350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Updates

Greetings. We hope your summer is going well.

Here are a few notices for your attention: 

1. Node Meeting: We are NOT meeting in July. Our next meeting will be Thursday, August 3rd. We will send a notice a few days before that date. Whether or not you've participated in our meetings and campaigns, we hope you will join us. As stated on the 350 Mass website, "We are building a powerful statewide movement to end the destructive dominance of the fossil fuel industry and transition to a just, equitable, and clean energy economy."

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Updates

2. 350 Mass Picnic: Everyone is invited to the annual 350 Mass Summer Picnic! Saturday, July 22, 2:00-5:00 pm. All are welcome to join as we celebrate the summer and our statewide community.  It's a great opportunity and a lot of fun meeting other members around the state!  We will have refreshments, games, and we will host an activity all about bravery and action. This event location is Filippello Park in Watertown, MA, a location that is kid-friendly because the whole family is welcome. See attached flyer with a link to RSVP.  

3. Calls to Action: Here are a few campaigns that 350 Mass is leading or supporting. Please consider adding your voice.

• MassSave Restructuring Legislation - 2023.  Despite its high ranking among energy efficiency programs across the country, MassSave has not been successful in being accessible to all. Both Senate bill S.2082 and House bill H.3160 call for a Board of diverse stakeholders and Executive Director to run MassSave, instead of leaving our energy efficiency programs in the hands of the for-profit utility companies. Read more here.
• Healthy, Fossil-Fuel-Free Schools. Help promote programs to ensure that existing school buildings are healthy and fossil-fuel-free.  Ask the State Treasurer to lead on healthy, fossil-fuel-free schools and direct the Massachusetts School Building Authority to take action. This campaign is led by Mothers Out Front. Read more here.
• Put Gas in the Past Campaign. Ask Governor Healey to declare No Future for Gas! Sign the petition here.

We welcome your emails and comments. Stay well. 

Node Co-coordinators,

Carolyn Barthel
Ralph Halpern

Ralph Halpern
ralph.halpern@comcast.net
781-784-3839 (h)

339-203-5017    

graphic adapted from @SafeClimate shows temperature change

Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) tweeted on Thu, Jul 06, 2023:

Communicating climate requires eye catching and simple visuals. This graphic adapted from @SafeClimate is one of the best I've seen showing the stark recent rise in temperature. Today's warming rate is >50X the rate after the last ice age  

More info: https://t.co/o0DH4NyO3s 

Shared from -> https://twitter.com/WeatherProf/status/1677031140476026883

graphic adapted from @SafeClimate shows temperature change

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, June 29

Please join us for the next meeting of the 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node, Thursday, June 29, 7:00-9:00 pm.  We will meet on Zoom. 

PLEASE NOTE:  We typically meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month. However, this month we are also meeting on the 5th Thursday, June 29th.  We will NOT meet in July. Our next meeting after this week will be Thursday, August 3rd.

This week's meeting: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274

Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

This week we will continue to discuss the status and action plans for our priority campaigns, Make Polluters Pay and Emissions Free Buildings.  

We will also review recent actions by 350 Mass' Climate Courage working group. These actions are part of a national campaign to pressure those banks that finance the fossil fuel industry and expansion of its coal, oil and gas operations. 

Read about other upcoming events in the 350 Mass Event Calendar, and in the Climate Weekly email (sign up for it here). 

Join our discussion about opportunities for actions in our Node's region.

Please try to join us for Thursday's meeting. If you have questions or items for the agenda, you can contact the Node coordinators,   carolyncbarthel@gmail.com  and / or  ralph.halpern@comcast.net.   

We will send a reminder on Thursday.

 

Thank you.

 

Node Co-coordinators,
Carolyn Barthel
Ralph Halpern

Ralph Halpern
ralph.halpern@comcast.net
781-784-3839 (h)

339-203-5017   

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node

Making Sense of Climate #27 - Dave helps us understand how energize Franklin works! (video)

This is a special session of the radio show sharing my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Thursday, April 20, 2023.

We are joined by Dave Rittenhouse who helps us walk through the features of the new Energize Franklin webpage:  www.energizefranklin.org/

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

Video link -> https://youtu.be/myUzRaFXpsI

Making Sense of Climate #27 - Dave helps us understand how energize Franklin works! (video)

Run on Climate welcomes Cobi Frongillo as new member of the Local Climate Policy Network

Run on Climate (@ROClimate) tweeted on Fri, Jun 23, 2023:

"Welcome to the Local Climate Policy Network, @CobiFrongillo !  

With a background in policy research and a strong commitment to environmental issues, he has advanced initiatives on sustainable development and served as a fellow with Elected Officials to Protect America. https://t.co/utCaBevzJl"

Run on Climate welcomes Cobi Frongillo

Cobi Frongillo; new member of the Local Climate Policy Network

"Hope begins with truth" (video)

Sabrina Shankman (@shankman) tweeted on Mon, Jun 19, 2023:

In response to the story I wrote last week on ocean warming, a reader sent a link to a stunning piece of music performed by the @BangorSymphony that tells the story of the Gulf of ME's rising temperature. 

Worth a listen/watch: https://t.co/Vhm6lbEbzz

Shared from -> https://twitter.com/shankman/status/1670779875815292928

The video series introduction on the rising temperatures in the Maine coastline ->   https://youtu.be/mQCCtGHNdEk

The Warming Sea - March 19, 2022 Premiere - Opening Panel

https://youtu.be/JxuebWu2T2I

The Warming Sea - March 19, 2022 Premiere - Short Film

https://youtu.be/nwBEFIHgYh4

The Warming Sea - World Premiere March 19, 2022

https://youtu.be/IJat58h8ypE

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, June 15; and upcoming meeting schedule

Please join us for the next meeting of the 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node, Thursday, June 15, 7:00-9:00 pm. 

We will meet on Zoom. 

Join on Zoom   

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274

Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, June 15

ALSO, NOTE THESE CHANGES TO DATES OF UPCOMING MEETINGS. We typically meet the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month. However, this month we will also meet on the 5th Thursday, June 29, and we will NOT meet in July.

This week we will continue to discuss the status and action plans for our priority campaigns, Make Polluters Pay and Emissions Free Buildings. 

These campaigns focus on legislation here in Massachusetts. 350 Mass and our members are also actively engaged in a national campaign to pressure those banks that finance the fossil fuel industry and expansion of its coal, oil and gas operations. Our Climate Courage working group organizes local activities, including these two upcoming events.

• Saturday, June 17, 11:00 a.m.  A rally in Framingham protesting Chase Bank's anti-climate lending practices. Information and registration here.     
• Thursday, June 22, 6:00 p.m.  Protest in Boston at Chase's Corporate Challenge race. Information and registration here.

Read about other upcoming events in the 350 Mass Event Calendar, and in the Climate Weekly email (sign up for it here). 

Join our discussion about opportunities for actions in our Node's region.

Please try to join us for Thursday's meeting. 

If you have questions or items for the agenda, you can contact the Node coordinators, carolyncbarthel@gmail.com and/or ralph.halpern@comcast.net. We will send a reminder on Thursday.

 

Thank you.

 

Node Co-coordinators,
Carolyn Barthel
Ralph Halpern

Ralph Halpern
ralph.halpern@comcast.net
781-784-3839 (h)

339-203-5017   

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, May 4

Please join us for the next meeting of the 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node, Thursday, May 4, 7:00-9:00 pm. 

This will be a HYBRID meeting: you can attend in person, or join on Zoom.  

 

Those of us who have been meeting in Franklin have enjoyed the chance to come together. We hope others will do the same. 

 

·       Location of the in-person meeting: First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin. 

 

·       OPTION:  Join on Zoom   

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274

Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, May 4

 

As always, we will discuss 350 Mass' campaigns for 2023-24, and review local and statewide developments and opportunities in climate and energy advocacy. 

 

Here are a few additional items and actions for your attention:

·        350 Mass Campaigns:  We are now focusing on two priority campaigns: Make Polluters Pay and Emissions Free Buildings. Learn more here.

·        Read about other upcoming events in the 350 Mass Event Calendar, and in the Climate Weekly email (sign up for it here). 

·        Petition Drive and Social Media Campaign—Gas is the Past: Our new Governor, Maura Healey, wants to address climate change as one of her main goals. Mass Power Forward is asking her to declare that there's no future for gas in Massachusetts. To get her attention, we need 10k petition signatures! Sign the petition here and share widely. See our social media toolbox full of tips and instructions to get you started. How do we want to contribute to this effort?

·        MBTA petition: Organized by Transit Matters.  Petition: MBTA's FY 2024-2028 Capital Investment Plan (CIP) fails to make meaningful progress on key projects like  Regional Rail, Red-Blue Connector, and bus electrification. Tell the T to go back to the drawing board and deliver a better CIP.  Petition here. 

·        Campaign: Hold Big Banks Accountable. Organized by Union of Concerned Scientists.  Letter to state treasurer to hold big banks accountable. Sign here. 

·        Campaign: Protect the Fair Share Amendment!  Last November, Massachusetts voters passed the Fair Share Amendment for a fairer tax system that will raise more than a billion dollars for transportation and education.  Sign the letter from Mass Fair Share to state senators.

 

Please try to join us on Thursday. If you have questions or items for the agenda, you can contact the Node coordinators, carolyncbarthel@gmail.com and/or

ralph.halpern@comcast.net. We will send a reminder on Thursday.

 

Make a note: Our regular meetings are held on the first and third Thursdays of the month.

Thanks. 

 

Node Co-coordinators,
Carolyn Barthel
Ralph Halpern

Ralph Halpern
ralph.halpern@comcast.net
781-784-3839 (h)

339-203-5017   

 

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, April 20

Please join us for the next meeting of the 350 Mass Greater Franklin Node, Thursday, April 20, 7:00-9:00 pm. 

This will be a HYBRID meeting: you can attend in person, or join on Zoom.  

Those of us who met in Franklin two weeks ago enjoyed the chance to come together. We hope others will do the same. 

• Location of the in-person meeting: First Universalist Society in Franklin, 262 Chestnut Street, Franklin. 

• OPTION:  

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81930304274?pwd=Tm9VdGxYcDFaVTVDUkwyT3YvUnlFdz09

Meeting ID: 819 3030 4274

Passcode: 350ma

Dial-in +1 646 876 9923

350 Mass Greater Franklin Node: Meeting, Thursday, April 20

As always, we will discuss 350 Mass' campaigns for 2023-24, and review local and statewide developments and opportunities in climate and energy advocacy. 

Here are a few additional items for your attention:

• 350 Mass Campaigns:  We are now focusing on two priority campaigns: Make Polluters Pay and Emissions Free Buildings. Learn more here.
• To organize the work for these campaigns, there will be an important Campaign Planning Workshop this coming Sunday, April 23, 5:00-7:00 pm on Zoom. Information and registration here.
• Read about other upcoming events in the 350 Mass Event Calendar, and in the Climate Weekly email (sign up for it here). 
• The Boston Globe has announced its schedule of virtual events for Sustainability Week, April 24-28. Information here.
• Earthday.Org has a series of new and archived videos and meetings showing this week. Information here.  

Earth Day is this Saturday, April 22. We can all think about actions we can take to serve the planet and all living creatures in these perilous times.

Please try to join us on Thursday. If you have questions or items for the agenda, you can contact the Node coordinators, carolyncbarthel@gmail.com and/or

ralph.halpern@comcast.net. We will send a reminder on Thursday.

Make a note: Our May meetings will be the first and third Thursdays, May 4 and 18.

Thanks. 

Node Co-coordinators,
Carolyn Barthel
Ralph Halpern

Ralph Halpern
ralph.halpern@comcast.net
781-784-3839 (h)

339-203-5017   

Interfaith Teen Climate Change group continues monthly - next May 7 at 7 PM

Join us on the first Sunday of each month to learn and plan advocacy toward slowing Climate Change to save our planet, and for Climate Justice (mitigating the effects of Climate Change on poor and BIPOC communities) in Franklin and beyond. 

All young people and adult advisors are welcome, regardless of religious affiliation. 

Join us Sunday, May 7  at 7 PM at St John’s Episcopal Church, 237 Pleasant Street in Franklin.

Interfaith Teen Climate Change group continues monthly

Starting with poetic inspiration responding to the IPCC report, we end with how to be involved locally in Making Sense of Climate #26 (audio)

FM #969 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 969 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist via the Zoom conference bridge Thursday, April 6, 2023.  

In this episode we covered the following topics: 

• Steve & Ted exchange greetings

• Steve reads a recent poem he wrote partly in response to the IPCC report

• Healy appoints new DPU

• Oil hides behind whales to oppose wind

• How to be involved locally 

This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

Our recording runs about 49 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted 

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-969-making-sense-of-climate-25-04-06-23

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Links to articles referenced

Link to the Jorie Graham article that got me to read my own poem

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/05/jorie-graham-poet-to-2040-book/673493/

Steve’s poem “This Branch” https://www.quietpoet.com/2023/03/this-branch.html 

What does IPCC mean for MA?  https://blog.greenenergyconsumers.org/blog/the-latest-ipcc-report-what-it-means-for-massachusetts-rhode-island     

Healy appoints new DPU

https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/03/17/science/with-new-commissioners-healey-aims-reshape-an-agency-seen-critical-climate-reforms/  

Oil uses astroturf groups to oppose wind https://www.bostonglobe.com/2023/04/05/metro/whale-tales/ 

“Ministry for the Future” book link  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ministry_for_the_Future 

Howard Miles links

https://massclimateaction.podbean.com/e/day-lighting-a-river-is-good-for-the-city-and-the-soul-the-climate-minute/

https://massclimateaction.podbean.com/e/urban-hiking-on-the-frontiers-of-climate-change-the-climate-minute/

https://www.bostontrails.org/about.html

Justin Bean link

https://www.justincbean.com/

Grid impact of Green hydrogen

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/634abba43f1e2f4dfd5e07dc/t/6400f4e00845db41f84ddc36/1677784292826/GridImpactofGreenHydrogen+-+3-6-2023.pdf

rewilding

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/27032023/rewilding-animals-carbon-storage/

See the page that collects all the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

IPCC report cover screen grab