As the weather warms and the trees sprout leaves after long bare months, the city of Cambridge welcomes spring: sprouts and stakes appear in community gardens, bees buzz around their hives, hens peck in backyards, and urban farmers sell their wares from farm stands. That’s what springtime in Cambridge could look like in a few […]
Continue reading...Photo by Cyara Lambert Good food and good health go hand in hand. With a good food system comes environmental sustainability, social cohesion, and civic engagement. And Everett residents are ready for food system change. Like many urban areas, the City of Everett faces challenges to providing equitable access to healthy, culturally appropriate foods. Recent […]
Continue reading...The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) today issued a statement in reaction to the proposed rule from the Trump Administration that would imperil the current greenhouse gas emission standards for model year 2021-2026 vehicles, and put in place weakened emission and fuel efficiency standards at the expense of our health, our environment, and our economy.
Continue reading...As part of the work that supports the Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC) in addressing the opioid crisis, MAPC, in partnership with Mass General Hospital, hosted a forum on information sharing at MGH’s Revere HealthCare Center. The event, “Sharing Information on Opioid Use: How Can Health Care and Local Government Partners Communicate to Save Lives”, brought […]
Continue reading...Article Written by Michael Rosenberg with content provided by Carolyn Lewenberg Art and culture implemented in community spaces through public art and cultural events can have a positive impact on community health in multiple ways. On Monday, April 23, a discussion about Art and Public Health wrapped up the third and final installment of […]
Continue reading...How do we measure what really matters? As a planner, I know the plan is important but it is not what really counts at the end of the day. It’s the changes that follow the plan – changes in policies, funding, and social capital among others – that really count. And, to get to the things […]
Continue reading...The way we design neighborhoods can help – or hurt – our health. The location of our homes and businesses, the quality of sidewalks and streets, community programs and public safety – all can influence health and quality of life issues from access to healthy food to strong connections with neighbors. Understanding this, the Conservation […]
Continue reading...Have you registered for the MAPC Open House yet? Whether you’re completely new to MAPC, or you’ve gotten to know us through a specific project in your region or area of interest, there is always more to learn about the work that we’ve been doing, through this event! In the past year, we created a […]
Continue reading...Nature lovers, walkers, bird watchers, and cyclists should rejoice today–the first piece of more than 40 miles of inactive Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA) aqueduct trails were opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Weston Aqueduct in Framingham this morning. “No trespassing” signs went down, and brand new aqueduct trail signs went up in their place to mark […]
Continue reading...Yesterday, MAPC released the results of our health impacts assessment of proposed MBTA fare increases and service cuts in the Healthy T for a Healthy Region (PDF) report at a State House press conference. Just last week, Atlantic Cities wrote about the importance of considering the public health impacts of planning projects: “By the time policymakers rouse support, […]
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