The Town of Wellesley is receiving recognition from the Commonwealth for its cutting-edge initiatives in food recovery, rooftop solar, greenhouse gas emissions reduction and other programs to help reduce the town’s environmental impacts. Wellesley is one of eight municipalities, state agencies, public higher education institutions, and public sector individuals honored on Dec. 6, 2018, with a Leading by Example Award that highlights leaders in the areas of clean energy and sustainability.
The Leading by Example (LBE) program is administered by the Department of Energy Resources (DOER) in collaboration with local and state government agencies, colleges and universities. The 12th annual awards were presented by DOER Commissioner Judith Judson and Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Commissioner Carol Gladstone at a Statehouse ceremony on Thursday, December 6.
Wellesley’s LBE Award recognized, among other initiatives, these specific programs:
- An innovative surplus food rescue program that donates food to a local non-profit to support families in need;
- A food waste diversion program at Wellesley’s Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF);
- The recent LED streetlight retrofit project by the Wellesley Municipal Light Plant;
- Wellesley’s active Sustainable Energy Committee;
- A solar initiative resulting in rooftop solar on 98 residences;
- Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions at municipal buildings by more than 24% in the past decade.
“This Leading by Example Award is gratifying recognition of Wellesley’s town-wide efforts on energy conservation, greenhouse gas emissions reduction, food rescue, and sustainable materials management,” said Laura Olton, Chair of Wellesley’s Sustainable Energy Committee.
“The SEC looks forward to continued collaborations with municipal departments, boards and committees, grassroots organizations and volunteers who have demonstrated such vision and commitment to making Wellesley a more sustainable community.”
To see the direct impact of one of the town’s more visible efforts, watch this video on the LED streetlight retrofit project.
In addition to the Town of Wellesley, LBE Awards were presented to the City of Salem in the municipal category, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council in the state agency category, Salem State University and UMASS Amherst Landscape Services in the public high education category, and Thomas Philbin of the Town of Westwood and James Latini and his team at the Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Capitol Complex Operations Team in the individual categories
Learn more about the Leading by Example Awards here.