Boston GreenScene

Greening America's Capitals - Boston and Hartford

Two GreenScene cities, Boston and Hartford, selected for inaugural award.

By Dan Burgess

As recently reported by GreenBiz, Boston and Hartford have been chosen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as two of the five cities that will partake in the Greening America’s Capitals program.  This is great news as it means a team of EPA backed designers will visit each city and will create and design plans that promote smart growth and will help ensure the future sustainability for both capitals.  

 

In conjunction with the U.S Department of House and Development and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the EPA will provide all five cities with plans for “high-quality green development that includes cleaning up and recycling vacant lands, accessing and improving waterways, providing greater housing and transportation choices, and reducing infrastructure and energy costs.”  

Specifically, the press release notes that Boston “asked for assistance through EPA Greening America’s Capitals to create realistic greening options for City Hall Plaza that can be realized in the near term. Goals of the redesign will be to create well-defined edges and entrances, provide more bike access and parking, connect the plaza to existing streets, increase green elements such as trees and vegetation for better stormwater management, and support energy efficiency and green building improvements in City Hall and nearby buildings.”

A Shovel Ready Project: Local Agriculture (Part II)

TIME FOR THE COMMONWEALTH TO LEAD AGAIN

by Dan Burgess

As I wrote last week, it is time for Massachusetts to step to the forefront and lead the United States in  developing the country’s first functional regional food chain.  Here’s why.

Agricultural investment is a common sense companion to the economic, environmental, and health care investments that both the state and the federal government are currently making.  By providing money to local farmers, both through creative investment and guaranteed purchases from government programs, we could begin to seriously develop a sustainable regional food system that makes sense for Massachusetts.

Economically, guaranteeing purchases and creatively investing in local agriculture would immediately create jobs in the agriculture sector.  Farmers will plant more and hire more of the currently 8% who are unemployed in Massachusetts.  Investment would also encourage small farms to enter the market, therefore increasing the amount of local food available in communities.  While there would certainly be supply chain challenges for small farmers attempting to distribute goods to urban areas, this is exactly where fresh food is needed most.  Existing supply lanes could be expanded and new avenues of distribution could be created to creatively disseminate the local goods.

Get Listed in Boston GreenScene's Local Green Directory While it's Still Free!

From the Editor's Desk

Looking for things green in Boston? Look no further! Boston GreenScene is working hard to fulfill its commitment to be THE online portal to all things green in Boston and beyond. Whether you are looking for a green builder or architect, a scholarship for environmentally-geared education, green clothing and accessories, a green group to join, green parenting resources, recycling resources, funding for your green project or initiative, or anything else green in the Greater Boston Area or within Massachusetts, Boston GreenScene provides an excellent source of information! Visit our Local Green Directory for all things eco in and around Boston!

If you are a green organization, sell green products, or are otherwise connected to the green movement and are not currently listed with us, contact us today! Listings are currently free, but in order to maintain our service to our readership, we will eventually have to charge! We anticipate instituting a fee in the coming few months. Get grandfathered in today!

SunChips and National Geophraphic to Award Five $20,000 Grants to Local Green Initiatives!

 From the Editor's Desk

Frito-Lay's SunChips brand and National Geographic invite everyone to join them in the Green Effect, an  initiative to inspire people to take small steps to create big change. Because big change starts with small steps, SunChips and National Geographic believe that if each one of us takes a small step to make our community greener, we can create big change for our planet.

To get the movement started, they’re awarding $20,000 grants to five people or groups with compelling ideas for green change. Plus the winners will also be featured in National Geographic magazine and will travel to Washington, DC to share their idea with environmental leaders.

All applicants need to do to be considered is to submit a written essay online.  The deadline is June 8, 2009.

For additional details and to enter, visit www.greeneffect.com. You can also view the Green Effect Flier here:  Download SunChips_GE_Flyer_V3 (pdf).

Good luck!!

Anneli C. Olila

Hello, My Name is LORI

by Sue Kim

Do you know LORI? If you don’t, you should get acquainted. No need to be shy – LORI is super friendly and is frequently seeking to green up local businesses and communities.  You may think you don’t know LORI but actually you have been helping LORI aid others in realizing their renewable energy objectives every time you pay your electricity bill if you live in the Commonwealth.

LORI isn’t a “who” but is actually a “what”. LORI is the acronym for the Massachusetts Renewable Energy Trust’s Large Onsite Renewables Initiative that provides grants to area schools, businesses and communities that seek to install renewable energy systems to power their facilities.

The Bay State & Obama's Economic Stimulus Package

by Robert Mand

The Bay State is, along with the rest of the nation, in a state of economic crisis. President Obama's stimulus plan, (the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) made it through congress. Will it be a windfall for Massachusetts environmentalists and municipalities, or will it fall short? Unfortunately, it seems like a mixed bag. Around 100 billion of the $700 billion plus plan will go towards environmental programs and conservation projects.

The White House claims the plan will create an estimated 80,000 jobs in this state alone. Over $13 billion has been allocated for public transportation. A large chunk of the proposed spending will go towards funding and tax breaks for green initiatives and renewable-energy projects and services. Whether Boston-area green businesses and innovaters will share in the spoils remains to be seen.

Municipalities will be able to use some of the funds for green-friendly upgrades to wastewater systems. Some will be able to clean up areas around landfills, old industrial sites and other environmental hazards using the billion dollars set aside in the bill.

Here Comes the Sun

 by Sue Kim

Massachusetts may be the “Bay State” but due to some very assertive renewable energy initiatives imposed in the last year it could become the next sunshine state!  

If you’re a homeowner or business in the Commonwealth and you’re interested in installing solar electric photovoltaic technology on your property, then you may be eligible for a generous state rebate. The Commonwealth Solar initiative provides non-competitive rebates to PV installations at residential, commercial, industrial, and public facilities in Massachusetts.