Climate Action Day, featuring “Ms. G,” the Official Groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, returns as a virtual event at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary with a new focus on climate science and weather on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. on Facebook Live (@massaudubondrumlinfarm). Climate Action Day 2022 will include a livestream view of Ms. G’s weather “forecast,” along with insights into how New England wildlife survive the winter and information about how the changing climate impacts their habitat.
This year’s virtual gathering will be co-hosted by Mass Audubon President David O’Neill and Renata Pomponi, Senior Regional Director. “Our warming planet is the most pressing environmental threat of our time,” O’Neill said. “A huge focus of our work, from the programs run at our wildlife sanctuaries, to our land conservation and restoration priorities, and our advocacy on Beacon Hill, is on addressing climate change.
- Touch a Truck — Kids of all ages will enjoy touching, climbing, exploring, and learning about big trucks and emergency vehicles at this free community event.
- Curling demonstration — Join folks from the Broomstones Curling club at 1 p.m. to learn all about this fun Olympic sport.
- Skating — Bring your skates and take a spin around the community ice rink.
- LincFam will offer hot cocoa to help you warm up.
- Demonstrations:
- The Green Energy Committee will show you ways to make your home more energy-efficient.
- The Lincoln Conservation will host an Enviroscape tabletop display.
Grab your friends and come join the fun in Lincoln’s First Snow Soccer Tournament. Teams of 7 will compete together to win the coveted Lincoln Snowball Cup. This event is free and all ages and abilities are welcome. If there isn’t enough snow cover for snow soccer, the format will change to Human Foosball. Please register in advance by contacting Craig Nicholson with Lincoln Youth Soccer at craigmnicholson@gmail.com. Free.
The Lincoln Green Energy Committee (GEC) and the Green Energy Consumers Alliance are hosting an electric vehicle Zoom presentation as part of the GEC’s EV 2022 campaign. There will be a question and answer period at the end of the Zoom. This event will be on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at noon. Click here to register and get the Zoom link. Learn more about EVs on this GEC page or this GECA page.
Registration is now open for a screening of “Kiss the Ground” followed by a speaker panel on Tuesday, Feb. 15 (film starting at 6 p.m., speakers at 7 p.m.). The 2020 documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson looks at a “new, old approach” to farming called regenerative agriculture. The speakers will be:
- Ryland Englehart, co-founder of Kiss the Ground
- Mohammad Hannan, owner of Hanna Agro Farms in Lincoln
- Rachel Neurath, soil microbial ecologist
- Pete Lowy, manager of Codman Community farms
The film is sponsored by the new Healthy Soils/Livable Future working group that includes members of Codman Community Farms, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and Mothers Out Front. Healthy Soils Series workshops will be combination in-person (at Codman Farm) and online in March, April, and May (details TBA). Click here to register for the February 15 event (“Kiss the Ground” can be viewed for free any time from February 12–15). Click here for other Codman Community Farms events.
The Green Energy Committee is hosting several heat pump information sessions. The first will be Sunday, Feb. 27 at 2 p.m. and will focus on condominiums in Lincoln. Click here to register. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
- Week of April 18–22 — Individuals and groups are encouraged to self-organize cleanups. Trash bags will be available for pickup in advance, as well as drop-off locations.
- Friday, April 22 — Conservation staff will lead two group cleanups from 10 a.m.–noon. At 1 p.m., we’ll gather at Lincoln Station for a celebration with local groups, including Farrington Nature Linc. Enjoy family-friendly activities, treats, information about Earth Day, climate change, and more. Each participating group/household will receive a free Earth Day Serviceberry Seedling at the celebration while supplies last. Our hope is to have community members sharing their cleanup efforts and Earth Day messages on the OuterSpatial app. Please complete this form if you’d like to participate so we can provide support, supplies, and more details as the event approaches.
- Week of April 18–22 — Individuals and groups are encouraged to self-organize cleanups. Trash bags will be available for pickup in advance, as well as drop-off locations.
- Friday, April 22 — Conservation staff will lead two group cleanups from 10 a.m.–noon. At 1 p.m., we’ll gather at Lincoln Station for a celebration with local groups, including Farrington Nature Linc. Enjoy family-friendly activities, treats, information about Earth Day, climate change, and more. Each participating group/household will receive a free Earth Day Serviceberry Seedling at the celebration while supplies last. Our hope is to have community members sharing their cleanup efforts and Earth Day messages on the OuterSpatial app. Please complete this form if you’d like to participate so we can provide support, supplies, and more details as the event approaches.
Ever wonder whether and how you personally can make a difference in the quest to reduce waste? Join us for a free Zoom workshop featuring Stephanie Miller, author of Zero Waste Living: The Busy Person’s Guide to a Lighter Footprint. The session will focus on the importance of “recycling right” and help participants identify what’s recyclable and what’s not. We’ll delve into the recycling waste streams by material: metals, glass, paper/cardboard, and plastics. Click here to register.
Learn to eat nutritiously, reduce food waste, and stretch your shopping budget when cooking for one. Senior Living residence chefs will show us how to prepare several tasty Mediterranean-style meals from a short list of cost-effective, brain-healthy ingredients. Please RSVP by calling 781-259-8811 by May 11.
Tired of dragging out your window air conditioners every year? Looking for the most comfortable, cost-effective way to cool your home? Join the Green Energy Committee on Sunday, May 15 at 2 p.m. for a webinar all about air-source and ground-source heat pumps, the most climate-friendly home heating and cooling options available today. We’ll cover the ins and outs of replacing an old, inefficient system or adding a brand-new a supplemental unit or a whole-house system to your home. Dandelion Energy, a ground source heat pump installer, will answer questions, and you can hear from your neighbors about their experiences with heat pumps. Click here to register for this Zoom meeting.
There will be a Lincoln trail-use public forum held on Zoom on Wednesday, May 18 from 7–8:30 p.m. sponsored by the Lincoln Conservation Commission and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust. The two organizations have completed a comprehensive review of the multiple uses of Lincoln’s trails and how best to manage them for the protection of open space and overall public benefit. Over the last year, they’ve sought public comments and feedback regarding ways people use and enjoy our open spaces and trails.
At the forum, the Conservation Commission will review the process we used to evaluate changes in allowed trail uses, present draft trail use regulations, and discuss proposed changes to our trail biking map and dog walking rules. Additional comments will be sought during and after this meeting. Afterwards, the commission will post the draft trail-use regulations on the Conservation Department website. Submit any comments to the Conservation Department (conservation@lincolntown.org or 781-259-2612) by Tuesday, May 25. Click here for the May 18 Zoom link.
This presentation will review what we know about driver safety for seniors, how to keep driving safely, and the warning signs that may signal it is time to retire from driving. Beth Dugan, an Associate Professor of Gerontology at UMASS Boston, is actively investigating healthy aging She serves on the Governor’s Council to Address Aging Issues in Mass., has been a guest on WGBH, and is author of The Driving Dilemma: The Complete Resources Guide for Older Drivers and Their Loved Ones.
The Lincoln School’s eighth-graders are getting ready to graduate. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to have dances or bake sales again this year, which are the usual sources of funds, so they need to do some serious fundraising to support the cost of the graduation celebration and the traditional class gift to the school. They will hold a car wash on Saturday, May 21 at the Town Hall from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. (rain date: May 22). Click here to purchase a ticket ($20) and/or make a donation. This is their one opportunity to raise the needed funds, so please consider making a donation. This cohort has been particularly impacted by COVID, missing out on all the major middle school field trips, dances, and many enrichment activities, so we really hope to make this an extra-special graduation.