The town of Swampscott is showing it is a step ahead of many other communities when it comes to taking initiative on result-driven approaches to reducing harmful climate change.
Swampscott Community Power allows residents to buy electricity from renewable-energy sources at rates that often compare favorably with National Grid rates. Town officials have also crafted an initiative to reduce solid waste in the garbage tonnage collected weekly in town.
Both of these environmentally-conscious projects make it possible for town residents to locally counter the global threat of climate change and the pervasive impact it will have on sea levels, weather patterns, droughts and famines.
Launched in 2016, Swampscott Community Power has generated $670,000 in savings for town electricity ratepayers, according to Town Administrator Sean Fitzgerald. The committee negotiates multi-year contracts with energy providers who can show town officials a track record of providing electricity from renewable sources and rate stability.
The goal of reducing solid waste is in line with a state goal of reducing waste by 30 percent from current volumes by 2030. The Dec. 13 special Town Meeting includes a proposal to create a solid waste/recycling enterprise fund to help pay costs associated with cutting solid-waste volume.
Reducing organic waste, like discarded food, from garbage can help reduce the town’s garbage-collection costs. The fund would also pay for initiatives aimed at increasing the amount of money the town receives from recycling efforts.
Like the renewable-energy-purchase option, solid-waste reduction is an effort town residents can participate in. Town officials are proving that every resident counts when it comes to tackling environmental challenges extending far beyond Swampscott’s borders.
