~ Submitted by Mothers Out Front of Bedford
On Wednesday, November 17th, in a rousing display of support for clean energy, Bedford mothers and families participated in a spirited relay from Pittsfield to the Prudential Center. Relay participants crisscrossed the state using electric vehicles, bikes, public transit, running, and walking. In addition to the Bedford event, included stops in Pittsfield, Northampton, Hadley, Gardner, Acton, Concord, Waltham, Brookline, and Boston. You can see photos and videos from the day by searching for the hashtag #Race4CleanHeat.
Over a dozen Bedford residents took part in the Statewide Relay for Clean Heat by first gathering at Memorial Park’s Patriot Statue, holding signs with a message to the gas companies: We Want Real Climate Solutions. Corinne Doud spoke to the group sharing her concern that the future of clean energy has been put in the hands of our gas company executives. By March 2022, the companies must submit plans to the state on how they plan to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to zero! Our postcards send a message arguing for a transition plan aligned with the Mothers Out Front Future of Clean Heat Platform for a future that is all-electric, safe, and affordable for all
A Mothers Out Front member from Ipswich drove their locally signed postcards from Ipswich to be added to the Bedford postcards. Eight people then took the 170 postcards from Ipswich and Bedford to join the march to the National Grid headquarters in Waltham. Together with other participants, more than 3,100 postcards were delivered from Massachusett customers to the state’s three largest gas utilities.
“Our utilities have a huge responsibility to all of humanity to lead on climate solutions to protect future generations,“ said Renu Bostwick. In a state where heating & cooling account for 30 percent of heat-trapping emissions, the mothers say utilities are moving too slowly and offering false solutions to families’ needs for safe, renewable, and affordable heat. “We don’t want other explosive gases such as hydrogen or biogas which also cause climate change running through leaky underground pipes,” added Janet Powers. “Every day of inaction further threatens the health and safety of our children.”
The mothers are asking utilities to partner with their workforce, government, and customers to provide clean, safe, affordable heat to all Massachusetts homes. Specifically, they want the gas companies to align with the Mothers Out Front Future of Clean Heat Platform. This demands that utilities:
- Offer heat pumps and other electric appliances to all homes and buildings;
- Subsidize these technologies to make them affordable for everyone;
- Replace leaky gas infrastructure with networked geothermal systems; and
- Make clean energy available and affordable to all families, especially renters and low-income residents.
Mothers Out Front is a national movement of mothers working to ensure a livable climate for all children. The group brings together mothers in communities across the U.S. to help them advocate for transformative climate policies at the local, state, and national level to achieve a just transition away from fossil fuels to clean and renewable energy. Founded by two moms in 2013, the organization now includes 21 local chapters in Massachusetts and more than 35,000 mothers and caregivers across the country.
Please see attached photos of our local event. For more information about Bedford Mothers Out Front, contact: [email protected]
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