Small towns can play big role in climate change fight

Eigenmann and her family moved to Hingham from Zurich a few years ago. She says she was too busy working, taking care of her small children in Switzerland to worry about climate change. “If you don't see your government or people around you doing anything about it, then the problem is not that big of a problem in the first place,” she says. “Maybe you can wait a couple of years, maybe we still have time, so why should you do anything about it?”

But when they moved to Hingham and saw the green, open spaces and all the wildlife, Eigenmann knew she needed to do more to protect her new home.

“The first thing that happened was I was completely overwhelmed,” she says. “This is way too big. We've destroyed so much, there's nothing we can do to actually save anything. And you're paralyzed.” But then she says she went into crisis mode, almost fight or flight, and started to make some small but serious changes. “I realized there’s a lot we can do if we act now.”

In this week’s episode, she shares what she calls hassle-free ways to help the environment and why she’s pushing for Hingham to adopt a Climate Action Plan.

From the White House to the State House leaders are setting goals to combat climate change, but environmentalists say cities and towns need to step up too. Hingham does not have a Climate Action Plan, but soon, residents can vote to make one. We sit down with Kathy Reardon who sits on the town's Climate Action Plan Task Force. We explore how local governments can play a significant role in combating climate change. There are many options on the potential planning table for Hingham: adopting greener building codes to buying electric police cars to using more solar and other renewable energy to heat and cool town buildings. Listen in and join the conversation!