Sustainable Arlington

Nature's Best Hope (2019) by Douglas Tallamy.  A wonderful book at any time but especially so in light of the coronavirus pandemic.  Doug Tallamy, Univ. of Del. professor and naturalist, shows clearly and simply what each of us can do to support our native native pollinators and birds in our own back yards and parks.  Let's get started! 

Click "download" to see the beautiful cover of this book.

“How Gas Leaks Affect Our Trees: The science, the signs, and what we can do," May 2020 webinar with the Multi-Town Gas Leaks Initiative, which includes Arlington.

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.

https://www.raptorsarethesolution.org/regional-chapters/mass-rats/
Live Toxin Free - Poison Is Not The Answer

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.

Let your State Sen. and Rep. know (by June 2020) if you support this act.

An Act For Utility Transition to Using Renewable Energy (F.U.T.U.R.E.)

The GasLeaksAllies.org outline a safe, just transition that moves Massachusetts utilities off gas in alignment with our state’s mandated greenhouse gas reduction targets. 

Sponsors: Senator Cynthia Creem (1st Middlesex and Norfolk), Representative Lori Ehrlich (8th Essex), and Representative Christina Minicucci (14th Essex)

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!

The HeatSmart Alliance seeks to accelerate adoption of heat pumps in residences and community buildings. Our volunteers from over 10 Massachusetts towns collaborate with local organizations and municipalities to provide information, event organizing, coaching, and other tools for promoting adoption of heat pumps and related building efficiency measures.

Interview recorded at Arlington, MA EcoFest, March 4, 2019

Arlington CCA: 1. Gives residents and businesses access to additional local renewable energy generated in Mass. and other New England states. 2. Speeds  transition off fossil fuels. 3. Saves you money because the Town uses its bulk purchasing power to get better rates. Learn more from this 2018 video interview with Town Manager Adam Chapdelaine, Select Board member Joe Curro, and Green Energy Consumers Alliance's Erin Taylor.  

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.

Interview recorded at Arlington, MA EcoFest, March 4, 2019

Interview recorded at Arlington, MA EcoFest, March 4, 2019

presents documented incidents and publicly available facts about the gas distribution system that add up to an urgent message to legislators, the executive branch, municipalities, and gas companies to take action now. Immediate and short-term improvements can greatly enhance public safety. At the same time, Massachusetts can accelerate measures to transition away from gas to safer, healthier, affordable renewable energy.

Published by GasLeaksAllies.org, 9.13.19.

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.