Did you know that 60% of Newton’s greenhouse gas emissions come from our homes and vehicles? If each of us takes climate action in our homes, we can make a huge difference in the fight against climate change. Newton has a Climate Action Plan with a goal for Newton to become carbon-neutral by 2050, but it can’t be done without all of our help. The City’s 4 Our Future campaign lays out the top four actions that can help the most in terms of reducing carbon emissions, but every climate action is important and they all add up!
Top 4 Climate Actions
1. Sign up for a home energy assessment and insulate and air seal your home well.
Insulating and air sealing your home is one of the best things you can do to make your home more energy efficient. It helps keep your heat inside, and keeps the cold air from getting in. Sign up for a free home energy assessment with the City’s partner Endless Energy, and you can get this work covered 75-100% through Mass Save. Even renters can do it!
Sign Up For a Free Home Energy Assessment
2. Electrify your heating and cooling system with heat pumps.
Heat pumps can both heat your home in the winter AND cool it in the summer — all with electricity instead of oil or gas. They’re quiet, 3x more efficient than fossil fuel systems, and you can get up to $10,000 in rebates when you install. You may also want to consider a heat pump hot water heater next time yours is due for replacement.
Green Newton partners with Muirfield Mechanical for heat pump installations.
3. Go solar and put solar panels on your rooftop.
Generate your own electricity with solar panels. A system will typically pay for itself in 5-7 years and generate clean, free electricity for the remainder of its 25+ year life. Visit Energy Sage to get quotes from local companies.
4. Green your transportation and make your next car an electric vehicle
Driving electric is a great way to reduce your carbon emissions, and with so many different models on the market now at every price point, there’s an EV for everyone. There are now great Federal and State financial incentives for buying (and leasing!) an EV.
In addition to electrifying your ride, try to walk, bike, and take public transportation when possible.
Learn More About Electric Vehicles
More Things You Can Do
5. Switch from a gas or propane stove to an induction stove or cooktop, upgrade to energy-efficient appliances, and switch out your fluorescent lights for LED bulbs.
6. Start composting in your yard or with a curbside pickup program like Black Earth Compost.
7. Cut down on meat and dairy consumption, particularly beef.
8. Buy less stuff (especially plastic), reuse what you have, and recycle items properly. Click here to learn more!
9. Green your yard by ditching the gas-powered lawn equipment and planting native plants.
10. Opt up to 100% clean energy on your electric bill for a very easy but really big impact.
Together, we can all make a difference!
For upcoming events, local environmental news, and more resources on how to go green and make an impact, sign up for Green Newton’s free, weekly e-news. To support Green Newton’s work to protect the environment and create a more sustainable local community, become a member here.
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