Letters to the Exchange

Following up on Erik J. Heels’ satirical letter about sidewalk plowing last week, I would suggest a serious inquiry to the Highway Department about the town’s dismal performance in getting the sidewalks plowed after the January snowstorm.  Granted, it was a huge amount of snow, but we’ve had similar storms and worse in the past without waiting more than a week for the sidewalk plow to come along.  

The situation was made worse by the complete lack of communication from the town—either proactive or reactive.  My husband emailed the highway department last week and received no reply.  Nothing to explain the complete lack of sidewalk plowing (equipment breakdown?  staff shortage?).  Nothing to give us any sense of when it might finally be done.  No outreach to the public, even to beg our patience.  

The Boston Globe had a few stories about pedestrian deaths in other towns during and following the snowstorm.  Notwithstanding Mr. Heels’ letter, it’s not a laughing matter.  Overall, the town earns an F for maintaining pedestrian safety.  

Renee Robins

When my children were in elementary school, we had to switch schools to receive services. It was sad for us to leave our school, where our kids had been successful, but they continued to receive an excellent education. Our family made new friends at the new school, and we didn't lose our old friends. I empathize with parents, feeling the loss of practices at our current schools by the recent ABforward decision for geographical enrollment, but I'm optimistic that this fall kids will be excited for new friends and experiences.

The more critical issue is continued funding for our excellent schools. One criterion of the School Committee's choice was that it's more financially sustainable. Some say that it "only" saves about $1M/year long-term. Hearing the word "only" makes me fall over backwards out of my chair in disbelief. They must not realize how hard it is to come up with $1M, when we're trying to balance budgets every year. Does $1M/year solve the whole problem? No, but it's significant. Plus, it shows our Towns, which continue to fund the schools above Proposition 2 1/2 limits, that the School District is doing what it can to be efficient.

To protest the decision on geographical enrollment, some are proposing that we vote down the school budget at our Town Meetings. If either town votes down their school assessment, the School Committee would have a one-time chance to submit a revised (likely lower) budget for special Town Meetings. If either second assessment was voted down, there would be a joint Town Meeting with voters from both towns together to make a final decision. The whole process would likely result in lower funding for the district. If we can't maintain school funding, my nightmare is more cuts to educators. Also, it is not possible for Town Meeting to force a change to abandon geographical placement.

I appreciate the work of the ABforward Committee and School Committee. Doing what they felt was right for the district was difficult, especially knowing that they were upsetting so many. There was no path that would have satisfied most families and staff.

David Martin
Member of the Acton Select Board, speaking on my own behalf

I was recently trying to drive to the nearest strip mall when I noticed that the sidewalks were completely plowed and the roads were hardly plowed at all.  People were walking their dogs, pushing baby carriages, and even using wheelchairs on the sidewalks.

What about the poor cars?  We are all drivers when we get into our cars.  Shouldn't we put cars first and pedestrians second?  Or at least put them on equal footing?

Acton has 146.1 miles of roads and 54.0 miles of sidewalks and should need about 4-6 sidewalk plows and 10-15 road plows to clear everything.  Yet the DPW (Department of Public Works) numbers are exactly backwards: 10-15 sidewalks plows and 4-6 road plows!

Cars pay excise taxes, wheelchairs do not.  What's more important?  Some handicapped person going to the grocery store?  Or me in my car driving wherever/whenever I want in my private car on public roads?  Let the handicapped order DoorDash, I say.

Acton has historically overspent on sidewalks and underspent on roads.  Do we seriously need to do a citizens' petition to fund roads?

Every Actonian knows that roads make everything better!  Just look at Kelley’s Corner!  I can't wait until we have our first car parade through the wonderfully wide fields of asphalt.  I hope that there's traffic control to keep the pedestrians away.

As I was struggling through the snow in my car, a pedestrian pointed at me and laughed, saying: "See ya, sucker!"

In short, sidewalks suck.  And roads rule!

-Erik J. Heels

P.S. "A Modest Proposal" is a 1729 satirical essay by Jonathan Swift.  In case it was not obvious, this is also satire.  Everything is exactly the opposite of what I stated.

I just watched the January 22 school committee debate and vote on the school reorganization.  I was impressed with the committee's well-informed debate on the issues and impact of the different options.  While there was not unanimous agreement among the committee, it was clear that all the members put great thought into their position and want to do what is best for the students in our towns.  I am grateful that we have people in town who step up to make the tough, and sometimes unpopular, decisions.  

Let's acknowledge that families will be mourning the loss of their elementary school's identity.  And there are many valid concerns about the disruption to our students' education.  But let's also acknowledge that our current structure is not financially sustainable and, although the schools perform well historically, we are struggling, and would continue to struggle, to meet the needs of many students in the current model.  The new model offers hope for efficiency and ultimately enhanced student success.

Our students experience changes every school year - new teachers, new classrooms, new classmates, new bus routes and sometimes new buildings.  With the reorganization, staff and families will also feel these changes.  Let's support our school staff and school families to embrace this sense of excitement and opportunity that comes with every new school year.

(Disclosure - I have no students currently in the district.)

Tom Wolf

I want to thank the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee for making one of the hardest decisions faced by a town board or committee in a generation. On Thursday evening, January 22, 2026, the Committee voted for Option 5v2, a system-wide reorganization that reflects leadership, foresight, and a commitment to the long-term health of our regional school district.

Option 5v2 reconfigures grade bands to K–3 and 4–6, creating larger cohorts that can better support heterogeneity, instructional consistency, and more efficient use of resources. It also enables specialized “hubs” for special education programs, such as co-locating Connections and Pathways, strengthening services for students who need them most. This is not simply a cost-containment measure; it is a structural investment in educational quality.

I serve on the Acton Finance Committee, but I am writing here on my own behalf as a resident. From both perspectives, the stakes are clear. High-performing elementary schools are the primary driver of housing decisions in suburban communities like ours, often commanding a 10% to 30% price premium. Because foundational learning happens at the elementary level, any perceived decline in quality directly threatens not only student outcomes, but also our community’s long-term economic vitality.

 People do not choose to live in Acton or Boxborough to be closer to their jobs in Boston or Cambridge. And as local realtor Ann Cohen recently told me, “No one moves to Acton or Boxborough to be closer to Trader Joe’s. They move here for the schools.”

 That reality places a shared responsibility on all of us to ensure that every school – from elementary through high school – maintains the excellence residents expect and have invested in.

The School Committee’s vote for Option 5v2 acknowledges that responsibility. It is the path that protects the long-term excellence of our regional school district, and for that, the Committee deserves our thanks.

Greg Jarboe

Do you like to be in the know about the town and school budgets? The Acton Finance Committee (FinCom) is seeking an associate member eager to make a difference. As a crucial part of our community, the FinCom plays a vital role in analyzing financial information to inform and advise voters, seeking a transparent and financially sound future for all. 

The FinCom is responsible for “the review of and recommendations concerning the budget for the annual [Town] meeting, the review of and recommendations concerning any other matter of a financial nature arising at the annual town meeting or at any special meeting, and the preparation of long range fiscal plans for the town.” [Town bylaws] In other words, the Finance Committee looks out for the voters' interests as budgets are developed and plays an important role to help ensure that the voters’ interests are prominently featured in town and school budget deliberations.

Qualifications of Finance Committee members:

• Think both critically and flexibly, and ask questions that contribute to the quality of FinCom deliberations
• Work as a member of a team and be able to “disagree without being disagreeable”
• Be literate (or at least conversant) in budgeting principles, finance, and/or economics, whether through professional background or general experience and interest
• Understand how spreadsheets work
• Commit to attending regular committee meetings

Please contact Town Moderator Jo-Ann Berry at joannberry@acton-ma.gov to learn more.

Jo-Ann Berry

In my service as a Select Board member, I closely follow news shared by the Massachusetts Municipal Association (MMA), but I submit the following to Acton Exchange readers on my own behalf.

As previously reported in this paper, the MMA published policy recommendations in December to address serious challenges outlined in an analysis of fiscal pressures faced by MA cities and towns that was circulated in October. These fiscal pressures, recent high inflation, shrinking federal aid, and limited tools to raise needed revenue,  increasingly threaten the essential services local governments provide to their residents. 

I urge readers to call or email their state legislators to demand a timely response to the MMA recommendations, especially the ask for an $351 million Unrestricted General Government Aid (UGGA) increase, a nod to the number of MA cities and towns, to restore the state partnership to pre-recession levels. The MMA notes that this is “the most direct and immediate way to strengthen the foundation of municipal government.”

The report compared state aid as a share of local revenue, and placed MA below the national average, with only 13 states providing a lower percentage of revenue available to cities and towns. UGGA has just returned to fiscal 2008 levels in the most recent (fiscal 2026) state budget, NOT adjusting for inflation. The decline has coincided with an increase in the percentage of property taxes that make up local budgets, putting ever-increasing pressure on residents.

The  MMA report also advocates for all other local aid programs to be fully funded going forward: Chapter 70, the special education “circuit breaker,” other school-related accounts, payments to cities and towns for non-taxable state property within their borders, and more.

For there to be a chance for relief, the state must act on these recommendations - our delegation’s emails are provided here for your convenience - Simon.Cataldo@mahouse.gov, Danillo.Sena@mahouse.gov, James.Eldridge@masenate.gov. Governor Healey can be reached by using this form. 

Thank you for taking a few minutes today to reach out to your state leaders on Beacon Hill!

Alissa Nicol

I’m a member of the Acton Finance Committee, but I’m writing on my own behalf. Kudos to the AB Forward Steering Committee for tackling the hardest part of school district reorganization first.

Based on my analysis of the “Supplemental Information for School District Reorganization Discussion,” the Steering Committee has reduced the elementary school footprint from four buildings to three and eliminated 11 K–6 classroom sections to ensure long-term financial sustainability. Every remaining option assumes closure of the Conant building (but not necessarily the Conant school), larger class sizes at the upper end of School Committee guidelines, and annual savings of roughly $1.87 million.

Now that the Steering Committee has identified a path to improving our C+ grade for Cost of Living in the Niche rankings, the Acton-Boxborough Regional School Committee can focus on which option best maintains our A+ grade for Public Schools. Parents will understandably focus on that. As an empty nester, so will I.

I recently asked Ann Cohen of Barrett Sotheby, a veteran of the Greater Boston real estate market, why people move to Acton and Boxborough. She said buyers typically compare our towns with Concord, Carlisle, Lincoln, and Sudbury – for one reason: the schools. As she put it, “No one moves to Acton or Boxborough to be closer to Trader Joe’s. They move here for the schools.”

That’s why investing in our schools – teachers, facilities, and extracurriculars – is not merely an expense. It’s an investment in the long-term value of our homes and the economic vitality of both towns. A recent Realtor.com study found there’s a strong, direct correlation between the quality of local public schools and residential property values. Data from other sources also shows that properties located in highly-rated school districts command a substantial price premium, often selling 10% to 30% higher than comparable homes in neighboring areas with lower school ratings.

With the cost side addressed, the School Committee can now focus on the benefits: pursuing a broader reset that strengthens school communities over time while minimizing disruption for families.

Greg Jarboe

The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) grant to Acton for a heat pump heating and cooling system at Town Hall makes this clean energy project very doable. Concerns about the cost of electrifying all Town buildings (Letter: “Regarding that $1M grant” by Corinne Hogseth, Nov. 21, 2025) may lead us to miss a golden opportunity.

• Cold weather heat pumps have a proven track record around the world.
• This equipment can be 2-3 times as efficient as any fossil fuel system. In extreme conditions (-22 to 14 degrees Fahrenheit), cold weather heat pumps are still 40% more efficient than a gas boiler.
• Although upfront and long-term costs vary, cold weather heat pumps are competitive, as Maine is showing.
• Acton knows a LOT about successful clean energy implementation with the Boardwalk Campus School outperforming its energy estimates.
• The proposed heat pump HVAC system (covered by the $1 million grant) is only 10% of the total Town Hall project. Other parts of the project are mold remediation, accessibility requirements, and other code upgrades.

Much is uncertain about the future. Unfortunately, climate warming is certain. Bill Gates states that people will “live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future.” Many would argue that ecological realities are absent from his tech-centered calculus, but even Gates’ outlook assumes continued clean energy adoption.

Can we at least make a commitment to the positive change that is possible now? The DOER grant makes a heat pump system an efficient, affordable choice for Town Hall.  

We are all in this together—ecologically, morally, and economically. Our state taxes fund positive DOER grants, making the upfront costs of clean energy affordable so that the Town can benefit from long term cost savings. The same can be said for Mass Save and for our Sustainability Office. These efforts save money in the long run. 

Finally, to the 400 people who sat in the high school parking lot in September 2020 and voted almost unanimously for the Climate Emergency Declaration, bravo! A quiet climate majority continues to stand by every arm raised in the affirmative that night.

Karen Root Watkins
The writer is a volunteer with EnergizeActon.org (Writing on her own behalf).

I am continually—and happily—amazed by the generosity of our community.

On Wednesday, November 19, 2025, I joined members of the Acton Lions Club at the Acton Food Pantry as we distributed turkeys the Lions donated for local families. While helping to hand out the holiday meals, I asked one of the pantry employees whether the days leading up to Thanksgiving were their busiest time of year. I expected the answer to be an enthusiastic yes.

Instead, she told me that the pantry had been far busier during the recent government shutdown. I asked if that increase in demand was connected to delays in SNAP benefits. She nodded but added something that surprised me: it wasn’t just that more people needed food, it was that more people were stepping up to help.

I returned to the pantry the next day and spoke with Brandon Crocker, the pantry’s director. He confirmed what I’d heard. Donations this fall reached record levels, not only in food but in cash contributions as well. In fact, the outpouring of support was so overwhelming that the pantry began running out of space to store all the donated food.

In a world where negative headlines often dominate the news, this reminder of our community’s compassion was uplifting. When our neighbors faced uncertainty, the people of Acton and surrounding towns responded instinctively—with kindness, generosity, and remarkable goodwill.

We should all be proud of what this says about who we are. Our community doesn’t just come together during the holidays—we come together whenever someone needs help. And that is something truly worth celebrating.

Leo Fochtman

In response to your November 15 article  about the $1M grant to decarbonize Town Hall, I hope to provide additional information for residents. 

At the 2025 Town Meeting, the Finance Committee voted to not recommend $3.75M to replace the HVAC system in Town Hall, the first step toward full electrification of the building. The reason was that no life cycle cost analysis had been provided to compare the cost of heat pumps against natural gas (business as usual, or BAU).  

Other than the award of this $1M grant (also taxpayer money), nothing has changed. Yet the Select Board seems prepared to include this same project on the 2026 Town Meeting warrant.  

Within the article is a link to the Acton Decarbonization Roadmap. Within that document is a link to the Electrification Roadmap. A summary table (page 62) shows full electrification of Town properties would cost 2.4 times as much as BAU, or $5.5M over the course 30 years. For the schools (page 66), the cost of electrification is 1.9 times that of BAU, or $14.9 million.  

All of this came about due to passage of a resolution to declare a “climate emergency” during the last 10 minutes of the 2020 Special Town Meeting. It is unclear how many people were still present when the vote was held, but it’s safe to say fewer than 300 people passed this non-binding resolution. 

That led to the creation of the Sustainability Office, which now employs two people, plus a study estimating it will cost $63M to electrify all Town buildings. This doesn't include schools. Shouldn’t we have known this before the vote?  

Bill Gates recently admitted that climate change “will not lead to humanity’s demise.” This all-green-at-all-cost agenda is causing us to misallocate resources away from more pressing concerns. 

The fact that one must dig for linked articles within linked articles demonstrates how hard it is for anyone to find cost information. It’s almost like someone doesn’t want us to know, because we MUST pursue net-zero emissions regardless of cost. Nonetheless, it is crucial that taxpayers have necessary information to cast informed votes. 

Corinne Hogseth
Member of Acton Finance Committee (writing on my own behalf)

I am a lifelong resident of Prospect Street and am increasingly concerned about the recent reconstruction of the intersection of Prospect and Main.   Over the years with increased traffic and many accidents, the need to reconfigure it was addressed.    Just last Saturday evening, there was quite a bad accident at the same intersection just remodeled!!  

One of my main concerns is if there was a fire on Prospect, the fire trucks probably wouldn't be able to turn from Main to Prospect at the Acton Gas station.    That really should be the first concern when trying to update a nasty situation.

I hope the Town can come up with a better solution.

Peggy Hebert

Last month, I was out for my morning walk with my dog and came up on an unusual sight: two SUVs were parked at an unbuilt wetlands lot in my neighborhood, engines idling, windows completely tinted out.    This unbuilt lot is one of my dog’s favorite spots to check for information about other dogs and leave her own markings, and she doesn’t care about strange SUVs, so we continued our walk, even right up to the vehicles to sniff the tires.

No one got out.  Both vehicles had dark tinted glass all around, including their windshields so I could not see in.  They were idling, so there were occupants inside that I couldn’t see.  Both vehicles had Texas license plates only on the back. 

I took pictures of the vehicles and their license plates.  Then I called the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network of MA (LUCE) hotline (617-370-5023) to report suspicious vehicles.  Within minutes, LUCE had people on site to verify that these were ICE vehicles.  The LUCE responders stayed on site monitoring the vehicles until they left the neighborhood.  On that day at least, they did not detain any of our neighbors.

I am confident that there are no members of Tren de Aragua or MS-13 active in our quiet suburban neighborhood.   I don’t support random detention and extradition of people in the USA (possibly to prison camps), especially with no access to due process.   I am incensed that our federal government has prioritized terrorizing us over continuing to provide healthcare and other services to people that need our help.

If you agree with me, please put the LUCE hotline (617-370-5023) in your phone so if you encounter ICE, you can alert LUCE to their presence.  If you’re interested in doing more, check out https://www.lucemass.org/ for ways to get more involved.

Sincerely,
Jim Carey

RE: Article “Acton is still one of the best suburbs in Massachusetts to live in"

Although I’m a School Committee member, the views expressed here are my own. Niche combines community feedback with measures such as the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) performance, student-teacher and student-counselor ratios, SAT scores, college outcomes, diversity, and per-pupil spending. These are areas where our district typically performs well, which doesn’t happen by chance. They reflect years of community investment, strong leadership, and sustained educator effort. As we look ahead, the same community commitment that helped our schools earn an A+ will be tested by rising costs, limited aid, evolving student needs, and tough choices.

When reviewing data, I compare our district to a set of academic, demographic, and neighboring peers. Niche’s A+ rating aligns with what the data show: many students perform at or above peer averages. One MCAS pattern that stands out is growth over time. In grade 3, student cohorts often begin slightly below peer averages, surpass them by 6th grade, and reach the top of the peer range by high school. That trend, consistent since the updated MCAS in 2017, reflects both quality of instruction and our community’s long-standing commitment to education.

That commitment extends beyond academics. I would love to see Niche include measures like the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which captures student well-being. In 2024, our students performed at or above the area average on nearly every indicator, highlighting progress on the social-emotional priorities in the district’s 2021–2026 Strategic Plan.

Niche’s rating reflects strong student growth, excellent outcomes, and a deep community commitment to education. At the same time, sustaining that success is becoming increasingly difficult amid rising costs and limited state aid, and continued budget constraints will eventually affect the quality and breadth of what our schools can offer. AB Forward is about making thoughtful, strategic choices now so every student has the opportunity to succeed. Much of what defines our schools isn’t captured by MCAS scores or per-pupil spending, but by our Vision of a Graduate: students who demonstrate adaptability, communication, collaboration, intellectual curiosity, and integrity. Ensuring that vision remains achievable will take renewed investment, careful prioritization, and a shared community commitment.

Tori Campbell

I am submitting this letter in hopes that other Acton Residents who are interested in maintaining local control over where cell towers would be placed in our community will be inspired to send a comment to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regarding Docket 25-276.

This ruling would take away the local input and control towns and communities have regarding cell tower placement that congress established over 25 years ago.

If this is an issue that matters to you, the following link will have directions as to how to send comment to the FCC about this issue: https://www.25-276.org/how-to-submit-comments

Thank you,
Deborah Diamond

Friends of Acton,

We recently rehomed 30 fish and our 55-gallon freshwater aquarium after twelve years of having an aquarium.  Here's why.

In late May, I was doing a routine water change in the tank when I scraped the back of my right thumb on the lid of the aquarium.  I put topical antibiotic and a bandage on my thumb and didn't think any more about it.  About three days later, the first signs of infection appeared.  (The day before the aquarium work, I had been working in the gardens with saltwater marsh hay, so the initial theory was that the wound was a spider bite.)

A few days later, red stripes appeared on my right arm.  I went to my Primary Care Physician (PCP), who ordered lab tests and prescribed antibiotics.  The striping got worse, and my PCP advised that I should go to the emergency room (ER) of a major hospital with a significant Infectious Disease (ID) department.

I went to the ER of a major Boston hospital and described my history and symptoms.  Within fifteen minutes, I was being seen by a team of physicians.  There were 100 people ahead of me in line.  This was the first that I realized the seriousness of my situation.

I was admitted for three days and put on multiple intravenous (IV) antibiotics; one called the "antibiotic of last resort."  After discharge, I remained on antibiotics and had various follow-ups with ID doctors and my PCP.

Twenty-three days after one of the uncommon tests ordered by my PCP, the lab results finally came back.  I had a rare (about two in a million) infection called mycobacterium marinum (also known as fish tank granuloma).  It's rare but curable.  It is related to tuberculosis, which is also caused by mycobacteria.

As I write this, I have been on antibiotics for five months, and I will be on them for several more months.  The side effects are unpleasant.  And all of this could have been avoided by wearing aquarium gloves.

So, if you are an aquarium owner, please wear gloves.

Erik J. Heels

In the article “Low-key gathering honors Kirk in Acton” the headline fails to capture the profound significance of the September 21 candlelit vigil for Charlie Kirk, the assassinated Turning Point USA founder. Without context, “Kirk” is non-descript and unclear, and “low-key gathering” trivializes and misrepresents the emotional depth of this community event.

Under a fittingly half-staff flagpole, to capture the tone and spirit of the many attendees and their heart-felt speeches, some read including a memorial poem, and over a dozen personal reflections shared by attendees underscored the vigil’s impact, far surpassing a mere “gathering”. This was a powerful moment of local solidarity amid national mourning.

To better reflect the event’s spirit, these headlines would be proper:

“Sixty Strong in Solidarity: Acton Vigil Remembers Charlie Kirk's Assassination with Stories and Light”

“Candles and Reflections: Acton Vigil Honors Slain Conservative Leader Charlie Kirk Amid National Mourning”

Let Acton’s candles and poignant stories help ensure Charlie Kirk’s vision for young conservatives lives on.

Sincerely,
Dave Lunger
Chair Acton Republican Town Committee
State Committee, MA GOP Middlesex-Worcester

The Jasmine Cultural Arts Foundation is hosting a Mid-Autumn Festival Gala, and you’re invited! Join us on Saturday for a day full of traditions! No tickets needed! 

Event Details:

• Date & Time: October 4, 2025, from 5-8 PM
• Location: Acton Boxborough Regional High School, 36 Charter Rd, Acton, MA, 01720
• Admission: Free for all!

Come celebrate with us! From 5:00 to 6:00 PM, guests can enjoy traditional Chinese cuisine and participate in engaging activities. The festivities continue from 6:00 to 8:00 PM, featuring live music, vibrant dances, and classic songs accompanied by traditional instruments and folkloric performances. All are welcome, so don’t miss the fun! We cannot wait to see you there!

This K-pop dance called "Hearts of Gold" will be performed by Meghan Li, Jessie Han, and Olivia Bao, who will be representing the ACLS K-pop class. The dance incorporates iconic K-pop girl group songs as well as the spirit of young, rebellious girls finding their passion.

Best Regards,
Meghan Li 
Student at Acton-Boxborough Regional High School

I was pleased to read the September 27 article by the three students in the Acton Exchange titled “Students convert biogas to energy.” Looks like the ABRHS students got some real-world experience in making stuff. I congratulate them on their first place win at the Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair (MSEF).

I did want to ask, as they did not mention it in their article, how was the methane gas turned into a useful household energy source? And if that was not part of the project, how do the students justify the statement “The math shows that a family of four could generate up to six kilowatt-hours of electricity a month just from household waste, even assuming a 30% efficiency rate. That’s not enough to power everything, but it’s a meaningful supplement…”? It’s not a meaningful supplement if it cannot be used in a useful way.

A. David Boccuti, P.E.

The Acton Exchange invited the authors to respond to the questions posed by the letter-writer. The reply from lead author Aakarsh Tathachar follows:

Our project was focused on cleaning biogas using bacteria for small-scale applications. In order for the methane to be used for household energy, it would require a small natural gas generator, several of which are available on the market. We could not test this further due to safety concerns in the science fair guidelines. As for our math, we researched how much biogas could be collected from decomposing each form of organic waste, such as food compost and grass waste, through anaerobic digestion. We then found the energy potential of that amount of gas to get our energy calculations. While they are theoretical, we based our calculations on scientific papers, but we can't conduct experimental tests due to the safety concerns as mentioned above. Thank you for your interest in our project; we greatly appreciate any questions and comments.
Regards,
Aakarsh Tathachar