NEWS
news To better address the climate crisis, the US must reform its permitting process
It can take a decade to permit and build offshore wind, clean transportation, and major electric transmission.
Chris Murphy and Brad Campbell - 11-21-2022
news Who Were the Worst Climate Polluters in the US in 2021?
U.S. greenhouse gas emissions climbed by 4.1 percent from major industrial sources in 2021 according to the EPA.
Phil McKenna - 11-21-2022
news More than 30 climate activists behind bars in UK during Cop27
More than 30 climate activists were behind bars in UK prisons during COP27.
Damien Gayle - 11-21-2022
news 5 ways to turn climate talk into action
COP27 was all about implementation. Here’s how to make that happen—and it starts at the local level.
Zung Nguyen Vu - 11-21-2022
news Get that mattress off the curb! Here's what to know about Massachusetts' new waste bans
Helping cut down on the garbage we send to incinerators and landfills.
Barbara Moran - 11-14-2022
news Journalist David Wallace-Wells on climate change and climate hope
The picture is grim, but some climate scientists say they’re encouraged by progress the world has made.
Stefano Kotsonis - 11-14-2022
news How pavement can help cool overheated cities, even in chilly Mass.
These strategies will help slow global warming and cool cities.
Martha Bebinger - 11-14-2022
news Science Day at COP27 Shows That Climate Talks Aren’t Keeping Pace With Planetary Physics
A new report warns that the “myth of adaptation” is putting millions of people at risk.
Bob Berwyn - 11-14-2022
news New EPA Proposal to Augment Methane Regulations Would Help Achieve an 87% Reduction From the Oil and Gas Industry by 2030
Steep reductions methane emissions are among the most important steps for slowing climate change in the short term.
Phil McKenna - 11-14-2022
news Microgrids Link Clean Energy and Mobility
Resilient microgrids can be the key to linking renewables, EVs and advanced software systems.
GreenBiz - 11-14-2022
news Countries Want to Plant Trees to Offset Their Carbon Emissions, but There Isn’t Enough Land on Earth to Grow Them
Researchers say we can’t plant our way out of global warming—and it’s disingenuous to pretend that we can.
Katie Surma - 11-07-2022
news Why the Feared Wave of Solar Panel Waste May Be Smaller and Arrive Later Than We Expected
Improvements in solar panels mean we need to change expectations about when they’ll need to be repurposed or recycled.
Dan Gearino - 11-07-2022
news How Climate Change Influences Temperatures in 1,000 Cities Around the World
A new tool can tell you how big an impact climate change had on the temperature in those cities on any given day.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 10-31-2022
news The EV Battery Boom Is Here, With Manufacturers Investing Billions in Midwest Factories
Announcements of more plants in the so-called “Battery Belt” of the U.S., the industry is growing at a breakneck pace.
Dan Gearino - 10-31-2022
news A New Report Suggests 6 ‘Magic’ Measures to Curb Emissions of Super-Polluting Refrigerants
The chemicals are thousands of times worse for the climate than carbon dioxide over the near term.
Phil McKenna - 10-24-2022
news What’s Good for Birds Is Good for People and the Planet. But More Than Half of Bird Species in the U.S. Are in Decline
Scientist calls the situation alarming but remains hopeful better environmental stewardship can help birds recover.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 10-24-2022
news Western Wildfires Are Fueling Extreme Weather in Other States, Federal Scientists Say
Blazes have contributed to a surge in air pollution and emissions, and are even influencing weather in other regions.
Inside Climate News - 10-19-2022
news The ‘Both Siderism’ That Once Dominated Climate Coverage Has Now Become a Staple of Stories About Eating Less Meat
Volcanic ash in Lake Mead, a videogame called Floodland and a database covering every tree on the planet.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 10-19-2022
news The resourceful city: Taking a circular approach to resources
Challenging the 2,000-year-old method of using landfills for waste disposal.
Conor Riffle - 10-19-2022
news Cities Are a Big Part of the Climate Problem. They Can Also Be a Big Part of the Solution
A new guide lists 1,000 things they can do.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 10-10-2022
news A Clean Energy Trifecta: Wind, Solar and Storage in the Same Project
One of the largest hybrid renewable energy plants in the country just opened in Oregon.
Dan Gearino - 10-10-2022
news Feeling Overwhelmed About Going All-Electric at Home? Here’s How to Get Started
You can’t completely banish fossil fuels from your home in one fell swoop, but some achievable plays are within reach.
Dan Gearino - 10-04-2022
news The Pathway to 90% Clean Electricity Is Mostly Clear. The Last 10%, Not So Much
New paper suggests six different approaches for the difficult final steps necessary to get to a 100% carbon-free grid.
Dan Gearino - 09-26-2022
news Senate Votes to Ratify the Kigali Amendment, Joining 137 Nations in an Effort to Curb Global Warming
The binding agreement will almost immediately slow global warming and create domestic manufacturing jobs.
Phil McKenna - 09-26-2022
news Watertown Group to Discuss Fair Share Ballot Question
Ask your questions and learn how you can help get this ballot question passed in November.
Guest Writer - 09-19-2022
news Warming Trends: A Comedy With Solar Themes, a Greener Cryptocurrency and the Underestimated Climate Supermajority
A column highlighting climate-related studies, innovations and other developments from the global warming frontier.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 09-19-2022
news Remember That Coal Surge Last Year? Yeah, It’s Over
Renewables are now about 25 percent of U.S. electricity generation, leapfrogging coal.
Dan Gearino - 09-12-2022
news Banned Waste Filling Mass. Landfills, Incinerators, Says Environmental Report - NBC10 Boston
Massachusetts has only six landfills -- and almost all are due to reach capacity by 2030.
Sam Drysdale - 09-12-2022
news Warming Trends: Video Gamers Helping the Climate, a Big Advance for Lab-Grown Meat and Belabored Decisions May Bring Better Results, If Not More Happiness
A column highlighting climate-related studies, innovations and other developments from the global warming frontier.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 09-12-2022
news New England leaves changing earlier this year amid drought
Leaf-peeping season is fast approaching — even faster than usual due to an ongoing stretch of unusually dry weather.
John Bender - 09-06-2022
news How to get around the MBTA’s 30-day Orange Line shutdown
The diversions will be "disruptive" — and not only for Orange Line riders.
Nik DeCosta-Klipa - 09-06-2022
news Warming Trends: Climate Insomnia, the Decline of Alpine Bumblebees and Cycling like the Dutch and the Danes
A column highlighting climate-related studies, innovations and other developments from the global warming frontier.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 09-06-2022
news Warming Trends: Bill Nye’s New Focus on Climate Change, Bottled Water as a Social Lens and the Coming End of Blacktop
A column highlighting climate-related studies, innovations and other developments from the global warming frontier.
Katelyn Weisbrod - 08-29-2022
news With COP27 Approaching, Cities Like Philadelphia Are ‘Powerful Tools’ for Climate Adaptation
The annual climate talks will focus on protecting people and places from the growing threat of extreme weather events.
Kiley Bense - 08-29-2022
BLOGS
blog Wrapping Up Phase 1 of the Community Greening Program
What was accomplished by the Community Greening Program this year?The first phase of the City of Watertown’s equit...
City of Watertown - 06-24-2022
blog Three Ways to Show Love to Watertown - and the Planet!
It’s impossible to list all everything we love about Watertown- the Charles River waterfront, our unique industria...
blog Look Inside Our New Equity-Based Community Greening Program
What Do We Mean by Equity-Based Community Greening?The City of Watertown is conducting an equity-based green infrastruct...
blog Introducing the Resource Center for Renters and Landlords
Meaningful climate action will require our collective effort, but the risks, barriers and needed resources to achieve ac...
blog Back to Net-Zero School!
As the new school year gets underway, it’s a great time to reflect on the role our schools play in the Watertown c...
blog 5 Surprising Benefits of Urban Trees
Cities around the US are becoming less green. The Nature Conservancy reports that cities are losing about 4 million tree...
blog Working Towards a Resilient Region
Watertown is doing a lot on its own to combat climate change, but did you know that we also participate in multiple regi...
blog Having Positive Climate Conversations
Action on climate change will be most effective if we raise awareness of how important it is to our future wellbeing. Th...
blog Momentum is Building for Climate Action in Watertown – Get involved!
Since we have recently launched the planning process for Resilient Watertown, our Climate and Energy Plan, this is a gre...
blog The Bikes are Back in Town!
Hello Watertown! May is Bike Month!Watertown supports biking, as an environmentally friendly, fun, and healthy mea...
blog Community Clean Energy in Watertown
In 2019, Watertown launched the Watertown Electricity Choice (WEC) program, in order to increase the amount of renewable...
blog New Year’s Resolution: Climate Change Edition
The Town of Watertown hopes you had a restful and safe holiday! With the busy holiday season behind us, we are left with...
blog Trying to Reduce Your Waste During the Holidays?
Don’t let consumerism consume your holiday season! Did you know between Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day...
Laurel Schwab - 12-10-2020
blog The Importance of Community to Resilient Watertown
Community engagement has been and will continue to be a key component of Resilient Watertown’s climate action plan...
Laurel Schwab - 11-23-2020
blog Introducing Resilient Watertown – A Climate Action and Resilience Plan
Climate Action in WatertownIn July of 2019, the Town of Watertown received funds to start a town-wid...
Laurel Schwab - 10-21-2020