Schedule of meetings for the Green Communities Study Committee (updated on 3/16): Wednesday, March 2nd at 7:30 am Monday, March 7th at 7:00 pm Wednesday, March 16th at 7:30 am Wednesday, March 23rd at 7:30 am (date change from 3/21)
Save the Date: March 31, Native Plants Symposium at Olin College
The Olin College Library will host a Native Plants Symposium in partnership with Green Needham and several other local organizations. The event will take place from 3 – 6 pm in the Milas Hall Auditorium at Olin College. Listening to
Green Communities Study Committee selected
At their January 25th meeting, the Board of Selectmen formally appointed the Green Communities study committee. The Selectmen constituted this group to review the impact of participation in the Green Communities Program. The Town Manager initially recommended the formation of
Olin College’s Library to work with Green Needham on Sustainability Initiatives
The Olin College of Engineering library has received a $5,000 grant to develop sustainability collections and programming in the areas of energy audits and native plants. As part of the community outreach for this grant, the library will be working
Eighteen more towns designated as Green Communities
Eighteen Massachusetts communities officially became Massachusetts Green Communities in December, joining the thirty-five communities receiving the designation in May, 2010. Included in this group were three more of Needham’s “comparable communities” – Dedham, Wayland and Winchester. That brings to six
It’s All Local – Energy Efficiency and Home Energy Audits
An energy audit is the first step to saving energy and money at home, and you are eligible for a free energy audit yearly. Michael Greis of Green Needham joined Gabe Shapiro of Next Step Living on The Needham Channel’s
Recycling results for school and town buildings
How are we doing in recycling at our schools and our municipal buildings? See the results from the first year of the single-stream recycling program.
December Green Needham Meeting Summary
December 13th’s Green Needham meeting at the Needham Public Library Community room opened with an update on several key Green Needham projects: Needham 1,000 is our follow up to last year’s successful 10% Challenge that saw over 450 Needham households
Dec 2010 meeting – partner project updates
December 2010 updates from some of the Green Needham partner organizations… Needham Community Farm The NCF recently submitted an NEF Large Grant application for $15,000 to fund farm-based curriculum development at the Nike site (assuming the NCF is awarded the license
Olin Students Develop New Freezer Technology
The following article was written by Ben Chapman, a first year student. It was published in the Olin College student newspaper. Freshmen Explore Sustainable Food-Storage On November 13, I was working Essex, VT with three other Olin Freshmen, on an
Olin College Composting Project
In 2009 Olin College decided to initiate a composting program to see if it could reduce its waste stream. This fall, Olin has already composted more than all of last year and is on pace to compost over 9,000 lbs by the end of the academic year.
A big step closer to becoming a Green Community
Needham took a big step closer to becoming a Massachusetts Green Community when Green Needham Collaborative Chair Michael Greis met with the Selectmen on November 23rd. Over the last year and a half, Green Needham has been working with town
High Rock Solar Panels – Here Comes the Sun at the end of the Long and Winding Road
In the summer of 2008, Green Needham and the League of Women Voters Climate Action Committee wrapped up the Needham Community Solar Challenge. Over 250 families and businesses in Needham had made contributions to the New England Wind Fund (supporting
2011 Vehicle Fuel Economy Guide
Thinking of buying a new car? Want to learn more about what those fuel economy numbers really mean? The US EPA has recently released its 2011 Fuel Economy Guide for vehicles.
Green Communities funding opportunities – electric vehicle charging stations
There are many benefits to becoming a Massachusetts Green Community – cost savings for the municipality and its residents, economic development, environmental and quality of life improvements – but additional funding, even in modest amounts, is always appealing. In addition
What Works – Driving Demand for Home Energy Improvements
How do you motivate homeowners to invest in comprehensive home upgrades that eliminate energy waste, avoid high energy bills and spur the economy? The Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) just published a study of lessons learned from
September Green Needham meeting on The Needham Channel
Green Needham’s September 2010 meeting, featuring a presentation on “Solar in the Home”, will be available for viewing on The Needham Channel for the next month. Here’s the schedule for the week from Thursday, September 29th through Wednesday, October 6th:
First Parish receives EPA national Energy Star Congregations Award
Needham’s First Parish Unitarian Universalist has been named one of nine national winners of an EPA 2010 Energy Star Small Business and Congregations Award. This is just the latest, but arguably the most prestigious, recognition First Parish has received for
Sept 2010 Meeting – Project updates and presentations
Green Needham’s September, 2010 meeting took place at the Needham Public Library’s Community room on Monday evening, September 20th.
Sept 2010 meeting – partner project updates
September 2010 updates from some of Green Needham’s partner organizations Bay Colony Rail Trail The Bay Colony Rail Trail project is an effort to convert seven miles of unused rail corridor between Needham Junction and Medfield to a shared use