To assist Town officials in addressing the challenges presented by climate change. This would include, but is not limited to, supporting the Town in reaching carbon neutrality, mitigating the effects of sea level rise on infrastructure and natural resources, and providing education to the municipality and its stakeholders about the environmental and financial benefits of food waste recycling and composting.  It will also support efforts that educate and engage residents on how they can reduce their own carbon footprint.  CONSERVE, CHANGE, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, AND RETHINK are the Committee’s guiding principles.

 This advisory committee would also be responsible to the Select Board to:

• Advise the Select Board on energy programs, food waste recycling programs, projects, and policies which will reduce the community’s reliance on fossil fuels, reduce the community’s carbon footprint, promote renewable energy, and reduce the amount of carbon and methane the community produces;
• Make recommendations for ordinances, policies, projects and objectives to address actions to make Town properties more energy efficient and to reduce the amount of food waste at Town properties and Town sponsored events;
• Provide community education and outreach and be a community resource to help homeowners and businesses understand sustainability issues and make decisions that can reduce their energy consumption and food waste;
• Research, evaluate and recommend projects that result in energy cost savings, return on investment, and environmental benefit and save the community money on waste disposal fees;
• Collaborate with the Climate Action Plan Task Force;
• Promote capital projects that are designed to take into consideration climate change and future environmental challenges in order to minimize destruction from natural disasters and preserve both natural and financial resources;
• Support community efforts that promote resilience and economic security of our community.
•  Investigate enacting organics out of landfills bans as well as supporting existing composting facilities and the expansion of new composting capacity.

Updated November 16, 2023