Sierra Club - Greater Boston Group

Massachusetts Sierra Club to Participate in “We Are One” Day of Action for Workers Rights, Civil Rights and Environmental Rights

2011-04-02T07:59:00.000-04:00

Massachusetts Sierra Club members, elected officials, civil rights activists, teachers, farmers, public employees, business leaders, firefighters, students, seniors, the unemployed, immigrants, people of all colors and races, LGBT community members, and members of faith communities.

What: “We Are One” State Day of Action for Working Families and Our Environment

When: Monday, April 4, 2011 4:00PM to 5:00PM

Where: 85 Merrimac Street, Boston, MA 02114

On Monday, April 4, members of the Massachusetts Sierra Club will participate in the massive “We Are One” Day of Action in Boston. On the 43rd anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther KingJr.’s assassination, Sierra Club members will stand alongside members of the labor, civil rights, education, faith and human rights movements for our common vision of a healthy, safe, equitable and prosperous America.

“Dr. King’s vision of a just, healthy, safe economy and environment is under attack from corporate-backed politicians nationwide,” said Sierra Club Chapter Director, James McCaffrey. “The Sierra Club is marching today to stand up for the human, civil and environmental rights that Dr. King gave his life for.”

For other "We Are One" events and locations in MA please visit http://local.we-r-1.org/weareone/events/show/78

The Sierra Club is America’s oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with more than 1.4 million members and supporters nationwide.

To learn more about the Sierra Club please visit: http://www.sierraclubmass.org/

New Poll Shows Strong Support for Bottle Bill Update

2011-01-22T23:54:00.001-05:00

New Poll Shows Strong Support for Bottle Bill Update

January 20, 2011

A recently conducted poll shows that a vast majority of Massachusetts residents support pending legislation to update the state's Bottle Bill, the 5c deposit on some beverage containers which has been in effect since 1983. According to a poll conducted in January by The MassINC Polling Group, 77 percent of the public wants to see additional containers---like water bottles, sports drinks, iced teas, and fruit juices---include the 5c deposit.

"This poll provides the science to what we've known from our experience all along, that the Bottle Bill is popular. We need to pass the law to update it, which will result in a win/win/win for Massachusetts---cleaning up litter, increasing recycling, and saving cities and towns money from disposal costs," declared Representative Alice Wolf, who, along with Senator Cynthia Creem, has championed the bill in the Legislature. "It's been clear to me for ages that my district wholeheartedly supports the bill, and I believe this poll will help persuade legislators to enact this update in 2011," remarked Senator Creem.

Included in the poll's statistics:

- 77% of Massachusetts residents support updating the bottle bill

- support for updating the bill is similar between parties, with 78% of registered Democrats and 71% of registered Republicans supporting the update

- support for the Bottle Bill update crosses gender, party, and geographic lines.

"There's simply no reason to delay this bill any longer," exhorted Janet Domenitz, the Executive Director of MASSPIRG, which pushed for the original Bottle Bill and has been campaigning for its update. "What better New Year's Resolution for the Legislature than to pass this and get it to the Governor's desk now? Governor Patrick is eager to sign this measure into law. "

The bill to update the current law has been pending in the Legislature for over a decade. The current Bottle Bill covers only carbonated beverages; the update would expand the types of containers to include water, sports drinks, iced teas and the like.

Supporters represent a broad range, among others: the Sierra Club, Mass Audubon Society, the Charles River Conservancy, Environmental League of MA, Mass Recycle; as well as the League of Women Voters, the Mass Municipal Association, the Mass Redemption Coalition, the Mass League of Environmental Voters, and the Surfrider Foundation. Mayor Tom Menino and Governor Deval Patrick have been ardent supporters, and Congressman Ed Markey has filed a Bottle Bill in Congress. "While we represent the environmental constituency, it's clear from our coalition that this bill is an environmental protection bill, plus. It saves money, it promotes corporate responsibility, and we now know its public appeal is overwhelming," said James McCaffrey, director of the Sierra Club of MA.

"This is already an early priority for ranking legislators in our 2011-2012 Environmental Scorecard," added Lora Wondolowski, Executive Director of the Mass League of Environmental Voters.

These results are based on a MassINC Polling Group statewide poll conducted January 5-8, 2011 among 400 Massachusetts residents, including 342 registered voters. Live telephone interviews were conducted via both landline and cell phone. Interviews were conducted in both English and Spanish by Eastern Research Services. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4.9 percent with a 95 percent level of confidence.

# # # #

ABC News Article on Climate Change

2011-01-18T11:07:00.000-05:00

Climate Change will have a significant effect in Greater Boston, as well as the rest of the world, particularly sea level rise. The enclosed ABC News article is a visual presentation of extremes in weather that results. Recently, the Boston Harbor Association presented a series on what sea level rise means to the Greater Boston area. How can we best prepare for it?

Conservation the goal

2010-12-15T14:26:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Andrew Ference, Boston Bruins defenseman for a great Op ED! Click on the link to read the whole thing on the Bosotn Herald website.

Conservation the goal

We can’t wait to act on global warming so I am a big fan of EPA action now - and I hope everyone, including members of Congress, will join me in the cheering section.

I feel the need to preface this by saying that being a professional athlete gives me no right to have a strong and public opinion on environmental issues, but I believe that being a parent does.

Carl Pope, Sierra Club Chairman, Asks, "What to Make of Cancún?"

2010-12-15T08:47:00.003-05:00

Carl Pope, Sierra Club Chairman, blogs about the environment and we've copied it here:

What to Make of Cancún?

December 14, 2010

San Francisco -- I didn't go to Cancún this year, even though it was a sure bet that the weather would beat what I encountered a year ago in Copenhagen. But the Sierra Club was strongly represented -- and the real question is what to make of the outcome.

Opinion is all over the map. At the bleak side we have the perspective, most strongly articulated (among governments) by Ecuador, that this was an elaborate shell game designed to avoid real action and solidify ineffective market solutions that won't really address climate change.

At the other end, feeling very upbeat, we have the official U.S position which, as articulated by Secretary of State Clinton, expressed satisfaction that "the Cancún Agreements (are) a set of balanced international decisions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) which represent meaningful progress in our global response to climate change."

And opinions even from the mainstream media are wildly divergent. The New York Times was relatively positive, calling it "a modest deal on emissions" and declaring that "while the measures adopted here may have scant near-term impact on the warming of the planet, the international process for dealing with the issue got a significant vote of confidence." But Bloomberg News was much grimmer, speaking of a "dysfunctional" U.S. as having pushed a real global deal decades into the future.

Time magazine summed up the experience with five lessons, headlined by a "new pragmatism" signaled when the Mexican Chair of the conference refused to let Bolivia exercise the kind of one-party veto that has tied previous UNFCC conferences in knots:

Multilateralism Isn't Dead Yet.
China Can Negotiate.
The Shock of Copenhagen Prompted Compromise in Cancún.
Forests Are the Low-Hanging Fruit of Climate Policy.
Don't Get Carried Away -- We've Still Got Huge Problems.

But looking from a distance, it's hard to avoid the conclusion that while the world is far from ready to do what it must with the substance of the climate threat, it is also true that the process has become the enemy, rather than the facilitator, of progress. At least half of the barriers to effective action on simple stuff -- including forests, but also technology transfer and action on short-term climate forcers like the hydrogen gasses or methane or black carbon -- involve broader issues of international trust and control, not the dollars and sense of a cleaner global economy.

Too much cumulative energy is still being spent on the big architecture of a far-distant global climate deal -- and not enough on changing the daily incentives and mechanisms that shape a world economy that is growing and changing each year. And almost no effort is being spent on making sure that the solutions most critical to the world's poor are being implemented -- no big initiatives to light off-grid villages for example.

We've got a serious leadership vacuum.

To comment or to read a web-version of this email, click here:
http://sierraclub.typepad.com/carlpope/2010/12/the-untold-story-of-the-tax-deal.html

Why CSX Railyard Expansion in Worcester, MA Needs an Environmental Review

2010-12-14T10:23:00.002-05:00

Secretary Ian A. Bowles
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Attn: MEPA Office EOEA #14973
Attn: Aisling Eglington, MEPA Analyst
100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114

Re: Comments on CSX Worcester rail yard expansion plan

Environmental Notification Form

Dear Secretary Bowles:

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Sierra Club finds unsatisfactory the recently submitted ENF filed by the CSX railroad, for the expansion of its Worcester rail yard and intermodal terminal from 28 acres to 79. This project is integral to the railroad’s agreement with the Commonwealth to relocate its principal Massachusetts freight handling facility from Beacon Park Yard in Allston—a deal that includes MassDOT’s purchase of its tracks between Framingham and Worcester, and increasing the frequency of MBTA commuter rail service to Boston along this approximately 20-mile segment. Smaller rail yards in Westborough and West Springfield will also be upgraded as part of its larger plan. We firmly believe that work of the full magnitude being proposed here, including its ancillary projects, necessitates the submission of an Environmental Impact Statement.

CSX wishes to expand Worcester as the preeminent regional rail hub for New England, intersecting as it does with rail lines to the north and south that would enable it to provide through freight service to the entire region. It desires expedited approval from your office with this ENF, so it can commence construction in Worcester for a planned completion in late 2012 when it is obligated to vacate Beacon Park. The Club contends, however, that the relocation raises serious issues in terms of transportation planning, justice to the surrounding neighborhoods, and public safety. Thus we strongly urge the Secretary to deny the railroad’s request for an environmental certificate at this time, but require it to submit a full EIS to address the concerns of the various communities affected by the work in question.

Earlier this year MassDOT conducted several public meetings around the Commonwealth to explain the Massachusetts Freight and Rail Plan (http://www.massfreightandrailplan.com/). One member of the audience at the Boston presentation questioned the logic of extricating all operations from Allston to make way for a Harvard expansion that now looks, at best, many years away. Project Manager Ned Codd justified the move by noting that much of the freight that comes into the yard must be trucked back out to the 128/495 belt. Currently, the Commonwealth and the railroad are working together to raise 14 highway bridges between the New York state line and Westborough to accommodate the now standard double-stack shipments; raising the clearances all the way into Boston would be prohibitively expensive, he said.

While the aim of taking truck traffic off the roads certainly argues for the expansion of rail yards on the suburban periphery, planners seem oblivious to the likelihood that closing down Beacon Park would markedly increase the volume of trucks driving in to service the urban core, putting further strain on the Turnpike, Route 9 and other regional highways. They justify the closure as allowing for the upgrading of the Boston-Worcester line for increased passenger rail service, which would purportedly take more traffic off the roads than would be generated by added truck traffic coming into the city—hardly a convincing explanation. Retaining Allston for some freight use and perhaps also using one or two smaller yards (e.g., Framingham, in addition to Westborough) could allow for a more even distribution of freight yet not increase the strain on our highways, but such a proposal is not on the table.

CSX is eager to expedite this project in order to meet its September 2012 deadline to move out of Beacon Park Yard; however, the railroad did not unveil the planned expansion to the public until last winter. Its haste and alleged highhandedness have provoked controversy in Worcester, particularly from abutting residents and business owners (“Property owners unhappy with CSX eminent domain strategy,” Worcester Telegram, October 21, 2010). Since it was first announced, the total size of the yard has grown from 51 acres to 79. Several small streets would now be closed and homes and businesses taken, leading people to question whether all the proposed property takings are necessary for the project.

But the most urgent issue in the rail yard controversy is less discussed: the transport, storage and transferring of hazardous materials in highly populated areas, e.g., chlorine gas, ammonia and other highly dangerous shipments. Once again, CSX has been less than forthcoming. In response to a Worcester City Council order in April requesting information about the number and amount of hazardous materials it transports through the city, the railroad dodged the question (http://www.worcesterma.gov/city-manager/csx-expansion-plan, “CSX Expansion Plan – Update, 5/18/10”). The narrative of its November ENF ignored the issue, save for a brief discussion of solid and hazardous waste where it asserted that the project does not meet the MEPA review threshold, or require any special state permits for their use and storage (same website, ENF Part I, p. 5-22).

CSX has also minimized concerns expressed by officials of neighboring towns, and by the public. Chemicals are to be transferred at the Westborough facility, 30 per cent of which are considered to be hazardous—but not chlorine, according to the railroad (“Officials consider safety in rail deal,” Boston Globe, November 14, 2010), which will be shipped through the site to unspecified destinations. The railroad was openly contemptuous to selectmen from adjacent Southborough, who wanted to discuss their safety concerns with its representatives (“CSX draws criticism in Southborough,” Wicked Local Westborough, December 4, 2010). At a public meeting in Worcester early this month, its governmental affairs liaison for Massachusetts brushed aside such issues, declaring that the completed terminal will be “one of the greenest terminals in the CSX system,” with “emissions . . . less than what they are today” (“CSX environmental study at issue,” Telegram, December 3, 2010).

We have all read news reports about mass evacuations of communities necessitated by the derailing and rupturing of tank cars carrying chlorine and other hazardous substances. For a glimpse at what kinds of risks might be at stake, see p. 24 from the document available on free download from the Chlorine Institute website (Pamphlet 74): One standard 90-ton chlorine tank car can produce a toxic gas cloud at a very dangerous level over any city 15 miles long and 4 miles wide (http://www.chlorineinstitute.org/Bookstore/ProductDetail.cfm?ItemNumber=2893). Given the increased chance of derailment during switching operations and the ever-present possibility of a terrorist attack on such a tank car, the repeated assurances of CSX are not enough to guarantee our safety. The concerns of the public and its elected officials must be fully addressed; the railroad must not be allowed to simply deny that there is any potential problem.

Thus it is incumbent upon the Secretary to require that CSX prepare a full Environmental Impact Statement. The Worcester rail yard is not just one discrete project, but part of a larger proposal planned to be implemented at various sites in Massachusetts. Its effects should not be studied separately but all together, as this project will have many widespread effects and not just in one or two locations. This is a big study, but the effects are large. At the very least, it must frankly address both the potential risks of the project, and its plans to work with in-house and local hazmat teams in the event of any catastrophe. Our lives depend on it.

Respectfully submitted,

John Kyper, Transportation Chair

Sierra Club, Massachusetts Chapter

Last Report from Cancun By MA Chapter Energy Chair

2010-12-13T09:10:00.000-05:00

Saturday Morning Dec. 11^th 3:54 AM

UPDATE- 3:45 PM and heading home.... For you that read the first musing.... I asked the married couple next to me on the plane if they were happily married. They thought it was a kind of peculiar first question, until I told them the story.... I'm glad to report 40 years of marriage and coming back from Cancun celebrating their anniversary.... More of a comfortable flight this time...

Comments below are from the 3:54 musings and I've had a chance to read a bit of the results from Cancun and don't feel like changing anything below...... Finally got to catch up with SSC Joseph Manning at the airport. Really enjoyed our conversation.

And I will be coming home today. And as I sit in bed, beginning to hear the sounds of morning, there are many delegates who are finishing all-nighters trying to put together a document that may have relevancy but probably not..... Not that what has been learned and shared may help their country prepare and start to deal with climate change impact. Just having this type of exercise is good for all.

One thing that surprised and AMAZED me is that the world has one language and it is English. Very few of the speakers, official and unofficial representatives needed headphones or translators to convey very detailed thought. That alone gives me great hope.

I'm not having a change of heart on whether I think the UN's efforts through this type of structure will bear lasting fruit.... It probably won't, but maybe the UN COP / MOP / BEBOP structure will be like the League of Nations .... Both as single entities, failures, but had to happen to create something that could work.

Some fundamental deadly flaws that can NOT be overcome in making the current structure a success...... Probably the most important is that the presumption that you can't trust your neighbor to do the right thing. Thinking not what we can do to help but how can I get the most out of this situation. Getting not Giving.... Also, an inherent flaw is that the problem is literally too amorphous..... Here we are 16 years down the road and some of the basic stuff they are JUST talking about (not doing) is stuff that was defined and clear to the participants 16 years ago in COP 1....... And the Earth is a hell of a lot different now, climate wise, CO2 release wise, population wise, etc. The fundamental climate problem is accelerating so it's impossible, with the tools they are currently using to hit this moving target. Another deadly flaw is Money. The Haves and the Have Nots..... Fossil fuels are not necessarily bad, just when used in excess. And the Haves (Developed Countries) and the Have Nots (Undeveloped Countries) are really defined by their use of the properties of a bunch of long ago dead and decayed plants and animals that allow us to increase “productivity”. If these Have Nots want to be like us then I pity them immensely. Sure we all need clean water, breathable air, shelter, the basics. But good god, do you want to have 3 cars in your driveway, 5 high def TV's scattered around your house? What has that have to do with quality of life.... In other words, don't chase our addiction, pursue something better.

One of the real joys of this trip were the random conversations.... the Dutch rep who lives in eastern Germany who is an official delegate for Belarus, sharing his knowledge on peat land, or Gebremedhine from Ethiopia explaining his perspective on lack of US will, or Pema from Bhutan telling me what they are now doing to reduce their CO2 footprint or the many young people, like Laura from South Africa, who have hope and yet are here getting an education on trying to make enviro sausage.... All are wonderful, interesting people.

The problem is obvious, the solution is simple. Just hard to do.

Ernie

Mational Sierra Club Cancun Update

2010-12-10T23:38:00.001-05:00

Sierra Club Cancun Update

12-9-10

By Justin Guay

Contents

Sierra Club Cancun Team.. 2

Heads in the Sand. 2

Coverage. 2

SSC Work & China-US Youth Climate Exchange. 2

Coverage. 3

Policy Advocacy. 3

Sierra Club United Nations Side Event: World Bank Climate and Energy Finance. 3

Bank Tracking. 4

U.S. Administration Advocacy. 4

ECO NGO Newsletter and Bunkers. 4

Coverage. 4

Status of the Negotiations. 5

Sierra Club Cancun Team

With a 36 member delegation, and thanks to volunteer participation and leadership, the Sierra Club has enjoyed a strong showing in Cancun that has helped to elevate our presence with colleagues, negotiators, and institutions on the global level. The Sierra Club delegation has met every other day to coordinate our efforts and inform staff and volunteers by bringing in speakers on critical issues. Notable speakers have included John Lynchberry from Birdlife International, Elizabeth May from the Green Party of Canada, as well as staff from WWF Mexico, and the Many Strong Voices Project. The Sierra Club International team would like to extend a special thanks to Fred Heutte, Glen Besa, Tyla Matteson, Allison Chin, Joseph Manning, Jim Dougherty and many others for their help in coordinating these meetings and overall Sierra Club efforts.

Heads in the Sand

The Sierra Club delegation has been busy building the momentum, and pressure needed to ensure that our politicians and leaders live up to international responsibilities and infuse positive momentum into the climate change negotiations here in Cancun. This past Friday led by Jim Dougherty, the Sierra Club and the Sierra Student Coalition teamed up with Bill McKibben of 350.org, and the Center on Biological Diversity to call on world leaders to get their heads out of the sand. An event aimed at calling attention to the danger climate change poses and the need for concerted global action. The event enjoyed worldwide coverage.

Coverage

· Reuters, LA Times, BBC, NPR, Washington Post, The Australian, The Hindu, Edmonton Journal, Euro news, Straights Times, SF Gate, Signon San Deigo News, Herald Online, and many more…

SSC Work & China-US Youth Climate Exchange

When our delegation wasn’t calling the world’s attention to the talks, the Sierra Student Coalition was busy pulling together rapid response calls back to US politicians, writing post cards to delegates, and organizing media events on the US/Chinese energy race. Perhaps the most impressive was the international bridges the SSC built through the China-US Youth Climate Exchange. The spirit of cooperation and understanding the event engendered between students from China and the U.S. was summed up well by Chen Yingao, a graduate student from Peking University, "Before Cancun, I didn't have a lot of experience communicating with American youth. The past five days have provided me a totally new view of the United States."

Coverage

· A Reuters video segment on China-US Youth Climate Exchange

Policy Advocacy

As the talks moved into the second week Sierra Club staff ramped up efforts to break the death grip fossil fuel interests have on international climate politics by exposing coal for the dirty 19^th century fuel that it is. We have focused most heavily on a strong push for the World Bank to clean up its energy lending including holding a side event, placing numerous articles, and making sure the Bank staff in Cancun knew we were watching them with the help of “Bank trackers”. We have supplemented these efforts with a strong administrative advocacy push to ensure the United States plays a constructive role in moving the ball forward on key issues such as Adaptation, Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD), Technology Transfer, Transparency, and Climate Finance.

Sierra Club United Nations Side Event: World Bank Climate and Energy Finance

The Sierra Club side event shone a much needed light on the World Bank’s coal lending at the global stage. The all star panel mediated by Stephen Kretzman of Oil Change International was made up of Sierra Club international allies from a broad swath of important emerging economies. Siziwe Khanyile from the South African NGO groundwork - who played an instrumental role in fighting the recent Medupi coal loan - spoke of the terrible impact Medupi has had on the health and livelihoods of affected communities. Srinivas Krishnaswamy from Vasudha Foundation India spoke about the importance of ensuring energy access for the poor – something large scale coal plants fail to deliver time and again. And Yoke Ling Chee from Third World Network spoke about the Bank’s destructive legacy, the need for it to clean up its act, and how future climate finance should be structured to ensure a positive outcome for developing countries. The event represented a strong step forward for our international work as it solidifies ties with South African and Indian colleagues which we have been building over the past year. We plan to continue working with and supporting our allies in their fight to protect communities facing destructive fossil fuel projects.

Bank Tracking

When staff wasn’t organizing public events for policy makers we were teaming up with the Bank Information Center, Oil Change International and various other NGOs to “track the bank”. This initiative was meant to keep up much needed pressure and make sure the Bank knew civil society was watching them. The highlight of these efforts came with Sierra Club Staff member Nicole Ghio posing as an employee handing out documents for a side event on World Bank lending and Climate Finance. She personally handed the World Bank Director of Environment Warren Evans a copy of our factsheet highlighting the Bank’s destructive coal lending and detailing our demands for revised energy lending (read all about it in her bank tracking blog below).

U.S. Administration Advocacy

Finally, our international climate program director and policy staff are pushing hard for progress on a climate fund that can help build a 21^st century economy. This has included direct and frequent discussions with top U.S. negotiators and State Department officials to push them to agree to progress in critical areas – not block efforts in search of a “balanced outcome. In addition, we have contributed to coordinated efforts with other US NGOs through USCAN as well as international colleagues through CAN international to publicly pressure them with ECO articles and Fossil nominations.

ECO NGO Newsletter and Bunkers

Last but certainly not least we enjoyed a strong presence in the Climate Action Network International. CAN-I is a very influential grouping of NGOs which publishes a daily NGO newsletter – ECO - widely read by delegates and coordinates working groups on key issues as well as advocacy and media efforts at these negotiations. Fred Heutte led the Sierra Club charge as ECO editor helping us to get timely articles printed on key topics, working with a variety of working groups including the notorious LULUCF, as well as serving as an ambassador for the Club. At the same time Art Williams lead the very important work of the Bunkers Working Group (Aviation and Maritime Fuel). Art was instrumental in setting up meetings with delegates, coordinating advocacy, and pushing hard for a positive outcome on the Bunkers issue in Cancun.

Coverage

· Sierra Club Cancun World Bank Side Event

· Coal articles: Coal’s low carbon pitch, World Bank and Coal

· ECO articles: coal in the CDM, The World Bank’s addiction to coal, the problematic role the US is playing in negotiations *to be posted (thanks to the tireless efforts of ECO editor and Sierra Club lead volunteer Fred Heutte)

· Blog’s: Evolution in Cancun, Bank Tracking Blog, Tree Hugger summary of Sierra Club activities in Cancun by Sarah Hodgdon, and many many more on the Sierra Club Delegation Blog

· World Bank Climate Finance Coal Action Alert

Status of the Negotiations

All of this brings us to an update on the talks themselves. Despite leading efforts to call out the US on their high risk strategy of a “balanced outcome” the administration continues to refuse to allow progress in areas ripe for agreement including reduced emissions from deforestation and degradation (REDD), Technology Transfer, and the creation of a Global Climate Fund. Top U.S. negotiator Todd Stern has continually reiterated the fact that a deal is to be had here in Cancun, yet despite positive overtures from the Chinese and the Indians on the all important transparency issue, the US continues to hold up progress. With only one day left it is impossible to say what the outcome of the negotiations will be but we will continue to push for steps forward - particularly on REDD and a global climate fund - that will shore up the fragile state of the talks and help the world to move forward in the fight against climate change.

The other key dynamic at play in Cancun is the fate of the Kyoto Protocol (KP). At the beginning of the talks the Japanese made official statements that they would not be seeking a second commitment period which has opened the door for other bad actors (including Canada and Russia) to join in the killing of this legally binding international protocol. As of now the fate of the KP is highly uncertain with many developing countries lobbying hard for its extension and many developed countries seeking an early exit.

Ultimately, Cancun could very well determine the fate of international negotiations. Without clear progress the talks may drift for years to come with key parties seeking other venues for cooperation. It is important that we understand that even without a new binding treaty or continuation of the KP the United Nations plays a critically important role as a global platform that brings the world together in the fight against climate change. The tough decisions we must face going forward are the nature of its role and how we can leverage the UNFCCC to ensure that we are fighting climate change and fossil fuel interests as aggressively as the science demands.

Senator Kerry and Other Senators Urge Cancun Climate Summit to Support Copenhagen Accord

2010-12-10T12:03:00.002-05:00

Perhaps I shouldn't post someone's press release in the Sierra Club Blog. In general we support taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Also I don't have time to re-write it. Mary Ann

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 8, 2010

CONTACT: Jodi Seth/Whitney Smith, (202) 224-4159

Kerry, Senators Urge Cancun Climate Summit to Support Copenhagen Accord

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), and Benjamin L. Cardin (D-Md.), all members of the Committee, this afternoon sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging the current international climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico to support action on all components of the political agreement reached at last year’s negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark.

“Last year in Copenhagen, the United States helped shepherd an agreement that has received support from over 130 countries, representing more than 80 percent of global emissions,” the Senators wrote. “As people from around the world gather in Cancun, Mexico this week for the high-level segment of negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, we want to express our support for a balanced agreement that includes all the elements of the Copenhagen Accord.”

Kerry has represented the United States at international climate negotiations for almost two decades, beginning with the first summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. This spring, Senator Kerry, along with Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), authored the American Power Act, legislation to support the United States’ pledge made in Copenhagen to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the range of 17 percent by 2020 and over 80 percent by 2050.

The full text of the letter is below:

December 8, 2010

The Honorable Hillary Rodham Clinton

Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

2201 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Clinton:

As people from around the world gather in Cancun, Mexico this week for the high-level segment of negotiations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, we want to express our support for a balanced agreement that includes all the elements of the Copenhagen Accord.

Last year in Copenhagen, the United States helped shepherd an agreement that has received support from over 130 countries, representing more than 80 percent of global emissions. As the threats posed by climate change continue to mount, we must continue to make comparable progress on implementing the Accord's building blocks-mitigation, transparency, adaptation, technology, financing, and forests.

Climate change will increase the severity of droughts and floods, shift hydrological patterns, raise global sea level, and reduce our biological diversity which threatens food security, human health, and economic stability. The Defense Department's Quadrennial Defense Review released in February emphasized that “[c]limate change and energy will play significant roles in the future security environment.”

In recent weeks, Central America and the northern part of South America have experienced severe flooding. The floods in Colombia left more than a million people affected and 136 people dead. In Venezuela, thousands lost their homes. In fact, many delegates from the region missed the first few days of negotiations in Mexico responding to this crisis. One of the very real dangers of climate change and associated changes to weather patterns is the propensity to trigger human insecurity, which can intensify potentially explosive tensions among neighboring countries or regions. As vulnerable populations struggle to cope with these crises, it is at our own peril that we ignore the national security implications of climate change.

To protect our own national security, the United States is supporting projects globally that reduce deforestation emissions and help to avert the impacts of climate change. The United States is also supporting important efforts to increase resilience of countries most vulnerable to the politically destabilizing effects of climate change.

This past year also revealed that the impacts of climate change hit home. Reports released by the National Academies earlier this year found that in the past 50 years temperature in the United States has increased by two degrees Fahrenheit, marked by an increase in heat waves and droughts. However, the United States cannot solely act alone to address the impacts of climate change or manage its threats. As a contributor of 20 percent of global emissions, we must be constructive participants in global solutions.

Domestically, the United States is making unprecedented investments in clean energy through the Recovery Act. We are also reducing emissions through new fuel economy standards for cars and light trucks. While regrettably we were unable to pass comprehensive clean energy legislation this year, make no mistake, we will ensure that the Senate will continue moving forward on legislation that creates jobs, reinvigorates our manufacturing sector and boosts our economy.

We thank you for your leadership on addressing the challenges of climate change and look forward to working with the administration to gather broad support for further action on these issues in the United States.

Sincerely,

John Kerry Barbara Boxer Jeanne Shaheen

United States Senator United States Senator United States Senator

Robert Menendez Benjamin L. Cardin

United States Senator United States Senator

# # #

-----------------------

Whitney Smith

Press Secretary

Senator John Kerry

(202) 224-4159

kerry.senate.gov

MA Chapter Energy Chair Reports from Cancun

2010-12-10T11:58:00.001-05:00

It's really hard to get any sense of direction so close to the "action". Probably won't know if anything meaningful happened until after the close of COP 16..... but generally feel that the US is not really interested in leading... (to say the least)

I'm amazed that as I talk with others from as many countries as I can, that they still think the US will show real moral and financial authority on this issue. In my opinion, people who think Obama is going to lead the fight on this issue don't really understand our political process..... If the public is not pushing, the politicians, even the ones that "get it", have no way of moving the issue forward and we certainly took a move to the right (not the good type) in the national elections...... And as I have said too many times, that's the responsibility of enviro groups to push at local and state levels.

In general, the ENB (see link above) newsletter seems to be the best at following the action....

Meanderings (kind of like musings but more confusion added) from Cancun....

Ernie

Report from Cancun Climate Talks by MA Chapter Energy Chair Ernie Edwards

2010-12-08T13:04:00.002-05:00

Just got my credentials and catching up on emails and activities.....

Below was an early morning musing....

Not exactly the type of COP 16 update you were thinking you would be getting.....

Hopefully this is NOT the start of some Hunter Thompson type story / trip......... It's Wednesday EARLY 2:18 local time and I'm in the middle of central Cancun after getting almost 5 hours of fairly good sleep. Thank goodness.

In general, when I travel, I don't like to stay in the “tourist” areas and Quinta Bianca, where I am staying, doesn't have too many gringos wandering around.

But, I digress. Back to the beginning....

The first part of the trip was uneventful other than leaving the house at 4:30 in the AM. Even before the plane took off on the longest leg of the flight which was from Baltimore to Cancun, I knew it was NOT going to be UNeventful. Changing planes after starting from Boston, the AirTran 737, has 3 seats on either side of the aisle and I got a window seat. The two other seats were taken by a middle aged couple from either the Ukraine or Russia, though traveling with US passports.

As always, I try and break the ice by talking to whomever is next to me. But the fairly large grey haired Ukranian man, was sweating a little and not really interested in talking. And I soon found out why he was sweating and not talkative. While we were still on the ground, his middle aged wife, asked him in her heavily accented English and loud enough for everyone in 5 rows in both directions to hear,..... why he wouldn't be more comfortable going on the trip with his WHORE girlfriend. The one sided conversation went downhill from there. Somehow she must have found out just before they got on the plane of this little marital problem. In the 4 hours of the “interesting” flight, many details were explained to all in earshot .......... Including, that she would REALLY, REALLY like to kill him right now. Those words have a tendency to make me a bit nervous. She certainly had the motivation but fortunately not the means. Thank god for airport metal detectors, scanners and all the security to keep things deadly, off planes. Somehow the flight staff didn't find out what was going on until mid-flight. I wasn't going to tell them, with the desire to roll the dice and get to Cancun winning out over common sense. By the time I explained it to the staff, we were well past the point of no return as well as I would guess, also for their marriage and possibly his continued presence on this planet.

Somewhat of a side note....One of the things I know from living overseas and having buddies who married non-american women, is that when she is really pissed off, and she is tearing him a new one, she does so, in her native language. So yelling at him in english was her way to make sure everyone around her knew what he had done to her..... And we did....

Since I am writing this after the completion of the flight and you are also not reading about something horrible and as yet unexplained.... happening to a plane at 35,000 feet over the Gulf of Mexico, then you know it was a successful flight and a middle aged Ukranian / American couple are not having a good time in Mexico.

The trip from the Cancun airport to the B & B in central Cancun was somewhat of a different experience though almost as interesting. Another time, maybe I will share that part of the journey.

This morning, I will try to make it to the conference that I should have gotten to yesterday afternoon.

Interesting place and people. Good trip so far........

Ernie

Vote on Tuesday, November 2!

2010-10-31T13:51:00.000-04:00

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Sierra Club encourages you to vote in this Tuesday’s election for Sierra Club endorsed candidates and ballot positions.
Ballot Questions
Question 3 (sales tax roll back): NO
Implement Community Preservation Act (on some city and town ballots) YES

Statewide Elections
Governor: Deval Patrick
Lieutenant Governor: Tim Murray
Attorney General: Martha Coakley
Treasurer: Steve Grossman

The complete list of endorsed candidates fin the state election, including the state legislature, can be found here:
http://sierraclubmass.org/issues/political/endorse02.html

The complete list of candidates endorsed for U.S. Congress can be found here:
http://www.sierraclub.org/politics/endorsements/

To find your local polling place and where to vote, go to this website:
http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.php

Support Sierra Club Endorsed Candidates

2010-10-02T09:14:00.002-04:00

The Sierra Club actively works to endorse and support pro-environment candidates at the local, state, and national levels. We identify those candidates who we believe will best represent the goals of the Sierra Club on environmental issues and legislation. In our endorsement process, we select prospective endorsees, regardless of party affiliation, using questionnaires, interviews, member input, accomplishments, community involvement, and their voting record.

VOTE! Election day is Tuesday, November 2. If you'll be out of town, you can vote absentee. In most communities, you can vote today or any time at your community Election Department or Clerk's office.

VOLUNTEER! Many environmental champions are at risk of losing their seats. No matter where you live in Massachusetts, there are candidates who urgently need your help between now and the general election, Tuesday Nov. 2nd. Volunteer for the Sierra Club phone bank (see below) on Oct 27 and 28 at the Club offices and other locations throughout the state.

Click here to see a list of our endorsements.

Come visit us At PlanetHugger this weekend!

2010-07-22T15:30:00.000-04:00

Boston Seaport World Trade Center
Boston, MA
Fun-Filled, Planet-Friendly Festival PlanetHugger Boston 2010 is dedicated to educating, inspiring, and empowering children and adults, individuals and families, urbanites and small town folks to come together in their communities and workplaces to create a more sustainable planet for future generations. This year’s PlanetHugger Boston festival will be held at the Seaport World Trade Center on July 24-25. You’ll find so much to inform, inspire and entertain you at PlanetHugger Boston 2010. •Presentations from exciting, knowledgeable speakers, celebrities, and activists •Numerous kids’ activities including composting with worms, organic gardening and animal conservation. •Educational workshops led by knowledgeable, passionate experts with topics like home energy tips, organic gardening, and solar and geo-thermal energy. •Exhibitors showcasing all things green including organic food, clothing and household products, alternative energy, green building design, fairtrade products and more! Whether you’re already a Planet hugging activist or a budding environmentalist. Click here for more.

Sierra Club Activist Wins Goldman Environmental Prize

2010-04-19T12:29:00.005-04:00

The Greater Boston Group Congratulates Sierra Club Activist Lynn Harding of Michigan for winnning the Goldman Environmental Award!

The Sierra Club is proud to announce that Sierra Club activist, grandmother, and family farmer Lynn Henning has been awarded the 2010 Goldman Environmental Prize for North America.

A family farmer from rural Michigan, Lynn Henning exposed the egregious polluting practices of CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations), gaining the attention of the federal EPA and prompting state regulators to issue hundreds of citations for water quality violations.

Click on the Blog entry title to see the complete article.

Remembering 5 Time Sierra Club President Dr. Edgar Wayburn

2010-03-20T10:06:00.002-04:00

The Sierra Club Board of Directors notes with sadness, honor, and awe the passing of our dear friend and Honorary President Edgar Wayburn on March 5, 2010, at the grand age of 103.

Ed, a five time President of the Sierra Club, represents the best of the Sierra Club culture of volunteer leadership and empowerment. He was an “amateur” conservationist in the best sense of the word – someone who dedicated his life to protecting the environment out of a deep love for the Earth’s wild places and the work necessary to defend them.

Ed joined the Sierra Club in 1939 primarily so he could take a Club-sponsored burro trip into the Sierra Nevada. After serving in World War II, he returned to San Francisco where he married Peggy Elliot and the two started a medical practice, a family, and a joint collaboration of enjoying, exploring, and protecting the Earth’s wild place through the Sierra Club.

For the past 50 years, Ed has been a leader, advocate, diplomat, lobbyist, and inspiration for the Sierra Club. He played a vital role in our campaigns to pass the Wilderness Act, stop dams in the Grand Canyon, expand Mount Tamalpais State Park, establish Point Reyes National Seashore and North Cascades National Park, establish and expand Redwood National Park, and add millions of acres to the National Wilderness Preservation System. His two crowning achievements were the passage of the laws establishing the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

All told well over 150 million acres of wilderness and parks were protected by Sierra Club campaigns where Ed and Peggy played leadership roles. This achievement was noted by President Bill Clinton in 1999 when he bestowed the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Ed at the White House, noting: “He has saved more wilderness than any other person alive.” Ed, always looking three chess moves ahead, used the occasion of meeting the President to lobby him on creating a Sequoia National Monument, something the President followed through on in 2000.

Ed’s formula for success was a combination of personal knowledge, tenacity, persuasiveness, and passion. In his courtly but firm way, be would befriend and then lobby presidents, cabinet members, congressmen, mayors, donors, conservation leaders, and Club leaders. Admirers from Bill Clinton, to Philip Burton, to Morris Udall, to Nancy Pelosi to every Sierra Club president that followed him knew that they needed to consult with Ed Wayburn on things he cared about and that they could not say no to him once he got their attention. The Edgar Wayburn Award that the Club bestows on public officials is a recognition of Ed’s efforts to cultivate and honor public service on behalf of the environment. Ed also had a knack for inspiring, befriending, and mentoring new generations of younger activists, leaders, and staff. Upon his death old and young alike testified to how he had changed their lives.

Ed was also a master of patient visionary, incremental, determined environmental progress. He would set a high bar, work hard to achieve success, drive a hard bargain, and in the end cut the best possible deal for the environment. He would then get ready for a follow up campaign to get the next level of protection until his ultimate goal was achieved. A classic example is that after the Alaska Lands Act passed in 1980, it left out protection for the vital Arctic National Wildlife Refuge coastal plain, and it left large portions of the old growth forests in the Tongass National Forest vulnerable to subsidized logging. Ed promised he would return to right these wrongs. He redoubled his efforts and worked tirelessly through the Sierra Club to head off proposals to exploit the Refuge, and he helped the Club and our allies grant added protections to the Tongass.

Ed recognized that it would be a hollow victory if we succeeded in protecting wilderness and parks in the United States, if the rest of the planet was being destroyed by thoughtless exploitation. He became extremely active in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and the World Wilderness Congress and was given the highest honors by both groups for his leadership, accomplishments, vision, and inspiration. He regularly led the Sierra Club to engage in international fights to save wild places from mining, energy development, logging, roads, and dams. As news of his death spread around the world this month, veterans of these campaign expressed their admiration and appreciation for the huge impact Ed had made on the world conservation stage.

In his final month, Ed was introduced to our new Executive Director Mike Brune and when they discussed our campaign to have President Obama declare the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge a national monument and withdraw it from energy development his eyes twinkled. He knew that his Sierra Club would continue the glorious fight that he had dedicated his life to.

We are all honored to have known him and worked with him. We are all committed to carry on his work in the name of the Sierra Club.

Copenhagen Update #13 - Locked Out

2009-12-17T07:07:00.002-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis

We're now locked out of the official Bella Center as are most if not all NGOs. Yesterday we were able to press the need for cities to be considered as "government" and not as non-governmental. The fact that cities are responsible for a significant portion of GHGs and therefore are in a position to enable significant reductions has not yet sunk in to the powers-that-be. Meanwhile those of us here representing cities want municipal governments to be recognized in the preamble of the text to be written. Of course, we can't be sure that anything will be written. Whatever happens today or tomorrow, we here with the National League of Cities want to work together with all cities across the globe to aggressively reduce GHGs.

This and other related posts are at http://www.citiesspeak.org/

Copenhagen Update #12 - The Reasons Why

2009-12-17T07:02:00.002-05:00

From James Brooks, International Programs Director of the National League of Cities (Crossposted from NLC's blog)
Why are representatives from tens of thousands of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) willing to wait in the freezing cold and snow just to get into meetings at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen? The answer can be summed up in two words — leadership and solutions.
The UN may be an organization of nation states, but this climate summit has drawn thousands of grass roots organizations that work everyday to solve basic issues connected with climate change such as access to water, sustainable urban habitat, energy generation and expanded mass transportation options.

The Lord Mayor of Copenhagen took note that local government leaders, especially a large group of global big city mayors, arrived many days before the delegations of heads of state. “Local government,” she said, “arrived early with climate change solutions.” In effect, cities have been willing to act, to be ambitious, and to exercise leadership.

In the hallways of COP-15 you can see and hear dozens of worldwide celebrities and luminaries on big screen monitors while you walk to exhibits from private sector companies and NGOs. More interesting however are the briefings, lectures, workshops and personal conversations with literally thousands of municipal officials, city planners, and specialists in land use, water systems, technology application and health care, as well as scientists, authors, entrepreneurs, NGO staffers, and bankers.

At the local and grass roots levels, there is an enormous level of comity, respect, information sharing and trust. These are the characteristics that appear to be lacking among the leaders and delegations from national governments. What you see at the center of COP 15 are thousands of solutions being tried by local actors. Alas, among less than 200 national government delegations there is a level of mistrust that is a barrier to organized and coordinated global action on climate change solutions.

City governments and grass roots organizations have taken on the climate change solutions and have demonstrated genuine leadership. The call to national governments, as expressed by Senator John Kerry, is to have the courage to take the risks to implement the solutions.

Copenhagen Update #11 – Contrasts between the US and EU

2009-12-16T07:37:00.002-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis

Now reporting from a meeting sponsored from the Committee of the Regions of the European Union (EU). The EU recognizes cities officially in negotiations and planning. In the US, city roles are subsumed under states and the implementation power of cities is not as well recognized. Because money follows governmental structure, implementation funding for such things as energy efficiency in buildings is in the hands of state government. That's why yesterday's meeting sponsored by ICLEI with the US State Dept was so important to raise the profile of cities. Note the cities' role in initiating energy efficiency programs. Europe really gets this and the European investment Bank recognizes this with city level funding.

Copenhagen Update #10 – With Sierra Exec Director Carl Pope

2009-12-16T07:36:00.003-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis

Carl Pope praised the efforts of cities.

Copenhagen Update #9 – Working Towards National/Local Partnerships

2009-12-16T07:35:00.003-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis
At a negotiation session with the State Department advocating for partnerships between the federal government and cities and towns on climate. We are the folks who are following through on adaptation and mitigation. We want to be at the table as this action goes forward. We are focused and committed and we'd like to be formally recognized in the agreement and in the language. Ten minutes later...I just testified, representing 19,000 cities and towns. Members of the National League of Cities, Conference of Mayors and Counties, and ICLEI delivered a unified message, asking the US State Department to work in coordination with us. We are critical partners. We've been doing this work for years.

Copenhagen Update #8 – Cities, States, and the White House

2009-12-16T07:34:00.001-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis
Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI ) is now hosting a session with Mayor Bloomberg and ICLEI president Mayor Patrick Henry Hayes of North Little Rock. This is a panel with Wisconsin Governor Doyle. We’re listening in to hear also from President Obama's climate advisor Nancy Sutley, White House Counsel on Environmental Quality who also served in California state government. She's talking about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). In attendance is Washington Governor Christine Gregoire.

Copenhagen Update #7 – Knowledge and Wealth are Created by Cities

2009-12-16T07:31:00.002-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis
Sierra Club President Carl Pope addressed local officials and praised the efforts of cities.

“Knowledge and wealth are created by cities,” said Carl.

Copenhagen Update #6 - Networking with the world's mayors

2009-12-15T07:10:00.004-05:00

Photo of Henrietta Davis with Matt Zone, Councilor from Cleveland and Tom Peterson of the Center for Climate Strategies.

Yesterday we met with the Center for Climate Strategies with Tom Peterson.

With us at that meeting were city officials from boulder Colorado, state legislators from California, Minnesota, and New York for a lively discussion of responsibilities of different levels of government. I enjoyed the debate on how to create incentives for more energy efficiency.

Last night we went to a great networking event with world mayors. I had a few minutes with Mayor Bloomberg, as he reminisced about his days at the Harvard business school. Others spoke with the mayors of Los Angeles, Seattle, and the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen.

Today our group is in the Bella Center finally and looking forward to meeting with the U.S. State Dept about the experiences of local government. My plan is to tell them that cities have been working for years on climate issues and that we'd like to share what we've learned with the federal government. The US is not starting from scratch because local government, advocates, and ordinary citizens have been doing what we can without waiting for the federal government.

Copenhagen Update #5 - World Municipal Leaders Converge

2009-12-14T17:55:00.001-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis and National League of Cities Jim Brooks

Just returned from a gathering of municipal leaders in honor of the COP-15 host, Lord Mayor Ritt Bjerregaard of Copenhagen. While there our team connected with several other local government leaders, including Mayor Bloomberg of New York, Mayor Nickels of Seattle, and Mayor Elizabeth Kautz of Burnsville, MN — the incoming president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, which hosted this event. As this was a meeting of municipal leaders from around the globe we were also pleased to spend time speaking with the Mayor of Istanbul, Kadir Topbas, and Mayor David Bronoconnier of Calgary. The event underscored the important role that local government has had leading the fight against climate change. In remarks to the group, Lord Mayor Bjerregaard pointed out that the assembled group of mayors and local officials rightfully arrived in Copenhagen ahead of their national delegations physically, much in the same way that they have also been actively ahead of national leadership on this important issue.

Copenhagen Update #4 - long lines, long waits

2009-12-14T17:52:00.003-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis and National League of Cities Jim Brooks:

Yesterday we arrived midday after overnight flights. Went to a briefing by iCLEI cities for sustainability. Heard from the State Dept about the state of negotiations including how measuring emissions reduction is so difficult. Ate dinner at a local bistro with a Malmo environmental Planner with connections to the US born in Boston, now doing an intensive mixed use development in the harbor. Now were in an endless line to get into the Bella conference center. Not sure when well get in. I'm with Matt Zone councilor from Cleveland and three NLC staffers.

Copenhagen Update #3 - Arriving

2009-12-14T17:45:00.004-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis and National League of Cities Jim Brooks

In endless line. Will we ever get in?

In the picture: Councillor Henrietta Davis with Councilor Matt Zone of Cleveland.

(dispatched by Jim Brooks, National League of Cities' Manager of International Programs)

Copenhagen Update #2 - before leaving

2009-12-14T17:42:00.004-05:00

From Cambridge City Councillor Henrietta Davis

Before leaving for Copenhagen: Cambridge residents attend Climate Emergency Congress.

Copenhagen Update #1 - from Henrietta Davis

2009-12-14T17:35:00.003-05:00

Cambridge City Councillor (and Sierra Club member) Henrietta Davis is attending the Copenhagen Climate Summit and is sending us her photos and entries from the event.

Ken Hughes on Copenhagen Dec 8, Day 1 for Him

2009-12-10T14:52:00.001-05:00

Ken Hughes first post after his trip from New mexico to Copenhagen

December 8, 2009

Ken Hughes should be arriving in Copenhagen soon, completing his train-plane-plane-plane-plane-bus trip.

The inspirational moment of the 2005 conference for me was related to the fact that President Clinton made an excellent last minute speech. However, my inspiration came from how he got there. Elizabeth May, President of Sierra Club Canada, convinced him on Tuesday to give the speech on Friday. This demonstrated how an individual and the Sierra Club can influence world outcomes. It still motivates me today

Ken has arrived….Howdy from ground zero for climate change action. I got here around noon and got a pass an hour later. Then walking in it felt like I was at a UN event. Then I remembered, it IS an UN event. I've spoken to people from Oman, Sweden, UK, Nepal, Nicaragua, and even the USA.

Ken: The bazaar that is set up among the "Civil Society" representatives is the most energetic part of the Bella Center, with mini actions by groups like Greenpeace to entertain. Good thing, for after 4 flights and little sleep…...

Ken: The US Government is present big time, thanks to President Obama at the helm. Its team from DOE presented a litany of actions taken in the past ten months that is an impressive start. One person asked why not more money for family planning, cheaper than wind. More efficient cook stoves touted as the flavor of the month, to wean folks off wood or kerosene.

Ken: A presentation by the Swedish delegation toured Stockholm, named 2010 Green Capital due to its Climate Positive Development Program. Malmo (just across the spit from Copenhagen) has been transformed from a greying industrial dive to a green oasis. Indeed, one-half of all solar in Sweden is in Malmo, in very big, prominent rooftop locations, and 40% of its populace bike to work or school.

Guest Bloggers for Copenhagen Climate Conference

2009-12-10T14:10:00.003-05:00

The Greater Boston Group is really excited to have two guest bloggers from Copenhagen UN Climate Change talks: Cambridge City Councilor Henrietta Davis and national Sierra Club Transportation Chair, Ken Hughes from New Mexico. we hope these two people can keep up informed on how events and talks effect us in greater Boston and our transportation future.

Let's Vote Today For Sierra Club Endorsed Candidates

2009-11-03T07:31:00.002-05:00

Keep Massachustts Greening by voting for local candidates that could make a difference in your city or town! As a Boston voter, I'm voting today and encourage everyone who is registered to do so. If you're not registered, stop by your local polling place to get a voter registeration form so that you can vote in the special Senate Elections over the next couple of months.

Boston
City Council at Large
Stephen J Murphy
John R Connolly
Ayanna Pressley
Felix Arroyo
Andrew Kenneally
Tito Jackson
Tomas Gonzalez
City Council District 8: Michael Ross
City Council District 9: Mark Ciommo
Cambridge
City Council
Henrietta Davis
Marjorie Decker (write-in candidate)
Craig Kelley
Sam Seidel
Denise Simmons
Timothy Toomey, Jr.
Minka vanBeuzekom

Saugus
Board of Selectmen
Michael Kelleher
Sean Maltais

Somerville
Board of Aldermen: Rebekah Gewirtz

Springfield
City Council Ward 2: Michael Fenton
City Council Ward 6: Amaad Rivera

Watertown
Councilor at Large: Susan Falkoff
Council President: Mark Sideris
Councilor District-C: Vincent Piccirilli

Chill the Drills: Oil Development and Climate Change in America's Arctic

2009-10-12T22:36:00.003-04:00

If you want an update on protecting the artic wild areas and what oil drilling and climate change have to do with it come to the CHILL the DRILLS talk this Thursday, October 15 at 6:30 at the Boston Public Library.

The Arctic ecosystem on the North Slope of Alaska represents a microcosm of the realities that society at large faces with regard to fossil fuel dependency, climate change and the importance of protecting our last wild and pristine places. Come learn what is being done to protect this iconic American landscape and what you can do to help!

This presentation will be given by Kit McGurn, the Sierra Club's Arctic Campaign Conservation Organizer, from Seattle, WA.

When: October 15, 2009 6:30 PM

Where:
Boston Public Library- Mezzanine Conference Room in the "New Building"
700 Boylston St
Boston, MA 02116
617-536-5400

Free and open to all

Count Down to Copenhagen- Beginners Guide

2009-09-29T08:47:00.004-04:00

If the international approaches to Climate Change leaves you wondering what its all about, you may want to look at this website that provides an interactive guide to the current negotiating draft of the Climate Change treaty up for discussion in Cophenhagen. Just click on the title of this posting.

MA Sierra Club Endorses Seven in Boston City Council At-Large Race

2009-09-23T14:42:00.001-04:00

BOSTON – In a break with tradition, the MA Sierra Club has endorsed more candidates than can win the four Boston City Council At-Large seats. The Sierra Club endorsed seven candidates, but only four will win seats.

“This is highly unusual for the Sierra Club,” said Sierra Club Political Chair Phil Sego. “The exciting truth is that there is an overabundance of candidates for the at-large seats who are excellent environmentalists and would help usher in a new green era for the city.”

This highly unusual move was prompted by the environmental caliber of the candidates. In addition to having excellent written responses to the Sierra Club’s questionnaire they have all taken serious steps in their personal lives to reduce carbon emissions.

While all had replaced their incandescent bulbs with CFLs, a simple step, most have undertaken weatherization in their homes, actively turn off un-used lights, and focus on alternative transportation.

After asking candidates to fill out questionnaires, speaking with the Sierra Club and extensive independent research, the Sierra Club has endorsed candidates who will further the work of protecting the environment, support better transportation options, reduce global warming emissions, increase recycling and help push Massachusetts forward into the new “Green” economy.

“They all have excellent ideas how to improve Boston’s environmental activities and reduce the city’s overall carbon footprint,” said Sego.

For the Boston At-Large City Council race the Sierra Club is proud to endorse, in alphabetical order:

Felix G. Arroyo
John R. Connolly
Tomas Gonzalez
Tito Jackson
Andrew P. Kenneally
Stephen J. Murphy
Ayanna S. Pressley

The Sierra Club is the nation's oldest and largest grassroots environmental organization dedicated to the preservation, protection, and exploration of the earth’s natural environment. For a complete listing of Sierra Club political endorsements, please visit www.sierraclubmass.org and click the “politics & issues” link on the left.

Sierra Club Statement on Senator Ted Kennedy Local, National Leaders Mourn Loss of an Environmental Champion

2009-08-26T14:16:00.003-04:00

The Sierra Club and its Massachusetts chapter issued the following statement on the passing of Ted Kennedy:

"Senator Kennedy's leadership, wisdom, and political skills were without equal," said Massachusetts Sierra Club director James McCaffrey. "He was an environmental champion for decades, advocating for clean air and water legislation, and supporting mass transit and completing the North South Rail Link, which would get 55,000 cars off the road daily. The people who worked with him knew him well -- and knew that his promises meant action."

"Senator Kennedy was always a champion for progress and a better future for all of us," said Carl Pope, Executive Director of Sierra Club. "He will be deeply missed by all who care about protecting America's clean air, clean water and wild places. During his amazing life of public service, he consistently stood up for the public over corporate interest. He was a defender of low-income families fighting air and water pollution in their neighborhoods, and helped poor communities save money and energy with weatherization and home heating assistance programs. Senator Kennedy fought against giveaways for oil companies for decades and has been a founding supporter of better fuel economy standards for cars and trucks. He strongly supported economic stimulus through investment in renewable energy. We will work hard to follow-through on Ted Kennedy's vision of a clean energy future that works for everyone. "

###

Above is the official Sierra Club statement. On a personal note, I feel both a deep sadness on the death of Senator Kennedy and a deep appreciation for his life and his contribution to our state, our country and our world. Senator Kennedy is truly one person can make a tremendous difference in the lives of millions. My sympathy is with his family, friends and colleagues. Senator Kennedy, Ave et Vale.

Patrick suspends public hearings on fare increase - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

2009-08-11T15:24:00.001-04:00

Patrick suspends public hearings on fare increase - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe

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Signatures for Hamburgers to Keep Bil Oil Out of Our Coastal Waters!

2009-07-02T15:49:00.007-04:00

I haven't been keeping up with the big oil and coal energy companies except for their big money lobbying efforts on the federal climate change bill. At first, I thought the email I got from another environmental group asking me to contact my federal elected officials about not allowing drilling in the waters off New England, including Georges Bank was just an anomaly. But then the Sierra Club sent one out.

The Sierra Club message reads in part:

This Independence Day we can expect the chant of "Drill, Baby Drill" to be deafening.

Last summer energy companies tried to trick the American people into believing that more offshore and domestic drilling was the answer to our energy challenges.

This year, we have to make clear that Americans want CLEAN ENERGY, and NOT DRILLING - and for that we need YOU to be a vocal and active at July 4th events by posting flyers, holding signs, talking to folks about clean energy, and collecting signatures for our petition.

I'm not sure who is doing this chanting and organizing in the Northeast. I went to check out the local July 4th Tea Party blog site and it's mostly about health care reform and taxes. So, it appears not to be them.

As an environmentalist, I'm not the 1st to embrace every wind site proposed in the commonwealth and region. I'm hoping wind developers come forward with proposals for wind siting that does not include a massive land grab of public land and public resources. At the same time, I know drilling our off shore ocean areas, which risks compromising our fishery resources, is not the way to go. We fought that battle and had won in the 1980's when the fishing community and the environmental community joined together to prevent the federal government from leasing one of the richest fisheries in the world for off shore oil drilling. (Moratorium on leasing firmly in place still.)

So this July 4th, I'm bringing petition letters to Senators Kennedy and Kerry along with my American flags to my friends' July 4th Celebrations & BBQs. (See the posting on this blog from earlier today to get the petition letters and background materials.) I'll be holding the hamburger's and soyburger's hostage in exchange for signatures!

I'll close this blog with the call to action from the tea party blog:

Now let’s all get out there on July 4th and reclaim our country!

Sierra Club: Can we count on you?

2009-07-02T15:48:00.001-04:00

Sierra Club: Can we count on you?

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Thank our Massachusetts Congressmen and Congresswoman for voting for the Markey Waxman Bill

2009-06-27T19:01:00.002-04:00

Congress has taken the first step toward a possible true clean energy revolution with yesterday's historic passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act. I wouldn't get too excited because this bill still has some areas that could be improved. However, at least Congress is now willing to do something besides putting its collective head in the sand on climate change legislation.

While imperfect, this legislation sets forth a set of goals America must achieve -- and exceed. Most importantly, it puts the United States on a path to reduce carbon emissions some 80 percent by 2050.

Our own local Congressman Markey wrote the bill with his colleague. I'm personally concerned about how cap and trade will really work, though the Sierra Club strongly supports market solutions to reducing green house gas emissions.

Many local members, organizations, unions, faith communities and business supported this bill and worked to get it passed.

So in addition to congratulating ourselves, let's thank our local congresspeople for a job well done. The Sierra Club has a website where you can check how your congressperson voted and send him or her a thank you email.

Here is the link (please cut and paste if it does not work):

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/VoteCenter?page=legVote&voteId=9605&autologin=true&s_subsrc=body3

We've lots more to do, so keep current on global warming issues with the Sierra Club.

Eating Dinner and Providing a Home For Our Troops

2009-06-14T14:21:00.009-04:00

Saturday night I participated in an unusual Sierra Club activity - I ate dinner seated next to a man who rode an ATV in state parks and on private woodlands and I supported building a LEED certified Home For Our Troops!

Hundreds of people ate dinner and danced to the Roomful of Blues in the Copley Marriott Ballroom to raise money to support Homes for Our Troops, which builds specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. The evening was entertaining and emotional. The stories of injured veterans, many of whom had to fight back from near death, caused many men and women to opening cry. The veterans in film and in person expressed deep appreciation for their wives and families who fought side by side with them during their recovery.

The day Homes For Our Troops gave them their new homes was often the turning point for the veterans in reestablishing their lives. One veteran now lives in a home with state of the art voice activated controls so he can turn on the lights or the shower with just a few words. Due to the generosity of last night’s principal donor, the Credit Unions of MA, NH, and RI, the family of a veteran who lost both legs in Iran was told its new house was next; the wife was overcome with emotion and hugged her husband, and daughters; the youngest daughter seemed not to understand the announcement but the older one leaned into her dad in his wheel chair and hugged her mom.

Only one woman veteran was highlighted in the video and her husband stood up when the host asked all the wives (hmmmmm) to stand up so we could applaud their support. It made me think about women’s ability to support others. I wonder how many husbands stay when their wives returns paralyzed or missing part of the minds. I thought of the other place where women stand by their men- prison- more women stay with their men while the men serve their prison sentence while most women enter prison in a relationship but exit without one. I applaud the men who stay with their wives who return from war less than whole.

So why was I there as an environmentalist? I was the guest of the Sierra Club Foundation which has contributed $1 million for energy efficiency in building specially adapted homes for severely injured veterans. The project manager for the LEED certified homes told me that the other project managers have begun to incorporate some of the energy conservation measures that he uses in the homes they are building.

The first LEED Platinum home underwritten in part by the Sierra Club Foundation is under construction in New Jersey and due to be occupied in a few months. The soldier who will live there with his Mom was in a hospital recovery from recent illness but we spoke briefly with his Mom, a gracious woman who goes everyday to the house to clean it up. She was worried about how they would be able to afford to run the home, but the energy conservation measures will make it more affordable.

I hope the Sierra Club Foundation and Home For Our Troops use the completion of this home as an opportunity to educate the public about the benefits of energy conservation in regular homes, as well as, specially adapted homes and the need for Homes For Our Troops.

Well back to dinner; I sat next to Brian who had lost his right leg and arm to an IED in Iraq. Thanks to Home For Our Troops, he is living independently in a specially adapted home in Connecticut. For him, access to places to ride his ATV influenced the decision as to where he would live in Connecticut. He claims he rides only were ATVs are allowed. I congratulated him for complying with the law as some ATV riders are often temped to ride where they should not.

So, what can we as the Sierra Club do to support Home For Our Troops? The easiest thing would be to send them a check or send the Sierra Club Foundation a check to support its funding of this program. Other activities include volunteering as a Sierra Club group at a job sites doing everything from construction (one needs to be a professional) to landscaping to preparing meals to recycling scrape materials and waste. The other thing the Sierra Club can do is help to identify building sites. The New Jersey home’s first site was discovered to have been an unbuildable dumpsite.

The website for the Sierra Club Foundation is:

http://sierraclubfoundation.org/

The Website for Home For Our Troops is:

http://www.homesforourtroops.org

Climate Crossroads- Can Social Networking Effect Climate Change?

2009-06-13T15:45:00.003-04:00

I have 166 friends on facebook including Governor Devil Patrick. Almost everyday, I check my friends status report, go to their links and comment on the photos of their friends, families and pets. Just today, I was looking at a family photo from some friends from Greece and thought: If not for facebook, I would see this photo 8 years from now when I visit them in Athens; isn't facebook great!

Now, the Sierra Club has created a social networking application that allows me and you to keep up to date on climate change science, policy and actions while socializing: Climate Crossroads, http://climatecrossroads.sierraclub.org/index.html
I signed up for an account but am not quite sure what is going to happen next.

Can we fight global warming while posting pictures of ourselves on our bicycles? I don't know, but given that one facebook friend (and former Sierra Club President) use facebook to get material from his friends for his new book, the potential is there.

This will only work if many of us join; we resist the temptation to click on the links to the frivolous (recipe for climate approved chocolate covered bananas- probably climate neutral in Central America only- and engage in information sharing about the latest in science, legislation and local projects.

I've posted a Massachusetts Chapter Group on Climate Crossroads, so join me there!

If this is still too much for you and you're already on facebook, join the Sierra Club Massachusetts Chapter group and Ill report on my Climate Crossroads experience there.

Sierra Club Supports Protecting Boston Water Supply By a Controlled Deer Hunt at the Quabbin Reservoir

2009-06-11T15:00:00.005-04:00

In the early 20th Century, residents of 5 western Massachusetts towns sacrificed their homes to create a clean pure water supply for eastern Massachusetts. When we turn on our tap today in Boston we have some of the cleanest and purist public drinking water in the United States.

The Sierra Club sits on the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee which oversees the management of the thousands of acres of land that protect and filter the Quabbin Reservoir, our drinking water source. In order to maintain the water supply a health forest environment is essential. The deer in the Quabbin Reservoir watershed provide a threat to Boston's water by eating the forest and weakening the ecosystem. With No natural predators in the watershed, the deer population can be controlled best by hunting and many areas of the Quabbin Watershed Reservation have been hunted for the past 15 years which had keep the forest ecosystem in balance and healthy.

On Monday, June 4, the Quabbin Watershed Advisory Committee voted support for including the Quabbin Park area in the controlled deer hunt in 2010. Unfortunately, efforts to control deer browse in the Quabbin Park area with fencing have failed - it is impossible to maintain deer-proof electric fences in a forest (a fence around 10 acres is 3 miles long; all it takes is one branch to create an opening). Quabbin management estimates a deer population of between 60 and 90 deer per square mile (desirable: 10 per square mile).

To learn more about the management of the Quabbin Reservoir Watershed, attend:

Annual Quabbin Land Management Workshop
Tuesday, June 30
7 PM - 9 PM
Quabbin Visitor's Center
485 Ware Road (Route 9)
Belchertown, MA

free

Public meeting to present information on the goals and objectives the 2007-2017 Quabbin Land Management Plan, including forest management, status of FSC recertification at Quabbin, deer management results from 2008 hunt, plans for deer management in 2009, monitoring of moose and research on gulls

For more information about Quabbin and directions to the Visitor's Center:
www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/central/quabbin.htm

For information about the moose research:
www.umass.edu/moose

Green Transportation Workshop, Connecting Mass Transit in the Northeast

2009-06-08T08:40:00.000-04:00

The Sierra Club Northeast Regional Activist Network is hosting a special workshop for new and experienced Sierra Club (and non S. C.) activists to map out and begin implementing the Club's vision for green transportation in the Northeastern U. S.

Participants will:

* Learn about the laws and policies that shape our current transportation system
* Work in groups to draw vision maps for regional transportation choices
* Find out about federal and state opportunities to move our transportation system into the 21st Century
* Plan a coordinated campaign to take action over the next year at both local and national levels

Friday, June 26, 7 PM at 1155 Park Avenue, NYC

Saturday, June 27, 8:30AM – 6:00PM at Saint Thomas More Parish House 65 East 89th Street, between Park and Madison Avenue - Manhattan, NYC

Sunday, June 28, 9:00AM - 12:30PM at Brick Church 62 East 92nd Street

Presenters include:

Ann Mesnikoff - Washington Rep. of Sierra Club's Global Warming and Energy Program

Chris Wilhite –Director of Sierra Club Rhode Island Chapter

Professor Patrick Hossay of Stockton College

Joan Saxe –Chair of Conservation and Energy Committee of Sierra Club Maine Chapter

And more.

The long-term goal for the workshop is to develop Chapter Transportation Teams to work towards a regional rail system with high speed passenger connections to all major cities in the Northeast and with universal freight transport. We also plan to mobilize transportation volunteers to work with mayors and other community officials to develop local plans through the Cool Cities or similar on-going campaigns.

Weekend includes food and materials for $50. Free housing is available. For more information contact Bonnie Lane Webber at 212.348.7183 or blaneweber@aol.com

ToRegister: http://action.sierraclub.org/site/Calendar/2021478177?view=Detail&id=109201

A better fishing system - The Boston Globe

2009-06-05T16:36:00.002-04:00

A better fishing system - The Boston Globe

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Support Amendment 16, the Proposal to Save Fish and the Fishing Industry in New England!

2009-06-05T16:23:00.008-04:00

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New England groundfish have gone from an abundant community when Europeans first arrive to today’s record low populations; In response to the challenge of how to help the species recover while still allowing fishing the New England Fisheries Council is considering adopting Amendment 16. Regulations.

The New England groundfish fishery would be more economically and environmentally sound if the system used to manage the activities of commercial fishermen was changed from regulations based on “days-at-sea” to annual catch limits and allows for "sector management" of fishing activities by fishermen themselves. In addition, the new system would give declining populations of the region’s iconic species like cod and flounder a chance to rebuild, providing a sustainable future for the industry.

Contact the National Marine Fisheries Service and tell them you support the proposed Amendment 16

Email: multsamendment16@noaa.gov.

(Subject line: DEIS for Amendment 16 to the Northeast Multispecies FMP).

Public comments must be received by 5:00 p.m. on June 8, 2009, EST.

Include these points in your comments:

1. The agency take immediate action to end overfishing and help restore New England's historic groundfish fishery;

2. Implement sector management.;

3. Implement Science-based annual catch limits on all managed fish stocks;

4. Include strong accountability measures that ensure fishing ceases once limits are reached and that correct overages if they occur; and

5. A comprehensive monitoring and reporting system that provides accurate estimates on all fish caught (landings and discards of all species)

Sign your email with your name and address.

For more information go to these websites:

http://www.endoverfishing.org/newengland/
http://www.nefmc.org/nemulti/index.html

Radio Boston Hosts Program on Improving the T

2009-06-01T10:11:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Radio Boston for presenting an accurate description of the impact of service cuts and fare increases on the MBTA and the Boston region.

Improving the T

Posted by Adam Ragusea, Associate Producer, Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

Show airs: 05/29/2009

Listen to the full show:

We all know the T is broke; but over the last couple of weeks, it’s been looking increasingly broken too. Ultimately, it’s no surprise; it’s the oldest subway system in North America. Obviously, the funding mechanisms for the T need to be updated, but what about the trains themselves? This week, we’re talking to T officials, T riders, and transit gurus about ways we can bring this 19th century system into the 21st.

Is that a bus in traffic or a bus rapid transit bus in traffic?

2009-05-15T16:34:00.006-04:00

Today, I sent the following letter to Sierra Club members living in the communities adjacent to the Route 28 bus line which the Governor proposes to be made in the Massachusetts version of bus rapid transit- a bus with less stops, sitting in traffic:

May 15, 2009

Dear Sierra Club member,

Recently, the Governor announced a plan to use federal stimulus money to improve Route 28 Bus service by making it a semi bus rapid transit (BRT) line. This means along part of the 28 bus route, the Bus will have its own right of way, less stops, open all the doors at platforms that have fare vending machines; along other parts of the route, it could possibly run like it does now, in regular traffic with everyone getting on at the front door.

The MBTA claims the Silver Line Bus on Washington Street from Dudley to Downtown Boston is bus rapid transit. If you have taken it, you will notice, the “bus reservation”, that portion of the street set aside exclusively for the Silver Line Bus to operate on, is often filled with cars which slows service down. The Silver Line bus shelters along the route were designed to be dysfunctional, failing to protect the bus riders from the rain, snow and sun. The Silver Line bus from South Station to Logan travels slowly along a tunnel with deteriorated pavement marring the ride to the South Boston Waterfront.

The Sierra Club is developing a position on this proposed project and we want to hear from you. In general, the Sierra Club believes that, after years of not investing in the Roxbury Dorchester community, improving a bus line primarily through a road paving project is too little, too late. We think this is part of a scheme to improve Silver Line Bus passenger numbers for the failed Silver Line bus to the Fan Pier and Logan Airport. It also could be an attempt to avoiding making the existing Silver Line Bus service along Washington St light rail, as the state promised when it took down the elevated orange line down Washington St over 20 years ago.

The Secretary of Transportation has invited the Sierra Club and other interested organizations to a meeting on Monday, May 18 at 12:30 pm to explain the project and to hear initial community concerns. Other public meetings will be held, However the process will be very quick as details must be finalized by July 1 in order to use the federal stimulus funds.

Do you take the Route 28 bus? What do you think about bus (semi) rapid transit along the route 28 line, will it make it better or the same? Are there things the state can do to improve service on the Route 28 line without making it semi-BRT?

I’ll be home Sunday, May 17, afternoon and evening, & would like to hear from you.

Sincerely,

Mary Ann Nelson

Greater Boston Group Chair

What do you think?

Silver Line will expand, but not all are onboard - The Boston Globe

2009-05-05T10:06:00.001-04:00

Silver Line will expand, but not all are onboard - The Boston Globe

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Many firms have a stake in transit system - The Boston Globe

2009-05-05T09:25:00.001-04:00

Many firms have a stake in transit system - The Boston Globe

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Bad Ideas about our Parkways Never Seem to Die!

2009-05-04T10:34:00.008-04:00

Today, the Sierra Club sent out an alert to supporters asking to call their state legislators and ask that Transportation reform legislation does not transfer the Division of Conservation and Recreation Parkways and Bridges to the new Mass Highway Department.

Transportation reform is important and has many aspects including:

Reducing cost by eliminating redundant functions across transportation agencies;
Forward funding regional public transportation authorities and providing tehm with more money so residents can have real transportation choices;
Providing transparent decision making and an opportunity for public participation and involvement;
Creating oversight boards and commissions that allow for meaningful oversight; and
Reducing the cost of transportation projects by having work done by state employees instead of highly paid consultants and their companies; and
MOST IMPORTANT- DEALING WITH THE TREMENDOUS DEBT WHICH IS THE LEGACY OF THE BIG DIG- OVER $22BILLION DOLLARS!

So why is the state legislature and the governor wasting our time again by proposing to transfer the Department of Conservation and Recreation's parkways and bridges to the Mass Highway Department or whatever it becomes under the transportation reform legislation???

Time and Time Again, the Public enjoying and using the parkways as well as recreation and conservation groups have brought to their attention that DCR has roads in Parks (curvy with trees and often closed for recreational purposes) not interstate highways (straight, very stoplights, no pedestrians, joggers or bicyclists adjacent to them and cars going at high speeds). How many times over the past ten years have we had to fight to protect the parkways from destruction at the hands of the legislature?

At the transportation committee hearing in Boston, several speakers brought to the legislative committee's attention the difference between parkways maintained by DCR and the one or two sections under Mass Highway's control. (Parkway vs Highway); discussed the difference in costs between DCR doing a project and Mass Highway (DCR gets projects completed on time and often under budget) and the many uses parkways are put to other than providing travel routes for cars and trucks- roller blading, outdoor concerts, summertime strolls, protecting adjacent water bodies, and city and town activities. Yet your Senators went ahead and proposed transfer of the parkways and bridges from DCR to the new highway department.

Is this reform: Taking a small program that works and putting it with a big agency that is broken and expecting it to work?

It could be that the Big Dig Legacy of Debt (which is preventing many state transportation projects from proceeding because the federal government questions that state's ability to fund them) is causing Governor Patrick and the state transportation officials to look at DCR's well funded Charles River Bridge repair program and thinking they should grab the bridges and the money (proposed in the Governor's transportation reform package). The Senate, it appears to me, decides to one up the Governor and transfer all of the DCR parkways and bridges.

Stop wasting our time. Yes, I am going to call my state Senator and ask her to support the house version of the transportation reform package. I will work to help make sure the legislature does the right thing.

The Sierra Club, joins the tax payers and residents of Massachusetts, and asks the legislature focus on real transportation reform. Not destroying our wonderful park systems by cannibalizing our parkways.

Help Sierra Club Create a Regional Transportation Network

2009-04-29T09:39:00.003-04:00

If you sat in the Turnpike back up on Easter Day and thought, I wish I could have taken a train home to visit my family, this is your workshop! Sierra Club volunteers, staff and leaders across the Northeast will get together to learn how transportation planning works and what opportunities we have to influence transportation planning in the area.

Then we'll spend a few hours visualizing a transportation map that meets are needs. Leave the workshop with a comprehensive and coordinated action plan to achieve it!

Sierra Club Northeast Green Transportation Workshop
Friday June 26-June 28
Saint Thomas More Parish House, NYC, 65 East 89th Street, New York, NY 10128
The Workshop begins at 7:00 pm on Friday evening and ends at 1:00 pm on Sunday afternoon.

Ever thought that our transportation system could be designed more efficiently and pollute less? Thought about the carbon footprint of our dependence on automobiles? Looking for a way to take action on greener transportation choices or even find a network of others doing so?
The Sierra Club Northeast Regional Activist Network is hosting a special workshop for new and experienced Sierra Club activists to map out the Club's vision for green transportation in the Northeastern United States.
Participants will:

Learn about our laws and policies that shape our current transportation system
Work in groups to draw vision maps for regional transportation choices
Find out about federal and state opportunities to move our transportation system into the 21st Century
Plan a coordinated campaign to take action over the next year

We are looking for 5 participants from each Northeastern Sierra Club Chapter (PA, NJ, NY, CT, RI, MA, VT, NH, ME) to work together over the next year on Greening our 21st Century Transportation. If you'd like to attend this event you can purchase tickets online. Though we hope you will volunteer with us, you need not be a Sierra Club member or volunteer to attend.

More information can be found on the Massachusetts Chapter Sierra Club website.

Mass. House speaker pushing sales tax of 6.25% - The Boston Globe

2009-04-27T11:11:00.000-04:00

Mass. House speaker pushing sales tax of 6.25% - The Boston Globe

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MBTA Funding Needs not Directly Addressed by Proposed State Sales Tax Increase

2009-04-27T11:00:00.006-04:00

The House of Representatives is suggesting a modest increase in the sales tax. It proposes paying some potion of the sales tax into the single transportation fund created under its transportation reform legislation. The House leadership is suggesting that this proposal will generate an additional $275 million (approx.) for all state transportation programs which is significantly less than the amount that would have been raised by the governor's gas tax increase proposal. The projected MBTA shortfall for the 2009-2010 fiscal year is $160 million, a significant portion a result of the MBTA debt service part of which is from to the Big Dig.

The House proposal would be decision making on the MBTA's operations and fares clearing in the court of the Governor as he will have responsibility for allocating resources among transportation uses as head of the new transportation authority.

The Sierra Club encourages all readers of this blog to contact their state representative and asked that any revenue proposal includes sufficeient funding for the MBTA and the regional transit authorities.

Energy Movie Nights at MIT, Cambridge

2009-04-25T19:50:00.002-04:00

Join the Massachusetts Sierra Club and the MIT Recycling Working Group of Support Staff Issues (WGSSI) for their monthly (Friday nite) Energy Movie Nights. Movies are followed by a discussion. Free and open to the public. These films and discussion series are on the issue of sustainability and the future, cosponsored by Progressive Neighbors. Sierra Club Contact: Blossom Hoag, blossomhoag@gmail.com, 617-821-4263.

Power of Community:
How Cuba Survived Peak Oil & the Future of Food
Friday, May 8, 2009, 6pm
MIT, Cambridge, Bldg 32-124 (Stata Center)
Click here for a map
An American documentary film that explores the economic collapse and eventual recovery of Cuba following the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991. Following the dramatic steps taken by both the Cuban government and citizens, its major themes include urban agriculture, energy dependence, and sustainability.

State House of Representatives Needs to Hear from Us as It Addresses New Revenue for Public Transportation!

2009-04-25T19:02:00.005-04:00

The State Legislature has stated it wanted to deal with reform of transportation agencies and authorities in Massachusetts, as it has, before looking at sources of revenue to fund the state transportation agencies. The Sierra Club hears that this week-end, the House, Speaker De Leo, Chair of the Revenue Committee Jay Kaufman, and the Chair of the Ways and Means Committee Charlie Murphy are meeting to come up with a plan to address the state's revenue shortfall including the shortfall for public transportation in Massachusetts.

Legislators have discussed a variety of new sources of revenue. The Sierra Club has no position in support or against any of the proposed revenue sources from a meals tax to an income tax increase. However, the Sierra Club does support strongly increasing the gas tax to fund transportation needs of the Commonwealth.

When gasoline prices spiked last year, Massachusetts residents sent millions of dollars oversees to oil producing countries but continued to pay the same amount of gas tax that they had paid in 1992. In many areas of the state, residents had limited transportation choice- no public transportation, no safe biking and walking lanes and roads in bad repair that damage their cars. The Governor claims his proposed 19 cent gas tax increase should provide enough revenue to keep the MBTA running as well as address road conditions and public transportation in other areas of the state.

This week-end, it's really important that we contact our state representatives to make sure they adequately fund the transportation needs of Massachusetts from what ever sources of revenues they choose. Find our state rep at the grocery store, the dump, at church or in a park and ask him or her to adequately fund the MBTA.

Earth Day: What's Next

2009-04-22T14:55:00.005-04:00

Let's get beyond the Earth Day Focus and Change the World!

The days that shoulder April 22, Earth Day, have blossomed into a variety of green activities:

clean ups of parks and city streets;
concerts and TV specials;
Displays and Class projects; and
release of books movies and DVDs with environmental themes.

While at the same time, greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase, recycling rates remain low, and people trust the unregulated and untested bottle water industry to provide them with clean drinking water in an area with some of the purist water coming straight from the tap (Thank you. MWRA).

Here are 3 things to consider.

ONE: Let's take steps to regularly green-up one aspect of our life to reduce our consumption of resources and our production of greenhouse gases and to improve the quality of our lives.

Here are just two of the things I'm doing to improve the quality of my life and to make the world better:

Honoring the earth by ending my phantom power use. The power strip is my best friend. I turn off the computer then turn off the power strip. I turn off the TV then turn off the power strip. I recharge my cell phone then turn off the power strip. The downside of this, is that some electrical items need to be reprogrammed before I can use them. I just need a few minutes to reprogram my TV before my show comes on.

Choosing fair traded coffee, food and cosmetics. Several years ago, I read an interview with a farmer who decided to grow fair traded organic coffee. Meeting him and his family and learning about the choices he made in getting out of the traditional coffee market into fair traded one, made the whole issue more real for me. Since then, I've decided that if I'm going to buy coffee i would only buy fair traded organic coffee. yes, its more expensive than buying non-fare traded coffee, but I figure if the farmers can fore go the boom time profits when the prices go up, I could support him by buying his coffee even if I have to forgo buying other things.

Fair traded body products followed the coffee and this year, I'm going to choose only fair traded chocolate.

Post how you are greening your life.

TWO: Let's join the Sierra Club in working on changing environmental policies and environmental laws. The Sierra Club needs more volunteers and donors. However, the easiest thing is to join our Massachusetts Chapter Sierra Club Activist Network (SCAN) http://sierraclubmass.org/action/scan.html which gives you an email that highlights an important Massachusetts conservation issue that needs your action.

THREE: Let's go outside and enjoy everyday nature- your local street tree, a state park or the water of Boston Harbor.

Have a Great Earth Day Every Day!

Thoughts on John Muir, Sierra Club Founder, 171st Birthday

2009-04-21T17:02:00.006-04:00

Across the US, my Sierra Club friends are posting pictures of John Muir, highlighting some of his writings, and discussing his and the Sierra Club's achievements over the years. John Muir was born in Scotland, immigrated to the US with his family as a teenager, as a pacifist,avoided getting drafted for the Civil War by spending several years in Canada, Traveled extensively in the natural areas of America and came up with the idea for a national park- a natural area saved because of its natural values not its commercial ones.

Today, I thought of John Muir as my dog and I stood in a local neighborhood park at a park re-dedication as the Mayor of Boston and Presidents of institutions neighboring the park congratulated themselves on improving it by planting new trees and repaving the walkways.

John Muir, urged people to find the beauty in the forest and mountains, the wild places of the earth. He said:

Keep close to nature's heart . . . and break clear away once in a while, climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean. . . .Go to the mountains and get their glad tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

Years later, science has shown that being in the natural environment can improve the overall quality of human life.

I wonder what John Muir would think if he came today and saw his Sierra Club in Boston working to keep public transportation operating, discussing ocean zoning or lobbying on the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Would he say do more for parks and open space or would he instantly see the connection between urban life and the wilderness and natural areas he loved? (One thing for certain, he would applaud our Boston Inner City Outings program where young urban residents can enjoy New England's natural environment.)

19th century visionaries like Muir and Olmsted created wonderful wild areas and tamed urban parks. We are creating the culture, the air and the weather that will allow young people a 100 years from now keep close to nature's heart.

MBTA Leaks Service Cuts and Fare Increases SC and Others Predicted.

2009-04-10T15:36:00.010-04:00

Last week, Sierra Club volunteers joined our activists friends from the On the Move Transportation Justice Coalition in leafleting South Station and other MBTA stations asking T riders to call their state legislators and ask for adequate funding for the MBTA. Commuter rail riders questioned us because our flyer predicted that MBTA would end commuter rail service on week-ends and late nights. Today, the Boston Globe published an article confirming our prediction using information from a private MBTA source.

Now that what the MBTA has confirmed the worst, what should we do?

Call your state legislators and talk to him or her about making sure the MBTA is adequately funded.

The gas tax is one option and is strongly supported by the Sierra Club. State Legislators can think of others. At the same time, if the taxpayers of Massachusetts provides the MBTA with more money, the MBTA has an obligation to use it correctly to provide service- not to pay for expansion projects riders do not want, such as Silver Line Phase 3.

The MBTA is the cornerstone of a smooth operating metropolitan Boston area. It's for vital to keeping people and service moving in the greater Boston area. With thousands taking the T instead of driving we have less congestion and cleaner air. The emission of green house gases drop.

MBTA plan calls for drastic cuts in service - The Boston Globe

2009-04-10T15:35:00.001-04:00

MBTA plan calls for drastic cuts in service - The Boston Globe

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Event 4/19/09: Car-Free Travel in Boston

2009-04-09T13:42:00.002-04:00

GBG's Committee for Car-Free Travel in Boston Area
Thursday, April 9, 6:30pm
Sierra Club Chapter Office
10 Milk St., Suite 632, (enter at 294 Washington St.), Boston
This committee of the club's Greater Boston Group has one purpose: to promote car-free travel to greater Boston's cultural/historical institutions and attractions. We identify opportunities for people and government to work together to encourage car-free travel. Contact Frank Camada (978)500-2319 or pubtransit@yahoo.com.

Save Our Parkways!

2009-04-09T13:28:00.000-04:00

DCR Parkways and Bridges are at Risk Last week the Senate passed a transportation reform package that includes the transfer of all DCR-owned parkways and bridges to a new uber-transportation entity, MassTran. Transfer of historic roads, bridges and parkways will irrevocably alter the character of public lands in the Commonwealth, and would represent the single largest taking of parkland ever. Action will now move quickly to the House, which is scheduled to take up the issue this week. The House may also offer a bill that includes transfer of parkways and/or bridges. We are told by House allies that we will need a large public outcry to prevent any transfer of DCR-owned assets. We need your help to contact your legislators today. With your help we have defeated these proposals for more than a decade, and we can one again protect our historic parkways.