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By JOHANNA NEUMANN

 Holiday time is nearly here. I’m so excited about filling my home with the smell of balsam fir and baking cookies and the sounds of my boys singing along to Chipmunks Christmas carols.I am not, however, looking forward to the crescendo of holiday...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

 For the past two decades, America has accomplished a minor miracle. Despite a growing population, ballooning home sizes, a spike in the number of electronic devices we own, and more, electricity demand has remained largely stable. That’s a testament...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

It can sometimes be challenging to find clean energy solutions that all stakeholders support. For example, California utility companies and their unions have fought against policies that support rooftop solar panels, successfully lobbying for a policy...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

Another summer, another season of seeking out swimming holes to cool down.      In the Pioneer Valley and beyond, millions of Americans are flocking to rivers, lakes and beaches to beat the heat. Whether stream walking, wading, swimming, surfing,...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

The North Atlantic right whale is one of the rarest whale species in the world. Will we drive them to extinction or save them?Those of us lucky enough to have taken a whale-watching trip in the Gulf of Maine may have glimpsed the majesty of humpback...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

This week my boys and I are visiting my mom and stepdad for April break. Shortly after we arrived, they proudly gave us a tour of their new PV solar array, which they had installed on the south face of their home earlier this year. My stepdad, Rick,...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

This summer, our family’s gasoline-powered lawn mower, which had come with the house when we bought it 12 years ago, finally bit the dust. After taking it into Boyden & Perron as well as our neighborhood small-engine repair guy, it became clear it was...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

With the sun slipping behind the horizon a little earlier every afternoon and temperatures dropping a little more precipitously each night, turning on the heat is about to become front of mind in many households in western Massachusetts. This change...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

Rapid access to hot water is a hallmark of modern society and has made our lives a lot easier. With the turn of a faucet handle, we have hot showers as well as water to wash our dishes and clean our clothes.Now, the Biden Administration is positioning...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

Many of us have an ocean, river or lake that holds a special place in our recollections of summers past. However, too often, when we revisit these waters, they’re marred by pollution. This widespread problem should send a clarion call to...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

From the Norwottuck Rail Trail here at home to the Grand Canyon in the West, beauty abounds in the natural world. It’s found in places big and small — some well-known, others our secret respites from the modern world. Almost all are well-loved, and...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

Halting logging of older trees in our national forests should be a key piece of President Biden’s legacy of climate action.The Biden administration has done more than any other presidency to reduce the emissions warming our planet. At the president’s...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

Here’s why Massachusetts should commit to powering our state with 100% clean and renewable energy.Our nation is continuing a remarkable transition to clean, renewable energy. Last year, solar, wind and other renewable energy sources provided nearly...

By JOHANNA NEUMANN

How many Americans does it take to change a light bulb? To change one bulb now should only take one of us. However, to change all our bulbs in the coming years will require millions of us — and the best way to initiate that action is through the...