Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hello! My name is Brooke Van Ackooy, from New York (state, not the city, very important distinction) but I completed my undergraduate in Boston at Emmanuel College majoring in International Studies. During my time there I had an amazing internship at the Massachusetts State House in the office of Senator John F. Keenan. Currently, I’m pursuing my master’s at Boston University in the global policy program with a concentration in environmental policy. Environmental justice and climate research became an interest of mine while working on my senior thesis about Brazil’s recent environmental policies on the indigenous populations there. In my free time, I enjoy playing video games, painting, needle-felting, working out, and reading.
What about the internship made you interested in applying?
While my background was more internationally focused, I wanted to build on the foundation of my undergraduate program by learning about environmental policy at the local and state levels. When I heard about this position, the Sierra Club seemed like a perfect fit! I had heard about the Massachusetts Sierra Club and some of the work they were doing, but was drawn to this internship due to the emphasis on the connection between environmental issues and racial, gender, and economic justice. It was very important to me to be doing work in an organization that recognizes how entwined these issues are, and that you can’t talk about remedying one without the other.
In your own words, what did your internship consist of?
My main responsibilities include researching and updating the Mass Towns for Climate database. Daily work can involve anything from looking up contact information for a town official to going through a local newspaper, recording a municipality's climate focus. Recently, I developed a survey gathering information on municipal fleet electrification. I also participate in the weekly climate research team meetings and have the opportunity to chat with staff members about their work and responsibilities. This has been an amazing way to learn more about the field!
While researching municipal climate actions for the Mass Towns for Climate database this summer, were there any surprises?
I’m learning a lot of interesting concepts like municipal aggregation, energy efficiency audits, and heat loans to help accessibly transition from fossil fuels. The regional cooperation among municipalities has been impressive, spanning climate action plans and MassSave’s Community First Partnership. This is a fantastic way to pool resources and the database provides a great visual representation of how interconnected the communities in Massachusetts are.
Finally, what’s next for you, Brooke?!
Long term I plan to finish up my master’s program and start looking for a job in my field. I would love to work for the United Nations someday, or would also love to continue working for a non-profit organization. Wherever I end up, I’ll be taking action for environmental justice, doing my part for our planet.