Green Initiative

Woods Memorial Library's Green Initiative is a chance for the public to celebrate the community, enjoy environmental programs, go "Back to Basics"and learn about nature.

June is composting month. Everytime a patron visits the library and checks out materials he will recieve a raffle ticket to win a composting bin. Stop by and take a chance.

On Tuesday June 24th at 7 p.m. Barre's Waste Management Inc. will share information on its Gas-to-Energy Facility, a local renewable energy source.

Integrated Waste Management System

The Barre Landfill gas-to-energy facility is part of an integrated waste management system. WM is the only waste and environmental services company in Massachusetts to have all of its landfills producing renewable energy. Waste Management operate five landfill gas-to-energy plants in Massachusetts, which produces 2.5 MW, enough energy output to the equivalent power to over 2,800 households. WM also has renewable energy plants at its Chicopee (6 MW), Taunton (1.6 MW), Barre (1 MW), and Granby (3 MW) landfills. All five sites have the combined energy output to provide the equivalent power to over 12,000 households.

Waste-Based Energy: Generating Green Power in Barre

· Waste Management’s Barre Landfill initiated a waste-based energy program in 1996 including a 1 megawatt facility that provides a source of green power to the New England energy grid.

· Our ongoing renewable energy project at the Barre Landfill creates enough energy to power an estimated 700 homes for 12 months.

· Nationally, our renewable energy projects create enough energy to power nearly 1 million homes and save the equivalent of more than 13 million barrels of oil per year.

· Waste Management supplies landfill gas to create enough green energy to power about 400,000 homes, replacing nearly 7 million barrels of oil per year.

· Gas is created through the anaerobic decomposition of waste. A gas extraction well acts as a vacuum to collect and direct landfill gas into the state-of-the-art 1 megawatt facility where it is burned as fuel and converted into green power.

· By recycling more than 30,000 tons of aluminum, we save enough energy to run a TV for nearly 6 billion hours. Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to power a TV for 3 hours.

Nationally, the recovery of landfill gas, coupled with the power generated from the conversion of solid waste in our waste-to-energy plants, saves the equivalent of more than 13 million barrels of oil, or 3.6 million tons of coal, per year.

· From the current projects at our landfills, we supply enough landfill gas to create enough green energy to power about 400,000 homes, almost 2 million tons of coal.

· Wheelabrator Technologies converts municipal solid waste to energy, saving nearly seven million barrels of oil and generating enough clean, renewable energy to power 650,000 homes.

Staff will encourage eco-friendly practices, supply education on environmental issues and be a resource for information about local sources, projects and ways to become involved.

The library is a community center and we need to continue supporting needs of the public. We hope to see many lectures, workshops and family programs revolving around our Green Initiative. There are so many actions one person can take to help the environment and think globally. The Woods Memorial Library is an educational resource for the community and we want to support other local organizations."

View the Woods Memorial Library's “Get It Locally” Board. This area features local farmers, producers and crafters. This yearly display alerts patrons to what’s in season and where they can find these products. Anyone interested in participating may contact the Woods Memorial Library for information at (978) 355-2533. This includes businesses and organizations from surrounding areas outside the town of Barre. Information will be continually updated based on those interested in participating.

For more information about these programs click on the Events Schedule	Supply your businesses info by clicking on Get it Locally or contact the library.