• Chapter Meeting Details
• Deep Dialogue Details
• Panel Discussion on New Energy Bill
• Take Our 5 Week Climate Course
• No Kings on March 28
• Legislative Update
• Fake Meat - A Climate Solution?
• Move Against Harmful Plastics
• Energy Affordability & Home Upgrades
• Donate to ECA Mass
• Save the Date for Earth Day 2026

Pat Parenteau, Emeritus Professor of Law in the 

Environmental Law Center at Vermont Law School

Michael Sales, ECA Mass Member

DEEP DIALOGUE

MONDAY, MARCH 23

4 - 5:30 PM on Zoom

Challenges Climate Activists Face in Supporting OffShore Wind

Register here for Zoom link!

Climate change is not a hoax. Offshore wind (OSW) is clean energy technology that can address climate change and keep the lights on. In spite of the Trump administration’s irrational hostility toward offshore wind, OSW is expanding rapidly worldwide. Massachusetts needs OSW to get to net zero by 2050 or whenever it happens. Every community in the State can benefit from OSW, even the poorest and toughest, like Holyoke.

With ECA Mass’ backing, Michael Sales spent six months studying awareness of and enthusiasm for OSW in Holyoke. What he found is that there is a tremendous amount of leadership energy ready to get behind OSW, if and when it becomes a developed reality.

This Deep Dialogue will explore the challenges climate activists face in supporting OSW in places like Holyoke. More importantly, it will show how vibrant talent thirsting for climate sanity can be found and mobilized in even the unlikeliest of places!

Here's a link to Michael's report on Holyoke.

PLEASE NOTE: Our April Deep Dialogue will be a week early, on Monday April 20, to fit into EARTHWEEK April 19 - 25..

Panel Discussion: New Senate Energy Bill

When: Friday, March 13

Time: 11 - 12:30

Where: Zoom link

Meeting ID: 851 1620 4087

Passcode: 469574

The House just passed a big energy affordability bill (H.5151) that includes some good things and some bad things, like a major cut to Mass Save. It has now moved to the Senate.

The bill does not include a coherent plan to reach our 2030 climate goals while protecting utility rate payers from unaffordable energy bills. We have an opportunity to shape that plan and address flaws in the bill as the Senate takes up the legislation.  

We're hosting a special panel discussion with climate advocacy allies about possible options. Panelists include Larry Chretien (Green Energy Consumers Alliance), Mark Dyen (350MA/GTA), and others to be confirmed. There will be a brief overview of the current issues confronting energy affordability and efficiency and then each panelist will have five minutes to share before we open the panel to a Q & A.  

Contact Tina with any questions, tgrosowsky@gmail.com.

Tina Grosowsky

Understanding and Acting on Climate Change is a five-part webinar jointly sponsored by ECA Mass and Third Act Mass. This Zoom class will be facilitated by two retired science teachers, Seth Evans from ECA Tom Rawson from Third Act. Together, we have taught dozens of programs, and we are thrilled to be sponsoring this joint program for a second time. To maximize group participation, we are limiting the class size to 15.

The dates and times for the class are:

1. Tuesday March 10, 4:00 - 5:30 PM
2. Tuesday March 17, 4:00 - 5:30 PM
3. Tuesday March 24 4:00 - 5:30 PM
4. Tuesday March 31, 4:00 - 5:30 PM
5. Tuesday April 7, 4:00 - 5:30 PM

Sign up here. Please don't sign up unless you believe there is a good chance you will be able to attend at least 4 of the classes.

This class is fairly basic - it is designed for people who want to learn more about climate change in order to gain the confidence to be able to talk to others and, ideally, become more active in their organizations. It's also a good opportunity to connect with other elder activists outside your own organization! Note: For those who are already very knowledgeable about climate change, we welcome your participation if you would consider becoming a facilitator in future classes.

For more information, visit the class website or contact either of the instructors:

Seth Evans, setherkim@verizon.net and Tom Rawson, tr01@pobox.com.

Seth Evans

In America, we have NO KINGS. Join us on March 28 to speak out.

WEAR A BRIGHT GREEN ARMBAND to show you're part of the CLIMATE MOVEMENT, whether you go to the big event in Boston or the event in your town. Fnd events near you.

Maiyim Baron

The big news this month is that a much improved energy affordability bill (H.5151) was passed by the House. The climate movement had stopped an earlier version of this bill that included many unacceptable proposals. The bad news is that the bill included a $1 billion cut to Mass Save and limited controls to curb unnecessary utility investments in infrastructure that rate payers are on the hook for.

House leaders claim the $1 billion cut will come from “bloated” marketing and advertising budgets, other "inefficiencies" and not from programs. But given this cut would be made in the last 18 months of the current 3-year plan, it would mean close to an immediate 50% cut in remaining funds, a potentially devastating hit to Mass Save if the cut remains in the bill signed by the governor.

Angels and Devils in the Details

Other measures in the legislation that could cut utility bills include:

• Returning 70% of alternative compliance payments (ACP) to rate payers. Utilities make ACP contributions if they don’t procure enough clean energy and the money has been paying for a range of climate programs.
• Reduction of net metering credits, which are a significant surcharge on electric bills.
• Expanding discounted rates to eligible moderate-income customers.
• Reining in sales of high priced energy from predatory vendors from out of state.

Fortunately, the proposals in an early version of the bill that would have made our 2030 climate goals advisory and cut the rate of increase of Renewable Portfolio Standard (requires utilities to buy more clean energy) were not included in the bill. A host of other measures in the bill aim to:

• Support studies of other means of reducing utility rates
• Find ways to make Mass Save more efficient and effective
• Both increase and delay some clean energy procurement
• Incentivize deployment of battery storage
• Facilitate more rapid connection of solar to the grid
• Permit deployment of balcony (plug-in) solar
• Rescind the requirement for a referendum to approve any new nuclear power facilities

Out of more than 120 amendments offered, just a few were adopted including one that proposes some regulation of data centers. Just a handful of legislators voted to support an amendment that would have restored the funding to Mass Save. A detailed summary of the bill is here.

Moving On

The bill now goes over to the Senate where we expect the cut to Mass Save to be reduced and measures to be introduced that would control gas infrastructure investments. We will be developing a detailed proposal to bring to our allies in the Senate that includes the ways we believe energy costs can be addressed without adversely affecting our decarbonization efforts. (See info about the March 13 panel on affordability earlier in this newsletter.)

Right now, the House is focused on next year’s budget, and this will occupy legislators for a while. In the meantime, we will be preparing and implementing advocacy strategies for our high and lower priority bills that are still alive. We have just four more months to get as many as we can over the finish line before July 1, although action is possible even after that date.

Here is a summary of where the bills we are supporting stand. Expect to hear more about these and receive Action Alerts for you to reach out to your legislators in the weeks and months to come.

Roger Luckmann 

As a way to address our climate crisis, the ECA MA Plastics working group is dedicated to reducing the production and use of plastic. After all, plastics are made of fossil fuels. We are part of a coalition of MA advocacy groups working to pass an updated expansion of the state’s Bottle Bill.

Please take a moment to help us by signing this Bottle Bill Petition

This month the MA House unwisely halted forward progress of several bills which attempted to constrain the wasteful and harmful use of plastic in our state. While slim hope for passage remains with the MA Senate, it’s time to prepare for the next legislative session (2027-28). Let’s start by getting informed about the urgency and importance of reducing plastic. Have only a few hours to spare? Attend a mid-March Story of Stuff Reuse Bootcamp. Watch this powerful video about plastics and/or spend time with Dr. Phil Landrigan on video talking about Public Health and Plastics. Or join the Beyond Plastics Grassroots Advocacy Training for Local Groups and Affiliates in early April.

We also recommend two new books as exemplary primers on plastic.

In The Problem With Plastic: How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It’s Too Late, Beyond Plastic’s Judith Enck, with Adam Mahoney, examines plastic pollution’s threat to human health and its contributions to our planet’s climate crisis. As Enck explains, plastic is poisoning oceans and polluting the air and water – especially in marginalized communities. A few of this book’s highlights:

• Challenges widely held belief that recycling can solve our plastic crisis.
• Unwraps the pervasive presence of microplastics.
• Delves into environmental racism.
• Debunks industry denials about plastic’s harm.
• Urges action against plastic’s toxic legacy, offering practical solutions.

In Plastic Inc., award-winning journalist Beth Gardiner explores the deep roots of the plastic industry’s “relentless growth, extraordinary profits, toxic pollution and its hidden role in exacerbating climate change.” A few of this book’s highlights:

• Reveals our “hidden” health crisis involving plastics.
• Exposes Big Oil’s big lie that recycling is “the panacea for our plastic worries.”
• Explains how the industry’s political muscle halts legislative reforms, such as banning single-use plastic.
• Digs into how the plastic industry funds denials of climate science and deceives consumers about the use of plastic.

Please consider joining our ECA Plastic Committee. Contact Dave Damm-Luhr at dldluhr@hotmail.com for more information.

Melissa Ludtke

The Energy Saver Home Loan helps low- and moderate-income Massachusetts homeowners make energy upgrades that reduce energy use and improve comfort, without upfront costs. The program offers low-cost financing for improvements like insulation, heat pumps, and electrical upgrades, along with support to plan projects, coordinate incentives, and work with qualified contractors. It’s designed to make energy improvements more accessible, especially for households that might otherwise put them off due to cost. The program is available for primary residences, and the income limits for the program, which apply to all persons listed on the deed.

Getting started is simple. Homeowners can explore eligible upgrades and connect with CET for guidance on next steps, available incentives, and how to apply. Learn more or contact CET at info@cetonline.org or 413-586-7350.

Arnie Epstein

It takes all of us to continue the advocacy and education work of our organization. We are asking you now, as a supporter, to help with some of these expenses, if you are able.

Please consider donating to ECA Mass to support chapter activities, educational programs, and materials by clicking here.

Our Small Budget

Our chapter’s expenses are few: for 2026 we estimate our total expenses at about $4,600 – a small increase from previous years. We have no paid staff, no office, and we don’t pay ourselves for incidental expenses. Rather, we have the expected but escalating costs of producing written materials, subscribing to services for our legislative advocacy work, paying occasional consultants for help with our website, and mailing services for our newsletter and other communications. 

Our Fundraising Goal

Our hope is to raise about $3,600 from you, our members, and match this amount with monies donated by the leadership team. If you have attended even just a few meetings which were valuable to you, when you learned something or were inspired, please donate even a modest amount in return to help us carry on.

It’s rare for us to ask for anything from our members, besides your actions to help address climate change. Our actions today are more critical than ever as we enter a dangerous period where hopes of keeping global warming within reasonable limits seem to be fading fast. We’ll need all hands on deck as we push local and state governments to implement the steps set out in the Next Generation Roadmap Bill with even greater urgency. Thank you for your support.

For more information about the Elders Climate Action Massachusetts Chapter, click here.

Seth Evans

In celebration of Earth Day 2026, we invite you to join Third Act MA, Bill McKibben, and Boston Interfaith Climate Allies (BICA) for ONE SUN, ONE EARTH, ONE PEOPLE - A SACRED CELEBRATION.  

Gather at "The Embrace" on the Boston Common at 1:30 PM to celebrate our Earth, proceed to The Cathedral Church of Saint Paul across Tremont Street, where Bill McKibben, Founder of Third Act and an environmental leader, will share his knowledge of the climate crisis that we face. Afterwards, with music and singing, we will step out on the steps and proclaim our solidarity with our Earth. MORE INFO TO COME!

Maiyim Baron

Adam David Sacks, Co-Founder of Biodiversity for a Livable Climate



We were saddened to learn of Adam Sacks' passing. His partner Paula invites us to the Celebration of his Life on March 14, 2 PM at the Friends Meeting House in Cambridge. 

Biodiversity for a Livable Climate was an early strong collaborator with ECA. Many of our early members will remember Adam and the great conferences held at Harvard, which a number of us used to attend years ago before the pandemic. See Adam's obituary and Memorial Service details. With WGBH, Adam did years of program planning, bringing talks to their audience grounded in science and offering creative solutions to our climate crisis. You can listen to the talks they created here.  

Maiyim Baron

If you would like to become more involved with ECA Mass on one of our teams (Communication, Education, Legislative, Membership or Research) please contact Tina Grosowsky, tgrosowsky@verizon.net.

Tina Grosowsky

We send announcements of our meetings and Action Alerts to eca-mass@googlegroups.com, which includes all those on our active list. 

Please contact Dawn Edell if you want to confirm you are on our active list.

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Did you miss an ECA Mass chapter meeting or deep dialogue? Or do you want to share one with friends and family? 

We have you covered! Videos of past chapter meetings are here and videos of past deep dialogues are here.