The Climate Minute

In September 2024, the MBTA released its Climate Assessment, taking stock of its climate commitments and work undertaken to date. It articulates a vision for sustainability and resilience at the MBTA. Listen in to a recent MCAN Network meeting where officials from the MBTA discuss the report. 

On Beacon Hill, important climate legislation is being finalized this week. Listen in to hear the details of what currently is in-or out-of the bill and what you can do (right now)  to help get the good stuff in and the bad stuff out. Call your representative and ask them to talk to the conference committee members, or send a postcard, or take a trip to Beacon Hill next week! We have all the details.

We get an update on the Massachusetts Legislature's Climate Bill.

XR Boston has sponsored a year long ‘standout’ in front of the statehouse, demanding that no new fossil fuel infrastructure be built. We had a chance to talk with them.

At the last minute, a public session to review the Hanscom Jetport Expansion’s Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR)- a session which was originally to be held in a school auditorium- was moved to be ‘on-line only.’ The change was so sudden it stranded a few participants in the parking lot as they waited to enter the building. Listen in to hear what they had to say.

A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) on the proposed expansion of jet traffic at Hanscom Field is open to your comment through June 14. We talk to a lead organizer about what is in the DEIR and how you can help out.

The Massachusetts Legislature is headed to the end of it’s session in July. The time is right to contact your legislators to improve the ‘Climate Omnibus’ bill-because it is being finalized right now. Listen to hear what policies need to be in the Omnibus and some specifics about how you can help get them there.

The term “embodied carbon” describes the CO2 emissions associated with a building that came from the manufacture, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of building and infrastructure materials- even before the building was constructed! It is an important piece of the CO2 reduction puzzle in Massachusetts. We talk to an expert to find ways to understand this rapidly developing field.

In the fifth of our series of episodes with understandable discussions about how to ’decarbonize’ your home, some of our earlier guests meet together to share stories and insights about their own efforts.

Strangely enough, a lot of people who are concerned about climate issues do not turn out to vote when the time comes. The Environmental Voter Project has a plan, backed up with researched insight, to get those folks to the polls. Listen in to find out how you can get involved.