Even as we mourn the lives lost to COVID-19 and absorb the heavy toll it has taken on our economy, we must recognize that the old “normal” left too many communities unhealthy and especially vulnerable to the pandemic. Replicating that old “normal” will squander an opportunity to reduce climate danger while building healthier and more just communities for all.
May 14
2020
2020
May 14
2020
2020
3M Lawsuit Delays Critical Drinking Water Tests in New Hampshire
Every New Hampshire resident should be able to turn on their taps without wondering if the water is safe to drink. Yet a judge’s order to postpone testing of public water systems for dangerous chemicals is leaving residents in the dark about how best to keep themselves and their families safe.
Why New England States Are Fighting the Climate Crisis with Laws to Slash Emissions
Here in New England, only Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Maine have binding laws that set enforceable limits on the emissions that cause climate change – the same emissions scientists say must drop to net zero before 2050 to avoid the worst effects of climate catastrophe.
May 12
2020
2020
Waste Industry Exploits Pandemic as Cover for Rollbacks
Under cover of the pandemic, the waste industry is trying to demolish critical environmental protections. In April, the waste industry and Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation asked the legislature to delay Vermont’s food scrap ban and trash recyclables, all under the guise of protecting the health of workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But they appear to be part of a push from waste industry groups to use the crisis to advance their own agenda in several New England states.
May 12
2020
2020
Massachusetts Still Needs a Roadmap to Beat Climate Change
On the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, the Baker administration announced that Massachusetts will make reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 legally binding under the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act. However, the state’s landmark climate law still needs a clear path forward to reach that goal.
May 5
2020
2020
World Asthma Day: Why Environmental Justice Communities Are Hit Hardest by Asthma and COVID-19
In anticipation of World Asthma Day, I connected with María Belén Power from GreenRoots, Andrea Nyamekye of Neighbor to Neighbor, and my CLF colleague Staci Rubin. The four of us spoke about air quality, public health, and what it means to live in an environmental justice community during a pandemic.
May 4
2020
2020
The Power of Urban Agriculture in Transforming a Community
Providing more access to land for farming in our cities will help accelerate urban agriculture and support low-income, people of color, immigrant, and New American farmers in search of land on which to grow.
Apr 29
2020
2020
5 Questions for Alyssa Irizarry of Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs
In 2019, Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs presented the Healthy Whale, Healthy Ocean Challenge, in partnership with CLF. Students of all ages from across New England created art, poetry, and film to raise awareness of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. We sat down with Senior Vice President Alyssa Irizarry to learn more about…
Apr 22
2020
2020
On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day: Advocacy in a Pandemic
The lethal pandemic and its response are causing massive disruption to our economy and adding stress to most of our lives. But neither the human nor the economic costs of the virus are being borne equally. The communities hit first and worst by deadly air pollution, toxic chemical releases, climate threats, and other environmental harms…
Apr 15
2020
2020
Update: How to Track Right Whales from the Comfort of Your Home
Thanks to technology, you can spot endangered North Atlantic right whales from your couch. Right now, the whales that traveled south for the winter are migrating back north to our waters. While we’re all at home, it’s a great time to add whale watching to your quarantine activity list.