Earth Month is great a time to remind ourselves that meaningful change happens in our neighborhoods through local action and community collaboration. Sustainable Plymouth, an all-volunteer nonprofit founded in 2019, is one representation of the town’s enthusiasm for promoting and protecting our natural resources. At the organization’s annual meeting in January, a member shared his appreciation for the “hard and impactful work” of Sustainable Plymouth, serving as “the focal point, the hub, of community engagement” among many local environmental efforts.

Sustainable Plymouth’s programming weaves together the priorities of various environmental groups and town government with partnerships aiming to advance sustainability through education and community engagement.

Sustainable Plymouth’s work supports many components of the town’s Climate Action and Adaptation Plan (CAAP) as well as community concerns around the town’s ability to remain resilient in the face of climate change.

The organization played a key role in the Town’s pivotal 2021 decision to declare a climate emergency, partnering with a coalition of groups who worked tirelessly to advocate that the Select Board commit to interventions “accelerating mitigation, adaptation, and resilience strategies to prepare for intensifying local and global climate impacts” (WickedLocal). This decision paved the way for the town to hire a full-time Climate Resiliency and Sustainability Planner, form the now active Climate Action Net Zero (CANZ) committee as well as create and adopt the CAAP. These efforts represent Plymouth’s commitment to protect community resources for generations to come as well as Sustainable Plymouth’s role in bridging and mobilizing like-minded groups.

The organization has four working groups to facilitate most of its initiatives: Education, Plastic and Waste Reduction, Open Space Native Plants and Pollinator Pathways, and Water Quality.

The online community calendar features diverse events and volunteer opportunities, requiring no prior experience. In the last few years, the organization has held two international delegations on plastic waste in collaboration with WorldBoston and the State Department, supported semiannual town-wide litter cleanups as well as community efforts to build a more circular local economy. Additionally, the group partners with local schools and the library for school supply recycling, nature programs, and a book club. They’ve published the Your Yard pamphlet and launched Pollinator Pathways projects. They’re also working on establishing a Plymouth-wide ponds association to protect local water resources.

Residents from every corner of America’s hometown benefit from and appreciate Plymouth’s natural resources, whether it’s through passive or active outdoor recreation, or even just turning on the tap for a drink and benefiting from our precious sole source aquifer. Want to get involved? Sustainable Plymouth invites you to sign up for our newsletter here; reach out, get involved, share an idea! Check out the website resources, and this Earth month and beyond, consider contributing your own time toward any of the countless environmental groups in Plymouth. Email SustainablePlymouth@gmail.com for more information, and join us for a virtual volunteer training on May 12th at 7:30pm.

– Jennifer Young

Young is a Sustainable Plymouth board member