On Saturday, October 30, 2010, Sustainable Milton launched the 2010 Eco Team Challenge at a kickoff event at the Milton Public Library and 14 teams, composed of almost 50 people, have answered the call.

Milton residents spoke to experts about free home inspections, home insulation, solar hot water systems, solar electric systems, and cogeneration systems that produce heat and electricity to meet household needs and feed some energy back into the grid. Those who signed up to take the Challenge, received a 10% Discount Card for energy saving products from Curry Hardware.

Eco Team Co-chairs are compiling lists of team leaders and members, and will be contacting them shortly to get them started. At the first team meeting, team members will calculate their carbon footprint, create the baseline data showing their household energy use, and consider the first round of no- and low-cost energy saving strategies listed in the easy-to-follow guide, Low Carbon Diet. Discount cards for energy saving products will be available for all participants.

The 2010 Eco Team Challenge is free, open to all, and no special skills are required. You decide what you can and cannot do. A number of suggested actions are free, some have nominal costs, and a few cost more and have longer payback periods. Families already on a Low Carbon Diet have seen immediate financial returns ranging from $300 to $700 in the first year. There will be a grand prize for the BIGGEST CARBON LOSER and there is stilltime to join!

Please email sustainablemilton@comcast.net or call Kathy Doyle at 617-529-0222 or Laurie Webster at 617-877-6256.