Fortifying Your Future: Understanding Flood Risks and Building Resilience
Shelly McComb and Bryan McCormack of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant Program discussed coastal resilience and climate impacts. Bryan explained how future climate change, sediment transport, and coastal erosion may affect properties, while Shelly shared practical resilience strategies, including home improvements, flood insurance, emergency planning, and an overview of FEMA and MEMA flood mitigation grants for projects such as home elevation, resilience upgrades, and voluntary property buyouts.
On October 17 we welcomed Shelly McComb and Bryan McCormack, Coastal Resilience and Processes Specialists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Sea Grant Program. Bryan addressed how future climate changes, including sediment transport and coastal erosion, may impact properties. Bryan McCormack's slides.
Shelly covered practical steps, from strengthening physical structures to securing adequate flood insurance and creating emergency plans. She also covered the basics of FEMA and MEMA flood mitigation grants—who is eligible, how the programs work, and the types of projects they fund such as resilience initiatives, home elevation, and potential property buyouts. Shelly McComb's slides.
We’re All Plastic People Now
On September 24, we co-sponsored a screening of the Emmy Award-winning documentary We're All Plastic People Now, followed by a discussion with our friends at the PEG Center and The Screening Room.
In the film, director Rory Fielding tests his own blood and that of four generations of his family for plastic-derived chemicals, revealing the widespread presence of microplastics in our bodies and environment. Featuring scientists and activists, the documentary explores how plastics enter the food chain and highlights the urgent need for collective action to reduce plastic pollution.
On September 24th, 2024 we co-sponsored a screening and post film discussion of the documentary “We’re All Plastic People Now” with our friends at the PEG Center and The Screening Room.
Taking a personal approach to an issue affecting us all, director Rory Fielding tests his own blood, along with four generations of his family, for chemicals derived from plastic. The results are alarming. Today, plastic not only surrounds is, it’s in us. It’s in the air. It’s in the water. It’s been found inside our colons, our brains, our hearts, in breast milk, and in developing embryos. The era of throw-away ease, it seems, has cost us our well-being. Featuring scientists and activists who are sounding the alarm about the issue, Fielding’s Emmy Award winning film explores how plastics enter the food web and advocates for public buy-in to affect change.
Why Community is Critical for Newburyport’s Climate Resilience
On September 5, we welcomed award-winning author and Northeastern University professor Daniel Aldrich for a talk on building community resilience through social infrastructure. Drawing on his research, Dr. Aldrich showed how libraries, parks, and other shared spaces can strengthen communities and help reduce the impacts of climate-related disasters, offering valuable insights for building a more resilient Newburyport.
On September 5, 2024 we welcomed Daniel Aldrich an award-winning author and prominent voice in resilience and disaster recovery. Dr Aldrich is a professor at Northeastern University, where he received the 2024 Outstanding Teaching Award.
Dr Aldrich’s explored how Newburyport can enhance its resilience by leveraging social infrastructure. His research shows that while physical infrastructure like seawalls is important, social infrastructure—libraries, parks, and communal spaces—plays a crucial role in mitigating disaster impacts.
This talk is a valuable opportunity for anyone interested in climate action, disaster recovery, and community building. Aldrich's insights will inspire and equip attendees to foster resilience in their community. Given the specific risks Newburyport faces from climate change, this event is crucial for understanding how to build a more resilient future
Deep Rising Documentary
On December 7, 2023, we hosted a sold-out community screening of Deep Rising at the Screening Room on State Street in Newburyport. We thank the Institution for Savings for sponsoring this free event.
Directed by award-winning filmmaker Matthieu Rytz and narrated by Jason Momoa, Deep Rising explores the vital role of the world's oceans, the promise and risks of deep-sea mining, and the importance of protecting marine ecosystems while advancing clean energy. The documentary serves as both an inspiring exploration of the ocean and a compelling call to action.
On 12/7/2023 we hosted a community screening of the documentary Deep Rising at the Screening Room on State Street in Newburyport.
A sold out crowd enjoyed the free showing. We thank the Institution for Savings for sponsoring this documentary.
This eye-opening film takes you on a profound journey into the depths of the ocean, exploring its crucial role in our future and the challenges we face in preserving it.
"Deep Rising" is more than just a film; it's an adventure that spans from the mysterious deep sea to the forefront of clean energy innovation. With breathtaking oceanic scenes, it delves into the importance of our oceans for our survival and unveils the critical role of the International Seabed Authority. The documentary highlights the delicate balance between harnessing essential resources for green technologies and protecting the rich biodiversity of our ocean floors.
Directed by the award-winning filmmaker and investigative journalist Matthieu Rytz and narrated by Jason Momoa, "Deep Rising" is a call to action. It uncovers hidden debates and decisions about deep sea mining, emphasizing the ocean's pivotal role in climate regulation and its untapped potential for groundbreaking scientific discoveries.
The Tide is Rising and So Are We: Hope in the Face of the Changing Climate.
Julie Wormser of the Resilient Mystic Collaborative described how the organization brings together 20 communities in Greater Boston's Mystic River Watershed to address the growing impacts of climate change through regional cooperation. Using a data-driven, action-oriented, and collaborative approach, the partnership serves as a model for helping municipalities work together on shared challenges, including securing grants and building climate resilience. Following her presentation, a panel featuring John Macone (Merrimack River Watershed Council), Hanna Mogensen (Merrimack Valley Planning Commission), and Erin Bonney Casey (Ipswich River Watershed Association) discussed opportunities and lessons for regional collaboration on the North Shore.
Speaker:
Julie Wormser, Resilient Mystic Collaborative
Panel:
John Macone, Merrimack River Watershed Council
Hanna Mogensen, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission
Erin Bonney Casey, Ipswich River Watershed Association.
The Resilient Mystic Collaborative promotes cooperation and commitment among 20 neighboring communities within Greater Boston's Mystic River Watershed. This innovative partnership is dedicated to safeguarding both its people and its cherished places from the intensifying impacts of climate change. Data driven, action oriented, optimistic and pragmatic, and mutually supportive, the Resilient Mystic Collaborative provides a model for addressing complex climate issues.
Recognizing the growing need for regional cooperation in securing grants and addressing common interests, municipalities are looking for ways to work together.
Following Julie’s talk our panel discussed regional collaborations on the North Shore.
Saving the Great Marsh
Russ Hopping of The Trustees of Reservations highlighted the ecological importance of the 20,000-acre Great Marsh, which stretches from New Hampshire to Gloucester and provides critical wildlife habitat, protects coastal communities from storms and sea level rise, stores carbon, and filters pollutants. He described how climate change, rising seas, and the legacy of historic agricultural practices are accelerating marsh erosion and habitat loss. Through the Saving the Great Marsh Project, The Trustees are restoring degraded salt marshes to improve their resilience, protect biodiversity, and preserve the marsh's vital role in adapting to climate change.
Speaker:
Russ Hopping, The Trustees of the Reservations
The Great Marsh stretches across 20,000 acres from New Hampshire to Gloucester. Its ecological functions are crucial, as it provides habitat for hundreds of fish, shellfish, birds, and mammals. Additionally, it serves as a natural barrier against sea level rise and storm surges, while absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and filtering pollutants from coastal waters.
However, the Great Marsh is under threat due to the increasing intensity of storms and rising sea levels caused by climate change. As a result, the marshes erode and critical habitat is lost, which leads to declines in native species and the rise of invasive animals and plants that threaten the ecosystem.
The Trustees of Reservations' Saving the Great Marsh Project is an ambitious project aiming to restore the health of depleted salt marsh and strengthen its ability to serve as a buffer against climate change. Unfortunately, historical agricultural practices dating back to the colonial era have compromised marsh health, leaving it vulnerable to flooding. Without intervention, sea level rise will eventually cause the loss of marshland and its conversion to open water, which will have severe local and regional impacts on biodiversity and climate resiliency.
Mending Our Coasts and Communities: Marine Debris Removal in New England
Laura Ludwig of the Center for Coastal Studies discussed the growing problem of marine debris along the shorelines of Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire and in the Gulf of Maine. She highlighted the impacts of marine debris on wildlife, the connection between plastics and climate change, and practical steps individuals can take to reduce pollution and help protect coastal and marine ecosystems.
Speaker:
Laura Ludwig, Center for Coastal Studies Provincetown.
Marine debris is a threat to the health of the ocean and the earth, and is an issue of local as well as national and international concern. Huge amounts of lost or discarded items are found in the ocean, making marine debris one of the most widespread pollution problems we face.
The theme of Laura Ludwig’s presentation is the environmental and human impacts of marine debris found on shorelines of Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, and under water in the Gulf of Maine. Laura addressed the impact that marine debris has on wildlife, the role of plastics in climate change, and what we as individuals can do to help resolve this environmental issue.
The Story of Plastic Documentary
The Story of Plastic takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it. Shot over three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, mountains of trash, rivers and seas clogged with waste, and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing. The film features interviews with experts and activists on the front lines of the fight, revealing the disastrous consequences of the flood of plastic smothering ecosystems and poisoning communities around the world, and the global movement that is rising up in response. With engaging original animation, archival industry footage beginning in the 1930s, and first-person accounts of the unfolding emergency, the film distills a complex problem that is increasingly affecting the planet’s and its residents’ well-being.
The Story of Plastic takes a sweeping look at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people who inhabit it. Shot over three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, mountains of trash, rivers and seas clogged with waste, and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing. The film features interviews with experts and activists on the front lines of the fight, revealing the disastrous consequences of the flood of plastic smothering ecosystems and poisoning communities around the world, and the global movement that is rising up in response. With engaging original animation, archival industry footage beginning in the 1930s, and first-person accounts of the unfolding emergency, the film distills a complex problem that is increasingly affecting the planet’s and its residents’ well-being.