MASSPIRG at Greenfield Community College

Update the Bottle Bill, Increase Recycling-

Thursdays, 6:30, CC203

In 1982 MASSPIRG campaigned to get Massachusetts to pass the bottle bill, which put a 5 cent deposit on all carbonated beverages. This is the most successful recycling program in the state because it gives people an incentive to recycle. Unfortunately, the bottle bill doesn’t cover many containers like water and juice bottles. This semester we will be getting Northampton to join over 100 cities and towns who endorse Updating the Bottle Bill. Smith and colleges across the state will be gathering petitions and photos with “bottle Bill” to show our Reps. overwhelming support for the bill.

Hunger and Homelessness-

Thursdays, 6:30, CC203

In some towns in our region, hunger rates are over 6 times higher than the statewide average.  With the current state of our economy, hunger and homelessness is becoming an even larger problem.  This semester we will participate in the National Hunger Clean Up, which is a one day service-a-thon. Throughout the semester we will have big fundraising events and educational events on campus and volunteer in local hunger relief agencies.  

Global Warming Solutions-

Tuesdays, 5:00, CC203

In 2008, Massachusetts adopted the Global Warming Solutions Act, a law that commits the state to cutting our greenhouse gas emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.  The bill established that the Governor needs to set a 2020 benchmark goal between 10-25%. This semester, we will make sure that Governor Patrick adopts a strong short-term pollution target of 25% reductions by 2020 to move us towards solving global warming.  We will be gathering photo and video petitions to show Gov. Patrick that we support this target.  

We will also be working to increase public transportation, better student health care, and decrease student debt.

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^{We collected over 40 pictures of students posing with "Olver" and delivered them to his office in DC.}

Global Warming Solutions: working to promote solutions to the most pressing issue our generation faces today. During Greenfield’s 350 event to mark the International Day of Climate Action, we recorded video petitions showing President Obama and Senator Kerry that Massachusetts’ is ready to solve global warming.  About 10 Greenfield students constructed a wind turbine prop and took it around campus to gather over 200 photo petitions and  signatures on it to show Senator Kerry and Representative Markey that Massachusetts supports them and needs them to stand up for global warming solutions at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. Students will be presenting this turbine to them in Boston.

Hunger and Homelessness: With the current economic crisis, the Hunger and Homelessness campaign is as critical as ever. This semester we organized a canned food and spare change drive on campus for Obama’s National Day of Service.  We were able to raise over $100 in just 2 hours.  MASSPIRG is also participating in the volunteer fair at GCC to help students discover more ways in which they can get involved in the community.

New Voters Project: During the past few years, young people have been turning out to the polls in record numbers.  There are a lot of important issues being debated right now, from health care to global warming, so we want our voices to be heard. We want to make sure politicians at all levels of government pay attention to young people and the issues we care about.  In just 2 days, MASSPIRG students led by Dylan Stosz, Kenny Chartrand, and Aaron Silver-Pell were able to help register almost 60 students to vote in the special Senate election primaries.

Student Debt Campaign:  Last month MASSPIRG helped pass a bill through the House of Representatives that will cut subsidies to banks and return over $40 billion in direct aid to students.  We had students help push for this bill by writing on a “brick” for our Wall of Debt, which we delivered to Representative Olver. Now we are continuing to mobilize student support across the country in order to pass the bill through the senate and already had a call-in day at GCC.