How would you spend money to improve public transit? Listen in to a transit expert’s great vision of how build a transit infrastructure that makes people, towns and climate a priority.

The reading list:

• Transportation for MA (T4MA) is a statewide coalition of advocacy groups.
• Boston's 1960 fight against highways
• The "West Boston Bridge"
• Commonwealth Mag: MBTA needs to electrify
• Complete Streets
• MADOT shared streets

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

A peaker power plant makes electricity only when demand is high. Listen in for a simple discussion of how utilities balance supply and demand, and why climate hawks should care.

The reading list:

• How the 'utilities' (ISO) tracks the peak demand and supply
• Sign up to "Shave the peak!"
• Wikipedia on Peaking power plants
• PSE Health Energy on tracking and replacing peaker plants in MA and across the USA
• How does a gas turbine work?
• E360 on grid scale batteries
• Green Tech Media explains long term storage
• A case in point: MCAN on the Peabody Peaker

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

Some banks want to make 30 year investments without considering climate change. We talk with an expert about the risks that banks and investors take if they do not have full disclosure of the implication of climate change on an investment. Those risks are so large, they threaten the entire financial system.

The reading list:

• Ceres' June 2020 report on systemic risk
• The Climate Minute on small actions to address a big risk, from November 2020
• The Climate Minute asks "Will Climate change topple your bank?" in October 2020
• Ceres' April 2021 report "Turning up the heat"

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

Public transportation in MA is at a watershed moment, both reeling from pandemic ridership drops and facing a carbon constrained future. We talk with an expert about the present and future of the MBTA and transit in the whole region.

The reading list:

• Transportation for MA (T4MA) is a statewide coalition of advocacy groups.
• Commonwealth Mag: should we still call it commuter rail?
• Globe: MBTA re-thinks service cuts
• Commonwealth Mag: MBTA needs to electrify

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

A recent report from Brown University’s Climate and Development Lab studied the legislative lobbying process on Beacon Hill in Boston. The passage of the Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill is a success, but the opposition will still work to slow the additional legislation MA needs. The researchers provide key findings that are important for every climate activist to know.

Key findings from the report:

1. Four distinct industry coalitions lobby against environmentalists
2. Testimony in legislative committees is nine to one in support of climate action
3. On lobbying, clean energy advocates are outspent 3.5 to one
4. Renewable energy interest groups stick to narrow industrial interests
5. Utilities lobby against solar energy, but support large hydro & wind power
6. Utility companies are uniquely successful throughout the legislative process
7. AIM (Associated Industries of Mass.) lobbies and speaks against rapid climate action
8. The fossil fuel industry lobbies heavily against pipeline rules, divestment, and carbon pricing
9. The real estate industry resists residential energy efficiency bills
10. Power generators fight hydro and wind supply
11. Opponents no longer deny the reality of climate change, but focus on cost and reliability
12. Climate action is tightly controlled by State House committees and leadership

The reading list:

• A pdf of the report "Who's delaying climate action in Massachusetts?"
• Brown University's Climate and Development Lab
• Inside Climate News discusses the report

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

A new methane-gas-powered electricity generating plant in Peabody is neither needed nor consistent with Massachusetts’ legal requirement to reduce carbon pollution and provide environmental justice. We have an opportunity for Municipal Light Plants to lead the way to a clean grid, using renewable ‘peaker plant’ techniques. Listen in as we discuss the background of the #PeabodyPeaker and how you can help stop the construction of this mistake.

The reading list:

• Check out the March 2021 MCAN newsletter for info about the Peabody Peaker Plant
• Info about Mass Municipal Wholesale Electric Corporation (MMWEC)
• A listing of MA Municipal Light Plant (MLP) towns
• Wikipedia on the Wellesley MLP
• The Peabody MLP
• WBUR on the Next Generation Climate Bill, recently signed into law
• CT's solar peaker plant
• Donate to MCAN's Peaker Plant effort!
• The North Andover Eagle Tribune on the MCAN's opposition to the Peaker Plant
• The DPU site. The Peak Plant is docket 21-29. Look for 4/26 hearing zoom link
• For more information or to donate, click here!

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

Who has the most influence on the creation of climate legislation in MA? Competing interests vie for leverage through the lobbying process. Researchers at Brown University analyzed hard data on who does the lobbying and how it is done on Beacon Hill. The Next Generation Climate Roadmap bill is now law, but there is a lot more climate legislation in the pipeline. It is important for climate activists to know 'who you are up against' and how to beat them.

The reading list:

• A pdf of the report "Who's delaying climate action in Massachusetts?"
• The campaign for Beacon Hill Transparency

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

Years ago, activists demanded that the state of MA install an air quality monitor system in Weymouth. Thanks to their persistence, it has finally happened. Listen in to hear details from one of those activists.

https://soundcloud.com/massclimateaction/weymouth-gets-an-air-quality-monitor-the-climate-minute

The reading list:

• Weymouth celebrates the air monitor
• https://www.nocompressor.com/

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre

Building codes matter for climate work. The future of buildings lies in complete electrification of things now done with gas, like home heating and cooking. “Good insulation” is not enough. Recently special interests like the natural (methane) gas industry have tried to prevent improved building codes that deal with electrification. Listen in for details and say farewell to an MCAN veteran.

The reading list:

• Mother Jones reports the story
• MCAN webinar on Net Zero
• MCAN fact sheet on Net Zero

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

Arcane questions about past decisions hides the reality of a deeper uncertainty at FERC concerning the wisdom of building the Weymouth Compressor. We talk to an expert about what is really happening between FERC, Enbridge and the stalwart activists in the Fore River Basin.

The reading list:

• Earthwhile's Miriam Wasser on the implications of events in Weymouth
• Drilled podcast talks to Miriam Wasser
• https://www.nocompressor.com/

Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for a building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist the United States transform it’s energy sector, over the next decade, under a just and equitable plan, that uses regulations, investments and a price on carbon to safeguard our collective future.

Thanks for listening.

…Ted McIntyre