July 20, 2022: Letter/Comment Writing Workshop
Find the Recording of the July 20 Letter Writing workshop here. Find the Slidedeck from July 20 Letter Writing Workshop here.
This event was co-hosted by MCAN and Sierra Club. The event was a Letter/Comment Writing Workshop in order to prepare advocates to submit written comments to the Department of Energy Resources on the specialized opt-in building code on July 20th, 2022. In this webinar, Sarah Dooling from MCAN discussed all of the provisions MCAN was happy to see made from the straw proposal back in March. Sarah then went into all the provisions we would like to see moving forward, highlighting the urgent need to have a true net-zero building code. The webinar ended with Miranda D'Oleo from MCAN giving an overview of the comment submission process and providing advocates all of the resources needed to make informed comments. The last day to submit comments is August 12th by 5pm.
May 31st, 2022: May 2022 MUNI Summit: How MLPs Can Advance Energy and Environmental Justice
Watch the video on MCAN's You Tube channel. Review the slidedeck here. View MCAN's 2-Pager on Energy and Environmental Justice
This event was hosted by MCAN. This event discussed what environmental and energy justice means, how these issues relate to municipal utilities, and what steps MLPs can take to advance justice both within their districts and across the entire Commonwealth. Johannes Epke from the Conservation Law Foundation kicked things off by defining environmental and energy justice and discussing how these principles are operationalized in Massachusetts. Mireille Bejjani from the Community Action Works followed Johannes by discussing how these concepts apply specifically in communities served by MLPs. They specifically highlighted the need for MLPs to make a cultural change so that community input and the voices of the most marginal community members are prioritized in decision-making. Jaqueline Velez, a Springfield Climate and Environmental Activist, followed up by talking about how decisions that MLPs have and will make directly impact already burdened communities like Springfield. Logan Malik from MCAN concluded the webinar by discussing five clear steps that MLPs can make to advance energy and environmental justice.
April 11, 2022: Equitable Building Decarbonization with BlocPower with special guest Sen. Marc Pacheco
Watch the video on MCAN's You Tube channel. Review the slidedeck here.
This event was co-hosted by RMI's Building Electrification Accelerator, the Resilient Energy and Infrastructure Consortium affiliated with Greentown Labs, and the MA State Chapter of the Sierra Club. This event describes a vision for equitable building decarbonization at scale and will outlines specific roles for our state and local governments as we transform buildings from polluters to protectors of our health and climate. The BlocPower team describes their work analyzing, financing, and installing efficient, all-electric building retrofits in communities across the United States. The event opens with Senator Marc Pacheco, legislative champion for the equitable decarbonization of our buildings.
March 16, 2022: Local Leadership for Better Buildings in MA
Watch the video here. Review the slidedeck here.
This event was hosted by MCAN. Advocates and leaders in Arlington and Brookline shared their reasons for submitting Home Rule Petitions to the state legislature in advance of the state’s net zero stretch code. Advocates from Lexington discussed the Lab incentive zoning that Lexington passed last fall to align with the Town’s Net Zero Emissions goals while increasing commercial property tax revenue and creating pathways for a 100% renewable future.
February 16, 2022: Energy Storage Webinar and Panel Presentations
Watch the video here! You can view the presenter's slide decks here.
This event was co-hosted by MCAN and Prince Lobel Tye, a Boston-based law firm focused on renewable energy. The webinar showcased recent advances in policy, technology and pricing that support an accelerated transition to large-scale battery storage as an effective clean energy strategy.
April 13, 2021: Climate Emergency Declaration Webinar
Watch again on our Youtube Channel
March 23, 2021: Stop the Peabody Plant Actionar
Watch again on our Youtube Channel and check out the slides here
February 17, 2021: Social Media for Advocates Webinar
February 16, 2021: Net Zero Pathways and Opportunities under the Biden-Harris Administration
Watch it again on our Youtube Channel and check out the slides here.
November 17, 2020: Affordable Housing is a Climate Solution Webinar
Watch it again on the BSA's Youtube channel
Jointly hosted by the Boston Society of Architects, this panel discussion focused on the housing and climate crises, how they intersect, and a framework for holistic solutions. Panelists discussed workforce development for energy-efficient retrofits, environmental justice and advocacy, and best practices for working with clients.
November 11, 2020: Green Zoning Webinar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay5iqnW5OHA
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view our webinar slides.
Join our webinar to learn more about how zoning can be used as a tool to make towns and cities greener and more sustainable, and what work is already being done in Massachusetts and across the United States.
April 30, 2020: Energy Zero (EZ) Code Webinar
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join us for an update on what has been happening on our Net Zero stretch code campaign, and learn more about the EZ Code and how you can take action to support it.
April 7, 2020: Taking Action on Climate While Physically Distancing
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join our webinar to learn how you can take meaningful action on climate on the local, state, and federal level while staying physically distanced and socially connected.
April 1, 2020: Declaring a Climate Emergency: How to Build Your Campaign in Uncertain Times
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join MCAN, 350 Cape Cod, and the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative to learn about the first steps to declare a climate emergency using community organizing.
March 31, 2020: Internet Tools for Remote Organizing (part 2)
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join MCAN's second webinar on how to use video platforms; Zoom, Freeconferencecall, and Google Hangouts.
March 24, 2020: Internet Tools for Remote Organizing (part 1)
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join MCAN's first webinar on how to use tools in Google Suite to take your organizing online, from Docs to Drive.
January 28, 2020: Affordable Housing as a Climate Solution (part 3)
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join the third of our 4-part webinar series with LISC and the Mass Smart Growth Alliance to learn more about why affordable housing is a part of the climate solution, and what action we can take to create more highly efficient, Net Zero affordable housing in our communities.
January 9, 2020: MA Gas Ban Webinar
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join MCAN, Mass Power Forward, Cambridge, and Brookline in continuing the conversation on how we can advance gas bans at the local level.
December 4, 2019: Brookline Gas Ban Webinar
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Watch and learn from the Brookline co-petitioners about how they built power in their town meeting to vote for a bylaw that bans gas pipes in new construction projects.
November 20, 2019: Affordable Housing as a Climate Solution (part 2)
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join the second of our 4-part webinar series with LISC and the MA Smart Growth Alliance to learn more about why affordable housing is a part of the climate solution, and how zoning can help us create more climate-friendly housing in our communities.
October 1, 2019: Gas Moratorium Strategy Call
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join MCAN, TAC, and PLAN for a strategy conversation about how we can make all new construction in our communities fossil fuel-free.
September 24, 2019: Affordable Housing as a Climate Solution
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Join the first of our 4-part webinar series with LISC and the MA Smart Growth Alliance to learn more about why affordable housing is a part of the climate solution.
June 20, 2019: Net Zero Buildings
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
We know that if we want to reach our climate goals as a state, we need to start committing to building Net Zero now. Buildings are responsible for a huge portion of our carbon pollution, but luckily Net Zero buildings are cost-effective as well as feasible.
April 16, 2019: Legislative Conversations 3
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Our third and final Legislative Conversations featuring Richard Juang of ACE, Sen. Jamie Eldridge, Rep Adrian Madaro, Rep. Liz Miranda, and Rep. Michelle DuBois discussing the bills they sponsored on 100% Clean Energy, and Environmental Justice.
March 26, 2019: Legislative Conversations 2
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and view the webinar slides.
Our second Legislative Conversations featured Rep. Jennifer Benson, Rep. Joan Meschino, and Oriana Reilly discussing the bills they sponsored on carbon pricing, updating the state's climate plan to provide a roadmap to net zero in 2050, and handful of bills affecting municipal light plants.
February 26, 2019: Legislative Conversations
Watch it again on our YouTube channel and the webinar slides are located here.
Our first Legislative Conversations featured Rep. Lori Ehrlich, Rep. Tami Gouveia, and Rep. Natalie Higgins discussing the bills they sponsored on modern sustainable transportation, a net zero stretch energy code, and net zero fro low income households.
1/26 Municipal Light Plant Report Card Webinar
Join us to learn more about our new report card on Municipal Light Plants: "What's the Score?" This report examines how the 41 municipally owned electric utilities in Massachusetts are doing on clean energy and climate issues. Whether you have or haven't read the report yet, join us to learn more and find out what you can do with the results.
Read the report here: bit.ly/MLPreportcard
Edit: The webinar recording powerpoint had an old and inaccurate graph of the final scores. The slides below contain the accurate version of the graph of scores.
The slides are here.
1/16 Better Building Codes Webinar
Join MCAN and the Sierra Club to learn more about what YOU can do make buildings better for everyone. This webinar discusses the important steps you can take to boost efficiency for building codes in MA and beyond, as well as why better building codes are so important to meeting our climate goals!
Read more about the campaign here: https://www.massclimateaction.org/better_building_codes
The slides are here.
8/15 Net Zero Webinar
Are your curious about Net Zero? Interested in continuing the discussion from our previous roundtable on Net Zero? Want to know more about how we can build better buildings that make as much energy as they use while being light-filled, comfortable, and affordable to heat and cool?
This webinar discussion, which is a continuation of our Net Zero Roundtable discussion, will provide in-depth answers to questions you might have about Net Zero buildings, Passive House buildings, maximizing energy efficiency for buildings and finding new ways to make sure that our built environment is the source of clean and renewable energy.
The slides for part 1 are here, and part 2 are here.
4/23 Legislative Action Team Webinar
Join us for a webinar on April 23 from 7:00-8: 00 pm to learn more about the bills we are supporting this session!
Want to get involved in our legislative team? Looking to help move state policy forward on climate change and clean energy? We discuss the main bills that MCAN is most focused on in the 2018 session! We are nearing the end of the session and we need to make sure that our legislators are hearing from you. We need to get this done!
Join us for our online webinar to learn more about what you can do to ensure that Massachusetts takes the lead on renewable energy!
The slides can be found here
The recorded webinar can be accessed here.
What Does Your Light Board Do? Webinar
Do you live in a Municipal Light Plant Town? Did you know that every public utility has a board of local residents who advise, manage, or otherwise make decisions about your electricity?
Hear from Cammy Peterson of MAPC and light board members from Belmont, Princeton, and Hingham. Each one has a different background and brings different skills to the table. They discuss how and why they joined the board, and the nuts and bolts of how the light board works and how they were able to influence their light plant to become more green.
The slides can be found here.
Energy 101 Webinar (MCAN, CLF, and MPF)
Have you ever wondered how (and where) your electricity is made and how it gets to you? What role do the utilities like Eversource and National Grid play? How do municipal light plants differ from the big utilities like Eversource and National Grid?
David Ismay from the Conservation Law Foundation, the speaker, teaches a course at on energy markets at the Law School at Northeastern University.
The slides can be found here
Green Aggregation in your Community (MCAN and 350MA)
Interested in Community Choice Aggregation? Want to make change at the local level? One way to combat dirty energy is for your city/town to take control of how much clean energy it brings in. Learn how to start a conversation about green aggregation in your community. We discuss what green aggregation is, how to get conversations started, and what you can be doing right now to help.
The slides can be found here
Writing and Passing a Warrant Article (MCAN and 350MA)
Want to make change at the local level? If you are in a town meeting community, many clean energy and climate actions can be taken at the local level and can be passed or approved via town meeting (aka direct democracy). We discuss what some options for action in town meeting, how to win, and learn from some very successful campaigns.
The slide show is here
MCAN's 2017/2018 Legislative Agenda
Want to get involved in our legislative team? Looking to help move state policy forward on climate change and clean energy? We discuss the small number of bills that MCAN is most focused on in the 2017-2018 session. (with apologies for some technological difficulties including garbled speakers and the beginning being cut off!) Complete with our speakers answering audience questions at the end.
the powerpoint is here
and our top bills with a printable version of our legislative agenda is here
Want to do more locally on clean energy?
We did a webinar with Mass Power Forward to help advocates in towns and cities get local clean energy policies and projects up and running. The original date of the webinar was December 13th, 2016. Get in touch if you want to see the materials we talk about!
Watch this webinar to learn how to use the Clean Energy Checklist to assess your town or city's actions so far, and to learn about our toolkit to get local clean energy projects and policies going in your community!
Our dependence on dirty energy like oil and gas pollutes our air and water and harms the health of Massachusetts’ communities. Pipelines threaten our safety and our green spaces. There is another way.
This unprecedented threat is also an unprecedented opportunity to use local clean energy to create clean energy jobs, develop sustainable neighborhoods, and clean up our air and water. Local action and local projects are good for two reasons: they let your community make choices based on your values and priorities, and they prove that climate change solutions work.
In addition to the clean energy checklist, which helps you figure out your progress so far, we have a whole toolkit that helps you choose local policies and projects to get your community moving towards 100% renewable energy for all.