Perspectives: Local Resources for Lower-Waste Family Living

by Leah Whitehouse As a mom of a toddler, I am keenly aware of the waste even a small family produces. Although books such as Bea Johnson’s Zero-Waste Home and Stephanie Marie Seferian’s Sustainable Minimalism offer great practical guidance on sustainable living, they’re written for a pretty broad audience, so I looked into some local… Continue reading →

Landscaping Services Using Battery-Powered Leaf Blowers in Acton

In Spring 2024, Green Acton supported a Warrant Article at Town Meeting that would have phased out the use of most gas-powered leaf blowers (GLBs). Town Meeting members ultimately voted to send the article to the Acton Select Board for further review and potential revision, and likely, a reappearance at a future Town Meeting. Meanwhile,… Continue reading →

Leaf Blower Bylaw Warrant Article at Town Meeting

Green Acton supports Article 16 — on a proposed Gas-Powered Leaf Blower Phase-Out bylaw — on the Warrant for Acton’s 2024 Annual Town Meeting — Town Meeting begins on May 6 (7pm in the auditorium of the Acton-Boxborough Regional High School), BUT voting for Article 16 is scheduled for the second night of Town Meeting… Continue reading →

Green Acton Supports the Gas Leaf Blower Phase-out Bylaw

On March 17, 2024, the Green Acton Board of Directors agreed to endorse the Town Meeting Warrant Article on gas leaf blower phase-out, and approved this statement to be read at Town Meeting (which begins on Monday, May 6): The Board of Directors of Green Acton, Acton’s nonprofit environmental advocacy group, endorses this warrant article,… Continue reading →

Citizen’s Petition for Gas-powered Leaf Blower Phase-Out

Below is the text of a 2024 Citizen’s Petition; this article will be on the May 2024 Annual Town Meeting Warrant. (Town Meeting begins on Monday, May 6.) At the end is a visual summary provided by Paul Kampas, the originator of the petition. See Green Acton’s endorsement statement. Amend General Bylaws — Gas-powered Leaf… Continue reading →

Thinking about Fertilizing? Test Your Soil First!

Contributed by Christopher Edwards and Martha Rounds, Green Acton Toxics/Pesticides Subcommittee To take good care of a lawn or garden in Acton, simply buying an off-the-shelf fertilizer and spreading it once or twice a year can be tempting. This guide offers great information on fertilizing your yard in a way that is better for your… Continue reading →

Creating a Lush, Healthy Lawn without Synthetic Chemicals

Many people love their lawns. In the post–World War II period, they became a symbol of domestic status and beauty, and at the same time became more uniform and “greener.” And though it may seem odd to think about environmental damage and lawns at the same time, “chemical” lawns actually cause significant damage to the… Continue reading →