Spotlight: Practically Green

Practically Green is a fun Boston-based web-tool that helps guide people towards more sustainable living. The first time an individual logs onto the website, they are prompted to take a survey about their lifestyle habits, not unlike a carbon footprint survey. After conducting the survey, which takes about 10-15 minutes, the website provides a rating and a personalized “action plan” with steps to become more sustainable. After the initial log-on, Practically Green creates a profile for each member so that they can track their progress and earn “badges” if they make multiple green lifestyle changes in a particular category. 

The company was started after its founder, Susan Hunt Stevens, did a complete green home and lifestyle makeover to help ease her infant son’s environmental and dietary allergies. Stevens was inspired by the LEED criteria for green buildings and design, and thought to herself, why isn't there a list of green lifestyle criteria for people and their families? She then worked with environmental and energy experts to create the assessment tool (the survey described above) to measure how lifestyle choices impact the earth and human welfare. The goal of the individual action plan is to help minimize environmental impact and reduce exposure to hazardous chemicals. 

As people check off tasks on their action plan and gain badges, their sense of accomplishment motivates more action. Practically Green is a great way to get some insight if you want to be more sustainable but aren't quite sure what to do or how. Go take the quiz!

How to be the greenest wedding guest

Source images courtesy of Style Me Pretty // Brides of OK // Purple Wedding

1. Refresh your memory on how to be an eco-savvy party guest.

2. Are you traveling to the wedding? If so, carpool! If you need to fly, consider purchasing carbon offsets for your trip. 

3. Plan to stay with family or friends if possible. When staying in a hotel, keep the same towels throughout your stay, avoid the disposable products, and consider staying at a hotel that participates in the Global Soap Project. 

4. Check the registry and purchase a green-minded gift (soda stream / organic cotton sheets / energy star rated appliances). If nothing seems quite right, check out Ten Thousand Villages which has great fair trade items that would make meaningful wedding gifts. 

5. Wear an ethical outfit! Check out these sustainable party dresses from Mass based retailer Nancy's Gone Green.

6. If you're in the wedding, check out Green Bride Guide, to best help the happy couple plan a fun, beautiful and sustainable affair. 

New Perspectives: Greening Your Home with Updated Plumbing

Over time, your home’s plumbing system handles massive amounts of water. What type of system you have, and how well it is maintained can make a big difference in water use. Using less water, not only helps the environment, but can also save you money. Hiring a professional plumber might sound expensive but might end up paying for itself. For example, upgrading your current water system, or installing new water saving plumbing fixtures can make a huge difference in your water bill. Even repairing your roof and improving your gutter system can help to reduce the water waste in your home.

A professional plumber could install a low consumption toilet. This should be the first step to a more water efficient home, since these, greener versions use literally half the water of a traditional design – 6 litres compared to 13.2 litres. Government studies report that the average home will save over 80 litres of water each year just by switching out your toilets.

Shower Heads, Faucets and Taps have also become more eco-savvy. Modern, high efficiency water taps, faucets and shower heads can dramatically reduce water waste, without any compromise to comfort or water pressure. Traditional shower heads run through about 95 litres of water during an average 10 minute shower. Modern efficient showers, including the new rainfall shower head with a built in flow restrictor, consume only 76 litres during the same shower. That’s 19 litres of water saved every time someone showers in your home.

You should also consider replacing your older, outdated fixtures. It used to be popular for a bathroom to have a large tub with a stand alone shower, but these fixtures are no longer standard because of their wastefulness. 

You can become more energy efficient when it comes to using water and heating with the help of your professional plumber. This gives you the potential to save money on utility bills while reducing your carbon footprint. 

This sponsored post is by Ivy Delfin of http://www.pipeperfection.com.au

Dam Removal in Taunton, MA

source images courtesy of partners for fish & wildlife / interfluve / how stuff works

Eight years after the Whittenton Dam’s near-failure threatened hundreds of homes and businesses in Taunton, MA, the infamous dam will be removed, and fish passage will be restored to a key segment of the Mill River.

Conservation organizations, state and federal fisheries and wildlife agencies and local planners have joined to create the Mill River Restoration Partnership.  The partnership’s goal is to remove three dams and construct a fish ladder at a fourth dam—the Morey’s Bridge Dam—along the Mill River. Last year, the Hopewell Mills Dam was removed, and the floodplain was restored. The fish ladder also was constructed at Morey’s Bridge Dam. Ultimately, the project will restore native alewives, blueback herring and American eel to more than 30 miles of habitat in the Mill River, Canoe River, Snake River, Lake Sabbatia and Winnecunnet Pond.  The project will also eliminate the public safety threat associated with the aging dams.

Massachusetts is home to approximately 3,000 dams, many of which are over 100 years old. The 2005 crisis prompted the formation of the Mill River Restoration partnership that has led the dam removal project, as well as legislative efforts to make the removal and repair of aging dams easier for Massachusetts communities. Dilapidated dams pose flood risks for surrounding communities, while also slowing the recovery of New England fisheries. Hopefully the Taunton project will continue to draw national attention to the risks of aging dams, and motivate further action.

Pencil it in: Boston Green Drinks July Meet Up

WHEN: Tuesday, July 30, 2013 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 

WHERE: Kingston Station, 25 Kingston Street, Boston, MA 02111

WHY: Join the conversation with sustainability professionals and hobbyists.  Enjoy a drink and build your connection with our green community! There is limited space, so make sure to sign up.

Spotlight: Boston Green Drinks

What happens on a when you mix Boston’s sustainability enthusiasts, cocktails, and free snacks? Boston Green Drinks! Boston Green Drinks is a monthly networking group open to anyone with an interest in green living, clean energy, or just meeting new people. The event, which is held on the last Tuesday of every month, draws a diverse range of professionals from both the private and public sectors. The meetings are informal and encourage people to discuss any and all green-related interests.

Over the past few meetings, I've met folks from The Nature Conservancy, The New England Aquarium, The Consortium for Energy Efficiency, Ahold (the company that owns Stop & Shop), State Street Corporation, National Grid, and many more. We gab about the best ways to communicate the issue of climate change to the public, and about the environmental issues plaguing the U.S. food structure, and a variety of other sustainability-related topics. The conversations are engaging, well-rounded, and always inspire people to sign up for the next month’s meeting of Boston Green Drinks. It is inspiring to go to Boston Green Drinks and hear what other motivated Bostonians are doing to move our city towards sustainability. Click here to find out more information about upcoming BGD events.

Green Tips for Visiting the New England Aquarium

Source Images: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5

On July 1, 2013 the giant ocean tank at the New England Aquarium re-opened after months of being closed for renovations. Now the Aquarium is fully open once again, and more sustainable than ever! Here are my tips for having a green family adventure at NEAQ.

1. Get there in a sustainable manner. NEAQ is just off Commercial St. which has bike lanes - perfect for a family excursion on Hubway. If the weather is bad, get there via the blue line. Aquarium stop, duh!

2. Visit the new Blue Planet Action Center. This recently-opened exhibit is an interactive display of the impacts of climate change and ocean acidification on corals, threats facing the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale and efforts to protect seafood resources through sustainable fishing practices.

3. Ask a tour guide about the Aquarium's conservation efforts regarding endangered species and habitats. 

4. Check the Events Calendar. Often, the Aquarium will feature eco-themed events such as sustainable seafood tastings, climate change lectures, and conservation-oriented imax movies. 

5. Read the Aquarium's guide to "living blue": 

6. Make knowledge last with a list. Visiting museums is a serious overload of information. To make the best of your trip to the Aquarium, finish the day by making a list of the top 5 things you learned and want to remember. (And maybe add some newly learned ocean-saving lifestyle tips!)