How Green Is Concord?

Does Concord make it easy for you to live an earth-friendly lifestyle? What do you wish was different?

Towns across the country are getting new recycling centers, giving away rain barrels and installing parking meters with solar panels. Here at Patch, we want to know: What makes Concord Green? Is it the Sustainable Concord Coffees, like the one scheduled for this morning? The Smart Grid build-out, interest in solar energy, rambunctious annual Earth Day festivities or Town Meeting-approved bylaws banning the sale of single-servings of drinking water in plastic bottles? Perhaps "Green" groups active at Concord's elementary schools? Or the indellible imprint of early environmentalists like Henry David Thoreau, or the distinctively modern twitter accounts like @loraxinconcord? TELL US: What does Concord do to help you go green? Do you use any …

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Patch Facts

Five Things: Talking Solar Over Coffee, a Comedian/Magician Goes Barefoot

A quick look at what you need to see, do and know on Feb. 19 in Concord.

1. Sustainable Concord Coffee: At 7:30 a.m. today at the Harvey Wheeler Community Center, the "hot" topic for ConcordCAN!'s Sustainable Concord Coffee is solar rooftops for households, and why now is the time to act. 2. Today in Public Meetings: According to the town website, the only public meeting posted for today is the Hanscom Field Advisory Committee at 7 p.m. in Lexington. 3. AWESOME ROBB's Family Comedy Show at Barefoot Books: Comedian/magician Robb Preskins will be at Barefoot Books at 11 a.m. for a show that combines his off-the-wall antics and quick improv humor with a juggling/magic show. 4. Do You Get Daily, Weekly and Breaking News in Your Inbox? If the answer to that question was "No," then you're missing out and need to …

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Patch Facts

Five Things: Info on Solar Energy, Support for Military Families and More

A quick look at what you need to see, do and know on Jan. 15 in Concord.

1. Solar on the Roof in Concord: At this free presentation, at 7 p.m. tonight at the Concord Free Public Library, you can "learn all you need know about the Federal, State and Concord Light Plant's incentives which make going solar easy and affordable. Learn the benefits and disadvantages of leasing vs. purchasing." 2. Today in Public Meetings: According to the town website, public meetings posted for today include a Conservation Coffee 7:30  a.m., the Council on Aging at 5:30 p.m., the Concord School Committee at 6 p.m., the Planning Board at 7 p.m., the Library Committee at 7 p.m. and the Comprehensive Sustainable Energy Committee at 7:30 p.m. 3. Military Family Support Group: The MFSG meeting will be held at 7 p.m. today at the West …

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Selectmen Talk Power Supply, Solar, Electric Cars with CMLP Director

David Wood, the Light Plant Director, went before the selectmen Monday night to talk about the latest from the town's power source.

Monday night, the Board of Selectmen listened to and quizzed Concord Municipal Light Plant Director David Wood about his work so far this year and intended projects for the future. Power Supply and Contracts Wood began by talking about the town's power supply, saying the contract with Morgan Stanley, Concord's main power supplier, will be up by the end of the summer. Morgan Stanley provides Concord with approximately 77 percent of its energy. Wood has already secured some smaller contracts to break up the single, massive deal and is hoping to get better prices by focusing on three-year or longer contracts, which Wood called, "moving in the right direction" in terms of saving the town money on its energy consumption. 13 Percent Wood then …

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Town Meeting Works Through Town, School and Energy Articles

An efficient opening night saw Concord's annual Town Meeting tackle town and school budgets, renovations to the Police/Fire station, the Light Plant expansion and two other energy-related articles

Acting on 30-plus articles one night is no joke, but there were moments that bordered on comedy during the opening night of Concord's annual Town Meeting, which convened Monday night at Concord-Carlisle High School. There was the one retirement-related jest about Selectman Greg Howes' bid for the 3rd Middlesex state senate seat Susan Fargo is vacating after her current term. And School Committee Chairman Peter Fischelis bravely introduced the high school budget with thanks and a line about Concord-Carlisle losing out on the top spot in Boston Magazine's list of best schools over a rumor about outsourcing the entire district. That one was an obvious refrerence to the recent uproar over, and subsequent reversal of, plans to privatize …

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