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Dear Neighbors,
I'm Rachel Khanna, your former State Representative for the 149th District in Connecticut. In addition to my service as State Representative, I served on the Greenwich Representative Town Meeting for two terms, and I've been actively involved with many organizations in town.
Welcome to my inaugural newsletter as a private citizen! My purpose is to use my experience to share insights and updates about what’s happening in town and around Connecticut.
On Tuesday, January 7th, I attended the CT League of Conservation Voters’ annual summit in Hartford. We heard from speakers about environmental priorities for the 2025 legislative session. Many of these items got part of the way to becoming law in prior sessions, but unfortunately ended up on the chopping block (click here for a full list of summit briefing papers). Below are some highlights:
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Addressing organic waste: 40% of the food supply in the United State goes uneaten and, in Connecticut, about a half a million tons of food is thrown away every year. Incinerated food waste is responsible for over 50% of methane emissions, and contributes to water and soil pollution. Strategies to reduce organic waste will save us money and protect our environment.
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Exploring renewable energy sources: We need to continue exploring options for renewable energy sources, like solar canopies (elevated structures that provide shelter or shade, topped with solar panels that generate electricity), and prioritize clean energy and efficiency programs so that we can reduce our reliance on carbon-based electricity, bring down our electricity bills.
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Limiting the use of neonicotinoids (a type of insecticide) and banning rodenticides: These toxic substances threaten not only insects, but birds, aquatic ecosystems and people. In fact, over the past 50 years, 3 billion birds have been lost in North America, and about 70 million birds die every year due to pesticide exposure. Several diseases in humans are thought to be connected to exposure to these substances, which is why several states, including our neighbors Massachusetts and New York, have restricted them.
I’m hopeful that my former colleagues will take up and pass legislation to address these important issues in the coming weeks.
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