Eco Happenings this week

source image courtesy of A Well Traveled Woman

MONDAY 

• Check out ClimateStore's Independence Day Sale

TUESDAY

• Zero Net Energy Buildings: Understanding Costs, Accessing Resources

WEDNESDAY

• Know the basics of living green.

THURSDAY

• Are you lucky enough to have the day off? Visit Singing Beach!

FRIDAY

• 4th of July!!!!

SATURDAY

• Be an eco-savvy party guest!

SUNDAY

• Enjoy the end of the long weekend by using these 7 easy and green ways to reduce stress.

Spotlight: Boston Green Academy

I recently learned about Boston Green Academy while at the Future of Nature Lecture Series hosted by the Nature Conservancy. The school had an information table setup during the cocktail hour, and at one of the events during the series, the speakers were introduced by BGA students. They were enthusiastic participants at the event and learning about their high school was inspiring. Boston Green Academy is a public Boston charter school with a mission to promote sustainability and use it as concept for learning throughout all subjects.
So how, specifically, do students learn about environmental sustainability?

• 9th Grade > Healthy Trees, Healthy Boston: Cross-curricular unit focusing on green space in Boston (Partners: Nature Conservancy and Southie Trees)
• 10th Grade > Environmental Justice: Cross-curricular unit focusing on air quality and food justice in Boston (Partner: ACE)
• 11th Grade > Research paper and thesis defense on social responsibility
• 12th Grade > Capstone Community Action Project and Sustainability Internships (Partner: ACE)

In addition to providing these unique opportunities, the BGA students are doing very well, and the school is expected to see a 90% graduation rate this year. Congrats, kids! I look forward to seeing these graduates take a leadership role in making Boston the most sustainable city in the country!

daily summer essentials

No matter where you go this summer, there are a few essentials that are important to have on hand to ensure a sustainable, healthy summer. Sunglasses are a give-in, but wearing an ethical pair (made from environmentally-friendly materials or are part of a one-for-one program) will make you feel good every time you put them on. And when you stop to get an iced coffee, its great to prevent waste by bringing your own tumbler - and reusable shopping bag if you want to pick up some other treats while you're out. Finally, you've heard it before, but don't leave the house without sunscreen! Pickup a chemical free tube and slather it on throughout the day.

Eco Events Happening this Week

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MONDAY

• Kick off the week by greening your shower routine

TUESDAY

• Boston Businesses Acting on Rising Seas

WEDNESDAY

• Net Impact Speed Networking
• Charlestown Climate Action Meeting

THURSDAY

• BostonCAN Action Committee Meeting
• BostonBARS Launch: Climate Adaption Strategies for Small Businesses

FRIDAY

• Walk/Ride Day

SATURDAY

• Household Hazardous Waste Dropoff

SUNDAY

• Brush up on the 8 ways to be green at a Red Sox game

GoodGuide Brings Conscious Consumerism to Your Fingertips

GoodGuide is one of the handiest, easy-to-use apps for people that want to make smarter, greener, more ethical purchasing decisions. The iphone app has a barcode scanner so you can learn about the social and environmental impacts of a brand right while you are shopping. GoodGuide provides a great resource so consumers don't fall victim to greenwashing. The only problem is that it makes running errands take a bit more time...but all for a good cause!

Earthspiration

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10 Tips for a Greener Roadtrip

source image courtesy of tumblr

1. Travel by train or bus instead if you have the option.

2. Purchase carbon offsets for your trip.

3. Make sure your tires are properly inflated.

4. Drive the speed limit - driving faster uses more gas.

5. Pack organic, vegetarian munchies for the road.

6. Go to rest stops instead of getting off the highway, sometimes the gas stations and food places are much further from the exit than expected. 

7. Use the AC sparingly. Air conditioning uses gas as well. 

8. Don't idle.

9. If you have the option, drive an electric or hybrid vehicle.

10. Carpool.

Green Happenings this Week

source image courtesy of Farm Girl in Flipflops

MONDAY

• Climate Change Symposium Begins and continues through Wednesday.

TUESDAY

• Sustainable B2B Networking Session

WEDNESDAY

• Net Impact Sustainability Breakfast
• Hubway Open House

THURSDAY

• BostonCAN Action Committee Meeting

FRIDAY

• In preparation for tomorrow's Natural Health and Beauty Festival, review the Pocket Guide for Safer Cosmetics.

SATURDAY

• Summer Solstice Celebration at Harvard Museums of Science and Culture
• Natural Health and Beauty Festival

SUNDAY

• Install energy efficient fans in your home for summer

Top 10 Takeaways from Boston's Future Climate Event

We know about the droughts in California, the heat waves in India, and food shortages in Syria, but how will climate change affect Boston? The city's climate change policy makers joined environmentalists and concerned citizens on Monday at Weathering the Storm: Boston's Future Climate hosted by The Nature Conservancy. Speakers included: Adam Freed of The Nature Conservancy; Vivien Li, president of the Boston Harbor Association; Brian Swett of the City of Boston; and Vicki Arroyo of the Georgetown Climate Center.

Here are some takeaways from the event:

• If sea level was to rise 7.5 feet, a hurricane like Sandy (if it were to hit Boston,) would flood 60% of the city.
• The Deer Island Waste Water Treatment Plant is an example of sustainability - it was build 2' above the 100 year flood level, has wind turbines and solar panels on site, and an operations team is researching methane recapture.
• The new Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital is another example of smart architecture for a warmer future. Their resilient design was developed after seeing the pros and cons of the hospital facilities design in New Orleans during Katrina. (Like, don't keep the backup generator in the basement!)
• Boston is the 4th most susceptible city in the U.S. to sea level rise, after New York, New Orleans, and Miami. 
• 2012 was the hottest year on record by a full degree.
• Heat waves are also a major concern for city planners.
• Major U.S. cities are taking great strides for climate preparedness, but these actions alone will not do the trick - more stakeholders need to be brought to the table.
• Some of the negative impacts of Sandy and Katrina are because they hit at the end of the month when people's pay checks or government assistance has run out - leaving them without the financial resources necessary to evacuate.
• The question should not be if someone "believes" in climate change, it should be whether they "understand" climate change.
• Climate change preparedness is an issue of national security. 

Spotlight: HEET MA

Last week, I ventured across the river to Cambridge for the Squeaky Leaks Project Fundraiser which hopes to map natural gas leaks along streets in Cambridge and Somerville. This project would make these communities safer, more energy efficient, and help residents save money on their utility bills. A serious win-win. The project is designed by HEET MA with the help of Sustain for the Future.

HEET which stands for Home Energy Efficiency Team is a Cambridge-based non-profit organization that helps people become more energy efficient at home and in the community. The group provides educational opportunities, hosts events, and helps with energy assessments.

"HEET is one of the only local groups that provides free and practical education to local communities, teaching people how to reap the benefits of energy and water efficiency measures. In order to fight climate change, all of us must work together. We accomplish this by organizing Energy-Upgrade Work-Parties, where volunteers under the guidance of skilled team leaders perform the tasks necessary to make a building more energy efficient. A survey has show that over 70% of our volunteers take four or more of the hands-on skills we teach back to their homes to reduce energy use there. The work also lowers the energy bills for the host organization, allowing it to spend more on helping its community."

In five years, HEET has:

Organized more than 225 Energy-Upgrade Work-Parties
Assisted with more than 50 solar installations
Installed more than 5,000 CFLs
Trained more than 3,500 volunteers in hands-on skills in saving energy
Reduced the CO2 equivalent of taking 2,169 cars off the road for a year
Saved more than 3 million gallons of water
Saved more than $2.7 million in energy and water bills over the lifetime of the measures installed.

Save Water while Gardening

source image courtesy of Maria Starzyk

Its gardening season! It is great to finally be outdoors, growing flowers and cultivating your own food. Here are a few quick ways to make your gardening practices water efficient.

1. Do you use a dehumidifier? Use the water the machine collects to hydrate your garden!

2. Collect rain water in a rain barrel for later use in your yard. 

3. Water your garden in the early morning or late evening to prevent excess evaporation.

4. Use an efficient hose attachment, or hose water meter. 

5. Plant hardy crops that require less water.

6. Take a bucket in the shower with you to collect water - if its not too soapy, you can use it on your plants!

Eco Events Happening this Week

source image courtesy of Hannasroom

MONDAY

• Weathering the Storm: Boston's Future Climate

TUESDAY

• Heading to a bunch of weddings this summer? Brush up on how to be an eco-friendly wedding guest.

WEDNESDAY

• Have a picnic!

THURSDAY

• Brookline Complete Streets Forum

FRIDAY

• Hyper-Local Craft Brewfest

SATURDAY

• Screening of A Will for the Woods

SUNDAY

• Plan a car-free trip to the beach

Event: Boston's Future Climate on June 9, 2014

WHERE:
Calderwood Pavilion
Boston Center for the Arts, Wimberly Theatre
527 Tremont Street, Boston

WHEN
June 9, 2014
Reception 5:30 p.m.; panel 6:30 to 8 p.m.

WHAT
What will climate change mean for Boston and other coastal cities? How can we adapt to the impacts of climate change, even as we work to mitigate greenhouse gases emissions in the future? How can New England be more resilient in the face of sea level rise and stronger storms?

Speakers will include: Adam Freed of The Nature Conservancy; Vivien Li, president of the Boston Harbor Association; Brian Swett of the City of Boston; and Vicki Arroyo of the Georgetown Climate Center.

Click here to buy tickets to our June 9 event

Boston's New Trash and Recycling Program

Starting on July 1, Boston will have different trash and recycling pickup days and will be serviced by a new collection company. Mayor Walsh announced the new program last week, saying

“I’m concerned for the environment and we have to do our part by protecting our City. This new contract has been implemented with the goal of encouraging more recycling and trash collection with keeping our current financial climate in mind.”

Below is a Listing of New Vendors, affected Districts, and Collection Days:

Back Bay will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Thursday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Thursday.

Bay Village will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Friday.

Beacon Hill will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Friday.

Chinatown will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Friday.

Downtown will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Friday.

Fenway will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Tuesday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Tuesday and Friday.

Financial District will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Friday.

Leather District will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Friday.

Mission Hill will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Tuesday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Tuesday and Friday.

North End will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Friday.

Roxbury will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Thursday, and recycling collection will take place on Monday and Thursday.

South End will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Tuesday and Friday, and recycling collection will take place on Tuesday and Friday.

West End will be serviced by Sunrise Scavenger. Trash collection will take place on Monday and Friday, and recycling collection will also take place on Monday and Friday.

Spotlight: Sustainable Business Network

SBN MA is one of the most important organizations helping Boston's economy grow while becoming more sustainable, ethical, and vibrant. For over 25 years, the Cambridge-based non profit has helped 1,000+ local companies develop responsible business models. Plus, they host great networking and social events around the city - making it easy for anyone to get involved in the conversation on our local, sustainable economy. Check out their calendar for upcoming events, and be sure to check back at Boston Green Blog.

Harvesting Aloe for Soothing Sunburns

source image courtesy of Design Sponge

It is sunburn season! No matter your natural skintone, you should wear sunscreen everyday, but should you find yourself with a burn, here is how you can use a common houseplant, aloe vera, to treat your burns. By treating your skin with aloe rather than drugstore solutions, you can easily avoid unnecessary chemicals, artificial fragrances, and save money!

If you have an aloe plant at home, follow these easy steps for harvesting your own aloe gel:

1. Using a knife, cut one leaf, while limiting damage to the plant. Slice close to the base of the leaf and away from the center of the plant.

2. Once you've cut the aloe leaf, rinse the outer skin in under cool water.


3. Remove the serrated edges of the leaf and skin. Aloe Vera leaves are slightly curved, so put the concave side down on a cutting board. Next, slice around the perimeter. This will leave  the top and bottom layer of skin, exposing the Aloe gel between. The top layer of skin comes off next. Run the knife just under the surface and peel it away. Now flip the leaf over and do the same on the other side.

4. Next squees the Aloe gel to a storage container - I prefer a glass bottle with a pump. Fresh Aloe gel will keep for about a week, but you can increase its shelf time by storing it in the fridge. If you wind up with more than you can use in that time, stick your leftovers in the freezer. It can be stored there for up to 8 months. HINT - mix with a bit of water and use ice cube trays to make sunburn soothing frozen cubes!

Eco Happenings for the First Week of June

MONDAY

• Enjoy the beautiful warm weather! 

TUESDAY

• Squeaky Leaks Fundraising Mixer
• The Eternal Life of Nitrogen Lecture at NEAQ

WEDNESDAY

• Read up on Boston's new recycling policy

THURSDAY

• Plan a meat and dairy-free dinner

FRIDAY

• Going away for the weekend? Grab these eco travel essentials

SATURDAY

• Do an un-plugged workout, like running outside, kayaking, or a machine-free fitness class

SUNDAY

• Make a list of "green goals" for the upcoming week