April 12, 2024

Environmental Victory in Brattleboro

by Eesha Williams
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Thanks to the work of environmental activists, a new bus will start running in Brattleboro on April 15. On average, even electric cars are worse than busses and trains for the environment. That's because cars so often have just one person in them. Electric cars still require roads. Asphalt is made from oil and gravel. Train tracks are narrower than roads and they are built on plain crushed stone. Eliminating roads could create space for forests to grow. Details about the Brattleboro bus are at:

www.moover.com/brattleboro-microtransit

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In Northampton on April 10, about 100 students walked out of classes at the public high school to protest proposed budget cuts that would mean laying off about 20 teachers and staff. They marched to the mayor's office. The mayor met with the students but did not agree to their demand to cancel the planned layoffs.

In Northampton on April 1, about 100 students walked out of classes at the public high school to protest proposed budget cuts that would mean laying off about 20 teachers and staff. The students held a rally outside the school.

As of April 12, the school's principal had not replied to an April 4 email from the Valley Post asking for help arranging an interview with the organizers. On April 12, during school hours, the Valley Post left a voice message for the principal.

The Valley Post will include the students' quotes in a future article, if the interviews happen.

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In Easthampton, Massachusetts about 20 people attended an outdoor rally despite heavy rain. Easthampton borders Holyoke. “It went really well,” organizer Mara Dodge told the Valley Post on April 5. The goal was to get the city council to vote for a Gaza ceasefire resolution. She said, “Then we packed the city hall chambers and had almost 1.75 hour of testimony... The vote was 7-0 with one abstention.” The resolution passed.

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On March 15, the Valley Post reported that, in Northampton, 43 workers had formed a union. They work at the Smith College library. On April 9, the federal government confirmed the workers' decision by conducting a secret ballot election, which the workers won unanimously. The workers have a web site at www.opeiulocal153.org.

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