By Amelia Tarallo
Hometown Weekly Staff
The idea of sustainability has been at least pondered by everyone over the last few years. Recently, Governor Baker signed legislation that aims for the state to reduce its emissions by 50 percent, while also helping residents and businesses become more sustainable. While the idea of living a more ecologically sustainable life seems like a good thing, it can also feel extraordinarily overwhelming at times.
Inhabitants of Sherborn are about to receive a whole new system of tools to make such a sustainable lifestyle much more accessible.
For Sherbornites, the key to lessening their impact on the environment starts with personal choices. A study of Sherborn found that 45 percent of emissions are coming from cars, while 42 percent are coming from homes as a result of heating and cooling systems. While it’s a hard pill to swallow, nearly all emissions in Sherborn are coming from residents themselves. “That means that unless people do anything about these two things, then we’re not going to have a change,” explains new Sherborn Sustainability Coordinator Dorothea Van Herder.
As the town’s first sustainability coordinator, Van Herder has made it a priority to show occupants how to make environmentally conscious alterations to their homes. “My job is to make it easy for people to make these changes,” says Van Herder. Though it can be a challenge, it’s one Van Herder is familiar with. In her previous role at Wellesley College, Van Herder helped improve the college’s sustainability rating from silver to gold. Since starting last March, Van Herder has been working hard to find a way to help inform residents about the number of options they have to help improve their environmental impact.
Two tools have ensured that Van Herder and her fellow town officials can easily inform residents. On Thursday, April 8, Van Herder expects to see the release of the new town sustainability website, www.sustainablesherborn.org. Van Herder hopes that this new website, along with Sherborn’s Mass Energize page (which can be accessed at www.tinyurl.com/sherbornmaenergize), will help community members find their best options and show them how simple it can be to change parts of their lives. On the Mass Energize page, viewers can click on actions to find different ways they can encourage sustainability in their lives and community. Things as easy as canceling catalogs and donating unused building materials can help prevent adding to landfills, for example. Actions like upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and switching to composting can help shrink residents' carbon footprints. These actions, the steps to complete them, and testimonials are provided to help townspeople find the best options for their own lives.
Along with both websites, residents have access to energy coaches. These volunteers provide insight on different options to help residents upgrade their home’s energy efficiency. From re-insulating and resealing homes to installing energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, to installing solar power, residents have a number of options that will not only help the environment, but also help them save thousands of dollars each year. Energy coaches help not only identify problems, but also help Sherbornites find the best option for their houses. “These are not too difficult to do, and if people need help, they can reach out to me. I will help them with an energy coach that will take you by the hand and walk you through all of these investments,” says Van Herder. “It’s neutral information people can get from us that makes sense for their wallet and makes sense for the environment. We want to make sure to bring those two things together.”
Residents may feel an overwhelming sense of dread when it comes to climate change and swamped over what life changes to make towards sustainability. For her part, Sherborn's new sustainability coordinator will be there for every step to ensure that residents can modify their lives towards sustainability with as little stress as possible. “I know climate change is a depressing topic, but at the same time we very much have control over the fact of how engaged we are over it. I think the incremental changes are as equally important as the bigger ticket items,” observes Van Herder. With choices, a plethora of easily accessible information, and someone as dedicated as Dorothea Van Herder, Sherbonites are sure to see their town become a greener place in the coming years.
