At Clean Water Action we believe deeply in harnessing people power to make effective change. Our grassroots organizers are in the field year round connecting people to issues that impact their environment, their health, and their communities. When elected officials hear from the people they represent, our democracy works.
Or least, our democracy used to work that way. Over the last decade we’ve seen the public grow increasingly frustrated with elected officials because voters can’t shake the feeling that their representatives aren’t listening to them.
Burning trash is not clean energy. When incinerators burn trash, they emit more greenhouse gasses per unit of energy generated than even coal, the dirtiest of fossil fuels. Unfortunately, Maryland currently subsidizes trash incinerators in our state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) - giving taxpayer money to the incinerators as if they are clean sources of energy like solar or wind.
At the 2018 annual Safer States meeting, state leads, scientists, lawyers and advocates from across the U.S, discussed the stark reality of the health and environmental impacts of per and polyfluorinated chemicals, commonly referred to as PFAS.
Today’s business –as-usual announcement is jarring given the federal government budget impasse and partial shutdown. “Partial” hardly applies to the current situation as it pertains to EPA. Nearly 95% of EPA staff in the Washington, D.C. area and around the country are considered “non-essential” and are not working
My spouse and I are expecting our first child in the spring. Needless to say, our friends and families are very excited, and we are receiving a lot of advice and insight. One of the most frequent nuggets we have been getting goes something like this: “It really starts to get fun and exciting when you get to put together your baby registry!”
Exciting news! Massachusetts is on the cusp of a big victory for public health - and we need your help to get there. The Massachusetts House and Senate voted on New Year’s Day to protect children and firefighters from toxic flame retardants! For this to become law, the Governor must sign the bill by January 11th. Please call Governor Baker Today!
The Sun was right to call for greater public transparency about rail traffic through the Howard Street Tunnel, as the public is poised to provide even larger subsidies to renovate it (“CSX back on track,” December 17, 2018). Our region’s railroads are critical to the health, safety, and economic development of Baltimore: a huge volume of commodities travel quickly and efficiently by rail, but bottlenecks like the Howard Street Tunnel restrict that flow.
I hope that the holiday season was for you a time of joy and togetherness. If you’re like many people, December also meant shopping—for friends, family, or even yourself. Gift giving is a way to show kindness and appreciation to our loved ones, but all too often we may give gifts that cause unintended harm as well.
2018 was the year of plastic with plastic pollution reaching public attention more than ever before. The global plastic crisis made the cover of National Geographic, headlines in multiple international news sources and documentaries, and even a special on 60 Minutes. We also saw more plastic pollution policies introduced and adopted worldwide, including over twenty local policies in New Jersey!
Late Friday afternoon the Massachusetts House voted to ban 10 toxic flame retardants in children’s products and household furniture! This will be a huge step forward to protect the health of children and firefighters – but first the Massachusetts Senate has to approve the bill and send it to the Governor’s desk before the clock strikes midnight on Monday.