SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCE NEWSLETTER

AUGUST 2022

The Town has teamed up with EnergySage, the country’s largest solar marketplace, to help make it easy for you to learn about, shop for, and compare pricing for solar near you! Visit EnergySage to find out how to save up to 20% on going solar. And even if you rent or can’t install solar panels on your roof, you can subscribe to a local solar farm. See nearby available solar farm

projects now! 

Thinking about Heat Pumps?

Heat pumps are an efficient and effective way to heat and cool a home that doesn't use fossil fuels. As prices for heating oil and natural gas continue to respond to the worldwide supply shortage, this is a great summer to investigate whether a heat pump would make sense for your home. Mass Save offers rebates up to $10,000 per home.

Green Energy Consumers Alliance has partnered with Abode Energy Management to provide a vetted list of contractors, discounted $100 expert consultations, and discounted $50 uses of their quote comparison tool. 

Learn more and sign up for a discounted consultation.

Bike to the Farmers Market!

Planning a visit to the Lexington Farmers Market? Ride your bike for fun (and a bit of profit) on Bike to Market Day! 

On the second Tuesday of each month, the Friends of Lexington Bikeways/Bike Lexington host a monthly bike corral at the Lexington Farmers Market. Stop by for bike maps, information about biking in Lexington, or to pick up a reflective safety vest with a donation to Friends. Park your bike with them and receive a $2 coupon that's good at any farmers market booth. 

Swing by between 2:00 and 6:30 pm. Look for the Bike Lexington banner, park your bike, and enjoy the market!

Can I Compost Invasive Plants?

Like most things in life, it depends. Invasive plants can take root in compost. Don't compost any invasives unless you know there is no viable (living) plant material left. Bagging, tarping, drying, chipping, or drowning are all techniques that can be used to render the plants nonviable before composting. Always closely examine the plant before composting and avoid composting seeds. Be especially careful with the following plants that can sprout vigorously from plant fragments:

• Oriental bittersweet
• Multiflora rose
• Japanese honeysuckle
• Phragmites
• Japanese knotweed

More guidance here.

Save Energy in the Heat

It's been a hot summer! It is tempting to blast the A/C, but raising the temperature on your thermostat by just a few degrees can save a significant amount of energy. Use Eversource's Cooling Calculator Tool to understand how much energy your cooling system uses and see the impact of small changes to your temperature settings. 

Looking for more ways to save energy and money at home? Mass Save has tips, tool, resources, rebates, and more.

Compost Drop-off Location Change

Please note that one of the two LexSORT (Lexington Shared Organics Recovered Together) compost drop-off locations has changed. The 173 Bedford Street drop-off location has been moved to the Samuel Hadley Public Services Building (201 Bedford Street).

If you aren't already signed up for the community compost drop-off program, but are interested, you can learn more on our website.

Virtual Event: Cooking from the Garden

Shipping food around the world means more transportation emissions and less local food consumption. Take a virtual cooking class with local chef and resident, Katie Walter, to learn delicious recipes that use late summer produce. Whether you have your own garden, are part of a CSA, or are just hoping to buy produce in season, this class will help you cook with the seasons. 

Tuesday August 30

7:00 - 8:00 PM

Learn more and register for this event put on by Cary Library in partnership with the Town of Lexington's Sustainability and Resilience Office.

Go Green, Bike Smart

Leave the car at home! Gain confidence and learn bike safety tips with a certified cycling instructor.

Saturday, August 20:

Smart Cycling (Adults 16+)

1PM-4:30PM

QUICK LINKS

Questions? 

Maggie Peard

Sustainability & Resilience Officer

(781) 698-4538

mpeard@lexingtonma.gov

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