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!

(Sustainable Medfield's EV Auto Show - Photo Courtesy of Catherine White)

At the end of June, Sustainable Medfield organized an Electric Vehicle Auto Show as a part of Medfield on the Charles Antique, Classic & Custom Auto Show, one of the biggest car shows on the east coast. Their booth featured over sixteen EV owners each with their own unique car model, who came to talk about their ride and experience driving an electric car. 

“It was great to know that we were a specific draw!” said Catherine White, Sustainable Medfield’s Treasurer, and the event’s organizer, “Last year we had 14 cars, and 2 of the drivers are coming back again this year, which is a confirmation of the work our little group has been doing in just one year.” 

Why make the switch? “Switching to an Electric Vehicle (EV) is one of the highest value things you can do in terms of reducing your carbon impact, along with other 'big things' like installing solar or heat pumps,”  she explained. “You buy a car much more often. More people can take advantage of new technologies and new models more frequently!” As part of the event, Sustainable Medfield put together a spreadsheet featuring a variety of models, incentives and rebate information, consumer reports, and independent evaluations. “We want people to know that you don’t have to be upper income [to buy an EV]. And, they are less expensive to run. You save on fuel, and according to Consumer Reports, maintenance costs are $2,500 less than that of a gas car."

Looking for advice on planning your next event? Catherine told MassEnergize that “One of the best ideas is to bring the energies of other communities together. For example, with the Sustainable Car Show, very few of the drivers are from Medfield. We have people coming from Ashland and Millis, not to mention Maine and Rhode Island, just to bring the whole area together. You have more impact together and you don’t need as many volunteer hours per organization.”

Sustainable Medfield also frequently makes use of the MassEnergize platform to share events. For their upcoming Medfield Day Event in September, they are holding a gift card drawing for those who have been to the platform and marked down at least three actions they have either done or going to do! To learn more about Sustainable Medfield and all the great things they have coming up, visit their website here. 

At this month’s Community of Practice meeting we discussed all things data! View the full recording here. We first shared the launch of our brand-new Resource Center which will now make sharing resources easier! The page also includes full instructional courses, playbooks, recordings of past meetings, and many more amazing great resources for administrators and community members! Aimee Powelka and Mike Kenneally then presented updates on Electric Vehicles statewide data, and personalized Google Analytics reports for each community. Community leaders also shared their plans for summer and other events. Liora Silkes discussed Green Newton’s 4 Our Future Campaign and offered to share the two-page worksheet from the event: available here! We would love to see more content like this shared among our communities!

And finally, a reminder that our Community of Practice meetings will be taking a two-month summer hiatus. The next Community of Practice meeting will be on Monday, September 11th, at 7:15 pm where we look forward to seeing you all then.

Dig Deep: Affect Change Through Stories (July 11th, 7:00 pm-8:30 pm - Online)

Trying to convince people there is a climate crisis with common sense and science doesn’t work. People listen through their emotions, not through their reason. In this six-week class hosted by Jewish Climate Action Network, you will learn a simple technique to write an emotional story from your authentic self.  The focus will be on constructing compelling stories from news or scientific articles that involve climate change and environmental justice issues. 

Green Energy Consumers Alliance Webinar: Ask a Solar Expert (July 13th, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm - Online)

You're thinking about solar. What's holding you back? Please join Green Energy Consumers Alliance at this webinar for a conversation with EnergySage Solar Advisor Ben Sonnega. EnergySage is an excellent platform that makes researching, comparing quotes, and selecting a solar installer a piece of cake. Green Energy Consumers has partnered with EnergySage to help you install solar in a transparent, private way that is proven to save you money on installation. This webinar is free & open to the public. It's a great opportunity to learn about solar from an expert. Link to join!

KIDS: Speak Up For Our Planet! (July 19th, 3:30 pm-4:30 pm) - Wayland Public Library, Wayland

Wayland resident and climate activist Dr. Sabine von Mering will read We Are the Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom, talk about her work for climate justice, and encourage children to work together to fight climate change. Kids will make their own noisemakers out of recyclable materials. For children in grades 2 and up. Register here!

Dr. Von Mering is a Professor at Brandeis, a member of Energize Wayland, and a climate activist with 350MAss and NoCoalNoGas.

Art, Disability, Climate Change Webinar (July 20th, 12:00 pm-3:00 pm - Online)

Art, lived experience of disability, Climate Change, and their intersections will be explored by leading Irish and international arts professionals in an afternoon of free online panel discussions. Register here!