By Keith Lewison, Executive Committee Chair, Cape Cod Group
The Sierra Club's Cape Cod Group (CCG) is dedicated to applying the organization’s mission "explore, enjoy, and protect the planet" locally. Our focus is moving the Cape toward 100% clean energy, protecting our local waters, land, and wildlife through community education about contaminants of emerging concern, like PFAS, and promoting zero waste best practices, such as local plastics bans and pay-as-you-throw measures.
About the Executive Committee
ExCom has five elected members: Chair Keith Lewison (Sandwich) and Vice-Chair Chris Powicki (Brewster), both up for reelection this fall. Three new members were elected in 2020: Madhavi Venkatesan, PhD (Brewster), Morgan Peck (Chatham), and Sam Bechtold (Barnstable). Diane LeDuc (Harwich) is our appointed secretary andDavid Dow, PhD (Falmouth) is treasurer.
Education & Advocacy Efforts
The CCG continues to participate in the Sources, Transport, Exposure & Effects of PFASs or STEEP program led by the University of Rhode Island, the Silent Spring Institute, and Harvard’s School of Public Health) as a community partner examining PFAS (or poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances: large, complex and expanding group of manufactured chemicals that are widely used to make various types of everyday products, e.g. cookware, clothes, carpets) in Cape drinking water. More information: STEEP website.
The 350/Sierra CCG campaign to convince the Cape Cod Commission (CCC) to amend the Cape Cod Regional Policy Plan (RRP) to focus on climate mitigation reached preliminary success this summer. The group’s involvement will continue to ensure the CCC fulfills its pledge to amend the RRP by January 2021. See local media coverage: CAI radio’s website.
Photo credit: Eve Zuckoff - WCAI
The Group continues to support efforts to pass Municipal and Commercial Single Use Bottle Bans at fall town meetings across the Cape. ExCom member Madhavi Venkatesan, PhD has led the effort. The campaign has led the majority of the Cape’s fifteen towns to enact municipal single use plastic bottle bans, and one has already adopted the commercial single use bottle ban. For information: Sustainable Practices website.
The Cape Sierra Club continues to foster youth activism and is collaborating with Mass Audubon to hold our third youth climate action summit this school year. Summit One created the opportunity for youth to hold a town hall style meeting with regional decision makers on climate change. Last year’s summit successfully incorporated the arts, student-led presentations, and a guest appearance by U.S. Congressman William Keating all motivating youth to get more engaged in the struggle for climate justice. Local media coverage of the 2019 youth summit can be found on CAI radio’s website and the Cape Cod Time’s website.