MetroWest Climate Solutions will host a webinar focusing on climate change. To register for either, visit metrowestclimatesolutions.org.
On Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m.,will look at climate-related bills currently under discussion at the State House. Massachusetts has a mandate to reduce carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, so the State Legislature must pass legislation on multiple fronts to make this goal a reality. Casey Bowers, Action Fund Executive Director for the Environmental League of Massachusetts, is responsible for creating and executing the strategy to ensure the policy priorities we need pass the legislature. She will discuss some of the most significant bills before the legislature and their potential impact. The legislative session ends on July 31 so this is the perfect time to reach out to elected representatives to encourage their support for critical climate bills.
SVdP of Lincoln and Weston will also host a family-friendly spring concert on Tuesday, June 4 at 5:30 p.m. on the Weston town green. Enjoy popular melodies performed by Weston High School vocalists and the bluegrass band the Ruta Beggars. Bring your chair or blanket and a picnic. Suggested donation: $25.
New England is currently warming faster than the global average and annual precipitation has increased along with severe rainstorms. Join MetroWest Climate Solutions for their second program on the effects of climate change on Wednesday, June 5 at 7 p.m. when Professor Stephen Young explains the science behind New England’s warming and what impacts this warming is already creating and will create in the future. To register, visit metrowestclimatesolutions.org.
A significant amount of our carbon footprint is generated by the foods we consume. Join Charles Sizer and Vicky Diadiuk at Town Hall or on Zoom on Thursday, June 6 at 7 p.m. as they provide insight on the carbon footprint of your diet and how you can reduce greenhouse gases while also eating a healthier diet in “Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Low-Hanging Fruit and Food Choices.” In-person attendees can take part in a tasting after the lecture that will compare similar foods prepared with different technologies that impact carbon footprint. To register for the Zoom link, click here. This program, part of the “Getting to Zero” series, is hosted by CFREE (Carbon-Free Residential, Everything Electric), a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee.
The Lincoln School eighth-graders will host their annual fundraising car wash Saturday, June 8 at the Town Offices from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (rain date June 9). This is their biggest opportunity to raise funds for a well-deserved graduation celebration and class gift. Purchase your ticket early so we have a sense of the funds available for the expenses. Click here to purchase tickets ($20 per car) and/or make a donation. You can also pay the day of the car wash ($25 cash or check).
The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 23 at 4 p.m. at the Lincoln School’s learning commons. After LLCT members vote in the business meeting, Mark and Marcia Wilson from Eyes on Owls will lead a program where attendees can meet six live owls up close. This live animal program can be enjoyed by people of all ages (5+ is recommended) and young naturalists will be invited to sit on the floor at the front of the room.
After the owl program, LLCT will host a burrito dinner from the Tack Room in the adjacent dining commons. Burritos will be prepared in advance, so we are asking participants to RSVP so we can plan accordingly. Suggested donation for the burrito dinner is $10/person. Click here to learn more and RSVP.
Do you have questions about long-distance travel in an EV (electric vehicle)? Are you worried about indoor air quality but unsure about induction stoves? Is your aging hot water tank inefficient? Do you want to learn more about saving energy with a heat pump dryer? Lincoln Green Energy Coaches are here to help you make a plan! The Lincoln Green Energy Coach program will debut with an event on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Bemis Hall from 1–3 p.m. There will a short introduction about the program with some examples of homes that have reduced their carbon footprint in different ways. Coaches will then be available to discuss different topics from heat pumps to solar PV. Click here to register.
The event is being held in conjunction with the Friends of Modern Architecture tour of three energy-efficient modern homes on the following day. Click here for more information and tickets. The Green Energy Coaching program is sponsored by CFREE, a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee and the Lincoln Climate Action Planning committee.
Friends of Modern Architecture will present a tour of three Modern houses in Lincoln. Homeowners will lead half-hour tours about the sustainable choices they made in building or renovating their houses. A reception with refreshments will follow where you can talk further with the homeowners and experts. Tour space is limited to 75 participants. Tickets are $30 per person. Click here to buy tickets and reserve your place on the tour.
The tour is part 2 of “Future Ready Living: Modern Homes (and Yours) in the Climate Age” that begins with a forum hosted by the new Lincoln Green Energy Coach program on Saturday, Sept. 14 in Bemis Hall from 1–3 p.m.
These gently paced walks are all about the journey, not the destination. They take place on first Tuesdays and mid-month Wednesdays from September 18 through December 11. Click here or more details, dates and locations, and registration.
Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere will hold a webinar on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 7 p.m. on “The SPJE Statewide Campaign: What We’ve Achieved Together & What’s Next.” Speakers include Nobel Prize winner Susan Solomon, MIT professor of atmospheric chemistry and author of Solvable: How We Healed the Earth and How We Can Do It Again, and Neil Rasmussen, president of Save Our Heritage, and Alex Chatfield of the St. Anne’s Climate Justice Ministry. Click here to register.
The public comment period on the proposal has been extended to October 4. On the state Environmental Monitor web page, click on “Projects Under Review” and then “Environmental Impact Reports “in the line under that. The last entry on the list is the Hanscom project. Then click on “Comment” in the right-hand “Actions” column.
The Tour de Codman on Sunday, Sept. 22 will start at Codman Farm and will take cyclists on a nine-mile loop through Lincoln along roads and paths, featuring stops at three remote pastures where farm staff and volunteers will give a short talk on the farm’s sustainable, pasture-based agriculture before returning to the farm. All ages welcome, but cyclists must be comfortable maintaining a 10-12 mph pace along Lincoln’s roads. The route will spend as much time as possible on bike paths and quiet roads. Any bike in good working order should suffice. Bring your own water and snacks for the route, and don’t forget your helmet (required). The total time for the ride (including stops) should be under two hours. Click here to register.
Celebrate and support the tremendous work of The Food Project at its Shindig fundraising lunch at Baker Bridge Farm on Saturday, September 28 from 12-2 p.m. Enjoy locally grown ingredients for your lunch, take part in a variety of farm-related activities for all ages (including light harvesting,) and talk to youth, alumni, staff, and trustees. Click here for more information.
“Author Helen Humphreys in Conversation with Jeffrey S. Cramer” happens on Sunday, Oct. 6 from 2:00–3:30 p.m. at Thoreau Farm (341 Virginia Rd., Concord) and online. Inspired by the life, letters, and diaries of Henry David Thoreau, Humphreys’ novel Followed by the Lark shows how strikingly similar the concerns of the early nineteenth century are to our own, and reminds us to listen for news of change. Click here to learn more and register.
The 12th annual Scarecrow Classic 5K to benefit the LLCT takes place on Sunday, Oct. 20 starting at 9:30 a.m. Participants enjoy a course through Lincoln’s roads and trails, with colorful scarecrows along the route and cider donuts at the finish line. Register by Monday, Oct. 7 to guarantee a Scarecrow Classic Tech Shirt on race day. Pre-registration closes the Friday before the race and limited same-day registrations are available. Learn more and register at scarecrowclassic5k.com. The LLCT is also looking for sponsors and volunteers. Email llct@lincolnconservation.org if you can help.
Lincoln’s Doo family invites everyone to their sixth annual Brain Games for a cornhole tournament, live music, a magic show, photo booth, local beers, raffles, and more on Sunday, Oct. 20 from noon–5 p.m. in Pierce Park. Visit doofamilyfun.com for more information on how to participate and donate to Boston Children’s Hospital research on moyamoya disease, which affects Kalea Doo.
Fall measures such as composting, “leaving the leaves,” and sheet mulching nurture inset life and soil while avoiding use of fossil fuels for leaf-blowing. Join Lincoln Common Ground (part of Mothers Out Front Lincoln) and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. for a Zoom discussion on “Leaving the Leaves and More: A Community Q&A about Eco-gardening Practices.” Click here to register for the Zoom link.
Several interfaith experts will discuss on how their religious tradition understands God’s mercy and God’s justice at St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church. Specific questions to be addressed include whether God is merciful, just, or both, and who receives God’s justice and mercy. Speakers will be:
- Mohamed Lazzouni (Islamic views) — Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
- Ligita Ryliskyte (Christian views) — Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m.
- Nicholas Ribush (Buddhist views) — Saturday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
- Ruth Langer (Jewish views) — Thursday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Several interfaith experts will discuss on how their religious tradition understands God’s mercy and God’s justice at St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church. Specific questions to be addressed include whether God is merciful, just, or both, and who receives God’s justice and mercy. Speakers will be:
- Mohamed Lazzouni (Islamic views) — Saturday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m.
- Ligita Ryliskyte (Christian views) — Wednesday, Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m.
- Nicholas Ribush (Buddhist views) — Saturday, Nov. 9 at 6:30 p.m.
- Ruth Langer (Jewish views) — Thursday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m.
Instead of throwing them in the trash, have fun and help the environment by bringing your jack-o’-lanterns and decorative gourds to the regional Great Pumpkin Smash at Codman Community Farms (CCF) on Sunday, Nov. 3 from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. When pumpkins end up in landfills, they break down and produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Smashing pumpkins and feed to the Codman Farm pigs while enjoying live music, CCF sandwiches, and ice cream from a local vendor. Get tips on how to get started with composting in your home or with a curbside collection program. Prepare your pumpkins for composting by removing any stickers, candles, and other decorations and please leave painted pumpkins at home. Suggested donation of $1 per pumpkin to benefit the farm. Organized by CCF, the Lincoln and Concord chapters of Mothers Out Front, the Weston Community Children’s Association, and LincFam.