A grassroots advocacy association, Boston Green Action supports efforts to make Boston a greener, more sustainable city. We represent a range of community interests in our determined call for climate justice.
Our activities are as diverse as our city:
We pursue solutions for reducing emissions from buildings and vehicles.
We evaluate future sources of energy that will build a more equitable economy.
We fight to protect urban trees and promote clean water and air initiatives.
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Climate Action News from Boston Green Action
Boston Announces a New Coastal Flood Defense Plan
On July 20th, Boston officials released a summary of a $10 billion draft plan to build new defenses fortifying the city’s 47 miles of coastline against flooding and sea level rise. “As Boston confronts an estimated more than four feet of sea level rise by the end of the century, the 20 proposed projects could offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the waterfront. But
When the “Fossil Fuel Free” Future Isn’t
In a July 10th article for CommonWealth Beacon, senior climate reporter Jordan Wolman points to the irrationality of utilities’ continued investment in natural gas infrastructure. Ten communities in Massachusetts—Acton, Aquinnah, Arlington, Cambridge, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, and Northampton—committed to a green future, persevering through multiple regulatory hurdle, only to end up in a stalemate: “…as these municipalities are quickly finding
The Arnold Arboretum is “Tapping Energy from Below the Earth”
Geothermal energy is having its moment. In the June 2026 issue of its monthly newsletter, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University spotlights its commitment to sustainability with an article about its geothermal program. Amy Heuer writes: “Beneath the Arnold Arboretum, a quiet clean-energy system is helping power plant science. Outside the Arboretum’s state-of-the-art research facilities at Weld Hill, an invisible
Boston Globe Editorial Board Urges Geothermal Implementation
In its June 11th issue, the Editorial Board of The Boston Globe calls for concerted attention to the “clean, limitless energy source right beneath our feet that could lower utility bills and fight climate change.” Geothermal’s time has come. One challenge is how to make the numbers work; another is designing solutions that fit the unique needs of older buildings.
A Mobile Van Tracks Pollution Across Boston
According to an MSN article by Matt Reed, Boston is partnering with Northeastern University researchers to deploy a mobile lab that measures air pollution with block-by-block precision. The goal: to map air pollution and traffic emissions from the Massachusetts Turnpike in the Allston-Brighton neighborhood. The map color codes pollution pockets so communities can identify hot spots. The mobile pollution van
Boston Advances its Geothermal Agenda with BosTEN
The new BosTEN initiative represents a decisive step in the direction of geothermal energy with the goal of creating a closed-loop system using thermal energy to deliver scalable heating and cooling—and easing the strain on the existing power grid. Writing for SmartCities Dive, Robyn Griggs Lawrence outlines these key aspects of the Boston Thermal Energy Network Project (BosTEN), announced in
Boston Announces a New Coastal Flood Defense Plan
On July 20th, Boston officials released a summary of a $10 billion draft plan to build new defenses fortifying the city’s 47 miles of coastline against flooding and sea level rise. “As Boston confronts an estimated more than four feet of sea level rise by the end of the century, the 20 proposed projects could offer a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the waterfront. But
When the “Fossil Fuel Free” Future Isn’t
In a July 10th article for CommonWealth Beacon, senior climate reporter Jordan Wolman points to the irrationality of utilities’ continued investment in natural gas infrastructure. Ten communities in Massachusetts—Acton, Aquinnah, Arlington, Cambridge, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, and Northampton—committed to a green future, persevering through multiple regulatory hurdle, only to end up in a stalemate: “…as these municipalities are quickly finding
The Arnold Arboretum is “Tapping Energy from Below the Earth”
Geothermal energy is having its moment. In the June 2026 issue of its monthly newsletter, the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University spotlights its commitment to sustainability with an article about its geothermal program. Amy Heuer writes: “Beneath the Arnold Arboretum, a quiet clean-energy system is helping power plant science. Outside the Arboretum’s state-of-the-art research facilities at Weld Hill, an invisible
Methane in the Home: Even Worse Than We Thought
A new study led by Boston University physiological ecologist Nathan Phillips reports a new level of pollution inside homes heated by natural gas. The gas contains pollutants including benzene, a known carcinogen, raising concerns that residents are breathing in small quantities of toxins around the clock.
Boston Globe Editorial Board Urges Geothermal Implementation
In its June 11th issue, the Editorial Board of The Boston Globe calls for concerted attention to the “clean, limitless energy source right beneath our feet that could lower utility bills and fight climate change.” Geothermal’s time has come. One challenge is how to make the numbers work; another is designing solutions that fit the unique needs of older buildings.
A Mobile Van Tracks Pollution Across Boston
According to an MSN article by Matt Reed, Boston is partnering with Northeastern University researchers to deploy a mobile lab that measures air pollution with block-by-block precision. The goal: to map air pollution and traffic emissions from the Massachusetts Turnpike in the Allston-Brighton neighborhood. The map color codes pollution pockets so communities can identify hot spots. The mobile pollution van