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!

(Eco Initiative Team: L-R: Shawn Luz, Aimee Powelka, Debby Marion, Nathan Scott,
Ellen Tohn, Jillian Wilson-Martin, Andrea Becerra, Jude Aronstein, Jim Snyder-Grant,
Karen Herther, Abby Shute)

In the spirit of collaboration and community-driven climate action, MassEnergize’s Electrifying Community Outreach (ECO) initiative, composed of community leaders and municipal sustainability staff from Acton, Framingham, Natick, and Wayland, is gaining momentum. This collective effort aims to provide essential support for climate action through a campaign aptly named “plugIN”.

In partnership with the new MassEnergize supported Energize Innovation Lab based in Ghana, the team is developing special tools to facilitate collaborative efforts across communities. The initiative focuses on three key areas: heat pumps (for heating, cooling, and hot water), community solar, and home (rooftop) solar. Aimee Powelka, Project Coordinator of the initiative, emphasizes the desire to infuse a sense of playfulness into their serious work, fostering a growing movement among MetroWest communities. "It’s serious work but we want to do it in a fun and playful way," Aimee says.

To engage communities and gather valuable insights, the initiative has launched the ‘Creating Healthier Communities Together’ survey. The survey delves into people’s awareness of heat pumps, community solar, and home solar technologies. Participants are asked about perceived benefits and downsides, as well as the influence of seeing a neighbor adopt such technologies. The survey, which will also be available in Spanish and Portuguese in the coming weeks, not only encourages participation but also serves as a means to connect with new communities.

In the pursuit of knowledge and effectiveness, MassEnergize is developing new marketing techniques with the guidance of Helga Luest, a marketing consultant from Progress Pollinators. Innovations such as using 'bitly' links to track survey sources and leveraging town census mailers to reach residents showcase a commitment to learning and adapting to best practices from the marketing world.

As part of the work on Community Solar, the ECO initiative is developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for community solar providers. Seeking qualified providers with available project space, the initiative aims to promote and offer community solar subscription services to residents in the Boston MetroWest area. Proposals are invited until January 12. This RFP along with gaining access to Abode’s vetted list of heat pump installers highlights the initiative’s strategic collaboration with industry partners.

The ECO initiative is anticipating a soft launch in January and full launch in February, promoting the survey in January and gradually introducing materials to raise awareness about heat pumps and related technologies. This phased approach reflects the commitment to thoughtful engagement and the playful yet purposeful spirit of the ECO initiative.

Stay tuned for updates as we collectively shape a sustainable and resilient future for our communities. 

 

Community Climate Leaders Conference 2024

Connect, Engage & Energize

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!

Update! Due to multiple people missing the Early Bird registration deadline due to the holidays, we are extending  our EARLY BIRD ticket deadline by two weeks. You now have until January 15th to secure your ticket at the exclusive Early Bird rate. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity – grab your ticket today!

Join MassEnergize for a day dedicated to learning, inspiration, and the exchange of valuable experiences. Join us as we explore best practices for community climate action.  Even if you don’t see yourself as a climate leader, this conference will help show you how to become one!

For more information about the conference, the preliminary schedule and the speakers - please visit the website here. 

MassEnergize thanks our conference sponsors for supporting our Community Climate Leaders Conference 2024.

If you know of anyone who would be interested in being a sponsor of our 2024 conference, please contact us at info@massenergize.org for more information on sponsorship packages.

Our next Community of Practice Meeting will be on January 8th where we will be joined by graduate students from MIT who will share with us their recent survey of heat pump contractors, and their forthcoming survey of residents. They will also be presenting on Specialized Code Adoption. 

Please register here if you would like to attend.

 

The Town of Athol is seeking an Energy Advocate Consultant to staff the Town Energy Committee and Municipal Decarbonization Committee.   The contract is for $22K of services and RFP responses are due January 29th, 2024 at 2 pm.   For more information please view the RFP here. 

Local Native Plant gardeners, Shelley Trucksis and Jean Milburn, will present about local native plants and their role in preserving our ecosystem.  This is an in-person, primarily hands-on event, but there is the option of picking up supplies and how-to directions and setting up your winter sow at home. 

Maximum: 24 hands-on participants

Fee: $10.00 per person. Bring with you to drop into the Donation Box.

Please click here to find out more information about this event. To register please email Shelley!

Massachusetts has had a rebate for electric cars since 2014, called MOR-EV. This year, the rebate underwent some big changes, thanks to last year’s climate law. This webinar will go over the rebate in depth and there will be discussions about:  rebates for new and used cars; larger rebates for income-qualified residents; rebates for trucks; how to access the rebate at a dealership or at home after purchase. There will be plenty of time for questions.  For more information and to register for this event click here.

Congregation Or Atid is pleased to host Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer as she discusses this and other issues facing us in the era of climate change. This event is free and open to the public.

Register here for the zoom link.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with the zoom link.

Community Solar - The Basics

When we think of solar panels, we usually imagine them sitting on top of residential rooftops. However, this is not always the case. Community solar (also known as ‘community shared solar’) reimagines where and how solar panels operate by allowing for a larger variety of demographics to support and benefit from solar energy. Read the full blog post here.

Addressing an Equitable Transition to Electric Vehicles: Current Policies and Recommendations

As electric vehicles (EVs) become more popular and the US transitions away from fossil fueled transportation, bridging the income gap in EV ownership remains an important challenge. According to the City of Boston, only 8% of Boston EV owners have an annual income of less than $50,000 dollars. Read the full blog post here.