Better Bin Recycling App
Thanks to its Waste Reduction/Recycling team Sustainable Hanover has launched a new app to help residents stay informed and recycle more effectively. . The Hanover Betterbin app is specially designed for Town residents to provide up-to-date information on both of the local recycling options available to them: having Casella pick up their recyclables curbside on the prescribed weekday for their neighborhood, or dropping off their recycling at the Lebanon Solid Waste and Recycling Facility. When unsure whether a particular item can be recycled or is considered trash, app users can scan a photo of the UPC code on the item and get handling information.
EV Update: Workplace Charging
More and more people are driving EVs and need to charge them. Charging is most efficient when the car is parked for more than a few hours, so charging at home and at work are the best options. Some employees may not be able to charge at home, or the range of their EV may not cover both directions of their commute, so workplace charging is important.
Installing chargers will help meet your sustainability goals and may help recruit and retain employees.
Sustainable Hanover Retreat
Twenty-five Sustainable Hanover volunteers gathered at the home of Robin Kaiser and Peter Gish on Wed, October 18th to learn more about Hanover’s Sustainability Master Plan and share ideas as to how Sustainable Hanover can support that plan moving forward. Ably facilitated by our good friend, Sarah Brock of Vital Communities, this group included volunteers from the official Sustainable Hanover Town Committee as well as representatives from its several initiatives (energy, waste reduction/recycling, sustainable landscaping, energy, transportation, communications, 3C). Chris Kennedy who serves on both Sustainable Hanover and the Master Plan Advisory Committee introduced the main points in the draft of the Master Plan which was being released for community input that same day. Volunteers then broke up into subgroups to discuss first five year, then one year priorities for Sustainable Hanover moving forward.
Sustainable Hanover’s WHO KNEW?
Every Tuesday members of the SHC Community Climate Connections post a “Who Knew” article on the Hanover listserve (vitalcommunities.org/community-discussion-lists/.) These brief but informative features are a means by which all of us can take individual actions to address climate issues. Ultimately they are all published on the SHC website. Here are some examples
Window Dressers Update
The third Norwich/Hanover Window Dressers Build is now complete! This year the Norwich Congregational Church was host. 268 window inserts were made by 115 volunteers for forty-one households between September 29 and October 5. According to Window Dressers, one medium pine insert may save an average of 8.5 gallons of heating oil every year, for an estimated savings of $15 – $43 per year, depending on variations in fuel price.
School Street Sustainability Park
Sustainable Hanover’s Landscape Committee is pleased to announce that Hanover’s School Street Sustainability Park has grown into the inviting, open, natural green space that we had envisioned over six years ago! You will find it between #6 School Street and the parking lot behind Molly’s Restaurant and Town Hall.
Hanover/Dartmouth Community Yard Sale is Happening Soon
Since 2010, 12 giant community yard sales have taken place in Dartmouth’s Dewey Parking Lot in Hanover. The Sale is held on the Saturday of Labor Day weekend, this year September 2nd from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Window Dressers Returns!
For the third year, Sustainable Hanover and the Norwich Energy Committee are collaborating with the Maine-based nonprofit, Window Dressers (www.windowdressers.org) to make window inserts for Norwich and Hanover residents. The inserts are easy to install, remove and reuse. They let light in, keep drafts out, and reduce heating costs (on average, about 10 gallons of heating fuel per insert per year).
Federal Grants in Action: Advance Transit Electrification
In Mid-March, Advance Transit introduced two new electric buses into their fleet. These buses serve the Upper Valley in both Vermont and New Hampshire, and were funded by a $3 million grant from the Vermont Agency of Transportation and the US Department of Transportation as well as financial incentives from Green Mountain Power. Two more are on the way next year.
“We’re green, we’re gray and we’re not going away!”
Senior Stewards Acting for the Environment (SSAFE) (ssafe.org) was formed in 2019 to encourage those over the age of 60 to become involved in climate issues. SSAFE recognizes the value this age group can bring to influence action to meet national climate goals – years of experience, a larger share of society’s financial worth and they vote.
First Hanover Styrofoam Recycling A Great Success!
Over twenty volunteers, including six from Hanover’s Rotary Club, helped collect a whole lot of styrofoam at Hanover’s first styrofoam recycling event.
Two Dedicated and Long Term Volunteer Leaders Stepping Down
Two of Sustainable Hanover’s most dedicated, effective, and long term volunteers are stepping down from their leadership roles. Susan Edwards is ending her sojourn as Chair of the Waste Reduction and Recycling initiative and Marjorie Rogalski, as Co-Chair of Sustainable Hanover.
2022 Community Yard Sale
1000’s of goods are about to change hands in our major recycling/reuse event of 2022
Hanover’s July 4th
SHC members Susan Edwards and Marjorie Rogalski decided “enough with COVID” and joined Hanover’s July 4 event, the first in two years. They staffed a table and provided information about the work of the SHC. A number of people stopped by with questions indicating a clear interest in achievements and ongoing programs.
Getting to Hanover
I came to Hanover in part to plug directly into sustainability issues. I've worked on these in the past, installing electric vehicle charges in South Orange way back in 2013, creating plastic bag recycling programs, reducing energy usage in buildings, greening fleets and so much more. Now, Hanover has gone well above and beyond what most communities have done, especially from an energy standpoint. But now I have to make a decision: where will I put my energy (sorry, bad jokes come with me) on sustainability issues in Hanover?
Farewell Julia!
Joint meeting of Sustainable Hanover and Energy Committee honoring Hanover Town Manger Julia Griffin. Front: Julia, Susan Edwards, Yolanda Baumgartner, Judi Colla; Rear Andrew Hatch, Peter Kulbacki, Rob Taylor, Rob Houseman, Marcus Welker, Ben Steele, Barbara Callaway, Stowe Beam, Dennis Robison
WHO KNEW?
These are words that Community Climate Connections or C3, a committee of Sustainable Hanover, has been working with a lot in the past few months. We hope that you have seen our “Who Knews?” in the Hanover listserve every Tuesday, on the Sustainable Hanover website where it can be found under “News,” or on the Sustainable Hanover Facebook page.
E-bikes Coming to Hanover
The Upper Valley E-Bike Lending Library will be in Hanover from June 8 to 28.
Volunteers from Sustainable Hanover and Hanover Bike Walk will offer a mix of two-day rentals and one-hour test rides for community members to experience why electric-assist bicycles (e-bikes) are an increasingly popular choice for local travel.
See the schedule and make a reservation (required) online. As in prior years, the event is free.
CCDC Implements Comprehensive Energy Savings Project
In an effort to reduce energy usage, the Church of Christ at Dartmouth College (CCDC) has recently completed lighting updates and a solar panel installation.
Volunteers Build Window Inserts (Part 2)
In the Fall 2021 issue of the Sustainable Hanover Committee Newsletter, Yolanda Baumgartner wrote an article about the Window Dressers project that was taking place in November at the Norwich Congregational Church. This article is a report of how the project worked out.