Community Corner
Wellesley Continues to be Only EPA Green Power Community in MA and Third in the Country
Town Honors Those Leading the Way
WELLESLEY’S 3 COLLEGES, SUN LIFE, ALONG WITH OTHER LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT THIS CAUSE TO MAKE THIS A
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MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY TO LIVE AND WORK
September 19, 2013
Find out what's happening in Wellesleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
On Monday Wellesley’s Board of Selectmen honored Babson College, MA Bay Community College, Sun Life Financial and Wellesley College for their leadership role in helping Wellesley become the first and only EPA designated Green Power Community in MA in 2012. Wellesley continues to hold this laudable designation for 2013, as well as having the third highest participation rate -- 11% -- in the country.
To earn the EPA designation, at least 3% of community-wide power use must come from renewable sources. As a result of the POWER TO CHOOSE campaign conducted by the Town’s Sustainable Energy Committee in conjunction with Wellesley’s Municipal Light Plant, the combination of municipal, resident and commercial use of renewable power is estimated at 4.8% of total power use.
At the meeting, Selectman Barbara Searle recognized:
Mary Rose, V.P. Campus and Community Affairs, Babson College
Richard Haskell, V.P. Administration & Finance/CFO, Mass Bay Community College
Marco Brancato, Director of Facilities, Mass Bay Community College
Sara Fabrizio, Director, PR and Financial Communications, Sun Life Financial
Patrick Willoughby, Director of Sustainability, Wellesley College
Searle stated, “The success of the POWER TO CHOOSE campaign would not have been possible without the participation of our partners, Babson College, Mass Bay Community College, Sun Life Financial and Wellesley College.“
The 26 commercial customers purchasing POWER TO CHOOSE energy that comes primarily from the Spruce Mountain Wind Farm in Maine include:
Beacon Hill Athletic Club
Temple Beth Elohim
Greens Hardware
LittleBits
Pine Straw
Toyota of Wellesley
Unitarian Universalist Society
Dr. Janice Washburn
Wellesley Dental Group
Wellesley Friends Society
Starbucks, TD Bank and Whole Foods are also EPA Green Power Partners purchasing renewable power on a national level.
Local businesses and residents continue to support the POWER TO CHOOSE program to make Wellesley a more sustainable community to live and work.
“Buying a portion of our electricity from renewable sources is in keeping with our principles of environmental stewardship,” said Wellesley resident, and Temple Beth Elohim’s Green Team member Robert Cooper. “It is one of the initiatives the Temple’s Green Team has been working on,” Cooper said.
“Using less fossil fuel energy will help limit climate change and reduce pollution,” added Temple Beth Elohim’s Director, Administration and Operations, Judy Cannon.
Wellesley’s POWER TO CHOOSE program encourages residents and commercial customers to voluntarily pay a modest premium to purchase all or part of their electricity from renewable sources. The Selectmen kicked off the campaign by committing the Town to purchase 5% of its power under this program.
“More than 60% of power use in Wellesley is from non-residential customers,” explained Ellen Korpi, Chair of the Sustainable Energy Committee. “Exceeding our goal to gain this designation would have been nearly impossible without the participation of these four major power consumers as well as a number of other commercial accounts,” Korpi said.
Renewable energy is generated from wind, solar, geothermal, bio gas, biomass and low-impact hydro power.
Wellesley residents and businesses can sign up or increase their support of renewable energy at www.WellesleyRenewableEnergy.com or by calling the WMLP at 781 235-7600 x 3366.