Focus Area: Climate Change

Aug 04, 2026

Fighting the Unchecked Expansion of Lowell’s Markley Data Center

In Massachusetts’ first lawsuit challenging a data center expansion, Lowell residents are fighting a state permit that would allow more diesel pollution near homes, parks, and a school. The case also challenges a process that let the company operating the facility move ahead before residents had a fair chance to be heard.

A residential street in Lowell lined with closely spaced homes, parked cars, utility poles, and overhead wires leads toward the Markley data center. The facility’s massive, windowless black exterior rises above and behind the neighborhood, dwarfing the surrounding houses.
Jul 19, 2026

The World Cup’s Blistering Heat Exposed FIFA’s Aramco Sportswashing

Extreme heat forced FIFA to add new protections for players and fans during the 2026 World Cup. Yet the tournament also gave oil giant Aramco a global platform, exposing the contradiction at the heart of sportswashing: celebrating the game while helping a major polluter polish its image.

An oversized black-and-white soccer ball installation celebrating the 2026 FIFA World Cup sits on the lawn in Boston’s Copley Square, with Trinity Church, leafy trees, pedestrians, and downtown buildings in the background.
Jul 01, 2026

What Is Battery Storage?

These batteries, while quite different than the ones in our phones or computers, work the same. They store energy so we can use it later.

A top-down view of four rows of utility-scale batteries against a dirt-covered ground.