Climate Action Call
Action Toolkit: March 17, 2022
TALKING POINTS Our Message
- Our gas utility companies are prioritizing their profits over a livable climate.
- The utilities’ climate plans are full of greenwashing scams.
- "Renewable" natural gas and hydrogen are scarce, expensive, and still lead to emissions.
- “Renewable” natural gas is not a real climate solution, just a delay tactic.
- We need clean, safe, affordable, all-electric heating solutions – NOW.
- We must stop the gas companies from wasting our time and money.
- The legislature must intervene.
ACTION #1 Email Your Legislators
Ask your legislators to attend the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change hearing on the “Future of Gas” on April 4th from 10:00-12:30.
Option 1: The Easy Way
Use our quick “Email My Legislator” tool to quickly send an email to your state senator and representative.
Option 2: The Personal Way
Use the template below to write an email to your legislators using your everyday email provider.
> Email Template
- Contact Info for All Representatives
- Contact Info for All Senators*
*If your state senator is Cynthia Creem, simply send her a thank you note!
BCC: ma.action@mothersoutfront.org
Dear {{Representative / Senator XX}},
[ Customize ] “I am a constituent in your district. I am deeply concerned about climate change because…”
I am writing to encourage you to attend a Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change hearing regarding the “Future of Gas” proceeding. This hearing is being organized by Senator Cynthia Creem for April 4th from 10:00-12:30.
Tomorrow, Eversource, National Grid, and our state’s other gas companies, will submit their plans for our energy transition as required by D.P.U. Docket #20-80. Unfortunately, they have written plans that prioritize profitability over real climate action. Their plans rely on expensive, scarce, and dangerous “renewable” natural gas and hydrogen, and they fail to account for health, safety, and emissions costs associated with these fuels.
We can’t trust the gas companies to take our climate laws seriously. It’s time for the legislature to intervene and ensure Massachusetts families can afford to transition to clean, safe, all-electric alternatives to gas. The hearing on April 4th will include testimony from experts and key information.
Are you able to attend the hearing or send a staff member?
We are at a crossroads. Your leadership is needed to ensure we choose the path that leads toward a livable climate for our children. Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[ Your Name]
[Your Town ]
ACTION #2 Tell Your People
Use email and/or social media to tell your friends, neighbors, and family that the gas utilities are planning to waste ratepayer money to greenwash their way out of climate solutions. Ask them to contact their legislators too.
> Sample Facebook Post
Has anyone heard from Eversource or National Grid about their plans to transition customers to "renewable natural gas?"
I've been learning from @MothersOutFrontMassachusetts about how our gas companies are trying to sell customers on the false promise of hydrogen and other “fossil-free” gas fuels. Climate advocates are calling these false solutions out for what they are - the gas companies’ attempt to greenwash their way out of desperately needed climate action.
The gas companies want to delay our transition to clean, safe, all-electric gas alternatives, like heat pumps and induction stoves. They want to keep ratepayers hooked on explosive, expensive gasses that put our health, safety, and future at risk. They're putting profits over a livable climate for our families.
The good news is that our state legislature has the power to stop them. Can you join me in calling on our elected officials and asking them to intervene? https://mothersoutfront.good.do/no_false_promises/
> Sample Email to Friends
Hi friends and family -
I’ve learned from Mothers Out Front that the MA gas utilities are working hard to submit their final plans on how they will meet the state's legally binding emissions reductions targets (plans are due tomorrow!).
Unfortunately, the draft plans we've seen so far are not compatible with a safe and healthy climate future. The gas utilities are actively greenwashing natural gas and using new names, like "renewable gas" or "fossil free" gas fuels. They want to delay our transition to clean, safe, all-electric gas alternatives, like heat pumps and induction stoves. They want to keep ratepayers hooked on explosive, expensive gasses that put our health, safety, and future at risk. They're putting profits over a livable climate for our families.
The good news is that our state legislature has the power to stop them. Can you join me in calling on our elected officials and asking them to intervene? Click here to learn more: https://mothersoutfront.good.do/no_false_promises/
Thank you for your help!
Sincerely
[ Your Name]
RESOURCES Learn More
“[Renewable Natural Gas] is not as low-carbon as the [natural gas] industry claims and its local air and water impacts are concentrated in vulnerable communities. Even if it were low-carbon and equitable, there simply isn’t enough of it to substitute for more than a small fraction of natural gas. And even if it were low-carbon, equitable, and abundant, it still wouldn’t be an excuse to expand natural gas infrastructure or slow electrification.”
Roberts, David. “The false promise of ‘renewable natural gas.” Vox, Feb. 2020.
“Gas companies are planning to blend fossil hydrogen into the “natural” gas that’s piped to our homes and businesses in an effort to “decarbonize” the gas system. But the reality is that heating with hydrogen increases rather than lowers emissions.”
“Hydrogen and Renewable Natural Gas.” Gas Leaks Allies.
“The gas industry is using RNG to greenwash its image while obscuring its real objective: growth at the expense of the climate. By marketing RNG as a “renewable” solution to greenhouse gas emissions, the gas industry is drumming up excitement for a product it cannot deliver. The industry aims to create the illusion that our gas system can be decarbonized by introducing a new fuel that can offset today’s gas demand, when in reality, it would offset only a small portion of that demand. If the public buys the pitch, it will enable gas companies to invest millions more dollars into new infrastructure that would lock in decades of profits. The result would be consumers paying higher prices for a façade of greenhouse gas reductions.”