Fall Film Series Continues at Athol Public Library
November 1 from 7-9 p.m. — The second film in this series continues with Requiem for the American Dream. This film features Noam Chomsky who spent time interviewing many people who bring insight to growing inequality in the United States. This film gives viewers a background on 
policies that allow having the concentration of wealth and power in the hands of a few. Tim Downs, a professor of environmental science and policy at Clark University, will lead a discussion following the film. The Reverence, Resistance, Resilience Film Series is a collaboration with the Athol Public Library and North Quabbin Energy. Please call Athol Library at 978-249-9515 to reserve a spot.
Work by Town Energy Committees Call for Action
Orange Town Energy Committee is calling on residents to attend the Fall Special Town Meeting on Thursday, October 26th at 7 p.m. at Orange Town Hall and to vote YES on the Stretch Energy Code so the town can move forward with a Green Communities Designation Grant Application this year.
Royalston Energy Committee has their Fall Special Town Meeting on Friday, October 27th and is also asking people to vote YES on the Stretch Energy Code.
Both of these North Quabbin towns have attempted in the past to meet the five requirements for Green Communities Designation. In 2017 the MA Base Energy Code and the Stretch Energy Code were updated. Both codes are very similar, but a town still has to adopt the Stretch Energy Code, which is no longer much of a stretch, and applies only to new construction. Once a town submits an application to the MA Department of Energy Resources (DOER), the town can receive a grant to help with energy efficiency and conservation in town buildings. This can help both towns Orange and Royalston to meet their Energy Reduction Plan of 20% over 5 years. Other towns in the North Quabbin region who have benefited from Green Communities Designation include Athol, Erving, New Salem, Petersham, Warwick and Wendell.
Warwick Building and Energy Committee — Warwick was accepted into the Green Communities program in 2014 with a $137,850 grant. The bulk of the grant was spent on air sealing and added insulation in town owned buildings (except the school), and so far, coupled with the work that was done prior to the grant, heating oil use is down about 53% on average over the last 10 years, and electricity is down roughly 10%.
Most of the remaining money was spent on High Efficiency Air-Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) for the police station, the town hall, and the highway garage office. Electricity use dropped in half in the police station with the heat pump replacing the resistance baseboard for heat. Warwick’s next (big) project will be to integrate our elementary school into the Green Communities program, as well as work together with other towns in the PVRSD to address the energy waste in all of the schools in the districgt.
Wendell Energy Committee – Members are working on a project to bring a community solar coop to Wendell. This project is moving forward with help from Northeast Solar. Residents living in one of the surrounding towns will also be able to buy into this coop. People buying into the solar coop will own a portion of a local clean energy project. Contact: energycommittee@wendellmass.us or destone99@gmail.com
Athol Energy Committee – Some members of the Athol committee are working on getting ready for the town’s ban on single use plastic bags in January, 2018.
Mass Save – Free Energy Assessments — For a limited time, you may be eligible to receive higher incentives on approved insulation improvements in addition to having air leaks sealed in drafty areas of your home at no-cost.
| 75% off insulation * (Limited time through December 31, 2017) * No limit of project cost |
Project Cost Example: $3,500 Incentive: $2,625 Customer Payment: $875 |
Call 866-527-7283 to schedule a free energy assessment.
Mass Solar Connect — It’s your last chance to register for Mass Solar Connect before the program wraps up on 10/31/17. It takes just 5 minutes to register and see if solar is right for your home. Once you register, you have absolutely no obligation to buy (that’s why we love it). You’ll receive bids through EnergySage. Compare side by side and, should you choose to install solar, you’re likely to save 10-20% through this competitive bidding process. www.massenergy.org/solarconnect 888-838-4638