January 17, 2024
Attendance: Claire Anacreon, Morgan Anthony, Sebastien Bigorre, Alan Gaul, Liz Maloney, Kai Srisirikul, Gretchen Swarr
#1 Beach Clean-up Shore Lab - Monthly – We need Volunteers to join the leaders! STF is partnering with T3C + WHOI neighbors to clean up the beach on the first Thursday of each month at noon. Meet at Gate by Shore Lab.
· February 1 - Leader: Seb
· March 7 - Looking for a leader
#2 Energy Master Plan — Updates
Continuing energy improvements projects event though EMP has not been presented
EMP not presented to Trustees yet. Dock project seems to take precedence.
In the meantime, Facilities continues to implement energy improvements that fit the EMP recommendations, like installing heat pumps or improving control systems. Also pushing for installing small solar arrays under 25kW (e.g. David Center) ; the limit bypasses a regulatory roadblocks at State level related to load on the Cape’s energy grid.
Kai: 20% energy reduction by tweaking control sequences in David Center (e.g. no heating when nobody is in building, decreasing ventilation overflow). The plan is to replicate this in other buildings, especially newer bldgs like Losos. In small bldgs installed smart thermostats, will install heat pumps in bldgs like McLean or Losos (may increase cost because gas is cheap but reduces greenhouse gases and is also an efficient electrical system).
Seb: can we publicize this kind of achievement in Headlines every quarter?
Liz: the STF website reports some of these improvements but will work on an article for Headlines, mentioning some of the improvements and a link to/mention of STF website.
#3 Lunch and Learns — Update on data library/herbarium tour?
Claire following up w folks at Herbarium for Lunch and Learn but no timeline yet.
#4 Carpooling initiative updates — useful website: https://baystatecommute.com/
Liz made a GoogleForm to ask for people interested in carpooling, but it would require someone to compile info and put folks in contact with each other.
Gretchen: we can instead make a GoogleDoc where folks interested in carpooling write down their town, contact info, and let folks get in touch with each other.
#5 Bee Keeping Updates
Seb: Ellen and Kai installed temp sensor in one of the beehives, added insulation before very cold weather. Ellen needs volunteers to make sugar for feeding bees in winter season. STF members are encouraged to reach out to bee group to learn about bees and help with beekeeping activities (you don’t have to work with the bees to help!) Seb will email Ellen to ask about timeline for inviting a Master Beekeeper. And see if it could be a Lunch & Learn.
Kai: will need help back in the Spring when good hives come in.
#6 Renewable Energy Collaborative – Testing ocean sensors and renewable energy tech
Seb: The renewal energy collaborative in Falmouth is a project that planned to provide the platform and facilitate testing of ocean sensors and renewable energy tech. The project hit a regulatory roadblock and funding disappeared, but maybe we could learn from it or help revive it: https://www.falmouthedic.org/marine-renewal-energy-collaborative
#7 New Business
Organize a social get together with STF members (~100 people on our email list!), to showcase energy reduction efforts, Herbarium, bees, wild edibles tour, eBike demo, EV demo, etc. Maybe a Saturday close to Earth Day (4/22)?
#8 Next month’s STF meeting meet a week earlier (February 14) in order to avoid conflicts with Ocean Sciences Meeting? Yes, next mtg 2/14.