ANNUAL Retreat

GG members recently held our Annual Retreat be-masked, under a tree at Madison Circle. We reaffirmed our core commitment to work toward sustainability which is defined as: social equity + economic vitality + environmental quality.  To achieve our mission, we will continue to work behind the scenes, create programs and campaigns, and collaborate with Greenfield Middle School, Greenfield High School, Racial Justice Rising, LAVA (Local Access to Valley Arts) and others. 

If you or your organization is interested in collaborating with us, please contact us at info@greeninggreenfieldMA.org.

Reusable bags are back!  Giving out or selling single-use plastic bags is once again banned in Greenfield. Local law will require a minimum charge of $.05 per paper bag as of January 2021, but many stores will be charging sooner and possibly more than that, in order to cover their costs of “free” paper bags. Save your cost and bring your own.

Friends of Reusable Bags Awarded Grant

Greening Greenfield’s Friends of Reusable Bags group has been awarded a MassDEP Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant of up to $1,675. We are using it to purchase our fleet of bag-making equipment pictured above, including grommet machines, eyelet machines, and a nearly-endangered yellow “giraffe”.  Read more Here (scroll way down to "Bag-Making Equipment").  Although big parties making reusable bags are still on hold, all equipment may be borrowed by individuals or groups for bag-making or other projects, such as making banners now, or in the future.

One of the terms of the grant is to spread the word, and we did just that on July 15th when member, Peg Hall, joined MassDEP in presenting about the grant and the bags through the miracle of Zoom, to ReUse Minnesota’s Vision for a Circular Future conference. Link to the 10 minute presentation Here.

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Website in the works

Now that we’ve had our new website up for a while, we are tracking down outdated material, placing new information front and center, and thinking about ways to present common themes, while still keeping archived material available. As an example, we recognize that our Reusable Bag campaign is part of the larger issue of plastics and packaging reduction, and that many of you might not have come across our growing list of links about The Problem with Plastics. Check it out!

Projects with Greenfield Youth

Greenfield Middle School: 5th Grade Water project expands to include pollinator gardens on school grounds & "Cooler Communities" comes to Greenfield
5th Grade Science program:  The teachers will be working collaboratively to engage science concepts in a hands-on and fun way (most creatively using whatever methods prove safe for all in these coronavirus times). GG members are meeting regularly through Zoom with Principal Lynn Dole to keep channels of communication open and provide opportunities to share resources.  GG has been supporting the 5th Grade Water project for a number of years.  Jan Maher and Doug Selwyn have added support by offering their years of professional experience in the presentation of teacher workshops. GG's support is extending from raising trout to pollinator gardens, from the 5th Grade level through the 8th grade level.  

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Cooler Communities:  We are also working with ener-g-save to bring the Cooler Communities program to our Schools and to all of us. The goal is to keep energy dollars in Greenfield, and support a healthy planet, by making informed energy choices. If interested in getting involved please contact us at info@GreeningGreenfieldMA.org.

Planting for Pollinators! 

                            campaign continues to grow

We are now financially supporting Just Roots soon-to-be announced pollinator initiative that will build pollinator habitat and raise and sell plants for bees and butterflies. Additionally we are supporting Greenfield Energy Park’s native plantings for pollinators.

If you’d like to volunteer at the Energy Park please contact Dorothea Sotiros! dsotiros@gmail.com.   

Planting for pollinators signs are available for $15-$25.   Contact Linda Smith:  lhsmith22@comcast.net.

WE SUPPORT

Greening Greenfield stands with Racial Justice Rising and Franklin County Racial Justice to support all new initiatives that will make Black Lives safer.

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Greening Greenfield supports a proposed new Rental Inspection Ordinance that will ensure rental units in Greenfield meet health and safety codes. The ordinance is being presented at the Appointments and Ordinances Committee meeting on August 12 at 5:30 PM. In an effort to make rentals of non-owner-occupied housing safe for tenants, the ordinance would require a health inspection of vacant units before they could be reoccupied. Greenfield will be a Livable City only when it is Livable for ALL of its residents.

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Greening Greenfield is financially supporting LAVA’s  (Local Access to Valley Arts) project to engage people in writing short theater pieces on climate change. A call for short play submissions will go out to everyone in the Valley, and beyond, in September with hopes for presentation in November.  For more information follow LAVA here and/or sign up for their mailing list.

Check out Greening Greenfield's NEWS & VOICES for our efforts to move toward a more sustainable Greenfield (and the world).