News and Insights

After forest fires and after floods, after tornadoes and landslides and war, the world must rebuild itself. Or is it better to say re-generate itself? With the worst environmental effects clearly present as heat waves, storms, floods and fire, its clearly time in the history of humanity for a new generation to lead a Great Regeneration of the Earth.

It’s time to start thinking about how we can regenerate a more healthy earth. The concept of regeneration is wide and deep with things we don’t talk about as often. And we need to find and adopt some new ideas and approaches. As ACES sees it today, there are literally dozen of niche but important techniques to choose among to help the environment. And rather than concentrate on a few big solutions to big problems maybe we can adopt the mindset of multiple small solutions to smaller problems which taken together will solve our bigger issues. In seeking to find such fresh thinking ACES has found this good reference online  https://regeneration.org/nexus.It's packed full of interesting informative and perhaps a few locally feasible ideas for progress.

With their ideas alphabetically arranged, let’s start with the “A’s”.  Afforestation involves the introduction of trees to areas that have never or not recently had trees in order to create a forest. Some examples of afforestation, some large and some small, include Iceland where forests were first cleared centuries ago, and Bangladesh on degraded coastal lands, and in Beijing to connect fragment forest patches in the City. In Massachusetts old military firing ranges and Nike missiles sites from the 60’s may offer such an opportunity as well as shuttered landfills that dot all of New England. Is proactively reforesting such landfills feasible? Maybe even in Newburyport on Colby Farm Lane?  Another “A” is agrovoltaics, or having animals grazing and growing under solar panels as has been done in the past on the solar farm in Salisbury off Rabbit Road. Goats, It is estimated that using just 1% percent of US farmland in such a way can meet our entire US clean energy goals. Do the Massachusetts and New Hampshire departments of Agriculture have any such plans to encourage or educate on ‘harvesting sunshine”? Agroforestry is the intentional integration of forests with agriculture, and according to Cornell’s Small farms program it “integrates the sustainable production of livestock, forage, and trees on the same unit of land, has the potential to increase farm productivity and soil quality when compared to conventional pasture systems." Raising pigs on a combination of pasture and woodlots can work very well for such farms. It combines trees, shrubs and vines with a crop and animal farming to mimic natural ecosystems. Already used worldwide for food, fiber and wood, and now it's a modern and well studied regenerative farming practice.

Skipping past all the “B’s”  we get to Composting. Newburyport has become a leader with its Towards Zero Waste effort including for example in composting, both with street side pick up as well as the highly successful Senior Center ‘Drop a bag, get a bag” food scrap collection. Another ‘C”, relates to cranberry farming on the south shore which has a regeneration twist of its own. The cranberry industry in Massachusetts is facing financial challenges make it difficult to renovate aging bogs. So a state program is helping farmers retire some of their land and restore it to its original wetland state. It focuses on more productive bogs while reclaiming land for ecological benefits. One such cranberry grower, Edgewood Bogs in Carver, will be taking 27 acres of their cranberry bogs offline and converting them back to native wetlands.

Our premise, our need for a Great Regeneration, means its time to pass the torch to the next generation. Maybe regeneration starts as the new generation seeing the damage wrought by a century and a half of industrialization seeks to identify a mission for its adult years. We need new leaders like the many ACES interns who have worked with us over the last 6 years before moving on to college or the work world. We appreciate what they have achieved and who they are becoming. They will be the true drivers of regenerating the Earth.

Please send along your ideas for engaging with upcoming generations to help heal the Earth. Let’s plant seeds of a Great Regeneration locally. ACES believes everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter on ACES’ website https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com and subscribe to our Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/acesalliancenbpt/ and Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/ACESAlliance/  pages to stay informed.

This educational column was originally Published by The Daily News of Newburyport on October 24, 2025.

Judging by the number of cable TV shows, celebrity chefs, and new cookbooks coming out monthly, America is obsessed with cooking. It makes us feel good, creative, and connected to others. Finding ways to add a bit of environmental thinking into our cooking culture seems like it might be helpful to climate.

At first glance this may seem like a low priority approach for people concerned with the environment, but upon reflection it can be a positive approach to care for the planet, after all most of us eat multiple times per day. Let’s explore how our daily food choices impact climate and why. Then, hopefully, our cooking habits might evolve into more ‘climate conscious’ cooking’ activities.

To begin, let’s look at your choice of ingredients for your next food preparation activity. What might be the climate (carbon) footprint of your choices? Picking locally grown in-season produce is better for our climate than choosing out of season produce imported from distant states or countries. Produce from small local farms is much less likely to have the same negative impacts on health and climate as industrially grow, factory farm produce. 

Produce grown in the drier regions of the southwest using scarce water resources and depleted soil is usually viewed as more damaging to the environment. The same may be true of raising meat, beef especially, that may be raised in South America where forests have been cleared to graze the cattle. 

How can we change things for the better? First, we can choose low impact ingredients. Without going full on vegetarian, try leaning just a bit that way. Find and plan weekly plant-based meals using local seasonal produce. Or occasionally choose recipes with climate friendly swaps like replacing beef with lentils when possible. 

Shop smarter by asking for exactly what your recipe calls for at the meat counter. Just press the ‘butcher button’ at the super market and ask for the weight you want. Don’t pick up the pre-packaged pork chops if its more than you really need. Buy peak of season produce locally. And maybe get together with a few friends to prep peaches, tomatoes, or corn for freezing or canning.

When there are leftovers, use them creatively. Some of the best old-fashioned recipes include Monday or Tuesday ‘hash’ made from left over roast combined with potatoes, onions, and peppers to make a wonderful dinner. Freeze left over veggies for later use in soups. Cut corn off the cob if one is left over. Bag it and freeze it for easy use in Shepards Pie.

Try to use energy efficient cooking methods as well. Use slow cookers, electric griddles, and air fryers. Electric cooking generally has lower greenhouse gas impacts than cooking with gas. And you don’t need to reheat every leftover either. Just thin slice and artfully arrange left over meats antipasto style on a platter with uncooked veggies, olives, and hummus along with fresh bread from a local bakery.

If you are ambitious, consider learning how to forage to add interest to your cooking. Dandelions, wild garlic, mushrooms, wild blueberries, and more can be interesting and a good excuse for an inexpensive walk in the woods with family or friends. In the mid-20th century, many Italian grandmothers “nonnas” foraged for a bit of wild garlic and mushrooms. Your Polish “babcia” dried foraged mushrooms and used them all winter for both protein and flavor. Lebanese and Greek grandmothers in the Merrimack Valley foraged wild grape leaves to make dolmas, stuffed rollups with rice, meat, and tomato sauce. They are excellent appetizers and side dishes.

“Cooking for climate” may sound like a corny catch phrase but it contains a lot of truth. Making it a lifestyle can make a difference. So, let’s start talking about it when we run into friends at the supermarket or farm stand. Start sharing climate friendly tips and recipes. Maybe host a neighborhood Fall gathering where the menus have been chosen with Cooking for Climate in mind. 

Send ACES your favorite tips and recipes and let’s get this idea cookin’ in public consciousness. ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com and follow to our Instagram (@acesalliancenbpt) and Facebook (@ACESAlliance) pages to stay informed.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News Of Newburyport on October 17, 2025.

Follow the money, a forensic accounting catchphrase popularized by the 1976 film “All the President’s Men,” was written into the film’s dialog as coming from “Deep Throat", the informant who took part in revealing the Watergate scandal that brought down President Nixon. It still totally rings true in today’s vocabulary used by both economists and environmentalists. 

That’s why the recent October 7th Science Daily article by researchers at Surry University in the UK “When Sunshine Became Cheaper Than Coal” excited us.  The article is summarized by the statement: Solar energy is now the cheapest source of power worldwide, driving a massive shift toward renewables. Falling battery prices and innovations in solar materials are making clean energy more reliable than ever.

Even in the UK, a country that sits well north of the equator, solar is the cheapest option for large-scale energy generation. And it’s not just a UK thing either. Globally, the total amount of solar power installed has doubled since 2020 with enough to power hundreds of millions of homes! 

Here in the US, from January to July of this year as reported by Reuters, solar power generation delivered 39% of California’s electricity, a record level. Fossil fuels provided just 26%, a new low.

That’s good news and doubly so on reading headlines published in multiple sources the same day that a Navajo tribe-owned company bid only $186,000 to lease 167 million tons of coal in southeastern Montana. Even at those dirt-cheap prices, coal still can’t compete with solar power. It was also reported that the offer from the Navajo Transitional Energy Company (NTEC) equates to one-tenth of a penny per ton, underscoring coal’s diminished value even as the administration pushes for more of the heavily polluting fuel.

It's wonderful long-term news and if we follow the money the world can now begin to remove carbon from the atmosphere. It turns out that by installing grid leveling devices, we can use excess solar power at certain times of day to capture and store CO2.

The Oct 8th announcement of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry award given to three different scientists relates to new chemical processes that can capture and stores gases in specifically designed ways. Application of these processes, known as metal-organic frameworks, have wide range of uses, including collecting water from air, capturing toxic gases, and trapping carbon dioxide. These frameworks can take CO2 out of the air by new grid adjusting technology in solar power generation.

So, what does that mean to Massachusetts and more particularly Greater Newburyport? It means that if we push now for more development of solar power it will bring down our high cost of living in the northeast by bring down sky high electric prices. We need our leaders to get creative on bringing down both the dollar cost and the environmental cost of power generation.

Maybe as giant ‘hyperscale’ companies seek more power for their emerging AI businesses, the states could follow the money and offer 30-year bonds to entice them to establish largescale solar farms to completely cover the energy needs of these facilities and their local communities. Or possibly accelerate reviews and approvals without causing harm. Shake up the process because this is "once in centuries transition" and the sooner we midwife its emergence the better off the world will be.

Perhaps new construction of apartments in the MBTA communities required zoning changes could be green-lighted more quickly if they include solar power on or off site. India is doing that. Perhaps the state can direct new funding to Whittier Tech and every other vocational school in the state to establish a solar power component on campus and use it for training students for future careers as well as generating needed campus electricity.

This is a huge and positive development coming into focus. Don’t underestimate the enormous positivity of these recent assessments in the cost of solar vs other forms of power. If we follow the money, the time is now. Let’s encourage the state to invest in the future while leading to more affordable power and a lower and cleaner cost of living. Let us know what you think.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on October 10, 2025.

The relationship within Indigenous cultures to the land is not centered in ownership or rights, but rather as a responsibility and primary relationship. The land holds deep knowledge, memory, and spirit that we respect and cherish. The land and waters have watched many generations grow from babies to old women and men and return to the land. The blood, sweat, and tears of countless generations before us are in the soil and water. Larry Spotted Crow Mann, Hassanamisco Nipmuc and Director at Ohketeau Cultural Center, reflected recently “We are the land and the land is us.” This might sound straight forward, but in today’s consumerist systems, it can be quite daunting to think about. Every time I am actively engaging with the Earth, I feel more connected and more grounded. With more and more land development happening, more and more wildlife are being pushed out of their natural habitat. We need to start, or perhaps, continue good land stewardship practices so that our flora and fauna can survive.

I know I am in the right relation with the Earth when balance is achieved. This is a continual practice. It means only taking what is needed and leaving some for others. It means offering gratitude and asking consent before harvesting berries, medicinal herbs, and trees. Our traditional teachings remind us to realize that what we do today impacts tomorrow and beyond. We often talk about seven generations, meaning what we are doing with the land and waterways impacts seven generations back and seven generations forward. Our stories, as Larry Spotted Crow Mann reminded me, are shaped by all that surrounds us - the rivers, stones, mountains and valleys, and the way that the stars and moon align.

Our teachings also reflect how the land is sacred and an ancestor. But how are we a good ancestor to the Earth? It is by treating the Earth with respect and reciprocity to start with. Respecting nature is more than just avoiding hail storms, but truly treating the Earth in a relational way. As Robin Wall Kimmerer wrote in The Serviceberry, “Reciprocity can be seen when we love the Earth, the Earth loves us back. Reciprocity is the way of the Earth.” The give and take of nature is reciprocity in action. Sarah Levenson, Mi’kmaq, shared that the Mi’kmaq (L’Nuk) view the environment through both traditional indigenous knowledge and western knowledge in a balanced way. Through this concept, there is a better relationship and understanding of the land and true reciprocity. We engage with the Earth and have dialogue, we don’t assume it’s inanimate and needs to be dominated over.

To become more connected to the land around us, it means that we are living as if our children’s futures mattered, to take care of the land so that both our spiritual and material lives not just survive, but truly thrive. Building community means not only connecting with the people around us, but all things including this Earth. We have a responsibility to continue building that community through ceremony, land reclamation, and honoring all that exists around us.

To learn more, you can join us on October 11th for Newburyport’s 5th Annual Indigenous Peoples Day Observance, where you can meet Indigenous community members including Larry Spotted Crow Mann. The event celebrates traditional and contemporary Indigenous cultural arts, knowledge and diversity, honoring our region’s Indigenous communities and all Native Peoples, and supporting recognition of Indigenous Peoples Day at the city, state and national level.

This year’s event includes Indigenous maritime cultural arts traditions in the Dawnland, including the creation, ceremonial launch and paddle on the Merrimack River of a traditional hand crafted muhsh8n (mishoon dugout canoe) made by Darius Coombs and Jonathan James Perry. "The Merrimack Mishoon Project!” See the mishoon being made and attend a fundraising feast October 4th at the Custom House Museum. Celebrate the inaugural launch and paddle of the Merrimack Mishoon, Saturday, October 11th Visit www.imaginestudios.org to learn more!

Jenny Tibbits is a Newichawannock Tribal Elder, Two-Spirit person, multi-disciplinary artist who may be reached at pennacook@gmail.com.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on October 3, 2025.

The Mass Oyster Project (MOP) is an exciting initiative dedicated to restoring and conserving oyster populations along the Massachusetts coastline! Its goal is to improve water quality, create habitat for marine life, and promote sustainable fishing practices.

Historically, MOP was begun in 2021 by a passionate group of conservationists and community stakeholders who saw a rapid decline in local oyster populations and realized their ecological importance, increasing biodiversity and improving water quality.

Oyster populations worldwide are severely threatened. Scientists estimate that over 85% of Earth's natural oyster reefs have been lost in the past century to overharvesting, habitat destruction, pollution, disease, and invasive species. In fact, oyster reefs are the most threatened of all shallow-water, structured habitats—even more so than coral reefs and wetlands.

In four short years, MOP has evolved to incorporate scientific research and expanded community engagement and now stands as a significant effort to promote a healthier, more resilient coastal ecosystem for future generations. It is an inspiring example of how collaborative actions can make a real difference for our environment and our communities! MOP has grown over 1 million “upweller” oysters, of which more than 950,000 have been transplanted back into Massachusetts’ coastal water. An upweller is an incubator for baby oysters. The program currently manages a network of 7 upwellers, including those in Yarmouth, Nantucket, Gloucester, Manchester, and Newburyport.

The Newburyport upweller is located next to the Harbor Master’s office. We started in June with about 60,000 spat, or baby oysters, each about the size of a grain of sand. We have grown the spat in our upweller throughout the summer months. Our volunteers check on the upwellers every day or two, sorting the oysters by size, cleaning the upwellers, and making sure everything is in working order.

By the end of this month, the oysters will have grown to about a quarter inch in size. While our ultimate goal is to plant our spat in Newburyport’s waters, this year we will plant the fledgling oysters in a hospitable spot in Plum Island Sound. These baby oysters will then grow about one inch per year, achieving maturity in roughly three years. Our 60,000 oysters will collectively filter over 3 million gallons of water each day. Additionally, our newly planted oysters will grow in clumps, creating oyster reefs that promote the growth of diverse marine habitats. And this happens quickly: studies have found that restored oyster reefs see a rapid increase in marine biodiversity in as little as two years.

Our work in Newburyport and across the Commonwealth continues well after our once-baby oysters are released into the wild. MOP also runs a successful shell recycling program, where we partner with local restaurants to collect, cure, and use shell to establish reefs. MOP has collected over 58 tons of oyster shells over the life of its recycling program that will not go into landfill. We hope to extend the shell recycling program to the North Shore within the next year.

We also partner with state government, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and academic institutions which help educate, inform, and raise awareness of the role oysters can play in restoring and protecting coastal areas. The City of Newburyport, and especially the City’s Harbor Master’s office, has been instrumental to this summer’s successful upweller installation in Newburyport.

If you want to know more about us, we will be discussing the Mass Oyster Project next week on October 1 st at the ACES sponsored Community ECO Conversation held in the Newburyport Senior Community Center, 331 High Street, Newburyport beginning at 1:00PM. There will also be tours of the Newburyport Upweller Installation at the Harbor Master Dock following the Eco Conversation.

We are looking for interested, enthusiastic volunteers in Newburyport. Mass Oyster Project’s is a 501(c)(3) non-profit supported by grants, sponsor donations, and volunteers. You can learn more about our project, and our wonderful sponsors, at both the Harbor Master’s office and online at www.massoyster.org.

Mike Connor, local Newburyport lead for the Mass Oyster Project, who will be participating in the ECO Conversation, can be reached at mconnorhome@gmail.com.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/.

This educational column was originally published on September 26, 2025.

In a lecture at Boston College last week, world-renowned author and climate justice activist Bill McKibben made the case for why climate justice is a worthwhile fight—and why clean energy is far more realistic than people think.

Bill talked about pockets of hope within the country, like California’s use of renewable energy, which has decreased its natural gas consumption by 40 percent over the past two years, and Texas’ regulations that slant toward free-market energy, historically allowing wind and solar energy to thrive in local communities (although now possibly facing Republican efforts to roll back the competitive advantages of renewables over natural gas generation).

The point Bill was making, and a lot of other reports are showing, is that new renewable energy generation can—and is—moving past old, dirty fossil fuel use not only in the U.S. but also internationally. "Sun Day,” celebrated on Sept. 21, was created to convince local leaders that wind and solar energy are the future, and cities across the country will be observing the holiday as people advocate for change. Solar, wind, and batteries provide the least expensive source of power on the planet. Their rapid adoption around the world gives new hope both for the climate and for the economic health of the countries that utilize them.

As the podcast Volts reported on the Sun Day site, Pakistan has seen an explosion of small, distributed solar sites, with almost none on utility-scale solar farms. Inexpensive, Chinese-produced solar panels are going on Pakistani roofs, barns, and over irrigation canals. Volts states, “Distributed solar is breaking over Pakistan like a tidal wave, despite utilities and a grid that do not seem entirely prepared for it.”

At home, despite the U.S. administration favoring its fossil fuel allies, clean energy is here to stay and expanding. In fact, the dramatic increase in AI data facilities around the country leans toward creating mostly clean energy sources for power.

Washington State farmers are building out solar arrays on their land to protect their apple crops from the heat and sun while eliminating their energy bills and supplementing their crop revenues (agrivoltaics). On even larger scales, in areas where water has become ever more scarce, livestock ranchers are leasing their land for solar farms as an alternative to traditional ranching.

Even closer to home, Newburyport should be credited, at least in a small way, with helping jump-start this solar-powered revolution locally. In 2012, Newburyport participated in Solarize Mass, a state program that encouraged adoption of residential solar power. Back then, it was unique to see power being generated on our local rooftops. Now it’s not only common, but it has become a mainstream option for many homeowners.

The Tannery, Newburyport’s iconic industrial buildings converted to a retail shop destination, proudly installed solar on its roofs years ago, and more recently, that same developer’s Hillside Center for Sustainable Living is a beautiful solar-powered addition to our housing stock.

So, this Sunday, which we will recognize as “Sun Day,” why not read about your own options to adopt solar power? (https://www.sunday.earth/).

It’s not too late to help the Earth and bend the curve leading to climate disaster toward a less-polluting and less-expensive energy future for us all. Why not explore your own possibilities to enjoy solar power?

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on Sepetember 19, 2025.

Localizing supply chains needs to happen globally so we can maximize environmental and economic progress by eliminating as much of the transport-related environmental and cost burdens as possible. This applies especially here in Northeastern Massachusetts, where we can do much to improve our supply and demand systems.

An interesting new development that doubles down on both the invention of new green production processes as well as the minimization of supply chain transport costs was recently published by Bloomberg. They wrote a story on May 22nd entitled “Why Microsoft Just Signed a Deal for Green Cement.”

The story explains that a Somerville, MA start-up company, Sublime Systems, has a new technology that produces “green” cement. Sublime uses an electrochemical process that eliminates the use of limestone, which is cement’s main ingredient and which releases carbon dioxide when it’s heated during the cement production process. Limestone is also very dense, and delivering the raw material is itself environmentally burdensome. Right now, at its 250-ton-per-year pilot plant in Somerville, Sublime has reduced its cement production emissions by 90 percent compared to the traditional process, according to their chief executive as quoted in the Boston Globe.

To help the company further commercialize its plant, Microsoft has offered to purchase up to 622,500 metric tons of the company’s cement over a period of six to nine years and claim the carbon reductions associated with that cement. Sublime will start delivering on its deal with Microsoft when its first 30,000-ton commercial plant is operational, currently slated to be completed in 2027.

This gets ACES thinking: as new, greener processes are invented or improved, why not emphasize that those new processes become part of our own regional supply chains? For example, why not a central MA or southern NH cement plant servicing all of New England’s needs? Situated close to both the Mass Pike and Route 495, it could easily access highways to service the concrete needs of the region.

Another new green technology that could use a nudge to become a bigger and better process is vertical farming in old industrial buildings across the region. Why not grow year-round veggies under solar-powered grow lights, hydroponically, in old mill buildings in Amesbury, Greater Lawrence, or Haverhill? If the newish cannabis growing facility in Salisbury has shown us anything, it’s that we can grow lots of different things under artificial lighting.

What else, you ask? New York State has regulations and farm laws that now allow forest-farmed venison to be managed and harvested. The Hudson Valley has since become a mini-mecca for chefs utilizing this high-quality regional product, and it has grown dramatically in popularity. Apparently, collaborating with the Culinary Institute of America along the Hudson River, venison has expanded its menu adoption. While studies need to be done concerning its greenhouse gas effects, they are likely to be much less problematic than industrialized beef production. Venison also doesn’t require the corn and other feed crops grown to feed cattle or the nationwide transport required to distribute them. Maybe New England should encourage a venison supply chain of its own.

In the ‘big picture,’ we need to look at all the smaller local pictures and find ways to encourage regional economic development that enhances small-scale, green, and cost-effective supply chains. The development of such supply chains will create three important and positive outcomes. First, it will provide jobs and economic development regionally. Second, it will insulate us from global supply shocks that may be impacted by tariffs, wars, or transportation breakdowns. Third, it will give us the opportunity to encourage new, greener technologies to emerge and benefit our region.

Environmental leaders think new and localized supply chains, emphasizing greener processes and reduced transport emissions, represent a promising view of the future. We’d love to hear your thoughts about it, too.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on September 12, 2025.

That’s the same weight of two or three adult elephants, equivalent to roughly six giraffes. You’ve got to admit that’s a lot of kitchen waste diverted from going to a landfill and turned into compost by the intake at the Newburyport Senior Community Center (NSCC). Just since the soft launch of the program in late 2024 and beginning to hit its stride this year. The “Drop a Bag Get a Bag” initiative is part of the Senior/Community Center’s journey to become a “ZERO WASTE” facility.

Lead by NSCC Director Sara Landry and ACES Board Member Ben Iacono and Nicki Girouard, a waste collection campaign for composting is one of two programs being ramped up as we go into the Fall. NSCC is truly bringing best practices to waste reduction efforts.

The NSCC is more than just a social and recreational gathering spot. It has also become an epicenter of seniors helping address and solve community problems by tackling key needs in our community. One of those needs is to reduce waste being generated in our community and carry a high disposal cost in the City’s budgets.

This waste is more than just physical material. It carries with it throughout its supply chain journey a host of health, climate and environmental costs. Like plastics and their chemical leaching and the methane gas released from landfills where we send it. Humans think out of sight, out of mind. But that’s not really true, is it?

Focusing on waste reduction, under the leadership of Sara Landry, the Center and the Community who make it so vibrant a space have launched several initiatives to move towards zero waste.

Using the slogan, "Drop a Bag, Get a Bag" and offering free compostable 1 gallon kitchen zip lock food waste bags, the Center now is now spinning a virtuous cycle of saving organic waste, including bones and some paper product such as tea bags and coffee filters. Since launching the effort 11 months ago the daily removal of waste from the landfill path has grown steadily. Composting prevents filling landfills and prevents the greenhouse gas methane from being generated as the material is professionally processed by the ‘Black Earth Compost” service. Composting not only prevents waste and air pollution, it recycles the nutrients needed to keep our farm fields and gardens productive.

A second initiative, the monthly ECO-conversations co-sponsored with ACES, has included important topics for a healthy city, like plastics pollution and waste reduction. These sessions engage 25-30 folks at a session and have yielded ideas and personal commitments to be more attentive to reducing waste.

And now the NSCC team has created and has begun to train and staff a cadre of Waste Ambassadors to provide community outreach and education. The first of these are Audrey Clarkson, Charles Boelke , Fran Norton, and Nicki Girouard. By engaging folks both in the Center and in their own circles of influence, they are creating a ground swell of seniors focusing on waste. And measured by the amount of compost bags being returned and questions and suggestions about reducing plastics in our lives and in our bodies, they are making a difference. It's starting a course correction that is putting future generations on a better path to a healthy earth.

Molly Ettenborough, Newburyport’s Recycling and Energy Manager, is excited by the program and its potential to change behaviors at the grass roots level. Having everyone, at every age and stage of life, paying attention and changing how they approach waste in their daily lives, really models the kind of behavior we all need to practice. This community modeling and Waste Ambassador program is brilliant”

So, listen to your elders, grandparents, and kids when it comes to organic, kitchen food waste, composting is a better way to help the planet and the health of the neighborhood. Let us know of your ideas in this effort.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on September 5, 2025.

Need some good news this week?  Let’s talk about happy warriors.  A "happy warrior" is described as someone who remains optimistic and upbeat in the face of challenges and adversity. The term is sometimes ascribed to a politician or activist who remains positive during trying times. The term originates from a poem by William Wordsworth titled "Character of the Happy Warrior” and describes an individual who is both virtuous and persevering in their support of a noble cause.

It is clear that our times call for environmentalists to be happy warriors in support of their noble cause, to face difficulties cheerfully, to be objective in their actions, and to persevere, but in doing so to continue with a positive attitude and care for each other. ACES believes with optimism that we will win out in the end and rescue our earth’s environment.  But where can we find evidence of progress on climate and pollution issues to prop up our spirits? As our current DC administration backtracks on climate advocacy in support of fossil fuel apologists, we need to see examples of where we can take some joy in the progress of caring for the earth.

Here are some positive but often under-reported international news headlines that often appear in large print but maybe not on the front page. There are good things happening in the climate battle that should give us heart.

England has a bright idea: require solar on every new home that is built. Starting in 2027, nearly every new home built in England will include solar panels. The mandate, which U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer says will be launched soon, is projected to save homeowners more than $1,300 a year in energy costs. Why not in Massachusetts you ask, at least as a pilot program somewhere in the state to show that it works?

Or consider this quote in “Vital Signs” the Environmental Defense Fund newsletter made by Ed Wickstrom, the director of technology at the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Dominic in Oyster Bay, New York, “This is an easier way into becoming part of sustainability.”  He is referring to The Church of Saint Dominic which now saves about $7,500 a year since Wickstrom found out about and signed up for community solar.  Then the Environmental Defense Fund newsletter helped spread the word some more.

Closer to home, local news of plans for oysters being deployed to clean up the Merrimack River is exciting. Not only do oysters filter the water of contaminants but oyster shells are formed using CO2 from the air and water to make CaCO3, the ingredient that is captured in oyster shells, as well as in pearls. Viewed at a larger scale, this sequestration of CO2 is an important long-term benefit to our atmosphere. And what’s more, small oyster reefs can protect us by buffering storm waves hitting our shores.

Then there were reports about China at the end of May indicating that for the first time, there’s been a shift: China’s greenhouse gas emissions have fallen year over year even as their energy demands went up. They have been investing big time in clean energy sources like solar and wind power and starting to replace fossil fuel in their energy mix.  Using more energy but producing less CO2.

There are tidbits of good news out there and we need to feed on those tidbits to keep us motivated. Just ask Google for other examples of good environmental news. We think what you read may lift your spirits.

ACES team members are not naive about the problems Earth faces but if we’re all going to keep working on helping improve climate and the environment, we need a positive attitude and mindset. Accordingly, we choose the path of the poet Wordsworth. Please join ACES in becoming “happy warriors“ in the fight for our children’s futures. Drop us a note with your concerns, ideas, and suggestions.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on August 29, 2025.

ACES is wrapping up its 2025 survey of Merrimack River users to see how they feel about the health of the river following 5 years of severe climate variability with both extended droughts and excessive rain periods. This new survey revisits a previous 2020 user survey that revealed 95% of river users are concerned to very concerned about the current and future condition of the Merrimack River. This was due primarily to Combined Sewer Overflows – CSOs – which occur when there is too much rain for a upstream community’s sewage system to process, discharging untreated sewage into the river

Based in the 2020 survey, users want immediate action to control CSOs. Not easy to accomplish, it involves engineered solutions relating to existing sewer facilities and storm drain structure as well as natural solutions; such as expanding conservation lands adjoining the river, establishing living shorelines, and planting more trees to hold back runoff. In 2016, the American Rivers Association listed the Merrimack as one of the country’s 10 most endangered rivers. The U.S. Forest Service had previously ranked the watershed as the most threatened due to future forestlands development, the fourth most threatened due to water quality issues, and the seventh most threatened due to loss of habitat for at-risk species.

Although there are plenty of other pollutants in the river such as micro- plastics, hazardous chemicals, and stormwater runoff that are of concern, addressing Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) is a key starting point for restoring the health of the Merrimack. Looking back, the 2020 survey also found that 73% of respondents believe it is unhealthy to be in the water of the Merrimack and to use it as a source for drinking water, which 600,000 people do. These and other results of the 2020 survey were made available to civic leaders and officials and the public in 2021. The executive summary of that survey report may be downloaded here.

The last 5 years have shown what Climate Change means to our region of the US and for that matter to the rest of the globe. Locally we have seen 2 drought years (one very bad - 2022) and two very wet years (2023 the wettest on record in NH and 2nd wettest in MA). For CSO’s, 2022 was very dry with less CSO discharge but 2023 was very wet and sewer treatment facilities released over 2 billion gallons of sewerage into the Merrimack River, causing extended beach closures and unknown impacts on the people and animals who use the river. Though there is increasing awareness of the CSO problem, there are still many who do not realize that it would be wise to stay out of the river or not fish or collect shellfish from the river following a heavy rainstorm.

To better understand the current public perception of the health of the Merrimack River, ACES is repeating the 2020 survey to see if changes in river conditions are now even more apparent to river users, especially when they compare conditions in 2022 and 2023, the driest and wettest years on record.

We hope that you will help shape the future of the Merrimack River. Both climate and river conditions are changing rapidly. So, whether you rely on the river for recreation, work, or simply its beauty, your 2025 observations are important to preserving the river’s health and sustainability for current and future generations. Please take the new 2025 Merrimack River User Survey.

Lon Hachmeister is an ACES Board Member who lives in Newbury and leads the Merrimack River User Survey project.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com and subscribe to our Instagram and Facebook pages to stay informed.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on August 25, 2025

Plastic Pollution is a growing problem. Every year, over 400 million tons of plastic are produced.  When incorrectly disposed of, much of that plastic waste makes its way into our environment, and specifically into our lakes, rivers and ultimately out to our oceans.

Once in the water, plastic becomes a serious threat, harming  animals, damaging fragile ecosystems, and breaking down into tiny fragments called microplastics. Microplastics are pieces of plastic smaller than 5 mm in size, often invisible to the naked eye, but they’re everywhere—from the ocean’s surface to its deepest depths.

What’s especially concerning is that about 80% of plastics come from land-based sources. This makes coastal areas, where land meets the sea, particularly vulnerable. These habitats act as both filters and frontlines. Whether it’s through stormwater runoff, litter left behind on beaches, or plastics carried by rivers, coastal zones are where much of this pollution first enters the ocean.

To better understand the presence and abundance of microplastic in our waterways, the Merrimack Valley Planning Commission’s (MVPC) environmental department has been collecting surface water samples across our coastal region over the last five years. Through deploying a large net from the back of an anchored boat, the team collects samples of surface water over a 15-minute period. All solids that float through the net are captured in the cod ending, allowing the team to collect, process and count the small pieces of plastic within the water sample.

Over the last five years, a total of 69 samples have been collected from across the Great Marsh and processed in lab by collaborators at the University of New Hampshire. Results indicate that plastic has been present in every sample collected, with plastic abundance greatest in 2020 and 2023, and lowest in 2024 and 2021. Variability between years and sampling locations is common and expected due to variations in environmental and human conditions (e.g. rainfall, drought condition, salinity, tidal phase, and human activity).

One common finding has been the prevalence of synthetic fabric fibers in samples. In all but one of the 69 sample, synthetic fibers made up half or more of all plastics present. This indicates that shedding from clothing and other textiles is a major contributor to microplastics within our coastal system. As most fibers are thin enough to pass through laundry filters and wastewater treatment plants, their prevalence in our waterways is common and to be expected.

While remediation of microplastics from the environment is a challenge, there are things we can do to help. Reducing plastic demand and production helps to limit manufacturing at the source. Proper disposal of plastic waste also reduces the chance of plastic making its way into the environment. Additionally, cleanups and removal of large plastic debris from our environment help to prevent the breakdown into microplastics. To discover even more actions you can do to reduce plastic, check out the Ten Towns Toolkit, developed by our neighbors in New Hampshire, and say yes to the Plastic Free July Challenge!

This column is from the Summer Update issue of the MVPC’s newsletter – the “Merrimack Current”. You can learn more about ongoing initiatives and research on the Environmental Program web page at Environment | MVPC or by contacting Environmental Program Coordinator, Hanna Mogensen at hmogensen@mvpc.org.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on August 15, 2025.

ACES has been working hard to create a plan for the next five years and beyond. The plan includes engaging individuals who want to make a difference safeguarding the wellbeing of future generations. One of the programs is part of our Reduce Waste Initiative and is entitled Toward Zero Waste 2050. This reflects the MA State mandate of reducing waste by 30% by 2030 and 90% by 2050. Very aggressive goals especially considering what’s happening at the EPA.

The new EPA Administrator is moving to dismantle mandates on greenhouse gas emissions. A terrible move by an administration that wants to keep coal plants running and make it harder for transportation emissions to be reduced. Hiding behind word salad spinning about congressional mandates he is directly harming us and our Earth. The EPA plan should be mocked by comedians and be fodder for every conscientious editorial writer in the country. And this is one of the biggest attacks to demolish long developed and well thought out environmental protection regulations that directly protect the health of our planet. Please understand that decaying food waste produces Methane, a very dangerous gas.

According to the Cornell University Chronicle "more than 99.9% of peer-reviewed scientific papers agree that climate change is mainly caused by humans," based on a new survey of 88,125 climate-related studies. And yet, just this Wednesday August 6th, the new EPA chief, Lee Zeldin, had an essay in the Boston Globe decrying NY's well considered move to not authorize a new proposed gas pipeline. By enabling increased fracking for natural gas, a process with huge leakage of one of the most potent greenhouse gases there is, he framed it as harmful to New England's energy needs. Meanwhile the same administration suspended offshore wind options and solar power support. We encourage you to understand how the EPAs recent actions are hypocritical and solely in support of fossil fuel interests.

How can Massachusetts do anything in the face of a global phenomenon like greenhouse gas emissions and global warming? Maybe adjust the sales tax to reduce it on electric vehicles and raise it on cars with internal combustion engines. The Commonwealth should protect the air we breathe and continue mandating a higher mix of clean energy sources, especially for new large users such as AI facilities.

We support those legislators and municipal administrators who are proactively supporting legislation and practices that protect the wellbeing of current and future generations. Locally, Newburyport mayor Sean Reardon and City Council members, Afroz Kahn and Ben Harmon, are proactive as are Kristen Grubbs and Sadie Woodward of the Newbury planning department. At the state level, Rep Dawne Shand and Sen Bruce Tarr are also strong advocates for taking sustainable actions. Our US Congress members, like Seth Moulton, continue to speak up and call current trends what they are ...BS. It’s time to take off the gloves. Reinforce and recognize all positive actions that our legislators take. If the old timers in power are too timid to rock the boat, then someone should run against them on an environmental platform. Perhaps an "old school" Republican like Teddy Roosevelt or former Governor Baker or a fresh energetic Independent or a sincere and committed Democrat. The critical issue is a values-based leader who is ready and willing to deal with the impacts of the changing times.

We need a new environmental movement that's muscular and speaks verified truth while learning to communicate in everyday language and adhering to sound science. We need you now! Please drop us a note and give us your ideas and how we might support you to find a way to make a difference.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/. Please consider joining our community of stewards by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column was originally published by The Daily News of Newburyport on August 8, 2025.

For the greater part of my life, I didn’t have a clear idea of what I wanted to do in the future. While many of my friends had dreams of becoming doctors, teachers, or astronauts as early as middle school, I never felt drawn to one specific occupation. Entering high school, I considered becoming something in the business world to follow my father’s footsteps, or a journalist in order to learn more about the world around me. But looking back now, neither truly felt like me. 

My journey to environmental sustainability began unexpectedly during my sophomore year when my chemistry teacher recommended APES (Advanced Placement Environmental Science) to take my junior year. I was overwhelmed and intimidated by the idea and thought that it was going to be too much for me. But I decided to challenge myself and take it anyway. 

Before this class, and even up until the beginning of this year, majoring in environmental studies in college had never crossed my mind. My previous interests leaned more into the realm of sports or business management. Environmental majors did not seem as mainstream as, say, business or nursing. As I got closer to the middle of my junior year, I realized that I needed to think about my future and what I might want to pursue going forward. This realization made me think further about my interests and while many of my friends knew what they wanted to do, I felt as though I was behind. I had baseline interests, but none truly lit a spark.

As time went on and APES units passed, I felt increasingly interested in the studies of how to better our planet. APES covered many topics ranging from population demographics to wind patterns, but it wasn’t until Unit Five when we learned about sustainability that I charted insight into my future plans. Seeing how deeply human actions have damaged our planet- and how scientists, activists, and policy leaders are working to reverse that harm - established something in me: I wanted to be a part of the solution. 

While I was fortunate to have acquired a passion for a specific idea, it didn’t cross my mind that this was something that I could actually make a career out of until I started to look at internships through my school’s College & Career Center. While scrolling through the Newburyport High School internship page, I was surprised by how many local organizations were involved in environmental work. It made me realize that if there are many opportunities right here in my community, there must be thousands of others across the country and globally. 

That's when I discovered ACES: Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards. I researched the initiatives of the nonprofit, learned about their goals and mission, and was inspired by the work they were doing in local communities. I reached out and then scheduled a meeting with Art Currier, the president of ACES. That conversation gave me more clarity on not only what environmental sustainability is, but also of the realization that I can pursue a career that would allow me to be part of the solution.

This journey from uncertainty to inspiration to action has shaped how I see my future. I now know I want to study environmental sustainability or urban planning in college after I graduate in the spring. Taking AP Environmental Science not only changed the way I understand the world, but also revealed the path I want to take to help improve it.

Alexander Yavarow attends Newburyport High School and was inspired to share this perspective that she subtitled : “How I Found a Passion for Environmental Sustainability.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on July 25, 2025.

In the early 1800s, John Chapman—better known as Johnny Appleseed—walked thousands of miles across the American frontier, planting apple nurseries from Pennsylvania to the plains. He wasn’t scattering seeds at random; he was a thoughtful horticulturist who helped settlers establish orchards while spreading a deeper message of simplicity, care, and respect for the land. Even in his lifetime, he became a folk hero.

But his legacy isn’t just about apples. It’s about foresight—the idea that small acts of planting, rooted in purpose, can shape the future. That same ethos drives our work at Pollinator PowerWorks. We believe planting is an act of hope. And we know that when individuals take even modest steps—adding native flowers to a yard, skipping a mowing cycle, scattering milkweed along a path—they’re building something much bigger than themselves. 

And according to the University of New Hampshire, we shouldn’t feel bad not mowing the lawn as often. They say “cutting the grass less may be better for the environment. Trimming the number of times you run the mower around the yard, known as “low mow,” can help reduce carbon emissions, build soil organic matter and even enhance pollinating habitats for bees. According to Alexandra Contosta, research assistant professor at UNH’s Earth Systems Research Center, "taking important small steps, like not mowing as often, can have a big impact on things like carbon storage and carbon emissions which can influence climate change.”

As we celebrate the 4th of July, why not go beyond the fireworks and BBQs ? Why not design and begin a garden and create a garden that celebrates both patriotism and pollination? Planting flowers that attract bees and butterflies, you can support your local ecosystems and make your garden a standout. All while making a meaningful contribution to the environment.

Planting Can Be Powerful

At Pollinator PowerWorks, we empower people to make meaningful, tangible change. We’re results-oriented, but we lead with hope. Our free Pollinator Toolkit is designed to help anyone—whether you have a balcony or a backyard—take that first step. A few native plants can invite pollinators back. A stretch of unmown grass can become a refuge. Small changes build biodiversity, resilience, and community.

Spread the Seeds…Literally

Even a simple act like scattering milkweed seeds along a trail can create future habitat. We remind people that pollinators—and many insects—are an invisible but essential workforce, quietly supporting our ecosystems every day. Newburyport seventh grader Margot McDonald captured this beautifully in her submission to our haiku contest: “Listen quietly / The bees make petals their homes / So much work to do.”

When we plant native flowers, we’re not just making our landscapes prettier; we’re making them work better. And if all you have space for is a few pots on the deck of your condo or apartment, you still can help pollinators. Yes, that’s right, you can plant pollinator-friendly flowers in containers. Just ensure that the plants get enough sunlight and water, and choose varieties that thrive in pots.

Grow Together

You don’t have to do it alone. Whether you’re refreshing a yard, planning a rain garden, or curious about what thrives in your microclimate, local allies like Pollinator PowerWorks and ACES can help. Join an eco-conversation at the Senior Center. Trade seeds with a neighbor. Share what’s blooming on your block.

No one is asking you to walk barefoot across the country with a bag of seeds on your shoulder. But planting a milkweed, a beach plum, or a patch of bee balm? That’s doable. That’s impactful. That’s being a modern Johnny Appleseed—one yard, one trail, one act of care at a time.

Ellie Volkhausen is the president of Pollinator PowerWorks and can be contacted at ellievee10@gmail.com.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on July 18, 2025.

As greater Newburyport looks toward the future challenges of adapting to climate change, the communities of our region need to think about land use in new ways. We will eventually need to face the challenges of retreating in some spots near the ocean’s edge. Some buildings will fall and some rebuilding will not be financially feasible. Rebuilding near tidal waters will , by necessity, need to move inland a bit.

Meanwhile, the challenges of an expanding population and lack of adequate housing are now a serious, top-line topic in Massachusetts. While noting that we must also be taking transportation and environmentally related factors into consideration, we cannot continue to add more lanes to highways to cope with congestion. We need to plan for work, living, and natural spaces to be close by when considering new future development.

The Boston Globe recently wrote of a planned conversion of a sprawling one-story, industrial property near Hanscom Field in Bedford into residential units. That raises a broader question for local developers and environmentalists, “How can these local industrial remnants be reimagined as creatively integrated neighborhoods of work, living, and natural spaces?”

A local example of this concept is Courtyard Condominiums on Warren St. in Newburyport. Once an electronics factory, now an elegant living space near the heart of the city. It has underground parking and a park positioned above the garage. Its location is perfect, being a few short blocks away from downtown and the water’s edge. The Tannery in Newburyport, once a factory using toxic chemicals for tanning leather, is now a repurposed space with a multiplicity of office services, retail shops, solar panels, plus dining and arts spaces. Newbury’s Spencer-Peirce-Little Farm is a family-friendly National Historic Landmark with activities available for people of all ages.   Amesbury has also seen a successful transformation of its historic mill buildings into a variety of modern residential, commercial, and mixed-use spaces. These revitalized mill buildings, once centers of textile and carriage manufacturing, can now house apartments, offices, restaurants, artist studios, and more. Other notable examples of successful adaptive reuse include Hatter's Point Condominiums, the Lofts at Clark's Pond, and Trades Mill.

The Residences at Salisbury Square, a 42-unit affordable housing conversion of an old building, has the added benefits of being located on a bus route and having easy access to a rail trail and the public library. Good examples of converting a church to a residential dwelling can be found on Point Shore in Amesbury, on Federal Street in Newburyport, on Central Street in Newbury, and on Route 113 in West Newbury.

For an application of reuse of older schools, consider the former Central School/1910 Building in West Newbury. That ceased operations in 1985 and now serves as a community center and elderly housing. The former Currier School (now businesses) and Kelley School (now residences) in Newburyport, and the upcoming conversion of the Brown School, are also the result of creative thinking. Are there other opportunities with social club land and buildings that might be reconceived as affordable housing sites? And ‘what if’ a Post Office is closed as privatization and electronic communication reduces the scale of our traditional mail system? What creative use might be done with such a property should it become available?

Because our region needs more housing and because we need to buffer ourselves against environmental degradation by preserving parks, adding trees, and reducing the need for quite so many car trips, we should seriously consider repurposing our out-of- use properties to fill our needs.

We have inherited the prosperity and longer life spans that the Industrial Age has brought us. Now we are going to have to clean up after the excesses of that age and create new green, resilient, and sustainable ways of moving forward. As environmentalists, we can see open public space and conservation can go hand in hand with proper zoning for both housing and retail space, especially in already developed places. Our regional industrial zones are ideal places to begin thinking about how to do that through collaboration between public and private entities.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on August 4, 2025.

Information has been making its way into the mainstream news lately about microplastics and their appearance in every part of our lives. Where are they from? How do they get into all aspects of our environment and our bodies? What are the health implications? The next series of articles on reducing plastics will address these questions.
Plastics have infiltrated almost every aspect of our lives – clothing, toys, toothbrushes, cars, food packaging, straws, and carpets, to name a few. In fact, there is so much plastic in your everyday life that the average person ingests as much as 5 grams of plastic per week, equivalent to one credit card. So, what are microplastics? They are fragments of plastic smaller than 5 millimeters in length, created from larger plastic products through mechanisms such as mechanical wear and abrasion (toys, synthetic toothbrushes), fibers (synthetic clothing, cigarettes), particles on thin plastics and containers (water bottles, food packaging). Just breaking a seal on a single-use plastic container releases particles. The list goes on. 

How do plastics become microplastics and get into our food, air, and water? Generally, petroleum-based plastic polymers are indestructible, but some small pieces can become mechanically dislodged or some environmental factors (UV, heat) can make them more susceptible to mechanical breakdown. Micro bits of plastic can be created during manufacturing, or worn away in the environment and weather exposure during the disposal process, and through the digestive process of other animals. Small pieces become smaller pieces (microplastics) and even smaller pieces (nanoplastics) over time just through wear.

Some of the most pertinent examples include:

• 93% of single-use water bottles are contaminated with microplastics, as is tap water
• Synthetic clothing is thought to be 85% of microplastic pollution
• Wrapped meats, vegetables, and fruit contain particles that get transferred onto your food

 Why should you care? Plastics are made from fossil fuels (oil & natural gas), plus the thousands of chemicals required to process the plastics to make them harder, softer, more flexible, refillable, more processable, or colored. A couple of the heavy-hitter additives, BPA and phthalates, are both probable human carcinogens. Micro and nanoplastics can get into humans through digestion and airway pathways and from there into our bloodstreams to every organ in our bodies. These plastic particles in your body could impact cardiovascular health, especially that of a fetus, and, of course, release the many related chemicals into our bodies. They can be endocrine-disrupting, related to mammary and prostate cancers, as well as nervous system dysfunction, immune system issues, and chronic inflammation.

What can you do to protect yourself?

• Stop using single-use and gallon plastic bottles for water. Glass and aluminum are much better container solutions as they have no plastics, and they are 100% recyclable
• Use filters for your tap water. There are many options, from faucet filters and carbon block filters to granular activated carbon and reverse osmosis filter systems
• Use vacuum cleaners with HEPA filters to collect the microplastics in your synthetic rugs and upholstery
• Drying synthetic clothes in the dryer releases more microplastics; try hanging them to dry.
• Consider clothing options not made of synthetic plastics. There are more options coming to market that are more sustainable and less polluting, with organic cotton being the safest bet. 

There is no way to keep all microplastics out of your body, but being aware of where the  biggest risks lie and analyzing packaging and food choices can make a significant impact on your and your family’s health.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on June 27, 2025.

As ACES leadership strives to come up with effective ways to engage the public, especially in the five linked communities of Amesbury, Newbury, Newburyport, Salisbury, and West Newbury, our brainstorming, after too much coffee, came around to superhero imagery. And that led to a discussion of the power bracelets that Wonder Woman wore and would click together as the action heated up. Wonder Woman's bracelets have been a source of strength, given her power, and kept her power in check. They have been her shield and literally her sword, and they are part of what makes Wonder Woman so... well, wonderful.

So, when we thought to see how that imagery worked for our five linked communities as part of our natural world, we realized it was perfect!  Envision a strong, graceful right arm, the river, reaching out to touch the ocean. Around its wrist is a woven bracelet with five green gems representing our communities. Its array of special powers includes all the tools and strengths communities utilize to foster collaboration, navigate challenges, and make themselves sustainable and resilient.

What are some of those tools and strengths? Emergency protective resources like C-10, our Harbor Masters, the U.S. Coast Guard, and our emergency sheltering plans. Food resources ranging from local farms that grow much of our food, to fishermen who bring in the ocean’s bounty, to the many support resources like Our Neighbors’ Table that offers wholesome, fresh food, service with dignity, and a sense of community to our neighbors in need.

We have senior services and centers, like at the Costello Transportation Center in Amesbury, various distributed church-related support groups, and the Newburyport Council on Aging Community Center. Robust transportation resources, Routes 495 and 95, the MeVa buses and MBTA trains to Boston and on to New York.  For more leisurely travel, there are the interconnected and expanding Coastal Trails Coalition rail trails as well as Newburyport Livable Streets educational and planning awareness efforts. Housing needs? Like YWCA Housing Alliance. Clean energy plans? We have the Energy Advisory Committee innovations, Mass Save, Senior Energy Ambassadors, reduced-price electricity, and community-wide green energy options.  We have prioritized aggressive recycling and waste reduction goals for 2030/2050 and, close to our hearts, we have our ACES Allies.

So how can our local communities weave together these strands to make us even more powerful and resilient as storms and sea-level rise, river inundation, and power outages hit? How can we make our local economy more resilient to the economic shocks that may come in the future? Are our companies diversified and locally supported? Do we extend a welcome to newcomers who can bring skills and resources to our towns? Once ships, shoes, and silverware employed our residents. What will the jobs of the future be? Software, science, and sustainability occupations?

Maybe there is a leadership example from this Monday’s meeting of the New England and New York governors and Canadian Provincial Premiers in Boston. We have shared ecosystems like the Gulf of Maine.  Nova Scotia Premier, Tim Houston, said he viewed the governors in the room as allies and friends. And although this particular meeting was largely focused on trade and tariffs, “I expect good things to come from this, concrete things, but also hopefully we’re sending a message today to our friends in Canada and to others across the United States that we are open for business [and] we want to continue with a relationship that has stood us well for decades.”

Just like Wonder Woman’s Bracelet of Power, communities that link together and collaborate will be way out in front in these uncertain times. We need to be working together to ensure we are contributing to green, resilient, and sustainable communities. If any of this resonates with your inner values and perhaps your cartoon artist, marketing specialist, or leadership instincts, we hope you’ll help us develop our own local superpowers for the future of our kids and our mutual sustainability. Please consider joining our community of stewards by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

ACES team members believe everyone can make a BIG difference together. We invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Subscribe to Updates” link on ACES’ website – https://www.aces-alliance.org/.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on June 20, 2025.

On Sunday, June 8th, Prince William delivered one of the opening addresses at the 2025 UN Oceans Conference focused on the “Blue Economy”, a long-term strategy that promotes the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic, social, and environmental benefits. Its current economic value is estimated at $2.5 trillion annually and it is projected to double in size over the next decade. In his speech, which was streamed live, he used recent Earth Shot prize winners to illustrate how creativity and entrepreneurship are leading the way toward achieving the Blue Economy goals.

The ocean is fundamental to life on our planet. It is a major component of the earth’s biodiversity and the driving force behind our global climate and water systems.  The oceans supply us with 50% of the oxygen that we breathe, serve as a primary source of food for over 3.5 billion people, and account for roughly half of the organic carbon produced through photosynthesis globally. 

Prince William’s presentation stressed that the wise use of our oceans is essential to achieving a sustainable planet. An example of one company that is taking action to make our use of ocean resources more sustainable is growing algae to replace fish as a source of omega 3 oils as a beneficial vitamin supplement. One ton of their algae production saves over 620,000 fish and over a 6-month period, the company estimates that over 2.4 million fish are not being taken from the ocean. It was an example of a business that has both economic value and environmental benefits, as portions of the marine food chain are being conserved and CO2 is being removed from the air.

New England has a Blue Economy of its own. We always have had one. We have fishing and lobstering, ocean tourism like whale watch tours, and new innovations in the Gulf of Maine growing mussels and kelp on ropes, simultaneously providing food and cleaning the ocean as it does so. Learning how to better use and better conserve ocean resources can be a big boon economically for our region. The oceans cover 71% of the surface of planet Earth and sequester about 30% of our carbon dioxide and they regulate our temperature. They are crucial to life on earth. 

At this point in our own political history, the US government is looking backwards. In emphasizing a resurgence of fossil fuels, reopening coal mines, and eliminating environmental rules that protect the land and oceans, we are jeopardizing the sustainability of our planet. Just this past few weeks creating a new executive order dubbed, “The Next Gold Rush” proposed to open big areas for seafloor mining which essentially strip mines from ocean floors. That’s on the wrong side of history. 

A good example of working with the ocean for beneficial purposes may sound funny, but back in 2008 more than 1,000 retired NY Subway cars were shipped to coastal areas in Delaware, New Jersey, and Georgia and dropped on the ocean floor as part of an artificial reef program. Back then, artificial reefs were designed to boost recreational fishing, which by 2011 generated a  whopping $15 billion in state and federal taxes. Perhaps our own coastal area could pilot the use of a few old MBTA. Could some of those strategically placed offshore from the Salisbury Beach area be impacted by significant storms with high energy. This could be an economical way to improve our coastal resilience against beach erosion and grow our fishing and tourism sector.

ACES offers this challenge to the leaders of our coastal communities. Plan for the Blue Economy, one you already have even if we haven’t labeled it as such. Realize its potential in ways important to your own citizens. And encourage the things it can do to help us keep our oceans blue and preserve our watery planet for future generations.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on June 13, 2025.

With all the climate chaos now an imminent threat to our life, health, and property, it’s time to focus more on New England self-sufficiency. Just look at our food supply as an example. Global warming is bringing drought and food insecurity to our crops nation-wide, with industrialized farming itself now under climate threat. It’s time to start making New England’s food supply more self-sufficient and less reliant on non-local, industrialized sources.

Historically, New England has been substantially self-sufficient in basic foods and our region grew or caught most of what we needed to eat. Our diets consisted of a wide variety of seasonal foods which supplied our bodily needs. We had regional dairy sources until the Reagan era “buyout” of 1986. That year big agricultural interests lobbied to raise prices by shrinking competition. The US government paid dairy farms to shrink the size of their herds. While that action had a long trail of effects, it dramatically reduced the size and output of New England’s dairy production. Now we import more of our dairy products at higher prices and at higher environmental costs.

We also had other protein sources from fishing and our small farms, including beans for our iconic ‘Boston Baked Beans’. We had backyard chickens and free-range eggs. We had starches from locally grown root crops like potatoes. And we had many of the orchard crops we needed from regional orchards. Although we imported tea, coffee, and spices, we had our own sweeteners such as maple and honey. With today’s technology–solar lighting and hydroponics–we could now grow more of our own vegetables year-round. But that takes electrical energy and clean water sources.

We certainly have the possibility of becoming much more energy independent in New England with additional solar, wind, and possibly small-scale nuclear technology. But we also need to insulate our homes better, transition to an all-electric future that doesn’t rely on fossil fuels from out of our region, and greatly improve our electric grid infrastructure. Fortunately, our local NE communities have begun to respond with the implementation of solar power, EV chargers, and promotion of home insulation and heat pumps. There’s much more that we can still do.

With the largest population the world has ever known, growing from 6.1B in 2000 to over 8.2B today, climate driven global food insecurity and migration from the ‘global south’ into all parts of the more-northern world has already begun. We need to find appropriate responses to this challenge. Every geographic region is obligated to implement strategies to make their own regions self-sufficient while at the same time addressing global climate change drivers locally. 

It’s going to be a complicated and winding road to self-sufficiency, but we need to begin to see it as necessary and shift our food consumption patterns as well as our support for more local agriculture. More locally produced everything. So, as we approach spring, ACES challenges you to think about a little veggie garden in your yard or a community garden space. Maybe join a CSA. Follow to our Instagram  and Facebook pages to stay informed.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on June 6, 2025.

Last night, my children and I had the joy of helping release Eastern Painted Turtle hatchlings. As I gently held one of the tiny, squirming creatures, its legs kicked at the air, and its face strained toward the water. Over the course of an hour, we watched seven teacup-sized babies disappear into the muck, slowly exploring their new home. 

Thank you, Mike Henry and the Turtle Rescue League, for creating that opportunity.

Not all of us can raise hatchlings in our homes or rehabilitate wildlife, but we can share the outdoor spaces where we live, work, learn, pray, and play. That’s the heart of the Homegrown National Park movement—an effort co-founded by Dr. Douglas W. Tallamy, professor of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware. He recently spoke right here in Newburyport, thanks to the Newburyport Resiliency Committee, to an inspired audience of residents eager to make a difference.

Homegrown National Park (HNP) is a grassroots call to action: regenerate biodiversity by transforming our private and community landscapes into native plant habitats. It’s a mission that resonates deeply with me and with the work I do caring for beautiful, low-maintenance garden ecosystems that nourish both people and wildlife.

Dr. Tallamy’s research reinforces what I see every day: the smallest spaces, when thoughtfully planted, can bring back pollinators, birds, and even fireflies. Gardening this way doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. In fact, it often makes things easier—while reconnecting us with the natural world. 

I am interested in what it would take to come together and put Greater Newburyport on the Homegrown National Park map? Any thoughts?

Core Actions

Leave the Leaves: Wherever you can. Leaf litter supports countless species.

Remove Invasives: Clear out non-native plants that interrupt local food webs.

Shrink the Lawn: Trade unused turf for native plants that serve a purpose.

Plant Keystone Genera: These native plants are the backbone of local ecosystems. Start with oaks and goldenrod (don’t worry—goldenrod doesn’t cause allergies!).

Fire Mosquito Joe: Chemical sprays harm beneficial insects, even when labeled “organic.” Use Mosquito Dunks instead—they’re safer, cheaper, and more effective. Available at most hardware stores.

The Power of the Biodiversity Map

HNP’s interactive Biodiversity Map is a central tool. It lets you register your native plantings, visualize our collective impact, and identify areas where we can do more. It’s community-powered progress you can actually see evolve—and be part of.

Get Involved

Explore Resources: Use HNP’s regional guides to find the best native plants and practices for your yard.

Join the Map: Log your efforts and inspire others 

Take on a Challenge: Participate in programs like “Less Lawn, More Life” for guidance and support.

Spread the Word: Bring HNP into your neighborhood, your school, your faith group, your town. 

Molly Janicki is a sustainable landscape and garden designer offering personalized Horticultural Services who can be contacted at mollyjanicki.com.

For more information about the relevance of contributing to the expansion of this HNP system, or to get started, visit homegrownnationalpark.org. To help rescue turtles, visit turtlerescueleague.org. 

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on May 30, 2025.

Finding the right solutions to address the broadband of environmental issues facing us is complicated by the fact that there is not one or even a multitude of “converging” mitigating actions that will address even the most devastating impacts. That is because the factors creating global ecosystem destruction, excessive atmospheric greenhouse gases, burgeoning plastics production, harmful and “forever” chemical use and disposal now known to bio-amplify all mean that we literally need to implement hundreds of different mitigating actions.

Individual actions, laws, and technology development can only take us so far. For example, mandating things like automobile fuel efficiency and tailpipe inspections worked as an initial mitigating action, as the average car now pollutes less per mile. But driving more miles based on patterns of human development and growth of suburban commuting, along with population growth, means more miles driven and hence not an overall solution.

The Earth’s environment is complex. Global ecosystems consist of the continued interplay among its physical and biological components, but our actions and personal and social choices can positively or negatively impact those interactions in thousands of ways. So, with the backdrop of the national political situation and questionable large-scale governmental movement, it’s going to take a paradigm shift in how we take actions in the US to meet the goals that the country has committed to meet by 2050. We all need to begin tackling the multitude of things that can be improved at the small scale and that local actions can affect. And there is a lot that can only be tackled individually by you, we, us, here in greater Newburyport. Here are a few examples:

Let’s source our food locally as best we can. Buy from local farms, join a CSA, plant a garden. Eat a bit less meat, just one meal a week less per week with meat can make a huge difference. Livestock growing has a very high carbon footprint, and while it may seem like a little less meat on your shopping list can’t turn the tide, it surely can if enough of us do it.

Reduce your personal purchasing of things made of or packaged in plastic. Send the kids off to school with reusable water bottles rather than single-use plastic bottles. Buy refillable containers for detergent and find refillable or non-plastic things you can use. Maybe use bento boxes for lunches and save on plastic wrap. Look for items in glass or paper containers.

Slowly evolve your clothes closet away from synthetic fabrics towards natural fibers. Polyester, after all, is just a plastic product. As you replace your old clothing, favor cotton, wool, linen, silk, or bamboo. There are a lot more of those choices available now. And unlike synthetics, each wash cycle doesn’t send thousands of microparticles of plastics into the sewers and ultimately out to the ocean (and even the atmosphere).

And one last item, let’s help create supply chains that emphasize recycling and reuse and upcycling more and more. Donate old clothing, sell your old clothing at a yard sale or online, buy vintage clothing at consignment stores or vintage shops. It's estimated that a new T-shirt creates almost 15 pounds of greenhouse gases in its journey from fiber to fabric to manufacture to distribution and to in the strip mall! It’s a crazy amount of GHGs you can personally prevent by buying one cool vintage T-shirt locally!

The problems in our environment derive from hundreds of subtle personal choices and can end with use of different choices worldwide. You can make a difference this week as you kick into summer. Plant some veggies, eat a bit less meat, and buy a natural fabric vintage T-shirt for summer use. It’s not about one thing; it’s about the sum of all things, and you can play your very important part starting today.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 23, 2025.

We humans have been an extraordinarily successful species during our short time on Earth. 

One way to understand how long we have been around is to do the following: extend your arm out straight and consider its length down to your fingertips as the 4.5 billion years of our planet’s existence. Take a fingernail file and shave off a small amount from the nail of your longest finger. Those filings are how long humans have been in existence. 

Earth has experienced five mass extinctions caused by sea level rise, changes in ocean chemistry, massive volcanic eruptions, meteorite impacts, and climate change. In each of these extinctions, 80 to 90% of life on Earth was eliminated. The dominant species going into a mass extinction has never been the dominant species coming out of it. 

Many biologists and ecologists agree that we are in the midst of a sixth mass extinction driven by our species unsustainable use of land, water, and energy. In 1800 there were approximately 1 billion people. Today there are over 8 billion and by the end of the century there will be over 10 billion. We all need food, clothing, and shelter and in order to get them we must use the planet’s resources which are not infinite. The question is are we using them wisely and what is the impact on life as we do so. 

To survive as well as we have, never mind supporting another 2 billion of us, we need a stable climate, predictable and moderate precipitation, healthy forests, productive farmlands, and rich fisheries. We are in grave danger of losing the battle to keep these needs at the required levels. Temperature rise across the planet year over year is undeniable and is causing massive forest fires, drought, soil erosion, more frequent and intense storms, and disruption to ocean chemistry. It’s doing harm. 

Sadly, it gets worse. We need to exist in harmony with other species since we are all interconnected. There are so many examples of how a single species supports the health of people by contributing to clean air, clean water, healthy soils, and thriving fish stock. Plankton and bees come immediately to mind as essential to food production. But of course, there is the vitally important role played by bacteria, fungi, plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and a host invertebrates. Currently, scientists who monitor extinction rates estimate that at a minimum the extinction rate of fellow species is 1,000 times higher than natural extinction rates—the rate of species extinctions that would occur if we humans were not around. To be entirely selfish about this, biodiversity loss hurts people. 

There are actions we can take to slow this mass extinction and improve our chances of survival. So, what has the Trump administration done to help? He called climate change a hoax removing the USA from the Paris Agreement; he has dismantled federal regulations aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and curbing the use of fossil fuels; he has advocated for opening new drilling areas and easing environmental restrictions on oil companies; he has opposed wind and solar energy saying they are undependable and costly; he granted two-years of relief from environmental rules on coal-fired power plants; he is attempting to block state-level climate policies, viewing them as detrimental to American energy production and economic competitiveness. All of this in 100 days.

In the face of a government that simply doesn’t believe there is a climate problem or seemingly could care less about the mass extinction of other species, we need to tell our politicians why we think this is important. Here are a few simple things we all can do to act locally: cut plastic use, beware of pesticides in your yard, don’t waste food or water, plant indigenous shrubs and flowers that birds, bees and butterflies need. Oh yes and vote as if life depends on it. Earth will survive. We are the ones at risk.

Bill Franz is a concerned and active steward and a community builder dedicated to working with senior citizens helping them to stay comfortably in the homes and the community they love. He may be reached at franzwt@gmail.com

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 16, 2025.

On the 19 th of April, the Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards (ACES) hosted an Earth Day celebration on Market Landing Square that was both fun and informative for its many participants. And, because people are always asking, “What can I do personally to help the environment?” at one of the ACES tables there was a “Commitment Banner” on display. The banner allowed visitors to select personal actions they would be willing to take in the coming year to better serve our environment and improve our communities’ sustainability. ACES is proud to share some of the collective results of that “Commitment Banner” activity selection process.

The commitment banner was a twelve-foot-long, tabletop paper scroll with multiple (15) environmentally friendly activities that participants could commit to doing. Voting was achieved using brightly colored stickers to indicate which of the 15 different actions they would pledge to take toward sustainability. Their responses and verbal comments were inspiring.

Three action commitments stood out as clear community favorites. They were:

• BUY MY FOOD LOCALLY – a leading pledge that underscores a dedication to supporting local agriculture and reducing the carbon footprint of food transportation. Comments from participants included, “I’m considering joining a local farm CSA” and “I’m trying to do it more by learning to cook whatever is in season”
• REDUCE MY PLASTIC USE – reflecting strong awareness around the global plastics crisis and a desire to make cleaner choices. While the voting was going on, there were many comments being made along the lines of “They (i.e. state, local governments, and schools) should ban, raise the bottle deposit fee, or otherwise regulate single use plastic water bottles.”
• COMPOST MY FOOD WASTE – showing momentum around reducing landfill contributions and creating healthier soils through composting. A few of the participants noted in conversation their use of Black Earth curbside pickup in their community or their own backyard efforts. And a few folks noted they participate in the 6-month-old Newburyport Community/Senior Center’s food scrap drop off program that provides free compostable scrap bags to return with table scraps that are delivered to a compost facility and leave with a fresh bag for next time.

“These top choices show that our community is energized about taking real, tangible steps toward sustainability,” said Ben Iacono, one of the ACES event co-chairs. “It’s a reminder that change starts with individual choices—and our neighbors are ready.” 

One commitment that received notably fewer votes was “Convert my lawn to a Sustainable Garden”, which received significantly fewer votes than the average selection. That response was a confirmation that as a well-tended, traditional suburban community, people in Newburyport see their yards in a certain light that includes a wide green lawn. While a key for the future, the awareness of the value of sustainable gardens and pollinator friendly plants is embryonic. So, while interest may be growing slowly, ACES sees this as an opportunity for future education and outreach in hopes of encouraging a more natural landscaping style to rise in popularity.

“We know that yard transformation can feel like a big step. But with the right tools and support, this can be one of the most impactful and beautiful changes we can make in our neighborhoods,” Mr. Iacono stated.

Lon is a director on the board of ACES and oversaw this activity at the celebration.

ACES thanks all who participated and encourages everyone to carry their Earth Day commitments forward throughout the year to honor the axiom “Make Every Day Earth Day.”

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 9, 2025.

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For too long humans have been caught up in turning a quick profit, and focusing on everyday life. Climate change is truly life or death and it’s time we treat it like the crisis it is. The health of our planet often gets put on the back burner, and though this is understandable, since life is busy, it is crucial that we use our voices more, and have climate change on our minds more. We need to think about the environment in our everyday decisions. 

Buying more sustainably produced items is one way to make a small difference. This may not work every time, because sustainable goods can be expensive. But it is crucial we be more environmentally conscious in our purchases whenever we can. Thrifting is another way to make an environmental impact. Even if you do your shopping online, there’s a thrifting website called poshmark which is simple, and quite honestly more cost effective than most options. By implementing such changes, we can reduce the 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide produced annually by the clothing industry. 

Another big contributor to global warming and water pollution is agriculture. Agriculture makes up about 11% of global carbon emissions annually. One solution to this issue is to buy from local farms and buy organic produce. Buying locally guarantees more sustainable farming practices are being implemented. If you’ve ever driven by a farm and seen cows grazing, that’s amazing because that’s where your food is coming from contrary to many supermarkets which get their meats from factory farms that have no regard for the animals they raise or the detrimental effects on the environment and climate that come from raising animals in such environments. 

Now, I would like to address the elephant in the room, the energy sector, producing a whopping 75% of global greenhouse gas emissions. While things like cars are included in this percentage, the main proponent of these emissions is from oil giants like ExxonMobil. Some other companies like Shell consistently underreport the environmental impacts that their practices cause, and I’m sure that you’re all aware of Exxon Mobil’s greenwashing which just shows how little they care about the environment. There is little we can do about these companies besides suing them and advocating to change the legislation that subsidizes their businesses. 

I apologize if this information makes you depressed, but I strongly believe that misinformation, misunderstanding and non-fact-based stories are the enemy of progress. I feel the need to share this with you today. Now, I’m going to focus on the progress we have made and what we can continue to do in the future. I happen to be an optimist and I believe that it is not in our nature as humans to destroy each other and the place we live. 

So, what can you do to make an impact? Talk about climate change. Yes, it’s scary, but to truly change, it is necessary to face our problems head on instead of pretending they don’t exist because when we ignore them, they grow. So, don’t be afraid.  Maybe you recommend a new sustainable brand to a friend, just normalizing the discussion. Next, as we already talked about buying second hand clothing, there are a multitude of consignment and thrift shops around, and plenty of online resources. You can also buy local produce and meats and eat what’s in season around you. Eating fewer meat and dairy products has also proven to be beneficial for both personal health, and the environment. 

Now, please go out there and talk about the need to take action to reverse the impacts of climate change!

Kaeleigh Belanger lives in West Newbury and is a member of the class of 2027 at the Pingree School. She shared this perspective at the April 18 Earth Day Celebration in Market Square in Newburyport.

To read Kaeleigh's complete presentation, please download the file below.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 2, 2025.

WEST NEWBURY — In only a few minutes Tuesday afternoon, Newburyport High School senior Rourke Lee brought a three year journey to a close when he screwed in seven aluminum plaques on wooden posts at Maple Crest Farm.

The plaques, representing Lee’s Remembrance of Climate Futures sign project, trace the Newburyport-owned Indian Hill Reservoir’s history, combined with a plausible future. They also tell the story of a safe water supply amid a change in climate.

“If you told me I would do something like this a couple years ago, I never would have guessed it,” Lee said. “You always hear about these beach cleanups and stuff. As much as I think those are very important, the idea of leaving something behind as I go off to college is something I find very important.”

Lee said he decided to become more involved with the environment during his sophomore year after attending a climate change symposium put on by the Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards (or ACES for short).

It was during that event when Lee heard ACES board member and Northeastern University professor Thomas Starr speak for the first time. So he signed up to volunteer his time on a project designed to illustrate the history of the Indian Hill Reservoir.

Newburyport currently draws its drinking water from the Indian Hill Reservoir system (which includes the Upper and Lower Artichoke Reservoirs) and as well as a pair of Ferry Road wells. So Lee said the idea of telling its story appealed to him.

“There were a couple of other people involved at the time but they ended up leaving, so it was me and Mr. Starr working together for most of this,” he said. “I just hope this can be used as inspiration for younger and even older people who might want to leave their own mark.”

Lee and Starr decided to create seven educational plaques to let visitors taking walks along Indian Hill Reservoir at Maple Crest Farm know about the system.

Starr said the project is part of a larger chain of roughly 100 similar signs located throughout Essex County that were paid for by a $20,000 grant from the Essex County Community Foundation.

Over the past year or so, Lee and Starr have gone through the city’s planning process to make the project a reality. Although Starr accompanied Lee to many different municipal meetings, sometimes the high schooler would have to meet with the Water and Sewer Commission on his own.

“I had to go out there and be brave in some scenarios,” Lee said. “It’s definitely been a good learning and growing experience.”

Lee, according to Starr, has shown a tremendous amount of perseverance.

“This project took much longer than we originally thought it would,” he said. “But he did so much research and stayed with it through all of these meetings with city officials.”

Joined Tuesday at Maple Crest Farm by Department of Public Services Director Wayne Amaral, Starr, fellow ACES board member Arthur Currier, as well as the farm’s owner John Elwell, Lee and Starr installed the plaques.

The story told by the markers begins with a suspected typhoid outbreak in the Merrimack River drinking water in 1893.

On July 17, 1908, Newburyport established the Artichoke Reservoir in West Newbury, two miles northeast of Maple Crest Farm.

In September, 1981, the 800-million-gallon Indian Hill Reservoir was completed to supplement the Artichoke system.

“We talk about the history of the water supply but there’s a bit of a political history in there as well,” Lee said.

Looking into the future, sometime around 2040, the Lower Artichoke dam is expected to be modified to protect the water drawn from the Upper Artichoke as well as Indian Hill reservoirs from storm surges.

“There is a dam there now but it’s not quite high enough to accommodate sea level rise,” Starr said. “So we wanted to

let people know what’s coming.”

In about 2050, local communities are expected to collaborate on building a fail-safe water source at Indian Hill that will bypass the Lower Artichoke.

“We mentioned that because we want to give hope to people that we’re still working to adapt to climate change,” Lee said.

Each of the plaques also displays a QR code visitors can scan with their phones for further information.

“There’s no agenda here, just information,” Amaral said. “We just want to tell a story, get people intrigued and then, if they’re curious, they can learn more.”

A native of New York, Lee said he’s proud to have made a permanent mark on his adopted hometown’s water infrastructure. The 17-yearold will be headed to Colgate University in the fall, where he hopes to study science.

Lee thanked Amaral, Starr, Currier and the Water and Sewer Commission for all their help. He also said he wouldn’t have been able to finish the project without the support of his parents, family and friends.

“I appreciate them all,” he said.

Staff writer Jim Sullivan covers Newburyport for The Daily News. He can be reached via email at jsullivan@newburyportnews. com or by phone at 978-961-3145. Follow him on Twitter @ndnsully.

Fun Fact: "Compost" is spelled the same in Italian, French, and Spanish, but the Germans insist on "Kompost." Whatever language one speaks, composting is a good thing. It’s International Compost Awareness Week, May 4-10, and it seems like a good time to ask why we should care about composting.

Simply described, compost is a mixture resulting from decomposing plant, food, and other organic waste for use as plant fertilizer and soil conditioner. It’s used to improve the soil’s physical, chemical, and biological properties by creating a mixture rich in plant nutrients and beneficial organisms, such as bacteria, worms, and fungi. It’s considered a superior fertilizer in landscaping, gardening,  and farming as the beneficial microbial life it supports suppresses pathogens and soil-borne diseases.

While you may be familiar with the idea generally, creating a ‘supply chain’ to collect the needed organic scraps and wastes, especially in an urban environment, has been challenging, although we are making progress. Composting, at scale, is a multistep, closely monitored process with measured inputs of water, air, and carbon- and nitrogen-rich materials. The decomposition process is aided by shredding the plant matter, watering, and ensuring proper aeration by regularly turning the mixture in a process using open piles or windrows.

In Newburyport, the Senior Community Center has been leading the way to increase composting with the “Drop a Bag, Get a Bag” program, complete with composting ambassadors and programs designed to simplify collection of table scraps and peelings. Ben Iacono, who helped lead and organize the program at the NSCC, says, “We tried to make the key elements of the program be convenience, affordability, and familiarity so it can serve as a model for the community. We started in October and by March we were collecting 90 gallons per week. Our October through March cumulative collection translates to 5,589 pounds collected to date. [We] anticipate higher volume through the summer.”

According to Sara Landry, Executive Director of the Newburyport Senior Community Center, “I hear every week from community members how much they appreciate the convenience of this program. They tell me that having a convenient Black Earth compost drop location is, in part, one of the reasons they can participate.” Every day, folks come to the Center, drop off their bag of scraps, and get a new compostable bag to take home for next time. The program has generated both awareness and enthusiasm for composting. Even the Wednesday morning men’s coffee and conversation group recently donated a large quantity of compostable plates to the Center along with its food offerings.

Such programs plus curbside collections are the ‘front end’ of the composting value chain. Other front-end sources include indoor farming operations, such as “Little Leaf Farms,” as well as cannabis growing facilities in our local area. These contributors also are users of the end product—compost itself.

According to Molly Ettenborough, the City's Recycling and Energy Manager, "Nationwide municipal waste management offices are increasingly promoting composting because food waste and other compostable materials make up about 20% of landfill waste, and due to anaerobic conditions, these materials take longer to biodegrade in the landfill, and collecting it as part of the traditional waste stream has grown increasingly costly. So encouraging composting saves taxpayer dollars."

Composting offers an environmentally superior alternative to using organic material for landfill because composting reduces methane emissions. Methane is an important driver of global warming, and it’s important to reduce it. Well-processed compost provides economic and environmental benefits and can be used for land and stream reclamation, wetland construction, and landfill cover. As our local supply chain of organic waste from restaurants and residents becomes better established, we will take pride in seeing a reduction in greenhouse gases as well as in mitigating the growing costs of waste disposal. Why not drop by the Senior Center, get a compostable scraps bag, and see if compost collection can work for you?

Sara Landry is the Executive Director of the Newburyport Senior/Community Center and may be reached at slandry@cityofnewburyport.com. Ben Iacono is a director of ACES and may be reached at biacono@comcast.net.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 25, 2025.

Tomorrow, April 19th, many of the environmentally oriented organizations from our surrounding communities will participate in a 2025 Earth Day Celebration on Newburyport’s Market Square with a variety of exhibits and entertainment focusing on the coming spring and on conserving the home we call Earth. The importance of our stewardship for our Earth has resulted in April becoming Earth Month. 

ACES has arranged for Imagine Studios to orchestrate the main stage at the Earth Day event, featuring keynote regional elected officials, guest speakers, live music, and youth presenters.

Jenny Warfield, of Abenaki heritage, a naturalist at Rolling Ridge Conference Center in North Andover, an herbalist, musician, and advocate for Indigenous rights in New England, will share insights on the native traditions we can learn from.

Singer-songwriter Meg Rayne, an environmental activist whose songs call for unity, peace, and healing of the Earth for future generations, will be presenting some of her work accompanied by Imagine Studios' founding Co-Director Kristine Malpica. An early environmentalist, Meg released a compilation CD in 1990, For Our Children, to raise money for environmental causes.

There will be FREE Christmas tree seedlings given out that you and your children can plant on Arbor Day the following week. There will also be a giant scroll for VOTING with colored dots about 15 environmental actions you want to take in the future to help our planet. They range from repurposing your old items creatively to learning more about recycling.

And if you want to "speak to power" about all things environmental, feel free to speak with local and Massachusetts state officials who are coming and want to hear from you as they celebrate Earth Day as well.

From a historical perspective, Earth Day developed in 1970 from a united appeal by many independent groups that were working against polluting factories, oil spills, raw sewage, pesticides, the extinction of wildlife, the loss of wilderness, and other challenges to a healthy environment. It also united political foes, rich and poor, farmers, city dwellers, labor, and business leaders to make a difference.

This first Earth Day led to the creation of the Environmental Protection Agency and the adoption of a number of first-of-their-kind environmental regulations. The Clean Air Act addressed the need for healthy air to breathe while the National Environmental Education Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Act focused on other challenges. The Clean Water Act was then passed two years later.

While Earth Day’s lineage dates back to 1970, the social urge to celebrate nature in various ways is ancient. It has been around a lot longer and has been expressed in many cultural and spiritual traditions dating back thousands of years. Rain dances to the gods to end droughts have been performed from ancient Egypt to the numerous American prairie nations. In the 5th century BCE, Germanic tribes saw Spring’s arrival through a spiritual lens. As they honored “Eostre,” a goddess of Spring and the likely adapted namesake of the traditional festival of Easter, whose customs included baby hares and eggs, which have been adopted imagery in today’s Easter celebrations.

An important part of humankind’s journeys throughout the centuries has been a reverence for the gifts of nature and a desire to preserve, protect, and be grateful for them. Whatever your spiritual inclinations or beliefs, if you think about it, conserving the Earth and its creatures is important to our survival as a species. We all know that there Is No Planet B.

Please come on down to Market Square tomorrow to have fun in the spring sunlight and to celebrate Earth Day with some fellow humans, and, being Newburyport, likely with several friendly dogs as well. Bring the kids and both your concerns and your hopes for our planet to share with others.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 18, 2025.

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Every day the news out of Washington seems to get worse, especially from an environmental viewpoint. If it’s not loosening protections for natural areas and water quality, it’s bringing back coal — OMG coal!! — fired electrical plants, while shutting down offshore wind power. As this chaos continues, we need to identify some type of grounded activities that allow us to keep working, at least locally, toward a healthier planet with cleaner air and cleaner water. This is why ACES is thinking about the significance and saga of Notre Dame de Paris this month, as the anniversary of the great fire that destroyed much of it approaches.

On April 15, 2019, as the world watched in horror, flames engulfed the 850-year-old medieval heart of Paris, Notre Dame Cathedral. The fierce fire ravaged the cultural and spiritual icon, bringing down its familiar spire and destroying the ancient wooden roof — the forest, as it is known. The distress we all experienced seeing those flames rising from inside the stone walls was joyfully forgotten this past fall as the world witnessed the reopening of Notre Dame. We saw the gargoyles, stained glass, and spire restored, and the white limestone walls cleaned of centuries of grime now glowing.

The rebuilding required finding more than 1,200 oak trees, with the stipulation that they be straight, free from knots and "frost cracks", and measure 13 meters long. Altogether there are 35 triangular framing trusses running the length of the building that bear the weight of the roof. Much of the wood was hand-sawed, then hewed into shape with hand adzes, just as the beams were in the 12th and 13th centuries. Altogether it took about 200 years to build Notre Dame Cathedral as we knew it, but only about 5 years to restore it.

In 2025, as the U.S. withdraws from the Paris Climate Accords, we ask you to see the rebuilding of Paris’ Notre Dame as a motivation and a metaphor for environmentalists trying to rebuild our environment after centuries of watching it being destroyed. We can all be grateful that the Bloomberg Philanthropies and others will ensure the nation’s funding and reporting obligations to the UN Climate Change Secretariat are met. The fires are burning now, floodwaters are raging, and climate change is real and needs to be addressed.

In rebuilding Notre Dame, philanthropists and everyday people contributed their time and money to fix the problem; the architects and construction engineers, carpenters, and stonemasons relearned old techniques. The world rallied to rebuild their valuable piece of world culture. The American people have voted in a new administration, and we wish it works out well over the next four years.

But the administration’s stated views on climate are factually wrong and appear to be driven more by corporate profit than by concern for our communities’ air and water quality and the well-being of future generations.

Luckily, our system of decentralized governments and non-profits has its power distributed across state and local levels and can act to do what is best in their communities. Consider the recent Historic New England Christmas tree “Chip Fest” where people partied in the snow at the annual Spencer-Pierce-Little Farm and Historic New England's first ever non-bonfire celebration. This year, the donated old Christmas trees were sent through chippers rather than being burned — a conscious decision for eliminating the air and water pollution that has been the custom over many years past.

There are no simple answers here. But ACES is committed to being a place you can pitch in to make whatever progress we can to be keepers of the legacy of our vibrant planet now burning. Let’s all help each other and work harder on improving the health of our planet over the rest of this century.

As for Notre Dame, may it last another 850 years. À votre santé!

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 11, 2025.

NEWBURYPORT — Dedicated to protecting the environment, a Newburyport High School senior is taking the lead in updating the Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards’ survey of the Merrimack River.

Now, she’s looking for the public’s assistance.

“Whether you’re a resident, a professional or any recreational user, we just want some help in getting your voices heard,” Madeleine Rhoden said. “The more people we can get to respond, the more we can raise awareness about pollution concerns and the public’s opinion on proposing solutions to improve river health.”

The Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards (or ACES for short), is a network of organizations and individuals dedicated to climate and environmental health.

In 2022, the local nonprofit organization published the results of its three-year survey of Merrimack River users that showed most people don’t believe the river is healthy.

Conducted from 2020 to 2021, the initial survey involved over 550 general users of the river throughout the 117-mile Merrimack River watershed. The poll showed that 95% of those who responded are concerned about the river’s condition, while 73% believe it is unhealthy to be in, or to drink the water.

Since over 600,000 people get their drinking water from the river, that figure alone is concerning to ACES.

Rhoden was a student at Austin Preparatory School at the time the survey went public in 2022. But she came to NHS in her junior year a year later.

This past December, she helped ACES organize the environmental career open house it held for NHS students. That, she said, got the attention of the head of ACES’ Protect Natural Resources initiative, Lon Hachmeister.

He was tasked with doing a five-year follow-up to the survey and thought Rhoden might be a good fit to direct the project with him.

Rhoden jumped at the chance and is working as an ACES intern.

“She’s good, she’s amazing,” Hachmeister said. “We’re co-directors on this but I’ll tell you right now, she’s doing most of the work. We’re going to be at a water quality roundtable soon and she’s going to be giving a five-minute presentation on the survey.”

Using a Survey Monkey page, Rhoden is collecting insight from recreational users, residents as well as businesses, to better understand concerns and trends along with priorities related to the river’s health and accessibility.

“I have a deep passion for environmental conservation and believe that community input is essential to protecting and improving the Merrimack River,” she said.

The current survey, Rhoden added, builds on the initial study’s results to help inform future conservation and management efforts.

“We want to know where people along the river live,” she said. “The river starts all the way up in Franklin, New Hampshire. It then flows all the way down to here. Right now, we have a lot of people responding in this area. But we’re looking to expand up there.”

Just how people use the river (what activities they engage in or if they use it professionally), Rhoden said is another data point.

The survey also asks people who use the river for drinking water if they have experienced any health problems or know anyone who has.

“We also ask the same thing about pets,” Rhoden said.

There are also a few questions, according to Rhoden, about combined sewage overflows, which occur when upriver sewage plants in Massachusetts as well as New Hampshire release raw human waste into the river after a large rainstorm.

“We want to know if people have heard of them in the first place,” she said. “Then, we want to know the degree of concern they have about them.”

Rhoden added that she hopes to have the survey out to the public for the next two months at least.

“We’re looking to see how many respondents we can get and, over the summer, we can start writing up a report,” she said. “Hopefully, we can get between 600 and 1,000 responses.”

Rhoden, Hachmeister said, is writing other reports for ACES as well.

“There has to be oversight, of course,” he said. “But most of the time, I’m sending her things I’ve written for her to oversee.”

A city native, Rhoden said she has always had a deep love for the great outdoors.

“I do everything outside,” she said. “I built a little town in the woods made out of teepees when I was a kid. I go hiking all the time and will literally pick up any creepy crawly I find.”

It was in her junior year that Rhoden became more interested in science, thanks to her teacher, Dr. Erin Hobbs.

“I took her research-based field studies class and really flourished from there,” she said. “We went outside and did research. Then, we wrote a really long research paper that I got to present at a Mass Audubon conference. From there, I kind of took on the role of a science department ambassador. If there’s any environmental event going on, you will see me there.”

In the fall, Rhoden will head to Michigan State University, where she is going to major in aquatic ecology and management with a potential minor in culinary or food science.

“It’s a little bit complicated but my whole goal is learning about freshwater and natural resources,” she said. “I want to know how to protect and manage that.”

Hachmeister said Rhoden is a real “go-getter.”

“Her internship runs out a the end of the school year,” he said. “I told her the program is going to go on throughout the rest of the summer and asked if she could stay on. She said, ‘Of course.’” Take the survey at: surveymonkey.com/r/mrus2025.

As we enter Earth Month, there are a lot of activities and opportunities for those inclined to learn about and help nature as we try to navigate all the changes happening in our environment. So, for the next few weeks, ACES will be focused on letting our community know about some of the many activities and gatherings you might want to participate in. Bring the kids and bring your activism and enthusiasm to protect the environment. We also want a big turnout to each of these events as a way of supporting environmental causes in the U.S.

April 5th, Saturday: the Repair Café is coming to the Newburyport Senior/Community Center. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. you can join this community event to get “Stuff Repaired” free by skilled repairers. If you need to have a clock running on time, clothing with no more holes, sharp garden tools or other repairs tended to, check out the extent of what can happen.

April 12th, Saturday, from 10–2, the Amesbury Earth Day Fair 2025 will be held at the Al Capp Amphitheater downtown. It will feature live music, kids’ activities, educational displays and games. Stroll along the Pow Wow River as it winds through Amesbury. It’s a wonderful urban nature zone in this beautiful old New England mill town.

The Amesbury Green Team has been working for months to bring together local organizations, businesses, and activists to connect with the community. The fair will offer a unique opportunity for attendees to engage directly with those working daily to make Massachusetts a cleaner, greener place.

A generous grant from the Amesbury Cultural Council supports the fair being free for all attendees. With more than 20 exhibitors, the event will feature organizations dedicated to improving our environment and addressing urgent sustainability issues. Exhibitors will cover a range of topics, including:

● Multi-modal transportation solutions for greener commuting

● Pollinator-friendly gardening to support bees and butterflies

● Environmental advocacy and government lobbying efforts

● Waterway conservation and local cleanup initiatives

Beyond the exhibits, the Earth Day Fair will feature a community bike ride, bike repairs, and live music. Check here for details. 

April 19th, Saturday, in Market Square, Newburyport, ACES will share in its celebration of Earth Day with kid-friendly activities and the presentation of opportunities to volunteer for various environmental causes. The 19th also has cleanup events in West Newbury and at the end of Plum Island. 

If music is important to you, there is a One World, Earth Day Concert at the People’s Café beginning at 1 p.m. on April 26.

On the 27th, a Community Cleanup will take place at the Amesbury Town Park from 8–2:30. Scott and Amy Weidensaul will be at the FRS UU Church in Newburyport at 1 p.m. to share their expertise during a presentation entitled “Birds and Conservation Action.”

To keep abreast of other opportunities and new activities added to the calendar, please check here.

The next few years are going to be crucial as the Earth heats up, and it’s less likely that efforts to combat it are going to be led centrally from D.C. However, we can address local priority challenges and opportunities to do what will be best for future generations. You can help make it happen here in Massachusetts. We can collaborate and act on important work in our greater Newburyport communities. We need to find ways to get lots of different jobs done to help our neighbors and the Earth—and what better time than during Earth Month? Please try to attend one of the many enriching Earth Month opportunities presented above. You’re needed more than ever.

ACES believes we can make a BIG difference together. Team members invite you to stay updated on environmental matters by subscribing to our monthly newsletter via the “Join Our List” link on this page. Please consider joining our community of stewards who are committed to Make Every Day Earth Day by contacting acesnewburyport@gmail.com.

This educational column first appeared in The Daily News of Newburyport on April 4, 2025.