We’re entering another hot week here in the Greater Boston area, and it looks like we will be in the 90’s through at least Wednesday. Hot weather means air conditioning for most of us, and air conditioning means electricity usage. On the hottest days of the year (called peak days), our electrical grid experiences the highest demands; and to meet that demand, they must resort to using the dirtiest and most expensive fossil fuels: natural gas and oil. This causes pollution, spews out greenhouse gasses, and costs us consumers a lot more money (up to ten times the usual rate).
Luckily, there’s a way to make a difference: join the growing movement to Shave the Peak! It’s really simple. Sign up to receive a text message when the grid anticipates a peak day; then, conserve electricity from 4-8 PM on that day. That’s it! Why this timeframe? Because that’s when everyone is back home, cooking dinner, starting laundry, and settling in for the night. On a peak day, electricity demand can double during this time. However, if you just delay that laundry, unplug your EV, and turn your AC from 68 degrees to 72 degrees, you can prevent that surge in demand, ultimately saving your wallet and the planet more damage.
I signed up to Shave the Peak a few years ago, and I only receive texts on the few days a year when it’s needed. Today is one of those days–so do your part by shaving the peak, tell your friends (Heck! Tell your enemies, too!), and be a part of the solution.
As urban areas continue to expand and temperatures rise due to climate change, the need for effective shade in cities has become too much to ignore. Cambridge, Somerville and suburban towns have begun the strategic use of trees and canopies. I think these options offer a powerful solution to provide relief from excessive heat and sunlight.
Sign up with Green Energy Consumers Alliance for text alerts and energy-saving tips
It’s really starting to feel like summer out there! This past weekend’s weather was glorious, and that rain on Sunday morning seems to have made all the plants grow a foot and start to bloom. Here’s what part of my back garden looks like today. The rhododendrons and azaleas give the perfect backdrop for my re-seeded foxgloves (thank you, Burpee catalog, for the seeds I bought during a Covid-fueled haze two years ago). As beautiful as this part of my yard looks, though, my front stoop’s containers are sadly empty. That means it’s time to procure something beautiful to jazz up my entrance! Any real estate advisor will tell you that “curb appeal” pulls a lot of weight with potential buyers. That also means that even if you’re not selling your home anytime soon, pretty flowers and plants will wow passersby and make you relish coming home to your little oasis this summer.
With their complementary communication styles, responsiveness, competence, and ability to truly listen, Ellie and Liz enable their clients to feel at ease throughout any real estate transaction. They would welcome the opportunity to be your next real estate advisors.
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