Turning Words Into Conversation and Action

It's Earth Day and everyone is talking about climate change. But they don't do it every day. And that's a problem. In Weston, in addition to taking action in our own lives for the greater good, we need to be talking about climate change, too.

Let's Talk About Earth, Baby

In 2019 "Climate Emergency" was the Word of the Year. But with COVID, news coverage of climate change plummeted by 50% in 2020. Two things remain true:

Experts tell us we have less than a decade to take bold action and avoid the most dire impacts of climate change.
Studies also show that 90% of people trust friends and family for information.

Put those two together, and you can have a conversation about climate change that leads to awareness and action.

KLA, the consultant assisting us with the Weston Ahead Climate Action and Resilience Plan, has provided us with a quick quiz to show the power of your words and a Climate Conversation Guide to help us start a very necessary conversation about climate change. This guide provides the climate connections to various interests to help start the conversations, such as real estate, health and equity.

Let's Take Action

Below are more ways you can make an impact in moving #WestonAhead. Small changes to your everyday can add up.

Great Tips to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Reducing what goes into the garbage bag is a change you can make that can have a huge impact, such as utilizing reusable grocery bags instead of paper or plastic.

The following are more ideas for you to help you make those small changes:

Reduce Water Consumption - Weston on a whole uses a lot of water. A lot. There are pretty minor and major things you can do inside and outside the home to reduce household water usage.

Stop Junk Mail - there are online resources to help you unsubscribe from prospect mailings and catalogs. You can also contact the companies you do business with and request to be removed from their catalog mailing list.

Recyclopedia - if you have no clue if its recyclable, donatable or total junk, try this online reference tool. Just type in the name and it will tell you what to do with it. Even if you think it's something that can be recycled, you might learn that it's not, which will greatly reduce contaminated hauls.

Composting - food waste and scraps are heavy and they take up a lot of room in the garbage bag, yet this is organic material that is gardening gold - if not for you, then for others - but most importantly keeping it out of the garbage bag is best for everyone.

Textiles - did you know that 95% of textiles can be reused? Those throw rugs, worn out sheets, faded curtains, beat up sneakers, flat pillows, holey socks, backpacks, blown-out jeans and pants, stuffed animals and so much more that you don't think can be used by anyone can actually be recycled into other products such as stuffing, insulation, wiping cloths, and more. There is money in reselling these items. Goodwill takes it and so does the Transfer Station.

E-Waste - cords and chargers, remotes, computer peripherals, TVs, radios, digital cameras, printers, fax machines, and other electronic devices don't need to go into the trash bag either. They're recyclable and the Transfer Station has a collection trailer for it all.

Furniture/Household Goods - generally speaking, it can be fixed up, repurposed, or donated. There's a growing business in flipping furniture, too. Find organizations that will take it or find an online resource for getting rid of it.

Slash Trash Talk - MetroWest Climate Solutions has a series of climate positive talks. The Slash Trash talk from March is with Kristi Pecci is a good one for finding more you can do to keep the garbage bag less full.

Weston Town Cleanup

Lots of great participation last week in the 4th annual cleanup. Visit the group Facebook page to see participants' photos of their collection. Or read the Town Crier article about the mid-way update.

A great way to give back to our Mother Earth is litter cleanup. Litter can get washed into our storm drains and waterways, where it can damage the ecosystem and water quality. Sustainable Weston Action Group won't mind taking more pictures, too. All of Weston benefits when we all participate in this annual event.

Earth Day Celebrations with Land's Sake

Look What Our Friends at Land's Sake is Up To

Land's Sake is celebrating Earth Day AND its Birthday this week with a week-long Virtual Earth Day Celebration culminating in a big Earth Day community event on the farm on Saturday from 10 to 2pm.

The virtual celebration is such a treat, especially seeing the video from its 30th anniversary in 1991.

The event on Saturday will have demonstrations and education stations including composting, garden prepping, pollinator gardening, forestry, land management, and the farmstand will be open with local artisan wares. Registration is required due to public gathering guidelines so save your spot today!

Excellence in Natural Environment

With Land's Sake looking back on its roots as part of its Virtual Earth Day Celebration, it brought up memories of our shared history and how Weston residents before us worked to protect what we cherish now.

Back in 2014, Weston received an award for excellence stemming from a town-wide survey that resulted in really high marks in resident satisfaction with the town's natural environment. The application submitted to the award panel explains Weston's history in protecting its natural environment. It also underlines the vital importance of #WestonAhead Climate Action and Resilience Plan and how we all must come together to protect the work and vision that came before us.

t's not a long read but it is a really interesting one. Check it out!

Public Comment Period Open

Weston Ahead: Climate Action and Resilience Plan

Climate change has made it clear that Weston needs to take bold action to reduce our contributions and to prepare for the impacts we know are coming. Weston Ahead, our Climate Action and Resilience Plan, examines the town's greatest vulnerabilities, considers how we are contributing to the changing climate, and plots a course toward a more sustainable future.

And we need YOU! This plan pulls together input from across our whole community and we are eager for your final comments.

Visit Weston.org/CARP to find the draft plan. Take notes and list them on the online comment form.

The public comment period is open through April 29th.

Please share this and past issues.
We need to keep the conversation going about climate change.