Statement of Belief
Climate & Environmental Justice
UU Mass Action is committed to environmental justice and the abolition of dirty fuels and the just transition to 100% renewable clean energy. Communities of color and poor communities are sick and polluted by dirty fuels, and on the frontlines of climate and environmental injustices- and we must center their fights. We know that the technology is available to make this change, all that is lacking is the political will. We cannot wait for our elected officials to take action – the people must take action. A change of this magnitude requires a shared vision and effective organizing. We will only achieve this vision if we work together. In the words of Naomi Klein, “It’s going to take everyone to change everything.”
We host a monthly UU Climate Justice Leader Team!
Upcoming 2024 Meeting times (monthly on 3rd Wednesdays):
Wednesday, February 21st, 5pm - 6pm
Wednesday, April 10th, 5pm - 6pm — RSVP here!
Our Partners
We are planning team members and conveners of Mass Power Forward
We are part of the MA Renews Alliance (formerly the Green New Deal Table)
We are members of the Environmental Justice Table
We actively support campaigns with GreenRoots, Fore River Residents Against the Compressor Station, and Arise for Social Justice
mass power Forward & uu mass action Legisaltive Priorities
2021-2022
Environmental Justice Priorities with the EJ Table
S.1382 / H.2131 Act to improve outdoor and indoor air quality for communities burdened by pollution (Jehlen/Barber, Connolly) Referred to Joint Committee on Public Health. Fact Sheet (bi-lingual)
S.2113 / H.3187 An Act Relative to Energy Facilities Siting Reform to Address Environmental Justice, Climate, and Public Health (DiDomenico/ Madaro) Referred to Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Fact Sheet
S.953 / H.1611 An Act to create access to justice (DiDomenico, Miranda/ Meschino) Referred to Joint Committee on the Judiciary
H.3232/S.2365 An Act establishing a zero carbon renovation fund (Gomez/Vargas) Referred to Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy Fact Sheet (ENG) Fact Sheet (ESP)
S.2131/H.3237An Act establishing a moratorium on new gas system expansion (Gomez/Williams, Adrianne Ramos) Fact Sheet Referred to Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy
S.481 / H.872 An Act establishing a climate change superfund and promoting polluter responsibility (Eldridge/Owens) Referred to Joint Committee on Environment and Natural Resources Fact Sheet
Resources
IPCC Report, 6th Assessment 2021
Movement Generation, their Just Transition Zine, and this podcast featuring their work
'Personal Choice' Won't Stop The Climate Crisis. Join A Movement Instead
Climate Ambition with Gina McCarthy, Annie Leonard and Tamara Toles O’Laughlin, Commonwealth Club Interview 9-22-2020
Climate Central Interactive Map, impact of sea level rise
Washington Post, 11/5/19: More Than 11,000 Scientists From Around The World Declare a “Climate Emergency”
2002 NU report: Communities of color in MA bear over twenty times the environmental burden of predominantly white communities, Farber
NBC Documentary: Inside the Sunrise Movement
Under Pressure, a documentary created by the class of 2019 at Four Rivers Charter Public School, covers the September Merrimack Valley Columbia Gas explosions and the natural gas industry in Massachusetts and nationally.
Eight Ways Boston Could Become Carbon Free (BU Report) Kat McApline, 1/29/19
Green New Deal: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Releases Green New Deal Outine, Feb 7, 2019 - NPR
Green New Deal, Sunrise Movement
MA Green New Deal Webinar Created by our partners at 350 MA for a Better Future, 1/17/19
Fourth National Climate Assessment, Nov 2018
How Extreme Wether is Shrinking the Planet, The New Yorker, Nov 26, 2018 Author: Bill McKibben
A Very Grim Forecast, The New Yorker Review of Books, Nov 22, 2018 Author: Bill McKibben
IPCC Report - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2018
National Climate Assessment 2014
National Climate Assessment and what does this mean for Massachusetts? Environment Massachusetts, by Ben Hellerstein
Green House Gas Emissions Accelerate Like a Speeding Freight Train in 2018. Kendra Pierre-Louise