Quick Links: EcoTeam Signup Form We'll help you find a team.   About the program Events Listing FAQ Program Overview Slides (PDF) Volunteer opportunities   EcoTeam support EcoTeam Leaders EcoTeam Members Local Green Tips and Resources for Low Carbon Diet Actions   Partner Organizations How many teams can you form?

Cool Winchester

Introduction

Welcome to the Cool Winchester Project!

Do you want to ...

• Save money on home energy costs?
• Build community in your neighborhood?
• Leave a healthier planet to your children and their children?
• Showcase Winchester as a leader in reducing our state’s carbon footprint?

If so, join the Cool Winchester campaign today! It turns out, in a small, non-industrial hamlet like ours, approximately 80-90% of our carbon footprint (our emissions of planet-warming gases) comes from the residential sector. Sustainable Winchester, through its new Cool Winchester project, plans to help households reduce their carbon footprints, in a fun, collaborative, and educational way.

Goal

Cool Winchester's goal is to help at least 85% of Winchester households over the next three years to reduce their annual carbon footprints by at least 25%.

Impact

• Winchester’s overall carbon footprint will be reduced by approximately 178 million pounds of C02.
• Winchester will be showcased as a carbon reduction leader in Massachusetts and potentially the U.S.!
  • We are one of only 9 towns in MA to pioneer this program right now.
  • Currently we’re ahead of the other towns in reaching our goal.
• Carbon reduction efforts will spread to other towns, people’s workplaces, and so on.

Program Overview

In this program, built on Mass. Climate Action's Low Carbon Living program (and using the same workbook), eco teams of up to eight households will meet weekly for about a month to learn and compare notes on the successes and challenges of making lower carbon lifestyle changes. Changes can be as simple as turning off lights when someone leaves a room, to as ambitious as installing a renewable energy system in their home. The program costs as much or as little as each household chooses, and is likely to save you money on your utility bills.

• For a deeper overview, see our Program Overview Slides (PDF).
• And here's our Cool Winchester FAQ.

How You Can Help

This is an ambitious project for sure, so we need your help! We are looking to partner with other organizations in town such as schools, churches, businesses, municipal committees, and non-profits to form Eco Teams. Some have already signed up and launched eco teams in Spring of 2009 with great success. Think a local organization you’re part of would be interested?

• To learn more, check out our Cool Winchester Partner Organizations Page

We’re looking for Winchester households to participate on eco teams.

• To find an eco team you can participate in, see our Cool Winchester Participant/Leader Signup form.

And of course we can always use more volunteers.

• To check out our current volunteer opportunities, see our volunteers page.

Thanks for checking us out and we look forward to partnering with you to be part of the climate change solution today!

Support the Cool Winchester Project!
Help us get the word out!

Locally designed by Elise Augenstern.
Locally printed by The Mystic Companies, Beth Locke.Wear your 100% ORGANIC cotton Cool Winchester Tshirt
... and you're sure to be tapped on the shoulder with the perfect conversation starter:
"What's this about Winchester being OFFICIALLY cool?"

Available in S, M, L, and XL. Just $13.
On sale at BOOKENDS.