Green Hudson March Newsletter
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| The Problem with Plastic:
How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet Before It's Too Late |
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We can learn a lot from nonfiction books, but sometimes they can be a bit hard to read—dare I say, “boring”? |
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We find the opposite with The Problem with Plastic by Judith Enck and Adam Mahone. It’s educational, engaging, and surprisingly easy to read—a true page-turner. |
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The book offers eye-opening insights into the plastics crisis: how we got here, the “greenwashing” that downplays the problem, the environmental and health impacts of plastic production/recycling, and what we can do to change course. |
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| A warning: if you’re already concerned about plastic pollution, this book will not cheer you up. The scale of the crisis can be overwhelming. You may find yourself asking: Can it really be this bad? Is plastic recycling really a myth? |
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According to the authors’ well-documented research, the answer is largely yes. The average American uses about 500 pounds of plastic each year, yet only 6% is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills or incinerators, polluting our air, soil, and water. Meanwhile, the equivalent of two garbage trucks of plastic enters the oceans every minute. |
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But the book doesn’t end there. Later chapters outline practical steps and policy solutions—from avoiding single-use plastics to supporting legislation that reduces plastic waste. I highly recommend The Problem with Plastic. Read it, share it, and help spread the word. |
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—Review by Jim Whalen, Green Hudson |
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| Climate and Energy Committee. We meet monthly on the 3rd Sunday, at 5:00 p.m. right before the general meeting. Current topics include: Heat Smart Cool Smart, EV charging infrastructure, and other related subjects. Want to join our committee? Contact us at [email protected]. |
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| Education and Outreach Committee. In April, we will be sponsoring a Climate Cafe where we will learn about OARS3Rivers.org whose mission is to protect and restore the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers (OARS). Watch for our April newsletter with all the details. We continue our planning for 2026 with a special summer event to be announced soon. Have some ideas you'd like to share? Want to join our committee? Please contact [email protected]. |
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| Plastic Reduction Committee. Since the new plastics reduction bylaw went into effect on January 1, the Plastic Reduction Committee has been hard at work distributing educational fliers to help our local business community navigate the new requirements and ensure a smooth transition. |
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| The Energy Affordability bill was voted out of the MA House and sent to the Senate. The main objection to the bill from climate advocates was the big cuts to the Mass Save program. We hope the Senate will restore them. |
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| In addition there was no mention of the Gas Enhancement System (GSEP) which is how the utilities make profits by building unnecessary new pipelines. Hopefully the Senate will address it. The plastic bills have all been sent to study (which means they are dead for this session) except the bottle bill. |
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| Thank you to all the members who wrote letters to Rep Hogan. Please watch for Action Alerts over the next month about the Senate bill. |
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| Senator Jamie Eldridge's Invitation to GAC Meeting |
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| Interested constituents are invited to the next meeting of the Green Advisory Council (GAC) scheduled for Saturday, March 21 from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. at West Acton Villageworks (525 Mass Ave, Acton—upstairs from Acton Coffee House). Complimentary coffee and bagels from the New York Bagel Factory in Acton will be served! |
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| We will be joined by Vickash Mohanka, the Chapter Director at the Massachusetts Sierra Club. The topic of the meeting will be focused on the heavily debated Energy Affordability omnibus bill—which the House advanced in a recent formal session. Vick’s presentation will cover what the Sierra Club hopes to see included in the Senate's version of the bill and beyond—as the legislative process would lead to a conference committee to work out discrepancies between the House and Senate versions of the legislation. |
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| Heat Smart: Bridging the Knowledge Gap |
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| Many people would like to do more to support clean energy and reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Yet the information landscape can be overwhelming—and sometimes misleading. |
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| One major challenge is helping homeowners find clear, reliable guidance about the many available options. Some vendors may never suggest replacing an aging furnace with a heat pump, while others may install one without the expertise needed to size the system properly for the home. |
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| This edition of the Green Hudson newsletter highlights a group of volunteers working to bridge that knowledge gap. The HeatSmart Alliance (HSA) helps residents evaluate energy-efficient heating and cooling options and navigate the transition to cleaner technologies. |
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| HSA focuses primarily on air-source and ground-source heat pumps, which provide both heating and cooling using electricity. In many parts of the world these systems are standard appliances, but in the United States they have been slower to reach the mainstream. That familiarity gap can slow progress toward reducing emissions from oil and gas heating. |
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| The HeatSmart Alliance is a volunteer organization dedicated to accelerating adoption of heat pumps in Massachusetts. Volunteers provide community education, offer one-on-one coaching for homeowners exploring heat pumps, support the growth of community-based coaching programs, and help inform public policy. |
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| Green Hudson plans to feature additional stories about volunteers supporting the transition to clean energy across Massachusetts. |
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| From the New York Times: there's a new approach to ensuring our homes are healthy living spaces. Gaining popularity through social media and endorsements by the scientific and medical communities is a technique called "house burping" or the German practice of “lüften”. Do you have the "zähigkeit"—that is, the toughness—to adopt the practice? Read the article here. |
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| The Assabet River flows through the town of Hudson providing a powerful reminder of why we want to protect the beauty the earth provides. Scientists are alarmed as we witness climate change happening. We need to do more to put a stop to the threat.
Join Green Hudson now to learn more. |
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| Green Hudson's monthly general meetings are open to the public and held the third Sunday of each month, from 6–7:30 p.m. at the Unitarian Church of Marlborough and Hudson, 80 Main Street in Hudson. Next meeting is March 15th. |
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Recycling Volunteers Needed! Have fun! Meet your neighbors and make new friends while helping the planet. Recycling volunteers needed Saturdays. For more information: contact [email protected] |
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| You are invited Do you have suggestions for articles, resources of note, inspirations, relevant books to recommend, etc.? Send to [email protected] with the subject line "Green Hudson". Share Green Hudson’s Newsletter If you found something of value in this newsletter, please forward it to others who might be interested. And, if you’re reading someone else’s copy and would like to receive your own newsletter each month, please subscribe by emailing [email protected]. For more information on Green Hudson ... visit our website at www.greenhudson.org. |
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