BOSTON CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE GABRIELA COLETTA RELEASES ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE AND CLIMATE CHANGE PLATFORM
Excerpted:
District One faces unique challenges as each neighborhood is a coastal community bearing a significant burden of intentional and generational environmental injustices. Regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, you should have the opportunity to participate in decisions about the things that affect your health and environment.Due to compounding social determinants of health, our communities were uniquely vulnerable to an insidious respiratory illness that spreads at close contact. We have breathed in jet fuel’s ultrafine particulates for generations and have harmed our respiratory and cardiovascular systems ... As City Councilor, I will always approach everything I do with an environmental justice lens to protect the collective health and wellness of my community and my neighbors.The City of Boston should work to ensure new construction has elevated utilities and partner with public and private entities to build clean energy “microgrids” for backup power. Delivering power over a central grid is inefficient as up to almost 15% is lost during transit. A microgrid allows for the generation of power closer to those it will be dispersed. Community organizations are already doing incredible work to create these self-sufficient energy systems that produce power through various kinds of renewable energy sources like solar, wind, combined heat and power, and generations. They are also able to contain energy through battery storage systems that can be stored and utilized when customers need it the most.We should implement solar, wind, hydropower renewable energies wherever possible. Let’s explore expanding community-based solarized programs by allowing renters to buy into and earn those credits despite not owning property. Boston should also look to utilize city-owned land for more solar farms and use our collective buying power to get discounted rates.
Gabriela’s recommendations include a community-led holistic approach for waterfront planning, utilizing contemporary resilience strategies seen around the world, ensuring inclusivity for all residents, increasing tree canopies, expanding the City’s youth green jobs program, ensuring local organizations have a seat at the table and holding Massport accountable as a good neighbor to district one.
In addition to environmental justice and resiliency, Gabriela’s top priorities include ensuring pathways to homeownership for all residents, quality public schools for local families, ensuring residents have excellent constituent services, and innovative transportation solutions to mitigate traffic and parking issues.
To see Gabriela’s full environmental justice and climate change platform and other issue stances, please visit: www.gabrielacoletta.com/vision
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