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Earth Day, A Never Ending Movement
A Message from Executive Director Katy Acheson
Lately it feels like Earth Day gets thrown in with the confetti of other "holidays" like Free Cone Day and International Talk Like a Pirate Day. But Earth Day is more than a day. It's a movement. And it's every bit as important in 2026 as it was in 1970 when the First Earth Day inspired 20 million Americans to take action.
The tipping point for many Americans was a 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. Fifty-seven years later, did you know we're still cleaning up crude oil spills across the country?
That doesn't mean we haven't made heaps of progress since folks started paying attention to our waste's impact on the environment.
Generations of Americans have grown up with baby ducks pictured on their bottles of dish soap. We've learned to cut the plastic rings around six-packs of cans into little pieces. We skip the straw. We pack our own bamboo cutlery. We drive hybrid or electric cars if we can afford them. We bring our own water bottles EVERYWHERE. Because we care. Because we're trying.
And we will keep trying, because Earth Day is a movement without an ending. Well, not entirely true. If there's an ending then that would probably be very bad. Can we agree to never find out what that would be like? Yeah? Good. Let's keep Earth Day moving.
In our last newsletter, we highlighted Earth Month events across the region. We might have missed a few, but you can find them below. These events are platforms for YOUR movement.
With love,
Katy
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Heat Pump Rebates from Cape Light Compact
Thinking about your AC yet? You should be. Heat pumps provide efficient heating and cooling all year long! And with rebates of up to $8,500 from Cape Light Compact, now is the perfect time to upgrade. Start saving energy (and money) before summer hits.
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2026 Big Blue, Green Tomorrow: Connecting the Dots
Tuesday, April 28th - Wednesday, April 29th
Falmouth High School, 874 Gifford Street, Falmouth
Our annual industry conference is being curated to spark conversations and inspire actions relevant to the vitality of Cape Cod and the surrounding Blue Economy. We're thrilled to present this year's theme: "Big Blue, Green Tomorrow: Connecting the Dots."
On DAY 1, listen to keynote speaker and CEO of Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance, John Pappalardo, as he makes his Big Blue debut to share his perspective on how the Blue Economy and Green Economy are connected through what he calls the “Aqua Economy."
On DAY 2, we're partnering with the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative to focus on climate impacts, mitigation and action across our blue regions.
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Barr Foundation Community Gathering
On Tuesday evening, the Barr Foundation welcomed hundreds of community collaborators to an evening of connection and celebration at the beautiful GBH Headquarters in Boston. As a recipient of a Barr Foundation grant, Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative Executive Director Katy Acheson was invited to attend. There she made a few new friends, bumped into some familiar faces, and had the great pleasure of hearing from and meeting Barr Foundation's new President and CEO Ali Noorani.
The Barr Foundation Grant has allowed the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative and Cape Cod Commission to collaborate on Municipal Climate Action Plans. More about these plans will be published after the completion of the grant in June 2026.
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MassEnergize Community Climate Leader Conference
Three hundred local climate activists and leaders gathered at Bentley University on Wednesday, April 8 for the third annual MassEnergize Conference. Breakout sessions spanned from electrification at schools and building community coaching programs to "making sense of it all".
Keynote speaker, Tom Toro, provided a fresh and humorous highlight to the day with his talk about how a quick idea for a cartoon while on a camping trip has taken on a dynamic life all its own.
MassEnergize and Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative have partnered for several events to promote digital tools for grassroots and local climate action groups. You can view their offerings on their website.
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Shape the Cape Summit Recap
Shape the Cape Summit, held on April 8, and hosted by Cape Cod Young Professionals in Harwich brought together local leaders, entrepreneurs, and community members for a full day of connection and idea-sharing focused on the region’s future. The event sparked collaboration across sectors and highlighted opportunities to strengthen Cape Cod’s year-round economy.
Sessions especially relevant to the climate community explored how storytelling, communications, and community engagement can drive change as the event brought together professionals in marketing, media, and public-facing roles. Other conversations focused on workforce development, regional challenges like housing, and how cross-sector collaboration can unlock solutions.
A consistent theme throughout the day was the importance of building connections across industries, generations, and perspectives to create a more resilient and sustainable Cape.
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Spring 2026 Climate Stories Ambassadors Applications now Open
Are you excited about becoming an ambassador for climate storytelling in your community? Join Climate Stories Project and participants from around the world for a 3-part free online training series to learn about climate storytelling, develop interview skills, and record and share climate stories.
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MassHCIC is Seeking Host Families!
Do you live on Cape Cod? Do you have a passion for addressing local housing and climate challenges while supporting your local municipality? Interested in connecting with a young person who is passionate about working to address these issues? MassHCIC is a non-profit working to do just that!
They are hiring 5 interns who will need housing this summer, and are looking for folks who could host them for the duration of the program (June 13- August 7)! To learn more about this opportunity, scan the QR code or contact their Program Administrator, Adèle Giovanniello adele@masshcic.org for more information.
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Care Day 2026
Thursday, May 14 | 9 AM - 1 PM
578 Locustfield Rd, East Falmouth
Join Care for the Cape and Islands at Farming Falmouth for CARE Day 2026: a half-day of hands-on service supporting a local nonprofit. Help with greenhouse upkeep, gardening, and trail maintenance, then enjoy lunch, meet this year’s micro-grant recipients, and make your own pizza using fresh-picked ingredients. A great team-building opportunity for businesses and community groups.
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WHAT WE'RE READING:
Why Massachusetts needs a Climate Bank
TO SAY THAT talk about energy affordability is having a moment feels like an understatement. What was once considered impolite dinner conversation has become a shared reality, with neighbors swapping stories about the financial burden of high energy costs and the strain they’re putting on household budgets.
📰 Read more ➞
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Abundance by Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson
Abundance is a nonfiction book by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson published in March 2025. The book examines the reasons behind the lack of progress on ambitious projects in the United States, including those related to affordable housing, infrastructure, and climate change.
📖 Read more ➞
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WHO WE'RE LISTENING TO:
Bridge the Gap | A Cape Cod Bridges Podcast
“Bridge the Gap" is a new podcast series presented by the Cape Cod Chamber and the Cape & Islands Bridges Coalition. This series will share information and insights related to the planned replacement of the Sagamore and Bourne Bridges, highlighting the critical role that these two bridges play in the regional economy of Cape Cod, and for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
🎧 Listen HERE ➞
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We are a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to reduce the Cape & Islands’ contributions to climate change and protect our region from its potentially devastating impacts. As part of an organizational alignment with the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, we are combining strengths to advance clean energy, resilience, and climate solutions across the region.
We depend upon the generosity of our stakeholders to conduct this work. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.
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