As global climate changes cause sea levels to rise and temperatures to waver, local environmental activists have recognized a need to prepare Boston citizens and City leaders for the environmental extremes they expect the Northeast to face in the coming years.
Communities Responding to Extreme Weather, an organization that prepares communities to manage extreme climate events, declared Sept. 24–30 Climate Preparedness Week in Boston to educate residents about climate change and the actions they should take to protect the city.
Several agencies and organizations around Boston, such as the Boston Public Library and the New England Aquarium, are holding educational events for residents of all ages during the week. CREW Executive Director Craig Altemose said the goal of Climate Preparedness Week is to supply citizens with the necessary information and tools to face extreme weather.
Altemose also said he hopes the events will spark excitement for environmental awareness in local parks and inspire residents to examine how they can do their part to prevent the unnecessary environmental change.
“This is a long-term process to prepare society for weather and impacts that we have not really seen,” Altemose said. “The amount of extreme heat we are going to experience in Boston is on a pretty high trajectory, as is the flooding and the precipitation, plus sea-level rise. I think people both need to be aware that this is happening and also why this is happening.”
Altemose said he wants to ensure that citizens are capable of adapting to the changes in the environment that are already beginning to happen.
“The long-term goal is our society is able to manage these coming changes with as minimal suffering as possible,” Altemose said. “But, we are really hoping to help engage those folks who are among the most vulnerable to the impacts to make sure that they are aware of what’s happening, able to take leadership over those preparations and be connected to the resources that they need.”
Although the entire Boston area will bare the impact of new weather extremes, Altemose said that those who have been marginalized by society, such as individuals with disabilities or those who do not speak English as their first language, will feel the strongest impacts of climate change.
Informing disadvantaged citizens is a priority of Climate Preparedness Week, he explained, so that those individuals can know in advance how to protect themselves.
“Climate Preparedness Week is really trying to encourage the City and residents of the city — and beyond — to really look at, not so much infrastructure, but the people,” Altemose said. “‘What are the vulnerabilities among the population, and how do we address those?’”
A major impact of environmental changes is on public transit, which is often unable to run during extreme weather events. Many residents, including Tonya Jackson, of Roxbury, depend heavily on the city’s transit system.
“I use it every day,” the 23-year-old said. “If it all went down, I could manage.”
However, not all residents feel as prepared as Jackson. Farnaz Sharif, 33, of Newton, only recently moved to Massachusetts from South Korea. She said that she also uses public transportation on a daily basis. However, when asked if she had another way of getting around, her answer was “no.”
This, Altemose said, is why CREW is trying to reach those who are most vulnerable without public transportation during Climate Preparedness Week.
“When you take someone who is working paycheck to paycheck, and there’s a big winter blizzard that comes and the T doesn’t work, then you just don’t get paid for a couple of days,” Altemos said, “and that can have real implications for people.”
In addition to educational events, CREW is offering several recreational events, such as the Discover Moakley event in Moakley Park Saturday, which will include activities that promote community wellness and a nighttime showing of “The Goonies,” according to the CREW website.
Lauren Zingarelli, director of communications and community engagement in Boston’s Department of Environment, said she recommends residents attend the Discover Moakley event for the engaging climate resilience design installation and other fun activities.
“That’s something that we really want to draw people’s attention to and get them to interact with Moakley Park and see the potential for how we can make it more resilient to the future of flooding,” Zingarelli said, “which it’s subject to, due to climate change.”
