Westford Sustainability Newsletter – Dec. 2023

WESTFORD — The following newsletter was shared for publication with WestfordCAT on behalf of Westford’s Sustainability Coordinator, Sue Thomas.

Data and Policy Updates: 

• The final agreement at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Dubai, known as COP28,  explicitly recommends “transitioning away from fossil fuels” that are dangerously heating the  Earth. Countries also committed to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030, which while less publicized, may have more impact. 
• Many data points indicate we are already establishing alarming new normals: This MIT study indicates the planet will reach an average temperature increase of 1.5 degrees Celsius in 6 months.
• NOAA data and forecasts indicate similar changes today and into the future. Last month, for the first time that I am aware of, the USDA updated the Plant Hardiness Zone Map used by food producers and gardeners to reflect current growing conditions.
• US oil production is at an all-time high, but it should be noted the same report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration expects “solar and wind generation together in 2024 to overtake electric power generation from coal for the first year ever” most likely thanks to government incentives and dropping prices related to bringing renewables online. 
• The Commonwealth is taking measures to move our energy infrastructure off natural gas, the access and price of which underpins our expensive winter energy market as well as our CO2 emissions. 
• The Biden Administration has announced standards to reduce methane pollution, a  more potent warming gas than C02.
• Many organizations are taking measures to restore habitat in the Commonwealth like MassWildlife. 
• The Town of Arlington has started an interesting initiative to address the single-use product crisis with returnable take-out containers. 

Municipal Work 

In town, like people at home, we are thinking about our budget, applying for grants and rebates,  making our town infrastructure more energy efficient, examining zoning, contemplating when to adopt building codes in support of our climate goals in line with our neighbors, making it easy for you to reduce your solid waste through composting with Bootstrap and to recycle everything, and examining our fleet and small engine options through the capital planning process. 

YOU! The most powerful piece of the policy and climate puzzle! 

As you celebrate the holidays and rejoice in the coming return of light, greenery, and the growing season, I hope you will find both hope and inspiration in knowing that you can and do make a difference not only in the lives of those you love but also in the lives of everyone and everything around the world. What you do, and as often, what you choose not to do, has an outsized impact, and each of us, more than any organization or government, holds the power to be the change we seek through our example. Please keep this in mind as you make your resolutions and plans for the new year!  

Thank you for coming out to the Westford Academy Holiday Bazaar. I loved hearing your updates on your projects to reduce your climate footprint over the last year and brainstorming ideas for the future, including induction cooking. 

Gift Giving – for you, your loved ones and the planet, with some helpful “discounts”

• Remember what you and your loved ones want for the holidays and don’t be afraid to opt out of a purchase that may not suit that goal.  
• Shipping is never free in terms of carbon, but if you have missed those cheaper shipping deadlines this week, don’t worry, sustainable and great gifting is still within your reach. Consider these gift ideas that come with only happy returns. 
• You might also tuck a promise into a creative reusable wrap (a dishcloth for an induction stove, for example) and go pick out a new present for the new year together. Tax incentives are available to nudge you to do the energy-conscious thing in addition to the year-over-year savings. Here is an analysis of what to buy now vs in January to access the most federal money for your durable goods purchases. Additional state money is available from Mass Save.
• Charity gifts are also an option, for your loved ones and the planet, just forego the plush or other items they give you unless you or the recipient will truly treasure those items. Their life cycle cost in carbon far exceeds their value in most cases for most people. While fewer people can get a tax deduction for charity now than in the past,  don’t forget to check if you qualify for this three-fer. 

Borrow, Don’t buy: Libraries of Things:  

Most libraries are building collections called “libraries of things” to eliminate the need for everyone in town to own something they use infrequently. The JV Fletcher library has a Kill A Watt EZ electricity usage monitor you may borrow to check the energy efficiency of your appliance or the quality of the power provided to your home, as well as a telescope, to check out the Geminids meteor shower, which rarely disappoints. They also have hotspots. Additions to the collection are on hold until after the library renovation is completed, but the consortium allows you to borrow from out of town. The Carlisle Library, for example, has an induction cooktop in its library of things that you may borrow. 

2024 Events for the Solar Curious, Climate learner/weather watcher, and gardener/landscaper:

• Understanding the power, and shopping reassurance of local precedent, Westford  Climate Action, the Clean Energy and Sustainability Committee and I are hosting the second Neighbor to Neighbor event on Solar on January 19th at the JV Fletcher Library at 7:00 PM.  
• Local Meteorologist Harvey Leonard will be giving a talk entitled Climate Change:  Simple, Serious, Solvable sponsored by the Middlesex Conservation District on Tuesday,  January 23rd, at 3:00 p.m. at the First Parish Church. 
• Grow Native Massachusetts has announced its free 2024 Evenings with Experts and a  winter pruning workshop. 

Best wishes for a joyous, sustainable, and rejuvenating holiday season

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