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Photo Credit: Martha Grover, City of Melrose
Welcome to the April edition of the Energize Express! I hope you are enjoying the new layout of our newsletter. We would love to hear what you think!
~ Nathan Kumar Scott
In the last month at MassEnergize, we have been hard at work supporting decarbonization efforts and clean energy use throughout our communities. Our recent Community of Practice meeting focused on clean energy coaching as a very effective way to help residents adopt new technologies, especially when the stakes are high. And as you will read below, our amazing community leaders have been equally active promoting a wide variety of climate actions, from heat pump installations to community solar.
As always, please reach out to let us know what else we can be doing to support you or your community on the road to a healthier planet for all!
It’s our pleasure to debut “Energizing Communities For Climate Action”, a 4-minute video that illustrates what MassEnergize is all about—helping local communities and households reduce their greenhouse gas emissions! [Click on the image above!]
This video could not have been possible without Andrew Breithaupt, MassEnergize’s volunteer visual artist. Ever since Andrew moved from California to Newton in the fall of 2022, he has been helping organizations like MassEnergize and GreenNewtonspread awareness about climate action with engaging videos and graphic design. By sharing Andrew’s work, we hope to inspire community members to use their creativity to act against climate change.
From providing educational resources to developing electrification programs, EnergizeActon stands out as a dedicated and driven team of climate activists. The Town of Acton, with support from EnergizeActon and Abode Energy, has recently developed its own coaching program, adding eight volunteer clean energy coaches to help the community, focusing on heat pumps. One of EnergizeActon’s Community Administrators, Karen Watkins, notes that the new coaches are getting inquiries across the spectrum of clean energy technologies and that EnergizeActon is helping with other coaching resources related to solar and clean energy incentives.
As a collaboration between the Acton Climate Coalition and the town’s Sustainability Office, EnergizeActon has been using MassEnergize’s platform to lead Acton towards its “Net Zero Emissions by 2030” goal set at the town’s 2020 Declaration of Climate Emergency. The next effort, starting in April, is the “Neighborhood Clean Heating and Cooling Project,” focused on one Acton neighborhood with primarily oil heat. Partnering again with the Town and Abode, the hope is to build neighborhood-wide interest and support for cold-weather heat pumps and overall electrification. EnergizeActon is eager to learn from this pilot effort and replicate it in other Acton neighborhoods. The EnergizeActon team thanks all the MassEnergize communities for their inspiration and input!
More and more communities are adopting energy coaching as a very effective way to support household decarbonization. This month at our Community of Practice meeting, we heard what the HeatSmart Alliance has learned from being immersed in energy coaching, as well as what several communities are doing to support local energy coaching initiatives. Watch the recording of our meeting here.
Our April Community of Practice meeting will focus on electric vehicles, EV incentive programs, and how communities can promote clean driving.
Recent federal and MA Climate legislation can greatly benefit your family, business, and community. Learn how to access these new incentives from three distinguished panelists and a special message from Congressman Richard Neal. This event will be live-streamed on PCTV's Facebook page from 6:15 pm to 7:45 pm.
The food we eat, where we buy it, and how that food is grown affects our health and that of the planet. Approximately one-third of human-made greenhouse gas emissions are linked to our food system. Join MetroWest Climate Solutions on April 11 at 7 p.m. for a discussion of food, farming and climate change. To register, visit metrowestclimatesolutions.org.
The Earth Day Charles River Cleanup builds on a national effort as part of American Rivers’ National River Cleanup®, which has removed over 25 million pounds of trash from America’s waterways. Our cleanup brings together over 3,000 volunteers each year to pick up litter, remove invasive species and assist with park maintenance along all 80 miles of the Charles River. Register for the clean-up here.
When you charge your electric car matters - charging at peak times impacts both emissions and the costs of running our electric grid. National Grid and Eversource both have programs to encourage EV drivers to charge off-peak. Join this webinar to learn why smart charging matters and how you can get rewarded by participating in National Grid and Eversource programs. RSVP here.
Throughout the winter, residents across the Northeast experienced high costs for their electric and gas bills. This rise in utility costs led residents to turn down their thermostats and limit their electricity use. Read our blog post here to see how you and your neighbors can save on energy bills.
Though most households in America still use fossil fuels, many homeowners have looked towards clean and renewable alternatives like solar to power their homes. Along with its environmental benefits, many residents have found that solar systems save them money as well. With utility bills rising, there’s never been a better time to go solar. Read our blog post here to learn how solar can help you save.
As the threats of climate change become more apparent, the need for action does too. It's time for parents, teachers, and community leaders to teach children about the importance of climate action and the steps they can take to reduce their carbon footprint. Read our blog post here to learn how you can help your children live sustainably.
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