Green Acton sometimes conducts campaigns to influence public opinion, local or state governments, and/or Acton Town Meeting voters on matters of environmental importance. These campaigns aim to achieve actions that further the environmental mission of the organization — thereby making our community safer, more sustainable, and more resilient.
A Green Acton committee (or members of several committees in collaboration) generally plays a lead role in mounting such campaigns; some examples include:
Save Acton Wildlife (2025)
This campaign works to eliminate the use of anticoagulant rodenticides, including FGARs (First Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides) and SGARs (Second Generation Anticoagulant Rodenticides), on both public and private property in Acton. These poisons, which are potent for many months, can sicken and kill wildlife — such as owls and hawks — that eat the poisoned rodents.
A Quieter Cleaner Acton (2025)
This successful campaign sought to get passed, at Acton Town Meeting, a bylaw that would phase out the use of gas-powered leaf blowers in Acton. Members of the Energy and Toxics/Pesticides committees worked on this campaign.
Ban the Bag & More (2022)
A follow-on campaign to the 2019 one (see below), this effort successfully persuaded Town Meeting voters to approve two Warrant Articles: one banning the use of most polystyrene plastics by retailers in Acton, and the other, a Home Rule Petition to allow the Town to establish a minimum charge (by retailers) for checkout bags. (That Home Rule Petition has not yet been approved by the Massachusetts Legislature.)
Ban the Bag (2019)
In another successful campaign, the Plastics subcommittee was instrumental in influencing Town Meeting voters to approve a ban on most single-use plastic bags at Acton retailers.
Pay as You Throw (2014)
A Green Acton–wide campaign successfully persuaded townspeople to approve (at Town Meeting) the transition to a Pay As You Throw system for trash at the Acton Transfer Station. This change resulted in a 36% reduction in trash volume in the first year of the program, and increases in recycling rates.
Collaborative Campaign Efforts
GA also supported winning campaigns of the Acton Climate Coalition to pass (1) a resolution declaring a Climate Emergency (2020) and (2) a local bylaw and Home Rule Petition (2021) — Building with Clean Energy — that prevents new construction and sign