Northampton MA & Climate Change:
How Are We Responding?
This documentary is about the work being done in the City of Northampton to address the impacts of climate change. It will be released in chapters to focus on different themes and to follow initiatives that are ongoing.
The story starts with the City's climate action plan, then expands to look at efforts in non-governmental realms – not-for-profits, activists, the business community and individual citizens. This project is meant to help Northampton residents understand what is happening within our City and learn how they can support the goal to drive down carbon emissions and slow the impacts of climate change.
Chapter One: The City's Climate Plan
Chapter Two: Getting Ready for Renewable Energy
Chapter Three: The Opportunity in Buildings
Chapter Four: The Impact of COVID-19 on the Climate Action Plan
Chapter Five: Doing Something About It
Future chapters will include topics such as the role of activists, transportation & waste and
the implementation of the Climate Action Plan.
Chapter One. The City's Climate Plan
Chapter One. The City's Climate Plan
The City is revising the final draft of a climate action plan. The plan now rests in the hands of the Northampton Energy and Sustainability Commission, who are debating how detailed and how aggressive this plan should be.
Chapter Two. Getting Ready for Renewable Energy
Chapter Two. Getting Ready for Renewable Energy
For Northampton to reach its goal of carbon neutrality we must shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This means switching to electricity for every function in order to utilize carbon-free energy sources such as solar, wind and hydro power.
Chapter Three. The Big Opportunity in Buildings
Chapter Three. The Opportunity in Buildings
Operating Buildings accounts for the largest percentage of our city's greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, improving the construction and operations of buildings represents a huge opportunity for Northampton as it searches for the best ways to reach the goal of carbon neutrality. Ideas from the City's draft climate plan and new ideas about how to reduce the emissions of buildings are discussed in this chapter.
Chapter Four. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Climate Action Plan
Chapter Four. The Impact of COVID-19 on the Climate Action Plan
Wayne Feiden, the Director of Planning and Sustainability for the City of Northampton speaks about the projects still moving forward despite the pandemic. He also provides an update on the work of the Energy & Sustainability Commission.
Chapter Five. Doing Something About It
Chapter Five. Doing Something About It
I speak to several members of our community who have made climate change a focus of their professional work in quite diverse ways
For More Information:
The Climate Resilience & Regeneration Plan can be found on the City's website:
Recorded Northampton Energy & Sustainability Commission Meetings can be found on the Northampton Government Video Archive YouTube page: