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Benefits Of A Zero-Emissions Boston | Earth Wise

May 25, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

climate goals

Many countries, states, and cities around the world have set goals to become carbon neutral, typically by the year 2050.  These goals are based on the desire to mitigate the effects of climate change that are steadily increasing as a result of the buildup of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.  But reducing emissions is not just a way to combat climate change, it can also be a major contributor to improved public health.

The City of Boston has set a goal to become carbon neutral by 2050.  A new study by the School of Public Health at Boston University published in the journal Environmental Research Letters looked at the consequences of eliminating fossil fuel emissions in the greater Boston area.

According to their modeling, eliminating emissions would save 288 lives a year by reducing fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses.   The resulting decrease in medical costs and lost and reduced work could save $1.7 billion a year in Suffolk County and $2.4 billion a year for the entire 75-square-mile zone modeled in the study.

The study looked at the amounts of two air pollutants known to harm human health:  PM2.5 (particulates with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns) and ozone.  They compared the current levels of these pollutants to what would be present when contributions from motor vehicles, generators, rail, industry, oil- and gas-burning, shipping and boating, and residential wood fires were eliminated.

The study focused on the City of Boston’s climate action plan, but actions taken by Boston will not take place in a vacuum.  Many cities across the region are taking similar actions.  The overall results will come from the collective actions across New England.

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A Zero-Emissions Boston Could Save 288 Lives and $2.4 Billion Annually

Photo, posted August 31, 2019, courtesy of Eric Kilby via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Floating Solar

August 22, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/EW-08-22-16-Floating-Solar.mp3

Installing solar arrays on the surface of bodies of water is an idea that is catching on around the world.  Such installations are especially attractive in places like Japan, where land resources are scarce.  In the UK, there are a couple of these so-called “floatovoltaic” projects underway – one outside of London and one near Manchester.

[Read more…] about Floating Solar

Climate Change And Buzzards Bay

February 15, 2016 By WAMC WEB

https://earthwiseradio.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/EW-02-15-16-Climate-Change-and-Buzzards-Bay.mp3

The effects of climate change are being felt around the world, including in some well-known places in the Northeast.  Buzzards Bay is a popular destination for fishing, boating, and tourism adjacent to Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

[Read more…] about Climate Change And Buzzards Bay

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