How Green Is Wayland?

Does Wayland make it easy for you to live an earth-friendly lifestyle? What do you wish was different?

Towns across the country are getting new recycling centers, giving away rain barrels and installing parking meters with solar panels. Here at Patch, we want to know: What makes Acton green? The Mother Nature Network recently listed their Top 10 Greenest Cities in the U.S. Of the top 10 greenest cities in the U.S., Massachusetts boasts two: Cambridge at No. 6, Boston at No. 3, TELL US: What does Wayland do to help you go green? Do you use any resources from the town to stay green? Share in the comments below. 

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Bay State Bike Week Begins

The week encouraging bike-based activities is May 11-19.

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation along with several other public and private entities have banded together to help you to get out of your cars and onto your bikes this week. May 11 to 19 is Bay State Bike Week, a week unique to Massachusetts which celebrates all things bicycle. There are bike-based events going on around the Bay State this week, and several in the Boston area. The Bay State Bike Week website has provided a searchable calendar to find dates, locations and times for events closest to you. What would a statewide bike week be without a little friendly competition? The MassCommute Bicycle Challenge will award those who log the most miles by bicycle. Other local bike facts: Massachusetts has been recognized by the …

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Earth Day 2013 a Resounding Success

Wayland's 2013 Earth Day open houses and activities brought out the crowds.

Transition Wayland and the Wayland Schools PTO Green Team would like to thank all the hosts, visitors, sponsors, volunteers and the local media for making Wayland's latest Earth Day event a resounding success. Last year the two organizations collaborated to hold a traditional fair with booths and activities at the Town Building. Though with 400 visitors this was by all counts a success, they wanted to try something different this year. The goal was to “give Earth Day away” to the community by decentralizing it. They came up with the idea of open houses – opening homes, gardens, places of worship and businesses, where things sustainable, resilient and “green” are happening, though not always known to many residents. The invitation to the …

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Cleaning up the Earth, One Student and Teacher at a Time

An ongoing mission to clean up the trash in MetroWest is being carried out by Pat Conaway, a former Wayland Middle School teacher, and his former students.

Pat Conaway is relentless in his pursuit of cleaning up the rivers and common areas in MetroWest. His students are too. Pat has been taking groups of his former students out for experiences in hands-on environmentalism since they were in sixth grade. Conaway spent many years as a teacher at Wayland Middle School. Canoes carrying Pat's loyal volunteers made stops on the Charles River recently, and headed for home carrying trash bags full of cans, bottles and other pieces of trash. 

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Katrien Vander Straeten

10:03 am on Thursday, May 9, 2013

Thank you, Pat!   more ›

7 Jobs that Make the World a Better Place

Want to make a real difference in the world? Consider one of these seven "green" careers that help protect -- and improve -- our planet. Provided by AOL.

The following story was provided by AOL.com  By Debra Auerbach for CareerBuiler Have you ever had an itch to quit your job and instead do work that makes a real difference in the world? In honor of Earth Day on April 22, we've compiled a list of seven jobs that help people live a better life – from the buildings they work and live in, to the energy that fuels their homes, to the air they breathe.  1. Conservation scientist: Conservation scientists are hired to help preserve and protect natural habitats. They usually work with landowners and federal, state and local governments to find the best ways to use and improve the land while conserving the environment.* If you’re looking for a green job in Wayland, check out our jobs page.  2. …

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How Can We Make Every Day Earth Day? (Sponsored)

Here are some family activities you can do to foster environmentalism. Sponsored by Sony.

Very few events are celebrated around the globe, but Earth Day is. This year, it’s come and gone. But we’re here to ask: What can we do to show our love of the earth on that day, and every day? On May 31st, Sony will release After Earth, an action-packed movie that takes place 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity to leave. It’s the kind of scenario that makes you want to donate to Greenpeace, recycle everything, and start biking every where, immediately. So, in honor of Earth Day, Patch has teamed up with Sony to present these ideas for making every day Earth Day. How can we make every day Earth Day? Begin with little things. Easy things. Obvious things. Things we take for granted each day, and use and/or abuse because of …

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Register Now for Saturday's Household Hazardous Waste Collection

Have some hazardous waste around the house? Saturday is the day to drop it off in Wayland, but you need to register.

Wayland residents should register now to take part in Saturday's Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day on Saturday, May 4. The collection will take place at 195 Main St., in the parking lot of the Highway Department garage. In order to take advantage of the collection day, residents must register for a 30-minute time slot between the hours of 9 a.m. and noon on May 4. Slots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration forms are available in the Board of Health office, Wayland Town Building lobby, Council on Aging at Town Hall (all at 41 Cochituate Road), Wayland Public Library (5 Concord Way), the Wayland Transfer Station & Recycling Center (484 Boston Post Road) and online. Forms must be submitted to the Board of …

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Every Day is Earth Day: Plant the Seeds, Inspire Children

Encourage children to love the earth and all will bloom naturally. Here are some family activities you can do to foster environmentalism in Wayland.

Earth Day Open Houses Taking Place All Weekend

Transition Wayland and the Wayland Green Team have organized a series of open houses throughout Wayland in honor of Earth Day. Check out the schedule and map.

For several weeks, you've read in Patch introductory invitations to a wide variety of green locations throughout Wayland. This weekend, all those introductions can become full experiences as homes, schools and businesses open their doors (or gardens or compost piles or farm stands) to guests for Earth Day weekend open houses. Check out the attached map and schedule and start planning your Earth Day activities. Don't forget to stop by the Wayland Transfer Station (if you're a sticker holder) to pick up some compost.

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Every Day is Earth Day: Plant the Seeds, Inspire Children

Encourage children to love the earth and all will bloom naturally. Here are some family activities you can do to foster environmentalism in Wayland.

April 22 was Earth Day, which is celebrated across the entire world. But what can we do to show our love of the earth every day?     Love begins in the home and so does the love for our earth. If you teach your children to respect the earth on every level, they will continue to realize the global impact of environmentalism when they become adults. This is important for the sustainability of life as we know it.   Perhaps we can set off that spark in a child, making them want to learn more about the process and do more to help. If we've done our part, they might strive to become an environmentalist—professionally or at heart. Inspire children, plant the seeds early on, and they will flourish.  We all strive to do "acts of kindness" for our …

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