Final Data Project Plan

Andrew Brinker & Charlie McKenna

Pitch

The story would be focused on Boston’s ongoing efforts to increase greenery and tree cover across neighborhoods, but particularly in lower-income areas like Dorchester and Mattapan where tree cover is scarce, leading to oppressive “heat islands.” We would examine where tree cover exists in the city, looking at the relative wealth of different neighborhoods within the context of redlining. Climate change and oppressive heat threaten the livelihood of thousands of people in Boston and around the world. Green space/tree cover is the solution; it provides a reprieve from sweltering summer days and can keep temperatures from being magnified by concrete. This story will shed light on the ongoing battle against the existential threat of climate change and give voice to issues of inequality and environmental justice.  

Datasets

• Tree distribution - City of Boston - Link

• Canopy Change - City of Boston - Link

• Tree equity score - American Forests - Link

List of Interviews

1. Ali Jadbabie, the chair of MIT’s department for civil and environmental engineers

2. Maria White-Hammond, the Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for Boston

3. Residents in afflicted neighborhoods

4. Local environmental justice advocates

List of Visualization Ideas

1. Map of tree cover in the city, using the city’s data to show which neighborhoods have the most trees

2. A map of heat disparities in the city — what neighborhoods are the hottest and how hot are they

3. A chart comparing trees and square footage by neighborhood

4. A chart comparing trees and population by neighborhood

5. A chart depicting rising temperatures in the US or recent temperature records in Boston

Weekly Tasks

Week of 3/28: 

• Andrew: reach out/talk w/ experts (MIT, Harvard urban planning)

• Charlie reach out to data folks w/ city of Boston

Week of 4/4:

• Andrew: wrap up conversations w/ experts

• Charlie: wrap up conversation w/ data folks 

• Both: being reaching out to advocates

Week of 4/11:

• Andrew: Conversations w/ advocates, searching for resident sources

• Charlie: Conversation w/ advocates, reaching out to environmental orgs

• Both: Begin pulling, cleaning data for charts

Week of 4/18:

• Andrew: reach out to city for comment

• Charlie: contact appropriate city councilors

• Both: begin drafting story, maps, methods/results

Week of deadline:

• Both: finishing draft/maps, fact check, present