Take Action Post-Climate Sunday!

As most of you know, FPL Green started the New Year with Climate Sunday on January 12. We wanted to continue our tradition of not just talking about issues, but finding ways to take action. This partnership with the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF), proceeded by a “conservation fair” in the Donaldson Room fulfilled that mandate… and then some!

At the fair, we learned that we absolutely should get a FREE energy audit for our homes by setting it up with HomeWorks Energy at LincolnEnergyChallenge.org or (781) 305-3319. For information on getting all of our electricity from wind power rather than fossil fuel we could contact GreenEnergyConsumers.org/greenpowered. For information on fossil fuel-free heat pumps for our homes: greenenergyconsumers.org/heatpumpformyhome; and for information on electric vehicles, including significant rebates, we can go to GreenEnergyConsumers.org/drivegreen. For further questions, contact Sue Klem at Susan.M.Klem@gmail.com. There is also lots of information on sustainability at LincolnGreenEnergy.org.

In the presentations, Brad Campbell, the President of CLF made it clear that advocacy and litigation were essential, especially given the current state of leadership in our country. Then, in the areas of transportation advocacy and zero waste issues, we received the following update of actions that we should be taking:

Environmental Justice and Clean Energy:

1. Submit comments about the Transportation and Climate Initiative by February 28, 2020 by clicking here. The Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) is a regional collaboration of 12 Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states and the District of Columbia that seeks to improve transportation, develop the clean energy economy and reduce carbon emissions from the transportation sector. Learn more here: https://www.transportationandclimate.org/.
2. Tell your legislators that you support pending bills:
   • Environmental Justice Bills: H4264, S464, S423
   • Zero Emission Fleets Bill: S1927
3. Sign the Equitable and Just Climate Platform by clicking here.
4. And don’t forget, increase the number of trips you take by public transit, cycling, or walking.

Plastics and Zero Waste:

1. Bottle Bill Hearing, Wednesday, January 22 at 11 AM, State House, Room B-2 – As you know, curbside recycling is broken, and as described in this Globe article, it is going to cost cities and towns in Western Massachusetts $93-$145 dollars a ton. Boston, Newton, Cambridge, and others have already seen large cost hikes. Please come to the hearing and demand solutions to our waste problem. A full room sends a message, people – time to show up!
2. Comments due regarding Parallel Products Facility in New Bedford on January 23, 2020 – Parallel Products filed a draft Environmental Impact Report for a new “Dirty MRF” – a Materials-Recycling Facility that also accepts municipal solid waste – that would process glass, process dry sewage sludge, and collect mixed trash and reyclables. Combining trash and recyclables – only to cherry-pick certain materials for recycling – doesn’t decrease the waste, or promote reuse systems and composting. A “Dirty MRF” yields even more contaminated, lower value recyclables than a single stream MRF, and that’s saying something.
3. Join the Zero Waste Friends Update! Sign up here: Zero Waste Friends sign-up form by January 31st so that we can add you to our new Zero Waste Friends Update Group! Having trouble with the form? Contact Olivia, the Zero Waste Project’s Communications Associate, at osynoracki@clf.org to make sure you’re included!

And finally, by experiencing a “locally sourced” vegetarian lunch, we most certainly learned what a positive experience that can be.  Here are the charts which explain where all the ingredients for lunch came from: