Save the Bean Farm

Your help is urgently needed to preserve Northampton's agricultural land.  Please sign the petition to preserve agriculture as the primary function of the Bean Farm on Spring Street.  Read more at http://beanfarm.wordpress.com/.

Trash Audits

December/January

·  GREEN Northampton offers free trash audits to help you learn how to reduce your garbage pile. E-mail info@greennorthampton.org to find how much of your garbage can be composted, recycled, or avoided altogether. 

GREEN Blog

 

 THE BEAN FARM: Learn Why and How to preserve this Farm for agriculture.   Preserving history. The 47-acre Bean Family Farm has been tilled continuously for 350 years and the famous abolitionist society (which included Sojourner Truth) owned and farmed this land.  The Historic Commission voted 6-1 to endorse preserving the Bean Farm primarily for agriculture.  This soil is among the most valuable there is. The soil is Pootatuck fine sandy loam, classified  as “prime” agricultural soil by the USDA, meaning it yields the most crops with the least amount of energy & harm to the environment. We are losing our farmland: The Pioneer Valley lost 4000 acres of cropland in just the last five years. Food security is an elemental long-term investment for our children. The cheap oil sustaining our current food system will have passed peak production, and locally grown food will be critical for feeding our children's families.  A sustainable, environmentally sound farm enhances our community. It provides jobs, wildlife habitat, healthy food, beauty and learning opportunities.  Let’s pool our collective energy to create a CSA farm on the Bean property.   How to help:  Visit http://beanfarm.wordpress.com/ to learn how you can help.

  

Suggested Actions

Zero Garbage Mission

OBJECTIVES
1. Maximum Organics and Recyclables Removal from the Waste Stream to the Northampton Landfill 
2. Public Information Campaign about Recycling with Businesses and Residences  3. Advocacy for Enforcement of Current Recycling Ordinances at the source (people's homes and businesses)  4. Advocacy for an Organics Compost Facility to take Northampton's Food Waste  5. Advocacy for Re-Use Center and additional Recycled Materials Removed from the Waste Stream (additional categories of plastics)  6. Compliance from all communities using the landfill

What's Next?

We are looking for volunteers to help with Zero Garbage efforts in the schools and advocate for a responsible, prudent Northampton landfill plan. We are also looking Northampton landfill expansion alternatives and the True Cost of Garbage and helping to educate the public on both. In October, we will initiate composting at all the Northampton public school cafeterias.