Action and Sustainability Plan. She is looking for petition signatories to help gain momentum in the process.

The petition states:

"Babson has been recognized as the #1 school for entrepreneurship for the past 20 years by U.S. News. As much of an accomplishment this is, it is evident that sustainability initiatives have not been at the forefront of operations within the College.

As a school that embodies the principles of Entrepreneurial Thought & Action™, we must lead by example. Environmental sustainability must take priority in Babson’s teaching, research, operations, and facilities. Babson will be called upon to cultivate entrepreneurial and business-relevant scholarly work, build stronger, collaborative relationships with community stakeholders, and drive their own operations towards less waste and more efficient use of resources; they fulfill our mission as a top-tier college. Babson will need to assume greater responsibility at the local, regional, and global level.

As a top private business school, Babson is uniquely positioned to have a meaningful impact in the field to create and implement groundbreaking solutions on an international stage. It has been recognized within and beyond the Babson community that the College is lagging behind many peer institutions in implementing sustainability practices and that the school lacks a comprehensive sustainability strategy. Unfortunately, the last Climate Action Plan was developed in 2011, and most of the benchmarks stated in this document have not been reached within the past decade. Please sign this petition to show your support throughout the development process of a new Sustainability Action Plan so we can take advantage of our institutional strengths and commitment to social innovation. 
You are encouraged to put a testimony as to why you are signing and why you find this cause important! If you have any questions or want to get involved in the process, please email [email protected]"

2020 has been a challenge, but Sustainable Wellesley volunteers have worked tirelessly throughout the year to keep the focus on hopeful, achievable progress on urgently needed climate action. Connecting our community of nearly 4,000 subscribers through our newsletter, action meetings and workshops, our aim is always to engage, educate and advocate for a healthier, sustainable future.

If you like what we do, please consider a donation today – online or by check – to cover the costs of outreach and communication, insurance and occasional fees for speakers and consultants. We are grateful to you for your support and enthusiasm and look forward to the promise of a new year.

Thank you!

Tomorrow is Election Day. 
Make a plan to vote if you have not voted yet. Encourage friends, neighbors and family to vote as well.
Voting in person? Here is where you need to go between 7 AM to 8 PM.
Have a Mail-in ballot? Return it to the box at Town Hall on or before the close of the polls tomorrow (8pm).

Dear Community Members,

On August 31st, Wellesley’s Select Board voted to amend the Town’s Traffic Regulations to include an Anti-Idling violation. This violation, which has a $15 fine, mirrors the state anti-idling violation, which has a $100 fine.

Specifically, the regulation states that no person shall cause, suffer, allow or permit the
unnecessary operation of the engine of a motor vehicle while the vehicle is stopped for a
foreseeable period of time in excess of five minutes, upon any way.

In partnership with the Sustainable Energy Committee and Sustainable Wellesley, I requested this new Traffic Regulation amendment as an alternative to officers giving out the $100 citation.

This new traffic regulation gives Wellesley officers the option to issue a warning, a $15 ticket, or as mentioned a $100 citation when they encounter someone leaving their vehicle running for over 5 minutes.

In the days and months to come, increased enforcement of the anti-idling law by Wellesley police officers will take place. Look for Wellesley Police officers at the schools’ drop-off and pick-up lines, in front of frequently visited restaurants and businesses, and other locations in Town.

The goal is to educate and remind Wellesley citizens about the energy waste, harm to our environment and adverse health issues caused when individuals needlessly leave their vehicles running for a lengthy time.

Some facts to consider before you leave your car running:

• 2 minutes of idling uses as much fuel as traveling 1 mile
• There are over 40 hazardous air pollutants emitted from engine exhaust
• 10 seconds of idling wastes more fuel than restarting your engine
• Air pollution from idling vehicles has been linked to serious human illnesses including asthma, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, and cancer
• 3 pounds of pollution per month are generated by every vehicle dropping off and picking up kids at one school
• Leaving your engine running for more than 5 minutes is against the law

Please help us in this very important effort by complying with the law.  Not idling is a choice, and choosing not to idle is better for your car, saves gasoline and helps reduce emissions that cause global warming.  It is one of the simplest and most effortless things we can do to help our environment and our health, not to mention saving you money and a possible ticket.

Sincerely,
Chief Jack Pilecki
Wellesley Police Department

This was the topic at the Sept. 30th Green Collaborative meeting. Thanks to the 3R Working Group who hosted the well attended Wa$te Wi$e Welle$ley zoom meeting.

If you missed it you can watch it here.

You will hear from speakers Jamie Manzolini, Superintendent of Wellesley RDF; Kirstie Pecci, Director of the Zero Waste Project and a Senior Fellow at Conservation Law Foundation who focuses on waste reduction and zero waste solutions; and Chris Beling a Member of the Assistance and Pollution Prevention Unit in the Office of Environmental Stewardship of the EPA who has worked on food waste issues for over 25 years.

These interesting and knowledgable speakers discussed the growing waste problem and the number of challenges recycling is facing. The current scale and pace of waste generation is unsustainable.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) includes disposed of items from homes, schools, and businesses such as furniture, mattresses, clothing, food scraps and appliances. Between 1990 and 2017 total municipal solid waste in the US increased by nearly 30% to about 268 million tons. Food waste comprises about 15% of total MSW. Americans discard an estimated 40 million tons of food every year which equates to 80 billion pounds of food.

The manufacture and use of products, as well as the management of resulting waste via landfills and incinerators, create greenhouse gas emissions thereby contributing to climate change. Landfills and incinerators also release toxic chemicals. Toxins make their way into air, land and water for uptake into plants, animals and humans. Toxins bleach coral reefs and disrupt food chains while plastics fill waterways and harm aquatic life. Simply put, let's all work to minimize the trash sent to incinerators and landfills.

Wellesley’s RDF, a leader in municipal waste management, is exhibiting its resiliency continuing to recycle and to divert food waste in the face of a difficult international recycling market and the pandemic. The RDF processes roughly 7,500 tons of municipal solid waste, 5,500 tons of recyclable material and 80 tons of food waste annually. Because of on-site separation of high-quality materials at the RDF, Wellesley is able to sell certain recyclables like cardboard and newspaper for top dollar. The RDF still faces challenges but is doing well despite the current climate.

Learn more on how you can do your part by watching the video here, and taking actions to reduce your waste.