People working together to face the challenges of the climate crisis on Cape Ann
Protecting what we love. Cape Ann Climate Coalition has action groups made up of local volunteers who are taking action on the climate. Anyone living in Essex, Gloucester, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport is welcome to join one of these groups.
Our coastal wetlands are vulnerable to effects of climate change. 
Solar panels supply power to Rockport’s Thacher Island. Image courtesy: Thacher Island Association 
Designing a road map to net-zero on Cape Ann. Wind energy powers Gloucester’s schools and municipal buildings. 
Promoting electric vehicles- a charging station in Manchester. 
Adapting for rising sea level in our coastal areas. Pictured: Long Beach in Rockport.
Upcoming Events & Calendar:
Events
Get Charged Up for Electric Vehicles: Sat., April 5
‘Get Charged Up for Electric Vehicles’ is a free community event on Saturday, April 5th at 11am to 4pm, at Our Lady of Good Voyage Parish Hall, 142 Prospect St., Gloucester. It’s for people who are looking for an affordable way to buy a used electric vehicle and install an EV Charger.
Learn about what you need to do to purchase a used EV. See some of the efficient, affordable, used electric vehicles that are available. Find out about the free websites and resources that will help you to find the right electric car or light truck for you.
Save money on an EV charger! National Grid is offering significant incentives to install electric vehicle chargers for income-eligible homes and apartment buildings. Learn if you are eligible.
This is sponsored by the Cape Ann Climate Coalition’s Save Green program in partnership with Drive Green, the City of Gloucester, National Grid, and Our Lady of Good Voyage Church. There will be door prizes and refreshments as a thank you for those who attend.
Clean Up at Stage Fort Park- Sat., April 12 at 10am
Meet us at the bandstand! Trash bags, recycling containers & trash pickers will be provided. Everyone is welcomed!
Save Green Landlord Workshop – April 23
Landlord Workshop “Getting Started with a Mass Save ® No-Cost Home Energy Assessment”– April 23 at 6:30-8pm at the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce– This workshop will include a presentation by HomeWorks Energy, a trusted Mass Save partner, to explain how to get started with a no-cost Home Energy Assessment for each of your tenant’s units and available financing and tax benefits. There will also be a testimonial from a local landlord who has been implementing a project at their property. Cape Ann Climate Coalition is partnering with the City of Gloucester and HomeWorks Energy to sponsor this event.
Gardening for Biodiversity with Native Plants: May 13th
Gardening For Biodiversity With Native Plants: Providing habitat for pollinators, birds and other essential wildlife, Tuesday, May 13th at 5pm at the Rockport Public Library. In this talk, Amy Meltzer will focus on the current biodiversity crisis; the evolutionary history among native plants, insects, birds and fungi, and how these interdependent relationships among diverse species are necessary for their survival. She will show how growing native plants and using ecological landscape practices can simultaneously reverse biodiversity loss, increase resilience in our landscapes, and slow climate change – all while creating a beautiful garden! This is sponsored by the Cape Ann Climate Coalition in partnership with Backyard Growers, Lanesville Community Center and Manship Artists in Residency. This is a free event.
Amy Meltzer is co-chair of the steering committee of the Mass Pollinator Network, is an active member of Grow Native Massachusetts, and is on the Research Team of Elders Climate Action. She has been researching and growing native plants for over twelve years.
Keeling Curve Graph that represents the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth’s atmosphere since 1958
Why this graph is important:
We have passed the maximum safe concentration level of carbon dioxide (350 parts per million) in the atmosphere. To avoid runaway climate destabilization and return to 350 parts per million we need to immediately stop all use of fossil fuels, and protect our natural systems that store carbon dioxide (forests, marshes, wetlands, seagrass beds, etc…) Technology capable of removing enough excess carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere has not been developed. If you click on this graph it will give you a reading of the latest CO2 measurement in the atmosphere.