It may be the depths of winter, but Waltham is going green — in more ways than one. Waltham Fields Community Farms are offering Learning Gardens, which are educational programs for kids aged two to 18. Participants will learn about planting vegetables, cooking food and composting, per a Monday report in the  Waltham Wicked Local. Learning Gardens’ programs allow kids to make and eat “farm fresh” food in the spring, summer and fall. 

The Learning Gardens’ programs announcement came out only shortly after Waltham’s January 2018 designation as a “Green Community,” per the Jan. 2, 2018  Waltham Patch article. According to the article, the Department of Energy Resources grants this designation, along with over $200,000 in funding for the city. In exchange, Waltham has pledged that it will cut energy use by 20 percent over the next five years, per the article. 

The solar energy industry is also taking off in Waltham, as Rodman CPAs recently hosted a “Solar Series After Hours Networking Night” event in Waltham, according to a  Feb. 1 article in the Patch. At the event, “solar advocates” chatted about the recently launched Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target program and shared strategies for storing solar energy, as well as “structuring tax equity deals [and] tax modeling,” per the same article. 

Waltham’s green revolution also encompasses its burgeoning cannabis industry. Per a Feb. 5  Justice article, Waltham is considering allowing four marijuana retail shops to open in Waltham, but legal consumption of the substance is already lighting up the news wires. Residents are discussing  how to discern between various market options (Feb. 7, Waltham Wicked Local), how to protect oneself from moldy cannabis (Jan. 24, Waltham Wicked Local) and the negative effects of marijuana on pets (Feb. 11, Waltham Wicked Local). In the Feb. 11 article, Kiko Bracker, a doctor at a Boston-based humane organization, told the Patch that veterinarians are now seeing multiple cannabis-related emergency room visits per week. Owners are advised to use caution when storing their edibles, and to put them in out-of-reach areas when possible.