NORTHAMPTON — Cities and towns in the Pioneer Valley will have a chance to exhibit several of the ways they use clean energy while keeping costs low at an inaugural “Sun Day” event to be held at Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School on Sunday.
The Get Energy Smart: A Sun Day fair, which runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Sept. 21, will feature various exhibitions showcasing the technology used to support sustainability within Northampton, Easthampton and surrounding towns. Showcases include heat pump installers, e-bicycles and electric landscaping equipment, according to Denise Lello, a member of the Northampton Climate Emergency Coalition that hosts the event.
“We thought we would celebrate how far these cities have come,” Lello said. “Both [Northampton and Easthampton] have a goal of being net zero by 2050 and have made progress towards that, so we wanted to celebrate that.”
In Northampton, several forms of policies and construction are underway to achieve net zero, with Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra setting an ambitious goal of achieving it by 2030. At the start of this year, the city approved a new building code that effectively banned the use of fossil fuels on any new major building construction or renovation. Northampton’s largest institution, Smith College, is also doing its part by implementing a geothermal heating system to power many of its buildings.
Along with exhibitions, several speakers will give presentations in the school’s library regarding sustainability efforts at both the city and state level, with speakers including state Sen. Jo Comerford, Easthampton Sustainability Coordinator Sophie Protano and Northampton’s Climate Action and Project Administration Director Ben Weil. Other speakers include state Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa, Northampton Office of Planning and Sustainability Director Carolyn Misch and Community Action Pioneer Valley Energy Director Peter Wingate.
“We especially want to do outreach to people who might not ordinarily hear about these things, or feel like they don’t have any recourse,” Lello said. “Part of this is that we feel like people don’t really understand all the things that are happening and how they can get engaged.”
Visitors can also learn about various “Electrify” programs for the communities of Northampton, Easthampton and Westhampton that residents can take advantage of to lower their energy costs while still acting sustainably. The event also includes, games, art projects, pizza and ice cream for kids to enjoy.
“It’s a big project to electrify your house and your life,” Lello said. “Some people find all of that information daunting, so we’re here to help them find out what are the incentives that they’re eligible for and what’s a reasonable route to take.”
