• Get Engaged
• We Want to Hear from You!
• Clean Energy Progress in Massachusetts
• Should Stow Reduce the Use of Polystyrene?
• Events this month
• October 18th - Hudson Light & Power Open House
• October 23rd - Visit Us at STOWcase
• October 25th - What's Happening with Nuclear Power?

The Energize Stow newsletter strives to provide you with practical information you can use to make Stow a more sustainable community. We would love to hear from you about what you would be interested in reading or learning about. Please email us at GreenAdvisory@stow-ma.gov with your ideas. Thank you!

In Stow we are fortunate to have both low electric rates and clean electricity. In large part, this is due to our utility, Hudson Light & Power, which has long-term contracts and fractional ownership of sources of non-greenhouse gas emitting electricity - nuclear, hydropower, and solar - which provide 90% of our electricity.

However, most of the state is not as fortunate as Stow both for the cost of electricity and the amount of greenhouse gas emissions from the generation of electricity. For the state as a whole, half the electricity is generated by natural gas, a fossil fuel which emits CO2 (carbon dioxide) a greenhouse gas when burned to generate electricity. Over the next five years, the state had planned to reduce its dependence on natural gas both to stabilize the price of electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The state’s plans include additional clean electricity from a number of sources.

●    Hydropower: Primarily from Quebec delivered through a new transmission line called the New England Clean Energy Connect.

●    Solar: A combination of large, utility scale, solar fields, and smaller residential and community solar installations.

●    Wind: Offshore wind projects starting with Vineyard Wind, an 800 MW wind farm and growing, with additional projects, to four times this capacity by 2030.

While these initiatives are aggressive and inevitably experienced delays, all were progressing until the new federal administration took office. An important example is offshore wind. Offshore wind is a proven technology in many countries and projects were underway along the east coast, particularly in Massachusetts. One of the first acts of the new federal administration was to stop the permitting of new offshore wind projects and revoke those that had already been permitted. The administration is also attempting to halt offshore wind projects already under construction. Not only does this jeopardize the state’s ability to provide clean and affordable electricity, it also will result in the loss of billions of dollars and thousands of jobs. 



At the federal level it has become clear the strategy is to increase reliance on fossil fuels such as coal and, where possible, to stop renewable energy projects. This is a terrible mistake both for our state and the country as a whole. Federal policies disregard the rapid strides which have made renewable energy more affordable than fossil fuels and deny the scientific consensus on the impact of fossil fuels to our environment and the climate. Worldwide, it is clear the future lies with clean energy. As a result of federal policies, we are rapidly falling behind to the detriment of our economy and the environment. While progress continues in our own community, we should all be alarmed by the harm resulting from a backwards-looking federal administration.

Should Stow Reduce the Use of Polystyrene?

There are lots of concerns about the lack of plastics recycling and the presence of plastics in the environment. We know the adage: think global but act local. At last May’s Town Meeting we took a step by approving a single-use (thin) plastic bag reduction bylaw. A next step is reducing the use of difficult to recycle plastics.

Some plastics, such as items with the #1 and #2 recycling symbols are readily recyclable and have established markets for the recovered material. #1 is found in many clear plastic bottles and is the material that we feed into bottle return machines. #2 is found in things like milk cartons and consumer containers.

Plastics with #3 and higher are generally harder to recycle. While some uses require special plastics, it seems prudent to have the markets use as much material as possible that is recyclable.  

In particular, polystyrene is difficult to recycle. It is functionally non-recyclable for consumers and has a high environmental cost. Polystyrene has the #6 recycling symbol (though not all polystyrene is marked) and comes in two types.

• Foam: such as Styrofoam cups, takeout containers, and packing material.
• Rigid: such as clear clamshell containers and utensils.

Neither form is generally recyclable. Most end up in landfills or sometimes burned for energy. Some escape into the environment where it can break into microplastics or become marine litter, harming wildlife that mistake it for food. Polystyrene does not biodegrade and can persist for centuries.

Though commonly used, once disposed polystyrene can have harmful consequences. There are alternatives that are compostable or more recyclable such as paperboard for takeout containers.  

Recognizing the harm of polystyrene and the alternatives available for their use, over 60 communities in the state have adopted bylaws to reduce the use of polystyrene. We think Stow should be next. Share your thoughts with the town’s Green Advisory Committee (GreenAdvisory@stow-ma.gov).

John Sangermano

Hudson Light & Power Open House

Saturday, October 18th, 10am to 1pm, 77 Cherry St., Hudson

Get to know about Hudson Light & Power at their Open House on October 18th. Find out about their programs, meet the General Manager, free ice cream, more!

And don't forget to visit us at the table we are sharing with Green Hudson!

Visit Us at STOWcase!

Thursday, October 23rd, 5:30pm to 8:30pm at Center School

Saturday, October 25, 10am to 12pm - 35 Shattuck St., Littleton

Nuclear power is in the news. Governor Healy includes new nuclear reactors as part of an “all of the above” approach to meeting the state’s energy needs. But what is the reality behind this renewed interest? Will new nuclear reactors be safe and economical?

Our State Senator, Jamie Eldridge, will explore these questions with Professor Sukesh Aghara, on Saturday, October 25 in Littleton. This will be an informative discussion on an important topic. See details below.