Going Green in December
team real or fake🎄, reuse for a cause, and clean energy to save 💰
Might you be interested in holiday snacks for the kids, hot chocolate and cider, gingerbread people decorating, and s'mores? I know—is that even a real question? ☕ No one has to ask my boys twice if they want s'mores or hot chocolate.
Light up a holiday tree this year with your neighbors while indulging in those fun treats. Chadds Ford Township and the Chadds Ford Township Residents Association partnered to host a Holiday Tree Lighting event on December 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. at 10 Ring Road.
For those who have little ones, Santa will arrive from the North Pole on a fire truck courtesy of the Concordville Fire Department at 5:45, so make sure you come early! They'll light the tree at 6:30.
Sometimes, getting to know your neighbors in Chadds Ford is hard. We're fortunate to have beautiful country roads and wooded open spaces, but this makes it challenging to run into your neighbors on an evening walk or at the mailbox. Make a plan to attend the tree lighting with a neighbor you know, or come ready to meet one with whom you haven't yet crossed paths.
It might seem silly, but community events like these help tamper the toxic rhetoric of lives sometimes lived too much behind screens. (I recognize the irony of saying that through an email on your screen... 💛) Real-life connections remind us that we have so much more in common than not.
Did you know the Chadds Ford Township Residents Association is looking to host more events throughout the year to unite neighbors in our town? Check out the CFTRA website to learn more about the organization. The CFTRA Facebook page shares a wealth of information about upcoming local events where you can support clubs, community groups, and more.
You can also sign up to be a member for just $20 per year. Support the small but mighty non-partisan organization working to foster relationships among all our Chadds Ford neighbors, and grab a cup of hot chocolate or decorate a gingerbread cookie while you're chatting.
Around Town
Christmas Tree Sale to Benefit Unionville Mountain Biking Team
Are you Team Real or Team Fake Christmas Tree? No judgment either way, but if you're on Team Real Christmas Tree, it's approaching that time of year to top your car with a tree from a local farm.
Head to Northbrook Marketplace this year and purchase a tree to benefit the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District Mountain Biking Team. Stop by any Friday, Saturday, or Sunday in December to choose the perfect tree for your holiday space. We won't tell anyone if you snag a box of apple cider donuts while there because you might have to share them. ðŸ«
If you're unfamiliar with the Mountain Biking Team, it's a fairly new school club. I attended a presentation at the school last spring hosted by a club founder, and she was very passionate about the club's impact. I also have friends whose kids are members of the club.
The club founder stressed how mountain biking can be life-changing, especially for some students who don't find homes in more traditional "ball sports." It's a welcoming community for anyone who wants to try it and provides a unique avenue to team sports that expands accessibility to more of our local kids.
If you're buying a Christmas tree this year anyway, why not support the young mountain bikers in our community and a local business by purchasing through Northbrook Marketplace (1805 Unionville Wawaset Rd, West Chester, PA)?
Is That Trash Actually Treasure?
It's that time of year when all sorts of things pile up in our homes (oh... consumption culture). If you're replacing home furniture, small appliances, kitchen gadgets, or other household items, the Community Warehouse Project (CWP) might be a better home than the trash for things you no longer need.
CWP collects and redistributes donated furniture and other household items to individuals and families in need within the region. Check out their site for more information on what they do and don't accept and how, where, and when to drop off donations. They take many different items but cannot accept some for various reasons.
Many of us will be spending a lot of money this holiday season on others. An organization like Community Warehouse Project offers a way to support others by passing along things we already have but no longer need, even when our budgets are tight around the holidays. If you have space in your budget, CWP also has an Amazon Wishlist, runs a Bed Campaign, and accepts financial donations.
Before you toss the sofa, accent chair, coffee table, microwave, coffee pot, Pyrex containers, toaster, and so much more(!), check out the CWP donation list to see if you can pass along your "pre-loved but plenty of life left" furniture and household items to someone in our local area who can give them a second chance. I'm certain whatever you're ready to part with would much prefer a new home than a trip to the landfill.
LEGO Your Old LEGO
Speaking of turning trash into treasure, do you have boxes of LEGO lying around that you no longer need? Stop dusting them and donate them to a home that regularly uses them.
Chadds Ford Elementary recently started a free LEGO club for students. It's a great mix of screen-free, unstructured play (crucial for kids!) and creative brick building.
Through December 16, the school PTO is collecting gently used LEGO sets and pieces to support the club. You can drop them off at the CFES vestibule during school hours. Whether or not you have kids at Chadds Ford Elementary, you can support our future engineers, architects, storytellers, and creative minds as they explore the world through LEGO with friends.
School District Saving Money With Clean Energy Choices
Electric School Buses
We all know that fossil fuels pollute our air, so I was excited to hear that last month, the school board approved the purchase of five electric school buses to replace current buses.1 Not only will this reduce the carbon fuel fumes at the bus stops 🤢 but it was also the least expensive option (and 80% of the cost was paid for grants, further reducing the obligation for taxpayers). We can rejoice together for cleaner air and saving money! I think I heard taxpayers clinking glasses to that. 🥂
Because of their usage patterns, school buses are a logical option for leading the way toward a clean energy future. They drive a limited number of miles each day with lots of starts and stops, so they benefit from the efficiencies of regenerative braking.2
Additionally, buses return to the same location every night, making overnight charging at permanent charging stations optimal. I'm not sure if the school currently uses time-of-use (TOU) energy rates at the bus depot, but this pricing election is available through PECO, which charges much lower prices per unit of energy consumed at night than during the day.
It wouldn't likely make sense to elect TOU rates at school buildings, but it might be a viable option if they can elect it just for vehicle charging at the bus depot. If the district has this energy pricing option, it could be a great way to save even more money on energy usage to charge the buses. I hope they consider it if they haven't already.
Solar Panel Installation
Next up? The district approved proceeding with an application for a PA Solar for Schools grant to fund a portion of the cost of installing solar panels on the high school roof. Energy generation from these panels would offset 25% of the school’s energy use. Not only does this reduce reliance on fossil fuels and diversify the district's energy mix, but it also saves the district a lot of money over the 25-year life span of the panels.
After just five years, the project would break even through cost savings and other financial benefits (i.e., recover all expenses). Years 6 - 25 offer the school over $2.2 million in projected savings and revenue from solar energy credits (SRECs).3
Climate champions and taxpayers alike have cause for celebration on this project. Let’s hope the school gets the grant to support moving forward.
Approved at the November 18, 2024, regular school board meeting. You can find more information on the approval and supporting documents in the board meeting agenda, Item 9.1, in the Facilities section from Dr. Akki.
Regenerative braking captures the kinetic energy produced by a car when it slows down or comes to a stop. It is then converted into electrical energy and stored in a battery or capacitor for later use. See more here.
Approved at the November 18, 2024, regular school board meeting. You can find more information on the approval and supporting documents in the board meeting agenda, Item 9.2, in the Facilities section from Dr. Akki.