• Get Engaged
• Pollinators are in Decline - You Can Help!
• Climate Talk - Pollinator Gardens in Stow
• Plastic Bag Reduction
• Stow Town Cleanup Scheduled for April 26th
• Missed our last Climate Talk?

We depend on pollinators for our food, flowers, and many other aspects of the natural world. But pollinator populations are in decline, some by as much as 60%. This puts agricultural productivity and healthy natural ecosystems at risk. There are many reasons for this decline including the loss or fragmentation of habitat. Studies show a loss of biodiversity as there is an increase in impervious surfaces.  The widespread use of nonnative plants and insecticides, particularly neonicotinoids also threaten pollinators. 

Many of us know that pollinators rely on particular flowers for their nectar and as hosts at various stages in their life cycles. But this only works with native plants with which the pollinators have co-evolved over time.   

However, there are many things we can do to help pollinators survive. First, plant native species in your garden. You can have a few cultivars or non-natives too, but the pollinators need the native species to survive. Second, reduce or eliminate pesticides. Also reduce use of synthetic fertilizers. Third, reduce the size of your lawn which is a desert as far as pollinators are concerned. Fourth, leave the leaves on the ground in the fall and early spring. These leaves provide critical protection for overwintering pollinators. 

Finally, create a garden specifically for pollinators. This garden can be of any size, but it must consist of native plants.  Non-native plants such as cultivar and hybrid plant species won’t work for pollinators in most cases. Such cultivars and hybrids can produce unusual blooms and colors not suited for pollinators…and even sterile flowers with no pollen.

Join us for the next talk from Sustainable Stow and Randall Library. We will explore the “whys” and “hows” of creating a series of pollinator gardens around Stow. Our guides will be members of the Brookline Pollinator Pathway team, a group of public organizations and private residents that have developed multiple pollinator gardens throughout Brookline. Join us April 16 at 7PM. Register for a zoom link by clicking the button below. 

The Stow Green Advisory Committee is sponsoring a new bylaw for the spring town meeting that will regulate the retail use of single-use, plastic, take-out bags and promote the use of reusable bags or recyclable paper bags in Stow. Specifically, it will ban the use of thin-film (3.0 mils or less), single-use plastic checkout bags by most retail establishments. The intent is to have a positive impact on the environment:

• Minimizing litter

• Reducing the carbon footprint of the Town

• Avoiding the waste of finite natural resources and protecting the environment

• Preserving the unique natural beauty of Stow

Plastics have become a problem through-out our environment. It is in our oceans and on our roads. Each person uses about 218 pounds of plastic per year, and much of it is not recyclable. It can also break down into microplastics that get into our food and into our bodies. Recent studies have found that microplastics can even be found in our brains!  

Over 160 communities, representing 70% of state residents already have a similar plastic bag bylaw. If this measure passes at town meeting, most retail establishments which provide or sell checkout bags to customers, must use either a recyclable paper bag or a reusable bag (cloth or heavy duty plastic.) The bylaw would take effect next January. There are exemptions for certain businesses, like our local orchards which use heavier plastic bags for pick-your-own operations.  

Most neighboring communities have successfully implemented plastic bag bylaws with benefits for the environment as well as residents and businesses. Let's join with other towns and ban single-use plastic bags!

Join your neighbors and help pick up litter on the weekend of Saturday, April 26 and 27th for the 16th annual Stow Town Cleanup. This year there will again be an on-line signup option available (link below). The Stow Cleanup Group will have yellow garbage bags available for pick up at no cost at the Lower Common on Saturday, April 26th, from 8 a.m. to noon. You can also sign up in person on Saturday if you prefer not to sign up online.

Bags can be tossed in your own trash can or left by the side of the road. The Town Highway Department will pick up bags the following Monday (April 28th). Participants should wear gloves, long pants and long sleeves to help avoid poison ivy and bright clothes. This year we will offer safety vests and gloves to everyone who participates (while supplies last). For more information, visit our Facebook Page: Stow Cleanup or contact Jennifer Henderson (650-534-7823, stowcleanupgroup@gmail.com). To sign up online, click the button below.

The Stow Green Advisory Committee has an open position for an at-large member. Working with town residents and government, the committee has published Stow’s Climate Action Plan, sponsored the article for the adoption of the new Specialized Building Code, and worked with the state’s Green Communities division and other organizations to help Stow achieve its sustainability goals through grants and technical assistance.

If you want to help the town achieve its climate goals and become a more climate resilient community, apply for the at-large position on the town website here. For more information on Stow’s Green Advisory Committee visit the webpage or send an email to GreenAdvisory@stow-ma.gov.