GREEN BRIEFS

Build a rain barrel to save water and help Lake Champlain

Join the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Rethink Runoff Stream Team in an upcoming rain barrel workshop. You’ll learn to build, paint, install and maintain a rain barrel for your home.

Rain barrels save water, money and improve water quality in local streams and lakes by capturing rainwater before it flows over roads and picks up pollutants. You can use the water you capture for watering lawns and flower gardens and washing vehicles and tools.

The workshop will be held at the Town of Williston Public Works Facility at 291 Avenue A. There are two sessions on Friday, April 14: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Register online at https://forms.gle/sN21gLzBx5i8sqX58.

Email Adelaide Dumm with any questions at adelaide@winooskinrcd.org.

ed at www.vtrans.vermont.gov/form/carbon-reduction-strategy.

The initiative is part of the state’s carbon reduction goal of reaching 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. It also supports federal requirements for each state to develop a carbon reduction strategy to be eligible for federal greenhouse gas-reducing transportation projects.

DEC offers leak detection

The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation is offering free leak detection services to local water systems that serve homes, schools and businesses.

Fixing leaks reduces the risk of costly emergencies, outages, damage, contamination and legal fees. Last year, the department helped 17 systems find and fix 21 leaks that saved 30.4 million gallons of water.

A partnership forms for hard-to-recycle materials

Williston

Adams Farm Market

Belle’s Café

Dorothy Alling Memorial Library

Fairfield Inn

Gardener’s Supply

Green Mountain Bagel

Hannaford

Healthy Living Williston

Home2Suites

Korner Kwik Stop

Marriott Courtyard

Men At Wok

People’s United Bank

Ramunto’s

Rehab Gym

Shell Gas Station (Essex Rd)

Simon’s Mobil Williston

Simply Divine Café

Sonesta

Sunoco Station

Town of Williston Offices

UPS Store

Williston Coffee Shop

Williston If

“With new funding from the bipartisan infrastructure law, we will be able to double the funding for proactive leak detection services from $50,000 to $100,000 this summer and help more Vermont communities,” Joshua Lochhead of the DEC said.

The Williston Observer is mailed to every home and business in Williston and St. George every Thursday. In addition, we provide rack distribution to locations in Williston, Richmond and Essex.

Essex Junction

Essex Automotive

Five Corner Variety

Hannaford (at Essex Shoppes)

Inn at Essex

Mac’s Market

Martone’s Deli

Price Chopper

Quality Bake Shop River Road Beverage

Richmond

Cumberland Farms

Richmond Free Library

Richmond Market

Richmond Mobil Mart

Casella Waste Systems, Inc., a regional solid waste, recycling and resource management services company, in partnership with TerraCycle, a recycling company that specializes in hard-to-recycle materials, is offering consumers a way to recycle snack wrappers, candy wrappers, corks and other items that local recycling services won’t accept curbside.

“Most candy wrappers are difficult to recycle because they are made from a mix of materials that are hard to separate, and synthetic corks are rarely accepted through curbside recycling services because they are too small to process,” said Tom Szaky, founder and CEO of TerraCycle.

The TerraCycle Pouch by Casella program is being piloted in the Burlington area as a subscription service. Visit http://www. terracyclepouch.com for more information and to subscribe.

Weigh in on state’s carbon reduction strategy

The Vermont Agency of Transportation invites the public to participate in the first virtual public meeting for the state’s carbon reduction strategy on Thursday, March 23. Meetings will be held at noon and 6 p.m. via Zoom. Links to the two sessions are post-

Contact Lochhead at (802) 622-4831 or email joshua.lochhead@vermont.gov for more information.

State has millions in new funding for energy efficiency

State officials last week launched a $45 million Municipal Energy Resilience Grant program to fund energy efficiency and resilience improvements in municipal buildings.

The program’s first offerings are grants to build community capacity aimed at developing strategies to support Vermont’s Global Warming Solutions Act. Funds may be used to hire a consultant to identify municipally owned buildings in need of energy efficiency improvements and provide grant application assistance for energy resilience assessments.

Cities, towns, fire districts and incorporated villages can apply through their local Regional Planning Commission.

“Increasing energy resilience and efficiency is an important part of our work to combat climate change, and state and municipal government has a role to play,” Gov. Phil Scott said. “I encourage municipalities to consider taking advantage of this significant funding opportunity, which can help reduce both costs and emissions.”