Blog
October 28, 2019 | Our Recycling System is BrokenOur recycling system is in a crisis. Up until last year, recyclables collected for the U.S. were shipped to China for processing. But then, China stopped accepting our recycling, setting off a chain reaction of problems. In New England and across the country, the cost of recycling for towns and cities is skyrocketing, forcing local… Continue reading Our Recycling System is Broken |  |
October 28, 2019 | Municipal Solid Waste: What is It and Why is It a Problem?Think for a moment about the trash you produce every day, either directly or indirectly. First, there’s what you throw out at your home or your job; then there’s the trash that restaurants, laundromats, doctors’ offices, and other businesses you frequent throw out after you leave. Next, add the waste from the farms that produce… Continue reading Municipal Solid Waste: What is It and Why is It a Problem? |  |
October 25, 2019 | Latest Trump Administration Rollback Threatens Environmental JusticeThe Trump administration government is rolling back a key way to prove discrimination in court, but a set of bills in Massachusetts would make sure those protections remain at the state level. The bills would provide legal safeguards for communities of color and refugee and immigrant communities to ensure that policies addressing the intense heat, dangerous flooding, and extreme weather events of climate change do not discriminate. |  |
October 22, 2019 | Revived Bill Threatens Waterfront Public Access in MassachusettsLast year, you took action to oppose a proposed bill that would have threatened public access to Boston’s waterfront and set a dangerous precedent for waterfront areas statewide. That bill died in the legislature last session but has since been revived and is up for debate by a key legislative committee next week. So now… Continue reading Revived Bill Threatens Waterfront Public Access in Massachusetts |  |
October 11, 2019 | Is Massachusetts Opening the Door to Dirty Energy?Biomass developers are pushing for state policy changes that would allow their plants to emit more air pollution, underreport their climate impacts, and take families’ and businesses’ money while harming the health of our communities. CLF is joining Springfield residents and other local groups in fighting back. |  |
October 8, 2019 | Rhode Island Communities Step Up to Stop Plastic PollutionWith action to stem plastic pollution stalled at the state level, communities across the Ocean State continue to pick up the slack and take on this important work. |  |
October 8, 2019 | A North Atlantic Right Whale Family TreeThis summer, 10 right whales died, including Wolverine, the great-grandson of famous right whale matriarch Kleenex. Each whale death this year means families lost mothers, fathers, siblings, and grandchildren — a family tree that’s losing branches. Calving mothers like Kleenex are crucial to the right whales’ survival. |  |
October 8, 2019 | Can You Slash Your Trash for One Week?We live surrounded by trash, especially single-use plastic. It’s in our homes, schools, restaurants, offices, communities, and the environment. There’s so much waste that it can be easy to miss its full scale in our lives. Manufacturers and brand owners have created this throw-away culture by mass-producing disposable goods. But when it comes time to… Continue reading Can You Slash Your Trash for One Week? |  |
October 4, 2019 | Putting Maine’s New Climate Law into ActionTwo utilities are looking to pass the costs of new gas projects along to Mainers. But their proposals are inconsistent with Maine’s new climate law. |  |
October 3, 2019 | The Ocean Has Saved Us. Now, It’s Our Turn to Save the Ocean.The world’s oceans are in dire straits. A startling UN report confirms what we at CLF have been saying for years: Without drastic measures to halt climate-damaging emissions and protect our oceans, life in New England, and around the world, will be forever changed. If we act now, we can still protect our oceans and way of life for future generations. But we don’t have a moment to waste. |  |