Over the last several years, Green Needham has received suggestions that recycling containers should be available in public areas like downtown, the Heights business district and at playing fields. Until this past year, Needham didn’t have any way to service
Track 10% Challenge progress at the RTS
Save energy, save money and help reach our community goal of 1,000 households taking the 10% Challenge. You can track Needham’s progress with our 10% Challenge progress sign now on display at the Needham RTS. Thank you to David Cournoyer
Needham to be a Possible Community Supported Fishery Drop-off Site
Many of us have farm shares from local Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs. There has also been support of Chestnut Farms, a local meat CSA. Now a local seafood CSA may be adding a Needham drop-off site. From its inception
EPA Eco-Explorers Grant update – Year 1
Needham Public Schools, with the support of community partners including Green Needham, received an EPA Eco-Explorers grant for 2010 -2012 to help teachers incorporate outdoor environmental education practices and to encourage Needham students to become environmental stewards. In June, after
25 Communities to receive grant for electric vehicle charging stations
Hopkinton, Newton and Brookline are nearby Green Communities among 25 Massachusetts cities and towns that will receive electric vehicle charging stations under a grant program announced last November. This program will benefit early adopters of electric vehicles, including mass-market cars
Massachusetts Designated Green Communities
The ranks of Massachusetts Green Communities continues to grow. In July, 2011, 21 more communities were designated Massachusetts Green Communities after meeting the qualifications for the program. These communities will now be eligible to apply for an initial cash grant
Another short window for appliance rebates starting July 28th
Another Massachusetts refrigerator and appliance rebate program begins on July 28th. As with last year’s appliance rebate program, funding is limited. So don’t miss this opportunity to get a $150 rebate on an energy-efficient refrigerator and $50 on an energy-efficient
Save the Date – Needham Summit on Energy and the Environment
Needham Summit on Energy and the Environment what we have done……what we might do Monday, October 24, 2011 A collaboration of Olin College, Needham League of Women Voters, and Green Needham Massachusetts is a national leader in aggressively meeting multiple
Energy Star “Most Efficient” products designation announced
With so many products now bearing the Energy Star label, wouldn’t it be helpful to be able to easily figure out which were the most efficient? Now you can do just that, with the announcement yesterday by the EPA of
Green Community requirements discussed at public hearing
The Green Communities Study Committee held a public hearing on Monday, June 13th to review their work to date and seek public input on Needham becoming a Massachusetts Green Community. The program, created under the Green Communities Act, supports Massachusetts
Green Homes tour featured on Needham Patch
This past Saturday’s Green Homes Tour, featuring six Needham homes, is featured in this article on Needham Patch. If you missed the tour, you can see detailed information on each of the houses here on our blog. The six homes
Green Homes Tour: Solar Thermal Hot Water and Space Heating
House: Built in 2002, 4247 square feet plus 1700 finished basement System Description: Vacuum tubes on the roof contain copper rods filled with glycol. As the rods heat up from the sun, the glycol boils and bubbles to the top.
Green Homes Tour: Older home energy retrofit
House: 100 years old 1800 square feet Household size: 2 adults System Description: Radiant heating was installed under the kitchen and back hall floor to replace an old radiator in the cabinet under the sink. For more information about radiant
Green Homes Tour: Sustainable Yard
Saving energy and reducing the carbon footprint in your sustainable yard 1. Plant trees strategically to use less energy to heat or cool your house. Evergreen trees on the northeast side of a house buffer cold winter winds. Deciduous trees
Green Homes Tour: Solar Photovoltaic
House: Built in 2004; 2,992 square feet System Description: 30-panel photovoltaic array producing electricity (not hot water) of about 8,500 kWh per year. It is a grid-connected system, meaning that the unused electricity is fed into the electrical grid, making
Green Homes Tour: Electricity/Heat Co-generation
House: Built in 1950’s, remodeled multiple times most recent addition 2008. 2800 square feet System Description: The co-generation system produces electricity and heat at the same time. When the heat is turned on, a small generator (MCHP — micro combined
Green Homes Tour: Residential Geothermal Heating and Cooling
House: 90 years old System Description: In a closed loop piping system, water is pumped 300 feet underground, where it takes on the 55 degree underground temperature. It is pumped back into the basement to a heat pump unit with
Green Homes Tour: Sustainable Gardening and Low-Impact House
Garden Philosophy – Create a small, beautiful and bountiful, local eco-system using as little input from outside as possible. This includes feeding the soil, watering and our choice of plants. We have a large flowerbed and grow about $500 of
Hillside School receives EoEEA award for Water Project
The Hillside School’s Buddy Water Project, whose 2010 efforts were featured in this Green Needham blog post, has been recognized with an award for Excellence in Energy and Environment Education by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Richard K. Sullivan, Secretary, Energy
GREENR – online database and reference available through the Needham Library
GREENR, an online reference and research library on the environment, energy and natural resources is now available through the Needham Public Library.