Energize Acton

Electric Vehicle "Petting Zoo" and EV Marketplace Update
2023-07-19 17:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York)
Are you thinking about an electric vehicle (EV)? The EV “Petting Zoo” is a chance for you to talk with local EV drivers and see a variety of electric vehicles—not only well-known models like Tesla and Chevy Bolt but some newer cars to the market such as the Subaru Solterra and the Kia EV6. We hope to feature some of the Town’s new electric vehicles as well! Also, look for a short update on the current EV marketplace, including which cars qualify for the federal rebates and the current level of state rebates, along with some special tips and good resources, such as the Drive Green program and others.

The Climate Café aims to be a helpful, informal gathering where Acton residents can discuss a fossil fuel free future. Local people who have experience in clean energy technologies will share their insights and answer questions from others who are considering these technologies and who are exploring ways to reduce their carbon footprints. Each week in July and August will be a different focus, with a range of technical and environmental topics. Each session will be one hour, 5-6pm, on Wednesdays. When the weather is good, we will be outside behind the Acton Memorial Library, so feel free to bring a picnic or grab a slice of pizza and relax while we discuss these positive efforts. If the weather is wet, we will be inside in the Library’s meeting room on the first floor. (Sorry, food is discouraged inside.)

Many thanks to the Acton Memorial Library for co-hosting these sessions. EnergizeActon.orgis a joint effort of the Acton Climate Coalition and the Town of Acton Sustainability Office. We are committed to education about the climate emergency and to the rapid implementation of clean energy and renewable technologies. Other Town clean energy initiatives include Acton Power Choice Green, the Clean Energy Coach Program, Abode Energy Management Consultations (scroll down to “Advanced Consultations”), and the Neighborhood Heating and Cooling Project.

Meet an Acton Clean Energy Coach
2023-07-12 17:00 - 18:00 | Acton Memorial Library, Acton, Acton Memorial Library, Unit 486 Main St, Acton, Massachusetts, US
Meet an Acton Clean Energy Coach!
Transitioning to clean energy for our homes and cars is a great decision! But the process can be complicated. Acton’s FREE Clean Energy Coaches are standing by to help you through these changes.

Chat with David Martin and Jim Clark, two of Acton’s new Clean Energy Coaches and find out about the free consultations available through this program, sponsored by the Town’s Sustainability Office under the leadership of Director Andrea Becerra. All seven coaches are trained volunteers with personal experience transitioning to clean energy technologies. They are ready to help other Acton residents learn about, plan for, and initiate actions such as the adoption of home/building weatherization, efficient electric heat pump systems, solar power, electric vehicles, and other energy adaptations to help us address climate change.
This program is part of the 2023 Climate Café Series co-hosted by EnergizeActon.org and the Acton Memorial Library. The Climate Café aims to be a helpful, informal gathering where Acton residents can discuss a fossil fuel free future. Local people who have experience in clean energy technologies will share their insights and answer questions from others who are considering these technologies and who are exploring ways to reduce their carbon footprints. Each week in July and August will be a different focus, with a range of technical and environmental topics. Each session will be one hour, 5-6pm, on Wednesdays. When the weather is good, we will be outside behind the Acton Memorial Library, so feel free to bring a picnic or grab a slice of pizza and relax while we discuss these positive efforts. If the weather is wet, we will be inside in the Library’s meeting room on the first floor. (Sorry, food is discouraged inside.) No registration is necessay. Simply drop by the Library!
The Clean Energy Coach Program is one of the Town’s newest clean energy initiatives, which also include Acton Power Choice, EnergizeActon.org, Abode Energy Management consultations (See “Advanced Consultations”), and the Neighborhood Clean Heating and Cooling Project.

Climate Café Listening Session
2023-07-05 17:00 - 18:00 | Acton Memorial Library, Acton, Acton Memorial Library, Unit 486 Main St, Acton, Massachusetts, US
A drop in the bucket? Or every action counts?

We know that many residents may be away for the holiday week; however, if you are in the area, stop by the library and register your opinion. Are our actions to address global warming a drop in the bucket? Or do our actions add up to make a difference? Energize Acton volunteers would love to hear about what you are doing in your home, workplace, or neighborhood. What are your concerns? What hopeful efforts do you see? What would you like to see happen in Acton, and beyond, to address the climate emergency?

Energize Acton and the Acton Memorial Library will have resources available, from Town documents to good reads to online links.

The Climate Café aims to be a helpful, informal gathering where Acton residents can discuss a fossil fuel free future. Local people who have experience in clean energy technologies will share their insights and answer questions from others who are considering these technologies and who are exploring ways to reduce their carbon footprints. Each week in July and August will be a different focus, with a range of technical and environmental topics. Each session will be one hour, 5-6pm, on Wednesdays. When the weather is good, we will be outside behind the Acton Memorial Library, so feel free to bring a picnic or grab a slice of pizza and relax while we discuss these positive efforts. If the weather is wet, we will be inside in the Library’s meeting room on the first floor. (Sorry, food is discouraged inside.)

Many thanks to the Acton Memorial Library for co-hosting these sessions. EnergizeActon.org is a joint effort of the Acton Climate Coalition and the Town of Acton Sustainability Office. We are committed to education about the climate emergency and to the rapid implementation of clean energy and renewable technologies. Other Town clean energy initiatives include Acton Power Choice Green, the Clean Energy Coach Program, Abode Energy Management Consultations (scroll down to “Advanced Consultations”), and the Neighborhood Heating and Cooling Project.

Acton Clean Energy Coach Program
2023-06-29 09:00 - 11:00
Bring Clean Energy Home!
Make a Plan with FREE Coaching as part of ACTON’S CLEAN ENERGY COACHING PROGRAM!
Contact us any time!!
The Town of Acton and Abode Energy Management offer free coaching (with trained community volunteers) for residents and business owners to learn about, plan for, and initiate actions such as adoption of home/building weatherization, efficient electric heat pump technologies, electric vehicles, solar, and/or other adaptations for our clean energy future. (Even though this is listed as a Thursday event, you can use the link below anytime. You and your coach will find a joint time to meet that fits your schedule.)
Why this program? Evidence of the climate emergency is all around us. We are not to blame as individuals, but our choices matter and our choices influence others. We advance energy efficiency and reduce our carbon impacts through the transition to electricity to power our homes/buildings and transportation. There are climate, comfort, and other long-term benefits of acting now in the face of the changing climate. The goal of the program is to help guide Actonians along an accessible path to a healthy and sustainable future, starting now.
Three of the many advantages of developing a clean energy plan for your home:

Incentive programs exist for these energy upgrades; better incentives are anticipated in 2023.
Property values can increase with improved weatherization, on-site solar, and cold-climate heat pumps. Some energy improvements can provide a buffer against the price volatility of fossil fuels.
Indoor air quality improves, reducing the negatives health impacts of fossil fuel use, in particular on children and elders.

Request a coach to start on your path to a clean energy future!
ActonEnergyCoach.com
For info on clean energy/climate actions:
EnergizeActon.org

The Acton Clean Energy Coach Program is sponsored by the Town of Acton in conjunction with Abode Energy Management, with support from EnergizeActon.org. For questions, contact Sustainability Director Andrea Becerra at abecerra@actonma.gov.

Nature of Acton and Boxborough 2023 - A BioBlitz
2023-06-15 04:00 - 23:00 | Conservations Lands, Parks, and Yards, Acton, Conservations Lands, Parks, and Yards, Acton, Massachusetts, US
Hooray for biodiversity . . . and carbon storage!
In order to keep carbon in the ground, we need to protect habitats. Here is an activity that helps people value these habitats. Please join us as we document and celebrate biodiversity in Acton and Boxborough. As you may know, there are over 2,000 acres of conservation areas in Acton and Boxborough with a variety of habitats, such as cattail marshes, ponds, open fields and dense forests. These habitats host snapping turtles, reptiles, frogs, insects, birds, mammals, and many plant species, and store carbon. Another 3,000 acres of private lands provide habitat for wildlife, including two steps outside your door! What kind of wildlife lives here? Let’s find out this June 1 through 15.

How to participate? Download the “iNaturalist” app on your smartphone, search for projects and click on our “Nature of Acton and Boxborough 2023” project. To participate, you must Join the project. Or visit https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/nature-of-acton-and-boxborough-june-2023.
Starting June 1st, snap away at any plant, animal or fungus you see and get it on our list. Can we break 200 species this year? Who can ID the most? Taking observations of wildlife helps advance science too! According to National Geographic, “High quality data uploaded to iNaturalist become part of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, an open source database used by scientists and policy makers around the world.”

Some of you may have participated in our local Bioblitz in 2021 led by Green Acton and other partners, as part of the City Nature Challenge Boston area in 2021. In that event, 43 people made 1226 observations of 472 different species in Acton and Boxborough.

This is a follow up from that activity. The 2023 BioBlitz is a collaboration of people from Acton Conservation Trust, the Boxborough Conservation Trust, Acton PIP Stem, Acton Men’s Outdoor Club, Energize Acton, and the Acton Discovery Museum.

This is a fun activity for your family, too.

If you have any questions about the activity or how to join the project in iNaturalist, feel free to contact Matt Liebman at EnergizeActon.org@gmail.com.

Happy BioBlitzing!

Acton CLEAN ENERGY HOMES TOUR
2023-04-29 11:00 - 16:00
Are you thinking about switching from oil heat to efficient cold-weather heat pumps that heat AND cool? Are you considering solar, especially with the increased federal solar incentives? Do you want to decrease your carbon footprint? On April 29th, come and talk with Acton neighbors who have already adopted clean energy technologies!

Click HERE for information about the homes on this year’s tour and for a registration link. Or REGISTER HERE.

This is a great opportunity to ask questions, to hear about the experiences of others, and to begin to formulate a plan for your own clean energy future. After you register, you will receive an email with detailed information about the Tour, including host addresses. Not all the hosts are available for all five hours of the tour, so the follow-up email will let you know which homes are available when. In some cases, especially where the parking is tricky, the homeowners will ask you to schedule your visit, so the follow-up email also includes a SignUpGenius link.

Between the 10 homes on tour, you can learn about the following technologies.

Air Source Heat Pumps and Ground Source Heat Pumps
Solar Panels and Solar Battery Storage
Heat Pump Hot Water Heaters and Solar Hot Water Heaters
Electric Vehicles and EV Charging
Weatherization Options
Induction Cooking
Heat Pump Clothes Dryers
Electric Mowers and other electric appliances
Even compostable toilets!

Another option is to come to Base Camp, 19 Elm Street Tennis Courts/Picnic Pavilion, on Saturday, April 29th from 11am-4pm, to get connected with hosts. Coffee, breakfast foods, and snacks will be available along with lots of info about Clean Energy options, current state and federal incentives, and what Acton Town government and local community groups are doing to address climate change. At Base Camp, we will also have activities for the kids, including coloring, crafts, and a solar spinner kit to make.

This event is sponsored by EnergizeActon.org, a free community website sponsored by the Acton Town Sustainability Office and the Acton Climate Coalition. Do you want to take action for Earth Day 2023? Sign up with EnergizeActon.org and join 161 other Acton households tracking their efforts to reduce their carbon footprints!

Acton Water Wise Nature Walk
2023-04-26 15:00 - 16:30
Do you know that most of Acton’s public water comes from relatively shallow wells? Join this free walk and learn about the factors that impact our water supply and how we can take action to protect it. This is a family friendly stroll lead by the Acton Water District and local naturalists. Enjoy STEM connections and receive a Water Wise Activity Placemat for Children. AB PIP STEM will also have copies of the new Acton Nature Guide.
Space is limited to 35 people (adults and children). Register at this LINK.
Please meet at the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail behind Donelan’s Grocery Store, 248 Great Rd (Rt 2A). The group will explore the area near Nashoba Brook and the meadow/woodland at the corner of Brook Street and Rt 27 (459 Main St).
This event is sponsored by the Acton Water District, AB PIP STEM, and EnergizeActon.org.

Northbriar Neighborhood Clean Heating & Cooling Project
2023-04-13 07:00 - 08:00
Are you and your neighbors heating with oil? Is your heating system aging and in need or replacement? Are you curious about upgrading your home heating system to a more environmentally friendly, efficient, and cleaner heat pump system that also provides cooling? The Northbriar neighborhood has been identified as a community where many of you might answer these questions in the affirmative!

Come to the neighborhood WEBINAR on Clean Heating and Cooling options!! Register HERE.

On Thursday, April 13th, at 7:00pm, the Town of Acton Sustainability Office Director, Andrea Becerra, with the leadership of your neighborhood clean energy champion, Susan Tripathy, invite you to explore the above questions with Mike Simons of Abode Energy Management, which has a contract with the Town of Acton. Abode Energy Managament is a respected energy consulting firm dedicated to energy efficiency and carbon reduction in Massachusetts homes and buildings. Their years of experience working with utilities, contractors, and homeowners, together with their commitment to a clean energy future, have led them to be one of the most innovative, respected firms in the arena of home heating and cooling. Join Mike for an informative (and even fun!) discussion of your energy options.

The webinar will include the why of heat pumps, the savings possibilities, federal and state incentives (including the importance of a Mass Save home energy audit), and other clean energy technologies such as solar and electric vehicles. The Sustainability Office will also introduce the Town of Acton’s new NeighborhoodClean Heating and Cooling Project.

After the webinar, you will have the opportunity to express interest in moving forward with this new initiative. The Neighborhood Clean Heating and Cooling Project aims to make it easier and more affordable to switch to cold-climate heat pump systems. Depending on the level of interest, Abode will organize a “Contractors Day.” The aim is to have 2-3 Abode-vetted contractors visit participating homes and give the homeowners (and Abode) proposals for upgrading to heat pumps. Abode can help homeowners compare estimates, answer questions, and understand their options. Acton’s new, free Clean Energy Coaches, trained by Abode, can also help. The coaches are available to assist homeowners through the initial research phase to post-installation.

Please join in the webinar and begin to explore your options!

EnergizeActon.org volunteers are actively involved in supporting the above efforts! Please visit the website for lots of valuabale resources on reducing one’s carbon footprint. If you have questions or are interested in volunteering with EnergizeActon.org, please go to Contact Us.

Creating Beautiful, Sustainable Lawns: A Webinar with Chris Osborne
2023-03-22 19:00 - 20:30
Concerned about the negative impacts of lawns on humans, pets, wildlife, and the environment?

In this free webinar, Chip Osborne, national expert on organic, sustainable lawns, will discuss the impacts of conventional lawn and garden chemicals; how to transition to a sustainable, organic lawn; and how to ensure that lawn maintenance companies are using safe products and practices.

For those who continue to maintain lawns, this webinar will present practical information on an organic alternative to traditional lawn care methods, so you can create a beautiful, non-toxic, and sustainable lawn.

Please register HERE.

This program is presented by Green Acton with support from Mothers Out Front Acton, the Acton Conservation Trust, and EnergizeActon.org.

Planet Power: Exploring Renewable Energy with Children
2023-03-11 13:00 - 14:30
Planet Power: Exploring Renewable Energy with Children
Sargent Memorial Library, 427 Massachusetts Ave, Boxborough, MA
Saturday, March 11, 2023, 1:00-2:30pm

Bring your children, 2-12 years old, to this interactive program exploring renewable energy. Sponsored by the Chinese Family Network, this EnergizeActon.org presentation will include songs, a special read-aloud, a movement activity where the children “become” a solar panel; and a hands-on solar spinner demo. Best of all, thee are crafts lead by local students (a wind pinwheel and a tote bag with child design). The focus is on helping children understand solar power and wind power. Handouts will be available for parents, including at-home renewable activities for children; clean energy actions for parents; and a renewable reading list for kids and adults.

For information about registration, contact EnergizeActon.org.

EnergizeActon.org thanks the Chinese Family Network for inviting us to present at this event. The Chinese Family Network received grants from the Acton-Boxborough Cultural Council and the Mass Cultural Council for this community event.

LOCAL FARMS and RESILIENCE: The No-Till Experiment
2023-02-01 19:00 - 20:30
Eric Toensmeier, of Project Drawdown, writes, “We can’t mitigate climate change without agriculture, so we have to find ways for agriculture to be part of the solution, instead of part of the problem.” How can local farms play a role in the solution? Two area farms–Gaining Ground in Concord and The Good Food Farm in Ashby–have embarked on an experiment in “no-till agriculture”, designed to build healthier soil with better water and carbon retention. As climate change challenges farmers with extremes of weather, can the “no-till” model offer more resilience for our crops, our soil, and our food system? What are the pros and cons of this approach? Please join us for this exciting conversation!
Register HERE. This is a zoom event.
This talk is part one of two events. This event looks at challenges to contemporary agriculture and how farmers are experimenting with new approaches. Ben Howell of the Good Food Farm in Ashby will give a brief overview of the current issues facing large scale agriculture, from serious soil depletion, water availability,and pollution from fertilizers. Then Anna Kelchlin, Farm Manager from Gaining Ground, will share that farm’s commitment to meeting food insecurity in Massachusetts while also prioritizing healthy soil, healthy crops, and healthy pollinators through no-till planting. Finally, Andrew Johnson, Farm Manager at the Good Food Farm, will tell the story of that small farm’s attempt to implement the “no-till” approach on a commercial level. All three speakers see land and community intertwined, where regenerative agriculture is also a way to connect people with the land and each other.

Part two of these events is designed to build community! And to celebrate the plant-based meals highlighted in one EnergizeActon.org action. Watch for a dinner invitation coming in late February or early March! We are hoping to have a meal or potluck together to celebrate local farms, perhaps in a nearby greenhouse or semi-open space. Details coming soon.

This event is co-sponsored by the Good Food Farm, EnergizeActon.org, and Gaining Ground Farm.

ENERGY COSTS RESOURCE FAIR
2023-01-24 17:00 - 19:00
Are you worried about your utility bills? Are you wondering if there is a better way to heat and cool your home/living space? Then drop by Acton’s ENERGY COSTS RESOURCE FAIR anytime between 5-7pm on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, at the Acton Senior Center/Human Services Building, 30 Sudbury Rd, Rear, Acton. (Look for Energy Costs Sign.) Find out about ways to cope this winter, for example, talk with Town staff about eligibility for federal fuel assistance (Home Energy Assistance Program, HEAP), learn about “Energy Bill Check-Ups” with All In Energy, or see how Acton Power Choice can be a savings option. AND explore your long-term options for more efficient energy. EnergizeActon.org volunteers have resources about weatherization, heat pumps, solar power, and excellent current incentives and rebates. Meet one of the new Acton Clean Energy Coaches. Or find out how a Mass Save home energy audit can lead to energy savings.

This is an in-person event with snacks and a craft table for children. There will be a brief presentation period that will be recorded to share for those who cannot attend.

EnergizeActon.org is the sponsor of this event. In addition to running educational events, the EnergizeActon.org community website provides resources for action on the climate emergency. EnergizeActon.org is a joint effort of the Town of Acton Sustainability Office and the Acton Climate Coalition. Please visit our “Actions” tab for information on the many ways we can build “a better future starting now.”

RECORDING: Garden As If the Earth Matters
2022-10-13 19:00 - 2023-10-13 20:30 | Acton Town Hall Room 204, Acton, Acton Town Hall Room 204, Unit 472 Main Street, Acton, Massachusetts, US
GARDEN AS IF THE EARTH MATTERS: Planting for Biodiversity and Climate Resilience

Watch the recording HERE.

Watch Anna Fialkoff, from the Wild Seed Project in Portland, Maine, as she explores how gardening with native plants helps foster biodiversity and creates more resilient landscapes. Formerly of the Native Plant Trust in Framingham, MA, Anna highlights the wonderful ecological connections that happen in our own backyards and public spaces when we focus on native plants. Without sacrificing beauty, we can create extraordinary, vibrant habitats for the insects and birds who are essential to a healthy ecosystem. Anna shares many concrete suggestions for planting and for landscape care, all designed to enrich our soils and to help mitigate the stresses of climate change. This talk was presented on October 13, 2022.

The contact person for this action would love to form an Acton, MA area “Native Plant Team” on EnergizeActon.org, where gardeners could share ideas for planting and for sharing our enthusiasm with others. If this talk inspires you to join such a team, please go to the bar at the bottom of this page and click, “Contact Community Admin.” Your message will get through to the correct person.

This event was co-sponsored by EnergizeActon.org, the Acton Garden Club, and the Acton Conservation Trust. Many thanks to the Acton Garden Club for co-hosting this event as part of their special Shirley Towle Lecture Series.

Energy Advocate Training
2022-09-22 17:00 - 2022-10-13 20:00
The first cohort of Energy Advocates is currently in training (Fall 2022). Look for the launch of this service in January 2023. We hope that a second cohort will be trained in the future. Stay tuned!
Would you like to help your neighbors adopt clean energy solutions? The Town of Acton and EnergizeActon.org is looking for volunteer “Energy Advocates”/Community Coaches to join us in helping our neighbors decarbonize our community. Training will be provided by our partners at Abode Energy Management. The volunteer should be committed to reducing residential carbon footprints while remaining sensitive to cost, comfort, architectural, and aesthetic concerns.
The exact details are being worked out, but the training will involve 11 hours over multiple sessions. Please fill out this interest form if you are interested in serving as a Community Coach to help educate fellow Acton residents on electric vehicles (EVs), heat pumps, or solar photovoltaic (PV). Each coach will likely specialize in one of the particular technologies. Having experience with one of the technologies, either in a professional role or through owning one of the technologies yourself, is very welcome. Coaches will provide preliminary education to residents exploring the technologies and will also help support residents throughout the process of exploring and installing the technologies.
If you would like to learn more, please fill out the Energy Advocate Interest Form.
If you have any questions about the coaching role before submitting this interest form, please reach out to sustainability@actonma.gov and ryan@abodeem.com by email.

CLIMATE CAFE: COOL Down with HEAT PUMPS!
2022-08-31 16:45 - 18:00 | Village Works Picnic Tables, Acton, Village Works Picnic Tables, Unit 541 Massachusetts Ave, Acton, Massachusetts, US
Would you like to reduce your carbon footprint?

The Climate Café is a fun and informal gathering where Acton residents can discuss a fossil fuel free future. The idea is to provide a forum where people who have experience in certain areas can share their insights and where folks looking to make changes can ask questions about the process. Each week will be a different focus, with a range of technical and environmental topics.

Upcoming Topics:
July 20, 2022 – Acton Businesses ActOn Climate: Julie Pierce Onos, Development Director for Acton, will be on hand to share new sustainability incentives for Acton businesses and to recognize the folks who are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the business sector. Please join us for a look at this important sector of the Acton community. If possible, please bring a lawn chair.
July 27, 2022 AFTERHOURS! – GET COOL with Heat Pumps! This is our late day version of the Climate Café for working folks, from 4:45pm-6pm. Join Mike Simons of ABODE Energy Management to get an energetic overview of this energy source. Heat pumps are the future of clean energy, and if you heat with oil (especially if you do not have air conditioning), heat pumps can be a really economical solution for getting comfortable cooling and heating. Hear the latest on improved incentives and rebates. Please bring a lawn chair if possible! And don’t forget that the Town’s contract with ABODE means that you can get free consultations about clean energy solutions for your home or business. (Click HERE for the consultation link.)
August 2022 – The Climate Café will take a break for the month of August. We hope to schedule more in the autumn! Look for our upcoming action–“Be Informed with Climate Reseources”–that will include information shared during the Climate Cafés.
Other future topics could include the following.

Electric vehicles

Heat pumps

Solar energy

Battery storage

Plant-based meals

Composting

Induction cooking

Gardening for biodiversity

Creating less waste

Using fewer plastics

And more

Occasionally, there may be an invited quest to start us off, but mostly the sessions will be Acton residents sharing with each other. For now, the Café will be happen weekly on Wednesday mornings at 10:00am, but we hope to expand to later times which might include a brew! For more information or to register, contact ClimateCafe@ActonClimateCoalition.org. Or just drop by the Village Works picnic tables in West Acton (541 Massachusetts Ave), just down from the Acton Coffee House.

This event is sponsored by EnergizeActon.org, a joint effort of the Acton Climate Coalition and the Town of Acton Sustainability Office, to help Acton residents address the climate emergency by becoming informed and acting together.

RECORDING: Acton, Massachusetts Race to Zero
2022-04-05 17:26 - 2023-04-04 23:55
RECORDING: The Town of Acton Joins the Race to Zero
Watch the Recording: Acton, Massachusetts – The Race to Zero

Much of the current action to address the world-wide climate emergency is happening at the local level. This is true in Acton where Town Meeting has passed a Climate Emergency Declaration, a warrant article Building with Clean Energy to make future construction free of fossil fuels, and where the Town is close to prioritizing efforts through the new Climate Action Plan Blueprint. In addition, Acton has joined the Race to Zero. This short video clip features Acton Town leaders and their commitment to help Acton become a resilient, net-zero emissions community by joining the ICLEI 150 Race to Zero.

ICLEI, or the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, was convened in 1990. Since then, the organization has taken many initiatives, including the Green City Index, the Protocol for Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventories, and the Local Government Sustainability Movement. The ICLEI150 and the Race to Zero is a United States effort to help communities reach their 2030 carbon reduction targets, with the aim of climate neutrality by 2050. So far 47 cities and towns have signed onto the pledge and Acton is one of them! The Race to Zero is a plan to develop science-based targets and use ICLEI expertise to help communities choose high impact actions that reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. The aim is to spur the innovation and collaboration needed to achieve a livable climate for future generations.

RECORDING: Air Source Heat Pumps Webinar
2022-04-05 17:02 - 2023-04-04 23:55
Acton Clean Energy Challenge – Air Source Heat Pumps
Watch the recording HERE.

The Town of Acton is working with Abode Energy Management to advance air source and ground source heat pump adoption through customer education and contractor engagement.

This video is of the September 23, 2021 webinar focused on affordable air source heat pumps. If you are a resident or business owner interested in learning more about clean energy options and incentives, you can now do a free consultation with Abode through Acton’s Clean Energy Challenge. And please check out the Heat and Cool: Heat Pumps action information on this website!

RECORDING: Ground Source Heat Pumps Webinar
2022-04-05 16:51 - 2023-04-04 23:55
Acton Clean Energy Challenge – Ground Source Heat Pumps
Watch the recording HERE.

The Town of Acton is working with Abode Energy Management to advance air source and ground source heat pump adoption through customer education and contractor engagement.

This video is of the December 8, 2021 webinar focused on ground source heat pumps (also known as geothermal heating and cooling). If you are a resident or business owner interested in learning more about clean energy options and incentives, you can now do a free consultation with Abode through Acton’s Clean Energy Challenge. And please check out the Heat and Cool: Heat Pumps action information on this website!

RECORDING: Electric Vehicles 101
2022-02-23 09:00 - 2023-02-22 09:00
This event was recorded on January 26, 2022. Watch the recording HERE.
Are you thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle? Start your research and planning with this wonderful overview presented by Drive Green. The Drive Green Team will cover updates on the electric vehicles market, the environmental benefits, consumer tips, basic information about batteries and charging, and the latest on state and federal incentives. Again, watch the video by clicking HERE.
Thank you to our speakers from Drive Green, a program of the Green Energy Consumers Alliance, committed to consumer information about green energy, including home heating and cooling, solar, efficiency, and transportation. This event is sponsored by EnergizeActon, a community website to take action on the climate emergency, created by the Acton Climate Coalition and the Town of Acton.
