Chelmsford Climate Action Team
"The test of the morality of a society is
what it does for its children."
-Deitrich Bonhoeffer
"Sustainability balances the 3 E's:
Environment, Equity, and the Economy"
Chelmsford Climate Action Team was formed in 2020 to help educate our community about climate change
and to promote climate legislation and activities. Subscribe to our newsletter so you will know
when your voice is needed to help drive change in town.
upcoming events & Activities
Upcoming Cornell Events
Recent Events & Activities
Haystack: Mission, History and Present Climate Change Work - Thursday, April 27 at 7:00 pm
On Thursday, April 27 at 7:00 pm at the Westford JV Fletcher Library, Dr. Colin Lonsdale, MIT Haystack Observatory’s Director and radio astronomer, will present a talk on “MIT Haystack: Mission, History, and Present Climate Change Work” both in-person at the Library and via Zoom. This is free and open to all. Dr. Lonsdale will be sharing the Observatory’s work, climate change science and how things affect astronomy. Q&A will follow with the audience. Please contact Justin Liberti for the Zoom link at jliberti@westfordma.gov.
Earth Day Celebration at Library on April 22nd, 1-4 pM
Hope you joined us for Earth Day for our second environmental fair that was held at Chelmsford Library on April 22. CCAT. In spite of the cold, several town committees and local climate related organizations provided information on the town’s sustainability efforts, heat pumps, electric vehicles, solarization and other topics. Plus some nature friendly exhibits.
Organizations that were represented were:
Chelmsford Library – (who had a display of books inside, co-sponsored the event, and gave out Douglas Fir seedlings from the Mass Tree Wardens.)
Chelmsford Climate Action Team – cohost
Chelmsford’s Clean Energy and Sustainability Committee
Chelmsford Land Conservation Trust
Chelmsford Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Chelmsford Recycling Committee
Chelmsford Center Water District
Chelmsford High School Eco Club
National Grid Clean Transportation
Energy Sage
Pollinator Garden at Sunny Meadow
Heat Smart Alliance
Community Teamwork CAP Contractor
Conscious Planet (SaveSoil)
This event was free and open to the public and held on the library’s Scoboria Greenway. The library lead contact was Jessica at jfitzhanso@chelmsfordlibrary.org
Here are some pictures showing you what it looked like at this terrific event. Please come out next year to celebrate Earth Day!
Clean Energy and Sustainability Committee
Dave's Wind Turbine
Recycling Committee
CHS Eco Club
Energy Sage
Heat Smart Alliance
National Grid Clean Transportation
Pollinator Gardens
Chelmsford Climate Action Team
Tom's Tesla Y
Community Teamwork CAP Contractor
Chelmsford Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee
Save Soil (Conscious Planet)
Tamar's Teepee
The What, Why, and How of EVs, LIRA Zoom April 18, 1-3
This presentation explained what an electric vehicle is, and how it differs from hybrids. It also covered the many benefits associated with electric vehicles, the various brands available, what to consider when buying an EV, and resources for assistance in selecting an EV. The many rules for rebates and incentives were also presented and clarified, along with specifics of charging an electric vehicle.
The speaker was Tom Amiro of Chelmsford Climate Action Team and Elders Climate Action. He has been driving an EV since October 2019 and recently drove 1557 miles back from St Pete Beach FL. Here is a blog he wrote about the trip.
Here is a document with all sorts of links for information relevant to the presentation
Understanding Massachusetts’ Stretch and Specialized Energy Codes at library on Tuesday, April 11⋅7:00 – 8:15pm
Learn about Massachusetts’s Stretch and Specialized energy codes-how they address building energy efficiency and how the new Specialized code encourages building electrification. Chelmsford may decide whether to adopt the new Specialized code at a future town meeting. In the first part of this event the Chelmsford Clean Energy Committee discussed what this adoption would mean for the town.
Then the main speaker, Paul H. Raymer, discussed moving from the Stretch Code to the Opt-In Specialized Code; the thought behind the new energy codes and the impacts to new and existing buildings, locally and globally.
Paul Raymer has more than 45 years of experience in the energy conservation field and is presently Subcommittee Chair for Heating, Cooling, and Ventilation of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s Standard Work Specification; He has held numerous positions within the Building Performance Institute and is a certified HERS Rater. He has also developed and taught courses for numerous colleges, professional societies, and states.
You can get more information on the Specialized Stretch Energy code from:
McCarthy PTO Rock and Roll Bingo Fundraiser
March 25 8-11pm
The McCarthy Middle School PTO presents Rock and Roll Bingo Friday, Mar. 25 at the Chelmsford Elks Lodge (8-11 p.m.) located at 300 Littleton Road. Doors will open at 7 p.m.
Rock and Roll Bingo is open to adults aged 21 and over. Tickets for a table of 10 cost $250 with proceeds to directly benefit enrichment programs for all McCarthy Middle School students.
Purchase Tickets | View Flyer
A cash bar will be available (no outside alcohol is permitted) while contestants are encouraged to bring their own snacks. Raffles will be held and prizes will be awarded through the evening, which includes a 50-50 drawing. CCAT has participated in the donation of a Sustainability Basket with!
- An indoor compost bin
- A bag of compost starte
- A pass to Garden in the Woods
- A book on native plants
- A cloth grocery bag
- A book on zero-waste homes
For more information, contact Kristen Faucher at kristen.faucher@yahoo.com
Get Your Compost Bins and Rain Barrels:
Order by March 17 and Pick up on March 25th
Compost Bin
Composting is one of the easiest ways to reduce trash, address climate change, and build healthy soil for our plants. By using a compost barrel and turning food scraps and yard trim into compost, we can change our waste streams into a beneficial resource. Chelmsford is offering Free-Garden Compost Bins at the discounted price of $25 versus the retail price of $100. To take advantage of this community program discount please go to
Rainwater harvesting helps homeowners to reduce their water bills while conserving water and protecting the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, lawn and garden watering comprise nearly 40% of domestic water usage during peak summer months. Rain barrels save most homeowners about 1,300 gallons of water each summer, reducing the demand for clean water. Chelmsford is offering the FreeGarden Rain Barrel at the discounted price of $70 versus the retail price of $120. To take advantage of this community program discount please go to:
Deadline for purchase: Orders must be received by March 17th, 2023 at midnight. Barrels will be available for pick up at the DPW side entrance, 9 Alpha Road on Saturday, March 25, 2023 9:00 am-1:00 pm
For more information contact Chris Haley, Sustainability Manager: 978-250-5203 or 9rncyoet@chelmsfordma.gov
Ongoing Events & Activities
Monthly member meeting
Usually hosted on the second Monday of every month at 7:30pm. These meetings are not content-focused. They’re about accomplishing our goals around town, so the conversation largely revolves around strategy, priorities, and logistics. If you’d like to attend, just reach out to us and we’ll send you the link for the Zoom meeting.
NOTE: Next month’s meeting has moved to the 17th!
- 3rd Monday each month - 7:30pm via Zoom
About Us
We are residents of Chelmsford, Massachusetts who share a commitment to climate legislation, advocacy and education in our community. We want to prevent the harmful effects of climate change and protect the planet.
Are you concerned about climate change?
Then join our team! Reach out to one of us if you have any questions, or feel free to just show up to one of the meetings you see in the Calendar section of our site.
Taking action in Chelmsford
A proven track record of helping to make Chelmsford green!
Net Zero Chelmsford
It was our group that introduced the Warrant Article at Town Meeting that set Chelmsford on the path to net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Sharing Ideas and Connections
We sponsor occasional speaker programs with the Library, along with environmental fairs to meet with other organizations..
future programs and plans
We are coordinating with the town's Clean Energy and Sustainability Committee (CEAS) to help drive equitable change in Chelmsford.
Let's talk
Please reach out to us if you have any questions about Chelmsford Climate Action!
Blog Posts by our Members
2022 Newsletter Released
2021 Year in ReviewChelmsford Climate Action Team (CCAT) had a successful year in 2021 with the achievement of ourmain initiative – to promote the formation of a town committee to
Who Should Supply Your Electricity?
Be wary of unsolicited offers to supply you with electricity, even if it is 100% clean and cheaper electricity. Recently, I got a glossy offer in the mail from Inspire
How I have reduced my carbon footprint
We should all take inventory of our personal carbon footprint. A good calculator is at carbonfootprint.com/calculator.aspx Before I tell you what I’ve done to reduce my footprint, you may want
Chelmsford Choice is about more than just savings
Alana Melanson, Lowell Sun reporter, covered Chelmsford’s bulk electricity purchase program, Chelmsford Choice, almost 5 years ago when it was first introduced and caused quite a stir. Chelmsford residents aired
CCAT’s Annual Report or “What We Did During the Pandemic”
Chelmsford Climate Action Team, CCAT, our local climate group began in 2019, as “The Chelmsford Node” of the MA Chapter of Elders Climate Action (ECA). In early 2020, that Node
Start Simply. Simply Start!
There is no shortage of problems and issues in this world for us to be concerned about, but science shows that there are things we can do now to mitigate