BCAN

Mission

The Boston Climate Action Network (BCAN)’s mission is to organize Boston residents and collaborate with other social justice allies to advocate for climate justice and urgent action on the climate emergency by the City of Boston and other policymakers.

History

The Boston Climate Action Network (BCAN) has been organizing since the early 2000s.

2007: Helped convene the first and second “Step It Up” rallies in Boston, leading to the founding of 350.org.

2007-2009: Partnered with ACORN to lead energy efficiency and climate change classes in Dorchester and Mattapan, and to train working-class African Americans and Latinos to lead classes.

2007-2011: Organized Energy Fairs in Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Mission Hill, and other neighborhoods to bring energy efficiency resources to neighborhood residents, starting with an energy fair in Fields Corner with remarks by Van Jones.

2008-present: Founding member of the Green Justice Coalition. Convened by Community Labor United, GJC links labor and environmental  with racial and social justice organizations to promote solutions to the climate crisis that serve our mutual organizing goals, beginning with expanding access to, and funding for, energy efficiency programs.

2008-2013: Organized Green Block groups and lead Low Carbon Living groups in Jamaica Plain and Mission Hill, training volunteers to lead groups and share information to help reduce energy use and make more sustainable energy decisions.

2009-2013: Partnered with the Home Energy Efficiency Team to lead energy efficiency skill-building workshops called “barn raisings,” in both English-speaking and Spanish-speaking homes.

2010-2011 : Assisted the City of Boston with energy efficiency outreach through door-to-door outreach for Renew Boston, including training teen leaders at Urban Edge.

2010-2011: Instrumental to the public process that resulted in the City of Boston’s first climate action plan, and remained active in the process of the 2014 expanded plan.

2013-2016: Worked to stop methane leaks from gas pipelines under our street, leading to the successful passage of a Gas Leak Ordinance by the Boston City Council in December, 2016, which will speed up gas leaks repairs.

2016-present: Working to expand access to renewable energy for all Boston residents through the Community Choice Electricity Campaign, formerly called “Community Choice Energy”.

2019-2021: Working to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from Boston’s largest buildings with the Green Buildings Campaign. The amendments to the Buildings Emissions Reduction and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO 2.0) passed Boston City council in fall 2021!

2022-2023: BCAN organized residents for Green and Healthy Public Schools. We worked with Boston Public Schools families, students, and teachers to engage in the City’s Green New Deal for Boston Public Schools visioning process, leading to an Executive Order on Fossil Fuel-Free Municipal Buildings (July 2023) and sustainability commitments in the Long-Term Facilities Plan (December 2023).

2023-2025: BCAN conducted a Mass Save Community Research Project to document barriers residents face in accessing home energy efficiency programs. This led to successful advocacy to improve the Mass Save program via the Mass Save 2025-2027 Three-Year Plan, which was approved in 2025.

2023-2025: BCAN organized residents and organizations to successfully advocate for a Net-Zero Carbon Zoning Code. This first-in-the-nation policy requires new large buildings to be net-zero on day 1, and tracks embodied carbon for the first time ever. It passed the Zoning Commission in 2025.