The Climate Minute

Nuclear weapons are still with us and still unthinkably dangerous

With the ominous threat of climate catastrophe clouding our future, it is easy to forget that the use of nuclear weapons could bring about immediate destruction on an unimaginable scale. The current ‘casual’ discussion of the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine brings home the reality of our risk. Dr Helen Caldicott is an iconic figure of the effort to abolish nuclear weapons. We speak with her about the issue and its relationship to the climate crisis.

The peaker is coming, but Peabody residents already have higher health risks

After more than a year and a half of calling on the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to do their job and conduct a Comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (CHIA), MCAN took matters into its own hands and conducted a preliminary assessment of the health outcomes of communities that live near the proposed site of the Peabody Peaker.  We talk to the author! The results from the study were deeply concerning and highlight the need for additional analysis on the impact the proposed Peabody Peaker will have on neighboring communities that are already overburdened.

Jeff Roy on prospects for 2023

As we head into the new year, we are joined by State Representative Jeffrey Roy, Chair of the TUE Committee, to discuss prospect for state level climate work next year.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

There are more climate stories than we can discuss. In true Post-Thanksgiving fashion, we discuss the ‘left over” stories that happened in November. Thanks to DR Tucker for his research!

The People’s Hearing on Equitable Building Decarbonization

Recently, MCAN and a coalition of elected officials, as well as public health, consumer, and climate advocates, held a People’s Hearing calling on the next administration to prioritize equitable building decarbonization and amending the specialized stretch code to be truly net-zero. Prioritizing decarbonization among new and existing buildings is critical to lowering the cost of utility bills, reducing the health effects of burning fossil fuels in homes, combating the climate crisis, and supporting the creation of new, good-paying jobs.
At a time when Massachusetts residents dependent on natural gas for home heating are facing an average 24% winter price spike, we need immediate assistance as well as longterm solutions that will protect our residents from rising costs while also rapidly transitioning our communities away from harmful and polluting fossil fuels.
By prioritizing significant investments in deep-energy retrofits for existing buildings like affordable housing and Environmental Justice Communities, and implementing an all-electric net-zero stretch code, the Healey administration and Massachusetts leaders can begin to wean the state off the expensive, volatile gas system and lower utility bills.
This past Tuesday, MCAN and a coalition of elected officials, as well as public health, consumer, and climate advocates, held a People’s Hearing calling on the next administration to prioritize equitable building decarbonization and amending the specialized stretch code to be truly net-zero. Prioritizing decarbonization among new and existing buildings is critical to lowering the cost of utility bills, reducing the health effects of burning fossil fuels in homes, combating the climate crisis, and supporting the creation of new, good-paying jobs.
At a time when Massachusetts residents dependent on natural gas for home heating are facing an average 24% winter price spike, we need immediate assistance as well as longterm solutions that will protect our residents from rising costs while also rapidly transitioning our communities away from harmful and polluting fossil fuels.
By prioritizing significant investments in deep-energy retrofits for existing buildings like affordable housing and Environmental Justice Communities, and implementing an all-electric net-zero stretch code, the Healey administration and Massachusetts leaders can begin to wean the state off the expensive, volatile gas system and lower utility bills.

Climate politics in the mid-terms

The midterms are over. What are the take-away lessons for climate hawks? What comes next?

Helping Hospitals Reduce their Carbon Pollution

Medical care in the US generates a lot of carbon pollution. Part of this pollution comes from the manufacture of very sophisticated and expensive ‘one-use-only’ medical devices. A good way to reduce CO2 emissions from medical care is to carefully re-process those currently discarded medical devices for repeat usage. This saves on both medical costs and the planet.

Growing a backbone for clean energy

The MA DPU is slow to approve electric power ‘community aggregation’ plans. How come? Plus we talk about microgrids, community design and an undersea cable ‘backbone’ to connect the multiple proposed wind turbine farms off the East Coast.

Explainer: What to know about ‘Beyond Catastrophe’

The climate future is coming into focus. It is better than the 5C hell-scape we have feared, but much worse than our hoped for 1.5C. How we build that tumultuous new world is up for grabs and is the heart of a recent article (Beyond Catastrophe: A new climate reality is coming into view, by David Wallace Wells) that gives lots of food for thought.  Listen in are we process some of the ideas in order to give you a head start when you read it yourself. 

Souping Van Gogh

Climate activists threw tomato soup at Van Gogh’s sunflowers.  What did you think? Was the protest effective? There are many perspectives and few correct answers. We discuss.