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!

Fabiane Goncalves

Fabiane Goncalves, originally from Brazil, recently joined MassEnergize as our new Community Engagement Program Coordinator. A native Portuguese speaker, she will begin by focusing primarily on our Solar Para Todos program, engaging Brazilian and Latino immigrants in Framingham with clean energy solutions. 

Fabiane brings many skills, among them extensive experience in environmental and community advocacy. She has pioneered methodologies to raise community ecological awareness and promote environmental stewardship. Fabiane holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Engineering and a Master’s degree in Environmental Science from Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense in Brazil. Beyond her professional life, she enjoys running, playing volleyball, and immersing herself in nature, which keeps her both active and engaged.

Fabiane looks forward to meeting more members of the MassEnergize community, and we are delighted to have her join our team!  Welcome Fabiane!

Solar Para Todos Updates

At our June Community of Practice meeting, MassEnergize's Aimee Powelka presented about the plugIN Metrowest campaign. This campaign brought together the towns of Acton, Framingham, Natick, and Wayland as MassEnergize community members helped friends, neighbors, and residents create healthier homes and communities by reducing pollution. As the program winded down in June, Aimee shared what the program had achieved, its successes, challenges, and what future campaigns with MassEnergize could look like. We are hoping to release more campaign offerings in the fall! 

Further:

• Attendees shared their ongoing community initiatives and exciting summer plans.  We collaborated, sparked new ideas, and worked to build our growing community!
• Finally, Talya Havivi, our Community Support Specialist, shared new software features relating to events and promoted our community working hours, the first of which took place on June 17.
  • • • Our next community working hours session will be July 10 at noon. Please make sure to register!

In case you missed it! You can watch the recording of our June Community of Practice meeting here.

We will not be meeting as a community over the summer, and will pick up with the next Community of Practice meeting on September 9th at 7:15.

Welcome to our newest community, Energize Stow!

Energize Stow is a collaborative effort between Stow's Green Advisory Committee and Sustainable Stow.

• Stow Green Advisory Committee is a Town Committee focused on creating a climate action plan which aligns the town with the statewide energy and environmental goals. In addition, it advises the town regarding sustainability with an emphasis on equity. 
• Sustainable Stow began in 2007, by a group of town residents interested in taking positive actions to reduce individual and town energy consumption, as well as looking at other steps we can take collectively to build a more sustainable community.  

These two groups come together as Energize Stow, educating residents in building a sustainable, environmentally-sound, and climate-resilient community in Stow. Their goal is to encourage progress towards achieving Stow's Climate Action Plan through individual and collective actions.

Check out Energize Stow's site here!

Mass DOER Energy Efficiency Community Block Grants

Are you aware of the DOER funding opportunity for small and mid-sized towns which has recently been announced?  

The Mass DOER Energy Efficiency Community Block Grant (EECBG) Program allows towns with less than 35,000 residents to apply for grants of up to $50,000 to support community clean energy campaigns, as well as additional clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives. The application deadline for these grants is August 16, 2024.

• • • • MassEnergize would be happy to support you in designing and implementing a clean energy campaign in your community. If you are interested and have not already done so contact us on our website or email us at info@massenergize.org. 

• • • • We will be hosting a webinar about the EECBG Grant on July 16 at noon. Join with other community members as our Executive Director, Nathan Scott provides guidance and support as you prepare your community's grant. Register here!

EV Petting Zoo - Energize Acton

(July 9th, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Acton Memorial Library Parking Lot, 486 Main St. Acton, MA)

Are you thinking about an electric vehicle (EV)? The EV Petting Zoo is a chance for you to talk with local EV drivers and see a variety of electric vehicles — not only well-known models like Tesla and the Chevy Bolt, but some newer cars to the market such as the Subaru Solterra and the Kia EV6. Learn more about this event here!

 

Sustainability Day at the Ashland Farmers Market - Energize Ashland

(July 13th, 9:00am - 1:00 pm - 125 Front St. Ashland, MA)

Energize Ashland is offering a fun family event at the Ashland Farmers Market. Try your hand at mazes and labyrinths for kids and adults! Participate in activities to celebrate International Plastic-Free July. Check out locally owned Electric Vehicles and talk to the owners. Learn about energy-efficient home upgrades, rebates, and incentives from Mass Save. Learn more about this event here.

A Celebration of Plant-Based Foods - Energize Acton

(July 17th, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm - NARA Park, 25 Ledge Rock Way, Acton, MA)

We all share one thing that can have a significant impact on climate change: the food we eat. Making changes to your eating habits can be done at your own pace and with little financial investment — but it can have a big climate impact! Join Energize Acton and learn more about this event here.

Leaders Speak Out: Paths to Climate Justice, a Speaker Series - MCAN, co-sponsored by MassEnergize

(July 18th, 7:00 pm - online)

Mary Wambui: Energy Affordability

In 2024, the energy landscape of Massachusetts is undergoing significant transformations. While these tie to climate goals, there is little discussion about energy ownership and governance changes.  A crucial decision about energy direction is imminent. We must choose between a fairer reality and old systems that perpetuate inequality. We must weigh the effects on health, the environment, employment, and economic resources as we strive for a balanced coexistence of a thriving economy and a clean environment in our communities. This dialogue will serve to narrate our experiences.

Register for this speaker session here. 

Mary Wambui is an affordable housing asset manager for the Planning Office For Urban Affairs (POUA), a non-profit social justice ministry of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. She is also a Senior Greg Torres Fellow at MassINC.  She also serves as a Councilor in the Massachusetts EEAC--the Energy Efficiency Advisory Council--where, among other things, she is the co-chair of the EEAC's Energy Equity Working Group; she is also a member of the Grid Modernization’s Advisory Council Equity Working Group, she is on the Board of Green Energy Consumers Alliance, NECEC and the Coalition for a Better Acre in Lowell. She is well recognized as a leader and advocate for housing, climate & energy equity in the region. 

Please help us by sending your community event pictures to  info@massenergize.org. We appreciate your support!

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