Acton’s Sustainability Office hosted Energy Eco-Night on Friday, August 15th at the NARA Park Bathhouse Pavilion. The office’s summer fellow, Sophia Darsch, organized the event. Darsch’s position and programming were made possible thanks to funding from the state’s Department of Energy Resources. The event highlighted energy efficiency programs, fuel assistance, lower utility bills, and reducing emissions for local residents. Several organizations hosted tables, with literature, giveaways and games; Animal Adventures allowed up close interactions with their live animal menagerie; and pizza, drinks, and popsicles sated the families who attended.
Lauren West, Environmental Analyst, and Andrea Becerra, Sustainability Director, were on hand to support the Sustainability Office’s table. Literature on Acton’s energy efficiency programs was available, and attendees had an opportunity to spin a wheel for a chance to pick eco-friendly prizes, earn raffle tickets, or make a sustainability pledge.
Other organizations tabling were South Middlesex Opportunity Council, or SMOC, which offers a number of programs for income-eligible households to manage energy costs and improve efficiency such as fuel assistance, weatherization, heating system repair and replacement, energy audits, and appliance management; and MassSave, which offers free energy audits as well as free and low cost updates for homes that bring energy savings.
The Acton Boxborough Community Compass (formerly AB United Way) provided educational information about the energy and other environmental benefits of wearing secondhand clothing, a resource that is available at the Acton Boxborough Resource Center, located in the school district’s administration building on Charter Road. The Resource Center houses the AB Exchange, a free clothing closet open to anyone who lives or works in the community. Summer interns Tooba and Sravya shared their research on gallons of water, carbon emissions, and kWH saved when people choose to wear pre-owned clothes. In addition to clothing, the AB Resource Center also distributes shoes, backpacks, lunchboxes, water bottles, school supplies, toiletries and more.
New this year is a Birthday Cabinet, stocked with generous donations of new gifts from community members.
Members of Green Acton chatted with attendees about the organization’s many past and ongoing projects, including the promotion of the Acton Power Choice program. They also promoted the September 13 Fix-It Clinic, which will be held at the Acton Memorial Library. Fix-It Clinics are held 3-4 times a year, with expert volunteer coaches repairing items that residents bring in, including lamps, toys, small appliances, clothing, electronics, sewing machines, clocks, ceramics, handbags, and more. Keeping our household items in working order eliminates the need to produce replacements, saving energy.
At the Mothers Out Front (MOF) table, visitors learned about the organization’s campaign to create opportunities for neighborhood electrification instead of the expensive pipe replacement the gas companies are engaged in. According to MOF, this work is critical to the state’s ability to meet climate goals. Several Acton Energy Coaches were on hand to describe the town’s free program that is available to all residents interested in increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, from simple solutions such as insulation, to higher tech installations such as heat pumps and solar panels. Energy Coaches have provided more than 300 consultations since the program began.
Photo: Some of Acton’s Energy Coaches discuss saving energy and home electrification with attendees. (credit?)
Senator Eldridge, after plugging in his hybrid car at one of the NARA Park charging stations and enjoying some pizza, circulated among attendees throughout the event. During his remarks, he noted that Governor Healey recently approved $46M to increase charging station density in the state, infrastructure that needs to be in place before more families will decide to buy EVs. Eldridge also shared that heat pump owners will be paying a discounted electric rate this winter, and that those households should see an average of $540 savings on their heating costs.
Serving this session as chair of the Clean Energy Caucus, Eldridge remarked on the Fossil Fuel Free Demonstration Program, enacted a few years ago to allow ten communities, including Acton, to act on their home rule petitions seeking to require new construction to be all-electric. “Acton is one of the leading communities, I would say not just in the state, but in the nation, in meeting our climate goals.”
Alissa Nicol is a member of the Acton Select Board and reports on community events for the Acton Exchange.