{"id":18356,"date":"2024-05-03T08:59:15","date_gmt":"2024-05-03T12:59:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/?p=18356"},"modified":"2024-05-03T08:59:15","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T12:59:15","slug":"help-reduce-plastics-contact-your-town-meeting-members-this-weekend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/2024\/05\/help-reduce-plastics-contact-your-town-meeting-members-this-weekend\/","title":{"rendered":"Help Reduce Plastics: Contact Your Town Meeting Members This Weekend"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-18360 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws-300x186.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"186\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws-300x186.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws-1024x635.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws-768x476.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws-560x347.jpg 560w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws-150x93.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/straws.jpg 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a>Next Monday, May 6, Needham\u2019s annual Town Meeting will begin.\u00a0 The Green Needham Plastics Reduction Team has submitted Warrant Article 45, a Citizens\u2019 Petition to ban certain single-use plastics, for consideration by Town Meeting members. \u00a0This bylaw seeks to expand on the plastic bag ban bylaw we passed last year, by replacing single-use plastic items with more sustainable alternatives. If passed, polystyrene food containers, plastic stirrers, and plastic splash guards (which fit into the sip-hole of a cup lid to prevent splashing) would be prohibited starting January 1, 2025.\u00a0 In addition, plastic straws would be available only when requested by patrons.<\/p>\n<p>Because research continues to demonstrate serious and mounting concerns about the impact of plastic pollution on the environment and human health, Green Needham feels strongly that it is important to take urgent steps to reduce single-use plastics in our community. While the initial bylaw included a ban on plastic water bottles, an amendment has been introduced to remove plastic water bottles from the petition. Green Needham received mixed feedback from various stakeholders and Town\u00a0Meeting members, and we were\u00a0concerned that the rest of the bylaw might not pass if water bottles were included.\u00a0In the future, we will continue to evaluate additional ways to reduce single-use plastics in Needham.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenneedham.org\/blog\/plastic-waste-reduction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Plastics Reduction Team<\/a> is passionate about this issue because we are concerned about our children and future generations. We feel it is our duty to protect our youth and\u00a0ensure they inherit a healthy and sustainable planet.\u00a0 We need your help to make sure this bylaw passes.\u00a0 Please reach out to your Town Meeting Members to encourage them to support this important bylaw.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>How to find your Precinct<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>You can look at this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/DocumentCenter\/View\/20807\/VoterPrecinctMap_2022?bidId=\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">map<\/a> or check your address online using the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sec.state.ma.us\/WhereDoIVoteMA\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Massachusetts Elections Division website.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Use the Contact forms below to write a short note of support to your Town Meeting Members.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-A-58\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct A Town Meeting Members<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-A-58\">\u00a0<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-B-59\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct B Town Meeting Members<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/needhamma.gov\/tmmc\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct C Town Meeting Members<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-D-61\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct D Town Meeting Members<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-E-62\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct E Town Meeting Members<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-E-62\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-F-63\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct F Town Meeting Members<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-G-64\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct G Town Meeting Members<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-G-64\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/needhamma.gov\/tmmh\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct H Town Meeting Members<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-H-65\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/needhamma.gov\/tmmi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct I Town Meeting Members<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-H-65\"><br \/>\n<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-Precinct-J-67\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Precinct J Town Meeting Members<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.needhamma.gov\/FormCenter\/Town-Manager-Forms-8\/Town-Meeting-Contact-Form-At-Large-76\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Contact Town Meeting Members at Large<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Next Monday, May 6, Needham\u2019s annual Town Meeting will begin.\u00a0 The Green Needham Plastics Reduction Team has submitted Warrant Article 45, a Citizens\u2019 Petition to ban certain single-use plastics, for consideration by Town Meeting members. \u00a0This bylaw seeks to 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