Boston Races to Solar

In April, Mayor Walsh launched the Race to Solar, a program for local non-profits and small businesses to increase the adoption of solar power installations and energy efficiency measures. Race to Solar is a partnership with Renew Boston, NStar, National Grid, and Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) to promote energy efficiency upgrades and make solar power more affordable and accessible for non-profits, including houses of worship and schools, and small businesses that own their buildings.

Through the Race to Solar, organizations will be able to take advantage of a competitively priced option for installing solar power. To participate, non-profits and small businesses must own their buildings, have suitable site conditions for a solar installation, and be in good financial standing.  The goal of Race to Solar is to promote and facilitate the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy systems on the buildings of 40 local non-profit organizations, adding approximately 1 megawatt of clean, renewable electric power capacity to Boston and Cambridge.  SunBug Solar was selected as the solar installer.  

To learn more about the Race to Solar and speak directly with program providers, please attend an upcoming technical workshop:

• Wednesday, April 30th, 10am to 12pm, Cambridge City Hall Annex, 344, Broadway, Cambridge
• Thursday, May 1st, 6pm to 8pm, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, 239 Harvard Street, Cambridge
• Thursday, May 15th, 6pm to 8pm, Curtis Hall, 20 South Street, Jamaica Plain
• Tuesday, May 20th, 6pm to 8pm, Carpenter’s Center, 750 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester

Mayor Walsh Launches the Carbon Cup

On April 8, 2014 Mayor Walsh announced the Greenovate Boston Mayor’s Carbon Cup, a voluntary program for hospitals, universities, and commercial building committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 35% by 2020. In order for the City of Boston to reach its citywide target of reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) by 25% by 2020, large building portfolios will need to lead by aiming for a higher GHG reduction target.

“A cleaner, greener, and more prosperous future, as outlined in our Climate Action Plan, requires leadership from every sector.” said Mayor Walsh. “Carbon Cup pledges and winners will represent the cream of the crop for our large buildings, demonstrating what’s possible in energy efficiency, while greening our city and creating quality jobs.”

Those pledging to the Carbon Cup commitment must enroll at least 1 million square feet, with additional tiers of recognition for those enrolling greater than 2 million or 5 million square feet.

“Commercial buildings comprise over half of the city’s greenhouse gas emissions.” said Brian Swett, Chief of Environment, Energy Services, and Open Space. “Getting our biggest property owners enrolled could cut emissions by over a hundred thousand metric tons of GHGs, equivalent to ten thousand homes taken off the grid.”

The City is seeking initial pledges and possible Carbon Cup winners to be announced at the Greenovate Boston Community Summit on May 31. Over the summer, the City will work with initial participants to finalize guidelines for reporting and accounting, and continue to source new participants. The Carbon Cup is a part of the larger Renew Boston Commercial/Industrial Strategy for saving energy and bringing down the GHG footprint of Boston’s institutions and businesses. Guidelines can be found at http://greenovateboston.org/resources/actions/mayors-carbon-cup/. Interested entities should contact info@greenovateboston.org.

Spotlight: Living on Earth

source image courtesy of Living on Earth

I recently started working in the suburbs, so now I spend a lot of time on the commuter rail - and my MBTA survival tip is to find a radio show you really like. My favorite is Living on Earth by Public Radio International. This hour-long weekly show covers environmental issues great and small. I absolutely love the way the show turns complicated science into easily digestible stories. Through the show I get a weekly dose of climate change information, some biology, chemistry, and  inspiring pieces as well - like a recent story about Buddhist Monks working to save snow leopard populations in Central Asia. The best part is that all of their shows are free to download on their website!

p.s. Living on Earth is recorded right here in Boston!

Column for CBS Local

I have some exciting news: I'm now a contributor to the CBS Local Boston blog. I'll be focusing on green living in Boston (duh!). The posts will include how-to tips, news, and best of Boston lists. Click here to see my posts so far and to follow the column.

Thanks for your support!

Huffpost Goes Green

I've always been impressed with the Huffington Post's coverage of "green" issues. They are a must-follow on twitter and a great resource for breaking eco news. They recently featured a great piece (including a video) about water scarcity on their main site. This week, Huff Post announced it would continue this type of content under the expertise of Jem Joaquin of Ecofabulous! I am so excited about this collaboration, and look forward to seeing how the Huff Post Ecofabulous page develops. 

Cool Globes Exhibit Comes to Boston

Since 2007, the Cool Globes Exhibit has been traveling the world, and for the next two months, it will be in Boston. The beautifully painted, 5-foot diameter globes are installed in various locations throughout the city - each depicting solutions to various aspects of climate change. The fun exhibit is intended to spark dialogue and encourage creative thought on environmental issues. I hope to see as many as I can before the exhibit moves on to its next destination!

Shark Week!

Source images courtesy of  1 / 2 / 3 / 4

For the past few summers, stories of great white shark sightings off Cape Cod have topped the news. Normally, this doesn't surprise or intrigue me, but after reading Paul Greenberg's Four Fish, I now understand the importance of this issue - and think that it is especially important for Bostonians. We have a responsibility to protect these creatures despite their terrifying reputation. They, like all wildlife, are an essential component to the ecosystem.

This past Tuesday, OCEARCH began a month-long project aiming to tag 10-20 great whites off the coast of Chatham. As of today, none have yet been tagged because the sharks haven't been going for the bait (fish) because their meal of choice (seals) has been quite abundant in the area. But the the project is anticipated to be the largest Great White Shark expedition in U.S. history. “This expedition brings together an amazing team of researchers with broad experience in multiple disciplines. In doing so, we will be conducting over a dozen studies on white sharks, ranging from broad and fine scale migratory patterns to sonograms.  Our knowledge base on Atlantic white sharks will grow exponentially, helping both science and public safety.”

Follow the Expedition #ExpeditionCapeCod

Fun Fact Friday: Brown Students Protest for Responsible Investments

Wonderful inspiring story this morning on WBUR about the power of activism. Brown University students are protesting in hopes that the President and the Trustees will agree to divest coal burning power plants. 

Universities typically invest millions of dollars in all types of companies, but students don't want their university giving monetary power to big coal and oil. Read or hear the full story here. 

To get more info. on how your college's endowment ranks in transparency and sustainability issues, check out the College Sustainability Report Card.

Earth Day Champion: Seaport Hotel

This past Monday, Earth Day,  Boston’s Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center celebrated with Laura Feddersen, of Green City Growers in Somerville & the Seaport’s Executive Chef, Richard Rayment, by planting Greek oregano, chives, onions, and radishes in their plaza-level organic garden. The organic garden will continue to provide herbs & vegetables for their customers at Aura Restaurant & TAMO Bar this season!

The Seaport Hotel & World Trade Center was recently honored by New Generation Energy at their Mint Party at TRADE.

A New Mayor for Boston Means Another Chance to Vote Green

Mayor Menino has done many wonderful things for the city of Boston over the past twenty years - including countless green initiatives (including Greenovate Boston). Just a few years ago in 2009, I got to meet him at the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters party endorsing him as their choice candidate for mayor. I was just six years old when he was first elected Mayor of Boston, but still, I am sad to see him go.

image courtesy of cityofboston.gov

However, the upcoming mayoral campaign gives Bostonians a whole new chance to prove what is really important to them. I plan to watch the campaign closely, as the next mayor is sure to bring changes. I will be looking to the Mass League of Environmental Voters  website to keep an eye on the candidates' stances on green issues.

So stay tuned for more!

Kids learn about local waterways with "e" inc.

Children at the Warren Prescott K-8 School in Charlestown will discover local waterways and aquatic ecosystems this winter and spring. "e" inc., an environmental nonprofit organization, will introduce the school kids to the secrets of the urban underwater world surrounding the city. Along the way, they'll learn how Boston manages its watersheds and how they can prevent water scarcity at home. I wish they had this program when I was a kid! Sounds like a fun way to learn about your surroundings.

"e" inc.'s past initiatives have been very successful,  increasing students' science test performance by 60% in 2012. All of "e" inc.'s day school programs are orientedtoward encouraging kids to take environmentally positive actions atschool and at home.

The program is sponsored by Massport and is offered at no cost to the school.

 This first grader, Grazyella, shows us her diagram of the ocean floor. She is participating in the program at Winter Hill Community School. 

Photo by Margaret Kent

Tax Credit for Wind Industry Extended

In addition to narrowly escaping the fiscal cliff, Congress also extended the tax credit for wind energy. Which is great news, but unfortunately, since many people in the wind industry didn't know if the credit would be extended or not - many companies have already made major cuts, which will slow our progress towards energy sustainability and independence.

NPR had a great piece on the issue yesterday, that stated:

"Congress renewed the tax credit for a year, but the industry had no idea which way it would go, so it had to prepare for the worst. Nobody wanted to gamble on starting a project that wouldn't be competitive. So after rushing to complete as many projects as possible before the tax credit expired, developers stopped planning for the future. Some companies had to lay off workers. Some manufacturers went bankrupt."

For the full story, click here. 

image courtesy of NPR.org

World Climate Summit 2012: The Basics

This week leaders from around the world are gathering in Doha, Qatar for the World Climate Summit 2012. The summit is not merely a gathering of political leaders, but also business leaders, NGOs, financiers, and students. The goal is to develop global strategies that improve quality of life, create opportunities for prosperity, and to achieve both in a way that addresses threats posed by climate change. These strategies are designed through three avenues during the summit:

• Plenary Sessions – World class sessions featuring high-level private and public thought-leader from global business, finance, government and institutions will address substantial climate business issues and major climate solutions that possess the biggest potential for profitability.
• Networking – delegates and speakers will have plenty of time to interact, exchange ideas, learn from each other and collaborate with one another during purpose-built networking sessions at breakfasts, lunches and breaks.
• Media – Journalists from globally leading media outlets will attend and participate in the Summit through an established ‘media centre’ and during plenary sessions.

Natural Gas, Old & New in Pennsylvania

Fracking is a hot topic in the energy field. Both presidential candidates supported fracking as it will create jobs and potentially lower energy costs. However, this comes with some great environmental risks.

I highly recommend reading/listening to this great article from NPR on how abandoned gas wells from the 1800s are creating danger as fracking ramps up in the state.

image courtesy of NPR.org

VOTE!

If you haven't done so already - VOTE!! Still not sure who to vote for? Take a look at these resources that may help guide your decision:

Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters

Green Bloggers Discuss Politics

League of Conservation Voters

Was Hurricane Sandy Caused by Climate Change?

I'm inclined to think so, but lets see what the experts think:

Huffington Post - It's Global Warming, Stupid

Politico - Gore says Sandy is a Global Warming Warning

O'Reilly Factor - Gore's Claims that Sandy was Caused by Climate Change are Stunningly Ignorant

CNN - Climate Change is Real

NY Times - Scientists Unsure if Climate Change is to Blame for Hurricane Sandy

The New Yorker - Watching Sandy, Ignoring Climate Change

Wall Street Journal - Was Sandy the 'Fat Tail' of Climate Change?

image courtesy of LAtimes.com

Solarizing Mass Communities

All across Massachusetts, homeowners and business owners are making the decision to install solar PV systems. Many of these projects are sponsored by programs like Solarize Mass and Renew Boston as part of Governor Patrick's goal to have 250 MW of solar PV installed by 2017.

A great way to learn about these projects and to learn about upcoming educational events is by subscribing to the Solarize Mass newsletter. Sign up here. Since Solarize Mass is a program of Massachusetts Clean Energy Center, the newsletter is also a great way to learn about other clean-energy happenings (like wind and biogas projects). 

Buzzwords: What is "Fracking"?

Both presidential candidates mentioned natural gas in last night's debate. Energy independence is certainly a hot issue in this election and they both discussed the possibility of using natural gas as a means to bring the United States to  independence. What the candidates did not mention, however, is how much of this natural gas is likely to be harvested - via fracking. 

image courtesy of USAToday.com

Fracking is the use of high pressurized fluid to fracture rock layers to release natural gas and petroleum. It was first used in Texas in 1998 and has gained recent interest as a way to get access to previously inaccessible gas reserves. 

Critics are concerned about the environmental impact of fracking. There are major possibilities that fracking could contaminate drinking water and increase air pollution. In addition, large amounts of water are needed for this process which is seen as wasteful. To learn more about other health and environmental consequences of fracking, click here.  

Sustainability at Paris Fashion Week

The runway of the Chanel show at Paris fashion week was lined with huge wind turbines, and the catwalk was made to look like solar panels. Chanel head, Lagerfeld,  chose the turbines for their sleek modern design and because "energy is the most important things in life." He said that the turbines were chosen more for aesthetic reasons than political ones, but I am a fan of the set-up nonetheless!

Read more about the show on Ecouterre.

Green Bloggers Discuss Politics

Find out how bloggers feel the November election will affect green living

Alicia of Green Lifestyle Consulting and Leah of Crunchy Farm Baby are hosting a great initiative that invites all green bloggers to share their thoughts and opinions of the upcoming elections. All of these submissions can be read by clicking here. 

Boston Green Blog will not submit a post because it is an unbiased site, but we encourage all readers to stay informed and keep up-to-date by following the Green Bloggers Discussing Politics initiative. I look forward to reading these articles and making an informed vote come November.