Gas Leaks Are a Civil Rights Issue

 Climate Change, Environment, July-August 2022, Newsletter  Comments Off on Gas Leaks Are a Civil Rights Issue
Jun 212022
 
Gas Leaks Are a Civil Rights Issue

By Aditya Jain Governments have embraced natural gas as a “bridge fuel” to completely renewable energy sources, yet natural gas is far from a clean energy source (“It’s Time to Switch from Gas to Clean Energy,” BCF Newsletter, August/September 2021). Natural gas leaks in streets and homes cause significant public health hazards and environmental damage.  Across Massachusetts, gas leaks are often underestimated by officials and underserved by gas companies. While numerous gas leaks in Belmont are listed and mapped, other communities of underrepresented minorities face the heaviest burden of this pollution. Massachusetts-based energy researchers analyzed gas leaks in different geographic [READ MORE]

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It’s Time to Switch from Gas to Clean Energy

 Environment, Newsletter, September 2021  Comments Off on It’s Time to Switch from Gas to Clean Energy
Aug 232021
 
It’s Time to Switch from Gas to Clean Energy

By Debora Hoffman Think natural gas is a clean fuel? Think again. The fossil fuel, touted as a bridge fuel in the fight against CO2 emissions, is far deadlier to the planet—and our health—than is publicized. The issue? Leaks. Leaked gas is methane, a far more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 (see “Is it Time to Get Natural Gas Out of Belmont?” BCF Newsletter, November 2020). During its first 20 years in the atmosphere, methane is 86% more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2.  So how much gas is leaking? A lot. Statewide, gas utilities reported that 5,753 metric [READ MORE]

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Natural Gas is Making Us Sick

 Newsletter, September 2021  Comments Off on Natural Gas is Making Us Sick
Aug 232021
 
Natural Gas is Making Us Sick

By Adrienne Allen  Your Sunday night supper may be making you sick. Most of us heat our homes and cook our food with natural gas. Natural gas has long been promoted as the “clean” bridge from coal and oil to green energy. This year, a Harvard study on climate and air quality found that fossil fuel-related air pollution, including pollution from natural gas, kills one in five people worldwide. In the United States, natural gas use has increased 400% since the 1950s, with unfortunate health and environmental outcomes.  We often think about air pollution as an outdoor threat—like the wildfire [READ MORE]

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Is it Time to Get Natural Gas Out of Belmont?

 Environment, Newsletter, November 2020  Comments Off on Is it Time to Get Natural Gas Out of Belmont?
Nov 062020
 
Is it Time to Get Natural Gas Out of Belmont?

By Roger Wrubel In 2009, Town Meeting adopted a Belmont Climate Action resolution committing to an 80% reduction in our town’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. An inventory in 2015 found that Belmont had reduced its GHG emissions by 5% compared with 2007. The inventory showed that the most of Belmont’s emissions came from home heating and vehicles. Most of the reduction in emissions in the last nine years is attributable to a shift from using oil for home heating to natural gas, and a similar shift to natural gas from coal and oil to generate electricity for the [READ MORE]

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