The board of directors at the Chappaquiddick Island Association has published an impressive account of its recent conversations with community members and environmental experts. It’s something that should be mandatory reading for anyone who loves Chappy, as well as for climate change and environmental sustainability thinkers.

The association’s environmental committee was formed two years ago with the goal of clarifying the effects of climate change on Chappy and to identify the pending risks. In response, Pete Taft, an association board member and chair of the environmental committee, brought together 15 energetic and committed members, many of whom have impressive qualifications in environmental fields, to gather information and develop methods of sharing knowledge with our community. 

In late summer and fall of 2020, the committee worked with environmental experts to hold conversations about the highest priority issues and communicate them to community members. Public sessions were orchestrated by Bruce Fowle and held via Zoom, with technical help from the Chappaquiddick Community Center. The result is the booklet Guidelines For Preserving Chappy In Our Changing Climate and Resources: Where To Find Information Relating to the Guidelines.

The release also marks the beginning of a Chappy-wide communications campaign called Live Chappy Smart! It is meant to drive home the importance of being proactive in addressing climate change and to encourage volunteering for the Community Emergency Response Team to ensure our safety in the event of a major weather occurrence.

I have reviewed the booklet. These folks put a whole lot of effort into producing it. It is available online at the Chappaquiddick Island Association website: scroll down the home page until you see The Impacts of Climate Change on Chappaquiddick: Key findings from the 2020 Zoom Speaker Series sponsored by the Chappy Island Association and the Chappy Community Center. Copies are available in print at the community center and I saw a few in the bulletin board cabinet at the ferry point. This issue is something that impacts all of us and we have a responsibility to be informed and involved. The information in this booklet will help.

— Peter Wells, Chappy