Planner's Passage

Mark Reil, Climate Resiliency and Sustainability Planner

As we wind down the season of transition it is important to reflect on the year. To me winter serves as a time of reflection and hope. We all look forward to those brighter and warmer days ahead in the Spring. As we reflect on 2023 we know that climate change is impacting our world in very real ways. We are on track to have the hottest year ever recorded globally. According the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, October was globally the hottest October since record keeping started 174 years ago and marked the 5th record hottest month in a row.

Plymouth as a community is coming together to adapt and mitigate climate change in ways that we can all participate in. I have seen the people in this Town take strong action towards a more sustainable and resilient community. I am proud to have been a part of these actions and with that, I announce that I am moving on from my work here in Plymouth. It has been an incredible experience seeing passionate, hardworking people recognize the urgent need to take action.

Although, I am leaving Plymouth I am excited to say that Michael Cahill will be replacing me as the new Climate Resiliency and Sustainability Planner. Michael has been working for the Town as a Natural Resource Specialist for 7 years and will take on this new role on December 4th.

There is so much more to do, and I encourage each and everyone of you reading this to get involved in any way you can to advance sustainability and resiliency in your community.

Plymouth's Community Choice Power Supply Program

The Town of Plymouth has participated in a municipal aggregation program since 2017. Over the past 3 years, residents who participated in this program were able to access an affordable electricity rate of 9.807 cents per kWh through a contract with Dynegy. Since the program inception to March of 2023, the participants saved $31 million dollars on electricity as compared to if they received their supply from Eversource.

The Town of Plymouth has signed a 24 month contract with a new electricity supplier, Constellation New Energy. Beginning with the October 2023 meter reads, the Plymouth Community Choice Power Supply Program’s standard product will have a new rate of 14.813 cents per kWh and be a 100 percent green product derived from National Wind Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs).

For Plymouth residents and businesses who are enrolled in the Town’s standard product, the current rate of 9.807 cents per kWh will expire with the October 2023 meter reads and the new rate of 14.813 cents per kWh will take effect. This represents an increase of $30 per month on the supply side of the bill given average usage of 600 kWh. However, it is 8 percent lower than Eversource’s summer Residential Basic Service price of 16.078 cents per kWh and participants are expected to see continued savings compared to Eversource for the months of January 2024 through June 2024. Eversource’s rates will change on January 1, 2024 and will increase to 17.25 cents per kWh. Historically, Eversource’s winter rates have been higher than their summer rates.

It is important to note that no action will be required by individual consumers. This change will be seen on the November 2023 bills. All accounts currently enrolled in the Program will see the new rate and Constellation New Energy printed under the “Supplier Services” section of their monthly bill

Climate Action Plan

The Priority Plymouth plan is on track to become a true living plan that prescribes actionable recommendations for the community to coalesce around. In the past few months, the working group has met and helped to draft the Goals, Strategies and Actions. The Town of Plymouth was awarded a $50,000 planning assistance grant from the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. This funding will provide a deeper level of public engagement and establish implementation blue prints that give the community the tools to carry out the recommended actions.

It's your turn

Eco-Friendly Options for

Melting Ice and Snow

Plymouth Open Space Committee It’s the most wonderful time of the year…until the first storm gifts us with icy sidewalks and slippery driveways. But before you reach for that bag of rock salt to help make the front steps passable, consider this: According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), while rock salt has great melting qualities, it also can damage your lawn and garden, endanger pets and wildlife, contaminate drinking water, corrode your car and wreak havoc on pavers and concrete walkways.

True, rock salt is just extra-large granules of regular table salt which most of us use every day. But salt is highly corrosive and even just small amounts can permanently contaminate water, according to a study by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, and that can have serious repercussions for people, animals and our environment.

Luckily, there are some alternatives to rock salt that will help deal with snow and ice challenges in a safer, more eco-friendly way:

Acetate-based de-icers are gentler than rock salt and chloride-based de-icers. Check your hardware store for products that contain sodium acetate, potassium acetate and calcium magnesium acetate. Be sure to follow application directions so you don’t use more than you need.
Rubbing alcohol mixed with warm water and dish detergent melts ice quickly and effectively. Add ¼ cup alcohol and 6 drops detergent to a half-gallon of warm water and pour or spray your ice away.
Epsom salt is abrasive, so it helps reduce slipping hazards; it also melts ice, although a bit slower than other options.
Sand, kitty litter and sawdust all provide great traction in slippery areas.
Vinegar, with its high concentrations of citric acid, is an excellent melting agent.
Natural fertilizers such as coffee grinds, alfalfa meal and wood ash offer good traction and melting with a bonus: any run-off will help feed your lawn and garden!

If you can’t break the rock salt habit completely, consider reducing the amount you use by adding one of these alternatives to your winter maintenance routine.

Deb Iaquinto, Chair

Climate Action Net Zero (CANZ) Committee- Get Involved!

Seeking 3 New Members and Volunteers

The CANZ committee currently has 3 open seats and the Select Board is seeking interested Plymouth residents to serve on the committee. The committee is working closely with the Climate Resiliency Planner as the Town develops the Priority Plymouth- Climate Action Plan. You can apply for a seat on the committee here.

Additionally, the Committee is seeking volunteers to join their working groups and share their specific expertise in the following areas:

Natural Systems

Waste

Buildings, Energy, and Infrastructure

Transportation

Health, Safety, and Preparedness

Please submit your interest for this volunteer opportunity through this link. You will play an integral role in the success of the implementation of our Priority Plymouth plan.

Changing Tides: Teen Sustainability Club

Plymouth Public Library

Changing Tides: A Teen Sustainability Club is a safe space for young adults, ages 13-18, to have meaningful discussions about sustainability, climate change, and the natural world. Since the pandemic there's more interest in eco and sustainable living among all ages. But, with teens being a valuable asset to our future, this club is a space for young adults to enjoy! We discuss current topics surrounding sustainability from a local and global standpoint. We also have fun activities and crafts, such as intricate weaving projects, simple t-shirt bags, reusable beeswax covers, and worry stones.

Since the term sustainability is so broad, each month we focus on a specific topic under the umbrella of sustainability. Our introductory meeting was each member conversing about their thoughts, feelings, and opinions about climate change. In future meetings, the conversations will be more specific. This includes zero waste, mental health surrounding climate change, greenwashing products, and how crucial pollinators are to the natural world.

Upcoming Meetings:

Tuesday, Dec. 19th @ 6pm , Main Branch

Tuesday, Jan. 30th @ 6pm , Main Branch

Contact Natalie Bennington for additional info at: nbennington@plymouth.ocln.org

Frosty festivities

Mass Audubon

Birding in a Changing Climate: Tidmarsh

Birds are a wonderful vehicle for witnessing cyclic and seasonal changes. In this series, we will meet to appreciate how patterns in weather, climate, and shifting habitats influence the birds that are present at some of our favorite birding destinations.

Join us to take a deeper dive into understanding how and why climate change is having such an impact on birds.

This series meets once a month, on Thursdays, at Tidmarsh Wildlife Sanctuary.

Independent registration is required. Please click this link to register.

Thursday, January 11, 2024

Thursday, February 8, 2024

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Plymouth Public Library

One Book, One Community

Starting November 27, 2023, join local readers of all ages in cracking open a copy of Doug Tallamy’s Nature’s Best Hope.

Learn how to take environmental action into your own hands, starting in your yard.

Tuesday, Jan. 16th @ 7pm - Douglas Tallamy Author Talk, Nature's Best Hope

Visit the library's event page for more info.