September Newsletter

September 2026

Barrels, Cleanups, and Community: End of Summer Recap

It's been a busy month in the Green Beverly community! We've loved connecting with so many of you at events across Beverly.

The Bin Swap, hosted by the City of Beverly and the Waste Reduction Committee, was a weekend to remember. We collected 748 barrels and rehomed 589, thanks to Beverly High students, Essex Tech students, our Waste Reduction Committee members, and families across town. From rain barrels to composting stations to shed organizers, we watched creative reuse happen in real time. This is what community-driven waste reduction looks like.

Our friends at Axcelis showed up too. Their Sustainability Committee joined us for a Story Avenue cleanup that filled an entire truckload. Their partnership and energy made all the difference.

And on August 31, the Beverly YMCA and Beverly Bootstraps brought everyone together for a final free yoga class with instructor Karen Sullivan. Participants stretched, connected, and gave back, raising food to support our neighbors. Community showing up for community.

Thank you to everyone who joined, volunteered, and helped make these events possible!

WHAT’S BLOOMING AT GREEN BEVERLY🌼

🌼From a Letter in the Mail to Action

Tracy, Green Beverly's Energy Advocate, used to dread winter $600 oil tank fills, cold drafts, the works. Then a letter arrived. 27 Beverly residents responded to that same invitation and are already seeing the payoff.

Read the full blog here.

🌼Growing Food, Growing Community

Three of our North Shore Farm and Food Coalition members are getting well-deserved recognition. The Food Project, Mack Park Farm, and Newhall Fields were featured as part of Massachusetts Urban Agriculture Week, and we're proud to support them as they expand access to fresh food and build green spaces across the North Shore.

Want to learn more about urban agriculture in Massachusetts? Read the full article here.

🌼Green Beverly's Guide to Municipal Aggregation

When 37 Massachusetts municipalities made the switch to 100% renewable electricity, we saw what's possible. Now we're sharing everything we've learned- the strategy, the wins, the playbook to help other communities make that same leap. If your town is ready, or you are ready to learn more, we're here to help guide the way.

Learn what we're sharing here.

🌼Join the Green Beverly Team!

Green Beverly is hiring! We’re looking for passionate, dedicated people to join our team and help build a more sustainable Beverly. We currently have openings for a Home Energy Community Outreach Manager, Projects and Program Director, and Technical Energy Coach.

Learn more about these opportunities and apply here.

🌼Green Beverly & Beantrust Meetup series: Cultivating Community

One of the core tenets of both Green Beverly and Beantrust is cultivating community here in Beverly. Come join us for some warm drinks, nibbles, and discussion around what community in Beverly looks and feels like to you. Erik Modal (founder of Beantrust), Meg Cunningham (Green Beverly’s Community Engagement Director), and Chrisanthe Steininger (Green Beverly’s Community Giving Director) will facilitate the conversation. What parts of the community make you feel the most connected and invested? What opportunities do we have to continue building a resilient, connected, and sustainable community?

📍Sep 20, 2026 1-3 PM at beantrust coffeebar

🎃The Great Pumpkin Smash 2026 🎃

Mark your calendars! Green Beverly is excited to return to New Entry Farm on November 8th from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. to host the annual Great Pumpkin Smash! Join us for a festive fall day meant for all ages! Enjoy bluegrass music, lawn games, creative ways to compost pumpkins (smashing, hurling, squishing!), local food, drink & craft vendors, and educational information about composting and sustainable actions!

Entry is free, but registration is required. *Please note, anyone 18 and under must attend with an adult. No pets are allowed on the property.

This event is a festive way to celebrate fall, but is also deeply connected to Green Beverly’s mission. At last year’s Pumpkin Smash, we diverted ~30k lbs of pumpkins to compost, which is about 40 tons of CO2 diverted!

And every year, the Pumpkin Smash is able to make this level of impact because of a fleet of incredible volunteers who help us make it happen! If you are interested in volunteering this year to help support the Pumpkin Smash event, please let us know by filling out this form. There are many opportunities, big and small! More details to come.

ONGOING COMMUNITY EVENTS & UPDATES - JOIN US!

Find loads of events hosted by Green Beverly and other local orgs on our Events Calendar, or easily submit your own. Upcoming highlights include…

September 18 | 8 AM-5 PM | Park(ing) Day | 248 Cabot Street

September 20 | 1-3 PM | Green Beverly & Beantrust Meetup series

September 20 | 1-5 PM | Harborfest @ Lynch Park

September 23 | 6-7:30 PM| GB 101 @ Beverly Public Library | RSVP here

September 28 | 9:30-10:30 AM Beverly’s Ghost Gear Challenge @ Beverly Public Library. Hosted by Beverly’s Harbormaster, Captain Peter Dickman

October 9 |12-2 PM | Co-Flo | Green Beverly Office hours at CoFlo hosted at BackBeat Brewing

October 29 | 4-6 PM | Downtown Trick-or-treat | Beverly City Hall

🎃Save the Date* — November 8th, 11 AM–2 PM | Pumpkin Smash @ New Entry at Moraine Farm.

UPCOMING OPPORTUNITIES🌱

Get Involved with Green Beverly!
Whether you're a seasoned eco-warrior or just getting started, there's a place for you. Here's what's happening now:

🍃 Volunteer Opportunities:

Love Electricity??? Become a Coach!
-Home Energy Coaches — Know your way around a heating system? Installed heat pumps and love talking about them? Used Mass Save's rebates to insulate your home? We're looking for Building Energy and Heat Pump coaches to share that knowledge with neighbors. Apply here: Info@GreenBeverly.org

-Window Inserts — Be part of a team helping plan a community build for window inserts, which slip into existing windows from the inside and help save money on heating bills. We're looking for a core group to help organize a build primarily for our low-income residents. See this link for more information and to sign up to express interest.

-Food Diversion — Every Sunday at 11:45 am and Thursday at 9:45 am, help us move unsold food from Whole Foods to neighbors in need. Must be able to carry 35 lbs and have a larger vehicle. Email volunteer@greenbeverly.orgwith "MOVE FOOD" in the subject line.

-Driveway Parties — Live in Centerville, Raymond Farms (behind Henry's), or Gloucester Crossing? Host a driveway chat with Green Beverly this summer! We'll talk about home energy, bills, heat pumps, and more. Email info@greenbeverly.org with "Driveway Party" in the subject line.

🍃 Senior Citizen Opportunity
Energy Ambassador — Know about Mass Save or energy savings? Share it with your neighbors as a 2026 Energy Ambassador. Paid and volunteer roles available. Learn more and apply here or email info@greenbeverly.org.

MA ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS + TIPS🌱

When Green Beverly sees headlines like this….

New Englanders Will Pay Through the Nose to Stay Warm This Winter*

Green Beverly thinks INSULATION.

We all need our homes to be as well insulated and air-sealed as they can be so that the precious heat that we are paying for stays in our homes and does not leak out. Mass Save has rebates and incentives for us to do this work! Take advantage of it. Get a no-cost assessment to start the process.

If you are ambitious, you can add heat pumps to your house, use even less oil, and save. (Heat pumps use electricity and will also cool you in summer…)

*Oil prices rising: https://heatmap.news/energy/new-england-heating-oil

🌱SCAMS?
Since Green Beverly is talking a lot about what Mass Save can offer us… just be aware of SCAMS! (Sadness) Read here.

🌱National Grid In-person Assistance

National Grid has a Customer Assistance event every other month at Beverly Bootstraps. The next one is Monday, October 26 – 10:00 am - 1:00 pm, 35 Park St, Beverly, MA 01915

Talk with a real, live person at a table who can help you with your bill.

🌱Love Electricity??? Become a Coach!

Interested in learning how to advance clean energy projects in Beverly and promote an electric switch to policymakers, neighbors, and your loved ones? Become an Electric Coach with Green Beverly. Want to learn more about the subject? Take Rewiring America’s Electric Coach class. Learn more here.

🌱Reduce your trash - keep food out of the trash - compost it instead!
Green Beverly has launched a FREE compost pilot program with two new drop-off sites at Hannah Elementary School and Glen Urquhart School. Beverly residents who register will also receive access to two additional compost locations run by the City of Beverly.

Participation is simple: review the composting guidelines, complete the Green Beverly sign-up form, and receive your combination lock code within a week. Then drop off up to two bags of kitchen scraps per week at either school location.
👉 Learn more and sign up here.

JOIN OUR MEMBERSHIP!

Your generosity helps us create a more sustainable Beverly for generations to come-please consider donating today, or consider becoming a Sustaining Member.

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Green Beverly is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Our mission is to help ALL Beverly residents and businesses lead more sustainable lives through actionable information, inspiration, and education.

Learn more at https://www.greenbeverly.org