, How clean should the air in Nubian Square (formerly Dudley) be? When City Hall lays the path for development here, their decisions will not just be about air. They must also address a history of racism, and the pandemic’s impacts on Black and Brown communities. Black folks make up 45% of COVID-19 deaths in Boston, even though we are 25% of the city’s population.¹ One proven reason is that Black and Brown neighborhoods like Nubian Square suffer from the worse air pollution. Air pollution drives up the rate of asthma, diabetes, hypertension and heart conditions. In other words, we are much more vulnerable to the pandemic. It’s just one of the ways a history of racist policies continue to cause harm. Click to tell the city council: Let’s make sure we limit air pollution in Nubian Square. Ensure passive house and LEED Platinum buildings in nearby Crescent Parcel, the Malcolm X Parcel, the Putnam Parcel and Parcel 3. Because of the pandemic, the city has had to postpone public meetings about these parcels. That’s why it’s so important to speak up now. We've spent months working with community partners and industry experts to rewrite the Environmental Sustainability guidelines for development in Nubian Square. The BPDA (Boston Planning and Development Agency) agreed to include these new sustainability guidelines. Now, as developers send in their proposals, the BPDA needs to know how much this matters to the community. We are asking the BPDA to use Certified Passive House design and LEED Platinum standards because they reduce the air pollution now and long term. We've also asked for a cityscape plan that reduces pollution from cars and trucks and adds a tree canopy to remove toxicity. Last, anything that gets built must not displace residents, must include low-income home ownership, and should reduce the existing air pollution in Nubian Square. Sign our petition to the city council today. The stakes are high. Like pollution, the pandemic doesn’t hurt everyone equally -- they’re both hitting Black and Brown folks hard. That’s why we need to speak out together and make sure that the BPDA puts equity and environmental justice first. |
