Sustainable Arlington

Join Arlington artist-in-residence Michelle Lougee for a series of workshops and meet-ups from Jan. to June 2020 for a community art project.  Free. Fun. Engaging.

http://artsarlington.org/artist-in-residence/

Heat from a representative of the consultant that helps Arlington negotiate its bulk purchase of local renewable energy for all households and small businesses.

Gives residents and businesses access to additional amounts of local renewable energy generated here in Massachusetts and other New England states. Speeds the transition away from fossil fuels. Saves money by using the Town's bulk purchasing power to negotiate rates. Learn more from this 2018 video interview with Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine, Select Board member Joe Curro, and Green Energy Consumers Alliance's Erin Taylor.  

PDF version of the Community Choice Aggregation PowerPoint Presentation to the BOS - 1/2/16

Interview recorded at Arlington, MA EcoFest, March 4, 2019

In 2019, Arlington residents and small businesses can take advantage of this state-sponsored, Town-approved program providing education and purchasing options for 4 highly efficient heating and cooling technologies:  air source heat pumps, ground source heat pumps, solar hot water, and modern wood heat (central wood pellet furnace or boiler).

https://www.masscec.com/heatsmart-mass-residential-program-background

Talk to Arlington's HeatSmart Coach:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Interview recorded at Arlington, MA EcoFest, March 4, 2019

Interview recorded at Arlington, MA EcoFest, March 4, 2019

Interview recorded at Arlington, MA EcoFest, March 4, 2019

presents documented incidents and publicly available facts about the gas distribution system that add up to an urgent message to legislators, the executive branch, municipalities, and gas companies to take action now. Immediate and short-term improvements can greatly enhance public safety. At the same time, Massachusetts can accelerate measures to transition away from gas to safer, healthier, affordable renewable energy.

Published by GasLeaksAllies.org, 9.13.19.

Explore sea level and coastal flood risks.  A location can be several miles inland and still at risk.  Try typing in Arlington, MA. Click "Full-Feature Map" to see impacts of sea level rise from 0 to 10 feet.

Climate Central’s Program on Sea Level Rise strives to provide accurate, clear and granular information about sea level rise and coastal flood hazards both locally and globally, today and tomorrow. Anchored in rigorous primary research, our work distinguishes itself by its user-friendly maps and tools, extensive datasets, and high-quality visual presentation. The program dedicates its efforts to helping citizens, communities, businesses, organizations, and governments at every level to understand the consequences of different carbon pathways and to navigate the shifting waters of our warming world.  See http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/about

Pursuing Climate Justice.  Climate change is rapidly exacerbating racial, economic, and social inequities. As sea levels rise, droughts lengthen, and storms become more intense and unpredictable, people and communities with limited resources will have less capacity to prepare for – or bounce back from – these challenges.

A manicured lawn might look nice, but messy is better for birds and bugs.

The Audubon Society says:  leave this year's dead flower stalks with their seeds pods.  Winter birds need them.  Let some leaves remain on your garden beds and mulch (mow over) those on your lawn.  Leaf litter is free fertilizer and provides essential cover for tiny insects and invertebrates that wild birds eat.  Build a brush pile to provide cover from pedators and weather. Skip the chemicals.  They cause harm throughout the food web.  Download the article to learn more.

A report has been prepared for the Committee on Climate Change, which advises [UK} ministers how to cut the UK's carbon footprint.  It says an upheaval in our lifestyles is the only way to meet targets ... to cut carbon emissions to net zero by 2050.

The Town of Arlington, MA, launched its Community Choice Aggregation electricity program for residents and businesses in Aug., 2017.  The Town used its bulk purchasing power and a competitive bidding process to obtain fair, longer-term rate stability.  The following 3 organizations play important roles.

Dynegy. [energy supplier] Houston, Texas-based Dynegy was selected as the winning supplier for the program. Dynegy is one of the largest energy suppliers in the US, and supplies power to more than 500 municipal electric aggregations, serving approximately one million residential electric accounts. Dynegy began supplying aggregation programs in 2012. Reach them by phone Mon.-Fri., 9AM to 8PM EST (866) 220-5696, or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Good Energy, L.P. [energy consultant] is a leading national energy management and consulting firm that has been implementing large and small community choice aggregation programs in various states across the country since 2008. They have partnered with your municipality to design and operate this CCA program. Good Energy is headquartered in New York City and is currently the retained community electricity aggregation consultant for over 200 communities across the country. Arlington selected Good Energy to serve as its energy consultant through a competitive process, in partnership with neighboring cities and towns.

Green Energy Consumers Alliance (formerly Mass Energy). [local renewable energy supplier] For the Town of Arlington and other communities in Greater Boston, Green Energy Consumers Alliance is supplying the local renewable energy above the amount required by the state law known as the Renewable Portfolio Standard. Mass Energy, a Boston-based nonprofit, purchases renewable energy wholesale mostly from community-based wind power projects located in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Green Energy Consumers Alliance has entered into a number of long-term contracts with wind power projects located in communities such as Plymouth, Gloucester, Scituate, and Ipswich.

What does the HERS Index say about a house?

The Home Energy Rating System (HERS) Index is the industry standard by which a home's energy efficiency is measured. It's also the nationally recognized system for inspecting and calculating a home's energy performance.

...gas pipeline project (Spectra Energy’s Access Northeast pipeline). ... this project is likely to be twice as expensive as previously proposed ($6b v. $3b), and the need for natural gas will fall in the future due to the environmental and renewable energy policies in New England. Therefore, the study concludes, this gas pipeline project is not needed.

1. Owning and Driving An Electric Vehicle   

2. Owning and Driving a Hybrid Vehicle   

3.  Community Choice Aggregation for "Green" Electricity (electricity bulk purchasing)  

 4.  Moving Beyond Natural Gas to Renewables

5.   HeatSmart for Arlington and Winchester (2019 program)

6.   The 9 R's (Refuse, Reduce, Repurpose, Repair, Etc.)

Arlington's participation in the HeatSmart program is one of many steps on the town's path to achieving net zero by 2050.

• https://www.masscec.com/heatsmart-mass-residential-program-background
• www.HeatSmartArlington.com. 
• This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.