May 13th: An excerpt from one of the postcards sent into the Statehouse today: Dear Governor Healy, I know you were on it when you were Attorney General when you sued Exxon Mobil for deceptive advertising. Why aren’t you taking action against the corrupt fossil fuel industry now as they pretend there’s no problem. No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Massachusetts.

May 10th: We concluded Week 49 with a very quiet day at the Statehouse. It’s as if we have begun holding our breath to make it to a full year in just two more weeks.

May 9th: A postcard written today: Governor Healy, you might never read any of these postcards but I hope if you pick up even a single one you can feel the hundreds that have come before. Each postcard represents hours of effort to ban new fossil fuel infrastructure in Massachusetts. You can start with Massport. The Hanscom airfield expansion violates your 2030 Massachusetts climate commitment and therefore it cannot be approved. Tell them Logan Airport must stop adding new fuel tanks. Do what you promised to do. With hope.

May 8th: We learn that the world’s record high temperature streak has lasted through the month of April. In spite of our frustration at our legislators, we also learned from an Indianapolis biologist that Massachusetts is well ahead of Indiana in addressing the climate crisis. Towards the end of the day we enjoyed having our spirits lifted by a visit from a rabbit.

May 7th: We began early making sure we were a noticeable presence at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies who were discussing a bill that includes investment in climate technology. Of course progress in new technology needs to happen alongside a rapid decrease in the use of fossil fuels. The creation of new fossil fuel infrastructure is the antithesis of this need.

May 6th: We cordially welcome new climate activist Josh to our ranks and he completes what we hope will be the first of many shifts. (No pressure Josh.) We continue to experience annoying petty niggles from some members of the Statehouse security team. This time it was an objection to us poking our XR flag sticks into the earth behind the curb. As always under these circumstances we quickly devised an alternative way to fly our flags.

May 3rd: Today we welcomed Jb for his first shift. This was fortuitous in many ways, including that he was able to talk at length in his native language (French) with a visitor from Belgium. It turned out that this young man had crossed the Atlantic in a sailing boat, and……..wait for it…….was a member of XR in his home country. We also had a great conversation with a doctoral economics student at Georgetown Uni. who was studying how long it would take and how expensive it would be for the State of Texas to develop the amount of battery storage needed to handle extra clean generated electricity.

May 2nd: Loved this message on one of today’s postcards: Governor Healey, you can say YES to take-out cocktails but you can’t say NO to New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure!!! Will our future be sipping gin & tonics while the planet burns? Do your job! NNFFI Now!!

May 1st: From one of today’s postcards: Governor, Now is the time to end plans to expand private jets at Hanscom. You can stop this!!! Only you! This power gives you the ability to change the future in a dramatic and ethical way. Be an ETHICAL GOVERNOR.

Apr 30th: Lots of celebration on the team today regarding a very positive news article in the Metrowest Daily News. In addition to covering the Standout, XR’s actions at Hanscom and in downtown Boston were covered in full with several pictures of Red Rebels. It was also a standout day (pun intended) for postcard messages as can be seen in today’s photos. After a long absence from the front lines of protest a climate canine was seen visiting the Standout.

Apr 29th: After some last minute schedule re-arrangements C and T were able to cover the first shift. While there they encountered a Ugandan teacher now working with troubled youth in Waltham. He was strongly supportive of our cause. C stayed extra time to support F. Sometimes our messaging produces interesting possible variations: Burning Gas Earns Our Ire!

Apr 26th: It is always a delight when visitors stop by to write a postcard – as this guy did today.

Apr 25th: A perfect spring day for the standout. It’s the kind of day that prompts many in the New England area to ask: “What climate crisis?” But we cannot be mis-lead as severe drought is spreading through 80% of Mexico’s land surface, coral reefs are bleaching at an alarming rate, and polar bears are further threatened by renewed oil drilling in the arctic. There were several positive interactions including with two visitors who said they would consider joining XR.

Apr 24th: We are again indebted to two loyal activists who, between them held the space of protest for four hours today. Thank you Charlie and Jenny! One of today’s postcards reads:”Dear Governor Healey, PLEASE do all within your power to prevent new fossil fuel infrastructure. We have no hope of slowing down global warming without this basic step.”This states our central demand boldly and clearly. We await a response from the Governor.

Apr 23rd: Just another quiet day under the blossoms.

April 22nd: Earth Day! We are back at the General Hooker entrance. It feels like a homecoming after a brief holiday. The area is shaded by beautiful trees resplendent in full bloom. We were also able to join forces and mingle with a group of activists from Sunrise North Eastern a Mothers Out Front. A very compatible connection. All of XR is buzzing about the extensive positive publicity following the Saturday Hanscom action. Additionally getting psyched up for the Earth Day Party in the Park and March.

April 19th: A quiet Friday at the Ashburton entrance. Just a few encounters with visitors…all positive,

April 18th: We were moved by two of today’s visitor postcards – a mother and son. They wrote: “Dear Governor Healey, my name is ____ . I’m a 6th grader in Belmont. Please help the environment by divesting from fossil fuels. I am depressed about the warming climate, so can you please make change!” His mother writes: “___ has been really concerned about climate change and what that’ll do for his future. Please do your part as the current leader of our government for our future generations.”

April 17th: I am constantly encouraged when it looks like our out front numbers will be small that frequently a supportive group of drop-ins show up. This was the case today. We also made contact with a reporter from Metrowest Daily News who may be writing an article about the Standout. We love publicity!

Apr 16th: Yesterday being Patriots Day, aka Marathon Monday, it was a public holiday in Massachusetts so we enjoyed a holiday from our standout. Today, two of our stalwarts held the protest space, each one taking a two hour shift. Thank you Stewart and Charlie.

Apr 12th: Today’s full crew interacted positively with a wide selection of State House visitors. These included an enthusiastic school party from Nativity Prep School of New Bedford. They were totally on board with NNFFI! Also of note were two young women visiting from Greece who expressed warm support for our demands.

Apr 11th: A damp and blustery day, but our indomitable team chose to brave the weather and remain prominently visible outdoors. They were able to have very positive interactions with members of the Boston Interfaith Alliance who were lobbying for housing for all. There was a great conversation with Alexandra, a member of Hub-Luv concerning shared goals with XR and how overlapping activist efforts strengthens all involved and forms a unified defense against powerful interests.

Apr 10th: A sizeable crew of activists encountered no negative interactions with security staff.

Apr 9th: The erratic, always unpredictable actions of the State House security staff worked to our benefit today. There were no demands to remove our large banner from the space in front of the Eagle column. The more days that we can successfully occupy this space, the more impactful our message. We welcomed newcomer EkEkEk to our community of activists.

Apr 8th: Eclipse Day turned into another day of disagreement and tussle with the State House security squad. They objected to our large banner being spread on the ground and threatened confiscation. Our team folded it up, waited a short while and came up with a solution. Check out the pictures below.

April 5th: A really blustery day prevented the display of many banners at our new location, but Steven, Sara and Peter enjoyed our time. We met a history teacher from Texas who was fully supportive of our efforts in support of NNFFI

Apr 4th: An April Nor-Easter came through the area today and prevented some volunteers from attending. Nevertheless two solo acts held the space and preserved our unbroken record.

Apr 2nd: Getting used to our new standout location.

Apr 1st: April Fools Day proved to be a busy one. Our on-site hero arrived early and infiltrated a gathering of Samaritans who were due to hear a presentation from the Governor. It was hoped she would take questions during which we would have raised the issue of climate grief and its contributing effect on potential suicides. It was not to be as Healey did not take questions. Then there was the issue of the closure of the General Hooker entrance for several weeks of maintenance work. This has resulted in us moving our protest site to the Ashburton Entrance on Bowdoin Street. We now look forward to occupying this lovely new location every day.

Mar 28th: Today must be marked in our history as Stewart Clements Day. Throughout two shifts and four hours of drenching rain Stewart single handedly kept the torch of our standout burning brightly. Thank you Stewart for absolutely refusing to allow the torch to be extinguished. Bravo!

Mar 27th: Day 202 Celebration. I’ll let the speech, photos and videos speak for themselves.

Mar 26th: Day 201. It’s been a challenge to fill all the shifts in a week when we invite people to show up for a special celebration. Nevertheless each of today’s slots was ably filled by Charlie and Jenny. We are always extra proud of activists who are ready and willing to do solo acts.

Mar 25th: DAY 200. Although we will be having our celebration on Wednesday it was exciting and gratifying to reach this milepost. The state administration still shows no visible progress on our demand for No New Fossil Fuel Infrastucture (NNFFI) in Massachusetts, so we see no end in sight for our standout.

Mar 22nd: Today we learned that Gov. Healey has established an Office of Energy Transformation (OET) and appointed Melissa Lavinson as its Executive Director. We look forward to seeing if this actually results in NNFFI. Meanwhile, in front of the Statehouse we met and made great connections with a couple from Venezuela – by way of California, and two British citizens, long time friends, from Devon and Wiltshire.

Mar 21st:It’s been a great week for postcards. I wonder how many have passed over Maura Healey’s, Karen Spilka’s, and Ron Mariano’s desks in the course of the last 198 days. A conservative estimate of cards sent to the Governor from our standout must be around 2,000. That’s two thousand reminders and appeals to her conscience. I also wonder how many more it will take to bring a halt to all new fossil fuel infrastructure in Massachusetts.

Mar 20th: There is a bill in the legislature that would in effect allow biomass to be counted as a green alternative, which it is not. We have no idea where legislative leadership is on this, nor Healey, but NNFFI should be expansive enough to include biomass, as it does airport expansion.

Mar 19th: Two of our most regular standoutees (hey I just coined a new word!) held the rebel space outside the Statehouse today. One brought a large stash of completed postcards that she had caused to be written off site at a Climate Art Show. Thank you Ruth for your ongoing initiative.

Mar 18th: We were happy to welcome newcomers to the line today and hope that they will become regulars. To remind everyone of what we are up against I’m including a chart of Surface Air Temperature for this year up to the 13th March. With stats like these it is unbelievable that fossil fuel infrastructure is still being built in Massachusetts.

Mar 15th: The Ides of March! A good day for continuing to debut our new b&w postcards.

Mar 14th: A day on which a solo activist was able to take advantage of a large rally, attended by Senate President Spilka, in support of early childhood education. Our quick thinking on site hero temporarily moved the big banner to a location at the front gate where it was visible to rally participants. Several positive interactions ensued.

Mar 13th: Our on-site team of the day made sure that a large group of 4th and 5th grade visitors to the Statehouse were totally clued in on No New Pipelines. In what could be construed as yet another sign of warming, today’s temperature reached the low 60s!

Mar 12th: Full shifts once again at the Statehouse. Today’s slate mostly “elders” from our community. Great postcards too! An MD wrote: “Massachusetts has made progress in addressing the climate crisis, BUT we must move FASTER before it is too late. No more fossil fuel infrastructure. Our children’s lives and health are at stake.

Mar 11th: A good day for postcard writing. We were happy to accept a sizeable number to send to the Governor’s desk. Including one from a Chicagoan and several from a group of Wisconsinites.

Mar 8th: Drying out Day! As you will see from the photo our soaked banner had a chance to dry out today, and in the process left a temporary ghost image on the pavement. We take this to be a positive omen of good things to come. There were interesting interactions with visitors today including with the very creative fabricator of a beautiful large wreath made from recycled chip bags. Sophia had the opportunity to practice her Spanish, and I met a Brit whose uni was in my home town. Check all of today’s photos to see four happy activists enjoying their shifts at the conclusion of WEEK 40!

Mar 7th: Has been a very rainy day. In spite of the downpours three willing heroes remained in the shadow of General Hooker’s horse to maintain the unbroken record of 188 days. Thanks to all three, and to “C.W. Vet” for his spontaneous visit. His cheery smile and presence brightens any gloomy day.

Mar 5th: A French couple from Toulouse wished us courage and perseverance in our efforts. An amusing exchange with a visitor concluded with her encouraging us to go inside and “dope slap” every single politician for not getting more done on stopping fossil fuel infrastructure. In the 3rd floor hallway we encountered the House Speaker being questioned by reporters about tax relief, but security personnel moved us back to a distance.

Mar 4th: Another day on which there were a couple of confrontations with security personnel regarding what size and kind of signage can be brought into the Statehouse. Check out the attached video to witness one of the altercations. Despite this nuisance one of our activists was “noticed” by the Governor who “welcomed her advocacy.” It was noted that members of a guided tour were more interested in taking photos of our people than of the Statehouse interior.

Mar 1st: This pair of elders took today’s second shift with determination and good humor. On his postcard the one with the glasses wrote: Governor Healey, new fossil fuel infrastructure projects are the low hanging fruit of possible mitigation actions. Why aren’t you plucking them? Have Enbridge, Eversource, Nat. Grid, etc. so much sway with you that you dare not upset them? Do we need to stay at your front door until traffic lights turn blue????

Feb 29th: Leap day was ably staffed by just two volunteers. To quote one of their postcards to Governor Healey: “Today is really cold but I have stood outside the Statehouse to encourage you to make sure we get no new fossil fuel infrastructure. I am a 77 year old retired teacher concerned abou future generations having a decent place to live and grow. Please end fossil fuels in our lifetime.”

Feb 28th: Today there was a direct interaction with the governor. One of our team was in position in the executive lobby when Healey came through with members of her council. Our activist reports: “She greeted me directly, afterwards saying she appreciated our advocacy. We discussed how what SHE does NOW has direct impact on current but importantly future generations. NNFFI She was cordial. Bla bla bla.” After re-entering her office she emerged again a few moments later to introduce our volunteer to Joyce – her door-keeper. The purpose of this introduction is not clear.

Feb 27th: A member of today’s team called in to the Boston Public Radio’s “Ask the Governor” radio program. He identified himself as belonging to XRBoston and spoke of his hope that the governor was reading our postcards. His question for the governor was about the dearth of electric car charging stations in Massachusetts. In her reply Healey used the opportunity to tout her claimed accomplishments as a “climate governor” but did not mention anything about halting further fossil fuel infrastructure in the state.

Feb 26th: Talking with visitors to the Statehouse, as illustrated in today’s featured image, is always interesting and frequently rewarding. A Freedom Trail tour guide stopped his tour at the Hooker statue to ask about what we were doing because his group of tourists were asking. We handed him a bunch of flyers to give out and he thanked us and said we were fighting the good fight! There were other good interactions on this beautiful day. One Gen Z-er came up to us and said he’d “take our video.” We weren’t prepared for this youthful overture but did a little wiggle anyways. And a couple people said they heard about us! We are glad that word is getting out!

Feb 23rd: We spent a great time with a visiting family from France trying to understand differing organizing and activating protocols of progressive groups in the US and Europe. We also learned that the City of Chicago is suing big oil companies for their role in causing the climate crisis that led to dangerously unhealthy conditions in the city during last summer’s heat wave. We are wondering why Massachusetts has not joined the city of Chicago and the State of California in pursuing such an option. The number of unaddressed methane leaks would easily justify such a law suit.

Feb 22nd: Today we learned from reporting in The Guardian that “States such as Wisconsin, New York and Connecticut can struggle to meet federal standards and reduce harmful levels of ozone because of pollution from power plants, cement kilns and natural gas pipelines that drift across their borders.” This snippet of news emphasizes yet again the need to curtail every planned expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure in every state. Massachusetts must lead by example! On the good news front the Vineyard Wind Project is now producing enough electricity to power 30,000 homes.

Feb 21st: The state’s web site has a page called ResilientMass Action Tracker. It is a well designed and easy to navigate on-line tool. It begins with “State agencies identified over 100 initial priority actions to increase resilience and reduce the Commonwealth’s risks and vulnerabilities related to natural hazards and projected climate changes. This tracker is maintained by the inter-agency ResilientMass Action Team (RMAT) and contains a list of actions identified through the 2023 ResilientMass planning process. All actions address at least one of the primary statewide climate change impacts identified in the 2022 Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment.” Here’s the kicker: nowhere among the dozens of actions mentioned does it even approach saying “No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure” We find this to be outrageous!

Feb 20th:Today was notable for the presence of demonstrators for Julian Assange, whose final appeal against deportation from the UK to the US was being heard in London today. As one of the core principles of XR is “Tell the Truth” we understand and support the effort to gain his freedom. Inside the Statehouse, and outside the General Hooker entrance our own 176th day of protest continued as usual with calls to cease pumping and distributing more gas around Massachusetts and the whole country.

Feb 16th: Black legislators – senators and house members from throughout New England met at the Statehouse today. We had several positive interactions including with Rep. Bud Williams, sponsor of the Gas Moritorium Bill that has recently made it through committee stage, and with Sen. Lydia Edwards, co sponsor of Senate Bill 2115 that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from medical facilities throughout Massachusetts.

Feb 15th: News today that Canadian fossil fuel company Enbridge is “attempting to segment their broader ‘Project Maple’ expansion into smaller projects to skirt regulatory hurdles and quell public opposition.” (Link in the text below.) The article refers to a part of ‘Maple’ in the neighboring state of Rhode Island, but the tactics being used are already familiar to us in Massachusetts. We will continue to highlight Enbridge’s attempts to sneak unwanted pipelines and infrastructure past state government regulatory bodies. Our ongoing presence at the statehouse demonstrates our commitment to opposing any new fossil fuel infrastructure.

Feb 14th: Today it became evident to the Standout Organization Team that clear reminders about core XR messaging were needed. The text of a message to all participants is included in today’s log (see below.)

Feb 12th: As mentioned on Feb 6th, one of the “new” fossil fuel projects in the pipeline (pun intended) is the Maple Project that would install and upgrade a fracked gas pipeline leading to and from the Weymouth Compressor Station. This is precisely the kind of unwanted and unnecessary infrastructure that we are opposing with our daily standout. Today some seasoned campaigners against the Weymouth Compressor brought their own weight and signage to the Statehouse. Check out the images! Every so often other groups of activists visit the Statehouse to promote various causes. Whenever this happens a queue waiting to pass through security forms in front of our standout station. It makes an ideal situation for dialogue and information sharing. Today there was a group concerned about women’s prisons in Massachusetts. Several people from this group agreed to write postcards to the Governor.

Feb 9th: Another “unseasonably” warm day. Reminders like this will, hopefully, nudge the Governor and Legislature into positive action to halt all new fossil fuel projects in Massachusetts. When the pot is boiling it’s time to turn down the gas!

Feb 8th: The message on one of today’s postcards to the Governor says it all: “It’s a beautiful day in February. Too beautiful. Too warm. What do you love about this beautiful earth? Beautiful state? The ocean? The maple trees? The mountains? The people? The gardens? The food? The bees? All is threatened by global warming. We need you and the legislature to act. From a lover of it all.” We can only hope that they will get the message….sooner rather than later. Later will be too late!

Feb 7th: There was a Governor’s Council meeting at the State House today and one of our BU student activists, despite being hassled by security guards, managed to get herself into a position where she and her message banner could not be missed by council members entering the meeting. This is the kind of “in your face” protest that will eventually succeed in changing minds and climate policy. Let’s all make sure we emulate Lauren’s example and make use of every opportunity that opens to us. Even to the extent of taking difficult (impossible!) selfies.

Feb 6th:  Enbridge — a large Canadian energy company with fossil fuel infrastructure throughout the U.S. — wants to make “substantial upgrades” on the Algonquin Gas Transmission line. This pipeline runs from northern New Jersey through parts of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island and into Massachusetts, where it feeds into the Weymouth Natural Gas Compressor Station and then connects to another pipeline north of Boston. The Weymouth Compressor has been highly controversial (and subject to breakdowns and leaks.) The proposed Maple Project is just one of the several new infrastructure projects we have been opposing. Today one of our keen eyed and watchful activists spotted yellow markers just outside the Weymouth site that could possibly be indicators of a pipeline route that the Maple Project is planning. We are posting pictures of the yellow flash marks today in order to alert activists that new fossil fuel infrastructure is still “in the pipeline.”

Feb 5th: A day on which we are hearing of nearly 38 million people under flood alerts across California and into Arizona as an atmospheric river generated by the warmed waters of the Pacific Ocean continued to soak large swaths of the west coast. Although this is happening 3,000 miles away from Massachusetts we are recognizing yet another result of putting more CO2 and Methane into the atmosphere. Only when the world stops burning fossil fuels will events like this become less likely.

Feb 2nd: We are celebrating a well executed intervention by members of XRBoston, many of whom participate in NNFFI. Yesterday evening Melissa Hoffer, the Governor’s appointed “Climate Chief” took part in a discussion about climate resilience in the ill conceived Seaport District. The event was an opportunity to highlight Hoffer’s “achievements” in climate policy so far, as well as to discuss the screening of a documentary about the Seaport District. However, a sizable group of XRBoston activists who had infiltrated the meeting were there to disrupt proceedings with a string of difficult questions. These eventually flustered Hoffer, and the panelists suggested that we use different tactics to express our views. Of course, it was then possible to say, “We have, We’ve been at the Statehouse every work day since early June and nothing has happened.” This could have only occurred because of the passion and dedication of all NNFFI- ers, let’s keep up the pressure.

Feb 1st: An interesting clash of views occurred today. On one hand the on line site Grist published a well researched article titled “Climate Change Has Killed 4 Million People since 2000.” Some would argue this to be more than adequate justification for climate activists like us to ramp up our efforts to squash any more investment in the fossil fuel economy. On the other hand, not only were we labeled “a death cult” by one Statehouse visitor, but also the Boston Herald dissed activists as “climate clowns” who are “ignoring cold hard facts. The level of ignorance and misinformation swimming around in the world will never cease to amaze us.

Jan 31st: Today we learned that the world’s main system for warning about heat stress on the planet’s coral reefs has been forced to add three new alert categories to represent ever-increasing temperature extremes. It is tragic that, in spite of news such as this, our state politicians continue to drag their feet when it comes to halting all new fossil fuel infrastructure development. We cannot halt global warming if we continue to use, distribute and export fossil fuel products that put ever increasing amounts of CO2 and Methane (so called “natural” gas) into the earth’s atmosphere. We call on our representatives, from the Governor down to the newest rookie house member, to deal with this situation immediately.

Jan 30th: Lots of youth climate activists at the Statehouse today so we had many positive conversations and received a lot of support. We could really use a few of them on our NNFFI daily protest. Our unbroken record of days is being held together mostly by a dedicated band of regulars, to whom we owe deep appreciation. One of them is featured in the pictures below. Hopefully, as we transition to springtime, larger numbers of climate heroes will swell our volunteer pool.

Jan 29th: A day on which the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management held a virtual conversation about climate change’s impacts along the coast. Sea level rise is of real and immediate consequence to people living, working and vacationing in coastal areas. Sea level rise is happening as the planet warms and polar ice melts. The principal cause of global warming is the continuing use of fossil fuels. Like a doctor treating symptoms without treating the cause, Massachusetts focuses on resiliency rather than halting any new fossil fuel infrastructure. This is why we protest every day at the Statehouse with the slogan: No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. NNFFI.

Jan 26th: An article in today’s Guardian is ample provocation for the NNFFI’s 161 Days Standout to double down on efforts to decrease the power of fossil fuel interests: “The Propane Education & Research Council (Perc), a US lobbying group, has spent nearly $30m over the last two years on advertisements for the fossil fuel, according to data compiled by Drilled, a multimedia reporting project focused on climate accountability. The ads often promote propane, the vast majority of which is a by-product of natural gas or crude oil refining, as a form of clean and renewable energy.” That $30 could have been spent on a green transition. We will continue to demand that all our representatives totally divest all their connections to the fossil fuel industry.

Jan 25th: We start with Kudos to four associates of the Standout who yesterday delivered a letter to Governor Healey asking her to halt all development on Project Maple. Their effort was reported today by WBUR (who we thank for the picture.) Their coverage included a quote from Gov. Healey as she answered a question from one of our organizers. On a different topic – today’s activists were delighted to interact with hundreds of striking Newton schoolteachers who were rallying at the State House. Many expressed support for our cause and accepted fliers.

Jan 24th: This from one of our activists today, “Lots of action outside Room 157 during the 11-1 shift. The anti-Maple group was there to present their petition plus the halls were full of advocates of all kinds, Elder Climate Activists in green T/shirts (not pictured) Fun times!” Another of our heroes was interviewed by Chute Chan from bostonorange.com In the positive news dept. The NYT reports that the White House is delaying approval of the LNG proposal for Louisiana. For climate reasons! To delay is not to deny, so climate activists everywhere must increase pressure at all levels of government.

Jan 23rd: “In Massachusetts, meeting a statewide goal of reducing emissions by 50 percent of 1990s levels by 2030 and reaching net-zero by 2050 will require that a series of things happen simultaneously: the vast expansion of clean energy on the electrical grid, the conversion of buildings off fossil fuels, and the electrification of transportation.” (Boston Globe) The sense of urgency required to achieve these goals continues to be lacking at the Statehouse. That is why our Standout is continuing, and will do so until action is taken.

Jan 22nd: A new volunteer named Anju spontaneously joined us when she found out about the Standout at the caucus about banning plastics that happened 11-1 at the Statehouse. She’s active with Mothers Out Front in Arlington. Meanwhile, Johanna and Jonathan stood outside the caucus doors and engaged people going in and out. In a surprising development, Gene, one of the guards, volunteered to take a stack of our fliers into the caucus and deliver them to people. Given the recent push-back about fliers this is an almost incredible development.

Jan 19th: On a day when The Guardian reported “The credibility of the Cop28 agreement to “transition away” from fossil fuels rides on the world’s biggest historical polluters like the US, UK and Canada rethinking current plans to expand oil and gas production, according to the climate negotiator representing 135 developing countries” we held firm at the State House trying to get the legislature to halt all new fossil fuel infrastructure. We were joined by members of 3rd Act who sincerely support our initiative.

Jan 18th: Another very cold day on which some heroes chose to stand outside. There was quite a lot more pedestrian traffic because of a popular Housing Committee Hearing. One of our activists was able to get inside the crowded room and reported that although “building green”was mentioned, she heard no argument forcefully in favor of “no new fossil fuel hookups.”

Jan 17th: Today was freezing cold, but Carina, Charlie and Peter – all well wrapped in layers – stood outside for the first shift. Apart from tv media techs ferrying in their cameras and equipment ready for this evening’s State of the State address by the Governor, there was very little traffic. For the second shift Charlie, S. in disguise, and Craig moved inside and graced the freshly laid red carpet with their presence. As this log is written during the evening I can report that the Governor made no mention of halting new fossil fuel infrastructure during her hour long speech, choosing, instead to mask this failing by focusing on other claimed climate related “achievements” and promises……..disappointing!

Jan 16th: In spite of a snowy day a few of our activists braved the cold conditions to resume our vigil after the MLK holiday break. Due to the deplorable condition of public transport in and around Boston there were also difficulties in even reaching the Statehouse. But, nevertheless, the standout for No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Massachusetts is continuing its unbroken daily vigil.

Jan 8th: We are now well into winter. Activists involved in this Stand-out, with Extinction Rebellion, Mothers Out Front, FRACCS, 350Mass, and so many more, are now appearing in two two-hour shifts every business day – a departure from the four two-hour shift schedule followed during the warmer months. We’ve also moved inside the State House, for the most part, and will continue to for the duration of these winter months. And instead of free-standing banners, we mostly utilize handheld or wearable signage. These are some of the ways in which we’ve adapted.Jan 8th:

Jan 5th: A snippet from a note we received from Rep. Sam Montano: I am supportive of a ban on future use of fossil fuels in development… I have heard that developers are already griping about the new regulations going into effect in various municipalities to curb emissions, so I imagine the Governor is hearing from them. If I am to speculate, I believe the demand we are hearing around the need for further housing development is what is preventing this issue from moving forward.

Jan 2nd: Happy New Year to all. A new year begins, and this action is still going strong after so many months of dedication by volunteers standing outside the Statehouse every business day. Today many are home, or with family, or are returning to work after a day or several days off. Not us! Although it was a quiet and perhaps somber day, we showed up.

Dec 29th: The day we posed in a polar bear suit in the Governor’s lobby was another day inside. We continued our daily struggle with security staff over the issue of passing out fliers. After successfully giving fliers to State House visitors through most of the first shift we were once again told that we must stop doing so. We happen to believe that this is an infringement on our first amendment rights, the constitution supersedes building policy, and this building is open to the public, and we’re in a public space within that building. To be continued…..

Dec 28th: A rainy day took our protest inside the Statehouse where we experimented with a new location. On the first floor opposite the elevator proved to be a good spot. We were, once again, told by security to “not hand out information,” and were shown the latest list of rules that specifically bans the handing out of fliers. However, during the afternoon a Girl Scout troop passed by and the leader showed a lot of interest. We were able to discreetly pass over a number of our fliers that she could later share with her troop. If only banning the growth of fossil fuel infrastructure was as easy as writing rules in a rule book. We are XR so let’s continue to break rules!

Dec 27th: To call these days “unseasonable” is a huge understatement. Today’s 48 degrees at the end of December is just plain wrong! However, it does allow us to remain outside the Gen Hooker entrance in our usual position. We keep banging away at our message, as exemplified in this extract from a postcard to the Governor, “Please let’s make 2024 a banner year for making swift and positive steps towards a cleaner, healthier future.”

Dec 26th: From a disgruntled volunteer: “Shockingly spineless people today — lots of little familia visiting the statehouse and none of them took fliers. Very low engagement today and it’s grating in my nerves 😂. Oh well, you win some you lose some — but everyone is so addicted to comfort/control that they don’t even want to look at us! But on that note — sometimes foreigners come and they assume it’s a local thing they can’t help with. They’re sometimes the nicest ones, but because XR is international I wonder if we should have a separate sign/banner made that just says “extinction rebellion Boston” so our connection is clear!”

Dec 22nd: Our last day before the Christmas break. Of special note today: 1) an encounter with Jarred Johnson, executive director of TransitMatters. He advocates for public transit and affordable housing. He agrees that new construction should be all-electric. Hopefully, when he advocates for new affordable housing, he will stress this point—it sounded like he would. 2) the presence of animated young folk on our picket line – check the photos. 3) the delivery of greeting cards, real and virtual, and a cash donation of $268 to St. Pauls, the church where we have been able to stash our signs etc. since the start of our NNFFI action in June.

Dec 21st: Solstice! Another quiet day at the Statehouse, but we are here celebrating the shortest day of the year with cheerful smiles. This in spite of the news reported in today’s Guardian that gas companies in the US are offering significant “perks” to builders who will push their customers to install gas powered equipment. We will be investigating whether gas companies in Massachusetts are doing this. If they are, be sure that we will be outing them and demanding that the legislature put a stop to the practice.

Dec 20th: As far as visitors to the Statehouse are concerned things are fairly quiet during this winter solstice period. Some of our volunteers are taking postcards home to encourage friends and family to write in over the holiday period. This could help keep up the postcard snowstorm over the quiet period between now and New Year.

Dec 19th:Today was notable for the editorial written in the Boston Globe by Massachusetts US Senator Markey. His words in reference to the recently concluded COP28 included, “We must end our endless approvals of liquefied natural gas pipelines and exports, stop giving the green light to new fossil fuel projects, and cut off public financing for fossil fuels.” We hope that all other Massachusetts movers and shakers are paying close attention because this is the message our standout has been sending every day since early June.

Dec 18th: Dawn to dusk heavy rain forced our protest inside today as the outdoor temperature reached yet another record high. One advantage of being inside is that it makes postcard writing much easier. We were given two new inspirations for our messages to legislators. At the 250th anniversary of the Boston Tea Party the Governor said in reference to Massachusetts: “This is where ideas are born and movements get their spark.” We will surely be reflecting her words back to her as we pursue the goal of eliminating fossil fuels. The other inspiring words came in a Boston Globe article by our own US Senator Markey: “We must end our endless approvals of liquefied natural gas pipelines and exports, stop giving the green light to new fossil fuel projects, and cut off public financing for fossil fuels.” Another great quote from a senior politician that is in line with our demands.

Dec 15th: It’s the end of the 28th week of the Standout. In a reminder of ongoing changes to our New England climate, the temperature reached a balmy 56 degrees. The bright midwinter sun warmed our activists throughout the day. Shout out of the day goes to MB who stepped in at short notice to reinforce the crew, to swiftly write three postcards, and help to return all our gear to the church storage site.

Dec 14th: Due to a communication glitch with the church where we store our banners and supplies we were unable to access them for most of the day. Fortunately we were joined by two members of Third Act, a climate activist group for “elders” who brought some of their own signs. We spent an excellent two-hour shift with Third Actors and look forward to having more of their members join us at the Standout. Swift action by one of our younger, fitter members saved our postcard thread with a late day run to the church. So glad we have a multigenerational involvement in our action.

Dec 13th: Today this message to Speaker Mariano written by one of our heroes: Dear Speaker, It has been more than 130 days that your constituents have spoken demanding a ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure in MA. Your continued silence on this simple, yet extremely important measure is heard by your constituents as a failure to act to improve our present lives and to protect our futures. We will continue to stand out until legislative leaders like you take the actions necessary and ban all new fossil fuel infrastructure in the Commonwealth. With unrelenting determination, M.D.

Dec 12th: Several shout outs today. First to Juan Ma who is returning to Europe (Brussels and Spain!) after an extended stay in Boston during which he has stood on the NNFFI picket line several times and befriended many other activists. Second shout out to Sophie who delighted in debuting her postcard designs in person today. Thank you Sophie for your patience and artistry. Third shout out to Ruth who stood on the line all day. (Ruth already has a day named after her so we don’t know what other award we can bestow.) No shout outs for the Statehouse legislators though. There was no movement in the direction of No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure today! Maybe they are matching the inability of COP28 negotiators to commit to future reductions.

Dec 11th: A quiet Monday notable for a large group of costumed cheerleaders who were perhaps getting an award. Also members of Gold Star Families, one who stayed for a chat, talked extensively about PTSD, but expressed support for our action. A solo woman passed before us chanting the Tr—mp mantra, “Drill, drill, drill.” People who do this or similar almost never stop to interact.

Dec 8th: Your regular blogger has been sick today, so there is no news to report from the Statehouse except to welcome rookie activist Clare. This is the end of a strange week as we all experienced very changeable temperatures and perseverated over whether to be outside or inside. Below you will find a preview of one of the new postcard designs we will unveil next week. Thank you Sophia for your art.

Dec 7th: We are all deeply pondering the DPU’s Order on Principles and Framework that was published yesterday. It is a lengthy and technical document with a lot of detail that we are trying to figure out. That said, we realize that although this is a step in the right direction it is only a step and there is a long way to go particularly with specific action. The speed with which the climate emergency is unfolding demands an urgent response, and the Massachusetts legislature is notoriously slow on getting things done. In spite of our frequent frustration with Governor Healey with regard to specifics we do thank her for putting the right people in place to produce this important document. A link to the full 140 pages is included in yesterday’s blog post. For those who would like a brief summary there is a link below. Additionally there are extensive reports in today’s Boston Globe, and on the WBUR website. It will be important for all our activists to be up to speed on this important development. There was positive reporting of this development in “Inside Climate News” including a picture of one of our actions. There is a link to the article below.

Dec 6th: Another cold day when our intrepid heroes chose to stay outside and brave the low temperature. The key event of the day was the release of a report by the Mass DPU titled: Investigation by the Department of Public Utilities on its own Motion into the role of gas local distribution companies as the Commonwealth achieves its target 2050 climate goals. We will need to examine this 100+ page report before offering comments, but we can share that Senator Pacheco’s legislative aid was very excited and said that the report “signals the end of gas In Massachusetts.” We will be guardedly optimistic that this might signal the beginning of real movement, but will hold judgement as this may turn out to be another attempt at greenwashing. For those who are interested there is a link to the full report below.

Dec 5th: These shorter days are very quiet. I spent half an hour prowling the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Statehouse. With the exception of a high school choir performing carols at the foot of the Grand Staircase, the building was virtually deserted. I joined my shift partner outside the General Hooker entrance where, in spite of temperatures in the 30s, we were able to interact with more people. The second shift had the opportunity to talk with members of Mass Power Forward who were there to lobby their representatives. Even though the scarcity of passers-by and the harshness of the weather make participation challenging we are still being noticed and we still have to maintain an active daily presence. It is specially important in these days of expanded digital communication that our presence be in person.

Dec 4th: I won’t sugarcoat this! We almost had a fail today. We were saved “by the skin of our teeth” by Lauren, a student at BU. Lauren was the only activist to show up at the Statehouse today – the only person keeping the string of days unbroken. Thank you Lauren. The rest of us have to do a better job of keeping all the slots filled. Maintaining a presence and proclaiming our No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure mantra needs a midwinter injection of consistency, passion and love.

Dec 1st: Here are some quotes from today’s postcards sent to Gov. Healey, Sen.Pres. Spilka, and Speaker Mariano: “We are rushing headlong into an unlivable future. What are you doing to keep us from going over the edge? Some measures along the margins, but not enough! We need bold action from our leaders.” “While the MA legislature dithers and dawdles (see Boston Globe 11-29-23) the world is rushing headlong into an unlivable future. Put gas in the past (H.3238 & H3237) – we don’t have time to waste. NNFFI.

Nov 30th: A special day promoted by Scientists Rebellion and focusing attention on Day One of COP28. About 40 people participated and there were speeches, chants, songs, Babam band music, and a notable appearance of the Red Rebels. The struggle with Security over what signage can be brought inside the Statehouse continued today. Additionally a list of “unacceptable” actions last seen in June appears to have been amended to include the passing out of printed material. The next few weeks could get interesting!

Nov 29th: An inside and outside day during which we haggled with security over the possible weaponization of corrugated cardboard signs. It seems illogical, petty, and, frankly, BS that poster board (made from trees!) is allowed but very bendy recycled cardboard box material is not. Our early shift did manage to smuggle their cardboard signs inside and had a very positive conversation with Senator Marc Pacheco, sponsor of the Put Gas in the Past Bill. He is in full support of our efforts and is the first politician from the Massachusetts Senate to earn the honor of being photographed with Jenny, one of our regular activists.

Nov 26th: Activists held space inside the State House today, primarily at the foot of the grand staircase. Again we were complimented on our persistence by several employees. One of our activists spoke with Seble Alemu who works for Rep. Bud Williams, who is one of the cosponsors of the new gas hookup ban bill. She was excited that we were inside instead of outside and while generally supportive did have some suggestions (1) visit the offices of more representatives (including Williams) to bother them into action. Was this a ploy to get more sponsors for her bill? (2) she suggested we stand at the side entrance which the reps use (I know this is a repeated suggestion and I’m curious why we focus on the Hooker entrance). (3)She also suggested we visit our personal reps while we are at the state house. This suggestion prompted a conversation on Signal about XR tactics when interfacing with other climate groups.

Nov 24th: Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, was super quiet at the State House. Our hours were truncated by the early closure of the church building where our gear is stored. But we were present! The slow pace gave an opportunity to repair the top of one of our Scientist Rebellion flag-banners.

Nov 22nd A rainy day took the protest into the Governors lobby – a room that functions as a kind of waiting room/corridor. It is warm, dry, and has comfortable seats! On this slow, pre Thanksgiving day there was little traffic, but officials noted that we were there keeping our pledge. An unlooked for complication arose when we attempted to return our paraphernalia to the church property where it is stored. The church building closed early! This resulted in an undaunted activist taking the gear home on the subway. We’re signing off until Friday and wish everyone a safe and joyous holiday.

Nov 21st: As we continue to familiarize ourselves with the new routine of shorter hours we also continue to remember the sources of damaging emissions in Massachusetts. 1) Transportation: The combustion of gasoline and diesel fuels in cars, trucks, and other vehicles is a major source of CO2 emissions in the state. 2)Energy Production: Emissions from power plants and other energy production facilities, particularly those that rely on fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, contribute significantly to CO2 emissions. 3)Residential and Commercial Buildings: Emissions from heating, cooling, and electricity use in homes and businesses also contribute to the state’s overall CO2 emissions. 4)Industrial Processes: Certain industrial activities can release significant amounts of CO2, especially if they involve the use of fossil fuels or energy-intensive processes.

Nov 20th: The winter season is upon us, and to synchronize with shorter hours of daylight we have moved to a modified shift schedule. Through the winter we will be “on station” from 11am until 3pm every working day. Today it was announced that the average globe temperature has risen above 20 degrees centigrade for the first time in recorded history. How we feel about that is expressed in the postcard to the Governor that is today’s featured image.

Nov 17th: With the temperature soaring into the 60s we completed our twenty-third week of NNFFI at the State House. One would think that any sane person would be able to look back over the last decade and be aware of the severe and rapid negative changes to our climate caused by continuing use of fossil fuels. Instead of focusing on halting this our state leaders attempt to garnish political capital by pointing towards “efforts to mitigate the impact” of more frequent climate disasters. When your bath tub is overflowing the first thing to do is to turn off the tap. Leaving the water running and focusing all of your time, effort and cash on mopping up the never ending spill is a losing game. Governor Healey, please address the source of the problem. Don’t limit your efforts to just addressing the symptoms.

Nov 16th: A beautiful and surprising warm day on which we launched a new set of wearable signs. Riffing off the age old sandwich board concept we used recycled cardboard to produce them. A test run wearing them through security produced no questions or complications. We are now better prepared to wander the halls of the Statehouse during winter’s blasts – if there are any in these unpredictable times. Today’s “statement of the day by a Statehouse regular” as described by Ruth: A man with a clip-on ID left the Statehouse and walked past, studiously avoiding looking our way. He got to the top of the second set of stairs (past our set-up), stopped, and without looking back said, “I admire your dedication and perseverance.” There was no one else around for him to be talking to!

Nov 15th: We had to shorten the day somewhat because, for the first time in almost six months, no feisty volunteers were available to cover the 9.00am shift. With good will, adaptability and grit members of the second shift adapted their schedule to cover some of the missing shift. Thank you all for pulling together. Meanwhile news of the latest US climate report and its implications for Massachusetts was written up in The Globe, prompting discussion among our volunteer activists. Is it illegal to photograph newspaper articles and make them available on line? If so I expect to get some kickback.

Nov 14th: Every day begins with setting up equipment, and here we see one of our regular activists threading poles into flags that inform passers-by about the purpose of our ongoing daily action. Frequently large groups of people queue to pass through security as they enter the Statehouse to attend a meeting. We particularly welcome these occasions because they provide great opportunities for dialogue. Today we spent time with Representative Samantha Montaño from JP who expressed her support for the stand out. She mentioned that she felt as frustrated as we do, and that she would be sure to bring up NNFFI at her next monthly meeting with Governor Healey. Another interesting conversation was with Ayesha Jared, Deputy Secretary (Budget) in the Pakistani Ministry of Finance. She said that Pakistan, as one of countries most vulnerable to climate change, has adopted “climate responsive budgeting” to track and optimize public expenditures to attain Pakistan’s climate agenda.

Nov 13th: Some words from today’s postcards to the Governor, the Senate President and the House Speaker. 1)“I can see that our dedication and focus will have to increase in order for our voices to be heard. We are your constituents and you cannot ignore us for long.” 2)“I could be studying for my test tomorrow, or spending time with friends, or doing other college kid activities, but I’m here asking you to ban new fossil fuel infrastructure instead because I’m scared I won’t have a future.” 3)Make Enbridge and other fossil fuel companies pay for the damage they’ve already done and don’t let them keep doing more.”

Nov 9th: A cold, rainy, blustery day that began with a lone “standee” holding the standout space while four colleagues conducted a not so secret mission inside the Statehouse. He was relieved by the now famous Ruth and members of Scientist Rebellion wearing their lab coats. One doctor wrote on a postcard to Governor Healey, “as scientists and academics we know the science on climate change is very clear, and continuing to use and build infrastructure for fossil fuels is incompatible with a livable future for MA and the world more generally. Follow the scientific evidence and use your power to help ensure our collective survival.” It remains to be seen whether the Governor takes action in the near future.

Nov 8th: Another relatively quiet day. As the weather gets colder there are fewer tourists and reduced opportunity for interaction except with State House staff and people who are lobbying their representatives. Highlight of the day in this regard was Bill White, President of DEME Offshore US, who stopped and thanked us for our work. DEME is working on Vineyard Wind 1, the first commercial-scale offshore wind farm in the country. He was coming from lobbying for more support from the MA government for offshore wind and was glad to see the message No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. Bill said he was there to let legislators know that offshore wind needs to be done at scale.

Nov 7th: Sometimes the days are quiet, peaceful, with very little traffic in and out of the State House. The following picture taken at sunset brings to mind the earth we are all dedicated to saving. It is critical that the legislators of Massachusetts come to an understanding of how fragile our climate has become, and start acting as if this is an emergency. It is!

Nov 6th: A remarkable day for postcards, as you will see if you scroll down today’s pictures. All of them were written from the heart “in love and rage,” but we were particularly deeply moved by the words of an 18 year old young person who quoted from her own school essay on the question ‘How has climate change impacted your daily life?’ As you will see below the impact has been deep. We sincerely hope that testimony like this will ignite the fire of urgent action in the Governor’s office and in the legislature.

Nov 3rd: Today the issue came up of how to respond, rather than react, to the occasional person who strongly objects to our goal of No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. Case in point this afternoon was a Canadian lawyer employed by the oil and gas industry. It was pretty obvious from the get-go that neither he nor his wife would be easily converted to an adoption of our point of view. In any case conversion is not one of our goals. In such circumstances it is good to breathe, remain un-flustered, listen, and agree to disagree. For dealing with strong negativity, registered volunteers can find more detailed suggestions in the Google docs. ‘Participant Talking Points’ and ‘Helpful Advice for Dealing with Negative Encounters.’

Nov 2nd: This morning we took part of our crew on the road to Somerville where Governor Healey was a keynote speaker at a conference of climate technocrats. Check the link below for video of the “disruption.” While activists inside were making their point, two others held a banner outside the window where the Governor could not avoid seeing it. Meanwhile, at the Statehouse, others from our team proved that the addition of a canine to our protest resulted in boosted engagement with visitors and employees.

Nov 1st: We are delighted when passers by don’t pass by but stop to converse and to write postcards. Today’s pictures begin with two such people. It was a cold and blustery start to the day and a thick carpet of leaves now covers the ground on either side of the General Hooker entrance – a reminder that we are now into November, the sixth consecutive month of this standout.

Oct 31st: On this spooky night of Halloween, as ghouls and goblins roam the streets, we might not immediately connect the eerie festivities to fossil fuels. However, beneath the flickering candlelight and within the rubber soles of trick-or-treaters’ shoes lies a link. The plastic costumes, the glow-in-the-dark decorations, and even the eerie fog machines—all these haunting elements trace their origins back to fossilized remains, reminding us that even in the world of ghosts and witches, the shadows of fossil fuels cast a spectral presence. As you embark on your All Hallows’ Eve adventure, remember that behind the masks and beneath the surface, the ghosts of fossil fuels are lurking in unexpected corners, and nervous politicians are continuing to bury their heads under their donator’s blankets.

Oct 30th: Although we attempted to hold our usual outdoor space the driving rain eventually caused us to move into the Governor’s lobby. Consequently this was a relatively quiet day with minimal interactions with the public.

Oct 27th: Our Day 101 Celebration. We assembled, we wrote postcards, we ate pizza, we listened to 3 short speeches, we processed through the Capital building led by a harmonious, echoing choir singing songs of resistance, we individually delivered postcards to the offices of the Senate President, the House Speaker, and the Governor. After singing our way back outside we conducted a die-in to the mournful music of a superb brass band. The die-in transitioned into dances of celebration also led by the brass band BABAM.

Oct 26th: The picture says it all! We have reached our 100th day of protest. Tomorrow we will celebrate. Meanwhile we spent time today examining the “climate statement of intent” put together by a team under Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer and announced by the Governor. This link takes you to a report on the content: https://wbur.fm/47pketl Although the team at NNFFI welcome the statement, we note that it is short on action. Producing plans is easy, and can lull the public into thinking that the state has the issue handled. What we need to see is the kind of development that, if an alien looked down from a spaceship it could see the physical evidence that something different and positive was actually being done. Action will be the only gauge of progress.

Oct 25th: Day 99! Excitement is building as we prepare for our celebration, on Friday, of 101 days continuous presence outside the Statehouse. Today, activists from Mothers Out Front were strongly represented at the standout. Mothers Out Front is a grassroots organization founded by mothers, and it’s dedicated to addressing climate change and promoting a sustainable future. The group empowers mothers and caregivers to take collective action on local and global levels. Mothers Out Front focuses on advocating for clean energy, environmental justice, and policies that mitigate the impact of climate change. They believe in the power of maternal instincts to drive positive change and aim to create a healthier and safer planet for future generations through community engagement and advocacy.

Oct 24th: Our featured image today shows a volunteer’s water bottle displaying the XR slogan “Act Now.” It is disappointing and very troublesome that, over the last five months since we began our protest, there has been no action taken to stop building new fossil fuel infrastructure. Apparently the gas lobby has the Governor and Legislators in its capacious pocket. Every day lost not addressing the issue is a day spent increasing the danger to our fragile climate, and, ultimately raising the cost of subsequent remediation. We appeal to the Governor to Act with Urgency – This is an Emergency!

Oct 23: And we’re into our 20th week. It will take us through and beyond 100 days of continuous presence insisting on NNFFI. Today UMassAmherst/WCVB Channel 5 reported on a poll about Maura Healey’s performance so far as Governor. (https://www.wcvb.com/article/massachusetts-gov-healey-housing-umass-amherst-wcvb-poll/45608697) What stands out from our climate perspective is that a) less than 40% of respondents gave Healey a positive grade on climate, and b) 25% had no idea at all of her lackluster performance in this area. Obviously our action needs to continue and get bigger, louder, and more persuasive. Let’s maximize the effort to ban all New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Massachusetts.

Oct 20: This Friday marks the close of our nineteenth week of continuous presence at the Massachusetts State House. We know that the cold part of the year is just around the corner, but we remain as determined as ever to “stay put” until the Governor and Legislature act to stop the building of all New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. Next Friday we will hold a celebration at the State House to mark our one hundred and first day of rebellion. Come to the General Hooker entrance at 11.30am to join the party! There will be a band, a couple of short speeches, some food, (though you are invited and permitted to bring your own,) and an opportunity to deliver postcards in support of our cause. Come celebrate and have some fun.

Oct 19th: On a day when, in advance, it seemed we might be looking at only one person per shift, heroes stepped forward to fill those all important back-up spots. This enabled a number of interactions and thoughtful discussions with a range of State House visitors, including a family from Spain who all wrote postcards to the Governor. One participant wrote: “maybe we got lucky with the delightful folks from Spain, Emerson students, and SEIU union folks we spoke to… or amazing weather. But it was like an infectious joy spreading from our standout to the visitors stopping to talk to us.” An altogether positive day!

Oct 18th: We occasionally hear the comment, “Without fossil fuels you’d all be dead.” Usually, but not always from a white male who keeps walking, throwing out the comment as he passes. This kind of dismissive statement betrays a person who has not listened carefully to what we are saying. We know that fossil fuel driven energy is bound to be around for the time being, and we are not advocating that everyone’s gas be cut off ‘at a stroke of the Governor’s pen.’ Our demand for No NEW Fossil Fuel Infrastructure is part of a transition that must be just and equitable to all. Our mission is directed at those in power who have the means to hasten that transition otherwise, in the future we will all be dead WITH Fossil Fuels.

Oct 17th: Today the Three Musketeers Plus One defended the space of protest. Athos (Charlie,) Porthos (Peter,) Aramis (Declan,) and D’Artagne (Juan) each did a solo shift. A huge number of Uber and Lyft drivers lined up to go through security. They were at the Statehouse to lobby for the ability to form a union. As most drive gas powered cars we did not expect the heartening conversation that took place during Charlie’s shift. One of the rally organizers asked what our standout was all about, when he had heard the explanation he replied, “What you’re doing is more important!” On hearing this our courageous ‘Athos’ felt like crying. This is his postcard.

Oct. 16th: With so much media attention focused on the Israel – Palestine conflict issues to do with saving the climate and the whole earth 🌎 get pushed onto the back pages. It requires dedication and focus to remain on-message. One of the challenges of an action like NNFFI is that it can become tedious to be repeating the No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure mantra over and over. But, boring or not, that is what we are committed to doing until the Governor and the Legislature get tired of it too and actually take significant action. So on we go into Week 19.

Oct 13th: Today security closed the State House to the general public because of an international terrorist alert related to events in the Middle East. We moved our standout to Beacon Street outside the main ceremonial gate. This gave us access to many tourists, but most of them were in escorted groups and there was, with a few exceptions, little opportunity for significant engagement. Meanwhile Governor Healey was the VIP at the opening of a revamped international terminal at Logan Airport, during her speech she said Logan is a “critical economic engine” for the state that “connects our people and our businesses to nations around the world.” What she omitted was any criticism of Massport for the pollution of East Boston even though a group of climate justice campaigners were in attendance.

Oct 12th: Lots of responses today to Governor Healey’s big announcement of Resilient Mass.-a multi year set of plans to prepare the state for the effects of a rapidly changing climate. We are likely to be supportive of these plans if and when they turn into actions. But we deplore the fact that this plan does virtually nothing to halt expansion of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. Treating symptoms may make disease easier to bear, but it does not address the cause. Only when Massachusetts stops contributing to the total US output of CO2 and Methane will Healey be able to claim she is “the Climate Governor.”

Oct.11th: How to support allied non-XR groups visiting the State House was on my mind today. There were lots of groups there today and it made us think that No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure is step one towards a world in which all the things on today’s whiteboard are possible. Let’s keep up the pressure, welcome all allied groups whose goals are concurrent with ours, and continue recruiting new members for the standout. (If you don’t see the following pictures on your device just click here and they will appear.)

Oct.10th: Today’s featured image demonstrates the fun of writing postcards side by side with an example of serious concentration. We are glad to see folk following the suggestion made last week to include cards to Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ronald Mariano. Together they control the bills that are up for a vote, so we need to make sure that they, as well as Governor Healey, are aware of our 5th month of continuous presence outside the State House demanding a solid commitment to No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. Clicking on this posting will reveal other images from today’s standout including Green Party visitors from Germany 🇩🇪, and portraits of two of our regular “standees.” We are grateful for the reliability of the many volunteer activists that make this ongoing action possible.

Oct 6th: Today on the blog we honor Carina Campobasso who, single handed, kept the faith from 9.00am till 1.00pm on behalf of us all. As a group we have to do a better job of filling slots on the schedule – particularly the first and fourth shifts. I’m as guilty as many of us in not signing up for these times, using the excuse that it is difficult to get there from the suburbs that early in the morning or back home in the late afternoon. No I don’t enjoy hauling our gear up and down the hill on these shifts but, if the Standout is to continue as planned, we all need to pitch in and sometimes take on the “uncomfortable” shifts. Life will become very much more than uncomfortable if we cannot find a way to support each other in our effort to halt reliance on fossil fuels.

Oct 5th: The standout is not exclusive to members of XRBoston. Over the last four months some of our most regular participants in the standout have come from the organization Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station (FRRACS.) For almost ten years they have persisted in fighting first the building of the Compressor Station and now its operation on the South Shore close to densely populated areas. Their demands (https://www.nocompressor.com/news/2023/3/2/letter-to-governor-healey) are concurrent with ours and the story of their struggle is emblematic of how fossil fuel companies finagle their leverage of local politicians to continue building unnecessary and potentially dangerous fossil fuel infrastructure that will continue to impact our climate and environment for years to come.

Oct 4th: Our featured image today is of a family that approached us on Monday during the “Hanscom” rally. Activist extraordinaire Amy McCoy and her 3 sons have been protesting airport expansion for years from Ayer, MA. The issue of building 27 new hangars at Hanscom to house private jets continues to swirl in the news. We are glad to see that news outlets are focusing on the dangerous impact on carbon emissions that such an expansion would cause. The issue qualifies as just one of the new fossil fuel infrastructure projects we are demanding be halted. Here, in addition to our usual collection of activist and postcard photos, you will find an article from today’s Boston Globe and a link to a recording of today’s Greater Boston episode from GBH. (The image is misleading because the second part of the program dealt with liquor licenses:-)

Oct 3rd: There was a lot of interest from the people coming to the State House to support the Indigenous Legislative Agenda at a Senate conference today. Of course the Senate had no problem wasting people’s time by changing the hearing at the last moment from 11am to “whenever after all the other bills are heard” pm. This is the kind of discrimination and discourtesy that Indigenous People have experienced for more than three hundred years. Later on a member of the Sierra Club reminded us to not overlook putting pressure on Senate President Spilka and House Speaker Mariano to put a stop to any more fossil fuel infrastructure in Mass. It was another productive day of postcard writing, as you will see from the images. (Just click anywhere here to reveal them)

Oct 2nd: An exciting and busy day! We had been fore-warned about the arrival of a large group of allied protestors delivering a petition to halt expansion of facilities to house private jet aircraft at Hanscom airport. As this is one of our own demands we seized the opportunity to connect and recruit. A separate flier had been prepared to facilitate this outreach. This was a very successful strategy resulting in a number of sign-ups who will join us in due course. Prior to entering the State House the group rallied at the main gate and our fearless Julia seized the opportunity for an impromptu address. As the group entered the State House they all passed our reps and the whiteboard message shown here. Click here for pictures and video.

Sept 29th: The last day of our 17th week of continuous presence at the Massachusetts State House demanding that Maura Healey, the Governor, Karen Spilka, the Senate President, and Ron Mariano, the House Leader act swiftly to ban any new fossil fuel infrastructure in the state. Participants give various reasons for their involvement. Carina, pictured here, says, “I stand out to relieve the deep anxiety I feel about the future of my children and every young person. Also, I’ve met the best people—smart, thoughtful people who really care about the planet and all species on it. Being on the Standout Team has been one of the most rewarding activities I have engaged in as a climate activist.”

Sept 28th: Today we declare to be Ruth Day. For some reason the Standout had a lot of trouble filling the shifts through the entire day. People, for various reasons, were unavailable and that left several gaping holes. Up stepped climate hero Ruth who saved the day with a solo performance for the bulk of six hours. We thank her and celebrate her by decreeing that, hereafter, September 28th be known as Ruth Day! Relief came at 3.00pm with the arrival of volunteers who were responding to the situation as swiftly as they could. In the words of one of our organizers, Ruth can claim the record for longest solo standout.

Sept 27th: There were crowds of people coming to the Statehouse today and not all of them could be considered allies of our cause. First to arrive was a large contingent of predominantly white men opposed to a House Bill that they feel contravenes the Second Amendment. It took Security over an hour to admit these folk. Other groups, more supportive of our cause, were testifying on municipal aggregation and a solar bill— making it easier to install solar on buildings subject to historic preservation laws. There were also people testifying about assisting people coming out of incarceration with housing (Greater Boston Interfaith Organization). As they waited in line all these groups had a chance to hear our message.

Sept 26: The day began relatively quietly at the Statehouse with tourists and visitors making up the majority of passers by. The main action was about to take place about a mile away at the Boston Public Library where the Governor was answering questions live and on air. Julia, one of the Standout organizers was able to pose a challenging question. It was of note that the Governor stated ‘ I have said “No new fossil fuel power plants. No new fossil fuel transmission lines,ok? We don’t want any of those pipelines.”’ Healey has said similar things before but has consistently stopped short of putting promises in writing or of taking significant action to halt all new fossil fuel infrastructure in Massachustts. While this excitement was happening the regular Standout continued at the Statehouse.You can listen to a recording of the full interchange here:

Sept 25th: Today was a rainy cold day, but the Stand-Out spirits were bright! Tourists from Germany, Israel, and Montreal wrote passionate postcards about their own climate experiences. We delivered postcards to Governor Healey, President Spilka, and House Speaker Mariano. After these many days of presence and pressure, enhanced by the varied actions of our Week of Rebellion, we once again call on the Governor and the Administration to issue an immediate ban on any New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure.

Sept 22nd: Today we had a departure from what has become our usual Standout. In the mid morning the unexpected arrival at the State House of the President of Latvia resulted in a flurry of activity out front. It was really fortunate that the indomitable “Daisy” was on hand to seize a great opportunity. She was able to quickly redirect the Standout to Beacon Street opposite the main entrance. Click anywhere in today’s panel to read “Daisy’s” account of what happened next.

Sept.21st: Because of other activities in downtown Boston today involving a large contingent of XRBoston the eight hours of the standout at the Statehouse were handled by just four activists. One of them – Jerry – put in six hours, so major kudos to him. This morning Carina spent time talking with David Suazo, the host of a Boston based Spanish language program who expressed an interest in interviewing one of our Spanish speaking heroes on air. Otherwise it was a comparatively quiet, uneventful day during which many of us were able to take a rest from the standout. Meanwhile, downtown, a number of XR activists were arrested for disrupting the flow of rush hour traffic with an unmissable demonstration.

Sept.20th: Critical Mass Day! All of the activists who have participated in the Standout over the last four months were in attendance today and formed a varied and colorful crowd featuring many signs and banners. The protestors filled both sides of the General Hooker entrance way from the equestrian statue to the State House doors. For a while we were joined by pupils from the Neighborhood School, Jamaica Plain. There was enthusiastic chanting accompanied by a brass band, and rousing speeches from four activists. A delicious pot-luck lunch magically appeared and was much appreciated by participants in the action and by visitors. Everyone present wrote postcards to the Governor. These were individually hand delivered to the Governor’s office while the talented Boston XR choir caused the halls to ring with songs of protest. It was a lot of fun, and hopefully made a strong statement to the Governor and Legislature.

Sept 19th: Grateful for sunny weather with low humidity, our activist heroes resumed the Standout at the Statehouse. I thought it might be interesting to hear why some of us are here. I’m going to jump in first. “By participating in this protest, I aim to amplify the collective voice demanding action from our government. The Massachusetts State House serves as a symbol of political power and influence, and directing our demands there sends a clear message to policymakers about the critical importance of halting the expansion of fossil fuel infrastructure. I firmly believe that the time for decisive action to mitigate climate change is now, and being part of this sustained protest is my way of contributing to this vital cause and holding our leaders accountable for their role in addressing the climate crisis.”

Sept.18th: One of the rainiest days yet, and we were not permitted to bring our usual equipment (posters, banners, etc.) inside the Statehouse today. This is something we have been allowed on previous rainy days. Our reading of this policy change is that security was aware of a separate XR action planned for inside the Statehouse as part of the Week of Rebellion. So we spent the day outside with raised umbrellas, beginning to extend our protest into the sixteenth week.

Sept.15th We are always and forever grateful for every one of the army of activists who have shown up over the last many weeks to be sure that our NNFFI Standout is fully “staffed”.from 9am to 5pm every weekday. Their commitment and determination regarding the fact that Massachusetts contribution to climate deterioration needs to be addressed immediately by the Governor and Legislature has been strong and sincere. You are cordially invited to join us. Starting on Monday 18th is our Week of Rebellion and special activities to enhance and promote the Standout. These boosting activities will be at the Statehouse in Boston at 1.00pm on Monday and throughout our Critical Mass Day on Wednesday 20th. Click the QR code below the photos for details.

Sept.14th: Finally a sunny, pleasant day outside the Statehouse. Lots of interactions with visitors. We spent a long time communing with Christian and friend from Stuttgart, Germany. They shared that they were in complete alignment with our goal of No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. Christian wrote a postcard to the Governor. We’ve noticed that overseas visitors are usually much more ready to stop and share stories. Many US visitors from other states will flip off a quick “We’re not from here,” as they rush past, apparently unable to own that the climate emergency is happening everywhere. We also interacted positively with Andrea, an activist strongly engaged in the ongoing campaign around the Weymouth compressor station – one of the new pieces of infrastructure that has been permitted and built well after the dangers of fracked gas were widely known.

Sept.13th: A busy day with a) a group of over 100 activists lobbying for stricter gun control – all of whom were supportive of our cause and accepted fliers, and b) a different group lobbying for a bottle return bill. It was gratifying to have the opportunity of receiving solid, encouraging support from these groups. We also had positive interactions with the President of the SEIU Local 888 and with Montana Cassel, Sustainability Planner for the town of Cohasset. Their postcards to the Governor are included in today’s imagery. Heavy rain started at 1.00pm and we moved inside to the now frequently visited governor’s lobby.

Sept 12th: A day that took the Governor to two separate sites of flooding disasters in the state. She is calling a state of emergency to deal with the aftermath of nine inches of rain in two hours in Leominster that washed away roads, bridges and made the Commuter Rail service to Fitchburg inoperable. Of note is the fact that almost all of the buildings affected housed small businesses or were the homes of middle class people. How much longer before she gets it that allowing fossil fuel companies to extend their infrastructure is digging the climate hole even deeper? Every dollar spent on FFI is a step in the wrong direction. Let’s make a big statement at the State House on Monday and Wednesday next week.

Sept 11th: 9/11as it is commonly known was a day for solemn remembrance at the state capital. Many firemen and fire chiefs took part in a memorial on the main staircase. Our standout resumed promptly and respectfully at 9.00am. This week is the lead up to XR’s Week of Rebellion (Sep18 – 24) during which some separate larger scale events are planned around the State House. These will be happening on Monday 9/18 and Wednesday 9/20 so plan to be there to support the call for No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure (NNFFI.)

Sept 8th: Thunderstorms and heavy rain brought our protest inside the State House. The Governor’s lobby or waiting room provides safety from the inclement weather. Today marks the end of the fourteenth week of the standout. We trust that our constant but low-key presence, like a small stone in a shoe, will prove to be a sufficient irritant to provoke real movement on No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure (NNFFI) in Massachusetts. As always we invite all climate activists from any of the local groups to join us over the next days and weeks.Tap anywhere on today’s posting to reveal pictures and a video. The 3 minute video explains our action in more detail. We’ll be back on Monday.

Sept. 7th: Another 90 degree + day! It began with the largest number of negative comments that either of our first shift volunteers have heard so far. We later learned this unusual crowd were from an organization called “Convention of the States.” You can check them out on line if interested but, be warned – among the comments made were “You’re all idiots,” “I love oil,” “Do you know that oil recycles itself in three years,” and, crazy as it may sound, “Bill Gates has bought up all the farmland to chop down and bury the trees.” These wildly off-kilter comments prompted the writing of the first white board pictured below. It was positioned to face the “deniers” as they exited. Let’s give a big shout out to all who are braving the heat to keep the action going consistently.

Sept 6th: A day of extreme heat and humidity with temperatures in the 90s and a heat index in the high 60s. As shown on the attached map/index, the air quality in Boston was at a dangerous level.The haze over the entire area was thick and persistent. In spite of scientific evidence to the contrary, too many people still insist that this heat, haze and humidity is just a weather event. Our volunteers at this standout agree with the science that these extreme conditions are exacerbated by human caused global warming through the continued use of fossil fuels.This is why we are insisting on NNFFI (No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Massachusetts.)

Sept. 5th: It’s the day after Labor Day and the State House has been returning to work. We decided to double up the morning shift in order to cover two separate entrances to the building. This proved to be a good decision as there was a constant stream of legislators, interns, and employees who were unable to bypass our messaging: No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Massachusetts (NNFFI.) Our one regret was that the Governor did not pass in front of our standout today. We’ll be keeping up the pressure through our constant presence every day at the State House.

Sept.1st: It’s the last day of Week 12 of the Standout. I’ve been reading the State’s stated policy regarding green house gases at: https://climate-xchange.org/dashboard/state-climate-policies/climate-governance-equity/. The Act passed in 2021 states in part: “the secretary shall establish programs to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and promulgate regulations regarding sources or categories of sources that emit greenhouse gases in order to achieve the greenhouse gas emissions limits and sublimits and implement the roadmap plans required by this chapter.” It is our contention that in refusing/delaying a ban on new fossil fuel infrastructure, Gov. Healey is not doing her part in implementing the requirements of the bill.

August 31st: Today’s featured image typifies the love, rage, and commitment of our team members. All are steadfast in upholding the standout until Governor Healey clearly and unequivocally mandates that there will be no more fossil fuel infrastructure built in Massachusetts. The governor must counter the increasingly desperate attempts by the fossil fuel industry to bribe or buy their way into poisoning us all with more of the “same old.”

August 30th: Another rainy day brought us inside the Governor’s lobby. The enjoyable part of this is that we get to hang out with Joyce, who is one of Governor Healey’s assistants and chief door keeper. As such she controls access to the Inner Sanctum. Even though she is unlikely to allow us inside, she is unfailingly pleasant and professional in all interactions with us. We continue to have conversations with visitors to the office, most of which demonstrate a lot of support for our demand: No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure (NNFFI) in Massachusetts. We are still waiting to hear these words from the Governor.

August 29th: The buzz today concerned the attached piece from MASSterlist, a publication of The State House News Service. It was encouraging to be able to infer that our call for climate action from the Healey administration is being heard. After noting that the Governor had appointed a “Climate Chief,” the piece specifically stated “But hiring people is not the same as proposing strategies to solve problems; defining policy goals; measuring whether you’re achieving them; getting results.” Our Standout is calling for one simple act from the Governor: Ban New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure in Massachusetts.

August 28th: In the waning days of August our volunteer pool has shrunk due to annual holidays. This means that all supporters who are available are needing to show a tremendous degree of flexibility to keep every day’s four 2-hour shifts filled. Big gratitude to everyone for your commitment to “No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure.” We will soon be into the flurry of a big Week of Rebellion from September 18 – 24. During which multiple numbers will support and enhance the Standout.

August 25th: Yet another rainy day during which our presence was in the Governor’s lobby. One of the delights of being there is that we get to hang out with Joyce, who is one of the Governor’s assistants. Joyce is the person who receives the many postcards written to Healey every day. She assures us that the Governor does, indeed, read the cards. Today marks the end of Week 12 of the stand out.

August 24th: Today our volunteers experienced some push-back from Tammy, the State House building superintendent. She is asking us to move some of our signs, flags, and banners. Her request that we not place signs against the end of the central railing seems reasonable as it could impede someone from grasping the railing. Her other request to move signs etc. up onto the curb of the wide walkway because “they might fall down and block emergency exits” seems less reasonable given the fact that the walkway is quite wide and that we are constantly there to pick up anything that falls. We shall see how this latest skirmish plays out in the next few days.

August 23rd: A beautiful, clear, sunny day with low humidity. We are all grateful to not be suffering from the heat dome afflicting the central US. Heat stroke has been felling some workers, specially those who have to work outdoors or in the hot kitchens of restaurants. Today’s good news from Equador is that the country has voted to “keep oil in the ground.” The winds of change are blowing elsewhere: how long before Massachusetts pulls the plug on fossil fuels?

August 22nd: Friends, old and new, were in attendance today. As usual we interacted very positively with some of the State House visitors and staff. Between these conversations we celebrated the success of allied group ClimateDefiance. They effectively disrupted a high profile Healey fundraiser on Nantucket, posing questions about new fossil fuel infrastructure. Healey would not give a commitment to ending these projects. The standout continues!

August 21st: Participating in our standout involves traveling to the State House from many different parts of the State. Some of us bike there and some use bus and subway. Our featured image today shows two of our committed participants on their way to today’s protest shift. Among visitors they encountered today were a couple from Detroit who were in support of our cause. Our white-board continues to draw attention to the multiple destructive climate events to which the continued use of fossil fuels is a major contributor.

August 18th: Another day of off and on heavy rainfall, and a day in which there was a confirmed tornado in south-east Massachusetts….as well as a hurricane approaching Southern California….plus very extensive forest fires in Canada. Activists alternated in and out of either the Governor’s Office or the great outdoors. It was a quiet day for interactions but our strong presence always sends a powerful message about stopping all new fossil fuel infrastructure.

August 17th: A young visitor from Uruguay offered help and support early today. We welcome all children to our activism. They are the ones who will inherit whatever kind of world we leave them! For a short time we changed location and stood out in front of the General Hooker statue to interact with tourists and tour groups. In general we have found that visitors from other countries seem more willing to engage in conversations about climate issues.

August 16th: Today was the 50th day of our “NO NEW FOSSIL FUEL INFRASTRUCTURE” (NNFFI) Standout at the Massachusetts State House. In spite of our daily presence and the participation of a huge number of activists we have yet to elicit any significant response from the Governor, the leader of the Senate, or from the leader of the House of Representatives. We are not discouraged. We “remain committed to remain” until our simple demand is met.

August 15th: A day of rain took our daily protest to the Governor’s lobby. We were able to interact with the frequent guided tours passing through. We have also been celebrating the judicial victory of a group of young activists in Montana. The judge in the case determined that they had a right to a healthful environment and the state must consider potential climate damage when approving projects. We hope Gov. Healey takes note as climate damage is assured if new fossil fuel infrastructure is built.

August 14th: In respect for those who died in the fire on Maui flowers were laid on the steps to the Statehouse. Nearby was a reminder to the Governor and to all who passed by that there is a direct link between the ongoing use of fossil fuels and the conditions contributing to the scale of the tragedy. There is no doubt that the continuing build up of fossil fuel infrastructure will inevitably lead to greater and greater “natural” disasters.

August 10th: One of our many talented musicians returns with a cello, to be accompanied by vocals from a teenager in the METCO group visiting the State House today. The METCO instructor also informed us that the program unfortunately does not have any climate-related workshops.

August 9th: A ‘fearsome foursome’ of activists today. What does the whiteboard say to passerbys? “Sorry to disturb you, but this is an emergency. We must end our reliance on fossil fuels NOW, starting with a ban on all new fossil fuel infrastructure!”

August 7th: “Dear Gov. Healey, We’re highschoolers from XR Youth. As young people, we will inherit the world that you legislate. This July was the hottest on record, and as the secretary general of the UN said, it’s no longer a question of global warming, but one of boiling, and it’s only going to get worse…”

August 4th: As shown on the map, New Fossil Fuel Infrastructures are still being built or planned in Massachusetts. They stretch across the state from the Atlantic to the New York State line. To meet Massachusetts’ stated climate goals and for the sake of the future we must stop these projects and discard the plans. We will continue our daily protest at the state house until this is done.

August 3rd: It’s Day 42 of our Standout! Today, on a postcard to the Governor, 18yr old Lauren wrote: “I care deeply about this demand (No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure) because of it’s direct connection to climate change, and to my future. I will remember your actions at the next election. Be the pro-climate governor we all want you to be.” All of us participating in this ongoing action heartily agree with Lauren.

August 2nd: We had been told that August would be quiet at the State House and that was certainly true today. Relatively few representatives, staff, lobbyists and visitors came past us. Nevertheless, our presence and determination are as strong as when we began in early June. We will stay until there is significant movement on NNFFI (No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure.)

August 1st: Following early morning breaking news that Eversource has underhandedly reached a deal with the town of Douglas to install a new gas pipeline we are redoubling efforts to achieve a state wide ban on such ventures. More welcome news was that Boston’s Mayor Wu has issued an executive order that bans new gas hook-ups to city owned real estate. Maura Healey, check out these sincere faces and urgent postcards from your constituents.

July 31st: Today we reminded everyone who passed through the General Hooker entrance to the Statehouse about UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ statement on the “era of boiling.” One would think that such a statement would energize the Massachusetts Legislature to prioritize action to halt new fossil fuel infrastructure in the state. But…….

July 28th: On Day 3 of the heat wave, we put the heat back on Gov. Healey and the legislators. To NOT choose to take climate action = to CHOOSE NOT to take climate action. History will judge them for their delay, we are judging them today ;)

July 27th: On Day 2 of the heat wave, we stayed cool by envisioning the end of fossil fuels in MA. We sent a stack of postcards to Senate President Spilka reminding her that “the climate crisis is here now.”

July 26th: on Day 1 of the heat wave that engulfed MA this week, all we asked was for the Governor to not make it EVEN HOTTER by allowing the future use of fossil fuels. The Compressor Station in Weymouth is one of the projects that is making it hotter and harder to breathe.

July 25th: Picture this – climate activists standing out for 8 consecutive weeks demanding No New Fossil Fuel Infrastructure. Where are the fossil fuel lobbyists? Certainly not showing their faces in public. Maybe in closed-door meetings with the governor?

July 24th: Visitors to the State House from Germany, Kansas, LA, & Worcester all agree with the Stand-Out team: MA should stop building new fossil fuel infrastructure!

July 21st: Ethics, Altruism, Integrity, Honesty, Non Oppression, Energy, Enthusiasm, are just some of the qualities we expect of those chosen to lead. Governor Healey, Senate President Spilka, House Leader Mariano, we need you to act with these qualities and immediately ban any further expansion of Fossil Fuel Infrastructure.

July 20th: The State House re-opened today so we conducted an informal poll with visitors. When asked if Massachusetts should build more gas pipelines or invest in clean, renewable energy we were shocked that even 6 people voted to continue “roasting the planet.” Thankfully these were out-voted by the numbers who chose investing in renewables.

July 19th: Even though the State House remained closed today after yesterday’s electrical fire our standout continued on Beacon Street in front of the main gate. A high point of the day was in receiving a “You Are Awesome” card from a group of youngsters with their mentor.

July 18th: An electrical fire in the basement of the State House forced an evacuation and eventual early closure of the State House in the afternoon. Of course, our intrepid crew simply re-located to the other side of Beacon Street, remaining very visible in front of the monument. The evacuation also provided a captive audience and a golden opportunity for a spontaneous speech from one of our stand-outs.

July 17th: Governor Healey spent the afternoon in Western Mass, visiting farms impacted by climate change caused flooding. She stated that what’s happening now is unprecedented and it needs an unprecedented response. That’s precisely what we are asking for as we begin our 7th week of protest at the State House. Governor, since we began you have received hundreds of heart-felt postcards from us. Please show some action on Fossil Fuel Infrastructure.

July 14th: Today we spoke briefly with Mass. Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer. When asked if no new fossil fuel infrastructure was among the recommendations she has made to the governor she replied: “There will be a position on fossil fuel infrastructure.” We had fun dancing and singing today. Click on this title to open a video and stunning pictures.

July 13th: We were interviewed by WBUR and were featured in a report on the program ‘All Things Considered.’ No matter who is volunteering on any given day we can always be counted on to state clearly and unequivocally the intention to remain until our “No New Fossil Fuel” demand is met. We also welcomed supporters from Mothers Out Front to our protest.

July 12th: Today Governor Healey was visiting locations in Western Massachusetts that are dealing with the aftermath of catastrophic flooding – a direct result of changes to our climate caused by fossil fuels. What more does the governor need to convince her of the necessity of halting new fossil fuel infrastructure?

July 11th. Today had a Gallic flavor with groups of French tourists showing interest. Some postcards were written in French. A journalism student interviewed us for a project she hopes to publish. We politely conversed with a guard about the meaning of ‘soliciting.’

July 10th: Let’s try something different and get more unavoidable in the executive corridor. And then, let’s visit the Speaker’s office to deliver the same message.

July 6th: We are catching media attention after just one month. Click this text for links to both the WBZ radio summary and the terrific article by independent Mary Bosch.

June 29th: FRACCS activists frequently take shifts outside the State House. They have been fighting the controversial gas compressor station under construction in Weymouth, MA for over eight years.

June 27th: XR Youth leaders captivate onlookers with an accordion performance of ‘Sing for the Climate’

“MA leadership, it’s June 26th, it’s hot, and we’re still out here, waiting for you to step up as leaders.”

June 23rd: Exemplary solidarity from XR Boston, Mass 350, Our Revolution MA, and Mothers Out Front all taking shifts outside the State House today to demand NNFFI.

June 22nd: By this time, we’ve delivered an estimated combined 100+ postcards addressed to the Governor and other MA leadership offices demanding NNFFI.

June 20th: Healey campaigned on a climate platform. She is failing her constituents on the greatest crisis this state has ever faced by not taking immediate action for carbon reduction.

June 16th: Unveiling new banners that get right to the point: The Commonweath is Failing to Address the Climate Crisis. Governor Healey, Do Your Job on Climate!

June 15th: The melodies of change! We serenade the State House with original tunes about the demand for NNFFI

June 14th: “Governor Healey… You have the power to act, but do you have the moral fortitude? Future generations are watching!”

June 13th: This week, our total number of volunteers willing to take one or more shifts standing outside the State House climbed to over FIFTY already.

June 12th: Solidarity is a keystone of this action. Activists from Save Our Bay, en route to a nuclear policy hearing, pause to express their ardent support.

June 9th: At 9AM every morning, we write personalized postcards and hand deliver them to Massachusetts leadership offices

June 8th: The Chairperson of the Wellesley Select Board thanked us for our “Emergency Everywhere” effort which played a significant role in waking up Wellesley to the reality of the climate crisis.

June 7th: We seized the opportunity to deliver our message directly to Governor Maura Healey on the State House steps

June 6th: Representative Carmine Gentile of the 13th Middlesex district expressed support for our demand

June 5th, Day One: Our first day started out strong with up to five activists at a time outside the MA State House