Sustainable Arlington

“This Is Inequity at the Boiling Point”

By Somini Sengupta, Aug. 7, 2020, New York Times

Antioch University New England, Center for Climate Preparedness and Community Resilience.

Recordings of recent webinars, e.g.:

"Race and the Environmental Movement: History and Legacies," June 4, 2020

"Racial Diversity in the U.S. Climate Movement," March 17, 2020

The simulation, developed by Climate Interactive, Ventana Systems, and MIT Sloan, runs on an ordinary laptop in a fraction of a second, is available online, offers an intuitive interface, has been carefully grounded in the best available science, and has been calibrated against a wide range of existing integrated assessment, climate and energy models.

Trisos, Merow & Pigot, Nature, 4.8.2020

... impending risk of sudden and severe biodiversity losses from climate change and provide a framework for predicting both when and where these events may occur.

1. April 1, 2020: Declaring a Climate Emergency: How to Build Your Campaign in Uncertain Times
2. March 31, 2020: Internet Tools for Remote Organizing (part 2) 
3. March 24, 2020: Internet Tools for Remote Organizing (part 1)
4. January 28, 2020: Affordable Housing as a Climate Solution (part 3)
5. January 9, 2020: MA Gas Ban Webinar
6. See MCAN website for more!

Gail McCormick has been a leader in climate change activism for thirty years. Her relevant award-winning art has been shown in museums, university galleries, and at the landmark UN Rio Conference. As a board member of HealthLink, she helped eradicate antiquated Massachusetts coal power plants. Her current focus is on prevention of an unnecessary pipeline through the State that would transport fracked gas to Canada and Europe. Her first book, CALAMITY, a romance/thriller covers thawing permafrost in Siberia....

https://climate-xchange.org/communicating-the-climate-crisis/

At first glance, climate change communication is about educating and informing people about this massive issue, in order to mobilize and solve the climate crisis. On a deeper level however, climate change communication is shaped by our different experiences, mental and cultural models, and underlying values and world views. The way we talk about climate change, either as advocates, scientists, or regular citizens, affects the way people understand and think about both the problem and the solutions alike.  A lot of communication about climate change gets it right about the risk and possible negative scenarios, but wrong about how we try to accomplish the critical goal of not just raising public concern, but moving people to action.    [see also  Climate Generation, Climate Stories, https://www.climategen.org/take-action/act-climate-change/climate-stories/]

Supporting the Commonwealth through up-to-date climate change science. Documents, Data, Maps, MA programs, etc.

Explore sea level and coastal flood risks.  A location can be several miles inland and still at risk.  Try typing in Arlington, MA. Click "Full-Feature Map" to see impacts of sea level rise from 0 to 10 feet.

Climate Central’s Program on Sea Level Rise strives to provide accurate, clear and granular information about sea level rise and coastal flood hazards both locally and globally, today and tomorrow. Anchored in rigorous primary research, our work distinguishes itself by its user-friendly maps and tools, extensive datasets, and high-quality visual presentation. The program dedicates its efforts to helping citizens, communities, businesses, organizations, and governments at every level to understand the consequences of different carbon pathways and to navigate the shifting waters of our warming world.  See http://sealevel.climatecentral.org/about

Pursuing Climate Justice.  Climate change is rapidly exacerbating racial, economic, and social inequities. As sea levels rise, droughts lengthen, and storms become more intense and unpredictable, people and communities with limited resources will have less capacity to prepare for – or bounce back from – these challenges.

DeSmogBlog exists to clear the PR pollution that is clouding the science on climate change.  It began in January 2006 and quickly became the world’s number one source for accurate, fact based information regarding global warming misinformation campaigns.

"After ... the United States [withdrew from] the Paris Climate Agreement on June 1, 2017, many states jumped to sign a pledge promising to uphold the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement. Massachusetts was not one of them.  

Instead, local mayors and Boards of Selectmen have signed the pledge, We Are Still In, including Arlington’s Board of Selectmen. Chair Joseph Curro proposed the pledge at the Selectmen’s meeting on July 24."

The Cambridge, MA Community Development Department has done an intensive study of anticipated local climate change impacts for 2030 and 2070.  Useful graphics and maps are posted online with the March and December 2015 reports.  Some future flooding scenario maps of the Alewife area include detailed information for East Arlington.

Global and regional 100% renewable energy scenarios with non-energy GHG pathways for +1.5^OC  and  +2^OC.

[A]ppropriate human approaches to nature may be able to reverse the effects of global warming despite our inability to date to reduce emissions in a timely manner.  Our goal is to contribute to planetary regeneration through research, education, collaboration and action to restore essential global biodiversity.

Which Coastal Cities Are at Highest Risk of Damaging Floods? New Study Crunches the Numbers. Boston ranks 8th worldwide.

• The City has begun work on the Climate Change Preparedness & Resilience (CCPR) Plan, which is scheduled to be completed in 2018.  

Why we need Massachusetts State Senator Mike Barrett's bill S.1821, An Act Combating Climate Change