From Urban Wasteland to Great Neighborhood
Since 2005, when the MBTA abandoned its Bartlett Yard bus facility, the 8.5-acre site in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood had become an urban wasteland. Thanks to a unanimous vote earlier this fall by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, the site's transformation into a mixed-use, smart growth development took a big step forward.
The Biggest Team Effort in Boston History
How much difference would it make in a city if its business and other leaders signed on to aggressive goals to address climate change, and led by example in their sectors?
A Tale of Two Peaks we Must Climb
Reducing GHG emissions 20% by 2020 is no easy task. Yet, 80% by 2050 is whole new kind of undertaking. How different are these two goals?
Study Probes Consequences of Poor Transportation Options on Low-income Latinos
A new study takes a deep look at the heavy toll of poor transportation options on one of the fastest growing populations in Massachusetts – low-income Latinos - and it recommends a path towards change that means greater prosperity for them and for low-income and working families across the state.
Energievergnügen – the joy of (renewable) energy
Between 2010 and 2011, committed to building on three decades of solid progress on renewable energy and unnerved by Fukushima, the German parliament enacted a series of polices to shift its power sector away from fossil fuels and nuclear to 80% renewables by 2050.
Some Things Inspiring in the State of Denmark
Copenhagen is on track to become the world's first carbon neutral capital by 2025 – even while attracting 100,000 new residents. In June, Mariella Puerto, Barr Senior Program Officer, joined a group of US-based foundation staff to see firsthand how they were doing it.
Active, Healthy, Ready to Learn (and Fighting Climate Change) with Safe Routes to School
In 1969, about half of all American children walked or biked to school. Of those living within a mile from school, 87% walked or biked. Today, less than 15% do.
Finding the "just" in climate change
In all of its work, Barr is guided by a vision for a vibrant, just, and sustainable world, with hopeful futures for children. In Barr's climate change portfolio, the applications of "vibrant" and "sustainable" are clear—but articulating how this work is also about creating a more "just" world can be more elusive.
The Invisible Elephant in the Room: Gas Leaks and Climate
Two recent reports shine a spotlight on an until-recently unaccounted for source of GHG emissions – methane that leaks from old and leaky pipes that, by the authors' estimates, mean the state is losing more ground than it's gaining.
Lessons from a New Effort to Scale Energy Efficiency in Boston
One of the most difficult groups to engage in energy efficiency is low- and moderate-income families. Into this gap steps Renew Boston, a one-stop shop to help Boston residents and businesses get into the energy-saving game at no cost.