After our big push for our legislative priorities this session (see the updates on Legislative News below), we're taking a break from our usual monthly Chapter Meeting and Deep Dialogue. Meetings will resume on September 10th, and we look forward to an in-person Chapter meeting October 8 at the Robbins Library in central Arlington.

Meanwhile, while the weather allows, we're getting together in person in the backyards of ECA activists throughout Massachusetts. Our goal is to get to know one another better and support each other. What actions and lifestyle changes are you working on in response to climate change, and how can ECA Mass help you with that? Join us to talk about these issues in a relaxed setting with other members at the following venues:

When: Tuesday, August 6

Where: Irene Fairley’s home in Belmont

Time: Noon - 2 PM

Bring: Your lunch and something to drink + munchies or a dessert to share

Look for your invitation, emailed from Maiyim, with the subject ECA Metro North area Members IN-PERSON Gathering or contact Maiyimbaron@gmail.com.

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When: Wednesday, August 7

Where: Seth Evans’s home in Brookline

Time: Noon - 2 PM

Bring: A dessert or salad to share. (Veggie entrees and beverages provided.)

Look for your invitation, emailed from Seth, with the subject ECA Metro West Members IN-PERSON Gathering, or contact Setherkim@verizon.net.

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When: Tuesday, August 20

Where: John and Sarah Meiklejohn’s home in Granby (Western Mass)

Time: Noon - 2 PM

Bring: TBD

Look for your invitation, emailed from John, with the subject ECA Western MA Members IN-PERSON Gathering, or contact Jmiserve183@gmail.com.

Also, keep on the lookout for announcements for soon-to-be finalized social events on Boston’s North Shore (Newburyport) and South Shore (Hingham)!

It will be fun to get together!

And if you'd like to host or plan a gathering in your area, let our Membership Team lead MaiyimBaron@gmail.com know and she'll help you organize that.

Maiyim Baron

We all know how critical the November vote is to the future of climate policy in our country. This election cycle, Elders Climate Action members – both nationally and locally here in our Mass. Chapter – have made a commitment to support the work of the Environmental Voter Project (EVP). The EVP grows the environmental movement by identifying inactive environmentalists and transforming them into consistent voters. It has a proven track record, with carefully compiled statistics to support its claims.

There are many ways you can help:

• CALLING VOTERS: Join the community of weekly phone bankers who are helping voters find out how and where to vote. ECA hosts a weekly phonebank session on Fridays at 11 AM ET. For inspiration, we typically start each session with a special guest. No experience needed. Training is provided. Register here. If Fridays don’t work, find other options to phone bank here.
• WRITING POSTCARDS: Our Massachusetts Chapter has made a commitment to send out at least 1,000 post cards, to be mailed October 15. Can you take responsibility for making sure that 100 go out on that date? It’s about 4 to 5 hours of work. We provide the postcards, stamps, names and addresses, and the message. The best way to do get it done is to hold a postcarding party – much more fun than doing it alone! If you wish to receive an allotment of 100 (or more) postcards, contact Seth Evans.
• DONATE: If you don’t have the time, but wish to support this great work, you can contribute to Environmental Voter Project, a 501(c)(3), organization.

This year, the state is launching a new program to enable local communities to be designated as Climate Leaders. The Climate Leaders program is available to all communities that have already been designated a Green Community, but the focus has changed from reducing energy use to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

There are additional requirements as well as additional benefits to being a Climate Leader. The requirements are:

• Have a local body (sustainability committee, energy committee, etc.) that advises the municipality on clean energy/climate initiatives
• Commit to eliminate on-site fossil fuel use by 2050 (municipal buildings/operations)
• A municipal decarbonization roadmap based on an up-to-date town climate plan or new plan
• Adopt a Zero-Emission Vehicle first policy
• Adopt the Specialized Opt-In building code

A Climate Leaders designation is designed to align a community with the state’s overall targets for greenhouse gas emissions as legislated in the landmark Climate Roadmap law. When a community is designated a Climate Leader, the state will provide resources and grants to support these goals. Applications are due by the end of the year for the initial round of designations. See if your community is on the road to becoming a Climate Leader!

Arnie Epstein

No Climate Bill

You may have read or heard this, but the 2023/2024 legislative session ended early Thursday morning, and the legislature failed to produce a climate bill. This is very disappointing. Although the Senate and the House both passed omnibus energy packages in the last few weeks, conference committee negotiations broke down with members unable to come to an agreement.

Your Calls Made a Difference

Thank you so much to all of you members who reached out to your senators, representatives, and the governor - sometimes multiple times. We're hearing that our calls, emails, and texts had been making a difference and our legislators tried to come to an agreement.

We know that impacts from climate change continue to grow and present more extreme weather patterns that cause intense heat, flooding, fires, and insect borne illness.

These impacts are worse in environmental justice communities, exacerbating existing racial and economic inequalities.

From our legislative team member Glen Ayers: “There are many well-funded forces and special interests working in opposition to progress. As we heard going into this session, there is still much that Maura Healey can do via Executive Orders, and hopefully that process will now kick in. Many of the siting and permitting reforms that were being proposed via legislation can also be done through the administrative rule-making process under existing agency authorities. We need to keep the pressure applied to the Administration and support such efforts.”

We will continue to work in close collaboration with our climate allies in the next legislative session to pursue the important legislation needed to meet the targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Massachusetts. 

If you are interested in helping with this effort, please contact either Tina Grosowsky (tgrosowsky@verizon.net) or Roger Luckmann (Roger.Luckmann@umassmed.edu).  

Tina Grosowsky

Publicity/Events Coordinator: Do you have experience doing publicity for events and creating engaging media? ECA needs your help to connect with people who will cover actions in the climate movement. Put your experience and expertise to good use to forward our causes!

New Member Outreach: Our Membership Team needs help with small finite tasks - as much as you want to take on - like calling new members to engage with them and encourage them to become more involved. This is a job opportunity for someone who loves connecting with people.

Respond to MaiyimBaron@gmail.com for both opportunities.

Maiyim Baron

ECA loves local farmers, and farmers need a livable climate! Maiyim and Tina got the good word about ECA Mass out at our local Brookline Farmers' Market on July 25.



Maiyim Baron