Hamilton Wenham Climate Action Team

10/07/2026

Rising oil prices are a good reminder of how much winter heating costs can vary from year to year.

For homeowners looking for more predictable heating bills, heat pumps can be part of the solution. Unlike oil or propane systems, heat pumps use electricity to move heat rather than burning fuel. A well-designed heat pump can provide efficient heat through much of a New England winter while reducing your exposure to swings in fossil-fuel prices.

You don't necessarily have to replace your existing heating system, either. Many Massachusetts homes use a heat pump alongside an existing oil, propane, or natural-gas system. The heat pump can handle much of the heating during milder weather, while the existing system provides backup during the coldest periods.

Mass Save offers incentives and rebates that can help reduce the cost of qualifying heat-pump installations, including programs for both whole-home and partial-home systems. There are also income-based savings programs that can provide additional assistance for eligible households.

If you're considering a heating upgrade, it's worth looking at the available Mass Save incentives before making a decision.

Learn more about heat-pump incentives and savings through Mass Save: https://www.masssave.com

And if you want to chat with a local heat pump owner about their experience, we'd be happy to connect you.

09/28/2026

🚌⚡ Hamilton-Wenham’s electric school buses are protecting our community from diesel price volatility.

New England diesel prices have jumped about 65% in just one year—from $3.96 to $6.52 per gallon, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Because most of our school buses run on electricity instead of diesel, Hamilton-Wenham residents are less exposed to those fuel-price swings.

If you want to learn more about electrification around town, we'd love to connect you with a neighbor.

09/20/2026

Did you know Hamilton and Wenham rank among the top towns in Massachusetts for composting?

In 2025, Wenham residents composted an average of 342 pounds of food and organic matter per household, while Hamilton residents composted 325 pounds per household.

All of material is turned into healthy soil at Brick End Farms in Hamilton — keeping valuable organic matter out of the incinerator and putting it to good use instead.

This is in large part thanks to the town's composting mandate and the free curbside pickup.

Data source: https://www.mass.gov/lists/recycling-solid-waste-data-for-massachusetts-cities-towns

📸 Seth Cottle via Unsplash

09/18/2026

With gas prices around town cresting $4.30 per gallon, you might now be taking a second look at electric vehicles.

There is a handy tool that can help you understand how much you would save on annual fuel costs if you switched to an EV based on your existing vehicle's MPG and your local electric utility rate.

Try it out at https://chooseev.com/savings-calculator/

And if you want to chat with an EV owner in Hamilton or Wenham about their experience buying and using an electric car, we'd be happy to connect you! Just shoot us a note.

09/08/2026

As temperatures drop around town, now is a good time to make sure your home is ready for the Fall and Winter.

A Mass Save home energy audit is a great first step. It can help you understand where your home may be losing heat, how to improve comfort and efficiency, and what energy-saving upgrades and incentives may be available to you. And the best part -- there is no cost to have the team come out and audit your house.

If you haven’t had your home evaluated yet, consider scheduling your energy audit before the cold weather arrives.

Learn more and get your free audit at masssave.com

If you want to talk with someone in Hamilton and Wenham that has done an audit and insulated their home through MassSave, we'd be happy to connect you. Just reach out!

09/06/2026

According to data from MIT and Heatmap News' Electricity Price Hub, home electricity prices in Essex County have risen 34.8% over the last five years. And there are no signs of falling prices on the horizon.

Explore the data here: https://electricity.heatmap.news/

If you'd like to chat with a neighbor in Hamilton or Wenham who has installed home solar or batteries or signed up with a community solar provider in order to mitigate some of these price increases, we'd love to connect you!

09/04/2026

While Massachusetts is ranked 14th of all the states in the nation in terms of solar capacity installed, it actually ranks 7th in the country in terms of residential solar installed. That's thanks to so many homeowners going solar in the Bay State!

Data is from the Solar Energy Industries Association. You can learn more here:
https://seia.org/state-solar-policy/massachusetts-solar/

And if you ever want to talk to solar homeowners in Hamilton and Wenham about their experiences, we'd be happy to connect you.

09/02/2026

Want to keep up to date on the latest clean energy and climate news?

There’s a lot happening in the world of climate, energy, and the transition to a clean-energy future. One easy way to stay informed is to subscribe to a few reliable and free newsletters .

Here are a few favorites from the Hamilton-Wenham Climate Action Team:

The Crucial Years — Bill McKibben

Climate writer and activist Bill McKibben’s newsletter offers thoughtful analysis of the climate movement, clean energy, politics, and the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Subscribe: https://billmckibben.substack.com/

Heatmap AM and Heatmap Daily from Heatmap News

Heatmap’s newsletters provide a useful way to start the day with the latest climate and energy news. Heatmap AM is a morning briefing of 5 things you should know when starting your day, while Heatmap Daily offers deeper coverage and analysis of the biggest stories shaping the clean-energy transition.

Subscribe: https://heatmap.news/st/Newsletter

Grist newsletters

Grist is a nonprofit environmental news organization covering climate change, clean energy, environmental justice, and the people and policies shaping our future. Their newsletters are a great way to stay up to date on climate news and solutions.

Explore Grist’s newsletters: https://grist.org/newsletters/

Canary Media newsletters

Canary Media covers the clean-energy transition, with newsletters focused on national news as well as specific regions and topics. We especially recommend Northeast Energy News for anyone interested in what’s happening across our region, including energy policy, renewable energy, electrification, and the changing energy landscape.

Explore Canary Media’s newsletters: https://www.canarymedia.com/newsletters

Staying informed is one small way to stay engaged. If you want to get even more involved in local climate here in town, please get in touch!

Working on Winning the Climate Fight. Click to read The Crucial Years, by Bill McKibben, a Substack publication with hundreds of thousands of subscribers.

09/01/2026

Meet Sue Patrolia, co-founder of the Hamilton Wenham Climate Action Team. She's also a proud owner of an all-electric car

"My Hyundai Kona drives great -- 300 miles on a charge, super quiet, and it makes a lovely hum when in reverse," said Patrolia. "We've had literally no maintenance in 2 years: no oil changes, l***s or anything else. Our solar panels charge it, but even without that we choose fully renewable electricity from our provider so we feel great about not using fossil fuel to get around or heat/ cool our home."

If you want to chat with Sue or another member of the Hamilton Wenham community about what it's like to own an electric car, rooftop solar, a heat pump, or any kind of other climate solution, send us a message or visit our website to get in touch. We'd love to connect you with a neighbor.

https://hwclimateaction.org/

08/27/2026

With Fall around the corner, you can often find good deals on lawnmowers as retailers make room for new models.

If you're in the market, consider going electric. They are lighter, quieter, and produce no emissions when you use them. Plus there is virtually no maintenance! HWCAT co-founder Greg Horner told H-W News this past spring, "I think once people experience it, they'll realize there is no sacrifice.

To learn how to get more involved in local climate action, visit our website: https://hwclimateaction.org/

Accelerating Climate Action in Hamilton & Wenham Join the Movement CLIMATE ACTION TEAMS CELEBRATE LOCAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS Many members of Hamilton Wenham Climate Action Team (HWCAT), the Hamilton Environmental Impact Committee (HEIC), the Wenham Climate Action and Sustainability Committee (WCASC), th...