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Happy New Year, Lexington! We are fortunate to live and work in such a generative community in these difficult times. This is particularly evident in the many ways we're demonstrating care for the environment as we enter the new year:
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- 2021 looks like the year we can turn the corner from using fossil fuels for heating new homes to choosing cleaner electric heat, thanks to the “Clean Heat for Lexington Campaign”.
- We're halfway through a tree canopy assessment that will give us information on how to preserve the trees that make Lexington such a beautiful and healthy place to live; and our Conservation Stewards and CLC continue to provide guides to, and preservation of, our open spaces.
- Our new Director of Sustainability hit the ground running in 2020 and has a number of projects and events that she is spearheading in 2021.
- A new organization, Lexington Living Landscapes, seeks to encourage both private landowners and public land managers to adopt practices that protect our health and environment; and our Field and Garden club gives us inspiration, even in the dark of winter.
- Lexington’s local food movement continues its mission of producing and connecting us to sustainably grown local food as well as providing healthy food to folks in need.
- And finally, LPS Green Teams continue to green our schools and educate our children, even during a pandemic. All this and so much more.
We are so fortunate to have a community that cares, is eager to learn and gets things done! Looking forward to what we can all accomplish in 2021.
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In This Issue – January 2021:
- Lexington Sustainability Director's Report: "Sustaining Lexington"
- Clean Heat for Lexington
- Lexington Field and Garden Club
- Lexington Living Landscapes
- Lexington Farmers' Market
- LPS Green Teams
- Christmas Tree Recycling Reminder
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Happy New Year, Lexington Green Network! 2020 was quite a year, but despite the challenges there was plenty to still celebrate including some wins for the Town. Lexington hired its first Sustainability Director, marking the beginning of a new direction for the town's efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In addition, the youth worked to get Town Meeting to support the declaration of a climate emergency; though that may not sound like a positive, it is a signal that residents are perhaps more passionate than ever, and eager to take bigger, bolder actions to make change for our community and beyond. Cheers to 2021 and continuing to make positive strides to a more sustainable future!
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We have a few events going on this month.
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Hartwell Rezoning Initiative Meetings (2)
The Hartwell rezoning initiative is reaching the final planning stage. Join these two Zoom discussions this month to make sure you're part of the conversation!
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For more information on the vision for the Hartwell Innovation Park, click here.
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Waste Reduction for the Business Community
Learn More About Energy Savings
HomeWorks Energy, the Towns Mass Saves partner, presents information to learn more about getting a Home Energy Audit (HEA) and other ways to save energy and money!
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If you are ready to sign up for a “virtual” home energy assessment call HomeWorks at 781-528-0822 or go to homeworksenergy.com/lexington. For each performed assessment, HomeWorks Energy will make a donation to the Lexington Global Warming Action Coalition.
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Sponsored by Sustainable Lexington, LexGWAC, Mothers Out Front & LPS Green Teams
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Clean Heat for Lexington would like to announce our campaign to transition Lexington from the unhealthy effects of fossil fuels to clean, healthy, and cheaper electric heat, while also helping Lexington meet our climate goals.
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We must begin significantly reducing our greenhouse gas emissions immediately to avoid the worst effects of climate change. We are focusing on the about one-third of Lexington’s greenhouse gas emissions created by burning fossil fuels to heat our buildings. The easiest and most practical place to start reducing those emissions is by electrifying new buildings and gut rehabs of existing buildings. To this end, Sustainable Lexington and Clean Heat for Lexington will be asking Town Meeting to vote this spring to limit the use of fossil fuels in new construction.
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Keep an eye out for upcoming events!
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Electric heat is clean, healthy, less expensive and totally feasible. Please visit our website CleanHeatLexington.org for more details. And please consider joining our campaign!
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Planning for Springtime
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Join Ashley Rooney and Guy Doran to start planning for spring.
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There's already a lot you can do now! Ashley and Guy will show you how to get started with garden catalogs, learning what the new introductions are all about, and answer your gardening questions.
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"Nature's Best Hope" - a Cary Library online talk by University of Delaware professor Doug Tallamy
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Thursday, January 28, 2021, 7:00-8:30PM
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Recent headlines about global insect declines and three billion fewer birds in North America are a bleak reality check about how ineffective our current landscape designs have been at sustaining the plants and animals that sustain us. Such losses are not an option if we wish to continue our current standard of living on Planet Earth. The good news is that none of this is inevitable. Professor Doug Tallamy will discuss simple steps that each of us can – and must -- take to reverse declining biodiversity and will explain why we, ourselves, are nature's best hope.
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Doug Tallamy is a professor in the Department of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware, where he has authored 103 research publications and has taught insect related courses for 40 years.
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Chief among his research goals is to better understand the many ways insects interact with plants and how such interactions determine the diversity of animal communities. His book Bringing Nature Home: How Native Plants Sustain Wildlife in Our Gardens was published by Timber Press in 2007 and was awarded the 2008 Silver Medal by the Garden Writers' Association. The Living Landscape, co-authored with Rick Darke, was published in 2014. Doug's new book Nature's Best Hope released by Timber Press in February 2020, is a New York Times Best Seller. Among his awards are the Garden Club of America Margaret Douglas Medal for Conservation and the Tom Dodd, Jr. Award of Excellence, the 2018 AHS B.Y. Morrison Communication Award and the 2019 Cynthia Westcott Scientific Writing Award.
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Co-sponsored by the Cary Library Foundation and by Lexington Living Landscapes, a partnership of Sustainable Lexington, the Lexington Field and Garden Club, Lexington Global Warming Action Coalition, and Citizens for Lexington Conservation to promote sustainable landscaping in Lexington. Learn more at www.lexingtonlivinglandscapes.org.
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For more information and to register, click here. Professor Tallamy is an excellent speaker. Please mark your calendar and join us!
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Shop Locally for Healthy Food...
... and support your favorite LFM farmers and vendors by visiting https://www.lexingtonfarmersmarket.org/find-local-food/. You'll find ways to stay connected with LFM farmers and vendors in the coming months, including direct links and information for home delivery, shipping, and alternate pickup locations. The LFM will be doing our best to update this online list of farmers and vendors as we are notified of changes.
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Keep checking back for the latest news!
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The Lexington Farmers' Market Is Hiring!
We are looking for a dedicated individual to serve as the Market Manager for the LFM's seasonal markets held throughout the year.
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A valued community institution entering its 17th year, the LFM is seeking an energetic, welcoming and professional individual who can work both independently and as part of a team committed to providing access to local, healthy food. This is a year round, paid part-time position; see job description for more details.
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Please send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]; we look forward to hearing from you!
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Cleaning Out While Staying Green
With the New Year, are you clearing out and making room in your closets?
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- If the items are ripped or threadbare, drop them off in the Bay State Textile Box at Diamond. The town earns funds from the materials including not only clothes but shoes, belts, and those gloves and socks with no mates.
- If the clothes are still wearable you can get cash by dropping them off at consignments shops like Plato's Closet in Waltham.
For those of us ready to pass on our well-loved toys, books and games, consider donating to those in need.
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Watch an Inspiring Movie This Break
Instead of watching that Marvel movie for the third time, how about choosing at least one movie to watch with your child to learn more about the planet, the environment and climate change? Here are three recent movies we suggest. Enter 2021 with some new knowledge and inspiration to make some change!
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The Story of Plastic (Amazon): "..takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has had on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it. Spanning three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields of garbage, veritable mountains of trash, rivers and seas clogged with waste and skies choked with poisonous emissions from plastic pollution and processing."
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Happy holidays and wishing you a peaceful and green 2021 from the LPS Green Teams!
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Christmas Tree Recycling Reminder
Town of Lexington will pick your old Christmas tree up for composting at Hartwell. Curbside pick up will occur the first week of January. Just remember to remove ornaments, lights, tinsel and any other objects and place separately from trash and recycling. No Plastic Bags!
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If you are looking for another clever solution for your tree you might give it to someone who has goats! Check out this article from the Boston Globe for places that take them.
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Would you like to submit an environmental event or activity?
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Please forward to your network!
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