Letter of Support for 100% renewable standard option in Newton Power Choice Contract
October 12, 2020
Dear Mayor Fuller:
We know that you will be negotiating the new Newton Power Choice contract in the next two weeks. We are writing to urge you to employ the single most powerful tool in the City of Newton’s climate tool box by choosing 100% New England Class 1 renewable content in the default option.
October marks the second year anniversary of the 2018 IPCC Report on Global Warming that shook the world. The message was clear: “...limiting global warming to 1.5°C (above pre-industrial levels) will require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.” According to the report we now have less than 8 years to reduce GHG emissions globally by at least 50% in order to have a chance to limit global warming to 1.5 C. It said that those with the greatest capacity to effect a transition must do more and do it faster. In the last year, climate scientists have shared the disturbing news that we will reach irreversible tipping points much sooner than projected because catastrophic changes in our climate are already happening.
We know that COVID-19 has resulted in financial hardship and uncertainty for some Newton residents. But this is not a reason to weaken our commitment to a rapid transition to clean energy. The NPC program will give all residents the choice to opt down or opt out, and clear messaging from the City about fuel assistance programs can address economic hardship concerns. Also, the modest increase in cost of 100% renewable electricity is easily mitigated through reducing electricity use, and by updating and insulating through MassSave programs - an important part of the implementation of our climate action plan.
Renewable electricity is the lynchpin of the Newton Climate Action Plan. We applaud the City’s commitment to facilitate electricity retrofits for heating and cooling, promote purchase of EVs by installing new charging stations, and incentivize Passive House and electrification through special permitting of all new development projects. By choosing 100% with an opt down in Newton Power Choice, we have the ability to make the electricity for all these initiatives entirely renewable. Also, by increasing our demand now, we send a strong message to the utility companies that they must invest rapidly in renewable infrastructure.
We are a privileged community. The damage caused by our continued reliance on fossil fuels has huge costs that far outweigh the few dollars more a month we will each pay for our household use. GHG emissions also are hazardous to the health of the people in environmental justice communities where power plants, compressor stations and leaky pipelines are located. In addition, the use of fracked gas to provide our electricity is destroying the lives, water, and air of fellow Americans in Pennsylvania and other states.
We must heed the message of the IPCC, and use our Community Choice Aggregation tool to maximum effect now, making the “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society” a reality. We hope, Mayor Fuller, that you will trust the citizens of Newton to do what it takes to fulfill the promise of the Newton Climate Action Plan by negotiating a 100% default in the next Newton Power Choice contract. For the same amount we might spend on a movie or a pizza each month we can make the promise of climate action real before it is too late.
Future generations are depending upon us...and we in turn are depending upon you to help us do the right thing.
On behalf of the signers below, we thank you for your careful consideration of our request.
Marcia Cooper, President, on behalf of Green Newton
Peter Barrer, Leader, on behalf of 350 Mass, Newton
Sue Levy, Co-Chair, on behalf of Mothers Out Front, Newton
Demie Stathoplos, Chair, on behalf of FUUSN Climate Task Force
Leslie Zebrowitz & Philip Vergragt, Co-Chairs, on behalf of Newton EV Task Force
Lynn Weissberg, Doris Ann Sweet, Nancy Zollers, Fran Godine, Kathleen Hobson, Leadership Team for Engine 6
Updates
October 15, 2020
I opened the page this morning and saw that over one hundred people have added their names to this request. I truly did not imagine this would resonate with so many of you so quickly. This belongs entirely to all of you who took a moment to show you care.
Reached 250 supporters
October 13, 2020
Reached 100 supporters
October 12, 2020
88 Comments
We can afford this. Those who have been hit hard by Covid and lost jobs or businesses should be told about the 50% Electricity discount they can get through the R-2 discount rate and low income community solar. The rest of us can easily pay two cups of coffee per month more for renewable electricity. Those who don’t want to can opt down or opt out.
Important to heed the social science about opt-out and opt-in choices. It was pathetic that only 7% of Newton opted-in last time around. Make it an opt-out choice
We have invested in making our home fossil-fuel free. But to make real change requires action at the governmental level. This initiative would show the way for other localities.
Please help us meet our goals as a city - it's key that we have 100%, while it's also key that we let our less fortunate/fix income neighbors know there are ways to limit the cost. Thank you, Mayor Fuller!
Mayor Fuller, your decision about the default level last time was bold and well-timed. I urge you to set the default level this time at 100%. You know that I will support you on this decision and the other important decisions you will make in the coming year. Thank you!
This is SO important. People will support it IF we lead with it. Thank you, Bev, co-founder, Green Newton in 1990
Time is running out! A great deal of damage has already been done.
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Letter of Support for 100% renewable standard option in Newton Power Choice Contract
October 12, 2020
Dear Mayor Fuller:
We know that you will be negotiating the new Newton Power Choice contract in the next two weeks. We are writing to urge you to employ the single most powerful tool in the City of Newton’s climate tool box by choosing 100% New England Class 1 renewable content in the default option.
October marks the second year anniversary of the 2018 IPCC Report on Global Warming that shook the world. The message was clear: “...limiting global warming to 1.5°C (above pre-industrial levels) will require rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society.” According to the report we now have less than 8 years to reduce GHG emissions globally by at least 50% in order to have a chance to limit global warming to 1.5 C. It said that those with the greatest capacity to effect a transition must do more and do it faster. In the last year, climate scientists have shared the disturbing news that we will reach irreversible tipping points much sooner than projected because catastrophic changes in our climate are already happening.
We know that COVID-19 has resulted in financial hardship and uncertainty for some Newton residents. But this is not a reason to weaken our commitment to a rapid transition to clean energy. The NPC program will give all residents the choice to opt down or opt out, and clear messaging from the City about fuel assistance programs can address economic hardship concerns. Also, the modest increase in cost of 100% renewable electricity is easily mitigated through reducing electricity use, and by updating and insulating through MassSave programs - an important part of the implementation of our climate action plan.
Renewable electricity is the lynchpin of the Newton Climate Action Plan. We applaud the City’s commitment to facilitate electricity retrofits for heating and cooling, promote purchase of EVs by installing new charging stations, and incentivize Passive House and electrification through special permitting of all new development projects. By choosing 100% with an opt down in Newton Power Choice, we have the ability to make the electricity for all these initiatives entirely renewable. Also, by increasing our demand now, we send a strong message to the utility companies that they must invest rapidly in renewable infrastructure.
We are a privileged community. The damage caused by our continued reliance on fossil fuels has huge costs that far outweigh the few dollars more a month we will each pay for our household use. GHG emissions also are hazardous to the health of the people in environmental justice communities where power plants, compressor stations and leaky pipelines are located. In addition, the use of fracked gas to provide our electricity is destroying the lives, water, and air of fellow Americans in Pennsylvania and other states.
We must heed the message of the IPCC, and use our Community Choice Aggregation tool to maximum effect now, making the “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society” a reality. We hope, Mayor Fuller, that you will trust the citizens of Newton to do what it takes to fulfill the promise of the Newton Climate Action Plan by negotiating a 100% default in the next Newton Power Choice contract. For the same amount we might spend on a movie or a pizza each month we can make the promise of climate action real before it is too late.
Future generations are depending upon us...and we in turn are depending upon you to help us do the right thing.
On behalf of the signers below, we thank you for your careful consideration of our request.
Marcia Cooper, President, on behalf of Green Newton
Peter Barrer, Leader, on behalf of 350 Mass, Newton
Sue Levy, Co-Chair, on behalf of Mothers Out Front, Newton
Demie Stathoplos, Chair, on behalf of FUUSN Climate Task Force
Leslie Zebrowitz & Philip Vergragt, Co-Chairs, on behalf of Newton EV Task Force
Lynn Weissberg, Doris Ann Sweet, Nancy Zollers, Fran Godine, Kathleen Hobson, Leadership Team for Engine 6
Updates
October 15, 2020
I opened the page this morning and saw that over one hundred people have added their names to this request. I truly did not imagine this would resonate with so many of you so quickly. This belongs entirely to all of you who took a moment to show you care.
Reached 250 supporters
October 13, 2020
Reached 100 supporters
October 12, 2020
88 Comments
As a member of Rotary - who has just added The Environment as an area of focus - I wholeheartedly support this effort. We need to make doing the right thing easier.
We can afford this. Those who have been hit hard by Covid and lost jobs or businesses should be told about the 50% Electricity discount they can get through the R-2 discount rate and low income community solar. The rest of us can easily pay two cups of coffee per month more for renewable electricity. Those who don’t want to can opt down or opt out.
Important to heed the social science about opt-out and opt-in choices. It was pathetic that only 7% of Newton opted-in last time around. Make it an opt-out choice
We have invested in making our home fossil-fuel free. But to make real change requires action at the governmental level. This initiative would show the way for other localities.
Please help us meet our goals as a city - it's key that we have 100%, while it's also key that we let our less fortunate/fix income neighbors know there are ways to limit the cost. Thank you, Mayor Fuller!
Mayor Fuller, your decision about the default level last time was bold and well-timed. I urge you to set the default level this time at 100%. You know that I will support you on this decision and the other important decisions you will make in the coming year. Thank you!
This is SO important. People will support it IF we lead with it. Thank you, Bev, co-founder, Green Newton in 1990
Time is running out! A great deal of damage has already been done.
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As a member of Rotary - who has just added The Environment as an area of focus - I wholeheartedly support this effort. We need to make doing the right thing easier.