Blog
May 20, 2020 | Why We Need Monitoring on All New England Groundfish TripsRight now, our regional fishery managers have the opportunity to collect more accurate data by improving the at-sea monitoring program in New England’s groundfish fishery. This management action, called Amendment 23, can help put Atlantic cod on a path to recovery. |  |
May 14, 2020 | Building Stronger Communities and a Healthier Climate in the Wake of COVID-19Even as we mourn the lives lost to COVID-19 and absorb the heavy toll it has taken on our economy, we must recognize that the old “normal” left too many communities unhealthy and especially vulnerable to the pandemic. Replicating that old “normal” will squander an opportunity to reduce climate danger while building healthier and more just communities for all. |  |
May 12, 2020 | Waste Industry Exploits Pandemic as Cover for RollbacksUnder cover of the pandemic, the waste industry is trying to demolish critical environmental protections. In April, the waste industry and Vermont’s Department of Environmental Conservation asked the legislature to delay Vermont’s food scrap ban and trash recyclables, all under the guise of protecting the health of workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But they appear to be part of a push from waste industry groups to use the crisis to advance their own agenda in several New England states. |  |
May 5, 2020 | World Asthma Day: Why Environmental Justice Communities Are Hit Hardest by Asthma and COVID-19In anticipation of World Asthma Day, I connected with María Belén Power from GreenRoots, Andrea Nyamekye of Neighbor to Neighbor, and my CLF colleague Staci Rubin. The four of us spoke about air quality, public health, and what it means to live in an environmental justice community during a pandemic. |  |
April 29, 2020 | 5 Questions for Alyssa Irizarry of Bow Seat Ocean Awareness ProgramsIn 2019, Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs presented the Healthy Whale, Healthy Ocean Challenge, in partnership with CLF. Students of all ages from across New England created art, poetry, and film to raise awareness of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. We sat down with Senior Vice President Alyssa Irizarry to learn more about… Continue reading 5 Questions for Alyssa Irizarry of Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs |  |
April 22, 2020 | On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day: Advocacy in a PandemicThe lethal pandemic and its response are causing massive disruption to our economy and adding stress to most of our lives. But neither the human nor the economic costs of the virus are being borne equally. The communities hit first and worst by deadly air pollution, toxic chemical releases, climate threats, and other environmental harms… Continue reading On the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day: Advocacy in a Pandemic |  |
April 15, 2020 | Update: How to Track Right Whales from the Comfort of Your HomeThanks to technology, you can spot endangered North Atlantic right whales from your couch. Right now, the whales that traveled south for the winter are migrating back north to our waters. While we’re all at home, it’s a great time to add whale watching to your quarantine activity list. |  |
April 6, 2020 | UPDATE: Developer Withdraws Application for Rhode Island Garbage DepotLast month, we helped raise the alarm about a dangerous proposal for a garbage depot near Washington Park and South Providence neighborhoods. The garbage depot – and the dust, odor, traffic, and water pollution that would come with it – would have forced more pollution on communities already overburdened by other nearby industrial facilities. The reckless proposal spurred weeks of community action and resulted in an unqualified victory for residents. |  |
March 31, 2020 | UPDATE: Fighting for Successful Clean Car StandardsUPDATE: In the midst of a global pandemic, the Trump administration has taken the final steps to roll-back Obama-era rules that clean up our air and lower the carbon pollution from cars and trucks – often hailed as the federal government’s most important effort to tackle the climate crisis. |  |
March 23, 2020 | On COVID-19: A Letter to the CLF CommunityIn this uncertain time, we hope that you and your loved ones are healthy and safe. Here at CLF, we are taking all necessary precautions to care for our staff and their families during this unprecedented crisis. Fortunately, CLF’s advocacy has never been defined or confined by the walls of a building. |  |