The Common

April is Earth Month, which is a time to reflect on the one planet we have and for a lot of us that’s an opportunity to discuss climate change, and how it’s affecting our communities.

Throughout the month we featured weekly conversations with some of the people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Our final guest for these Earth Month discussions is Leslie Jonas, an Ind...

More electric vehicles are hitting the streets in Boston, making it one of the biggest EV markets in the country. However, adoption still lags behind similar metro areas across the country and experts worry that the growing number of EVs is still not enough to help the state reach its emission goals.

WBUR Senior Business Reporter Zeninjor Enwemeka joins The Common to explain the barriers to...

In late March, the MBTA announced it would be paying an additional $148 million to the Chinese locomotive manufacturer CRRC, in hopes of pushing the company to complete its order for desperately needed T cars by 2027. The order, which was made in 2014, was for 404 new T cars to be delivered by September 2023. To date, the MBTA has only received around 130 of those cars and with this latest payout, the total deal between the agency ...

Alvin Campbell, an alleged serial rapist, was arrested in 2020 on sexual assault charges. A new investigation by WBUR finds that at the time of his arrest, Campbell had already been reported for multiple allegations of rape and sexual assault dating back to 2016.

He is the brother of Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell. Her office said the attorney general recused herself from any involvement in the case. In a stateme...

Massachusetts legalized recreational cannabis in 2016. According to the state, the industry here has grossed nearly $6 billion from hundreds of dispensaries across the state.

As part of WBUR's Field Guide to Boston, a series aimed at helping folks better connect with the region, and in honor of the unofficial cannabis holiday on 4/20, we want to offer a quick guide for those who are curious about cannabis in Massachusetts.

So...

April is Earth Month, so all month long we are featuring weekly conversations with people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Arianna Perdomo is a 17-year-old high school senior living in Chelsea. She's a member of Gov. Maura Healey and Massachusetts Climate Chief Melissa Hoffer's Youth Climate Council and part of the Environmental Chelsea Organizers youth crew through Gr...

Last week, the Boston City Council met to discuss one of the top, pressing issues facing our city: The rat population causing a nuisance to residents citywide.

For the second year in a row, Councilor Ed Flynn has proposed a measure to create a city department solely devoted to pest-related concerns, arguing that a specialized department would streamline efforts to tackle rat issues and allow for more coordinated innovation.

T...

With the 2024 Boston Marathon now in the rearview, you may be feeling inspired to hit the road after seeing thousands of athletes crushing 26.2 miles. Or perhaps you’re at the very beginning of your running journey and you’re still trying to find where you fit in the sport. That’s why we bring you this conversation taped at WBUR’s CitySpace featuring Martinus Evans, a runner and founder of the Slow AF Run C...

Today, more than 30,000 runners will participate in the 128th Boston Marathon. Among those running are no less than five members of the WBUR staff, including Climate and Environment Correspondent, Barbara Moran.

Being the reporter she is, Barb documented the ups and downs of her training journey as part of an essay for WBUR’s Cognesanti. Today, in honor of the marathon and all who run it,  we bring you Barb's story.

Greater B...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency introduced a new drinking water standard to reduce exposure to PFAS, chemicals linked to health risks like cancer. Massachusetts is one of 11 states with existing PFAS limits, which are different from the new federal guideline. As a result, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection estimated that 95 water systems across the state will need to upgrade their water system to addr...

April is Earth Month, which is a time to reflect on the one planet we have and for a lot of us that brings up climate change, and how it’s affecting our communities.   

James Comiskey is an activist with Extinction Rebellion, a global environmental movement that aims to use nonviolent civil disobedience to compel government action on climate change. He’s als...

On Monday, almost 300 people, many of whom were families with kids, boarded a ferry and headed out to Spectacle Island in the Boston Harbor to take in the solar eclipse over the Boston skyline. The event, "[Not Quite] Total Eclipse of the Park" was hosted by Boston Harbor Now, a non-profit that works to make the Boston Harbor and Islands more accessible and climate resilient, in partnership with Boston Harbor Islands National and S...

Somerville is re-evaluating the use of ShotSpotter, a surveillance system that detects sounds indicative of gunfire. The devices have drawn scrutiny locally after leaked internal data revealed disproportionately high use in minority communities.

Proponents of the technology say it saves lives and helps police catch criminals. Critics, including civil liberties advocates, raise concerns about the technology's accuracy and the ris...

Earlier this year, we learned that financial challenges at Steward Healthcare System, a for-profit company, were jeopardizing the company's ability to run its eight current Massachusetts hospitals.

This drew scrutiny from state and federal officials, and raised concerns about the role of private equity in the healthcare industry.

It may be gray outside, but never fear -- WBUR Assistant Director of CitySpace Candice Springer is back on The Common with a list of fun-filled happenings to get you out of your house and on the town this April.

Candice recommends...

• Mystery Picnics – Anytime
• The Massachusetts Craft Brewers Festival – April 20, Boston Center for the Arts' Cyclorama
• F1 Arcade Boston  – April 22, Seaport in Boston
• Slow AF Run Clu...

April is Earth Month, so all month long we are featuring weekly conversations with people in Greater Boston working to build our region’s resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Kannan Thiruvengadam is the Executive Director of Eastie Farm — a community-based non-profit in East Boston, which focuses on food insecurity and climate justice through urban agriculture and education. Today, Kannan joins The Common to discuss how...

Have you ever answered a knock on your door to find someone asking to see your electric bill? Perhaps with the promise of getting you a better deal? If so, you might've come face-to-face with a representative from a competitive electric supplier -- an industry that has been tied to high rates, and at times, illegal activity, targeting some of the states' most vulnerable residents.

While some savvy individuals are able to use the...

Last week, the MBTA board of directors voted in favor of offering a reduced-fare program for low-income adults across the transit system, including for The Ride -- the MBTA's paratransit service. It's a huge victory for advocates who have been pushing for such a program for more than a decade.

Today, Boston Globe Transportation Reporter Taylor Dolven joins The Common for a transit news round-up. First, a look at what it will tak...

Chewed automobile wires? Gnawed car cables? That's what a Boston rat calls lunch!

Drawn in by the promise of a warm and cozy place to hang, rats are hoping out of dumpsters and taking up residence under the hoods of cars, bringing their trash and snacks with them, and causing damage to vehicles while they're at it.

Today, WBUR Investigative Reporter Willoughby Mariano joins The Common for a look at why Boston's rat problem is...