Westwood Resident Looking to Form 'Eco-Teams'

Earth Week Cleanup kicks off in Westwood today and ends next Saturday. But one week of engaging environmentally-friendly activities isn't enough for local resident Michael Brier. 

Brier has been hard at work trying to form and organize a series of Eco-Teams he began about a year ago. He is hoping, this year, to engage more residents from Westwood to take part, especially with the arrival Earth Week Cleanup.

"I started over a year ago with the team on my street," he said. "It was pretty easy and I knew the people, and everybody's got some household waste. We used a low-carbon diet workbook; it has at least 24 ways to save energy."

The idea for the Eco-Teams came from the book Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5000 Pounds--Be Part of the Global Warming Solution! by David Gershon, which describes programs on how to create the teams to comprise anywhere from five to eight neighbors or friends in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint by 10 percent after a year of engaging in the eco-friendly activities. 

Brier hopes to eventually organize at least three dozen leaders with in an effort to reduce about 750,000 pounds of carbon dioxide.

"I started two [teams] on my street with neighbors and it was actually pretty easy to get them to do it," Brier said. "Once they got into it, they really appreciated some of the energy saving tips and the money savings they experienced, and being tied to the earth, because that's really what it's about. I wanted to do this at a big level."

The book, meanwhile, served as a veritable bible of the group, which met four times for about an hour each over the course of about two months.

"Everybody got it who was on the Eco-Team," Brier said. "They learned how to save energy using those 24 actions, and they could pick any actions they wanted. The whole idea is, first, to figure out your carbon footprint, and then reduce it by 10 percent. It takes about a whole year - you've got to work for a whole year doing those actions."

He added: "We help each other. That was one of the real values of the neighborhood Eco-Teams. Some of the time it takes a lifestyle change. If you drive to do errands, how about making a route, and do all your errands in a big circle?"

Those interested in being part of an Eco-Team or starting one should contact Michael Brier at 781-461-8818 or at mjbrier@comcast.net.