Friday, February 7, 2025

Climate & Environment

Climate Solutions: Resilient at home

Imagine having enough energy storage at your house or in your neighborhood to be able to have some power and water during prolonged power outages.  Solar and batteries make that possible. Solar info Solar panels can...

Steamship Authority considers electric ferry future

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The Steamship Authority (SSA) is conducting a feasibility study to examine the existing 10-boat fleet, and what it might take to start switching over to electric ferries in the future. According to a 2018 report,...

Climate Solutions: Batteries make us resilient

Imagine a Vineyard where we are generating our power from renewable sources, and have enough energy storage to sustain critical loads during prolonged power outages. Batteries play a big role in that vision, and they...

Climate Solutions: Becoming resilient

Prolonged power failures are a serious concern as climate change progresses and more extreme weather events occur. When the electric grid is down, having systems that give us a continued source of power, without...

Chilmark considers installing EV rapid chargers

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Chilmark is looking to install electric vehicle (EV) charging stations in the town center, which will be able to charge a vehicle fully in about 40 minutes. During a Tuesday meeting of the board of...

Ocean acidification endangers local aquaculture

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The rise in ocean acidification is disproportionately affecting marine economies and ecosystems in Massachusetts — particularly those of mollusks, which have a higher mortality rate based on the acidity of the water. In order to...

Climate Solutions: Converting our Steamship fleet

Ferry fuel makes up 11 percent of our Island's transportation energy use; 1,290,723 gallons of diesel fuel were used in 2018. We need to transition to a cleaner way to travel. Scandinavia and Washington...

South Mountain: Green technologies becoming ‘commonplace’

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The overarching focus of South Mountain Co.’s work for the past 30 years has been on bolstering environmental sustainability on-Island, while making sure their building projects are positive and uplifting experiences for all participants. South...

Climate Solutions: Make way for EV trucks – they’re coming and they’re cool!

2021 will see the beginning of electric pickup trucks being introduced into the market. Governor Baker has mandated that by 2035, all "light-duty vehicles" sold in Massachusetts will need to be zero emissions.  This means...

Stormtide study will map Island inundation pathways

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The Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) is working with the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) and the town of Oak Bluffs to identify stormtide pathways on-Island caused by sea level rise and storm surge. The project...

MVC provides climate resilience update

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The Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) climate resilience committee (CRC) provided an update to the community about its current initiatives during a Zoom presentation hosted by the Chamber of Commerce. The meeting was led by...

Island companies lead the way in sustainable home energy

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Locally owned design and engineering firms are offering sustainable alternatives for home energy, and are working to educate the Island community about the financial and environmental benefits of reducing their carbon footprint. When Brian Nelson...

Climate Solutions: For your next car, buy or lease an EV!

The electric vehicle market is rapidly expanding as battery technology improves. The newer models have greater range, and there are more vehicle choices. At the top of the line, Teslas get more than 300 miles...

The cleaning power of oysters

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Oysters are a delicious shellfish that folks on Martha’s Vineyard are lucky enough to have grown fresh, practically in their backyard. But some are unaware of the benefits these bivalves can have on marine...

Climate Solutions: Juicing up our transportation!

Forty-five percent of our energy use is for transportation. That’s higher than other communities because of the fuel used for ferry service. In 2018, 22,191 automobiles and light trucks were registered on the Vineyard at the...

Climate Solutions: Make the switch to heat pump water heating

We all use hot water. One of the easiest ways to decrease your fossil-fuel use is to switch to a hybrid electric water heater. It's an easy switch because you already have a water...

Climate Solution: Air-Source Heat Pumps Are THE Way!

You have seen them: metal boxes sitting outside houses with a grill on the front, and "mini-splits" inside houses that deliver heat or cool. Now that there are cold-climate units available, this is the...

Climate Solutions: Air-Source Heat Pumps Are THE Way!

You have seen them: metal boxes sitting outside houses with a grill on the front, and "mini-splits" inside houses that deliver heat or cool. Now that there are cold-climate units available, this is the...

‘A spectrum of services for a spectrum of needs’

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The eighth annual Food Is Medicine Symposium invites Islanders to educate themselves about the myriad ways nutrition can benefit those who are at risk or living with chronic illness. But Food Is Medicine Massachusetts (FIMMA)...

Climate Solutions: Make it tight, build it right!

We have 17,500 houses on the Island now. Some that were seasonal are now being used year-round. We have 1,100 nonresidential buildings. Many of these buildings will still be around in 2050. If we are...