Learn from some incredible gardeners at Wellesley’s Community Gardens on Saturday, May 3rd from 10:00 - 11:30 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. RSVP today! 

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.  Thomas Engle will share information about the 4C garden as well. 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 May 4th at 1pm.

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. 

Help keep the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) clean and green!

They are looking for Green Team volunteers who will play a key role in the Pan-Mass Challenge's sustainability efforts by:

• Setting up and organizing trash and recycling stations
• Keeping the site clean by monitoring barrels and transporting waste to dumpsters
• Helping us sort recyclables and reduce our environmental footprint

The PMC will provide gloves and all necessary supplies—you bring the energy and commitment to making a difference! It’s a hands-on, high-impact way to support the riders and the shared mission. 

Register here https://www.pmc.org/volunteer. Please create a profile> then add a job> select Hubsites from the Dropdown > Wellesley - Babson College > them select any time on the Green Team that works best for your schedule.

The Town of Wellesley seeks input on residential waste practices. Take a DPW survey; your responses will help shape the Town’s solid waste management model. Take the survey here.

In other trash talk...
The Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF)'s Spring 2025 schedule is (drum roll!)... 

• Paint Collection - begins on Thursday, April 3 from 3 p.m. to  6 p.m. and continues on the first Thursday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. every month until October. 
• Sunday Hours - resume on Sunday, April 6. The RDF is open on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. during the summer and fall. 
• Reusables Area reopens - expected mid-April, stay tuned for specific date and hours.
• Download the RDF App (On a smartphone, search for "Wellesley RDF" in your App Store and download this tool) to help simplify strategies for reducing, reusing, and recycling which keeps trash out of landfills and minimizes greenhouse gas emissions  
• Use the Wellesley RDF App to learn the do's and don'ts of waste management, and get RDF information at your fingertips  to help you maximize your use
• Food Waste Curbside Collection - Have your food waste picked up curbside and turned into compost! The Department of Public Works has partnered with Black Earth Compost to offer curbside composting to help divert more food waste from the trash stream.  Residents who sign up for this program will have food waste picked up on a weekly basis at their home for a fee. Pricing is based on a tiered fee structure and requires a six-month initial commitment.  The first 250 residents who sign up for Black Earth Compost will receive a free toter bin (a $36 value). The more households that sign up, the lover the monthly subscription fee. To sign up, go to www.blackearthcompost.com 

For questions or more information about the RDF or DPW, email [email protected]. 

Wellesley residents "B&P" stepped out of their home last week at 8:10am and walked to the catch the 8:29 am commuter rail train to Boston.  They were pleased to see the new accessible Mini-High Platforms in Wellesley Square, which meant no lifting of their luggage.  Their relaxing ride allowed them to do some emails and texts on the train.

Once arriving at South Station they switched inside the station to the Silver Line which took them right into Terminal B by 9:35. They wrote in to share about their no stress, door to door experience that cost them only $6 for both the train and the Silver Line. They admitted that this was the senior price - and something to look forward to - but shared the non senior price is just $10.40 which is a lot less than paying to park in the economy lot and a great deal less than Uber or Lyft. 

Not only are the fully accessible Mini-High Platforms in Wellesley Square new, there are also new message boards informing riders when the train is coming and on which track.  Additional work on the commuter rail parking lots and sidewalks will be completed this spring to make the route between the two platforms easier to travel. These improvements are the result of $500,000 in federal funding secured by Massachusetts Congresswoman Clark, and nearly 10 years of advocacy by Wellesley residents who need accessible platforms to board the train.  We thank them!

Maybe its time to give the commuter rail another try.

Wellesley is updating its Complete Streets Prioritization Plan and wants public feedback on areas where safety for walkers, cyclists, and drivers is a concern.
 
Complete Streets is an approach to planning, designing and building streets that provide safe access for all users of our roadways, trails and transit systems. 

This approach contributes to the safety, health, economy, and quality of life of our community by enabling individuals of all ages and abilities to get where they want to go.

Projects can be very large - full road reconstruction, intersection redesign, new sidewalk construction and bicycle paths or lanes, or can be small -  new crosswalks, curb extensions, line paint, or trees to shade streets for pedestrian comfort. 

The Town wants to hear from you!
They are gathering input on where improvements are needed and what criteria should be used to prioritize needs. Share your experiences, ideas, and knowledge and map your roadway safety concerns on our interactive map. 

And take their Complete Streets survey to let them know how they should prioritize needs. The deadline to complete the survey is Friday, March 28, 2025. 

Complete Streets Public Meeting
Join a public discussion about Complete Streets on Monday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. in the Great Hall at Town Hall (525 Washington Street).  Hear from Town staff about survey feedback, ask questions, and share additional concerns. The meeting is open to all. 

For additional information or questions on Complete Streets, contact Wellesley Mobility Manager Sheila Page at [email protected]. 

The Wellesley Water & Sewer Division want you to check your homes for water leaks. These leaks can be undetectable to the eye but can drive up water bills and waste gallons of water.

From March 17 - May 17 the public can pick up water leak detection tablets to use in home toilets as part of the DPW’s leak detection initiative. The tablets are free and available at:

• The DPW Engineering desk (20 Municipal Way)
  
• Wellesley MLP lobby (4 Municipal Way)
  
• Tolles Parsons Center (500 Washington Street)
  
• Wellesley Free Library main branch lobby (530 Washington Street)
  
• The Refundable Bottle & Can shed (169 Great Plain Avenue).

Each tablet pack comes with two leak detection tablets and test instructions. Results are available in 15 minutes. If blue dye appears, there is a toilet leak.

Common sources of toilet leaks are:

• Deteriorated or corroded flapper valve and valve seat
• Improperly working flushing arm and lift chain
• Toilet tank water level is too high
• Corroded float rod, ballcock and/or float ball

In some instances, these issues can be fixed by homeowners, while other issues may require a plumber.  While the leak detection tablets are specifically used to check for toilet leaks, homeowners can use the Water Customer Portal to check for and monitor other potential water leaks resulting from damaged sprinklers, cracked pipes, or other issues.

To learn more, visit the Town's Water Customer Portal webpages.

This Saturday, March 8, from 9am - 3pm is Spring 2025 Collection Day at the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF/Dump).

Bring your:
1) Hazardous household waste (listed below) so as not to integrate it into the general solid waste management
2) Documents to be destructed- bring sensitive documents to be safely shredded
3) The recyclable of the month is glass. It is 100% recyclable -  Learn more here

Here is the scoop on hazardous materials:

• Any materials not in original containers must be labeled.
• Waste will only be accepted from pickup truck beds, trunks, and the back of SUVs.
• Containers will not be returned – this includes but is not limited to gas containers and storage totes.
• Residents may not exit their vehicle.

If you ONLY need to dispose of PAINT, do not bring it to this event. You may dispose of paint during the RDF paint collections.

You may contact the below companies at any time throughout the year to dispose of hazardous waste for a fee at their facilities.  Please contact them for the latest information.
Clean Harbors - Phone: 800-444-4244
New England Disposal Technologies Inc. (NEDT)-  Phone: 866-769-1621

Accepted Items
General Household Materials

• Acids (corrosives)
• Chemistry set (labeled hazardous)
• Fiberglass resins
• Furniture, floor, and/or metal polish
• Hobby supplies (flammable/labeled hazardous)
• Photography chemicals
• Solvent adhesives
• Wood preservatives

Lawn and Garden Materials

• Cesspool cleaners (corrosives)
• Flammable liquids/gasoline
• Fire starters
• Fungicides
• Herbicides
• Insecticides
• Pesticides
• Poisons
• Pool chemicals

Automotive Products

• Brake fluid
• Carburetor cleaner
• Solvents and degreasers
• Waste fuels (gasoline, kerosene, etc.)

Other Materials

• Chlorine bleach
• Drain cleaners
• Hair dye
• Lighter fluids
• Oven cleaners
• Toilet cleaners

Unaccepted Items

• Ammunitions (call police dept)
• Commercial hazardous waste
• Construction waste/building materials
• Explosives (call fire dept)
• Gas cylinders-empty ok
• Infectious or biological wastes
• Medications (call health dept)
• Radioactive materials
• Syringes (fire dept)

Do not bring non-hazardous items for disposal or recycling

• Bulky plastic items
• Televisions
• Tires
• Latex Paint

* Contact the Fire Department for disposal advice.
General Business: 781-235-1300
**Contact the Police Department for disposal advice.
Emergencies: Dial 9-1-1
General RDF Business: 781-235-1212

Here is the scoop on documentation destruction:

• The vehicle must have a valid RDF sticker, or be driven by a Wellesley resident.
• Vehicle occupants should stay in the car. 
• Documents to be shredded must be clearly marked or distinguished (in a brown paper bag or disposable cardboard box) and placed in the trunk of the car, if possible. Documents may also be placed in the bed of a pickup, in a trailer, or in the rear most section of a van.
• Residents can bring in any documents they would like to have destroyed. NO binders, plastic folders or metal can go through the shredding machine.
• The documents will be removed by RDF staff and/or staff of the shredding company.
• Documents are securely destroyed on-site in a mobile shredding truck. Please note: Residents may NOT bring home the material after it is shredded.

Interested in how to maximize the environmental benefits of tree planting on your property?  It’s easy using iTree Design.  All you need to know is the year your house was built, and whether it is cooled and heated.  Reach out to the NRC if you would like a new tree on your property, and they can provide information about where on your property is best to plant it. See the NRC website for more information. 

Lots of good {electrified - pun intended} energy last night at Sustainable Wellesley's 7th annual Conversation With The Candidates Night. If you missed it you can watch it here thanks to Wellesley Media.  Thank you to the candidates in contested races for sharing their visions on ways to meet Wellesley greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal.  These candidates, as well as others in non contested races, generously took time to respond to some pointed questions we posed. We thank them for their time and enthusiasm. You can read all of their responses regarding how they will work for our climate here. Make sure you make time to vote on Tuesday and vote your values! 

Short on time {like, who isn't}, simply read what Select board and Recreation candidates wrote.

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.  

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]​.

If you can not attend, please note that Wellesley Media will broadcast this event live on Comcast 9/Verizon 39 beginning at 7:00pm.

In case you missed the 6 Ways You Can Save Money and the Climate event earlier this month, brought to you by Town of Wellesley's Climate Action Committee, you can find the recording here and the slides here.

Feel free to visit the Town’s “Be part of it!” website to learn more about:

• Weatherize your home
• Heat and cool with heat pumps
• Go solar
• Get around sustainably
• Reduce waste
• Landscape sustainably

 
Additional helpful links:

• Incentives
• Contact an energy coach
• No-cost home energy assessment
• Trees for planting

Learn How You Can Reduce Your Plastic Waste: Join the Spring Common Read with UU Wellesley Hills

Thursday, April 10, 7:00 to 8:00 pm, via Zoom
UU Wellesley Hills invites everyone to join a discussion of our spring common read, How to Give Up Plastic, A Guide to Changing the World One Plastic Bottle at a Time, by Will McCallum. We'll discuss concrete actions everyone can take to reduce plastics usage and help the environment. Plastic pollution poses one of the greatest threats to human health and the health of our oceans. This book is a straightforward guide that will help you make small changes to eliminate plastic waste from your life.

​To receive the Zoom link, RSVP to [email protected].  

​Do you have a broken item in your home that you know you could fix with the right guidance? Fix-It Clinics empower folks to fix for themselves, and are No-Cost! Bring in a broken household item and a Repair Coach will help guide you through diagnosing and repair.

Newton's next Fix-It Clinic will be held on Sunday, March 2nd from 1:15 pm - 4:00 pm at the Newton Free Library at 330 Homer Street, Newton, MA 02459. You can sign up for a time slot to get an item repaired at this link.  If the repair category you need is missing or full, check back in a few days - openings may be created as more Repair Coaches volunteer. 
 
Outdoor repair events (bike repair and knife sharpening) will not be available at the March event.
 
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to [email protected].

Fix It Clinic is sponsored by the Newton Recycling Committee, City of Newton Sustainable Materials Management Division, and Newton Free Library.

Wondering who to vote for? 
Candidates sit on town boards and make decisions on things you care about so its good to have someone at the table who aligns with your values. 

​Meet and hear from the candidates at  Sustainable Wellesley's Conversation with the Candidates event on Wednesday, February 26th at the Wakelin Room in the Wellesley Free Library from 7-9pm. RSVP and more information here. 

Wondering when/how to vote?
Vote by Mail ballots for Wellesley's Annual Town Elections have been mailed to all registered voters who requested them.  Election Day is Tuesday, March 4, and all Vote by Mail ballots must be received at Town Hall (525 Washington Street) no later than 8:00 PM on Election Day. Vote by Mail ballots may NOT be dropped off at polling locations.  Voters who have received a Vote by Mail ballot may change their mind and vote in-person only if they have NOT returned their ballot. Only the first ballot submitted will be counted.  Voters may track their vote by mail ballot status online here.   The last day to request a Vote by Mail ballot for the March 4 Annual Town Elections is Tuesday February 25, 2025 at 5:00 p.m.

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.

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.

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:  

• Weatherize your home
• Heat and cool with heat pumps
• Go solar 
• Get around sustainably 
• Refuse, reduce, reuse, recycle
• Landscape sustainably 

Plus!

• Provide input on Wellesley street safety. What improvements would make driving, biking, and walking in Wellesley safer for you?

 
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.