The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

“Join” Sustainable Wellesley from the comfort of your own home for a DIY Dinner & Documentary Night!

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What: Watch Forks Over Knives (Available on Netflix or Amazon Prime)

When: Prior to April 22nd

Then: Send in questions about plant based eating, cooking  to [email protected] Feel free to send your favorite plant based meal ideas too!

The Big Event: April 22nd at 7pm – Join a Facebook live session on plant based pantry staples and meal ideas to go with them. Kelly C will share some great online resources, give some meal swaps (bean burgers for beef burgers) and take questions.

We realize that these are challenging times, so we’ve chosen a documentary that focuses on something positive.

Forks Over Knives is a film about the power of eating plants. It’s an uplifting movie that highlights the benefits a plant-focused diet has for cardiac health, cancer rates, and diabetes outcomes as well as the environment.

Released in 2011, this film is so popular that there are now four cookbooks available and its widely credited for popularizing the term “plant-based”.

Forks Over Knives has even compiled dinner recipes that rely on pantry staples, allowing you to stretch out your time between grocery store trips.

They also have a post called 15 things to do with a can of beans – something we’re all wondering these days!

Make yourself a plant-based meal with the lentils, beans or quinoa you’ve been keeping on hand but maybe weren’t sure what to do with, and settle in for a film that will inspire you to appreciate these foods in a whole new way!

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Linden Square, Wellesley
iCode, Wellesley
Wellesley Youth Hockey

Sustainable Wellesley’s Evening With the Candidates & Pot Luck

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Wellesley heads to the polls on March 5 to elect candidates to a variety of important Town Board positions including:

*Moderator
*Selectmen
*Assessors
*Public Works 
*Health
*Housing Authority
*Wellesley Free Library
*Recreation
*Schools
*Natural Resources
*Planning
*Town Meeting

Want to know if they share your values? Hear from them at:

Sustainable Wellesley’s Evening With the Candidates & Pot Luck

Sunday, February 10th
5.30-7.30pm
161 Oakland St
In artist loft above garage

RSVP
[email protected]llesley.com

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Page Waterman, Wellesley
London Harness, Wellesley

Discussion with Jeff Azano-Brown, Wellesley RDF Superintendent

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Don’t miss this opportunity to talk with Wellesley’s Recycling and Disposal Facility Superintendent Jeff Azano-Brown over dessert and coffee.  He will talk about what’s new, including its Food Waste Drop-Off Pilot Program. Learn about the RDF’s business initiatives and how China’s refusal to accept plastic recyclables has affected Wellesley’s recycling program.

This event is free and open to the public.

Unitarian Universalist chapel, 309 Washington St.

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Linden Square, Wellesley

Wellesley gushes over new school drinking fountains

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water-fountain upham
Upham water-filling station

Wellesley High School last year installed a couple of newfangled drinking fountains that let you sip from a stream as usual, or fill up your water bottle via a special spigot. Anecdotally, we’d heard the students weren’t blown away by the advance initially, so I was skeptical when I recently came across a Sustainable Wellesley newsletter item about Upham Elementary School getting such a water dispenser amidst claims that “These have been a huge hit at Wellesley High School, saving thousands of plastic bottles from landfills.”

So I asked for some numbers to back up the claim, and they’re impressive.

The town’s Facilities Maintenance Department points to a digital readout for the first unit, which has diverted what amounts to 24,429 plastic bottles from landfills as a result of students/faculty/staff filling reusable bottles.

The second High School unit, installed in the Cafeteria this past February, saved the equivalent of 18,329 plastic water bottles in an eight-month span, says Joe McDonough, Facilities Director.

The Upham unit, funded by the school’s PTO and installed outside the gym at the start of the school year, has diverted 2,270 plastic water bottles in 7 weeks, he says.

The School Department plans to request at least one of these water dispensers in every school as part of the FY16 capital plan, according to Sustainable Wellesley.

 

 

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State recognizes Hardy Elementary School, Wellesley High green efforts

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Hardy Elementary School and Wellesley High School students and supporters on May 6 went to the State House, where they were honored as part of the 20th Annual Secretary’s Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education program.

Hardy School students, supporters get green award at state houseThe Wellesley Green Schools collaborative of students, parents and staff has worked to reduce the schools’ ecological footprint and inspire the community to be ecologically minded.

Green Schools partnered with the Sustainable Wellesley volunteer group, which has spearheaded green certification for Wellesley Public Schools  (90% of classrooms have been certified and others are close). Efforts have included reading books with eco-friendly themes, recycling, using both sides of paper as well as turning off lights, computers and water when not in use.

Wellesley High students were honored for their “No Idling Campaign”. Hardy School’s Green Team was singled out for certifying classrooms by following a checklist to minimize energy consumption and maximize recycling. 

Overall, the Patrick Administration recognized 22 schools and 5 nonprofits. Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Richard Sullivan doled out the awards.

(Thanks to Rama K. Ramaswamy for passing along the info/photo)

 

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Idle away an hour at Wellesley movie night

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Movie Night!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> Wednesday, April 30, 7:00 pm</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>Whole Foods Market’s Community Room</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>Does the irritating exhaust from idling cars drive you crazy? Idling has a serious impact on our health—and it has legal and financial consequences too!</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>Come watch “IDLE THREAT: Man on Emission,” the story of one man in New York City who has decided to do something about this pesky problem.</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>Wellesley Green Schools and Sustainable Wellesley invite you to a one-hour, award-winning film about George Pakenham, a New Yorker who was tired of sitting “idly by” while the air in his neighborhood filled with exhaust. His inspiring efforts show that one passionate person CAN be an agent of change in combating pollution and global warming!</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>Free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.</p><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> <p>Please email info@sustainablewellesley.com to save your seat!
Wednesday, April 30, 7:00 pm

Whole Foods Market’s Community Room

Does the irritating exhaust from idling cars drive you crazy? Idling has a serious impact on our health—and it has legal and financial consequences too.

Come watch “IDLE THREAT: Man on Emission,” the story of one man in New York City who has decided to do something about this pesky problem.

Wellesley Green Schools and Sustainable Wellesley invite you to a one-hour, award-winning film about George Pakenham, a New Yorker who was tired of sitting “idly by” while the air in his neighborhood filled with exhaust. His inspiring efforts show that one passionate person CAN be an agent of change in combating pollution and global warming!

Free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.

Please email [email protected] to save your seat.

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