SCZW Forum,
Attached is a great letter Neil Tangri wrote in response to my posting on GreenYes.
Please copy the alert below and paste on an email to all your Massachusetts friends, relations, or colleagues, or anyone who might write a letter. (Form letter is provided but of course custom letters are even better!)
--LP
URGENT ACTION ALERT--INCINERATION
Please forward to all Massachusetts voters in your address book.
Right now the Mass DEP is drafting a new Solid Waste Master Plan that may include LIFTING THE STATE MORATORIUM ON NEW INCINERATORS. Since the DEP is moving away from landfilling, and the Patrick Administration has expressed strong support for waste-to-energy technologies, the new Master Plan is expected to open the door to new high-heat disposal sites around the state.
Incinerators drive climate change. They emit heavy metals and form dioxins and furans—among the most dangerous compounds for human health. Other high-heat technologies planned for Massachusetts, including gasification and pyrolysis, also have dangerous emissions, are unjust to neighboring communities, and waste resources.
Only a small portion of the energy that goes into the manufacture of products can be recovered at disposal sites. Trash-to-energy is a waste of energy. Plus, these facilities compete against recycling programs for high volumes of garbage.
Ask the DEP to reject incineration and related technologies and develop a Zero Waste plan. Zero Waste = waste reduction, reuse, full recycling, composting, and producer responsibility. Zero Waste will save energy and natural resources, and bring new “green” businesses and jobs to Massachusetts for reuse, repair, recycling, and composting.
PLEASE TAKE 60 SECONDS TO MAKE A CRITICAL DIFFERENCE.
1. Open a new email and copy these five addresses in the address line.
Ian.Bowles@no.address, Laurie.Burt@no.address, John.Fischer@no.address, James.Colman@no.address, MassZeroWaste@no.address (The last address ensures that these messages will also be delivered to the Governor, who has no public email address.)
2. Copy this basic message onto the email: (Or write your own.)
I am concerned about the DEP's draft Solid Waste Plan. Please retain the incinerator moratorium. Trash-to-energy is not a clean, safe, or renewable energy source. It is highly wasteful, polluting and drives climate change. The amount of energy to produce a new product far outweighs the energy retrieved from trash-to-energy. Recycling recovers more of that energy and preserves the raw materials as well. Please develop a Zero Waste Plan that will conserve our material and energy resources, and get Massachusetts on record as a truly “green” state in which to live and do business.
3. Press send.
4. Forward this alert to your email list and to groups that will pass it on.
Thanks.
Lynne.Pledger@no.address