2008
Audit of Town Hall, Sanitary Landfill & Recycling Center and Public Works Buildings to determine ways to save electrical costs. The Board of Selectmen voted to approve contract with ConnServ to perform energy saving improvements.
2 kWh solar array was installed at the Essex Recycling Center
2015
ECCE received a Silver level plaque from the Clean Energy Communities Program. Rick and Stacy attended the event to receive the plaque. Well done Essex!
Energy Audit conducted on buildings in Public Works Complex.-Daikin Ductless Mini-split HVAC systems installed in Essex Town Hall.
Energy efficient windows installed in remainder of Town Hall building.
March 2019
Sustainable Essex hosts first event!
February 2020
Sustainable Essex starts SEED Series – first speaker was Sherill Baldwin talking about “household Waste and its Effect on Climate Change”
The residents of Essex, CT are overwhelmed with information from a wide range of sources regarding the key causes and impacts of climate change. This has created confusion and anxiety and our community members need more focused information, and a way to ask questions and seek additional information. The SEED Series provides focused information from climate change experts and a forum for discussion with these experts and each other.
The overarching goal of the project is to build awareness of the key drivers of climate change and provide suggestions for how the residents of Essex can take action within their households. These discussions will also provide participants an opportunity to share ideas for how the Town of Essex can respond at a municipal level. Through these discussions, the Sustainable Essex Committee can provide a valuable voice for our residents with municipal government regarding their vision and priorities for community-wide actions to mitigate the effects of climate change and create a more sustainable community.
April 2020
Essex achieved Bronze certification
April 2020
Installation of Essex Pollinator Pathway at the Pratt House in collaboration with Essex Garden Club, the Essex Historic Society, and Essex Land Trust
In 2020, the Essex Historic Society offered the use of an area on The Pratt House Historic Property for a new pollinator garden. A group of individuals representing the Essex Historic Society (EHS), Essex Land Trust (ELT), Essex Garden Club (EGC), Essex Sustainability Committee and River COG came together and established a new pollinator garden.
Almost 200 plants creating a selection of 40 different varieties of natives and perennials known to benefit native bees, birds and butterflies were planted across 2/3 of the 1500 square foot space. The project fits in with the growing concern to help support our food chain by providing pollinator pockets with the hope of establishing a pathway in the Northeast.
News article about the initiative
2020 SEED Series
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, SEED series after March moved online for 2020
Session 2: March 7, “What is the Environmental Impact of the Food We Throw Away?” with Georgia Male from the Bushy Hill Nature Center (above, at Essex Library)
Session 3: May 21, “Climate Change Impacts of Plastic and Micro-plastic Waste” with J. Evan Ward from the Department of Marine Sciences at UCONN (Presentation) (Resources)
Session 4: June 23, “Plastic and the People; Our shared role in keeping plastic waste out of our regions waters” with Bill Lucey, a Long Island Soundkeeper with Save the Sound
Session 5: September 24, “What do we do with our old computers?” with TAKE2, CT DEEP, and the Connecticut Recyclers Coalition. (YouTube)
Session 6: “Working Together Creating Change: Cool Things You Can Do at Home to Slow Climate Change” with Janice Ehlemeyer, Community Resource Planner, Lower CT River Council of Governments; Pam Roach, Consultant with the So. Central Council of Governments and President of the CT Recyclers Coalition; and Mike Long, Sustainability Activist, Sustainable Essex Committee. (YouTube)
2020
Fundraiser for first public EV charging station a success!
The Sustainable Essex committee raised over $7,000 through a public fundraising campaign. The funds were matched by Sustainable CT to fully enable the $14,000 EV charger install at the parking lot behind the Post Office in downtown Essex. Thanks to our donors!
November 2020
2021 SEED Series
SEED Series continues- Fundraiser and events
Sustainable Essex successfully raised almost $2,500 for advertising costs for the SEED series, matched by Sustainable CT to $5,000
Session 1: March 31, “Food Scrap Collection at the Essex Transfer Station” with Blue Earth Compost (YouTube)
Session 2: June 22, “Your Connecticut River: What you Can do for Clean Water and Thriving Communities” with the Connecticut River Conservancy (YouTube) (Resources)
Session 3: July 14, “The CT River at Essex: A Local History of Thatchbed Island and Surrounds” with Jeff Going of the Essex Harbor Commission. (YouTube) (Resources)
Session 4: July 29, “CT River Inspiration – A Talk with Artist Kate Hair” (YouTube) (Resources)
Session 5: August 17, “Introduction to the Essex Source To Sea Cleanup Event” (YouTube) (Resources)
Session 6: September 29 “Everything you need to know about Buying, Owning, and Operating an Electric Vehicle” with the EV club of CT, the CT Auto Dealers Association, and the State of CT CHEAPR Incentive Program. (YouTube)
Session 7: October 4 “Author talk with J.B. MacKinnon: ‘The Day the World Stops Shopping'” (Resource)
Session 8: October 19 “Author Talk with Elizabeth Cline: ‘The Conscious Closet'” (Link to book)
October 2, 2021
Essex hosts first annual Source to Sea Cleanup event in collaboration with the Connecticut River Conservancy
1. Successful fundraiser completed raising over $1,000 for materials and advertising for the Source to Sea, matched by Sustainable CT
2. A lot of trash was picked up! 4055 items with a weight of almost 540 lbs were collected by 59 volunteers in 2 hours.
November 20, 2021
Sustainable Essex hosts first annual Toy Swap
Begin a new tradition with us this holiday season! Reduce and Reuse! Toys, books, and games are quickly outgrown. Help us reduce waste in our community by passing along gently loved items for laughter and entertainment of another. Save money; do your holiday “shopping” for your family and extended family and friends at the Toy Swap! Drop off, pick up, all are welcome even if you don’t swap!
April 30, 2022
Tri-Town Community Earth Day Celebration at Bushy Hill Nature Center
• Food Scrap Collection
• Composting Demos
• Repair Café
• Thin-film Plastic Collection
• What’s In, What’s Out Education
• Visit animals at the Farm
• Visit turtles at the Nature Center
• Seed Planting
• Explore hiking trails
(photos)
April 2022
Essex and Ivoryton Libraries start to collect thin-film plastic for pick-up by Sustainable Essex volunteers
In 2022, about 400 lbs of thin film plastic were collected and brought to local grocery chains for recycling.
September 24, 2022
Second Annual Source to Sea Cleanup
In our second event to conserve the Connecticut River watershed, we participated in the Source to Sea cleanup. A small, but hardy, group of volunteers picked up a lot of litter!
2727 items with a weight of over 700 lbs were collected by 48 volunteers in 2 hours.
(photos)
September 2022
Town of Essex uses funds from five-cent surcharge on small liquor bottles to support food scrap collection at Essex Elementary School
Sustainable Essex provided volunteers and training to staff and students to launch the program
October 29, 2022
Sustainable Essex hosts two events to highlight Electric Vehicles
1. Co-hosted “Get Charged Up!” with the Essex Library, a webinar highlighting the incentives and benefits of owning an EV. (presentation)
2. Sustainable Essex hosted an EV Car Show at the Essex Town Hall. The public came to talk to owners about their cars and experiences. No dealers, no test drives! Over 15 EV/hybrid car owners arrived with the latest models.
November 12, 2022
Sustainable Essex hosts second Toy Swap at Essex Elementary
October 31, 2022
Sustainable Essex reaches Silver certification with Sustainable CT
December 6, 2022
Community workshop on recycling leads to some incredible learnings and a new campaign to educate the public about proper recycling
2023 SEED series
Session 1: February 11 “Building a Sustainable Future: Passive House” with George Penniman from George Penniman Architects. (presentation) (picture above)
Session 2: June 14 “Threats to our Local Waterways and Strategies for Protecting Them” with Chet Arnold of the UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research
More sessions as part of “Stop the Plastic” series (below)
March 11, 2023
Sustainable Essex hosts Repair Cafe at Trinity Lutheran Fellowship Hall
Lots of fun was had; 19 residents got 27 items repaired by 7 volunteer repairers! Items included clothes, toys, appliances, electronics, furniture, and lots of knives for our sharpener.
May 2023
Sustainable Essex celebrates Earth Day with a litter cleanup, and hosts three volunteers from Valley Regional High School who pulled a patch of Japanese Knotweed from the EES grounds
June 2023
Sustainable Essex partners with Chester and Deep River to raise over $30,000 to encourage food scrap collection at all Region 4 schools
Summer 2023
Sustainable Essex gathers garden fresh vegetables from residents for donation to Shoreline Soup Kitchens and Pantries
July 22, 2023
Sustainable Essex hosts a Pollinator Pathway Tour
August 25, 2023
Sustainable Essex tours Materials Recovery Facility in Berlin
Oct/Nov 2023
Sustainable Essex in collaboration with Chester, Deep River, the Nest, the Essex Library, and the CTLCV a 3-part “Stop the Plastic” Series
1. Author talk with Erica Cirino, author of “Thicker than Water: The Quest for Solutions to the Plastic Crisis”. (YouTube similar talk) (picture above)
2. Roundtable discussion to talk about changes we have made to reduce our daily plastic use, featuring Yasmin from RebootEco
3. Climate, Coffee, and Conversations with House Rep. Christine Palm and the CTLCV
November 4, 2023
Sustainable Essex hosts Electric Lawncare Demo day with the Essex Land Trust
Featuring battery-operated leaf blowers, string trimmers, clippers, mowers, and chainsaw. Compared multiple brands. Attendees could test equipment themselves.
November 18, 2023
Sustainable Essex host third annual Toy Swap
2023
