Northfield isn’t called Northfield for nothing. Northfield was named for its fertile ancestral fields that have been cultivated for centuries.

Farms, food and forests are in critical danger in western Massachusetts. Our beautiful flat fields are a goldmine for Big Solar Industries.

It appears the state is repeating the Quabbin Reservoir situation, allowing land to be taken — at a cost — from us to provide energy primarily for eastern Massachusetts.

There is no one solution for our energy needs but let’s consider some alternatives to the present one.

Solution #1) The easiest, cheapest, most efficient option is to start with embracing conservation. I suspect National Grid and Eversource don’t like this option, but look around your surroundings to see energy waste at home and in a workplace. This attitude of “I can afford it” is extremely wasteful. Every saved KW counts.

Solution #2) Tell the state and local authorities - Hands off our fields, farms & forests. Big Bucks Solar Energy is simply pushed onto our grid (inefficient grid) and sent to places unknown. Petition our legislatures to fund local energy that stays local. Many towns have municipal energy systems…it works! Think about how you live. Put solar on your roof - the payback is about 5 years.

Solution #3) Encourage our representatives to put solar over parking lots, near highways, in brownfields, and on rooftops ... before they come after the fields that feed them and forests that provide clean air. Demand that our leaders emphasize massive conservation. Encourage them to be creative — make the legislators of the eastern area of Massachusetts put solar and wind — on and around the Quabbin Reservoir.

De novo review means that after our local volunteer officials have done all the specific and essential homework to protect our cherished communities, the state could then begin anew, ignoring all our hard work and telling us what is best for us!

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Really Bad Chess

As someone said recently, this is a 3-D game of chess, it is complicated. We need some sustainability standards.

The Northfield Planning board will be having a public hearing at the Town Hall on Thursday, Dec. 19 at 5:30 p.m. If you want to attend in person or submit a letter of interest, submit it to the planningboard@northfieldma.gov.

Virginia and Howard Hastings

Northfield