Local solutions to climate change.
Repair events are back after a long pandemic hiatus!
Join us to celebrate at the Great Falls Farmers Market, where you can get your bike tuned up while learning how to do it yourself. A big thank you to Nik and the fine folks at Sadie’s Bikes, as well as our returning volunteer Chris Wise for donating their time and expertise to the cause.
Join us on Saturday, November 16th, from 10 am – 2 pm at the Montague Common Hall, 34 Main Street in Montague Center. We’ve got some new offerings this time around including knife and tool sharpening and simple sewing (patches, mending, seams, hems, and rips). Red Fire North will have food for sale, and Logan McFadden of Build Repair Grow will show kids ages 10 and up how to sew a patch by hand or with a machine.
Of course you are still welcome to bring lamps, toys, tools, small appliances and small furniture in need of repair. Our friendly fixers will be glad to lend a hand. Please do not bring computers, microwaves, major appliances, large furniture, items that need welding, or anything under warranty.
This is a free event with a suggested $5 donation for successful repairs to support future fix-its.
A big thanks to our hosts at the Montague Common Hall for graciously sponsoring this event! Hope to see you there.
We are happy to be co-sponsoring this important series presented by the Greater Quabbin Food Alliance. Join us on Wednesday, November 6th, 5:30 pm at the Brick and Feather Brewery in Turners Falls for a FREE presentation and discussion about Food Waste Solutions for Your Business, Catered Meetings, and Monthly Events.
Drawdown Montague has been working with the Franklin County Solid Waste Management District to bring this forum to Turners Falls in hopes of encouraging our town and local businesses to ramp up their composting efforts, following a successful pilot of compostable cups at the Shea Theater.
Check out the full agenda and get your (free) tickets here.
On Thursday, October 10th, landlords, renters and homeowners are invited to a workshop, How to Make Your Apartment or Home Comfortable Year Round, from 6:30pm-8pm, in the Great Hall of the Discovery Center.
Landlords will learn about incentives to make their buildings more efficient & comfortable, for lower tenant turnover, by tapping into big incentives for capital improvements such as insulation and efficient heating.
Tenants will hear how to make their apartments cozier and waste less money on energy, from program giveaways like LED light bulbs and efficient refrigerators.
Brought to you by Drawdown Montague, Community Action Pioneer Valley, the Center for EcoTechnology & the Montague Energy Committee.
Sally Pick, SJP Environmental Consulting
This weekend’s heat wave is making headlines–it’s affecting two-thirds of the continental United States! High temperatures impact not only human health; they also change the way that the utilities generate electricity. To meet the unusually high spikes in “peak” electricity demand that last several hours during a heat wave, utilities turn on old “peaker plants” which burn the most polluting and most expensive fossil fuels, oil and coal.
These peak demand times account for only 10% of the hours of electricity used but are responsible for 40% of our electricity costs, according to the Green Energy Consumers Alliance. The fossil fuel peaker plants spew carbon emissions, contributing to global warming. They also exacerbate the more immediate health impacts of poor air quality that come with high temperatures, because of other pollutants that dirty fossil fuels generate.
Here are some ways you can help reduce peak electricity use during the hottest times of the day when commercial businesses and industry are still operating, and people come home, turn on their A/Cs and run a variety of appliances and electronics. Peak hours are typically between 3-8pm or so.
Strategies for lowering peak electricity demand:
Want a reminder that it’s a peak use day? The Green Energy Consumers Alliance has a program called Shave the Peak. You can sign up for alerts here. When you sign up, you’ll get an email or text (you can give them your preference) telling you that it’s a peak energy day and letting you know when it’s most effective to lower your electricity use.
If you want to see actual, real-time electricity use on our New England electric grid, you can look at the system load graph. Toward the middle of the page is a chart showing the mix of fuels generating our electricity. On a peak energy day, you can watch for oil and coal sources joining the mix in late afternoon to see for yourself when peaker plants are added to our electric generation mix.
Landlords and tenants in the villages of Montague are invited to join your neighbors for a free workshop on Monday, June 24th, from 6:00 – 7:15 pm at the Great Hall of the Great Falls Discovery Center in Turners Falls.
You’ll learn about free energy assessments, 75% off insulation, free light bulbs, and, for buildings with tenants whose income qualifies, free replacement refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners, dehumidifiers and complete weatherizing. And, you can sign up at the event to start receiving these incentives.
Landlords benefit by improving their properties and making their apartments more comfortable, healthier, and more affordable to live in. That means tenants are likely to stay longer. You’ll also get a range of incentives for capital improvements to your buildings. Tenants, you’ll learn about the energy-saving incentives available to apartment dwellers and how to access those incentives.
The workshop includes free food and beverages. Se habla espanol. Landlords and tenants from other towns are welcome.
This event is brought to you by Drawdown Montague together with Community Action Pioneer Valley, the Center for EcoTechnology, and the Montague Energy Committee.
Joins us at the Great Falls Farmer’s Market for a free bike repair clinic!
See below for our full calendar, and scroll down for more info about upcoming events.
Join us on Sunday, March 31st, from 12-4 pm at Element Brewing Company in Miller’s Falls. We’ve been working closely with the highly esteemed, community-minded fixery group Repair Public to bring you delicious food, delectable brews, and a chance to fix your broken stuff. A big thanks to our hosts Ben and Dan at Element! See you soon.
