It was announced earlier this month that the Mystic Aquarium would be investing $2.5 million into new energy solar panels and an energy efficient HVAC system to reduce its carbon footprint. This project, estimated to reduce the total energy consumption of the aquarium by 650,000 kilowatt-hours a year, is something everyone living in our community should look at for inspiration.

When it comes to climate change and reducing energy consumption, it is easy to pass the problem off to someone else and ignore how our everyday energy consumption can affect the environment. One kilowatt-hour of electricity coming from natural gas generates 1.3 pounds of carbon dioxide. That means the aquarium’s new project will stop the emission of 845,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.

The aquarium’s ambitious project, which will end up saving them $85,000 a year, should be a lesson to everyone in our community to do what you can to reduce your carbon footprint; it may even save you money in the long run. $2.5 million may seem egregious for this type of project, but often front-end sacrifices end up making ourselves, and our planet, better off in the end.

Mary Edmonds

Mystic