A researcher puts a frog into a pot of boiling water and it hops right out. But if she drops that frog into a pot of tepid water and gradually raises the heat, the frog will stay put until it’s too late.

While factually dubious, the story is a metaphor for how we tend to deal with threatening change. An immediate, pervasive threat, like the coronavirus, grabs our attention, compelling us to respond, while an equally global, dire danger like the ecological crisis is something we feel we can put on the “back burner.”

Of course, for the present our focus needs to be on keeping everyone safe by following best practices. We keep informed, listen to CDC guidelines and comply with sensible government directives. And in navigating our way through coronavirus, we may discover connections that can help us change the course of global warming.

Extinction Rebellion (XR), an international movement to safeguard life on earth, draws parallels, noting “Both [the coronavirus and ecological crisis] reveal our global interconnectedness and vulnerability. Both require truth-telling and cooperation to reduce suffering and save lives.” XR’s foundational demands and principles point to these areas of intersection.

In times of a national emergency, we need facts. Only then can we break through the fog of denial that permeates human nature. We saw this as most countries initially downplayed the contagion but soon came to their senses. Monica Maggioni, journalist and executive with Italian Public Television, explained, “For many Italians, the normal warnings about this virus were simply not enough to change behavior. Denial comes too easily, perhaps. It was more convenient to… pretend that the news was unreal.”

How similar this sounds to our approach to global warming! When wildfires, floods, droughts and food scarcities happen elsewhere, it’s too easy to see them as unrelated misfortunes that do not impact us. When our government and media treat them the same way, our potential to respond remains untapped. But temperatures continue to rise, ice caps continue to melt and species continue to go extinct.

The scientific community has convinced us to face coronavirus even when we are not sick. We are taking their advice to slow down the rate of infection. This is not so with global warming. For decades our governments have ignored scientists’ warnings that we are tumbling toward an uninhabitable planet. Just as with COVID-19, we need to heed the science, tell the truth and act now. Only then can we mobilize the resources to turn away from fossil fuels, and to develop sustainable, cost-effective energy sources. The good news is that solutions already exist; they have been developed by applied scientists and entrepreneurs around the world. The way lies before us. We need only the will to act.

The twin emergencies of pandemic and global warming remind us that life is precarious and precious. If we plow through in emergency mode, we risk forgetting what it is we defend. Extinction Rebellion urges us toward a regenerative culture, which is “healthy, resilient and adaptable,” caring for the planet and for life, reminding us of what we value.

We can emerge from the coronavirus crisis even stronger than before. The invitation then will be to apply the lessons learned to tackle the climate crisis. Let’s not be like those frogs waiting until it’s too late to act.

For more on Extinction Rebellion go to xrmass.org. Nancy Ledoux can be contacted at nancyledoux@comcast.net.

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This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Sam Cooper — NHS junior

Earth and its ecosystems have always been our home. As we all know, life would be impossible without its habitat and resources. In order to achieve a balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations, we promote harmony with nature and the Earth on April 22 each year.

Not only does Earth Day symbolize what we cherish most within our serene planet, but also it reminds us of what we have lost and must continue to fight for.

Although a single day of the 365 in a year, Earth Day reminds us about and motivates us toward crucial actions that must be taken for a healthy and safe future.

On the special date, various suggestions during meetings and conversations are brought to light about recycling, energy conservation, increasing plant and tree growth, safe water, respecting nature, reducing toxins in the air, and so much more.

It is crucial that Earth Day be recognized for many years to come so future generations are educated about our strong, yet so fragile planet. While many understand and care about the environment, there are others who need educating and convincing to promote a healthy planet.

Sophie Burns — NHS sophomore

We all know how beautiful Newburyport looks when you’re just coming over the Route 1 bridge from Salisbury, especially just as the sun is setting. You see clean water, and people enjoying the fresh air. How grateful we should be to have this space on Earth that we call home. We should celebrate it.

Earth Month inspires people to reflect on their place in the wider world. Earth Month inspires me to make changes. For instance, I’ve helped my family become more a part of the “zero waste” community by composting. We’re now putting less food waste into the local landfill.

Earth Month gives people an excuse to express their love and support for the planet.

Posters promoting the well-being of the Earth are everywhere with facts about climate change, positive changes people can make, and how to get involved.

We’re all part of a much bigger ecosystem and are so lucky to have these resources to sustain and maybe even improve life for future generations. That is why we should celebrate this Earth.

Lexi Klapes — Nock Middle School, Grade 8

Earth Month is very important to celebrate. It is a great way to teach others about the importance of the environment and the effect we have on it.

Kids, especially the younger ones, might not know a lot about how to keep a cleaner environment.

Especially when I was younger, we didn’t really learn a lot about the importance of ways to make the world better, and how to fight climate change. We weren’t taught what we could do about it. We didn’t really know if we could do anything.

Earth Month is a whole month dedicated to learning about the world we live in and what we can do to help it rather than hurt it. It’s the perfect time to get kids involved, or at least informed, about the climate and what we’re doing to damage it.

Earth Month could even inspire kids to make a change in their community. If they know the damage, they can try to fight the problem. And that shapes a better future for the planet and all of us living on it.

To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, go to: https://www.aces-alliance.org.

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This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Art Currier – ACES

I remember the first Earth Day celebrations in 1970 – March 21 and on April 22. The later was actually a “teach in” and gained significant visibility and momentum.

Environmental activist Sen. Gaylord Nelson wanted the world to become more aware of the multitude of environmental challenges we faced. Each of us now has the opportunity to help the well-being of our future generations by being proactive in honoring a very relevant axiom: “Think globally, work locally, act personally.”

The following are the perspectives of three very passionate ACES interns who are fostering environmental stewardship every day for the benefit of all.

Alyssa Keith – NHS senior

Most people agree that systemic change in the sustainability of our lives is needed for environmental progress. In a society that celebrates technology and the ease of putting eggs into plastic bags, it’s easy to forget that everyday routines will forever be burdening the Earth.

I’m proud Newburyport has taken the step to ban plastic bags along with adopting a plethora of other sustainable practices. While this holds true for my community, we need to ensure that others follow our lead. With April being Earth Month, we can keep encouraging members of our communities and others on a global scale to do the same.

In the past, Earth Day typically has been celebrated over social media by people emptying their camera rolls of aesthetically pleasing landscapes like the beach or vibrant sunset. I think that Earth Month provides a longer period of time for people who would grow by engaging with the environment – participating in actionable activities like beach cleanups.

By making this event more than one day, new relationships will be fostered among people and our planet. My hope is that we can foster more individuals continuing to support and devote time to a cleaner Earth. We want that future generations become intrinsically motivated to help our Earth.

Refraining from plastic or cutting down on red meats can become normalized. I see Earth Month as the New Year’s resolutions for climate activists. It’s the perfect opportunity to kick off a lifelong pursuit to eat less red meat, ride your bike instead of driving to work if possible, and hopefully progress into a more sustainable lifestyle.

Cami Loignon — NHS senior

When I’m reminded of the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” I tend to think about the type of impact Earth Day makes on our lives, kind of like the rumble of a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms are usually brief, but they are loud and leave behind significant changes to our environment.

Similarly, Earth Day brings about a platform where our voices can be amplified on why we want to protect the health of our planet, resonating with the world. A large, collective team can be heard over one individual. In fact, Earth Day emerged in the 1970s, protesting against pollution from spilling oil, polluting the water and spewing smoke into the air.

Following the adrenaline and intensity of social movements in the ‘60s, people began to fight for environmental policy. Early on, people noticed the negative impacts of the industrial revolution and they were angry. Sound familiar?

Greta Thunberg has led millions of people to strike for environmental change. However, the oil industry continues to monopolize the global economy, overriding many environmental policies. Earth Day inspires us to continue to fight – it gives us a voice. If we’re loud enough, perhaps we can pave a road to help the generations to come.

Eleni Protopapas — NHS senior

I believe Earth Month and Earth Day celebrations are important for the well-being of future generations because it exposes them to environmental issues at a young age. I remember in elementary school, Earth Day would be celebrated by the teachers reading children’s books to my classmates, followed by brief assemblies explaining how and what to recycle.

Even minute events like these educated my peers and me on environmental values that were seldom being taught elsewhere. As a senior, I am now able to see growth in our community by witnessing a new generation of students become more educated on how to care for the environment.

I am always thrilled to see elementary-aged children educating their parents by recycling their plastic bottles and picking up litter. By continuing this part of elementary education throughout Earth Month, future generations will be increasingly mindful of pollution, eventually promoting the well-being of our society.

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This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

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In today’s world, plastic bags have become ubiquitous because of their low costs, durability, and convenience. For many, plastic bags are considered a necessity when buying groceries or other goods. Unfortunately, plastic bags have been damaging our planet for the past 50 years. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimated the United States uses 100 billion plastic retail bags each year. While our environment continues to suffer from increased production and disposal of plastic bags, some communities have taken action.

Sheila Taintor of Storm Surge explains, “If you apply that to Newburyport, that’s about 4.5 million a year and these bags are aerodynamic. They escape into the environment in a second.”

Newburyport banned plastic bags after the law was signed on Oct. 1, 2014, and became the first city in the commonwealth to do so. This leadership move for the community has resulted in a significant reduction in this form of litter with more citizens using attractive, reusable bags.

However, the nation continues to be plagued by plastic pollution, exacerbated by plastic bags. In his web blog, ecologist David Suzuki explains that “besides accumulating in the ocean, they [plastic bags] litter the streets and natural areas, often clogging drainage systems and contributing to flooding.” Not only do bags accumulate in oceans and harm wildlife, but also they can damage our infrastructure when in large quantities. This is a major issue in more susceptible areas with fragile ecosystems and weaker infrastructure. Plastic bags must be banned in communities around the nation so areas that run a higher risk of being impacted by litter and waste are safer.

Globally, plastic bags constitute the fourth largest volume of material that accumulates in our oceans. According to the Oceans Conservancy 2011 Coastal Cleanup, 969,244 plastic bags were found on the Pacific coast alone (Ocean Litter). In addition, “at least 8 million tons of plastic enter the oceans each year. That’s similar to emptying a garbage truck of plastic into an ocean every minute,” according to the United Nations. These extreme numbers clearly show the dire need for action on limiting plastic bags.

Plastic bags take a considerable amount of time to decompose once littered in the environment. The article Paper Versus Plastic explains that “light breaks plastic down so it photodegrades rather than biodegrade. Estimates say that this process can take up to 500 or even 1,000 years” (McGrath). So plastic bags may be useful for the time being, but they are disposed of, rarely used again, and take hundreds of years to decompose. Their inability to biodegrade proves another reason single-use plastic bags should be eliminated.

All plastic contributes to the CO2 emissions challenge as plastic is a petroleum product. Therefore, we will be wise to eliminate single-use plastic bottles and packaging as well as plastic bags. Because of the nation’s increase in plastic bag, bottle, and packaging production, our earth is harmed and we are setting up future generations for the worst.

While some may argue that plastic bags offer efficiency, most agree that plastic bags are detrimental to many forms of life. Plastic bags damage ecosystems and areas where infrastructure isn’t advanced. In addition, they take many hundreds of years to decompose. Lastly, the production of plastic bags depletes the availability of crucial fossil fuels.

In order to promote the general welfare and safety for our future generations, the banning of plastic bags is a responsible, proactive step, as proven by the evidence above. I believe human beings should demonstrate enough care for future generations to take actions that will make a difference and not let laziness result in another ecosystem’s problem. Likewise, I hope everyone will request that every Massachusetts state representative support the passage of the bill that has been passed by the state Senate, so we can join the eight states that have banned single-use plastic bags and the more than 100 Massachusetts communities that have already instituted bans.

Sam Cooper is the president of the junior class at Newburyport High School, vice president of the Interact Club, a member of the Environmental Club and an intern for ACES. He can be reached at samcooper821@gmail.com.

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This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Fifty years ago, the world was home to 2.7 billion people. We are now approaching 8 billion people – almost triple in our lifetime. How could that kind of growth, those kinds of numbers, not make an impact on our planet? Global warming, indeed!

But rather than sign up for the passenger list for Elon Musk’s Mars colonization mission, maybe we need to look at how we can utilize our current resources better.

In the Newburyport area, we are lucky. We are leaders at saving the planet. Let’s look at it from a micro, mini and macro perspective.

At a micro level, we excel at residents recycling – look at those containers chock full on garbage day – and the use of the compost program, even though it costs extra.

Another piece of evidence: Crowds every first Saturday at the recycle center swapping items, bringing in electronics, Styrofoam, used oil and metal. The success of the Repair Café at the Senior Community Center is another data point. Newburyporters are getting very good at the six R’s: refuse, reduce, reuse, repair, repurpose, recycle. But we can get better.

Now, let’s turn to examples at the mini level of environmental action. What other small cities have this many options for ridesharing or commuting?

The bus options at the Park & Ride (thanks, C&J!), the local MVRTA bus routes, even the fact that we are at the “rail’s end” and can take advantage of a train to Boston and beyond. Why drive when you can ride? And many locals do ride – especially their bikes on our local bike trails. Check off another one for carbon footprint reduction.

What we often ignore is the macro level contribution we make: our homes. We’ve had an unprecedented growth in solar rooftops. A large part of our housing stock is 1850 and earlier.

Both of those facts put us in an enviable position when it comes to our contribution to the environment. How many trees have we saved by avoiding new construction?

Maybe, that’s a new set of R’s: rent, resell, rehabilitate. Energy awareness programs have made many of our 200-plus-year-old homes as tight as 20-year-old homes.

We tend to live on smaller plots of land. We inhabit an unprecedented number of half houses and have converted many larger homes into condos. Homes have been on their lots forever, built using local materials. I think we don’t give ourselves enough credit.

The Dallas suburbs we are not, and it has paid off, not only environmental dividends, but destination dividends as well – Newburyport history, and our historic homes, make this the place to visit.

Let’s not take all that for granted. Every horsehair plaster wall we tear down, every early growth woodwork we throw out adds to waste and contributes to climate change.

But we Newburyporters are a frugal bunch. If you are like me, gutting a room – or a home – is a last resort. If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it. Add housing preservation to the environmental awareness list.

Recently, Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock, an investment management firm, said that climate change has become a defining factor in companies’ long-term prospects.

Homeowners, like companies, have a vested interest in climate change and what it does to our pocketbooks in the next 30 years.

Says Larry: What will happen to the 30-year mortgage – a key building block of finance – if lenders can’t estimate the impact of climate risk over such a long timeline, and if there is no viable market for flood or fire insurance in impacted areas?

While government must lead the way in this climate transition, companies and investors also have a meaningful role to play. But when it comes to climate change, it’s the decision we make as individuals, whether at the micro, mini or macro level, that ultimately will make a difference.

Let’s continue to treat our old Newburyport homes like the climate assets they are by minimizing wholesale reconstruction, interior gutting or tear-downs. Not just for history’s sake – but for the climate’s sake as well.

Jack Santos, a 12-year resident of Newburyport, is a research vice president and chief of research for enterprise architecture and technology innovation with Gartner Inc. He is also an ACES adviser contributing to the development of IT and overall systems. He can be reached at iam@jacksantos.com.

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This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

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You have a love of the natural world and a desire to keep it nice. Lately, you’ve been anxious about how urgent our climate crisis has become. Even if you can’t participate with Greta Thunberg in a public march or testify at the Statehouse for a particular piece of legislation, you still can do something about the environment.

As an individual with lots of friends online, you can use your social media voice on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram to advocate for climate and the environment. You can also check out ACES, the Alliance of Climate and Environmental Stewards, focused on supporting a wide range of existing organizations to multiply their local impact with partnering efforts.

Here’s my experience trying to do what I’m suggesting you might like to try. Since becoming active on ACES’ marketing and communications team, I decided to learn about Twitter as a way that I might personally help the cause. So in October 2018, impressed by the power of Twitter in the public discourse, I decided to begin tweeting as myself, not as ACES, but congruent with their ideals.

Here’s a little bit about the things I’ve learned and what I think it has accomplished. First, I opened a Twitter account by going online and signing up. It began pretty awkwardly as I learned to compose and send tweets, follow others who tweeted topics I was interested in and began liking and retweeting others’ good content.

I slowly learned the value of using a hashtag word such a #climate to reach others who look for their hashtags of interest. Similarly, I learned you can copy your tweet specifically to another person by using their easy-to-find Twitter handle.

For example, @GinaNRDC is Gina McCarty, who is the former head of the EPA, now heading up the National Resources Defense Council. Or  @DianaDiZoglio is the Twitter handle of Greater Newburyport’s state senator.

Soon, I discovered Twitter’s analytics pages and began doing more of what worked to attract readers and less of what fell flat. As I learned more, my content began to change as I developed more interesting sources.

On a typical day, I like to read morning stories in a few different news or magazine sources, or do a quick search for climate ideas or art that is topical and timely.

Then, I write several tweets relating it, if possible, to local or state climate issues. I strive to have a bigger-picture issue related locally and to include a photo or graphics as eye catchers. Often, I’ll retweet someone else’s good ideas.

Today, my profile has evolved to “GreenTalkDaily Leaning Forward on Climate & Environment – News, Ideas & Culture”

After a year, I’m following 1,144 other tweeters. I’m followed by 420 people or groups. Most are individuals like me but some are prominent, including one international climate agency, as well as several scientists, people in the media and experts with much bigger followings.

Now, I’m averaging 2,200 readers a day with high-water marks above 10,000 on a given day. It’s not a viral thing yet and it’s hard to know definitely, but I hope readers find something useful or motivational in their own efforts at helping climate.

My goal for the first year was to learn how to use this tool effectively and maybe to find a voice or theme that could help move forward my climate concerns. I think it’s been working so far.

It may be an idea you’d like to consider, not just on Twitter but on whatever social platforms or letters to the editor you prefer.

If you want to help the environment, why not specifically resolve in 2020 to communicate about it? Start a podcast like Dyke Hendrickson’s “Life Along the Merrimack.”

Post on Facebook or Instagram, cross-post some ideas to friends. You can be and maybe are already active on social media. Why not establish or expand your personal brand as a climate communicator? Your voice can make a difference.

Meanwhile, check out Twitter for a few ideas, and join the ACES Facebook group, www.aces-alliance.org, or take a few nature photos to post on Instagram. Begin your own climate and environmental storytelling and help rescue the future.

Ron Martino lives in Newburyport and is online at GreenTalkDaily@ronmartino4.

This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

A commitment to environmental stewardship, on a local and global level, is at the core of the Montessori Method represented by the River Valley Charter School, a local public Montessori school serving students in grades K-8. Since the school’s doors opened 20 years ago, the students, teachers, and the greater school community have worked to foster change and awareness of the environment by educating the school community and taking action to leave the world better than they found it.

River Valley teachers, students, and families work hard to live the axiom “Think Globally, Work Locally, and Act Personally!” Three groups exemplify this commitment: the middle school’s Environmental Coalition, a group of elementary students who are specifically focused on the climate crisis; River Valley’s staff and administration; and the Board of Trustees, who work to ensure the school operates with an eye toward environmental and sustainability efforts.

River Valley middle school students, with the support of two teachers, began an Environmental Coalition at the beginning of this school year. Their goal was to raise awareness and educate the school community about environmental issues while also affecting change throughout the school and beyond. During its first few months, the coalition participated in the local rally of the global climate strike. Next, they identified the goal of a “zero waste lunch.” Members of the coalition educated younger students on how to pack their lunches in reusable packaging, teaching them about sustainability. The long-term goal is to eliminate waste from school lunches completely. Looking forward, the coalition plans to work collaboratively with the Newburyport Tree Commission to plant trees around the city this spring. The Environmental Coalition provides an inspiring model of the impact student-led actions can make.

River Valley’s upper elementary students also began an environmental group to coordinate recycling and a composting program that both staff and grade K-8 students participate in. Students use the nutrient-rich compost to support school-based gardening. Another initiative among the grade 4-6 students is an ongoing, school wide cleanup of school grounds during recess. Students walk around the building, and sometimes along Perry Way, picking up trash to help beautify their surroundings. Such actions are crucial for students to build life-long habits which can have a far-reaching environmental impact.

River Valley Charter School staff, administration, and trustees model environmental stewardship as well. Faculty’s professional development activities includes an Environmental Project Group. About once a month, teachers get together to brainstorm ways the school can further its commitment to environmental stewardship. One example of this work was the elimination of plastic-based scotch tape from the engineering program, switching to cellulose-based Sellotape instead. The school has moved away from single-use food ware including paper plates, plastic-ware and paper napkins. Every staff member was welcomed back at the beginning of the year with a cloth napkin to use instead of paper. (The school has a washing machine onsite to clean them).

Another professional development activity included taking staff on an outing aboard the local public bus system so teachers would learn about, and consider, public bus transport for field trips. Administration has worked to eliminate as much paper-based communication as possible, using electronic and cloud-based communication and registration when possible. Lastly, the RVCS Board of Trustees invested in the environmental future, approving the installation of 359 solar panels on the roof of the school in 2018. These provide 130,000 kilowatts of energy each year!

These actions, and many more, demonstrate that the students, staff, and school community at River Valley Charter School are fully engaged in making an impact on the world, globally, locally, and personally. River Valley’s efforts and actions codify school’s commitment to both leading and creating leaders who will ensure environmental stewardship is at the forefront of everything we do.

For more information, contact school director Jonnie Lyn Evans at jlevans@rivervalleycharter.org or visit the website: https://www.rivervalleycharter.org/

Dan Bouchard is assistant director of River Valley Charter School in Newburyport.

This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, as it celebrates what is most important to me: family, friends, and good food. When asked to write this column with the theme of “Fostering Environmental Stewardship,” I immediately thought of gratitude. I have been the wildlife biologist at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge for 17 years. The refuge and the US. Fish and Wildlife Service (our parent agency) have a small staff with lofty goals. Our mission is to preserve America’s diversity of wildlife for the enjoyment of current and future generations. To meet this mission, we rely heavily on volunteers, partners, and community members.

Each year, an average of 160 people donate over 5,000 hours volunteering at the refuge. As a mom to two kids, I know how precious free time can be. What makes these volunteers donate their valuable time? I’ve heard many answers: caring about community, helping wildlife or the planet, being outdoors, being active, having fun, learning new things, connecting with people, and helping out the refuge staff. The enthusiasm, joy, and wonder of these volunteers remind me how lucky I am to have my job.

A colleague recently told me that she may be suffering from climate trauma. Indeed, the news from climate scientists can be scary and disheartening. However, I am optimistic about the future of the refuge and local communities in the face of climate change. I have observed first-hand how resilient nature can be. Big storms bring dramatic change that can be alarming, like erosion and big tidal surges. But these large events also make natural places more resilient. Last year, Winter Storm Grayson deposited about 10 years’ worth of sediment on top of salt marshes from Boston to Maine. This built critical elevation that will help the marsh keep up with sea level rise, protecting adjacent homes and communities.

More than appreciating nature’s resilience, taking proactive actions to mitigate climate impacts contributes to my optimism. Working with partners, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge has developed several techniques that will restore the ebb and flow of water on the marsh, helping it adapt to the coming changes.

Additionally, many community members have taken individual actions that will help the marsh and the communities be more resilient. For 13 years, hundreds of volunteers braved heat and greenheads to pull perennial pepper weed, an invasive plant that has invaded our salt marshes. Many mention that they are thrilled to be able to do something about invasive plants after years of watching them take over their favorite places. Their collective efforts have made a difference, as they have eradicated this invasive plant from more than 100 locations.

In many towns, ongoing debates continue about how best to make the local roads and other infrastructure more resilient to climate change. Town officials and community members are wrestling with how to balance costs, short and long-term impacts of various mitigation strategies, and impacts to residents. They have also taken time to learn the latest science to understand how these mitigation actions will affect long-term viability of town infrastructures and natural communities.

Many local residents have planted native plants, installed rain barrels and rain gardens, used green lawn care practices, and done what they can in their own yards. These actions, although individually small, collectively have a huge impact on how our communities will fare in the coming storms. The ability of water to infiltrate the ground more quickly means reduced flooding in our towns and less runoff in our rivers. Planting native shrubs, trees, and flowers provides important food and shelter for insects, birds, and other wildlife.

This Thanksgiving season, I am grateful for many things in my life, including the fact that I can work to mitigate climate impacts and still be optimistic about the future. For that, I would like to thank all the volunteers, partners, and community members that chose to use their valuable time to make a difference in their own way.

The refuge works as part of the Great Marsh Coalition to increase awareness and appreciation of the local salt marshes and to promote community stewardship of the Great Marsh. If you are interested in getting involved, visit http://greatmarsh.org or https://parkerriver.org.

Nancy Pau is a wildlife biologist at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge on Plum Island.

This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Every day in Newburyport, excited students use newfound STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) skills and knowledge to design and conduct science experiments, and to engineer solutions to real world problems.

They design water purification systems, use coding to program robots, plant and maintain gardens, and model erosion mitigation and habitat restoration at Plum Island. Each of our students, starting in preschool, uses the tools of math and science to experience problem-based learning, which increases teacher and student STEM knowledge, skills, and engagement.

Combining and using classroom learning, connecting with local scientists and climate experts, and collaborating and communicating with peers become our best hope to combat critical environmental threats facing all of us today and in the future. Our kids truly embrace the ACES purpose “to positively impact our environment’s health and our planet’s climate” through their interdisciplinary learning.

Six years ago, the Newburyport Public School leadership team decided to make a serious commitment to STEM education in our schools. Since then, the opportunities for all students, especially our youngest scientists and engineers, have grown tremendously.

Using a myriad of funding sources including the school budget, the Newburyport Education Foundation, and other grants and local funders, NPS has created STEM programming at every school available to every student, and adopted hands-on, standards-based materials K-12.

The largest impact has been on elementary students who now have high-quality integrated science and STEM courses, resulting in a “pipeline” of kids going into middle school with strong backgrounds in the applied science, technology and engineering competencies necessary for success in school and beyond.

Research shows that effective teaching in elementary school is a make-or-break factor for future STEM success, and therefore significant resources have been provided to support teacher professional learning.

A key component to our STEM units and modules is an intentional focus on global and local energy and sustainability issues. For instance, in a kindergarten STEMscopes module titled “Reducing Human Impact,” students are asked to sort types of pollution into threats to land, water or air. They are presented with a picture card and tasked with identifying the type of pollution depicted and then, with a partner, which part of the environment is most polluted by the effects of the item.

An answer may be as simple as, “I think this kind of pollution is smoke from a factory, and I think it pollutes air.” A follow-up question may ask, “What are some things people can do to help prevent pollution?” Even small children will say, “Throw litter in trash cans; don’t burn things like piles of leaves or trash; don’t throw things that don’t belong into lakes and oceans.”

Today, environmental education is a consistent focus through the elementary grades, becoming more sophisticated as students consider how to mitigate threats to our local and global environments through middle and high school.

This important and intentional educational pathway meets the NPS goals of insuring student acquisition of 21st century skills and competencies; developing positive STEM interest, engagement, attitude and behavior; and providing an increased knowledge and awareness of STEM college and career options.

These experiences also align to the ACES goal to define, monitor and promote relevant assets (programs, products and services) that contribute to the area’s overall foundation for climate and environmental stewardship initiatives.

Imagine how the culture of the school and community will change when every one of our K-12 students has been encouraged to “Think globally, work locally, and act personally” throughout their time in the Newburyport Public Schools!

Elizabeth F. Kinzly, Ed.D., is the PK-8 STEM coordinator for Newburyport Public Schools

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This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

The ALLIANCE OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDS, Inc. (ACES) is a 501C3 corporation devoted to fostering environmental stewardship by building an alliance of collaborating organizations, businesses, NGOs, governmental bodies, educational institutions and individuals committed to contributing to the well-being of future generations.

Our Purpose is to foster stewardship and motivate action that positively impacts our environment’s health and the planet’s climate.

Our Values

‍We are committed to collaboration, efficiency, integrity, innovation, learning, sustainability, and respect for science, as well as for each other.

Our Approach

‍ACES selects important initiatives needing multiple ally support. We operate with a respectful, collaborative and dialogue-based approach to planning and operations. Supported by a minimal volunteer staff, project/task teams develop plans and collect data and information that can be shared with participating parties. We value protecting the assets of the community, including all forms of infrastructure and natural resources that can be impacted by global warming and environmental degradation.

Our Vision for 2021

‍Our initiatives are addressing climate change, environmental and economic health related concerns. ACES provides networking opportunities, helps identify shared interests/initiatives, and offers organizational development, marketing, communications, best practices and financial support. The leadership team is a multi-aged group of individuals committed to improving the legacy of the planet for the well-being of our youth and future generations. This is all about their future quality of life.

Our Overarching Goal for the Next 3 Years‍

Guided by a leadership team and supported by an engaged board and advisors, the organization will employ best practices to:

• Establish an organization of inspired stewards with the capacity, structure and processes to gather, organize, and share resources needed develop and coordinate initiatives which enhance the health of our environment.
  

• Work collaboratively “in-service” to a network of ever-growing allies toward achieving their specific goals and objectives.
  

• Define, monitor and promote relevant assets (knowledge, programs, products and services) that support the area’s overall foundation for climate and environmental stewardship initiatives.
  

• Contribute to building community resiliency in the face of climate change (Medium Term Adaptation and Mitigation)
• Contribute to slowing the rate of global warming and lowering our carbon footprint (Long Term Mitigation Effect).

People and Structure

‍Individuals involved with ACES are committed to its expressed purpose of impacting climate change and promoting environmental well-being. Supporters are pro-active about making a meaningful contribution in an area of personal interest, willingly sharing their passion and knowledge with others.

Their professional and personal backgrounds vary, but they are united in their interest to ensure the realization of ACES’ purpose. A supportive and inspiring culture honors the power of collaboration and the passions, interests and contributions of each individual. We are committed to working with and supporting youth to develop an ever growing number of environmental stewards.

Scope

‍Long-term success will be measured by our contribution to enhancing our quality of life and the achievement of the above goals. Ultimately, we will serve as a model for establishing collaborative approaches to stewardship beyond the Greater Newburyport base.

Current 2019 initiatives include working on

1. ‍Spring and Fall Cleanup Campaigns
2. The Healthy Merrimack River Initiative
3. Nurturing Environmental Stewardship and Mindfulness, initially among youth
4. “Fostering Environmental Stewardship” – a guest opinion column series in collaboration with the Newburyport Daily News.

If you or your organization is interested in learning more about working together toward advancing environmental stewardship, please contact Art Currier at artcurrier40@gmail.com / call 508-243-5273 or reach us on this website.

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Purpose of Study

The Merrimack River has always been a place that enabled commerce, travel and recreation for the people and communities lucky enough to access it. But that access has come at a price as population density continues to rise, and industries, shopping malls and office space continue to expand. The result is that the Merrimack again appears threatened by pollution.

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Our changing climate is causing a higher frequency of extreme weather events such as storms, hurricanes, heat waves, and floods – all of which can have serious impacts on the employees, operations, and finances of local businesses.

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges businesses around the world will need to tackle in the coming years. It is also however, one of the greatest economic opportunities of our time. Taking action on climate change pushes us to reimagine a more sustainable world where striving for a better way to do business becomes the norm.

Our mission at the Climate Action Business Association (CABA) is to help address the climate crisis by organizing local business leaders to be more effective advocates for and stewards of climate action within their businesses and communities, as well as at the state, national, and even international levels.

CABA is a project of Climate XChange, our parent organization, that focuses on research, media, and advocacy for smart and ambitious climate policy. Through this partnership we are able to provide businesses with the resources needed to better understand how policies and business decisions can lead to a sustainable future. We equip business leaders with science-based research and innovative tools to take action on the climate crisis through adaptation and mitigation avenues, and provide avenues for stakeholders to leverage their voice as influencers in their community.

Our Businesses Acting Rising Seas (BARS) campaign is an award-winning program that educates local businesses about the impacts of climate change and prepares them for impending natural disasters. We have engaged with 900-plus businesses in more than 20 communities through this program along the coast in Massachusetts, including Newburyport. The campaign provides resources and critical data to local businesses, and it gives them the tools necessary to be resilient and protected in the face of rising seas and extreme weather. CABA’s Small Business Resilience Guide offers small businesses ways to protect themselves and steps to become more resilient to these global challenges.

The Newburyport Small Business Resilience Guide is available on our website at https://cabaus.org/businesses-acting-on-rising-seas/

In addition to building resilient local business communities, we deploy trained teams to talk to local businesses about how they are preparing for climate change impacts and together we explored the resources and tools businesses need to better adapt and become more resilient. We have used this research to develop a comprehensive report to get to the heart of this issue and offer solutions to take action and prepare. You can download the report at: https://cabaus.org/businesses-acting-on-rising-seas/

In striving toward a more secure and resilient future, we must acknowledge the vulnerabilities of our local businesses when it comes to climate impacts. Our communities are at the foundation of our economic vitality and can be the key to increased resilience in the face of climate change.

CABA’s programming and engagement is made possible through donations and contributions to our Tesla Carbon Raffle. If you are interested in learning more about our work and becoming involved visit https://climate-xchange.org/donate/#For-businesses or at https://carbonraffle.org.

Kristin Kelleher, the programs director of the Climate Action Business Association, grew up in Newbury. She can be reached at Kristin.Kelleher@cabaus.org.

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This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Just two years ago, Newburyport’s Environmental Club had four active members. However, at our past meeting, on Sept. 17, a group of 30 students sat down to discuss issues plaguing the high school and our community.

Why the sudden resurgence and gain in members?

Our generation is recognizing the urgency to act in protecting our planet, even if that means starting with our own small school. Environmental Club (E-Club) began with the intent of fostering a deeper understanding of how we can be conscious consumers, media users and stewards of the environment.

Over the past years, our club has collected batteries, markers, started composting at the high school and most importantly, installed five water bottle filling stations around the school.

These fillers eliminate the need for students to purchase the infamous Dasani single-use plastic bottles. E-Club President Noah Keller says, “There is an epidemic at our school of students mindlessly punching in their lunch combination to buy bottled water daily.”

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These fillers create a win-win-win. Students win because they don’t have to wait until lunch to quench their thirst; parents win because they aren’t wasting money; and most importantly, the Earth wins because plastic is avoided.

In order to achieve these accomplishments, a dedicated group of students has made a commitment. Despite the stereotypical tree-hugging, plant-eating, plastic-loathing climate crusaders our peers might think we are, NHS’ Environmental Club consists of a diverse group of students with varying levels of stewardship.

Most of us don’t really care if people eat red meat or sometimes forget to compost. The club exists primarily to educate others! For example, one of our first activities will be to design homemade compost bins along with a guide to hand out to classmates. This activity aligns nicely with our club’s goal to emphasize the importance of enjoying our Earth.

It’s no secret that the rise of media and popularity of smartphones has enabled students to access news stories with a few clicks. While the accessibility of these stories may seem like a blessing, these posts have caused additional stress.

Waking up and scrolling past a story of the Amazon rainforest burning, to a colorless coral reef, to a skeletal polar bear makes me feel like it is my responsibility to fix climate change, bring color back to the reefs and nourish polar bears back to health.

However, the Environmental Club has taught me that it’s equally important to engage in introspective practices of meditation, swimming or even napping in the grass.

Grounding ourselves and learning to appreciate nature can help remind us of why we fight for our political leaders to accept the era of the Green New Deal.

In fact, just this past Friday, some members of the Environmental Club left school to attend the Climate Strike in Boston. We marched in the streets with peers holding signs that read, “We’re skipping our lessons to teach you one” and “Denial is not policy.”

The day concluded with us entering the Statehouse to demand the declaration of a climate emergency and for the state to stop using fossil fuels and building fossil fuel infrastructure. E-Club member Cami Loignon-Gagnon pointed out after the march “the turnout of this Climate Strike was incredible compared to the one last spring. It’s time for our leaders to do their part.”

Although Newburyport High School’s environmental policies may not be on the news (yet!), we maintain our efforts to make change within our own community in order to progress nationally. The Environmental Club has plans to do just that.

Full article: https://www.newburyportnews.com/opinion/columns/commentary-environmental-club----stewards-in-action/article_e8db3b99-15a3-5f2c-9d3e-b62be5ecf80a.html

In our history, local food drives – the collection of nonperishables purchased by community members – were a vital part of filling the shelves in Our Neighbors’ Table’s food pantries. Early partnerships with local stores like Stop & Shop and Vermette’s yielded a trunk full of surplus bread or desserts. But for most of our 27 years, most of our food came either from food drives, direct purchases or from a food bank. Today, things look a little different. More than 25% of the food that stocks our markets is “rescued” from local retailers and wholesalers, redirected from landfills to our shelves and ultimately to neighbors who can really use it.

Our Neighbors’ Table (ONT), based in Amesbury, has been providing dignified food assistance to northeastern Essex County since 1992. In 2016, we turned the traditional food pantry model on its head, replacing it with a one-of-a-kind grocery market that guests and community members have likened to Stop & Shop or Whole Foods. In 2018, more than 4,000 people living in Greater Newburyport shopped for groceries in our markets, now located in Amesbury, Newburyport and Merrimac. In 2018 we declared Amesbury a “Food-Secure City” and now set our sights on doing the same in Salisbury, Merrimac and Newburyport by the end of 2020.

While serving our neighbors in need is our primary mission, “rescuing” food and being good stewards of our land have also become important parts of our operation. Here are just a few of the ways ONT is lessening the impact of waste on our environment:

Keeping food out of landfills. Every year, the American food system throws out billions of pounds of perfectly good food. This food is rejected because of packaging, restrictive guidelines and because we’ve been trained to only take a perfectly red apple. Since Jan. 1, ONT has already diverted 250,000 pounds of high quality, wholesome food (mostly meats, vegetables, and other valuable perishables) from the landfill to our market shelves.

Minimizing our own waste. ONT partners with local pig farmers for food waste and recycles its paper, metal and plastic waste. We are selective about the food donations we accept and work to educate our volunteers, donors and guests on the truth about “ugly” fruits and vegetables. We hope this will foster their own smarter shopping as well.

Minimizing household waste. Traditional food pantries often ration and pre-determine the selection of foods. This approach actually encourages shoppers to stockpile from week to week until they have enough of an item to have enough to feed a family. At ONT, shoppers are welcomed to take what and how much they need and can trust that the food supply is consistent and accessible every week. As a result, guests have reduced the amount of food they take each week by more than 10% and, most importantly, they use everything they take.

Providing incentives for re-usable bags. Like everyone else, we also hate plastic shopping bags. But not everyone can afford re-usable bags – and sometimes we just forget them at home! We’ve distributed thousands of re-usable bags and use fun incentives like gift card raffles to encourage our shoppers to bring them each week. We’re a long way from the finish line, but I’d guess we’ve since cut our use of plastic bags by more than 50%.

There’s still a long way to go for the mainstream food industry, from restaurants to grocery store patrons, to become better shoppers and reduce waste in our food supply chain. For now, ONT has been able to put that surplus and rejected food to good use. I’d also like to think we can serve as a model for us all to change the way we take food for granted and lessen our own footprints in the vast land of food waste.

Lyndsey Haight is executive director of Our Neighbors’ Table. On the web at ourneighborstable.org.

This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

In the beginning, covering most of our planet, there were trees. We have to believe, and I think most of us do, that the Earth knew what it was doing.

Trees provide food, shelter, clean air, healthy soil, beauty – a healthy planet and a healthier us. As we learn more and more about trees, the list of benefits grows longer and longer.

Newburyport’s Tree Commission, founded in 2002, had been furiously planting street trees for several years when we started to talk about ways to make the commission’s mission more understood. Fortunately, we had already established a nonprofit, though it had been dormant for some years.

In 2015, The Friends of Newburyport Trees perked up, created a board, a post office box, a logo, a brochure and a website, and we were in business.

Now, we could do more to help publicize the work of the Tree Commission. We had all had the experience, when out pruning and mulching our young trees, or placing or removing the Treegator watering bags, of being approached by citizens expressing their enthusiasm and support for what we do and even offering to make donations. It was clear that many people wanted to be more involved in our efforts.

It’s expensive to purchase, plant and care for a tree – about $650! Now, as a nonprofit, we could accept these much-needed donations.

We’ve developed other projects to encourage awareness and participation:

Adopt a tree – By donating the cost of a new tree, residents who want a street tree planted in front of their house can hasten the process.

The Recognition Tree – A donation purchases a stainless steel “leaf” hung on a bas-relief sculpture installed on the Clipper City Rail Trail. The leaf is engraved to honor or acknowledge a person or organization.

Edible Avenue – A large site on the rail trail is being planted with native species, all of which offer some edible part – a flower, a root, a leaf, a nut, a fruit. These plants are for anyone to enjoy. We look forward to conducting tours of the area for students and others.

A Tree Commission intern, with TC and FoNT volunteers, created a “Guide to Newburyport Trees” – a color field guide to trees commonly planted as street trees.

The Tree Commission has planted and cared for well over 1,000 trees. FoNT and scores of residents have helped make Newburyport considerably leafier than it was 17 years ago.

This fall, in the Tree Commission’s biannual planting, 47 more trees will be going in. We are very pleased with what we have accomplished with the help of the city, the DPW, the Community Preservation Committee, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, and you.

We all benefit from our healthier and more abundant urban tree canopy.

Jane Niebling is a member of the Newburyport Tree Commission. For more about Friends of Newburyport Trees, go to www.fontrees.org.

This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Environmental groups can be hard to tell apart at first glance; many have three or four letter acronyms and include either “environment” or “climate” in their names. Citizens’ Climate Lobby is perhaps best differentiated by considering the words on either side of “Climate” in our name: “Citizens” and “Lobby.”

Citizens lobbying their elected officials is the primary purpose of CCL. We build relationships with local, state and national politicians and urge them to act with sufficient force to deal with the climate crisis. As opposed to writing a check to support the work of experts (though this is important, too) CCL offers an opportunity to use your energy, talents and passion. We find taking action to be one of the most helpful ways to cope with the alarming concerns we face.

Another important distinction of Citizens’ Climate Lobby is that we are solely concerned with carbon pollution pricing. We advocate for a specific type of pricing called carbon fee and dividend.

Carbon fee and dividend is a predictable, steadily-rising fee on fuels that create carbon pollution. All fees collected (minus minor administrative costs) are returned to households as a monthly dividend. In just 20 years, such a system could reduce U.S. carbon emissions to 50% of 1990 levels while adding 2.1 million jobs to the American economy. Canada has already enacted a nationwide carbon fee and dividend and many countries worldwide, including China, have adopted various forms of carbon pollution pricing.

Scientists and economists alike say carbon pollution pricing is the best first step toward reducing the impacts of warming caused by excessive and increasing levels of greenhouse gasses in our atmosphere. Other activities undertaken to address the climate crisis would be bolstered by such a policy.

A bipartisan carbon fee and dividend bill was introduced in Congress by a Republican and a Democrat this year. You can learn more about the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividends Act at: www.energyinnovationact.org.

Although this is a national bill, CCL works at the local level to get it passed. The North Shore Chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby is responsible for securing the support of our member of Congress, Seth Moulton. We are pleased to say that Moulton pledged his support for the bill this year by signing on as an official cosponsor. Our chapter also works with other CCL chapters around the state to shore up the support of Senators Elizabeth Warren and Edward Markey in anticipation of a Senate version of the bill.

Massachusetts has a long history of leading the way for the nation. Universal health care and marriage equality are good examples. Our state can be a leader again by enacting a statewide carbon pollution price. State Rep. Jennifer Benson has an excellent bill that CCL North Shore is supporting along with a coalition of more than 50 organizations. Among the benefits of Benson’s bill is fostering the development of Massachusetts as the national leader in clean, renewable energy business.

If sitting down with a politician doesn’t sound like your forte, there are numerous other ways to contribute. To build public support, which helps our work with elected officials, we hold forums and talks, have conversations with friends and family, and publish letters and columns in local newspapers. We meet regularly to improve our knowledge of climate policy and how to be most effective. All are welcome to attend Northshore CCL chapter meetings to learn more about ways to help, or just to build a better understanding of carbon pollution pricing. Each meeting begins with an educational presentation, followed by a discussion of how to succeed.

The North Shore chapter of Citizens’ Climate Lobby meets on the first Saturday of every month in Beverly. We also have an email group for staying up-to-date. There is a wealth of information about what we do at www.citizensclimatelobby.org. Better yet, contact us at Northshoremass@citizensclimatelobby.org to learn more. We’d love to hear from you.

Rob Bonney is North Shore leader of the Citizens’ Climate Lobby.

This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

We are fortunate to live in an extremely beautiful part of the world. Plum Island and the Great Marsh, the Merrimack River Valley are natural treasures — and home to our friends, family, schools and businesses.

That’s why it’s difficult to contemplate that we share our home with an aging, deteriorating nuclear power plant. While many people and government agencies are working to keep Seabrook Station safe, living near a nuclear plant is not without risk.

Since the day Seabrook began splitting atoms in 1990, the C-10 Research and Education Foundation (C-10) has been looking out for the safety of Seabrook’s neighbors — people, wildlife and the natural environment. We operate a real-time radiological monitoring network under contract with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to track permitted releases, and detect when beta and gamma radiation are elevated.

While, thankfully, such spikes have been rare, our data on high radiological readings, as well as wind speed and direction, could be used to help emergency officials protect the public in the event of an accident at Seabrook.

Aside from operating the Citizens Radiological Monitoring Network, C-10 also keeps tabs on safety concerns at Seabrook by tracking filings and reports with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

While, over the years, there have been a number of serious issues that could have exposed the plant to greater risk of an accident, what Seabrook is now facing dwarfs them all: an unstoppable type of concrete degradation known as alkali-silica reaction, or ASR.

Seabrook is the first commercial reactor in the U.S. known to be suffering from this condition, but since it takes years to develop, experts believe it will appear at others. To date, there are no regulations governing treatment of ASR at nuclear plants.

This problem, which first came to light at Seabrook a decade ago, is why C-10 convinced the NRC’s Atomic Safety and Licensing Board to hold evidentiary hearings where we will challenge the concrete testing and monitoring protocols proposed by the plant’s owner, NextEra — the so-called “aging management plans” that the NRC saw as sufficient to extend the plant’s operating license to 2050.

During the last week of September, right at Newburyport City Hall, one of the world’s leading experts on ASR, Dr. Victor Saouma, will represent C-10 in a hearing before the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board.

Dr. Saouma has told us that from what he sees, nobody on NextEra’s team or at the NRC has the necessary expertise in this complex problem, and they simply aren’t doing the right type of testing and analysis to know what’s really happening inside Seabrook’s walls. He is concerned about how the concrete would perform if there were an earthquake, and whether such an event would release radiation into the environment.

C-10 wants the NRC to hold NextEra to the highest standards of safety; but really, our goal is your safety. If we prevail, the NRC will compel NextEra to go “back to the drawing board” with its concrete testing protocols. You can learn more about our case, and watch a brief video about this issue, here. (https://www.c-10.org/challenge-to-seabrooks-concrete-monitoring).

After countless hours of research and preparation, soon we'll have our day in court, and you will have the chance to provide your comments on Sept. 23, from 6 to 8 pm at Newburyport City Hall. To do so, you must sign up by Sept. 13; details are here. (https://www.nrc.gov/docs/ML1917/ML19176A346.pdf).

“We are at a critical moment when NextEra has the burden of proving that this program they’ve proposed is adequate,” C-10 attorney Diane Curran told a packed hall at C-10’s annual public meeting in June. “This is your opportunity. It’s not going to come up again.”

It’s easier not to think about the dangers that the Seabrook nuclear plant could pose to people and the environment. But for nearly three decades, C-10 has chosen instead to shine a light and speak out.

We hope to continue this important work for as long as Seabrook operates and beyond. To do so, we rely on the support and engagement of you, Seabrook’s neighbors.

Natalie Hildt Treat is executive director of C-10. Patricia L. Skibbee is president of the board.

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This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

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We are the Climate Café Team, a small but passionate group of environmentally minded students who host Climate Cafés in communities along the North Shore. Our cafés are not typical conversations – they are unrehearsed social adventures!

Imagine if you walk into the barn of a local farm. You see small circles of chairs settled on the dirt floor and overhear a group of students and adults struggling with the realization that our daily food choices are major contributors to carbon emissions. You join the conversation and decide that it’s better for your family and the planet if you shop at a local farmers market.

Or what if you drop into a science classroom and sit down beside a small group of students and teachers playing a media literacy game about “cherry-picking” data and how to separate science from spin. We all talk about how difficult it is to escape our own “echo chambers” and encourage each other to become smarter media consumers who demand better information.

Or picture a symposium of 200 environmentalists and 20 high school students brainstorming over bowls of clam chowder about ways youths can be more involved in civic life. After an hour of animated table conversations, we summarize dozens of great ideas and the café ends with a standing ovation.

Climate Cafés offer a unique opportunity for youths and adults to talk with each other about local climate issues and how we can create the future we all want.

Café conversations are open to the public and come in all shapes and sizes but the format is similar: one student and four guests seated in a circle, discussing the “question of the day.” We often begin with everyone sharing a personal experience related to the question — maybe stories of the worst storm they lived through, or concerns about sea level rise, or ways they reduce their carbon footprint.

Then, the conversation becomes livelier as teams explore the question through different lenses and begin to build on each other’s ideas. As the conversations unfurl, we try to listen respectfully, think collaboratively, and imagine new possibilities.

Over the past four years, we have hosted more than 40 cafés and feedback from the 1,200 people who have attended has been remarkable. Guests tell us that they enjoy exploring local issues with each other, and especially welcome the opportunity to talk face to face with students who care deeply about the environment. Everyone consistently says that we give them hope for the future.

At the same time, hosting Climate Cafés give us, your future leaders, a “competitive advantage” in college and in life. Talking with adults as peers, struggling with real climate issues, being exposed to different perspectives, and participating in civil discourse give us a strong start as citizens and civic leaders.

Margot Kelly, a senior at Ipswich High School, says, “I’ve not only found my own voice, but I’ve helped other people to find theirs, and I truly think that this kind of collaboration is an experience worth having!”

Help us keep the conversations going – bring a friend to the next Climate Café at 6:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 16, at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge headquarters, 6 Plum Island Turnpike, Newburyport.

To learn more, check out the new student website, www.Climate-Cafe.org. You can also reach Noah at Newburyport High School at NoahKeller01@gmail.com, Margot at Ipswich High School at 20kellym@ipsk12.net or Hannah at Pentucket Regional High School at heg22502@gmail.com.

Interested educators and community leaders can contact Shari Melto at s.melto@nautilusleader.com.

This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Responding to a poll, 80% of the Masters level rowers from Newburyport, MA to Manchester, NH row on the Merrimack River 3 to 6 days per week, where 40% said they row daily, and almost as many row a few days a week.

A statistic from question number Q9:
39% do a “wet start” by walking into the water carrying their racing shell, then get into the boat. Some have tipped over into the Merrimack.

(Many rowing clubs on the Merrimack do not have docks from which to launch.)

It’s immediate exposure to the water every time they row. These amateur athletes are among the most knowledgeable folks around about the Merrimack River. That’s why it is so disturbing to read their observations about the health of the river. Only 20% said it was ok for swimming...and 9% thought you should not even step in it! So when, on occasion when their boat tips, they get back in as quickly as possible.

The survey was developed and constructed by Olivia Duffin, a marketing student at Suffolk University and an intern for ACES. This research project on the experiences of recreational users of the Merrimack River is an important part of our Healthy Rivers Initiative. Project leader Rick Jacques is a member of EbbTide Rowing on the Merrimack River in Haverhill, MA.

Results of the survey, when complete, will be shared with public officials and stakeholders in support of the development of strategies directed at healing the river.

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Our Purpose is:

To foster stewardship and motivate local and regional action towards positively impacting the planet’s
climate and our environment’s health.

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Collectively, as an alliance, we nurture and promote stewards of our environment, fostering collaboration
directed at building a resilient, sustainable, healthy and prosperous future for the Greater Newburyport, MA
area (initially as a model) and then beyond.  We honor the axiom of “THINK GLOBALLY, WORK LOCALLY, AND ACT PERSONALLY,”

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The organization is committed to personal growth and the evolution of a proactive, can-do culture in which
each team member enthusiastically supports and works collaboratively on the key initiatives that are
undertaken.

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In building this organization, we are committed to providing qualified college students with the opportunity to
explore their career interests and engage in important environmental stewardship oriented internship
learning experiences. We look forward to the contributions of each student in our win-win-win-win
working/learning environment.‍

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OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP INTERNSHIPS & CAREER EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITIES

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Goal: To contribute to the growth and success of the organization by serving on a team of leaders supporting
selected stewardship initiatives as a relevant and meaningful, learning experience. ‍

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Objective: To complete research, marketing, communications, project management, etc. activities required to
complete tasks and/or projects in an orderly and efficient manner.‍

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Scope: Through participation with a school’s internship program, we interview and select motivated, positive
students who are interested in a variety of applied learning experiences. We expect that the overall
experience will contribute building blocks to a student’s envisioned career track. The work encompasses a
variety of activities in working with and/or supporting other team members that relate to a student’s learning
experience objectives. This could include working on specific projects noted below or supporting such allied
organizations as: the Gulf of Maine Institute, the Merrimack River Watershed Coalition, Coastal Trails and MA
Audubon’s Joppa Flats Education Center.‍

Responsibilities: The specific responsibilities and project will depend upon the student’s interests and focus.‍

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Fields of Study/Projects: The nature of the project will be designed around the student’s pursuits. This will
reflect whether he/she is exploring a sustainability leadership, environmental science, environmental
engineering, business management, information technology, administrative services, accounting, or
marketing/communications career track.‍

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Qualifications:

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1) ‍‍Attitude - A positive attitude toward life and learning and a personal interest in being an
environmental steward.

2) Personal Growth - An interest in understanding more about the work associated with a specific career
track and the skills to make a contribution given the priorities and activities of the organization or one
of its Allies.

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3) Communications -Strong verbal and written communication skills and a high degree of comfort with
the world of social media. Proven competency in writing reports and developing presentations.

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4) IT Competency -Strong computer skills using Microsoft’s Office Suite and Google’s G Suite supported
systems. Specific software competency related to one’s career track may include Photoshop, Sketch
Up, Illustrator or Quick books.

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5) Accuracy -An interest in details and accuracy as well as being orderly and organized.
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6) Relationships -Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain open communications, a close working
relationship with and the confidence of a variety of individual personalities.
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7) Time Management - Ability to manage time and accomplish tasks as agreed.‍
Examples of Opportunities for Environmental Stewardship Internships that connect with the building of
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ACES and its Initiatives:
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1) Planning and Organizational Development – Work with BOD and key Advisors to contribute to the
development of the 2023 Alignment Plan and selected specific program plans.
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2) Administration/ Systems/Operations Development – Serve on a project team to enhance to existing
database and establish a system to easily connect and communicate with members of all publics.
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3) Funding and Fundraising – Serve on a project team to identify, evaluate, and interact with targeted
sources of funding and grants.
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4) Marketing/Communications – Serve on this team to enhance the position and presentation of ACES
via its web site, social media campaign and targeted communications.
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5) Outreach – Alliance Building – Connect and interact with existing and new Allies to uncover potential
new initiatives where collaboration is essential.

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6) Waste Reduction Initiative – Serve on a team to research the overall marketplace and alternative
programs to reduce and minimize waste. Evaluate the options for the city of Newburyport in concert
with the city’s Toward Zero Waste program.

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7) Our Waters Initiative - Work with a project leader on the development and execution of a general
survey among all recreational users of the river about their experiences. This survey will provide the

data to develop a comprehensive report which will be used broadly. Initial work will include research
to identify the contacts among all stakeholder groups.
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8) Youth Leadership Initiative – Serve on this team to help build programs to expand environmental
stewardship internship opportunities in regional schools. Work with youth leaders to help them build
plans to effect desired programs; such as, the plan to eliminate single use plastic bottle in the schools.
Contribute to the development of a recognition program for accomplishments of both youth and adult
stewards.
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9) Public Awareness Initiative – Work with members of the marketing/ communications team on specific
publicity opportunities and activities. Contribute to coordinating a Guest Opinion Column for use with
local media.

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Contact: Art Currier at artcurrier40@gmail.com or call 508-243-5273 to set a time for a conversation about
any questions, your interests, the current initiatives and what internship experiences could be meaningful for
you.

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As the founder of Tinkerhaus Community Makerspace, I want to convey what makerspaces are doing to foster environmental sustainability through creative use and reuse.

A makerspace is a place where people can gather to work on projects while sharing ideas, equipment, and knowledge that would otherwise be inaccessible or unaffordable. At Tinkerhaus, we aim to make it possible for people in the Newburyport area to repair things, pursue creative ideas, and complete home improvement projects even if they have no tools, no home workspace and no prior experience.

The maker movement is a global cultural trend that values each individual’s ability to be a creator of things as well as a consumer of things. Makers come from all backgrounds with diverse skill sets.

What they have in common are creativity, a willingness to share access to tools, and a desire to inspire “nonmakers” to cultivate their potential as makers. Peer education and opportunities for collaboration are important maker values.

Tinkerhaus is growing a community in which people with knowledge lead others in classes and workshops, young people have an opportunity to flex their maker knowledge, and older people can pursue projects with the necessary space, tools and if needed – guidance.

In the U.S, the maker movement has been adopted by many schools and libraries to encourage interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and to improve manufacturing skills. It has generated its own magazines, conventions and video channels.

The movement poses challenges to our economic models because as ordinary people become more self-sufficient, learning carpentry, sewing, electronics, etc., they will be able to make and repair more of their own items instead of purchasing mass-produced new ones.

Stand-alone makerspaces can be for-profit, nonprofit or owned by municipalities; some are just for adults and some just for children. Tinkerhaus is a nonprofit makerspace for makers of all ages and abilities.

Our mission has three important principles:

We believe that all people are endowed with a unique ability to make things and that ability should be fostered with opportunities and training.

We believe the future of our community and our country is dependent on our citizens’ reliance on their ingenuity, innovation and industry.

We are committed to beginning on a path to combining our brains and our hands in service to a more sustainable future.

We have an intentional green agenda, reusing and repurposing donated tools and remainder materials. Ninety percent of our tools and equipment are donated secondhand. We receive donated fabric, yarn and other raw materials from business surplus.

Maintaining tools and equipment is a vital waste-reduction effort. Classes that promote repair, reuse and repurposing are a large part of our mission. Our location near the Clipper City Rail Trail and three schools is intended to be walkable.

Our 2,500-square-foot space at 3 Graf Road is divided into:

Woodshop with SawStop table saw, drill press, miter saw, jointer planer.

Textile studio with eight sewing machines, two large looms, measuring and cutting tools.

Mini fabrication studio with laser and inkjet printers, silhouette Cutter, two 3-D printers.

Art classroom for eight to 10 students.

Resource library of approximately 500 volumes.

Flexible meeting space with seating and a conference table.

Tinkerhaus promotes collaboration on a larger scale by partnering with organizations such as Timetrade Network, North Shore Permaculture, Repair Cafe, Newburyport Youth Services, WalkNewburyport, Scout troops, parent groups and hobby clubs.

Our membership model has three levels and a slate of classes and events.

We run on volunteer power and encourage people to trade hours for memberships. We also offer the opportunity for skilled people to teach in our space for a percentage of the class fee. Our goal is to offer higher-level training as we grow our member revenue and pursue grant funding. Rent and utilities are costly.

To learn more, see our website at www.tinkerhaus.org or visit in person at 3 Graf Road, Suite 11. We can’t wait to see what you’ll make!

Mary McDonald can be reached at mary@tinkerhaus.org.

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This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

ACES supports increased public participation and engagement in local cleanup initiatives by promoting various volunteer opportunities within our communities. One such effort by some members of Storm Surge and other ACES allies involves collecting trash along the shore just upriver from Maudslay State Park in Newburyport, MA. and carrying it out of the woods to a designated pickup spot. MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation staff then pick up the trash for disposal.

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The Ipswich River Watershed Association is a group of citizens, scientists, businesses and communities concerned about the health of the Ipswich River and its watershed.

Our aim is to protect nature and make sure there is enough clean, safe, reliable water for people and wildlife. We have been the voice of the Ipswich River since 1977. A small, membership-based, nonprofit organization, Ipswich River Watershed Association has accomplished a great deal since its inception.

In 2007, we established a new headquarters, Riverbend, on a beautiful 20-acre riverfront property on Route 1A in Ipswich. With trails for walking and wildlife observation open to the public, Riverbend also has a dock on the river and a fleet of kayaks and canoes available for our members to use.

Our property is also a model for water and energy efficiency and low-impact development. We have an electric vehicle charging station powered by solar panels, a green roof, rain gardens and permeable pavers. Inside our office, we have highly efficient water fixtures and appliances. We are open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., for the public to view and learn about our sustainability features.

The Ipswich River has its headwaters in Burlington, Wilmington and Andover, and then travels 40 meandering miles (about 26 miles as the crow flies), with 45 streams and tributaries contributing to its flow. The river meets the ocean at the Plum Island Sound at the back side of Plum Island near Sandy Point and Crane Beach. The Ipswich River estuary is part of the 20,000-acre Great Marsh ecosystem.

The Ipswich watershed is home to approximately 160,000 people and includes all or portions of 21 towns. The river and its groundwater and reservoirs supply drinking water to more than 350,000 people and businesses in 14 communities, including Beverly, Boxford, Danvers, Hamilton, Ipswich, Lynn, Lynnfield, Middleton, North Reading, Peabody, Salem, Topsfield, Wenham and Wilmington.

In 2011, the Ipswich River Watershed Association convened the Parker-Ipswich-Essex Rivers Partnership (PIE-Rivers), a regional network of organizations, governmental agencies and communities working to promote healthy rivers and ecosystems in the three coastal rivers of northeastern Massachusetts.

We continue to administer this partnership, which in 2013 helped to secure over $3 million from the federal Hurricane Sandy Grant Program to support a multiyear, multipronged set of restoration and resiliency projects throughout the Great Marsh watershed.

This project funded the development of the Great Marsh Coastal Adaptation Plan (www.greatmarshresiliency.org). Together with the National Wildlife Federation, we worked with municipal task forces from the six coastal towns, Salisbury, Newburyport, Newbury, Rowley, Ipswich and Essex, to complete an analysis of community vulnerabilities to climate change and a plan for recommended actions the communities and its partners can take to increase their resiliency and adapt to weather-related impacts.

Since the completion of the Great Marsh plan in 2018, our PIE-Rivers Municipal Services Program has continued to assist communities’ resiliency and sustainability efforts, providing data for communities’ municipal vulnerability workshops and supporting groups like the Newbury Vulnerability Committee and the Newburyport Sustainability Committee.

Another important component of our work focuses on water quality: monitoring the health of our river and streams through more than 50 trained citizen-scientists, administering a water quality database analyzing trends, conducting an annual herring count on the fish ladder at the Ipswich Mills Dam, and coordinating volunteer “stream teams” that work to protect and restore the river and its tributaries through local action.

We recently received a grant to fund additional water quality monitoring assistance for the all-volunteer Parker River Clean Water Association and the Chebacco Lake & Watershed Association in Essex.

The Ipswich River Watershed Association is also a founding member of the Greenscapes North Shore Coalition (www.greenscapes.org), a multipartner outreach effort that promotes water conservation and protection.

We work with local communities to educate citizens and professionals about landscaping practices (particularly irrigation and chemical use) that have less impact on the environment. We also run a Greenscapes school program that educates more than 2,000 students across Essex County each year.

There’s a lot to learn and love about the Ipswich River! Our events provide opportunities to enjoy the river and make a difference through our watershed and the PIE-Rivers region.

We offer paddling trips (including a free Beginner Paddler Summer Series), environmentally friendly gardening workshops, educational programs, wildlife walks, river cleanups and more.

Volunteers are the backbone of many of our programs and we are always looking for new volunteers who are interested in making a difference and getting involved. Learn more at www.ipswichriver.org.

Kristen Grubbs is an environmental planner who lives in Newbury.

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This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Greenbelt has an impressive record, having protected over 17,500 acres of farmland, open space and salt marsh, from small but vital projects such as Newman Farm Meadow in Newbury to large-scale signature projects such as the Indian Hill Conservation Area in West Newbury.

The 315-acre Indian Hill Conservation Area is the culmination of a 25-year effort to piece together parcels that now comprise a long, green ribbon of protected open space and trails that showcase the land’s natural beauty and rich cultural history. Protecting the area from development guarantees a long-lasting and essential tool in preserving habitats and species.

Last fall, I came aboard as Greenbelt’s new president. My plan is to build on Greenbelt’s powerful, 50-year legacy of conservation leadership with an emphasis on the role land conservation plays in combatting climate change. Through our work, Greenbelt is taking a leadership position in making the region more resilient.

I came to Greenbelt after serving in leadership positions at the Charles River Watershed Association for almost 25 years. Our work at the watershed association helped transform the Charles River from a heavily polluted blemish on the state’s environmental reputation to one of the cleanest urban rivers in the country.

Greenbelt is strategic and forward thinking.

While traditional land conservation projects were prioritized based on their size and location, sophisticated mapping technology now allows Greenbelt to strategically identify and then focus on conservation projects best suited for their resiliency to climate change.

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“While we continue working to protect our best farmland and scenic resources, we are keenly aware of the changes already happening as a result of climate change. Land conservation is a critical tool as we look to a future that may be quite different from what we’re accustomed to,” says Christopher LaPointe, Greenbelt director of land conservation.

The impacts of climate change are far reaching. Coastal communities are increasingly battered by severe storms and threatened by sea level rise that could wipe out homes and the businesses so vital to the North Shore. Inland, the maple and birch forests which give us our signature fall colors may give way to less-vibrant oak and hickory trees.

New Englanders count on resilient landscapes to filter water for drinking and recreation. In protecting forests and grasslands, more carbon emissions are absorbed from the atmosphere. And increasingly, the benefits of outdoor activity are recognized as important public health factors.

At Greenbelt’s Jennie Langoulis Reservation in Newbury, trails lead hikers through rolling stands of pine, cedar and oak. This important habitat supports state-listed species like Northern harrier and short-eared owl.

A healthy salt marsh protects our coastal communities by absorbing floodwaters and lessening storm surge

At Greenbelt’s protected Rough Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary in Rowley, the tidal pools and extraordinary ecosystem of the Great Marsh are home to an astonishing diversity of plants and animals.

For over 10 years, Greenbelt has also worked in osprey conservation by protecting their summer breeding area, building and maintaining nesting platforms in the Great Marsh. Once a rare sight, ospreys are now seen in Essex County soaring over coastlines, diving into waters to catch fish and standing on their large nests.

Greenbelt will continue to emphasize science-based conservation by using new climate data to help determine where our land conservation efforts are directed, building on its deep connections to the people of Essex County.

Kate Bowditch is president of Greenbelt-Essex County’s Land Trust, and invites everyone to explore, volunteer, attend a walk, lecture or film with Greenbelt, or support its mission. Learn more at https://www.ecga.org.

Of the 117 natural and cultural sites that The Trustees of Reservations care for around the state of Massachusetts, 35 are designated as coastal properties. These are some of our most visited and important ecosystems and wildlife habitats, and often the ones that come to mind when people think of The Trustees. Whether it’s swimming at Crane Beach in the summer, walking at World’s End on a fall day, or experiencing the beauty and solace of our remote beaches on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, we often find a love of the coast from many of our visitors who are drawn to these special places.

The Trustees owns and protects over 120 miles of coastline in Massachusetts, more than any other single private landowner in the state. We have played an important role in coastal conservation in our past and continue to do so today, seeking to protect and care for landscapes that include islands, salt-marsh, rocky coasts, and dunes — all of which are in flux from winds, tides, currents, storms, and our changing climate. As a result, coastal resiliency is a high priority and we are working to protect some of our most vulnerable sites so they are able to respond better to changing conditions and can “bounce back” after disruption.

We were energized to hear from residents of several Great Marsh towns during a salt marsh and sea level rise workshop this spring, where we found the communities greatly valued the recreational benefits of the natural landscape and many shared a concern that coastal development could impact the marsh and the scenery and serenity they so treasured.

Today, our coastal strategy is evolving to focus on land protection, advocacy, the perspectives of residents, and seeking green solutions where we can have the most strategic and long-lasting impact. We recognize the challenges posed by coastal storms, sea level rise, flooding and erosion to the preservation and enjoyment of the properties we are charged with protecting.

Last year, in partnership with The Woods Hole Group, we focused on a forward-looking coastal vulnerability assessment (CVA) that flagged several of our coastal beaches and salt marshes as the most “at risk” natural areas. The first of its kind and scale to be conducted by a conservation organization, the CVA has helped inform the work that, together with our visitors, volunteers, communities and partners, we need to do to prepare our coastal sites to be more resilient, stay open and accessible to the public, and continue to support the fragile ecosystems needed for wildlife species and habitats.

With Trustees-owned marshes representing 15% of the 20,000-acre Great Marsh — the largest marsh in New England — we are beginning the first phase of an innovative salt marsh restoration project at our Old Town Hill property in Newbury to improve the natural tidal flow and resilience of this critical resource. The marsh serves as a barrier to protect adjacent uplands and communities from flooding and sea level rise and provides critical habitat to important species that rely on it. It also serves as a place of beauty for the many visitors and residents who enjoy its natural landscape and serenity.

Marshes in New England, including the Great Marsh, have been significantly compromised by historic ditching that dates to farming practices in early colonial days and vast re-ditching programs launched during the Great Depression. With increasing rains and sea level rise, these ditches continue to inhibit the natural draining process, causing the marsh to sink and flood.

Thanks to a series of generous grants received from MassBays, the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration, we are implementing an innovative method of harvesting and loosely braiding salt hay from the marsh to layer within ditched areas this summer. First piloted successfully on a limited scale at the nearby USFWS Parker River Wildlife Refuge, the braided hay will collect sediment from the incoming tides and rebuild marsh “peat” naturally — allowing nature to heal itself.

The project is estimated to take three to five years to complete and will also be implemented at marshes around the Crane Estate and other areas of the Essex estuary including our Stavros Reservation, ultimately aiming to fortify 300 acres of marshland in total. A successful implementation of this project will protect the landscape, ecosystem and natural wonder for generations to come, in a sustainable way, working hand-in-hand with nature.

We look forward to sharing updates with the community as the project unfolds.

As we continue to lead and innovate for these green coastal solutions, we are also looking for more opportunities to involve more communities, volunteers, supporters and partners in this vital work so that together we can protect our shores for the next generation.

For more information on our work, please contact me at toshea@thetrustees.org or see www.thetrustees.org/what-we-care-about/land/coast.html / To volunteer, contact Marc Mahan at mmahan@thetrustees.org.

Tom O’Shea is director of Coast and Natural Resources for The Trustees of Reservations.

This column was coordinated by ACES YOUTH CORPS member, Eleni Protopapas. To share any comments or questions, please send an email to acesnewburyport@gmail.com. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

Fast forward to 2019 and the urgency of our climate crisis has generated more group networking, building a more formal and we think more powerful Alliance. Much like a squad of super heroes, each with unique powers, Allies use their individual strengths to support, promote, and enhance common activities.

Participants in ACES include organizations, groups and individuals, many with advanced degrees in sciences, planning, and public policy as well as citizens – young and old – who simply share our concern for the environment.  We have chosen to focus on four main initiatives: Opportunities to Nurture Environmental Stewardship and Mindfulness among Youth; Campaigns to Clean Up the Rivers, Marshes and Beaches; Coordinating Media Exposure for Allies, and Creating Healthy Rivers.

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A riparian buffer is a vegetated area (a "buffer strip",) which helps shade and partially protect a stream from the damaging impact of adjacent land uses. Such buffers play a key role in improving the water quality of streams, rivers, and lakes. They help slow down storm water runoff and provide multiple environmental benefits, including nurturing ecosystems for plants, fish, birds and mammals. ACES works with its allied network to support and advance this and similar projects.

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When people think of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, they may imagine fun days at the beach, a birding adventure where the species list keeps growing, the many opportunities to get that perfect picture, or a peaceful place to get some exercise (or rest).

The refuge is able to accommodate a wide range of visitor activities while also protecting habitat for wildlife, but it must constantly battle challenges which keep mounting. Aging infrastructure, coupled with budget and staffing reductions, make it nearly impossible for the refuge to keep up with all that must be accomplished. This is where the Friends of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge Inc. steps in.

The Friends, as it’s commonly referred to, is an independent, volunteer staffed, not-for-profit organization founded in the early 1990s. It is one of more than 200 such organizations across the nation run by citizens who cherish and want to preserve these special places for future generations. Friends recognizes the important role the refuge plays not only in wildlife conservation, but also in its contribution to the economic vitality and environmental well-being of this region. The Friends:

Promote the preservation of the natural, cultural and historical resources of the refuge;

Foster the wildlife-dependent use and enjoyment of the refuge consistent with its protection and preservation, and

Engage in educational, scientific, and civic activities that assist the refuge with carrying out its mandates.

Each year, the Friends provide invaluable support to the refuge through maintenance projects, educational events, biological assistance, public outreach and fundraising. The Friends have adopted projects on the Pines and Stage Island trails, which include trimming back vegetation, repairing observation platforms, and ensuring the trail is safe for visitors.

The Friends also take part in many of the refuge’s public programs by staffing tables and providing visitor assistance and education. In 2018, the Friends hosted two interns from Newburyport High School’s School to Career program.

The Friends’ current fundraising campaign, the Boardwalk Plank Fundraiser, is raising funds to help pay for the restoration of the Hellcat Interpretive Trail, the refuge’s largest network of walking trails. These trails are a favorite spot for many visitors to Parker River NWR.

Hellcat provides visitors the opportunity to experience up close the Great Marsh, maritime forest, freshwater marsh and incredible dune environments of a barrier island.

Comprised entirely of wooden boardwalk planks, the trail system is showing its age and is in need of a complete renovation. The Friends have launched this fundraising campaign to assist the refuge in procuring funds for this expensive undertaking.

The project will also upgrade the trail to be in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act wherever possible, allowing access to people with disabilities as well as greater convenience and safety for all visitors.

The Friends of Parker River NWR Inc. have big plans for the future, centered on our goal of assisting the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge.

These include launching more educational programs and community outreach events, raising additional funds to support those efforts and to purchase equipment needed by refuge staff, supplementing staff efforts with Friends’ volunteers, increasing advocacy on behalf of the refuge, collaborating with area environmental organizations, and expanding community support and membership.

Operating a national wildlife refuge is no easy task, and the Friends are here to provide dedicated volunteer support to get the work done, preserving this remarkable piece of land for future generations of humans and wildlife. You, too, can show your support for our beloved refuge by becoming a member of the Friends and participating in our volunteer efforts.

Kaytlyn Hojnacki serves on the board of directors of the Friends of Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. To learn more about the Friends and their activities, visit www.parkerriver.org

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This column was coordinated by ACES Intern and NHS Senior, Eleni Protopapas, who can be reached at eleniprotopapas@gmail.com to share any comments or questions. To learn more about ACES and our Youth Leadership Initiative, please view our WEBSITE –  https://www.aces-alliance.org

It seemed appropriate that the Parker River Clean Water Association recently celebrated its 25th year anniversary with a talk given by Dr. Gil Pontius on the topic of land-use change in the Parker River watershed.

After all, it was noticeable changes in the watershed that called for the creation of the group in the first place. David Mountain and a small group of residents in Byfield formed the association in 1994 to address the loss of wetlands and the impact of new roadways on the river.

New sprawling development making its way northward to the rural towns of the North Shore had given rise to deviations to the surrounding ecology.

People had once bragged that visitors would come to summer camps in Georgetown to fill up jugs of water to bring back to their homes in the Boston area.

Today, we hear constant complaints about the water quality. Local Facebook bloggers object to bad-tasting water and clothes discoloration from the public water supply. The Parker River and its tributaries often run dry now.

PRCWA’s mission is to preserve and protect the river and its ecosystem through the development of community-based objectives and coalitions, including individuals, groups, businesses, schools and governments who understand their connection to the river and the watershed and who will act to protect it for future generations.

My first involvement with PRCWA was as a volunteer herring monitor during the mid-1990s at the Pentucket Pond dam and fish ladder in Georgetown.

The waters teemed with thousands of alewives anxiously awaiting their turn to spawn in one of the last upstream great ponds. No anadromous fish have been known to make the arduous trek much past the first fish ladder in Byfield for many years now. This rapid decline of fish spawning merits our concern.

In its early years, PRCWA sought to educate the people on the value of protecting the watershed. Marlene Schroeder, a longtime Amesbury school teacher, began the SYEFEST program (Schoolyard Ecology for Elementary School Teachers). Families were encouraged to come to our annual River Festival held each year at Newbury’s historic Lower Green, where the early settlers of the area had arrived.

Another river advocate, Boston University Professor David Mountain, wrote several building capacity grants to jump-start the organization. These grants were used to help recruit members to evaluate streams, test water quality, measure flow, certify vernal pools, hold biodiversity walks and organize events.

We believe in the adage, “Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, show me and I learn.”

Advocacy is a big part of our focus today with development pressure further straining water resources. We encourage cities and towns to consider low-impact techniques and water conservation in their decision-making.

We are fortunate to have many partners in our mission to protect the watershed, including the Ipswich River Watershed Association, the Mass Rivers Alliance, the Great Marsh Coalition, Trout Unlimited, Essex County Greenbelt, along with numerous state, city and town officials.

PRCWA remains active today. We head-start the Blanding’s Turtle (a state-listed threatened species) Project in 13 local schools and institutions. We hold invasive water chestnut weed pulls by canoe in Rowley during the summer. In addition, we are stewards of the Little River Nature Trail system in Newburyport (40 percent of the city of Newburyport is within the Parker River basin.) Learn more about the City Nature Challenge event taking place on April 27 by visiting our Facebook page.

PRCWA is open to any ideas or programs that you are interested in adopting or starting. A state wildlife official speaking at our annual meeting once remarked there is only so much government can do. It is up to individuals who enjoy the everyday environs of flora and fauna of this area to protect our river.

If you are interested in learning more or have some suggestions, please contact us at our email address: parker.river@verizon.net. And consider joining our Nature Challenge on April 27.

George Comiskey is vice president of the Parker River Clean Water Association.

Editor's note: This version corrects the name of the person who formed the association in 1994, which was incorrect in an early version of this commentary.

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The Climate Action Project (CAP) was formed in 2013 at the request of the First Religious Society, Unitarian Universalist (FRS) board to guide the congregation in its deliberations regarding the divestment of its portfolio from fossil fuel energy companies, a proposal that the congregation voted to support.

Following these investigations and recommendations, CAP members turned their attention to climate change initiatives. Our work is a subpart to the FRS mission “… to be a welcoming and inclusive community that encourages spiritual growth as we strive for truth and meaning and serve the social and spiritual needs of our larger community.”

CAP’s goal is community and government action to slow climate change. The FRS Climate Action Project plans to:

• Think globally, work locally, act personally;
• Raise awareness within FRS and the local community on the urgent need for climate action by organizing a series of events, discussions and communications on key climate change topics;
• Increase the reach and effectiveness of our small group by attracting more FRS members and friends to join with us in this cause, and by collaborating with other like-minded local organizations and agencies of government;
• Publicize concrete actions by which concerned citizens can combat climate change in their personal lives, through government channels, and/or by participating with advocacy groups.

Projects organized by CAP include conducting a church building energy audit, working alongside other community groups to bring speakers and movies to our area, and working with our youth group to coordinate Climate Cafés.

A recent project featured a potluck supper with Amber Hewitt of the National Wildlife Federation regarding off-shore wind power development. Current projects include a proposed environmental policy statement for our church, a Climate Café with the FRS youth group on March 24, supporting work on the Greater Newburyport Green Expo on April 11 at the Nock Middle School, and an Earth Day service on April 28.

CAP follows and discusses current events, including state and federal legislative initiatives that will impact climate change. One state bill will put a cost on carbon emissions broadly (the Benson Bill from the last session H.1726), and then the 12 State Transportation Initiative (https://www.transportationandclimate.org/content/about-us).

Several members attended and reported on the recent meeting in Newburyport that discussed the Merrimack River combined sewage overflow (CSO) issues that have been caused by increased rainfall amounts in the storms during the last half of 2018 and have resulted in untreated sewage flowing in the river.

The CAP group supports the City of Newburyport’s initiatives to address the issues of waste, resiliency and energy in our community. The community has gathered at various times to discuss these issues and embody them in our Green Community certification and 2017 master plan.

These issues impact all members of our community from the cost of waste disposal, flooding of coastal areas, and the cost and quality of the energy we use in our homes and businesses. These issues and the educational, business and governmental responses are the focus of the Green Expo on April 11 from 4-8 p.m. at Nock Middle School. We hope you will all attend.

Lastly, as we consider the impacts of pollution, we are reminded that we live in a connected community of individuals and families seeking jobs, housing, good education and quality of life. Given the enormity of the climate crisis and the consequences for our children and grandchildren and for threatened communities around the world, there remains a need for spiritual and moral guidance.

This was driven home by a recent TEDx talk by a 15-year-old Swedish student activist, Greta Thunberg, who lost all hope in the midst of the news of climate change and the limited actions taking place in the world.

It is a stark reminder of our need to discuss these issues with our children, and maintain their hope and belief in a positive future. It is a very powerful presentation from an active teen’s perspective.

Bill Clary is a member at FRS and the chair of the Climate Action Project, which welcomes all individuals from the community to participate: https://www.frsuu.org/category/climate-action/.

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