The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee is an advisory committee reporting to the Selectboard involving matters relating to sustainable practices, environmental regulations, green initiatives, and the environmental health of Fairhaven. In that capacity, the Sustainability Committee (formerly Green Fairhaven Committee) shall be charged with the following:
- Promote outreach and volunteer efforts to support beach, ocean, and terrestrial clean-ups.
- Promote, advocate, and lobby for sustainable practices and lifestyle changes, both in Fairhaven, and our greater region, via education, green initiatives and bylaws.
- Enhance Fairhaven’s reputation as a leader in sustainable enterprises.
- Work interdepartmentally to improve recycling, reducing, reusing, composting, and other sustainable practices.
- Foster a sustainable future and advocate for social and economic improvements in our community.
- Act as a resource to the Sustainability Coordinator, when requested, and provide recommendations to the Select Board and the Town Administrator on Sustainability issues.
- Membership: It is the recommendation of the Sustainability Committee that the membership be comprised of seven (7) full voting members, and up to five (5) alternate members, as appointed by the Select Board. Terms shall be one year, reappointed annually. If a newly appointed member or alternate member does not get sworn in within 3 months of appointment, they will no longer be a member of the committee. In the event that there is no quorum of the 7 full voting members, alternate members may act as voting members for the purposes of quorum for that meeting. The alternate member(s) will be chosen by seniority in service as alternate members on the committee.
If you’d like to be added to the Sustainability Committee mailing list for more information about events and initiatives, please send an email to sustainability@fairhaven-ma.gov with your name and contact information.
The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee would like to thank local residents Caitlyn Foster and Lauren Crowley, who collaborated with the Committee as part of Christine Neville’s graphic design class at Fairhaven High School to design our logo.
Fairhaven Sustainability Committee Land Acknowledgement
The Fairhaven Sustainability Committee acknowledges Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the land, and the enduring relationship that exists between them and their traditional territories. The land on which we sit is the traditional unceded territory of various indigenous nations. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide and forced occupation of their territory, and we honor and respect the many diverse indigenous people connected to this land on which we gather from time immemorial.
Fairhaven became a Green Community in December 2018. The goal of the Green Communities Designation and Grant Program is to support investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy projects that further clean energy goals set forth by the designated communities. To earn designation and qualify for grants, municipalities must pledge to reduce energy use by 20 percent over five years and meet four other criteria established in the Green Communities Act. Receiving this designation makes the town eligible for future grants to implement energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.
The Town had to meet the following criteria in order to be designated as a Green Community:
- Provide as-of-right siting for manufacturing or research and development of renewable or alternative energy products. The Fairhaven Zoning Bylaw fulfills this criterion.
- Adopt an expedited application and permit process for as-of-right energy facilities. The Fairhaven Zoning Bylaw fulfills this criterion.
- Establish an energy-use baseline inventory for municipal buildings and facilities; develop and adopt an Energy Reduction Plan (ERP) to reduce energy use by twenty percent (20%) within five (5) years of that baseline. The Town of Fairhaven Energy Reduction Plan was adopted in October 2018.
- Adopt a Fuel-Efficient Vehicle Policy and provide a plan for replacing non-exempt vehicles with fuel efficient vehicles. The Town adopted the Fuel Efficient Vehicle Policy in October 2018.
- Set requirements to minimize life-cycle energy costs for new construction. The Town of Fairhaven adopted a Stretch Energy Code Bylaw at Town Meeting in May 2018.
Fairhaven was awarded a grant of $174,535 with the official designation. The Town was subsequently awarded a competitive grant in 2021 for $184,956.
Green Communities Projects
| Project | Project Status | Electricity Savings (kWh) | Natural Gas Savings (therms) | Annual Cost Savings | Total Project Cost | Green Communities Grant Funding | Utility Incentives |
| Fairhaven High School Energy Management System (EMS) | Completed January 2021 | 33,421 | 8,701 | $16,123 | $99,870 | $96,349 | $3,521 |
| Council on Aging LED Lighting Upgrades | Completed December 2019 | 14,400 | 0 | $2,448 | $24,670 | $18,000 | $6,670 |
| Recreation Center LED Lighting Upgrades | Completed December 2019 | 71,790 | 0 | $12,204 | $64,634 | $52,649 | $11,985 |
| Fairhaven High School High Efficiency Transformers | In progress | 53,191 | 0 | $9,574 | $84,127 | $73,489 | $10,638 |
| Fairhaven High School Building Automation Controls & VFDs | In progress | 105,631 | 4,868 | $23,881 | $99,300 | $89,700 | $9,600 |
| Fairhaven High School LED Lighting Upgrades | In progress | 17,384 | 0 | $3,129 | $14,767 | $14,767 | $0 |
The Fairhaven Community Garden is located in Fairhaven, MA. The community gardens were created over ten years ago to offer residents an opportunity to garden organically in a community setting. It is managed by the gardeners under the direction of the Fairhaven Community Garden Committee.
There are three locations: Elizabeth Hastings Middle School, East Fairhaven School, and Leroy L. Wood School. Garden beds each measure 8′ x 4′. All gardeners contribute to the overall management of the garden as well as cultivate their individual beds. Community work days are periodically scheduled throughout the spring, summer and fall. First year gardeners are initially offered one bed; returning gardeners may garden two beds if there are enough beds available.
First created on the grounds of the original Leroy L. Wood Elementary School, the garden comprised 36 garden beds. While that site was closed for construction of a new school building, new gardens were created at Hastings Middle School and East Fairhaven Elementary School. With the completion of the new Leroy L. Wood School in 2013, a community garden returned to the school to provide students and residents of Fairhaven additional opportunities to garden organically.
For more information, please visit the Fairhaven Community Garden website.