Welcome! We're glad you found us!

We are mothers and others speaking with the roar of a mother bear, fighting for a just, healthy, clean energy future for all children.

Are you urgently concerned about climate change? So are we!

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About Us

The Pioneer Valley Mothers Out Front communities are vibrant and growing. We have two organized chapters, in Amherst and in Northampton, with many members all over Western Massachusetts.

We hold regular meetings/discussions, sponsor actions and forums, meet with local and state officials, arrange family potlucks and outings, host speakers, and partner with other climate change-related and justice organizations, so check out our Facebook page to stay up to date.  

Our chapters are made up of open-hearted and dynamic women who actively engage mothers, grandmothers, and others to do something NOW about our children's future.

If you want to join in, there are plenty of opportunities, big and small. 

We Tweet. Follow @MOFpv

Contact us:  [email protected]

 

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Take action today on dirty biomass here.

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Honk If You Oppose a Biomass Plant in Springfield!

by Rachel Lea Scott

In September, Mothers Out Front Pioneer Valley members joined with other advocates to oppose the biomass energy project in Springfield, MA.  Organized by the Springfield Climate Justice Coalition, the protest included a COVID-safe in-person rally outside Springfield City Hall, along with a small but mighty car caravan protest. Mothers Out Front members accounted for 3 out of the 7 cars that looped around City Hall, honking our horns and displaying signs and creative renderings of dirty smoke stacks and inhalers. We showed up in order to join in solidarity with the residents of Springfield and to add our voices (and beeps!) to the messages that local advocates have been leading on for years.  

Building a biomass plant that would burn wood for energy would harm both human and ecological health.  The emissions produced would pollute the air and exacerbate existing public health crises (in addition to spewing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, while removing trees which sequester carbon from the atmosphere).   Springfield has long suffered from poor air quality, and is already known as the "asthma capital" of the United States.  A new biomass plant should not be built anywhere in Massachusetts, and certainly not in a city that is already bearing the burdens of existing air pollution. Low-income communities and communities of color have continued to suffer from the impacts of dirty power plants, incinerators, toxic waste dumps, and complex highway systems in their neighborhoods. Massachusetts must not continue this destructive pattern. 

 

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Earth Week!

See full list of Mothers Out Front Massachusetts events here  

See three day national livestream Earth Day Live events here 

We hope that you will join us for one or more of these local (if virtual) Earth Day activities with coalition partners.  And please do get outside with your kids and celebrate our living earth directly! 

Start with Art!

(You could do one piece of art for all three calls below for art by combining Heal Our Earth, Extinction Rebellion symbol, and renewable energy images)

• #HealOurEarth window displays and photo mosaic with MOF MA leading up to Friday - Advocacy Day
• Art with XR Western MA leading up to Earth Day
• Kids virtual art show at the Western Mass Town Hallon Wednesday

Summary Schedule of Events with our community:

Tuesday, April 21

• 3-3:30 live-stream craft and puppet making workshop for children ages 5-9 with our own Anna Sobel
• 4-5:30 Sunrise / Youth movement teach-in on “COVID-19 & the Green New Deal”

Wednesday, April 22 - EARTH DAY

• 4-4:30 Solomon Goldstein-Rose in Jones Library Facebook live interview
• 4-5:30 Sunrise / Youth movement teach-in on “Expanding the Green New Deal”
• 6:30-8 Western Mass Earth Day Celebration and Town Hall

Thursday, April 23 – Stop the Money Pipeline Day

• 12:00 Kids workshop during Stop the Money Pipeline "Actionar"
• 4-5:30 Sunrise / Youth movement teach-in on “Taking Action with the People's Bailout”

Friday, April 24 - Advocacy Day

• Solomon Goldstein-Rose and Andra Rose mother/son interview on climate advocacy 

 

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New Gas? No Thanks! We're Going with Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency.

Mothers Out Front Pioneer Valley is working with other organizations in the Valley to plan for a just transition to 100% renewable energy. We are working to:

1. Use less energy overall by increasing home and municipal energy efficiency and conservation. MOF in Amherst and Northampton helped to pass local resolutions for 100% Renewable Energy. We are part of a Valley-wide coalition that successfully stopped a plan by Columbia Gas for expanded infrastructure. 

2. Convert our buildings from gas and oil heat to electric.  In Northampton, we helped to lead a city campaign to convert home heating and cooling to highly efficient mini-splits. In Amherst, we passed a bylaw mandating Zero Energy new municipal buildings which means fossil fuels cannot heat or power new Town buildings.

3. Build local renewable energy sources. We helped launch an inter-municipal collaboration to localize and green our energy sources, create local jobs, and let our communities choose their energy future using an expanded model of Community Choice Aggregation (CCA 3.0). Members in Pelham on the Select Board and Energy Committee are overseeing expanded solar and resilience development. 

4. Pass state legislation that will help move Massachusetts off of fossil fuels in the transportation and building sectors in a just transition to electrification and renewable heat. The priority bills are Rep Benson's Carbon Pricing bill, H.2810, The FUTURE Act, S.1940/H.2849, and two Environmental Justice bills, S.453/h.826 and S.464/H.761. For more info on Mothers Out Front Massachusetts legislative priorities click here.

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What Can I Do?

Right Now:

• Let us know you're interested, learn more about us, get MOF emails. Email us at [email protected]

• Become a member, support the local, state, and national movement, get Monday Actions and other MOF emails

• Like Pioneer Valley MOF on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MOFPV/

• Like the national movement on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mothersoutfront/

• Get a free home energy audit, call ener-G-save 413-279-9141 or online: ener-G-save.com

• Locate gas leaks in your town: http://www.heetma.org/squeaky-leak/natural-gas-leaks-maps/

• Switch to Clean Energy. Ask friends, neighbors, colleagues to do the same. Here's a quick video explaining Renewable Energy Credits.

In Community:

• Meet a member over coffee to talk about how you might get involved. Contact us by email: [email protected]

• Attend the community meeting nearest you:

  • Amherst monthly meeting is the third Wednesday, 6-8pm in Amherst. Open to all. Children welcome.

  • Northampton meeting is every other week Tuesday evenings, usually at the Smith College Campus Center, but email to check.

• Host a house party at your home or institution.

• Attend a MOF training (past offerings: environmental justice, house party coordinating, facilitator, telling your story). Telling our personal narratives is a core organizing tool in Mothers Out Front. Hearing what moves one of us to do something about climate change moves all of us. Our stories bind us together. What's yours?

• Sign up to hear about all local climate action through the Climate Action Now Western Mass newsletter.

• Attend a Springfield Climate Action Coalition meeting to do anti-poverty work and implement the Climate Action and Resilience Plan for the city. Contact felicia.mednick at verizon dot net.

Contact info [email protected]

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Past Events 

2019

 

Read about taking our children to the State House to Talk Climate!

 

 

 

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In March, we turned out for the Amherst Student Strike because Mothers have students' backs!

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2018

We marched for women and our children.

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We brought Zero Energy experts to speak to Town officials and the public.

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We planned and networked.

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We asked candidates for local offices about climate and justice

We asked the candidates for Amherst Town Council to complete a survey about their positions on climate and environmental justice.

The 2018 election was a great day for women nationally, across the state and here in Western Mass. That held true in the Amherst town election too where 9 of the 13 Councilors are now women.

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2017

The Northampton Team began!

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We marched in the Greenfield Women's March.

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We partnered with Climate Action Now on "Climate Action in a Time of Crisis," which drew 650 people in attendance at First Churches in Northampton. Mothers Out Front members led a variety of break out groups including Talking with Children About Climate Change, Consumerism and Climate Change, Telling Your Story/Public Narrative, Talking to Local Officials About Climate Change, and more. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We helped to pass 100% Renewable resolutions in Amherst and Northampton. We also passed the Amherst New Municipal Building Zero Energy bylaw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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2016

We fought the Northeast Direct Pipeline...and WON!

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Gas Leaks Campaign

Over the spring and summer of 2016 we brought attention to the hundreds of gas leaks in our neighborhoods all over the Pioneer Valley.

At the Amherst Sustainability Fair in April, 2016 we debuted our map of Amherst with holes where the unrepaired gas leaks were. Children played at throwing corks through the holes to "plug the leaks" while parents talked with us about our work for a livable future for our kids.

We co-sponsored a June presentation by Ania Camargo of Mothers Out Front, Boston, about the dangers of gas leaking under the streets of every town and city. Below are the leaks from 2015. The Yellow tags mark unrepaired leaks. 

 

We joined in The World We Love... 

An Interdependence Day Pageant July 2, 2016 included parades, giant puppets, a play and singing.

Mothers out Front members were involved in all aspects of the spectacle. Then we and our allies led the crowd to tag gas leaks in all directions from downtown Northampton.

 The Daily Hampshire Gazette carried a two page spread in the Calendar section the next week of photos of the event.

...and tagged gas leaks in Northampton!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

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We met with Amherst town officials (here with Stephanie Ciccarello, Sustainability Coordinator).

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2015

Countdown to Paris 

The Climate talks in Paris started on November 30th, 2015. On Sunday, November 29th, Mothers Out Front, Pioneer Valley, co-sponsored family-friendly local gatherings with Climate Action Now and faith communities. We shared our commitment to a clean, healthy future for the next 7 generations.

 

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Fighting Northeast Direct Pipeline

On Thursday, June 11th, 2015 we were in Greenfield  for a hearing with the MA Department of Public Utilities. Four Mothers Out Front leaders testified about why new pipelines are not in the public's interest. We told the Baker administration we want renewable, diverse sources of energy for our children's future. The entire 4 hour hearing is here. Below you can see the full house of 700 people and our own Alisa P. chatting with one of the union guys who came to support the pipeline because Kinder Morgan employs their union.

  

On February 23rd, 2015, we launched our 40 week "Count Down to Paris" - Monday Actions

On January 23rd, 2015, Pioneer Valley Mothers Out Front was featured in an article on our Switch Campaign in the Daily Hampshire Gazette.  Check it out here.

 

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2014

The Amherst team began!

We gathered with our families and switched to clean energy.

 

We marched in NYC in the People's Climate March

 

On November 21st, 2014, Pioneer Valley Mothers Out Front went to Boston for the Climate Crossroads, Climate Choices rally. We stood on the Governor's front steps representing two futures, the dark of increasing fossil fuel infrastructure and the bright colored future we have chosen by reducing our energy consumption and switching to clean electricity.