Jan 27, 2021

Biden’s Federal Flood Protections Are Positive Step But Local Action Needed, Too

Advocates cheered when President Biden reinstated the Obama-era flood protection standard among his first acts in office. The Biden administration is sending a clear signal that building according to climate patterns of the past is no longer acceptable – we must acknowledge and address increasingly frequent and extreme flooding caused by climate change. Reinstating the federal standard is a critical first step for increasing our national infrastructure’s climate resilience – one that signals the urgent need for action here at home.

Tropical Storm Irene Floods Buildings in Quechee Vermont
Jan 27, 2021

Guest Post: Will Developers Slow the Path to Net Zero?

Cities with aggressive climate standards are running into roadblocks. Achieving these goals will require strong building energy codes and ending the use of fossil fuels in buildings and homes. We’re starting to see that neither the natural gas utilities nor the real estate industry will sit by quietly as cities and states enforce stronger building codes and ban natural gas infrastructure in new construction.

Boston Seaport construction
Jan 08, 2021

Building Communities That Thrive: A Conversation with Dr. Thea James

It’s tempting to boil down good health solely to factors like medical care, healthy food, and exercise. However, many other dynamics, like historic redlining and racial segregation, along with substandard housing, air pollution, crumbling infrastructure, and lack of access to jobs, healthy food, and green space, all play a role. Perhaps no one understands the interplay of these factors better than those who work in healthcare, including Dr. Thea James, who serves as Boston Medical Center’s Associate Chief Medical Officer, Vice President of Mission, and Director of the Violence Prevention.

Dr. Thea James
Dec 23, 2020

Rebuilding a Resilient Vermont

COVID-19 has had a profound impact on Vermonters. But, if we move forward in the right way, we can build a resilient future for Vermont. Here are the three priority areas that we must work on to create the future we want.

local residents work on Vermont restoration project during the COVID-19 pandemic. Four people planting trees.
Dec 20, 2020

Conservation Matters: Fall 2020

This past year was one of the most challenging our country has faced in many of our lifetimes. Both the COVID-19 pandemic and the summer’s protests against police violence have forced deep, damaging inequities in our society out into the light of day. Now, as we start the new year, it’s up to all of us to ensure they not only stay there but that we actively work to redress them.

CLF Conservation Matters Fall 2020
Dec 17, 2020

Why We Should Modernize Our Electric Grid

Our electricity grid was designed over 100 years ago. But times have changed. Today, we can harness clean, renewable energy right where we live. But we have to update our electric grid to take advantage of it.

Dec 03, 2020

What Are Climate Laws and Why Do We Need Them?

We can still avoid the worst impacts of climate change if we reach net-zero carbon pollution before 2050. We need strong climate laws in every New England state to hit that mark.

climate laws will help us transform our economy to one run on clean, renewable energy
Nov 24, 2020

Got Thanksgiving Leftovers? Here’s What to Do with Them This Year

In true 2020 fashion, many families are having small-scale get-togethers or opting for virtual celebrations this Thanksgiving. With less people, that means being even more careful not to overbuy and waste food – because food waste can be terribly damaging to the environment. So let’s think about this for a second – what can you do to waste less food this Thanksgiving?

Photo: Thanksgiving dinner food