About

Climate Action Now-Western Mass (CAN)

The climate justice movement is rapidly growing across the world as more and more people realize that sustained mass action is our greatest source of power.  Climate Action Now was created in the summer of 2012 as a community response to the growing environmental catastrophe. We are an all volunteer group, dedicated to building a powerful climate justice movement through organizing, action and public education.  We invite everyone who wants to help build a vibrant climate justice movement to join us.

An inclusive, grassroots community connected by our passion to preserve a livable world and create a more just society, our vision is to provide a home for all people in our area engaged in climate justice work and campaigns so that we can mutually support and strengthen all of our efforts.

We currently have over 2,500 recipients receiving our online newsletter. We hold monthly public  gatherings which bring together 50 to 100 people, many of whom participate in our working groups and campaigns.

We’d love to hear from you! The best way to get in touch is to send us a note at climateactionnowmass@gmail.com

or message us on our Facebook page:  https://www.facebook.com/ClimateActionNowMA

We meet monthly, on the 4th Monday evening from, 7-9 pm, alternating between Amherst and Northampton.  Newcomers are most welcome!  

In Amherst, we meet at the Unitarian Meetinghouse on North Pleasant St.

In Northampton, we meet at First Churches of Northampton, 129 Main Street, Northampton 

To change everything we need everyone! Here are some of our campaigns and affiliated groups.

  • Stop the Pipelines/For a Renewable Future: in collaboration with many others across the state and region we worked to stop the proposed Kinder Morgan fracked gas pipeline planned to cross Western MA.   We worked with Sugar Shack Alliance in an effort to stop the Ct Expansion Pipeline Loop in Sandisfield/Otis State Forest.  We are currently resisting the Columbia Gas Proposal for expanding fossil fuel infrastructure in the greater Springfield area. Our goal is to have Massachusetts meet its energy needs through renewables and energy efficiency.
  • Indigenous Ceremonial Stone Landscape Legal Challenge: We are fundraising to support a tribal lawsuit against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
  • Fossil fuel free Statewide Campaigns: We have a legislative campaign group that works closely with Massachusetts legislators on bills to divest the state pension fund from fossil fuels and pass clean energy bills. These include Renewable Portfolio Standards, Carbon Pollution Fee and Rebate (to put a fair and equitable price on carbon) solar energy and divestment from fossil fuels in state workers pension plans.
  • Municipal Legislative Campaigns: 100% Renewable Campaign: We are working with municipalities to help move them towards the  goal of becoming a 100% renewable energy community.  For example, we are working in local municipalities for Community Choice Energy Plus. The local power approach to CCE (also known as Community Choice Aggregation – CCA) is designed to set in place a clear and replicable path to achieving 100% renewable energy, based on the integration of CCA services – bulk energy procurement plus local renewable energy development and the provision of customized energy efficiency services.
  • Springfield Climate Justice Coalition (SCJC):  We helped to found SCJC and we work in partnership with diverse groups to advocate and organize for a climate action plan in the city of Springfield. The Springfield Climate Justice Coalition is bringing together diverse groups to advocate and is currently organizing for a Climate Action and Resiliency Plan for the city.  http://ariseforsocialjustice.blogspot.com/
  • Regenerative Food, Farming and Forests: Working to connect climate activists with farmers, we are focusing on educating ourselves and the wider community on the potential of sustainable agriculture to absorb carbon into our soils and forests, we plan to move toward identifying and supporting policies and legislation that support food justice and sustainable agriculture.
  • Racism and Climate Change: The Climate crisis and racism are connected.  If we are to effectively address either of these issues we are going to have to take them both on at the same time.  The system of greed and harmful values that put profit and wealth ahead of the common good and the urgent need to address the effects of both racism and climate change must be challenged even more boldly and directly than we’ve yet mustered.
  • Mothers Out Front: We collaborate closely with Mothers Out Front Pioneer Valley.. Mothers out Front sends out a weekly “Monday Action”  with a 5-minute action you can take.  http://mofpioneervalley.nationbuilder.com/    Sign up for the Monday Action here:   https://mothersoutfront.wordpress.com/
  • Street Theater and the Arts:  We collaborate with  MuZen Mindful Creative Theater which produces Giant Puppet Parades, and Community Circle-Ups which address climate change through mindfulness and creativity.
  • Teenagers:  from a group of area young people   “We invite more young people to join us. Start by subscribing to our Google group: MassClimateYouth+subscribe@googlegroups.com”