Boston GreenScene

2nd Annual Hyper-Local Craft Brew Fest June 14th

Friday and Saturday, June 14th and 15th

:00 PM-9:00 PM

$35.00 to Register

21 and Up

The Armory

Somerville, MA

This is an exciting opportunity to celebrate beverage producers who pull together local ingredients to make ciders, mead, artisan beverages, and brews. This event is a huge fundraiser for the Sustainable Business Network and all of New England is encouraged to join in the fun. In addition to unlimited 2 ounce tastes tests of the locally brewed and cultivated beverages, people are welcome to taste tests of locally produced food from local companies such as Taza Chocolates and Valicenti Organico. Local ingredients from cranberries to hops will be presented by experts in the beverage industry. Moreover, for the first time ever, there will be a presentation of a hyper-local home brew showcase that will celebrate home brewing and brewing with locally grown ingredients, an experience that will encourage local brewers in the New England region by showing them the resources that are available to them. This event runs in three different sessions that can be mixed and matched at will during registration. Any over the age of 21 is encouraged to register for what is sure to be an exciting and enlightening experience. 

An Overview of the Sessions

Session I: Hyper-Local Home Brew Showcase Night & Brewfest

Friday, June 14, 2013, 6:30 - 9:30pm

Session II: Hyper-Local Brewfest

Saturday, June 15, 2013, 3:00 - 6:00pm

Session III: Hyper-Local Brewfest

Saturday, June 15, 2013, 7:00 - 10:00pm

 

To register for the event and learn more information on the different sessions: http://hyperlocalbrew.eventbrite.com/

VERGE Boston, May 13th-14th

VERGE Boston

May 13-14

7:30 AM 14th-6:30 PM 14th

Renaissance Waterfront Boston

Boston, MA

Registration Required

VERGE Boston (May 13-14) will connect business innovators, entrepreneurs, and leading public officials to illuminate the business opportunities created by radical efficiencies in energy, building, and transportation technologies.  Connect with other thought leaders and practitioners working across the diverse VERGE program tracks, including executives in energy, building management, sustainability, fleets, logistics, government, corporate financing and more.  It’s a great opportunity to get out of your silo and see what happens when people, technologies, and ideas converge. Learn more and register here.

Early Bird Price (Before April 19th): $1195.00

General Registration: $1495.00

For a Full Program of the Event: http://www.greenbiz.com/events/verge/2013/05/boston/program

To Register: http://www.greenbiz.com/events/verge/2013/05/boston/registration

Join the Conversation - The Future of Nature Series Launching 4/22 in Boston

What is the Future of Nature? By 2050, the Earth’s population is expected to exceed 9 billion. Our climate is changing, and we all will have a role to play in making sure that nature can continue to meet the needs of the people and species that rely on it. 

Be a part of this community conversation at the Future of Nature lecture series that the Conservancy will co-sponsor with WBUR this spring. Each night will feature national and global thought leaders discussing the most critical conservation challenges of our time, as well as a pre-event reception with refreshments, good conversation, and activities and info that bring you closer to the work to save nature.

The series kicks off April 22, so be sure to buy your tickets today! Tickets are $25 per event or $60 for a series pass.

The Future of Food

April 22, 5:30 pm | Artists for Humanity EpiCenter, South Boston

• Michael Leviton, chef, Lumière and Area Four, Chefs Collaborative
• Oran Hesterman, founder, Fair Food Network
•  Paul Greenberg, author of Four Fish: The Future of the Last Wild Food
• David Cleary, director of agriculture, The Nature Conservancy
• Moderator: Sacha Pfeiffer, WBUR, host of All Things Considered

The Future of Energy

May 13, 6:30 pm | BSA Space, Atlantic Wharf, Boston

• Dan Kammen, professor and director of the Renewable and Appropriate Energy Laboratory, UC Berkeley
• Jigar Shah, partner, Inerjys clean-energy investment firm
• Joe Fargione, lead scientist, The Nature Conservancy
• Moderator: Anthony Brooks, WBUR, co-host of Radio Boston

 The Future of Water

June 10, 6:30 pm | Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA, Boston

• Sandra Postel, director, The Global Water Policy Project
• Steven Solomon, author of Water: The Epic Struggle for Wealth, Power and Civilization
• Brian Richter, global freshwater co-leader, The Nature Conservancy
• Moderator: Meghna Chakrabarti, WBUR, co-host of Radio Boston

Buy your tickets online today at nature.org/futureofnature

6th Annual Global Environmental Sustainability Symposium: Transportation, Human Mobility, and Sustainability at CCSU

April 4th, 2013

 9:45 AM-7:15 PM 

FREE, Registration Required

Central Connecticut State University

New Britain, Connecticut

The CCSU Global Environmental Sustainability Action Coalition invites the public to learn and to teach one another about the actions that we, as human beings, must take to ensure that we live in such a way that we are able to satisfy our needs while ensuring that our children and grandchildren will be able to satisfy their own. The symposium will offer 3 classes, 2 performances, a panel discussion, a tour, and an optional attendance at the town meeting, as well as opening and closing notes from distinguished professionals in sustainability. This event is FREE: anyone can register online to show up. *Exhibitor tables are still open

Schedule

9:45-10:00 AM: Symposium opening and welcome with Dr. Charles Button and Dr. Jack Miller (tentative) at Alumni Hall

10:00-10:45: Transportation, Migration, and Sustainability in Four Worlds Alumni Hall

Dr. John Kelmelis expands upon a possibility raised by the United States National Intelligence Council when they published Global Trends 2030: Alternative World. This work explores four very possible future worlds. Dr. Kelmelis will explain what each of these worlds might mean for our future as well as what strategies we might use to make the most of each circumstance at the local, regional, national, and global levels. 

11:00-11:45: Panel Discussion: Electric Cars and Alternative Vehicles Alumni Hall

The president of the New England Electric Auto Association ( Dave Oliveria), an environmental writer and speaker (Jim Motavalli), the Senior Associates Autos Editor for Consumer Reports (Eric Evarts), and a natural gas car owner (Joe Booth) all come together in one place to talk about the real value that hybrid, extended hybrid, and electric vehicles hold. This is a special opportunity to discover what users and reviewers genuinely think about these alternative vehicles.

12:00-1:45 (*with second free registration): Water Wars Performance and Lunch Alumni Hall

While you enjoy your lunch, the Sonia Plumb Dance Company will be performing Water Wars. This is an emotionally charged piece of art that exposes the very important and very tenuous relationship that human beings have with one of our primary sources of life: water.

Arctic Anxiety: Tufts Energy Conference March 2 - 3 Explores a Double-Edged Sword

The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that 13 percent of the world's undiscovered oil and 30 percent of the world's untapped natural gas resides in the Arctic.

As global climate change continues to affect the melting of polar ice caps, increased access to these resources has many nations and international firms vying for opportunities to advance on this unexplored territory. Disputes over extended economic zones and territories, governance of newly opened shipping lanes, and future economic policies in the High North are escalating tensions between nations. Drilling in the Arctic region has tremendous political and environmental risks, but there is also potential for great economic reward. What are the priorities of policymakers and firms as they address this new opportunity and its potential consequences? Do the economic gains outweigh the environmental and political risks?

TEC 2013's Arctic panel will explore the strategies of policymakers, firms, local populations, and investors in approaching natural resources in the Arctic. Featured speakers include:

• Malte Humpert, Executive Director, The Arctic Institute
• Caitlyn Antrim, Executive Director, Rule of Law Committee for the Oceans
• Doug Helton, Operations Coordinator, Office of Response and Restoration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Captain Jonathan S. Spaner, Director, Office of Emerging Policy, United States Coast Guard
• William Moomaw, Director of the Center for International Environment and Resource Policy, The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy (Moderator)

For more information, visit our website. Remember you can save money by buying early bird tickets through Saturday (tomorrow)!

The Circular Economy - Moving away from Planned Obsolescence

 

An interesting element about this concept is that it appears to be very viable. With the emergence of car sharing, house swapping, and other community driven sharing programs - it seems we're well on our way. This video does a great job at creating additional context and broadens the applicability of this concept beyond the home to the work place.

 

Northeast States Collect Over a Million Batteries in 2012 - What percentage is that, exactly?

Call2Recycle® is pleased to announce that the Northeast Recycling Council’s (NERC) member states recycled over a million pounds of rechargeable batteries and cellphones through their participation in the Call2Recycle program in 2012 – that’s equivalent to the weight of 40 school buses!  Pennsylvania and New York lead collections with total weights of 319,113 and 242,061 pounds, respectively.

“The Northeast continues to be a leader in environmental stewardship and demonstrated commitment to diverting materials from the waste stream through multiple initiatives, including recycling, “ said Todd Ellis, Account Manager at Call2Recycle. “We applaud NERC’s members for their continued support of battery recycling and their promotion of the safe reclamation of these materials.”

Battery and cellphone recycling diverts potentially hazardous materials from the waste stream and ensures that valuable resources are reused.

A bit of additional commentary by Yours Truly ...

While I'm thrilled to see that (literally, bus loads of) batteries are being collected and recycled - and that the NE states are displaying a leadership role in the effort, no doubt because they understand the business case - I continued to be concerned about the number of batteries that are being manufactured in the first place. Also wondering what percentage of total batteries that were disposed of were recaptured for recycling ... while a million is impressive, if it represents only a small percentage of what was actually thrown away into land fills, I dare say we have a ways to go to feel proud of our accomplishments.

 

Need an Easy New Year’s Resolution? Green Your Office Equipment!

Via our friends at Northeast Recycling Council

What is the Challenge? The Challenge takes the mystery out of buying green office equipment, using it efficiently, and recycling it responsibly by providing a simple, straightforward process.         

The Challenge is a free program that provides public sector entities with access to tools, resources, and technical assistance to green their purchase, use and/or recycling of office equipment.  It documents the success of participating programs and provides Partners with annual sustainability reports that detail reductions in energy use, GHGs, and waste.  Exemplary programs are acknowledged through the Challenge’s awards and recognition program.

To learn more about the State Electronics Challenge, register for an introductory webinar.  There are two webinars scheduled:

• February 12, 3 p.m. eastern

To register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2523028787997809152

• March 14, 3 p.m. eastern

To register: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3635301347725787392

Who’s Eligible to Join the Challenge:

• State and tribal agencies
• Cities & towns
• Counties
• K-12 Schools
• Colleges & universities
• Public utilities
• Libraries

For more information, contact info@stateelectronicschallenge.net or visit the website.

The State Electronics Challenge is funded by a grant from the EPA Region 5 Great Lakes Restoration Initiative, and with the support of its sponsors—Samsung, Panasonic, Sims Recycling Solutions, the Consumer Electronics Association, and the ISRI R2/RIOS program.

Event Announcement: Sustainable Habitats: Building Ecological Connections, Springfield MA

Build your ecological connections at ELA'S 19th annual Conference, Sustainable Habitats: Building Ecological Connections, on February 27^th and 28^th in Springfield, MA. Admission includes educational sessions and workshops, Continental breakfast and lunch, Jazz Social Hour, and networking opportunities throughout the day.

 

Wednesday offers two intensive workshops. 
Ecological Systems + Design = Living Spaces explores the interplay of soil, water, soil, and habitat in creating landscapes. 
Local Food, Local Landscapes looks at integrating and sustaining edibles in the landscape. Optional Keynote Dinner features Jeff Lowenfels, author of Teaming with Microbes, A Gardener's Guide to the Soils Food Web.

 

Thursday's educational lineup includes three concurrent education tracks - two tracks with classroom-style sessions and one track of panel discussions - covering a wide range of topics relevant to ecological landscape design and maintenance. Optional Keynote Dinner features Rebecca McMackin, Brooklyn Bridge Park Horticulturist.

 

For additional information and registration, visit www.ecolandscaping.org/conference.

Dynamic and WAY Cool Mobility Solutions - Only for Europeans?

Amazing Video: RSA Animate - The Truth about Dishonesty

  

Tufts 2013 Energy Conference - One of the Best Energy Programs We've Seen

Green Restaurant Association Seeks Intern!

A Boston-based organization committed to helping the restaurant industry improve its enviromental performance is seeking an intern. Please let them know you heard about the position on Boston GreenScene!

The Green Restaurant Association is seeking an intern in the Boston area to work 10 hours per week for a minimum duration of 3 months.  The intern will be responsible for supporting the consulting department, including office-related duties, such as filing, shipping, and data entry. This is an unpaid internship and will start immediately.  If interested, please send a resume and letter of interest or a 1 minute video explaining why you want to intern with the GRA and what skills and background you would contribute to jobinfo@dinegreen.com.

Fracking - A Desirable Income for Some

For once, the environmentalists are winning. Fracking--or hydraulic fracturing--is known to cause contamination in water ways. It makes residents, farm animals, and pets sick. There have been news segments and documentaries detailing the evils of fracking, particuarly in and around the Marcellus Shale along the Appalchian range.

But according to an article in The New York Times, one upstate New York town is hoping to have a little fracking come their way. They can't farm any more because there isn't enough money in it. But if they got a little subsidizing from fracking, they might be able to continue farming the land they love.

A bit of a Catch-22, isn't it? See an excerpt from the article below.

Drilling Far From Imminent, but Debate Roils a Region
By MICHAEL WINES
Published: January 6, 2013

“The evil gas company against the noble environmentalists isn’t what’s happening,” said [one resident]. “That’s a Hollywood construct. What’s really happening is, people up here with land who want to develop it against people who are quite comfortable and don’t want any disturbance.

“There’s a lot of charlatans on the other side. They’re not telling the truth a lot of the time.”

Truthful or not, the opponents of hydraulic fracturing are winning. Otsego County, like much of south-central New York, sits atop the Marcellus Shale formation, a gas-rich sheet of rock that underlies much of the Appalachian Basin. In Pennsylvania, where fracking is already under way, some landowners have made a comfortable living by allowing drilling on their property.

But the critics’ case against the process — that land and groundwater can be poisoned by the chemical cocktail that is forced into the earth to fracture the shale and free the gas — is carrying the day. The number of Otsego towns with bans or moratoriums on fracking has risen in just 18 months to nine, from five, including the city of Oneonta and the surrounding town. And the share of the land under lease to gas companies for future exploration has dropped as well.

Despite their critics’ accusations, landowners in favor of the process say they are not pawns of the gas industry. Rather, they see drilling bans as an infringement on their property rights, and drilling itself as the economic savior of a region they say is on the skids.

“You have people here who used to farm, and they don’t farm now because they can’t make a living at it,” he said. “The land’s been in their family for six, seven generations. They’d love to go back to farming but they can’t. But if they have the money from gas, they can.”

To read more, click here.

Hey Boston, You Gonna Eat That?

NEW YORK (August 21, 2012) – Americans are throwing away 40 percent of food in the U.S., the equivalent of $165 billion in uneaten food each year, according to a new analysis by the Natural Resources Defense Council. In a time of drought and skyrocketing food prices, NRDC outlines opportunities to reduce wasted food and money on the farm, in the grocery store and at home.

“As a country, we’re essentially tossing every other piece of food that crosses our path – that’s money and precious resources down the drain,” said Dana Gunders, NRDC project scientist with the food and agriculture program. “With the price of food continuing to grow, and drought jeopardizing farmers nationwide, now is the time to embrace all the tremendous untapped opportunities to get more out of our food system. We can do better.” 

NRDC’s issue brief – Wasted: How America is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm To Fork to Landfill – analyzes the latest case studies and government data on the causes and extent of food losses at every level of the U.S. food supply chain. It also provides examples and recommendations for reducing this waste. Key findings include:

• ·         Americans trash 40 percent of our food supply every year, valued at about $165 billion;
• ·         The average American family of four ends up throwing away an equivalent of up to $2,275 annually in food;
• ·         Food waste is the single largest component of solid waste in U.S. landfills;
• ·         Just a 15 percent reduction in losses in the U.S. food supply would save enough food to feed 25 million Americans annually;
• ·         There has been a 50 percent jump in U.S. food waste since the 1970s.

The causes of losses in our food system are complex, but there are notable problem areas. At the retail level, grocery stores and other sellers are losing as much as $15 billion annually in unsold fruits and vegetables alone, with about half of the nationwide supply going uneaten. In fact, fresh produce is lost more than any other food product — including seafood, meat, grains and dairy — at nearly every stage in the supply chain. Some of this is avoidable. For instance, retailers can stop the practice of unnecessary abundance in their produce displays, which inherently leads to food spoilage.

But consumers are also a major contributor to the problem, with the majority of food losses occurring in restaurants and household kitchens. A significant reason for this is large portions, as well as uneaten leftovers. Today, portion sizes are two to eight times larger than the government’s standard serving sizes.

Wasted food also translates into wasted natural resources, because of the energy, water and farmland necessary to grow, transport, and store food.  About half of all land in the U.S. goes to agriculture; some 25 percent of all the freshwater consumed in this country, along with 4 percent of the oil, goes into producing food that is never eaten. Moreover, uneaten food accounts for 23 percent of all methane emissions in the U.S. - a potent climate change pollutant.

Increasing the efficiency of our food system is a triple-bottom-line solution that requires collaborative efforts by businesses, governments and consumers. Specifically:

New England Governors Agree on Solar, Wind & Tar Sands - Or Do They?

by Stephen Meno

This week marks an important victory for protecting Connecticut’s environment. Gov. Malloy, along with all New England governors, signed an agreement that will facilitate the development of local solar and wind energy production. New England states will now have a much easier time signing long-term clean energy production contracts. The Sierra Club is hoping that this agreement will be used to replace five Connecticut coal plants (such as the Bridgeport Harbor Station), which the 2010 Clean Air Task Force says is responsible for over 500 asthma attacks and 31 deaths each year.

Not only is this a great step forward for the environment, this initiative will help stimulate the economy by creating jobs. Gov. Malloy’s declaration is especially good news because it would partially compensate for the immense damage that would be caused by Mitt Romney’s promise to end all subsidies to wind energy production if he gets elected.

But unfortunately, Romney’s statement is not the only bad news. The Tar Sands pipeline rears its ugly head again, and this time it’s looking at New England. Following oil spills in Canada and Wisconsin this past week, Enbridge (the company behind Tar Sands) has decided to extend a pipeline through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. With an atrocious safety and hazard record, this proposed pipeline will put many beautiful places in New England at serious risk, such as Maine’s Sebago Lake and Casco Bay, and 11 rivers (including the Connecticut). Not only is the Tar Sands pipeline terrible for the climate, animal habitats and populations -- it could also destroy New England’s treasured waterways and groundwater systems -- a quickly dwindling and at-risk resource.

The good news? New England citizens are taking action to prevent this horrible plan. On July 29, Over 500 people gathered outside the New England Governors’ Conference in Burlington, VT (the same conference where the clean energy initiative was signed) to protest a Tar Sands extension. 

GreenScene plans to start digging around (pun intended) - starting with our friend, Dan Burgess, Legislative Director for Energy at Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs.

 

Two Incredibly FUN, Green Summer Events

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Princeton Wind Turbine Festival & Picnic:

Who: Mass Energy Consumer Alliance
What:  Join us on our annual visit to Princeton's wind turbine site! Mass Energy and the Princeton Municipal Light Department will lead tours of one of the two turbines on-site. We'll host a picnic at the turbines and get ready to kick back and enjoy beautiful views of the mountains.
When: On Saturday, August 11 at 12 PM (rain date of Sunday August 12)
Where: Mt. Wachusett, State Reservation, Princeton MA

RSVP : by August 9 at http://PrincetonPicnic2012.eventbrite.com, or contact Rebecca at  1-800-287-3950 or Rebecca@massenergy.org! We’ll see you there!

 

Berkshire East Wind Turbine Festival & Zip-lining:

Who: Mass Energy Consumer Alliance & the Center for EcoTechnology
What: Join us for a Zip-Line adventure and BBQ as we celebrate Berkshire East Ski Resort's wind turbine! Come take a chairlift ride up to see the 900 kW turbine and learn about how it helped keep this small, family-run business open. Fantastic BBQ lunch, catered by Cliff's Smokin' Backyard Barbeque, will be plentiful.
When: On Saturday, September 1 from 12-2
Where: Berkshire East Ski Area, 66 South River Road, Charlemont, MA

RSVP : by Thursday, August 23 at  http://zipberkeast2012.eventbrite.com/ or by contacting or Rebecca@massenergy.org!

 

Boston's Green Businesses Award Winners

by Heather Burns

Congratulations to the recipients of Mayor Menino's Green Business Awards. The Green Business Awards were given to 11 businesses that demonstrated extraordinary performance related to sustainable environmental practices. The 2012 Green Business Award winners are:

Greentown Labs - Innovation District 
Greentown Labs provides companies working to improve the efficiency of homes and businesses and/or increase the use of renewable energy sources, a space to build, test, and expand their services at their building in the Innovation District. The office itself has gone green by incorporating sustainable design, high efficiency lighting, and installing an electric vehicle charging station.

Crown Uniform & Linen - South Boston 
A 4th generation family-owned business founded in 1914, and currently employing 150 workers, Crown Uniform & Linen joined the Sustainable Business Network in 2011, and has adopted energy efficiency measures, water conservation technology, and incorporated waste reduction goals into their business.

P&G Gillette South Boston site - South Boston 
Gillette's South Boston site has made a significant commitment to greening their facility and operations, and have made investments in energy and water conservation that has resulted in a 10 million kilowatt reduction in energy use and a 2.8 million gallon reduction in water use in 2011. An employee-led 'green team' has instituted waste reduction initiatives that include recycling and composting throughout the facility.

Westin Boston Waterfront - Innovation District 
Westin's employee "Green Team" focuses on sustainability initiatives such as comprehensive waste reduction through recycling and composting to implementing new technology in their guest rooms to reduce water usage. The hotel underwent a large lighting retrofit, replacing all lighting in their public spaces with highly-efficient LEDs, resulting in a savings of 422,000 kilowatt hours per year.

Harpoon Brewery - Innovation District 
Harpoon goes above and beyond to reduce their waste by sending all their spent grain from the brewing process to a dairy farm in Westport, MA - totaling in 130,000 lbs per week. Their new Freeaire cooling system allows them to use outside air for the refrigeration of the beer 110 days of the year.

912 Auto Center - Dorchester 
A graduate of the Boston Public Health Commission's Safe Shops Program, 912 Auto has switched to water-based paints to protect the health of workers and customers. An indoor ventilation system reduces indoor air pollution and makes their heating/cooling system more efficient.

Digital Lumens - West End 
Digital Lumens focuses on reducing lighting energy demand at industrial facilities that have significant lighting needs. Through a combination of highly efficient LEDs and a wireless management system, a facility can reduce energy usage up to 90% by partnering with Digital Lumens.

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center - Longwood 
BIDMC employs a dedicated Energy Manager and Sustainability Coordinator along with a Green Committee that has overseen initiatives ranging from energy management and efficiency to increased waste diversion. Through their energy saving measures, BIDMC saved enough energy to light almost 2000 homes for one year.

Massachusetts General Hospital - West End 
With over 40 energy conservation measures implemented in the past year, MGH has seen a 10% reduction in energy usage from its 2010 levels. Over 30% of MGH's energy needs come from renewable sources, and as a member of the Boston Green Ribbon Commission, Partners Healthcare has committed to a 25% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

Fresh Hair - Jamaica Plain
A member of the City of Boston's MainStreets program, Fresh Hair provides eco-friendly salon services and offers environmentally-friendly products. The salon also installed a solar hotwater heating system in 2001 (one of the first systems in Boston), and a grey water system to recapture heat from hot water and reduce its energy needs.

Boston Cab Association - Fenway/Kenmore 
Boston Cab Association was the first cab company to commit to purchasing hybrids for their fleet in 2006 as part of the City's Clean Air Cab program. The hybrids are 60-70% more efficient than former Crown Victorias, and today Boston Cab Association has over 300 hybrids in its fleet. 

 

Brew Tasting Event with Boston Local Food Program

 

Sustainable Business Network (SBN) invites Boston GreenScene readers to participate in their October Brew tasting event - SBN's 3rd Annual Local Craft Brewfest on Friday, October 5, 2012 at The Moakley Courthouse in Boston, MA on the Boston Waterfront.

The growing interest and enthusiasm for local craft brew has led to SBN's Local Craft Brewfests being huge successes. This Brewfest is a fundraising event for SBN's Boston Local Food Program.

Enjoy a tasting event extraordinaire, featuring local craft breweries, wineries, distilleries, meaderies, artisan soft drinks, and eateries - while meeting brew masters throughout the New England area.

Tickets can be purchased by visiting localcraftbrew.eventbrite.com

Yikes! Greenland glacier adds to rise in sea level

Sea levels may rise yet once again thanks to an iceberg the size of Manhattan breaking off from Greenland and floating out into the ocean. Although a bigger one broke off in 2010, it's still a growing trend as seen in Antarctica. The culprit? Global warming, of course. 

See the excerpt below from MSNBC.

Iceberg bigger than Manhattan breaks from Greenland glacier
OurAmazingPlanet
updated 7/17/2012 1:21:57 PM ET



A massive iceberg larger than Manhattan has broken away from the floating end of a Greenland glacier this week, an event scientists predicted last autumn.

The giant ice island is 46 square miles, and separated from the terminus of the Petermann Glacier, one of Greenland's largest…

"The Greenland ice sheet as a whole is shrinking, melting and reducing in size as the result of globally changing air and ocean temperatures and associated changes in circulation patterns in both the ocean and atmosphere," said Andreas Muenchow, an associate professor of physical ocean science and engineering at the University of Delaware.

To read more, click here. 

Image courtesy of MSNBC. 

 

Climate Change: The tipping point

By Stephen Meno

Stephen has just joined the GreenScene as a summer intern. He is a recent Tufts graduate who interned his last semester with Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, an environmental non-profit in Boston. Stephen believes in raising environmental awareness. But, he says, there is enough talk about the problems and not enough about real solutions. Whether it’s climate change or the best green products on the market, environmentalism is accessible and change is well within our reach. Please join us in welcoming Stephen. 

Experts have just declared that the planet’s changing climate is quickly approaching the point of no return. I could give you the gory details: there are 390 parts per million (ppm) carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and at the current rate of CO₂output which, if things continue as they have been, will increase to 1000 ppm by 2100. What does that mean? If the global community does not act quickly, drastic changes in temperature, weather patterns, and sea level will result in famine, mass extinctions, and trillions of dollars in property damage. 

I am certainly not telling you anything new. But my fear is that those who actually do care about the environment will become so frustrated with the lack of government action that they simply become apathetic about it. Unfortunately, it seems as if the government is not stepping up to role. The North Carolina Senate is considering a bill that would allow the coastal commission to calculate sea level risebased solely on historic data, rather than on the rate of glacier melt. Considering this is a state whose economy is heavily based on tourism along their coastline and Outer Banks, to ignore the inevitable sea level rise will only mean millions lost in revenue and in property destruction. 

But, there is still hope (especially for those living in the Northeast). A study by the Nature Conservancy found that the Appalachian Mountains might be one of the best locations to be as the planet’s temperature increases. Because of its ecological, topographical, and biological diversity, plants and animals have a greater chance of finding a more hospitable area to migrate to. More to the point, the planet is not irrevocably doomed. By the same token, we can’t just sit back, relax, and let someone else do the dirty work. We as individuals and residents of Connecticut have more power than we realize. 

One person can make a difference. All of us together create a tipping point. Encourage your political representatives to support much needed reforms, including government funding for wind and solar energy production, public transportation, and bike paths. Personal choices from buying an electric car to purchasing local, organic food can have a major impact as well. Now that it’s nice outside, walk or bike instead of drive. Assess your carbon footprint and consider the ways to reduce it. Get an energy audit on your home. Recycle. Compost. Plant a garden. Plant a tree. Eat less red meat. 

 

When Overcoming War Preceeds Pursuing Sustainability

By Heather Burns

Living in the United States, there are many things we take for granted - fresh water, healthcare, clean air, organic produce - and peace. We enjoy free speech, the priviledge to worship in whatever way suits us, and most Americans live without fear of violence or war. It is only in the absense of violence that sustainability can take root.

Karuna Center for Peacebuilding assists communities and societies around the world, working in every stage of a conflict – analyzing and addressing the root causes of tension, leading interventions to prevent further violent escalation, and encouraging reconciliation. Such important - and inspiring work...

By Olivia Drier, Karuna Center for Peace

In late February, I returned to Sri Lanka for our third set of inter-faith workshops with our group of 80 Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian religious leaders. As previously described, this work is taking place in the Northeast of the country, an area deeply affected by 30 years of civil war. Working with religious leaders provides a politically acceptable way of addressing deep residues of inter-ethnic tension left in the wake of the of the 2009 military victory over the Tamil Tigers (LTTE). While the government proclaims that economic development will solve all problems, the citizens of this area know that much more will be needed to rebuild trust after a war that killed and displaced thousands and left communal relations in tatters.

Our focus this time was on the use of dialogue as a tool for reconciliation. Given the language barriers, it is no wonder there has been so much social distance and the space for all kinds of prejudices and tensions. Like other inhabitants of the region, only a handful of our religious leaders speak both Tamil and Sinhalese or are able to use English as a lingua franca. Thanks to the presence of translators, the leaders had the opportunity to fully listen, as each group shared deeply about their suffering during war and their concerns for the future. In this region all groups suffered, including the Buddhists (who are all Sinhalese and the dominant group in the country) as they were victims of frequent LTTE attacks. The participants said it was the first time they had openly shared painful experiences with members of other groups. It is not the cultural norm and the political climate discourages it. The subsequent relief and warmth between participants was palpable. At tea break, monks, priests, imams, and pastors strolled arm and arm, even if they had little language in common.

After each group had the opportunity to openly share their own experiences and concerns for the future as the larger group listened, the relief was palpable. It has taken five months of careful work to build the necessary trust for this to happen.

The leaders are now fully engaged in implementing over 40 inter-faith community projects. Projects range from enlisting youth in the joint repair of cemeteries for each faith group, to a mushroom growing project for women, to computer classes for mixed youth, to Tamil and Sinhalese language classes. Together with our Sri Lankan partner, Sarvodaya, the leaders have also produced and distributed 4,000 inter-faith calendars with holidays and traditions from all four faith groups. They are planning radio and television discussions on reconciliation, a children’s book of peace stories from their respective traditions, exchanges with religious leaders from other parts of the country, and a national conference on inter-faith peacebuilding.

Support Social Enterprise in Boston! Warehouse Bookstore Spring Cleaning Benefit - April 27 - 29 2012

More Than Words is a non-profit social enterprise that empowers youth to take charge of their lives by taking charge of a business.  While successfully delivering on their primary social mission they also deliver on their secondary green mission-the reuse and preservation of books, CD's DVD's and video games. 

On the last weekend of April the youth and the staff at the More Than Words will be trying to collect 10,000 donations at their store. 

Prospective donors are encouraged to instead of adding waste to our landfills, give it to a great program that is helping youth reach outcomes. 

More Than Words

242 E. Berkley St. 2nd Floor

Boston, MA 02118

617-674-5555

Boston Women Working for Oceans Event - Plastics in the Ocean & Plastics in You

Growing research around plastics shows that exposure to toxic chemicals are linked to cancer, infertility and other health concerns - not to mention seeping into the ocean and its food chain. On April 10, 2012, luncheon held at the New England Aquarium IMAX Theater and co-led by Dianna Cohen, founder of the Plastics Pollution Coalition and Kathleen Frith, a Harvard Medical School sustainable food expert, will explore the topic.  The event, entitled “Plastics in the Ocean and Plastics in You,” is hosted by Women Working for Oceans, W2O, a local organization that aims to promote healthy and sustainable oceans through education that inspires advocacy and action.

“Disposable plastic appears to be a cheaper option, but there are invisible costs to our health, environment and ocean,” Cohen said. Cohen, an internationally shown Los Angeles-based visual artist, uses recycled plastic bags as her primary medium in artworks, sculptures, and installations. Cohen works to raise awareness about the toxic implications of plastic pollution and provides simple solutions to cut down the amount of single-use plastic used and thrown away.

PPC’s Plastic Free Campus initiative works with high school and colleges to reduce and hopefully eliminate plastic bottles, cups, straws, utensils, and other food packaging. Frith is managing director of the Center for Health and the Global Environment at Harvard and runs the center’s Healthy and Sustainable Food Program that educates the public on food that is healthy for humans and the environment.

W2O was founded by Barbara Burgess and Donna Hazard, both of Weston, who wanted to mobilize and educate the community about how the health of the world’s oceans affects nearly all aspects of our lives. “The oceans are the lungs of our planet,” said Burgess, a member of the New England Aquarium Board of Oversees. “You just can't have healthy humans without healthy oceans. There are easy, simple steps we all can take to help eliminate the plastic waste that clogs our oceans and waterways. We can all be a part of the solution.”

Tickets for the April 10 event cost $55 and include lunch. The event will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the New England Aquarium IMAX Theater, Central Wharf, Boston. For more information and tickets visit http://womenworkingforoceans.org/, call 617-226-2143 or email womenworkingforoceans@gmail.com.

Global Warming or Global Weirding?

By Angela Herring

Auroop Ganguly — an associate professor of civil and environmental engineering who heads Northeastern’s Sustainability and Data Sciences Lab — explains how global climate change and extreme weather, such as hurricanes and heat waves, could affect water sustainability, critical infrastructures and human health.

What is the difference between global "weirding" and global warming? 

Global weirding, a term coined by Rocky Mountain Institute co-founder Hunter Lovins and popularized by New York Times op-ed columnist Tom Friedman, primarily concerns climate extremes. In certain situations, these need to be defined in terms of their impact on natural, engineered and human ecosystems. 

Global warming, which addresses changes in average global temperature, does not begin to convey the range of severe weather-related events and changes in weather patterns that can occur as a consequence of climate change. 

Depending on the trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions, average global temperatures could rise between 2°F and 11°F by the end of the century. But in Boston, for example, temperatures can fluctuate more than that in a single day. So why should that much global warming matter? 
Global weirding is a concise way to express why. When we talk about average temperatures rising at the scale of the entire globe and over long time periods, the consequences on heat waves, heavy rainfall, or water stresses, for example, can be severe across different regions of the world. 

In terms of climate change, is it surprising that this winter has been so warm?
This winter’s weather may not necessarily relate to climate change. First of all, science cannot conclusively link climate change to any single severe weather event, or even one unusually warm or cold season. Second, just as one single cold winter does not dispute climate change, similarly one single warm winter does nothing to reinforce our degree of belief in climate change.

While seasonal fluctuations over specific regions of the earth may occur for a variety of naturally occuring reasons, climate change refers to a longer-term trend in the average global temperature. This does not imply that climate change may not cause a seasonal warming over a specific region, just that current science does not afford that level of precision when delineating between the consequences of natural variability versus long-term change. 

The culprit of the recent warm U.S. winter is most likely variations in a climate phenomenon known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). The positioning of this year’s jet stream has resulted in warmer temperatures and lower precipitation because of fewer incidences of clashing warm and cold fronts. The NAO, which influences the jet-stream air current, has experienced unusually low pressure this year. What caused the pressure drop in the NAO this year? Some speculate that global-warming-related loss of Arctic sea ice may be the driver. 

Which other weather events play into "global weirding?”
Last year, research suggested that about seven percent of the intensification of heavy rainfall globally is a consequence of climate change. Our own research on heat waves showed that while geographical variability of heat waves is uncertain, the rising trends in the projected intensity, frequency and duration of heat waves are unmistakable.

On the other hand, our more recent research suggested that cold snaps may persist well into the end of this century. Thus, while the overall climate trend is one of warming, and heat waves are projected to intensify, extreme cold events on the average may continue to be as severe and long-lasting as they are currently.

The other aspect of the global weirding phenomenon is its impact on infrastructure, resources, species diversity and the economy. The impact of a warmer world and exacerbated extremes can be severe on both water and food security, especially in the more vulnerable parts of the world. According to the United States global Change Research Program, the consequences of climate change for the U.S. will include stressed water resources, challenges to crop and livestock production, storm surges in coastal areas and threats to human health.

 

Photo by Mary Knox Merrill

Mass Audubon Launches Online Resource for K - 12 Environmental Education

 

Mass Audubon, New England’s largest conservation organization and a leader in nature-based education for more than 60 years, this month debuts a new, easy-to-use online program catalog for teachers, science coordinators, administrators and others looking for educational enrichment programs and field trips.

The programs—easily searchable by grade, topic, and framework— align with Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education curriculum frameworks. The online catalog provides detailed information on lessons conducted by Mass Audubon’s educators. Programs are offered at Mass Audubon’s statewide network of wildlife sanctuaries as well as at offsite locations including, classrooms, libraries, and other settings.

The array of environmental education programs includes many that are already designed and others that can be customized. In addition, the user-friendly resource will offer a printed lesson plan summary suitable for sharing with colleagues or for use in funding requests.

Mass Audubon’s reputation for innovative environmental education has prompted praise from teachers, parents, and students. Sema Arakelian, a second-grade teacher at the Davis Elementary School in Bedford, said her students have benefited significantly from experiential programs conducted by Mass Audubon educators.

“The excitement they bring to our work have engaged both students and teachers, significantly enhancing our curriculum and learning experiences,” Arakelian said. “This programming has enabled the teaching staff to bring our science units to life with real, hands-on experiences that add meaningful depth to our students’ learning.”

Mass Audubon sanctuaries are still booking school and group programs for spring 2012. To access the online catalog and view current offerings, please visit www.massaudubon.org/education.

 

Call for Presentation Proposals - 8th Annual Northeast Permaculture Convergence

The 8th annual Northeast Permaculture Convergence, taking place on July 13-15 2012 at the Soule Homestead Education Center in Middleborough, MA, is announcing a call for presentation proposals.

Workshops/Presentations will take place on Saturday, July 14th 2012. There are four sessions, starting at 9 AM and ending at 5:15 PM. Sessions are 1 hour and 15 minutes long.   For more information, and to submit a proposal online, go to: http://bit.ly/2012NEConvergenceSessionProposal or visit the conference website: http://northeastconvergence.wordpress.com/

Innovative Conference Explores the Growing Market of Social Enterprise - March 16-17

 

We're excited to announce that on March 16-17, 2012, Social Venture Partners Rhode Island (SVPRI), Brown’s Social Innovation Initiative, and Entrepreneurship Program at Brown University will host the Social Enterprise Ecosystem and Economic Development (SEEED) Summit at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island.

 
CT and Boston GreenScene plan to be there - Register here and join us!

SEEED will convene a national audience of social entrepreneurs, innovators, civic leaders, legislators, academics and students to explore the role of social enterprise in economic development. SEEED creates a needed platform to share models and explore the increasingly important role of social enterprise in our local, national and global economy.

“When visionary Americans apply their entrepreneurial spirit to today’s most pressing issues, they challenge us to rethink how business and government can work together and grow the economy in Rhode Island and around the globe,” said Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, Honorary Chair of the Event. “I applaud SVPRI and Brown for convening some of our nation’s leading innovators—including many talented Rhode Islanders—and look forward to participating in this conversation.”

SEEED features national thought leaders as speakers, panelists and as well as interdisciplinary workshops aimed at sharing best practices and developing future public policy suggestions on the state and federal level. Speakers include Tracy Palandjian, CEO of Social Finance, Inc. John Maeda, President of RISD, Martin Keen, Principal & Owner Keen Design Studio, Bill Strathmann, CEO of Network For Good, and Michael Brown, CEO and Co-founder of City Year. Topics to be discussed at SEEED, include: Impact Investing, Research, Ecosystem Models, Workforce Development, and New Innovations among many others.

“One exciting aspect of SEEED is the fact that this is the first convening of the growing number of organizations from across the nation which are working to support social enterprise. Our goal is to create a network of these ecosystem builders that can work together to better understand the national impact of social enterprise and advance the agenda,” said Kelly Ramirez, CEO of SVPRI.

Enter to Win: Mass Chapter of USGBC Recognizes Innovative Green Buildings & Products

Green innovations that move Massachusetts forward are the focus of the 5th annual Innovation in Green Design Award (IGDA), given each year by the Massachusetts Chapter of the US Green Building Council (www.usgbcma.org). The two categories of awards given each year – one for buildings and building related innovations, and one for products and technologies - demonstrate the best forward-looking ideas in replicable and cost effective settings in Massachusetts.

The award is now open for submissions. The deadline is 5:00 p.m. on March 30th.

A jury of highly regarded Massachusetts practitioners and thinkers will pick the winners for 2012, with the awards presented at the 2012 USGBC MA Earth Day Party on April 12th. For more information, contact Suzanne Abbott sabbott@usgbcma.org or Jim Newman 617-699-7323
jim@linneansolutions.com

The IGDA continues to grow in breadth and importance as a showcase for the state of Massachusetts. The 17 submissions from last year ranged from a student run project to create furniture from plastic bags, submitted by Artists for Humanity, to a two-building LEED Gold commercial development in Waltham, submitted by Margulies Peruzzi Architects. Last year’s submissions also included a number of policy projects, as well, from the Green Building Guidelines for the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, to a green roof study for the City of Boston – one of last year’s winners.

Excess Clutter? Attend SalemRecycles Bookswap!

 

Bring your excess books, greeting cards, and commercial CDs, DVDs and videos to the Salem Book Swap!  Items will be loosely categorized to help you in your hunt for free entertainment. All ‘unswapped’ items will be reused or recycled.

SalemRecycles is the City’s volunteer recycling committee, working to increase recycling and encourage positive recycling practices through educational outreach and special events.  Through the last five Book Swaps, SalemRecycles has hosted over 700 participants; recycled over 16,000 books, and diverted 8 tons of materials from landfills.

When: Saturday, March 10, 2012 10 am - 1 pm. *Bookdealers please wait until noon.

Where: Salem Senior Center 5 Broad Street, Salem Massachusetts

Drop-Off: Friday, March 9, 2012 6 pm - 7 pm at the Senior Center OR March 10, during book swap hours.

For more information about SalemRecycles or the Book Swap, please call (978)-619-5679 or visit www.salem.com/recycling or www.greensalem.com.

Boston Green Redevelopment: 82 Unit Project on the Way

By Emma Crawford

Have you ever thought it would be nice to live in a "green" apartment in Boston? Well now you can. Recently, a local organization focused on sustainable community development inititated the renovation of 82 different units of family and affordable housing in Jamaica Plain and Roxbury.

The project was put into motion by Urban Edge, a community development corporation who specializes in sustainable and diverse communities. Urban Edge is known for its strong work in the past, helping to get LEED certification and remodel a number of affordable apartments in Boston. Just six months ago, they completed a green remodel of over 100 rental apartments in the Dorchester and Jamaica Plain areas.

Their most recent project is another step along the path of the Urban Edge “integrated green” development initiative that provides low cost, environmentally sound housing which has gained lots of traction since their first project launched in 2006, which incorporated renewable energy into Egleston Crossing, a mixed-use building.

The focus of their most recent project will be an upgrade in structure and building systems, combined with alterations to meet LEED rating systems. Urban Edge will use benchmarking analysis and energy audits in an effort to help the community to meet their long term sustainability goals.

In early stages of the energy audits, Urban Edge (UE) found that the buildings were currently using anywhere from 10 to 60 percent more gas than similar-sized buildings. They also discovered that the buildings were using twice as much water.

Some goals include a 25 percent decrease in gas consumption by replacing boilers with efficiency water heating systems. Eight of the buildings will also receive new roofing systems, and the apartments will don Energy Star appliances and fixtures.

Residents will also enjoy the benefit of new bathrooms, laundry resources, insulation and remodeled kitchen areas -- while remaining affordable.

 

Meet the Author Event - Boston's Gardens & Green Spaces

Join local author Meg Muckenhoupt as she travels through the verdant world of her book, Boston’s Gardens & Green Spaces during our first “Meet the Authors” series, presented in collaboration with Old South Meeting House.

This captivating lecture examines the role of public spaces throughout Boston’s historic and contemporary landscape. Rediscover the city through its most revered historic parks and explore its ever-expanding network of public spaces. Listen as the author takes you on a fascinating journey through green Boston, past to present—and all nature lovers, gardening enthusiasts, and history buffs should be sure to come along for the ride.

When: Wednesday, February 8, 2012  @ 5:30 pm

Where: Old South Meeting House 310 Washington Street

Admission: free for Boston Preservation Alliance and Old South Meeting House members; $10 for non-members. Members and non-members may both register securely here. For more information, please email Christine Piontek or call 617-367-2458.

Come Play a Hands-On Role in the Grassroots Healthcare Revolution!

Farm to Pharmacy is an innovative internship program that takes place at Goldthread Herb Farm and Apothecary in the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains in western Massachusetts. Educational and life changing, the internship offers participants the chance to play a pi votal role in the Grassroots Healthcare Revolution. Find unparalleled communion with the medicinal plants themselves as well as a community that emphasizes sustainable, non-toxic and cost effective healthcare grounded in organic agriculture and empowered self-care for all.

Goldthread offers interns the rare opportunity to learn fundamentals of both traditional medicine and plant cultivation side by side. Synthesizing Chinese, Ayurvedic and Western herbal traditions, our educational offerings are a comprehensive compliment to the abundance of time spent outdoors. We welcome herbal medicine students from all walks of life and are happy to facilitate college credit where possible.

During this experiential seven-month program, students divide their day at Goldthread’s organic herb farm between classes in herbal theories and supervised work with the plants in over 3 acres of fields. Educational herb walks in the learning garden to practice identification and discuss botanical characteristics will compliment lectures and coursework. Subjects range from the major classifications and their specific healing properties to the medicinal applications for a wide variety of medical conditions.

Over the course of the growing season interns will participate in all aspects of plant cultivation from preparing beds and planting seeds through to harvest and beyond. Interns will learn to process and prepare herbal medicines transforming freshly harvested flowers, leaves and roots into tinctures, syrups, teas, salves, elixirs and oils for our apothecary.

Included in the internship program are many additional learning opportunities taking place off the farm at our apothecary in Florence and in the wider community. Goldthread offers lectures and demonstrations in many specific areas and aspects of healing with monthly themes and outreach programs. Join us as we supply local low-income community gardens with seedlings or sit in on an elaborate discussion of the benefits of an herbal spring cleaning program. The wider community of the Pioneer Valley itself is brimming with opportunities to further your immersion into a culture of true sustainability in action.

Upon completion of the program, interns come away with an extensive understanding of the theories of herbal healing, the agricultural training to cultivate the major medicinal herbs in their own space, and the practical skills to apply their new knowledge and begin healing themselves and their families.

Dates: Wednesdays 9-4 , April 11th -October 10.
Work study is available and will begin on March 15.

Tuition: $2450. Pay in full before March 15th and save 10%.
A non-refundable 25% deposit is required to hold space.

See our website for more details: www.goldthreadapothecary.com

RFP Open for Local Sustainability Community Matching Fund

JAMAICA PLAIN, Mass. -- In partnership with the Urban Sustainability Directors Network, the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities has announced the formation of the Local Sustainability Matching Fund. The Fund has been created with leadership support from four Network members: the Kendeda Fund, the New York Community Trust, the Summit Foundation, and the Surdna Foundation.

The purpose of the Local Sustainability Matching Fund is twofold: to catalyze partnerships between local government sustainability directors and local, place-based foundations, including community foundations, and to advance important community-based sustainability initiatives. The Fund will provide partnership investments between $25,000 and $75,000, with a 1:1 match required by one or more local foundation. The Network anticipates that the Fund will support up to ten partnership projects in the first year in two rounds in the spring and fall of 2012.

The application deadline for the first round is March 5th, and the Request for Proposals can be downloaded here. Applications must be submitted in MS Word and use the application Cover Sheet. The Network will host a conference call to provide more information on the fund and review the selection criteria. The call will be held on January 24th, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.

A selection committee comprised of foundation representatives and urban sustainability directors will make selection decisions on behalf of the matching fund, and awards will be announced on May 5, 2012.

SOURCE: Funder's Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities

Jay Leno's Garage hosts EV Expert, Jim Motavalli!

by Heather Burns

Connecticut resident and former Editor for E the Environmental Magazine, Jim Motavalli, has been a long-time proponent and expert of EV's. Check out Jim's new book, High Voltage: The Fast Track to Plug in the Auto Indusry.

Jim predicts that by 2020, 10 percent of all new vehicles will be either electric or plug ins. Jay goes on to say that the Chevy Volt is "the perfect car because it's electricy when you want it and gas when you need it."

 

See more in this engaging video in Jay's garage.

WHERE ARE ALL THE GREEN JOBS WE KEEP HEARING ABOUT?

by Kate Waller

It seems like every time you turn on the TV, another politician is making shiny new promises.  From healthcare, to balancing the budget, to defense strategy, everyone has an angle.  But one thing that they all seem to agree on is that America needs jobs – and lots of ‘em.

The Obama Administration in particular pins its hopes on green jobs.  They paint a picture of a carbon-neutral American Utopia where well-paid technicians happily install solar panels, highly educated engineers design new automotive technologies and every home whirs along in Prius-like silence as Smart Meters monitor electricity use.

So where are all these green jobs?

Native Plant Fundraiser @ Mass Audubon’s Moose Hill Nature Center

LOCAL PLANTS are vital for the health of our eco-systems. Why? Partially because many insects do not eat from nor reproduce on plants that are not native. That means that the primary source of food for our birds is restricted by a decline in the insects they eat. The good news? On June 4-5, 2011 you can help raise money to support conservation and do your part to help encourage a healthy backyard eco-system.

Mass Audubon has plants that attract hummingbirds and butterflies, and plants that are almost impossible to kill!  Native plants are the environmentally sound gardening choice since they are naturally found in our area; they tolerate our New England weather conditions (occasional drought, cold winters, and seasonal rains) better than other plants that may need more care.

Join us on Saturday, June 4, and Sunday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (while supplies last) for our eighth annual Native Plant Fundraiser.  A large variety of native wildflowers, ferns, shrubs, trees and groundcover will be available for purchase. There will be 30 to 50 individual plants for sale for most species. Most plants are only $7 each, planting and growing Information will be available for all plants. Plants for sale include: Cardinal Flower, Joe Pyeweed, Wild Bergamont, Meadowsweet, Poverty Grass, Indian Grass, Spotted Horsemint, Black-Eyed Susan, Mayapple, Columbine, Jack in the Pulpit, Wild Geranium, Solomon’s Seal, Red Trillium, Yellow Trillium, White Trillium, Bird’s Foot Violet, Purple Coneflower, Christmas Fern, Maidenhair fern, Hay-scented Fern, Lowbush BlueberryBayberry, Mountain Laurel, Witchhazel, and more. All proceeds help to sustain Moose Hill’s educational programs. Bring a tray or box to transport your plants to your car.

Moose Hill is located at 293 Moose Hill St, Sharon. Please call 781-784-5691 for any details.

Boston GreenScene Says, “LevelUp your Earth Day” and Fuel Local Business!

Beantown is FULL of eco-conscious businesses offering high-quality products that are Earth friendly and sustainable, which is why Boston Green Scene is partnering with The LevelUp, a solution from local Cambridge-based, Google-funded SCVNGR.

LevelUp your Earth Day uses discounts to encourage customer loyalty - starting with b.good, who offers REAL fast-food. Their delicious burgers, shakes and sides are made by people, not factories. It’s feel-good food, too -- b.good makes all of their food in-house and sources their all-natural ingredients from local family farms (even their sauces are homemade!) Be sure to try their amazing Sweet Potato fries!

Though a regular LevelUp encourages customers to LevelUp at one business, today, LevelUp will launch “LevelUp your Earth Day” linking three businesses with a dedication to local products and sustainability. The purpose is to celebrate Earth Day and get the word out about LevelUp and local businesses.

LevelUp reps will be at the Earth Fest concert on the Rose Kennedy Greenway April 22, 2011 from 12 to 3 to pass out recycled LevelUp Frisbees and get people excited about organizations right here in Boston that help the Earth. Hopefully this will be the first of many partnerships with LevelUp and Boston Green Scene to encourage more people to visit (and become loyal to) local Boston business!

Remodeling Green in Boston: Improving Sustainability and Overall Health

By Krista Peterson

With Boston being one of the most history-rich cities in the nation, proper preservation and use of building materials is a matter of more importance in this city. There are some decisions in building creation that are having an effect on the health consequences of inhabitants in certain dwellings. The use of sustainable green products in remodeling, preservation, and building construction could help prevent residents from health problems such as lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases.

Going green has been considered more of a luxury and not so much of a cost effective choice in the past. As the lifestyle choice is showing monetary savings, it’s also having a duel effect on our health. While asbestos use hasn’t been common for a few decades, with a number of buildings built before the 1980’s in Boston, the use of asbestos in construction was normal and commonplace for a number of local structures. Being aware of the consequences of possible asbestos materials would be particularly beneficial to long-term health for residents and building owners.

In some older buildings and structures, asbestos related substances are being released. Employees and families in older buildings may have direct exposure to mesothelioma symptoms as a result. Lung Cancer and mesothelioma life expectancy are not issues to be taken lightly.

Residents and building owners in Boston should take a look at whether or not there structures may contain asbestos related materials. Replacing these with sustainable materials would not only be energy efficient, but great for long-term health.

Image courtesy of ct.gov.

BU Students Jumpstart Slow Food Movement

Boys and Girls Planting for Health will be held at the Boys and Girls Club of Boston's Blue Hill Club on Wednesday, April 6, 2011 starting at 9 a.m. The event, organized and run by Nature's Sustainers, a community relations class from Boston University, will be held to help Blue Hill Club build a working garden to teach its members about responsibility, healthy living, sustainability and the slow food movement.

Nature's Sustainers will build Blue Hill Club raised bed gardens and provide the Club with necessary gardening tools. The group of 10 students, four graduate and six undergraduate, will do this by finding sponsorships and partnerships as well as soliciting monetary and in-kind donations. In addition, Nature's Sustainers will bring in individuals from local organizations and businesses to talk to the staff and members of Blue Hill Club about the importance of the slow food movement and healthy living.

Once Nature's Sustainers build the gardens, a group of 10-15 Boston-based middle schoolers who will make up the Gardening Club will be responsible for tending to the gardens during the school year. During the summer, every camp program will work in the gardens.

The food produced will be used in Blue Hill Club's kitchen. The kitchen feeds about 250 kids and teens a night and the plants and vegetables will be used to supplement donations from the Greater Boston Food Bank, which provides all the food. This aspect of the slow food movement will teach the Club members how to grow their own plants and vegetables to incorporate into their daily diet.

For more information, contact Samantha Rajotte at samantha.rajotte@gmail.com or (860) 384-3615.

Blue Hill Club is a member of the Boys and Girls Club of Boston. Founded in 1995 and located in Dorchester, the Club annually serves over 1,400 youth ages 6-18 in Dorchester and Mattapan. Blue Hill Club seeks to provide every child and teen the skills and confidence to succeed.

Nature's Sustainers is a community relations student-run organization based out of Boston University’s College of Communication. With the help of local non-profits, we seek to encourage local children to learn about and participate in the slow food movement. Nature's Sustainers' mission is to encourage Boston’s children to grow fruitful gardens that will inspire them to live a healthy lifestyle and appreciate nature. 

 

MassRecycle and the MassDEP 2011 Conference & Trade Show

Advancing Recycling & Organics Management: A Sustainable Future explores many cutting-edge topics:

Compost Marketing Workshop
Monday, March 28, 9:00 - 4:00

Wrentham, MA

   

Conference & Trade Show:
Tuesday, March 29, 8:00 - 4:30
Holiday Inn Conference Center, Boxborough, MA

Compost Facility Tours
Wednesday, March 30, 10:00 - 2:00
Jordan Farm, Rutland

For more information, contact Elizabeth Rose at 617.312.5671 or programs@massrecycle.org

It's World Poopin Day!

Via Mashable

On March 13, 2011 you — our dear reader — will have a chance to poop on your friends. For charity. As strange as it may sound, “World Poopin’ Day” is a pretty smart way of mixing social media with under-served water sanitation issues.

“Poopin” can refer to one of two things. In net-speak, it is the term used for sending messages through a friend’s Twitter or Facebook account when they’ve left their cell phone unattended. There is even a list of rules associated with poopin, like “2. Stealth is rewarded” or “6. Accept defeat with grace and dignity.” The anatomical definition of pooping is, well, yeah.

Yeah, poop is funny, but it’s not funny,” World Poopin Day spokesperson, Cybele Diamandopoulos said. “Humor is definitely key, but we don’t want to lose sight of what we’re doing.” The stats are a little shocking. According to Water.org, more people on the planet have a cellphone than have a toilet. The water in American toilets is cleaner than nearly 1 billion people have to drink. Each year, diarrhea kills more young children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined. To put that in perspective, the world loses 70,000 classrooms of kindergartners every year due to diarrhea.

That discomfort with talking about poop is actually core to World Poopin Day, an awareness campaign benefitting Water.org and GiveLove to drive awareness to water sanitation issues, especially in developing countries, like Haiti. There, we've partnered with GiveLove to create a design collaborative called HaitiOnward, to bring sustainable solutions to the people of Haiti.

You can join the cause by signing up at WorldPoopinDay.com using your Facebook or Twitter account. Accounts will be randomly poopin’d at some point on March 13 from a selection of five messages expressing support for water sanitation issues. The posts will share the hashtag #poopin along with information highlighting the issues and a call to donate. You can also text “poopin” to 27722 to make a $10 donation.

Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them

by Heather Burns

About ten years ago, I sold everything I owned and set off around the world with only a one-way plane ticket and what would fit into a backpack. I was young, naive and full of hope about what the world had to offer. I bounced around from Athens to Malaysia to Laos to Cambodia, and finally settled on a 21-square kilometer island. There, I completed Dive Master training and got a job working at a local dive shop.

I logged nearly 300 dives in the saphire waters of the Gulf of Thailand and knew where every grouper and clown fish colony hung out. I also noticed when the coral began to turn white nearly overnight and the fish I'd come to love, disappeared. Little did I know, the dramatic decline in the ecosystems I adored was part of a much larger issue.

Ten years and a few eco-awakenings later, I'm still full of hope - as my belief that the power of the human spirit, when applied collectively and collaboratively, can heal the world - but it will take commitment and action. That's why what activist and actor Ted Danson has to say in his new book, Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them, (released March 15, 2011) is top on my reading list.

 

Book Trailer: 'Oceana' by Ted Danson from Oceana on Vimeo.

Carroon, Snow and McKibben : Great Events to Get Involved

Sustainable Preservation - The Power of Preservation and Reuse as a Green Strategy:  Jean Carroon

March 23, 7 PM at Trinity Church, Boston.
Co-sponsored by Trinity Church and the Boston Society of Architects

Buildings account for nearly 40% of all U.S. energy use and carbon emissions. With one of the country’s leading preservation architects as your guide, the lecture will explore the power of adaptive reuse to reduce those numbers and move us toward sustainability.  Sustainable Preservation makes a compelling argument that preservation and sustainability don’t just protect the environment, but deliver a full range of societal benefits, from job creation to stronger social connection.  Jean Carroon, FAIA, LEED® AP is a principal in Goody Clancy's highly regarded preservation practice and has earned national recognition for her expertise in applying sustainable-design technology to historic buildings. Tickets $15 ($10 BSA and Trinity Church members and students), available 617.536.0944 x225 or sustainablepreservation.eventbrite.com. Book-signing to follow.

Working with Stone- Creating a Connection with the Spirit of Place: Dan Snow                          
March 30, 7 PM at Trinity Church, Boston.
Co-sponsored Trinity Church and The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

The gardener's perspective is the perfect loci for seeking inward and reaching outward, for ordering the experience of time and space, and observing higher orders. Dan Snow is a designer of outdoor spaces in stone, and an art maker specializing is dry stone constructions. He is the author of In the Company of Stone and Listening to Stone—Hardy Structures, Perilous Follies, and Other Tangles with Nature and the subject of the PBS documentary, Stone Rising.  Tickets $20 member, $25 non member, available  at 617.536.0944 x225 or online www.arboretum.harvard.edu. Book-signing to follow.

The Earth Is Our Garden: Bill McKibben
April 7, 7 pm, Trinity Church, Boston.
Co-sponsored Trinity Church and The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University

Bill McKibben is one the most recognized defenders of our planet and chronicler of how we could better inhabit it. His newest book, Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet, is his latest plea for each of us to consider deeply how we tread upon this earth. In 2010 the Boston Globe called McKibben "probably the nation's leading environmentalist” and Time magazine described him as "the world's best green journalist."  In 2009 he led the organization of 350.org, which coordinated what CNN called "the most widespread day of political action in the planet's history" with 5,200 simultaneous demonstrations in 181 countries.  Tickets $20 member, $25 non member, available at The Shop at Trinity (206 Clarendon Street, lower level), by phone (617.536.0944 x225) or online www.arboretum.harvard.edu. Book-signing to follow.

Common Good Market Makes Common Sense

by Heather Burns

Have you ever bought something just because it was a good deal? Over the years, I’ve been guilty of “retail therapy,” like buying discounted designer shoes that were a half size too small; plastic, disposable toys made in China because they were 4 for $1; and a new comforter (full of fire retardants) with each new season that fell apart within months.  While these “bargains” may have temporarily quelled my urge to consume, not only did they mean nothing to me 5 minutes after walking out of the store, they came attached to an enormous ecological price tag.

My awareness has grown over time and I've made progress toward becoming a more conscious shopper (mostlly by avoiding places like the mall altogether), but Rick and Elizabeth Conrad, co-founders of Common Good Market have a mantra: buy things made to last by people who live and work in your community. An online marketplace of artisan-crafted home goods sourced and assembled in New England, Common Good Market has a vision of connectivity that inspires.

Quality vs. Quantity

“When we focus on buying items based on quality, beauty and utility – we surround ourselves with things that serve our needs and that we treasure, value and pass on,” Conrad says. “I’ve been married for thirty years and like a lot of people in that situation, we’ve accumulated a lot of stuff that has or will end up in the waste stream. Instead, we can buy things made by people whose story we know and whose work we love.”

Conscious consumer advocates would argue that this type of “conscious consumerism”—that is understanding that value extends beyond price – is more personally rewarding and has far less negative impact on the environment than purchasing disposable or products that suffer from planned obsolescence.

Building a Living Economy

And it’s not just the environment that benefits from products like those featured by Common Good Market – the local economy is also positively impacted by purchasing locally-sourced, handmade or small batch manufactured goods. “When we choose to buy a table made by a local artisan using sustainably harvested woods, we will absolutely spend more money on that table than we would spend for a table at the chain furniture store. The table at the chain may look nice and may even be made from solid, sustainably harvested wood. But if the table is imported, then how did that purchase support our local workforce? How much of what we spent went back to support the people living and working in our own neighborhood,” says Conrad.

“Visit our site (www.commongoodmarket.com) and read artisan profiles about the lives, passion and dedication of the artisans we’ve come to know and love,” Conrad says.

GREENING YOUR SUPERBOWL PARTY

Grab your favorite football jersey and park yourself in front of the tube for a face-off with the Steelers and the Packers. Planning on having some friends join you, too? Here are some tips to help you make your party eco-friendly. Thanks to Sustainability Ninja, eHow.com, and Earth911.com, we've got a nice little list to keep you green and clean this February 6th.

• Use cloth napkins and resuable dishes and glassware.
• Recycle your bottles and cans or think about getting a keg and have extra glasses on hand.
• Serve local and organic foods. You can make some kick-ass vegetarian chili without destroying your carbon footprint.
• Send e-vites, e-mail, or text for invitation. It doesn't hurt to pick up the phone once in a while either.
• Skip the decorations. They're only going to end up in the trash anyway, so why bother? Try candles or Chinese lanterns. Choose from what you already have on hand to make your space more festive.
• Don't order take-out and give any leftovers to a local food bank.

Whatever your plans are for Super Bowl LXV, there are a number of ways to have fun and still maintain a green lifestyle. Have any other tips we didn't mention here? Leave a comment and let our other readers know!

Image courtesy of NFL.com via Associated Press.

Event: Greening Government Center

 

What will Boston's Government Center look like in the next ten, twenty, or even fifty years?  The Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA) is partnering with private firms and local experts to ensure that Government Center and City Hall Plaza is green and accessible to all.  In December 2010, a three-day charrette was held on the re-design and now the BRA and several key stakeholders want to share these plans with the local community at a public event on Monday, February 7th.

Tim Love of Utile Inc. will be presenting the key recommendations and ideas from the charrette, and Tim Love and Gary Hilderbrand of Reed Hilderbrand will discuss their thoughts on the next steps for the green redesign of Government Center. Alex Krieger of Chan Krieger NBBJ and Ted Landsmark of the Boston Architectural College will be sitting on a panel to provide feedback on the design and recommendations. As in the last symposium, the event will provide a chance for the public to ask questions of the presenters and panel, as well as share their thoughts on the Greening of Government Center.  Should be a great event and we hope to see you there!

 

Who: You, open to the public

When: Monday, February 7th, 4:00-6:00 PM

Where: Modern Theatre, 523-525 Washington Street in Downtown Crossing, Boston

Contact: Boston Redevelopment Authority

Cost: Free 

 

EVENT: Eco-Municipalities Lecture

What do Hanover, New Hampshire, Madison, Wisconsin, Lawrence Township, New Jersey, and over 70 cities and towns in Sweden have in common?  

Answer: They are all Eco-Municipalities. 

At this event, learn how eco-municipalities are taking a comprehensive approach to sustainable change, as opposed to carrying out a collection of disparate sustainable development projects.  This event will feature speaker Sarah James, Institute for Eco-Municipality Education and Assistance (IEMEA) and a brief report from Vice Mayor Henrietta Davis about her participation in the European Capital Cities Conference in Stockholm, Sweden. 

Who: You

When: Thursday, February 3rd, 7:00 PM

Where: Main Library Auditorium, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, Lowest Level (L2 in elevator)

Contact: www.instituteforecomunicipalities.org  

Cost: Free 

EVENT: HEET WEATHERIZATION BARNRAISING

If you're looking to keep your 2011 New Year's resolution to volunteer in your community more often or to be more environmentally aware, the team at HEET has the perfect event for you.

Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) is a grassroots nonprofit that organizes free weatherization parties to teach volunteers hands-on how to lower their energy bills and carbon emissions.  HEET consults with energy experts to pass on accurate information and aims to build community, create social marketing for energy efficiency and help facilitate exchanges of ideas.  Volunteer work includes weatherizing doors, sealing windows, caulking air leaks, and programing thermostats.  You can pitch in to help a neighbor, learn skills to help you save money at home, fight climate change, and meet other concerned Bay Staters!   No previous work experience required.

Who: Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) 

When: Saturday, January 29th, 2011, from 12:30-5:00pm

Where: First Church of Cambridge, 11 Garden St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Contact: heetma.com

Cost: Free

 

Solar Boston

Between the lack of national comprehensive climate change legislation and the negative headlines surrounding Evergreen Solar's recent departure from Massachusetts, it can be difficult to remember that there are still good green projects and investments being made here in Boston.  One interesting project happening in the city is Solar Boston.  

Solar Boston, rolled out in 2008 in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Energy, aims to encourage solar installation throughout Boston and to work with interested parties to ensure all financial incentives are taken into account when considering solar investment.  Boston is one of thirteen cities that was chosen for this program by the Department of Energy and Mayor Menino has set an aggressive goal of increasing Boston's solar output from one-half megawatt today to twenty-five megawatts by 2015.  While the program still has progress to make, Boston is most certainly setting a strong example for other cities in solar energy production in the United states.

To see exactly where the program is having an impact in your area, check out Solar Boston's best new media feature: an interactive map of clean energy projects in the Boston area.