 Incineration:
Wasted Energy, Toxic Emissions:
The MassDEP is planning to lift a 22 year moratorium on new
incineration facilities as its solution for dealing with our trash. While
it’s true that landfill capacity is dwindling, we need to find a way to
better manage the tons of garbage headed to the dump. However, burning
garbage is a step in the wrong direction. The MassDEP has an available
solution, one that could be put in place immediately – enforcement of
existing waste ban regulations, established in the 1990s. 90% of what’s
in the trash could be reused, recycled or composted. Putting this material
into landfills or incinerators wastes scarce landfill space and strains
incinerator capacity. It adds to greenhouse gas emissions, contributes
to global warming, and fouls our air, soil and water with toxic pollutants
like dioxin and mercury. Burning recyclable and reusable material is a
terrible waste of resources and energy. Recycling saves 3-5 times more
energy than incineration because of energy saved by using recycled material
for manufacturing instead of using virgin resources. Tell the MassDEP
not to go backwards. Instead of building new incinerators, we need to
reduce solid waste by enforcing waste bans so valuable resources don’t
go up in smoke.
Click here for more.
 BACK
THE BAN: Tell MassDEP Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell to maintain
the ban on increased incineration, including variations on traditional
incineration such as gasification. Send your comments by Feb. 15, 2013,
5pm to: John Fischer dep.swm@state.ma.us
or by mail to: John Fischer, MassDEP, One Winter Street, Boston, MA
02108. Please copy the Sierra Club on your communication to
office@sierraclubmass.org
 GO
SOLAR!
Go Green and Save
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Club and Sungevity
Take advantage of Sierra Club’s innovative
Home Solar
initiative with Sungevity. Solar costs have come down and government
incentives have made the installion of solar panels a smart financial
decision. You can now install a solar system on your rooftop for a fraction
of what it used to cost. Within minutes after installation, you'll become
a clean-energy producer, even selling power back to your electric company.
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Special Offer - Sign up during this month and you'll receive
a $750 cash gift card (and Sierra Club receives $750 as well!).
Request
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Dumpster Dining:
Dishing Up Food Waste Reality
Americans are throwing out the equivalent of $165 billion of
food every year. This food ends up rotting in landfills as the single
largest component of U.S. municipal solid waste.
Click here for more.
Recycling FAQ:
Do I need to remove plastic windows from envelopes and things like
staples? You do not need to worry about removing the plastic
window on envelopes or tissue boxes, staples, paperclips, spiral bindings
or even the plastic spout on beverage cartons. These "contaminants" are
separated out from the pulp when paper is mixed with water during the
recycling process. But please DO remove plastic wrap or plastic bags from
junk mail and phonebooks. Plastic bags jam conveyor belts at the recycling
facility causing costly repairs and delays. Republished courtesy of
Ms. Randi Mail, Recycling Director, City of Cambridge.
Special Events
 Boston
Inner City Outings
Fundraiser and Raffle Party
March 7, 2013, 5:30 - 9:30pm
Boston Beerworks Restaurant
112 Canal Street, Boston
Sierra Club Inner City Outings (ICO) is a community outreach program
that provides opportunities for urban youth and adults to explore, enjoy
and protect the natural world. Join us at our March 7 Bi-Annual BrewFest
fundraiser and raffle party for a chance to meet other volunteers and
support the Boston ICO organization and our mission of bringing kids outside.
We provide safe, fun, and educational outdoor experiences to youth that
would not otherwise have access to these opportunities. Rucker Alex, Chair,
bostonico@gmail.com. More info
and sample trip reports: www.bostonico.org
A Moral Response to Climate Change
February 9, 2013 - 7:00 to 8:30 pm
Unitarian Universalist Church
840 Sandwich Road Falmouth, MA
Religious leaders discuss religious organizations and their response
to climate change. Part of the "Groundhog Days on Cape Cod" series. This
event is being developed with the support of Interfaith Power and Light
and the Sierra Club's Cape Cod and Islands Group. For additional information,
please contact Bob Murphy. (508) 563-5948.
murphydalzell@aol.com
Committee Meetings
Chapter Transportation Committee Meeting
Tuesday, February 5, 2013 Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Chapter Office, 10 Milk Street #632, Boston
Use 294 Washington St. entrance
Furture meeting(s): Tuesday, April 2
The highways that are built to sustain our sprawling suburbs add to
our pollution and energy problems, and increase our dependence on an auto-centric
way of life which is unhealthy, anti-social, and unsustainable. The Big
Dig has drained fiscal support away from maintaining the deteriorating
highways that we already have and from expanding our public transit infrastructure,
beyond a few ill-conceived projects like the "Silver Line" bus and the
"Urban Ring" busway. Join the Chapter Transportation Committee us to help
the Sierra Club encourage public transit and pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly
neighborhoods. John Kyper, jkyper@gis.net
Click here for more
Thoreau Group Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, February 5, 2013, 7pm - 8:30pm
Location TBA, contact Group Chair
for more information
The Thoreau Group executive committee meets the first Tuesday of the
month unless otherwise noted. Group meetings are free and open to Sierra
Club members. This group consists of Concord and
11
neighboring towns. Meetings focus on local initiatives, building awareness
of and support for Sierra Club programs and capacity building through
town team development. Launa Zimmaro, Group Chair
launa@zimmaro.com
Greater Boston Group Executive Committee Meeting
Tuesday, Feb 12, 2013 , 7 pm
Chapter Office, 10 Milk Street #632, Boston
Use 294 Washington St. entrance
Free and open to all Sierra Club members. Ask questions, make suggestions,
find out what you can do. Learn whether your state senator and representative
are environmental leaders. Meetings focus on local initiatives, building
awareness of and support for Sierra Club programs and capacity building
through town team development. For details contact
blossomhoag@gmail.com
Cape Cod & the Islands Group Excom Meeting
Monday, February 11, 2013, 7-8:30 P.M.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Falmouth
840 Sandwich Road in East Falmouth (call 508-457-0449 if you need directions)
Upcoming Meetings: Second Monday of each month (meeting locations may
vary)
Excom meetings are open to all Sierra Club members living on Cape
Cod and there is no charge The meeting agenda includes announcements on
recent activities or upcoming events and discussion of Group campaigns
(environmental justice; climate change; wastewater; municipal solid wastes;
civic engagement and outreach). Contact: Bob Murphy, Chair,
murphydalzell@aol.com
Massachusetts Chapter Executive Committee Meeting
Date TBD
Chapter Office, 10 Milk Street #632, Boston
Use 294 Washington St. entrance
Free and open to all Sierra Club members. Ask questions, make suggestions,
find out what you can do. Learn whether your state senator and representative
are environmental leaders. Hear updates on the chapter's varied work to
protect the environment. For details contact Dan Proctor; see
contacts
page for email address.
 Chapter
Political Committee
Tues. Feb 12, 2013, 6:30pm
Chapter Office, 10 Milk Street #632, Boston
We will be meeting in one of the Sierra Club offices, tba
Politicos, Activists, Organizers, Bloggers, People who like to breathe
clean air... the Sierra Club needs YOU! Do you want to make sure we elect
politicians who want to protect the environment? Do you enjoy politics
and want to make a difference in elections? The Sierra Club needs your
help! The Chapter Political Committee endorses and supports environmental
candidates in local, state, and national elections. This meeting would
be a great opportunity to see what the Political Committee does. Contact
cpc@sierraclubmass.org
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We Need Your Support!
We depend on your generous direct support
of our statewide initiatives
 including
working towards a clean energy future, curbing climate change and advocating
for critical environmental legislation.
Click here to donate
Other Mass
Chapter Pages
Facebook:
Mass Chapter
Worcester
Framingham
Beyond Coal Mass.
Ban Plastic Bags
Bottle Bill
Twitter
@MassSierraClub
@MassBottleBill
@BeyondCoalMA
@banbags
Volunteer Opportunities
There are many ways you can get involved
with the Sierra Club's activities.
Click here for more information.
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The
Sierra Club is the nation's largest and oldest grassroots organization
with 1.4 million members and supporters, 22,000 of which are here in Massachusetts.
We fight for clean air, clean water, the preservation of the Commonwealth's
most precious natural spaces, and healthy, vibrant communities.