What’s better for the planet – a field full of solar panels shining in the sun, or that same number of panels placed over a parking lot? If you said parking lot, you’re right – but it’s complicated. Responding as a global community to the threat of climate change means increasing and improving access to […]
By Daniel Brown The California Energy Commission voted unanimously last week to require rooftop solar on new homes and apartments by 2020, with reasonable exceptions. The commission estimates the new rules will lead to a reduction of 493 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions per year. That’s approximately equivalent to taking 50,000 cars off the road or […]
By Karen Heymann The Town of Shirley is a quintessential small New England community whose residents care for and enjoy its scenic rivers, wooded hillsides, boggy meadows and extensive trail network. News of two new commercial solar energy generating facilities, one on Shirley’s water supply lands, and another on 27 acres of town-owned forest adjacent […]
A sampling of news from Mass Audubon’s weekly advocacy updates – sign up here Mass Audubon Weighs In We provided input for this Huffington Post article on balancing solar expansion, agriculture, and open space protection. Mass Audubon joined partners in urging the Biden-Harris Administration to reverse environmental rollbacks made over the last few years. This includes support for […]
As we close out a challenging year, we are also taking a moment to be thankful for the many strides we made toward advancing environmental protections, which ranged from federal laws to local community action. These 2020 wins included: Advocating for the Great American Outdoors Act, which was signed into law. The new law includes $900 million annually in long-awaited permanent funding for the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund to protect our public lands, water resources, and […]
A sampling of news from Mass Audubon’s weekly advocacy updates – sign up here Action You Can Take The state has completed a technical review of pesticides containing neonicotinoids, which confirms that these chemicals are harmful to pollinators. Mass Audubon and our partners are submitting testimony urging restrictions on these pesticides, and others can too. Mass Audubon […]
A sampling of news from Mass Audubon’s weekly advocacy updates – sign up here Actions You Can Take The state is working to expand siting of solar installations on farmland, and while we need to quickly increase solar capacity and access, safeguards are also needed to avoid impacts to land and farmers. Today is the deadline […]
Clean air. Safe drinking water. Social connection. Climate protection. What do these things have in common? They’re all benefits provided by forests. Forests purify our air and water, and capture carbon from the atmosphere, helping to reduce the impacts of climate change (see our fact sheet on forest ecosystem services for more benefits). These services aren’t just good for the planet – they are vital to our […]
A sampling of news from Mass Audubon’s weekly advocacy updates – sign up here. Actions You Can Take It’s hot outside, which means we’re using more energy to keep cool. During peak hours, the state’s energy grid operators have to tap into additional dirty fossil fuels, but we can Shave the Peak. Summer is the […]
Attend a Mass Audubon Program from Home Did you know Mass Audubon is offering online programs and classes during COVID-19 related closures? From birding resources to nature photography tips, you can pick up a new skill or learn about our natural world from home. Climate Central → Germany is leading the world toward a green recovery→ […]