The Great American Book Drive™ to benefit the Prison Book Program and the City Mission Society!
Are your bookshelves bursting at the seams? Do you have books you'd like to donate to a good cause? The Prison Book Program and the City Mission Society are joining forces for the fourth year in a row to make it easier than ever for gently used books to benefit others by presenting The Great American Book Drive™. Let us find your used books a new home! A percentage of the profits from their sale will fund two great programs. It's about literacy, not landfill.
Saturday, November 6th
10 am - 3 pm (rain or shine!)
The NonProfit Center
89 South Street
Boston, MA 02111(directions)
Frustrated about climate change legislation not getting off the ground in D.C.? Concerned about oil spills and the rising ocean levels? Want to work with others in your community to increase awareness about environmental issues? Well, 350.org is inviting you to a party.
On October 10th, the folks at 350.org are hosting what they are calling a Global Work Party, and they want you to come. Or better yet, to throw your own party. According to 350.org founder, Bill McKibben:
"On 10/10/10 we'll show that we the people can do this--but we need bold energy policies from our political leaders to do it on a scale that truly matters. The goal of the day is not to solve the climate crisis one project at a time, but to send a pointed political message: if we can get to work, you can get to work too--on the legislation and the treaties that will make all our work easier in the long run.
It’s been a tough year—but it can be a beautiful day on the 10th Of October if we work together, and party together. And if we do it right, then we’ll take a big step towards the kind of political solutions we desperately need."
To sign up to host an event or to find one in your area, check out the 350.org Action Website.
Let us know if you are planning on hosting an event in the Greater Boston Area and we will make sure the word gets out!
The city of Boston, Massachusetts is one of the most historically significant in the entire United States. From the Boston Tea Party to the famous ride of Paul Revere, Boston was a focal point for America in its fight for Independence from the British. Well known as a center for higher education, Boston and the immediate surrounding area is the home of Harvard, MIT, Boston University, Northeastern and dozens of other colleges and universities. It is also a very beautiful and picturesque city. While there is widespread consensus that it is important to keep Boston beautiful, talk is not enough. Following are 5 ways Boston could be more environmentally friendly.
Alternative Transportation
The city of Boston could pass a law requiring more use of environmentally positive modes of transportation. They would reward good behavior and penalize non-compliance. You don't have to drive a car to get around the city. Cars are a major source of air pollution and discouraging their use could have a very positive effect on the environment. Boston has a very good public transportation system that can get you just about anywhere you want or need to go. Instead of driving, you could decide to take the "T" (Boston's subway system) when traveling around Boston and the surrounding cities. Buses can move a large number of people in a much more efficient way than an automobile. As a college town, taking a bike to get from point A to point B, is pretty common and it is environmentally friendly. Finally, Boston is a great walking city. Quincy Marketplace, Cambridge and the riverfront are great places to take a stroll and leave the car behind.
Driving Fuel Efficient Cars
Boston could have an incentive system for driving more fuel efficient cars. They might offer free parking if you have a fuel efficient car or give you a break on your city taxes. Most people still need to drive. If you are going to drive around the city, think about replacing your gas guzzling SUV with a more efficient, smaller car. If you can get 30 miles per gallon, you'll be using less fossil fuel and also saving a bunch of money at the gas pump. Small cars. Hybrid Cars. Electric cars. Buy one and you'll be doing your small part to help Boston be a little more environmentally friendly.
Replace Incandescent Lighting with High Efficiency Lighting
The city of Boston could require all buildings to have energy efficient
lighting or you could get fined.
This is a very simple way to have a big impact on energy usage in
Boston. Lighting technology has been advancing rapidly in recent years.
Those "twisty" light bulbs are now selling for much more affordable
prices then when they were first introduced. Fluorescent lighting
consumes far less energy than incandescent lighting. The most promising
new lighting that can have a mass appeal is LED lighting. If all the
businesses in the tall buildings in the downtown area eventually
converted to LED lighting, it would take only a small fraction of the
energy it now takes to light up the city.
Recycle
The city of Boston could subsidize recycling making it more worthwhile to be conscientious and recycle. They might double the going rate for aluminum cans or set up special recycling stations where it would be convenient for the general public. Save your cans, save your bottles. Cardboard and newspaper can be recycled. Clothes can be recycled too. Instead of always going for "new", consider quality used merchandise.
Stop Littering!
Heavy fines for littering would discourage the careless practice. The city could hire enforcement agents who would be ready to ticket anyone they caught littering. Take it upon yourself to make an effort to throw your trash in a garbage can. When you see a plastic bottle or a stray candy wrapper, pick it up! Deposit it in the nearest receptacle. Do your part to keep Boston environmentally friendly.
Louise Baker is a freelance journalist and blogger who most recently wrote about online degree programs for the Zen College Life blog.
By Dan Burgess
Over the past two months, the members of Boston’s new Community Advisory Committee on Climate Action have been holding Community Workshops throughout the city. These workshops, open to the public, were held to gather community feedback regarding the current draft plan for climate action in Boston.
Broken into two sections, these well-attended community meetings covered Boston’s greenhouse gas reduction goal strategy and ideas on engaging the community. Using keypad polling, the Climate Committee was able to get instant feedback from the audience regarding the Committee's potential policy recommendations. While I haven’t seen the results from the polling, here are a few of the interesting policy suggestions that the Climate Committee is likely to recommend to the Mayor this Spring.
Pay-As-You-Throw: This program, common in numerous places in the United States and even here in Massachusetts, would charge for each bag or container of trash that is thrown out. This would encourage residents to be efficient with their waste and would certainly decrease the amount of non-recyclable waste from our city. While recyclables and food waste would be free, this is certain to be controversial with some Boston residents.
Continue reading "Policy Corner: Building a More Sustainable Boston" »
by Daniel E. Walsh Author of Our Sunday "History & Reflections" Series
The Candy Man makes everything he bakes
satisfying and delicious
Now you talk about your childhood wishes, you can even eat the dishes
Candy Man, Leslie Bricusse and Anthony
Newley, sung by Sammy Davis, Jr
Michael Dwork, while
interning in
VerTerra is
now the realization of that vision. You can view their products online or buy
them at select retailers. The company operates in
Dwork designed a technique for replicating the dishes. He refined the process to make upscale disposable tableware that he felt would resonate with the American consumer.
Though built as a throwaway, the dishes can actually be used many times. The manufacturing process and lack of artificial sealing elements requires Verterra to sell the dishes as throwaways. But, as they report on their website, many of their customers attest to repeated uses.
Continue reading "Composting, Sustainability: Here’s the Dish" »
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