I just received my “extra” electricity bill from the Green Energy Consumers Alliance. I pay a little extra each month. To give you an idea, I used 234 kWh last month, and under this 25% deal I pay an extra $0.022 /kWh. So the "extra" bill came to $5.15. So for the price of a high end coffee I prevented 197 lbs of carbon emissions! For 2020 we will switch over to 100%!

We installed the Sense monitor a few months ago in order to see exactly where our electricity use was going. As the Sense unit "learned" what was using electricity, we discovered that way too much of it was powering a 40-year old freezer that was much larger than needed. Between the state rebates for removing an old appliance and the savings on electricity of a more efficient new unit, our new freezer will "pay for itself" in less than three years. Recently we have used the Sense unit to figure out how to reduce our minimum "always on" electricity use by 40%. This by itself saves enough electricity for 20% of the daily use of our electric vehicle!

When Satra and I heard about the great DriveGreen deal that the Green Energy Consumers Alliance had made with Marlboro Nissan, we wasted no time. Concerned about climate change, we had wanted to replace our old car with an electric vehicle, and this deal made it a no-brainer. We walked into the dealership, put that deal on the table (bypassing all the sales pressure), and signed.

Once we had picked up our LEAF we boasted about it and the DriveGreen program to all our friends and relatives. A week later, Satra's sister soon surprised us with her own DriveGreen LEAF from Milford Nissan! Here's a family photograph of us and our clean electric cars, taken on a day in February when temperatures reached 70F. How appropriate!

Fast forward to August and we wanted to take a trip to NYC. We have another car that takes gas, but chose to take the LEAF anyway. Officially it has a range of 120 miles, but in summer and if you drive in a certain way (mainly, not above 65 mph), you can tack on another 20 miles. We planned it so we stopped at two fast chargers on the way to NYC. Handy apps show you the closest one and even whether it is in use or not. Each charge to full took a mere 20 (twenty!) minutes, during which we had lunch and a coffee break. On the way back we charged just once - ourselves too, with dinner in the whackiest Chinese restaurant east of the 90. And it was free - the charging, not the dinner.

With some planning, some efficient driving, and just a little bit of extra time, it was no hardship at all! And range anxiety? What's that?

In 2019 MassEnergize started partnering with Pearl Certification, a national program designed to help homeowners capture the value of their home’s environmentally friendly and efficient features when they sell the property.

I was preparing to put my own home in Wayland on the rental market and offered it as a guinea pig for the pilot. . It is a modest ranch that has accumulated many energy-efficiency improvements over the years: insulation and efficient windows, a solar photovoltaic array, solar hot water, an efficient furnace and appliances, and a level-II charger for their electric vehicle.

They sent a local Pearl trained inspector who conducted an in-depth, independent inventory examining the construction techniques, heating and cooling equipment, lighting, and ventilation. Turns out my home met Pearl’s stringent criteria and received a Pearl Gold Certification. They then issued a report showcasing the home’s “green” features and upgrades.

Part of the package were glossy cards explaining the specific benefits of my home’s energy efficiency features. They explained not only the visible features like the solar PV and the solar hot water, but also invisible ones like attic and wall insulation and the high-quality heating system, outlining their benefits in comfort, efficiency, and cost savings.

My realtor used these materials when showing my home, and it was rented out within six days!

If you have an energy efficient home, you’ve invested top dollar. Realtors who tell you that that’s not worth anything on the market are wrong. But those who see the value often do not know how to market them. Pearl helps them do this. Let your realtor know about them, and the process is pretty simple!

I am a regular customer at the Farmers Market. In the summer I go almost weekly for veggies to supplement my farmshare box and my own garden produce, as well as delicious local fruits, bread, cheese, fresh gluten-free pasta, and fresh fish. I go because the food is delicious, super-fresh (often picked that morning) and so nutritious, and because I like to talk to the farmers and support their hard work. I also enjoy the live music - Larry and friends always bring a smile to my face.

In the winter I get all of that, and I also grab a table and chairs in the toasty greenhouse and meet up with friends. We have a snack, or lunch, chat and watch the shoppers and the merchants. It’s the city in the town, once a week.
The picture was taken one winter when my sister and brother-in-law came all the way from Cambridge for the market. We picked up fresh pasta, dried tea, Karma coffee, and a felting project. There is always something for everyone.

Did you know that your food choices have a significant impact on the climate? Eating a plant-rich diet tops most lists of actions individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint. According to Drawdown.org, “healthy, plant-rich diets [are] one of the most impactful solutions” to reduce dangerous emissions.

I recently connected with a local expert. Diana Goldman is a vegan chef, teacher and founder of BeantownKitchen.com. Her site is full of lots of great recipes, helpful information, and high quality videos. I watched her video on making kale salad, and now always take a few minutes to "massage" the kale, making it into a more tender leaf. I make my kale salad with avocados and BBQ sauce, it's super tasty! If you are thinking about eating a more plant-rich diet, check out her website at beantownkitchen.com!