Christian Meoli
Summer Intern
July 2017
Massachusetts towns and residents are working hard to minimize their impact on the environment.
I first met Ed and May, dressed in their Tesla jackets, at a Mass Sierra Club wind turbine and electric vehicle event. They spoke enthusiastically about their electric vehicles, solar panels, and efficiency updates to their house.
A few weeks later I took the commuter rail out to Natick to learn more about the actions they have taken as a household and I even got picked up from the station in one of their Teslas!
I would come to learn that the town of Natick’s programs help make it easier for residents to make positive changes for the planet.
Jillian, the town’s sustainability coordinator, stopped by the house and told me that since being designated a “Green Community” by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the town has reduced their municipal energy by twenty-seven percent! Solar panels are placed on schools and other municipal buildings that have suitable roofs, and they plan to add as much as they can.
Public electric vehicle chargers are being added to support local residents like Ed and May who have turned away from gasoline cars.
One of the most innovative changes I learned about was the town's restructuring of trash and recycling programs. Their current system incentivizes recycling and encourages residents to minimize their waste since they pay for trash pick up per bag. Since its implementation, there has been a forty percent reduction in trash and an increase in recycling.
Adrienne, Ed and May’s daughter, and her high school classmate Jacob were responsible for the addition of a textile recycling program in Natick which was setup 4 years ago, as a result of their senior internship project. The town recently started a curbside clothing, shoes, and home goods recycling program, which means that it is even easier to reuse old items instead of simply throwing them away.
Additionally, Natick started a curbside composting pilot program, which Ed and May are a part of, and so far the program has diverted 90 tons of food waste from the trash. The food scraps from our dinner went into the composting box in their kitchen instead of the trash!
While Ed and I watched his niece and Jillian’s daughter play on their playground he told me that after the Fukushima earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster he was really worried about the future and wanted to make changes that would move towards a sustainable and safe future. As a result, Ed and May installed their thirty six solar panels on their home back in 2011, before the massive growth and incentives seen today. They were the tenth household in Natick to install residential solar panels and now there are over five hundred!
Solar was a good start, but they did not stop there. They have had several energy audits on their home and have replaced old systems with more efficient ones, switched to new windows, and many more updates. All households in Massachusetts pay for this service as part of their electric bills. So, since you've paid for it, you should definitely take advantage of this opportunity!
When they were looking for new cars, they decided to invest in Tesla, electric cars that produce zero emissions. 2012 was the first full year their house was supported by solar and in 2013 Ed’s Tesla arrived. For them, solar panels and electric vehicles are a perfect pair.
After May drove the Tesla on a road trip to New York, she was sold.
In 2014, her red Tesla arrived. Ed and May actively share their love and passion for their cars and gladly educate others and helping them make the switch. Both of them have qualified for gifts from Tesla, like those matching jackets and a visit to their California factory for a VIP tour, because of their numerous referrals!
I was shown how easy it is to charge their vehicles in their garage, and was surprised to hear about superchargers. Superchargers are located across the country and recharge up to 80% of the battery in 25 minutes, which makes it easy to road trip. Best of all, the use of superchargers is free for life for Ed and May’s cars! It was inspiring to visit Ed and May. While they are modest about their efforts, I think they are setting an excellent example for others. As the town continues to pursue sustainable practices and understand the effects of climate change on their community, I am confident that the Ed, May, and Natick will continue to be great examples of how to minimize their impacts on the planet.
To see more pictures of my visit please click this link!
If you are considering purchasing a Tesla Model S or X you can get $1,000 off the price and free Tesla Supercharging for life, which is no longer available for new Tesla owners except for those who use the referral codes from a current owner, by using either Ed or May’s referral code.
Ed's referral code: http://ts.la/edward6079
May’s referral code: http://ts.la/may5716