Everything is interconnected: clean water, good health, a stable climate, a healthy environment, economic well-being, a robust democracy, and justice for all—especially the most vulnerable among us. That’s why Clean Water Action aims to makes these basic rights and values central to all of our work.
In Massachusetts, Clean Water Action is leading the way towards:
- Safe Drinking Water for All
- Clean Energy & Climate Justice
- Zero Waste
- Healthy Homes, Workplaces and Communities
Safe Drinking Water
Clean drinking water is a human right. But for many communities, where drinking water is contaminated by toxic chemicals, access to clean water remains out of reach. To protect children and families, Clean Water Action is working to reduce lead and PFAS in drinking water. We are focusing on environmental justice communities because people of color, low income people, and people who experience language isolation are often the most overburdened with environmental hazards and have the least access to resources to protect themselves.
Read more about Safe Drinking Water
Clean Energy and Climate Justice
As the state’s coal- and nuclear-fired power plants have now all shut down, Clean Water is partnering with groups across the state to fight for a just transition to a clean energy future that is accessible to all.
We are working with the Green Justice Coalition and Mass Power Forward to hold the line against the expansion of gas infrastructure and pass statewide policies that advance climate justice and grow the green energy economy. Specifically, Clean Water Action and allies are pressing our state’s elected officials to make clean energy like solar power more accessible to low income residents; supporting partners in Chelsea and Chinatown to create microgrids (locally controlled clean energy networks); and advocating for a focus on equity in transportation policies and programs for communities that struggle with access to clean, affordable and reliable public transit.
We’re also working to pass legislation that puts a just price on carbon to reduce emissions that cause climate change and pollution-induced asthma, while keeping more of our energy dollars in Massachusetts, growing our economy, and building a stronger, more reliable energy foundation based on local renewable energy.
Read more about Clean Energy and Climate Justice
Zero Waste
Clean Water is pushing to end trash incineration and move toward a Zero Waste future. More often than not, polluting trash incinerators and landfills are located in low-income communities and communities of color. What’s more, recycling workers labor under unsafe conditions for low wages.
Clean Water is working alongside local residents fighting to close the Saugus Wheelabrator trash incinerator and ash landfill that pump toxic pollution into the air and contaminate soil and water. Boston is one of the communities sending its waste to Saugus. After a 9-year campaign by Clean Water and the Zero Waste Boston Coalition, the City of Boston took a strong step forward and created a plan to get to Zero Waste by 2050. The city also required companies bidding for contracts to pay workers a living wage for the first time in 2019.
Preventing harm to our health from toxic chemicals
Clean Water leads the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow (AHT) Coalition in its work to protect human health from toxic chemicals in homes, consumer products, and workplaces. The coalition is working to pass legislation to ban toxic flame retardants from children’s products and household furniture in order to protect children’s and firefighters’ health and to eliminate toxic PFAS chemicals from food packaging. Clean Water also partners with the national Mind-the-Store Campaign which is urging many of the largest retailers in the country to remove toxic products from store shelves.
Read more about preventing harm to our health from toxic chemicals.
Environmental justice and a vision for the future
Clean Water Action is working with allies to press Governor Charlie Baker to implement existing environmental justice policies and to pass a bill to codify environmental justice protections into state law.
We are also a partner in the 10-Year Agenda for the Public Good, led by Community Labor United. The 10-Year Agenda partners are working to set a bold, long term agenda for change that will lead to a just future, and includes a healthy environment for all.
Elections
Clean Water Action endorses pro-environment candidates for local, state and national elections. Clean Water Action’s canvassing teams go door-to-door to turn out voters in priority districts. Additionally, Clean Water Action educates candidates for office on critical environmental issues and organizes forums in which candidates are called to publicly discuss their positions.
There are plenty of ways to stay updated: Follow us on social media for regular updates and chances to take action, on our Massachusetts Facebook page and our Massachusetts Twitter page. Thanks so much for your interest in Clean Water Action's work in Massachusetts!