SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCE NEWSLETTER

November 2023

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Dig into the Energy Use of Lexington's Largest Buildings

Big buildings use a lot of energy! That's why Town Meeting passed a Building Energy Use Disclosure bylaw that requires all buildings over 25,000 square feet to annually report their energy and water use. Energy use transparency is an essential first step towards finding solutions to reduce energy consumption in order to meet our local and state climate goals. Lexington is the first town in Massachusetts to implement such a policy, following the lead set by Boston and Cambridge and other major cities around the country.

The first reporting cycle covered energy and water use in 2022. In its first year, the program saw a 85% compliance rate of property owners reporting their data. Together, the 95 buildings that reported their data accounted for 73,727 metric tons of carbon dioxide. That's equivalent to over 9,000 homes' energy use for a year!

A summary of the reported data is coming soon, but in the meantime, take a minute to explore the data available through the new interactive map. Experiment with filters or access the raw data if you want to learn more.

Test Your Recycling Knowledge

Do you find yourself asking "Can I recycle this?". Recycling is a highly effective way to divert waste from landfills and incinerators if it is done right, but it's common to hear mixed messages about what can and cannot be recycled.

Test your knowledge and get the facts on the Recycle Smart website. You can use the Recyclopedia tool to search over 800 common household objects and find out how to dispose of them properly.

Looking for more ways to divert your household waste? Start composting!

LexElectrify Energy Fair: A Great Success

This past Saturday, the Town, LexCAN, and Lexington Sustainable Youth hosted the LexElectrify Energy Fair. It was an opportunity for residents to connect with local organizations, vendors, and neighbors to get the information they need to move away from fossil fuels in their own homes and transportation systems. The event featured an electric vehicle showcase, and induction stovetop cooking demo, an "Electrical Panel" discussion, and dozens of vendors/organizations.

In case you missed it, explore these LexElectrify resources so you can take a step to make your home more efficient, more resilient, healthier, and better for the climate.

LexElectrify is a partnership between the Town of Lexington Sustainability & Resilience and LexCAN.

Request a LexElectrify Lawn Sign

Have you taken a climate-friendly step you'd be willing to talk to your neighbors about? Invite neighbor-to-neighbor learning by displaying a lawn sign at your home that shares what steps you have taken:

• Weatherizing your home
• Installing solar
• Installing heat pumps
• Using an electric vehicle

Maybe all four! By displaying a yard sign outside your house, you make climate action visible and invite neighbors to learn more about what they can do.

Get a Yard Sign

1. Send an email to lexcleanheat@lexingtonma.gov to get a yard sign
2. Check the boxes for the actions you have taken
3. Display the sign outside your home and talk to your neighbors!

Coming Soon: Next Session of ZeroToGo Takeout Program

The next session of the ZeroToGo reusable takeout container program is coming soon with additional restaurants! Sign up for the LexZeroWaste newsletter for updates.

ZeroToGo is a pilot program for reusable takeout intended to significantly reduce the use of single-use plastic containers. The program is a partnership between LexZeroWaste and USEFULL, who is providing the software to manage the tracking of reusable containers as they are received from and returned to participating restaurants.

The pilot program began in Spring 2023 with participating restaurant Royal India Bistro, and continued through September 1st.

EVENTS

The Pumpkin Smash is sponsored by the Town of Lexington and the LPS Green Teams.

Pumpkin Smash!

Wondering how to get rid of your pumpkins after Halloween? You could put them in with your yard waste or compost, but how much more fun would it be to smash it? Join us at Lincoln Park to dispose of your pumpkin in a fun AND responsible way. All smashed pumpkins will be composted by Black Earth Compost.

Friday, November 3

11:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Lincoln Park

When you compost your pumpkin, you are:

• Reducing waste and greenhouse gas emissions
• Contributing to creating healthy soils

Pumpkins of any size are welcome, but please remove candles, paint and glitter.

Safely Dispose of Hazardous Waste

Lexington is lucky to be home to the Minuteman Household Hazardous Product Collection Facility. You can help protect the environment by properly disposing of hazardous products at monthly collection days.

Saturday, November 5

9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Hartwell Compost Facility

60 Hartwell Ave

The full list of accepted items can be found on the Town website. Pre-registration is required to drop of waste.

This event is co-hosted by Cary Library and Lexington Living Landscapes.

Creating Landscapes for Bird Diversity with Claudia Thompson

Our landscapes have a tremendous impact on bird diversity, and with so many native bird populations in steep decline, understanding their needs is more important than ever. Join us as Claudia Thompson explores the essential principles for creating avian friendly landscapes, from native plants to landscape structure to the pros and cons of birdfeeders, nest boxes, and the design of our built environment. Every landscape matters and each of us can make a difference!

Monday, November 6

7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Virtual

Claudia Thompson founded Grow Native Massachusetts in 2010 and served as the organization’s President and Executive Director through its first decade, simultaneously becoming recognized nationally as a leader in the native plant movement. Her work as a landscape ecologist is also deeply informed by her personal experience over three decades, transforming her relatively small urban garden into rich habitat where she has documented more than 80 species of birds.

Get Your Kids Riding Public Transportation

A quarter of Lexington's greenhouse gas emissions come from the transportation sector. Mainly from people driving cars. Opting for public transportation is a key climate solution! For young people especially, learning how to navigate public transportation can also increase independence.

The Transit Explorer series will help youth (6th-12th grade) learn how to get around via Lexpress and our local MBTA buses. Both sessions cost $10 per participant and require registration.

Transit Explorer: MBTA (6th - 12th grade)

Friday, November 17

1:00 - 4:00 PM

Community Center

Transit Explorer: Lexpress (6th - 12th grade)

Friday, December 1

1:00 - 4:00 PM

Community Center

QUICK LINKS

Questions? 

Maggie Peard

Sustainability & Resilience Officer

(781) 698-4538

mpeard@lexingtonma.gov

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