Sustainable Stow: Making a Difference
A year ago, this paper announced the new focus and re-naming of a volunteer group in Stow that is helping make Stow a greener community. In the past year, Sustainable Stow, partnering with Green Hudson, has led the HeatSmart initiative to help Stow homeowners convert their homes off fossil fuels and on to modern, clean heat pump technology for heating and cooling. Together, the two town committees have worked with Mass CEC to select qualified contractors, explain the technology to homeowners, and provide information on available incentives and rebates. To date, nearly 200 homeowners have requested an assessment of their homes, and many are moving forward with heat pump projects.
The HeatSmart program has been extended by two weeks and will end January 15, 2020, with a deadline for sign-ups for a free home assessment by November 30. (See HeatSmartHS.org for more information.)
Sustainable Stow is looking ahead to its next projects. Some possibilities being considered include: promotion of electric vehicles, a single-use plastic bag ban, an initiative to improve water quality in the schools while limiting the use of bottled water, and a forum on key climate legislation on Beacon Hill.
Sustainable Stow welcomes new members and is open to other ideas for making Stow greener and more prepared for climate change. The group meets monthly on the third Tuesday night at 7:30 pm, at Randall Library.
