Spotlight: Hubway

Source Image Courtesy of nickaltschuller.wordpress.com

Today's spotlight focuses on Hubway. Hubway is the amazingly successful Boston bike sharing program that is now two years old and already boasts over one million rides taken! Affordable membership options and ubiquitous stations have made Hubway the model system for other major cities (including NYC).  Prices are $85 for the year, $12 for a 3 day pass, or $5 for a 24 hour pass. If you think that is expensive, just remember that an annual Hubway membership is about the same price as 4 days of parking at a garage downtown! EEEK! The great thing about Hubway is that it unites sustainability with convenience, making it the choice transportation for more than just the green-minded. 

New Perspectives: Pests to Look Out for in Boston

source: http://www.morguefile.com/creative/xandert

 

From bluebirds to bottlenose dolphins, Massachusetts is home to a fascinating variety of wildlife. If you live in Boston then you should learn who your neighbors are, even if they turn out to be bothersome pests.

Bed Bugs
Bed bugs were virtually eradicated in the U.S. for decades, but they managed to make a major comeback in the 1990s. Bed bug infestations are now commonplace, especially in northern states with temperate climates. Unfortunately, this includes Massachusetts, and their numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate in Boston.

Once bed bugs get inside a home, they breed rapidly and spread throughout the area. They feed exclusively on blood and can turn you and your pets into tasty food sources that never run out. After being bitten by a bed bug, many people develop red bumps and rashes on their skin. Bed bug bites are not infectious by themselves, but scratching at irritated skin leaves it vulnerable to bacterial infections.

Termites
Houses in Boston are certainly not cheap, and termite damage can be unbelievably frustrating. The type of termite that destroys buildings in Massachusetts lives in the soil beneath sources of wood. These subterranean termites can burrow through the tiniest cracks in foundations, and it doesn't take them long to start gnawing through a home's wooden components. Colonies typically contain hundreds of thousands of workers and soldiers, and they can do some serious damage to your property in a matter of weeks. If termites are feasting on your home, try to get rid of the infestation as quickly as you can. Termite queens are egg-laying machines, and the problem will most likely get worse until the insects are removed.

Rodents
While rats and mice make excellent low-maintenance pets when raised in captivity, your safest bet is to think of their wild cousins as furry balls of disease. Wild rodents in Massachusetts spread a variety of diseases through their droppings and urine, including Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, meningitis, and encephalitis. You can get these diseases by touching surfaces that have come into contact with rodents or by inhaling contaminated dust particles. Because their bodies are often covered in salmonella and other bacteria, rodents can cause food poisoning when they forage in pantries and cupboards.

As if these health problems weren't enough, Norway rats, house mice, and many of Boston's other invasive rodent species are extremely destructive houseguests. In addition to gnawing through wooden walls and floors, they cause power outages by chewing through electrical wires. Damaged wiring is one of the leading causes of house fires, so avoid letting rodents hang around on your property for too long.

Bats
The two bat species found in Boston are the little brown bat and the big brown bat. The majority of bats in Massachusetts actually live in man-made shelters, and both species can often be found roosting in attic spaces. The main problem with bats is not the bats themselves, but is the vast quantities of droppings that accumulate in their nesting areas. Piles of bat guano spread fungal infections and other diseases to humans, and contaminated insulation can make people sick even after the bats leave. While the health risks make it a good idea to get rid of bats, try to do it without harming them, as many species are increasingly threatened. Brown bats function as a natural insecticide, and adults eat thousands of mosquitoes and other pests per night.

In the end, be it bats, bugs or termites the best way to keep your home free from them is by practicing preventative pest control. Keep areas clean, dry, and free from food and call a professional exterminator for peace of mind.

Brad Thomaston is a homeowner in the southeastern US, which has made him a pest control enthusiast by necessity. For more pest control safety tips and other information, check out his blog Brad Hates Bugs.

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

Pencil it in: Boston GreenFest

WHEN: August 15, 12pm - 5pm; August 16, 12pm - 10pm;  August 17, 10am - 10pm

WHERE: City Hall Plaza, Boston (Government Center)

WHY: Its that time of year again folks: Green Fest Boston! Last year, I had a great time checking out the stands and exploring Boston's sustainable offerings. This year is sure to be better than ever before. A schedule of the weekend's events can be found here. See ya there!

Spotlight: New England Women in Energy and the Environment

This week's spotlight is on New England Women in Energy and the Environment (NEWIEE). This is a networking group of accomplished professionals working for environmental sustainability in both the public and private sectors across the northeast. The group is a non-profit that provides business networking, education, mentoring, leadership, career development, and social opportunities for New England's female executives, engineers, consultants, attorneys, academics, policy makers, and other professionals with an interest in energy and/or environmental issues.

I became a contributing member of NEWIEE this past spring, and it has been a rewarding experience, and has strengthened my ties to the local green community. I've attended a handful of events so far, including a mentoring cocktail hour, a lecture on nanotechnology, and a  panel discussion on how social media is affecting environmental initiatives. I love the variety of topics the group covers, and am looking forward to attending future events. In particular, I am excited about their First Annual Meeting / Fall Fling, scheduled for early October. (Details to come soon!)

DIY Eco Spa Day

image courtesy of .jfloboutiqueandsalon.com

You're at home on a Sunday and you know the upcoming week is going to be stressful. Start the week off in the right frame of mind by letting yourself completely relax on Sunday with a DIY spa day! Of course, traditional home spa products contain lots of synthetic chemicals, so to avoid that, I am sharing my favorite natural picks.

1. First, cleanse your face using Nature's Beauty(works) towelettes. I tried a free sample of these a couple of weeks ago, and I love them. All varieties of the towelettes are rated a 2 or below (lowest hazard) on SkinDeep. They are a super-convenient way of removing makeup. 

2. Second, get into comfy clothes. My suggestion: an organic cotton bathrobe. 

3. Time to apply a face mask! Lately, I've been using Burt's Bees Clary Sage Intense Hydration Treatment Mask, which I now use once a week for smooth, soft skin. The company sent it to me in December, and it works wonderfully for weather-damaged skin. 

4. Next, I sit back relax, and place Earth Therapeutics Eye Pads over my closed eyelids. The eye pads are great for reducing puffiness, and have a good rating on SkinDeep (except for their use of Retinyl Palmitate).

5. RELAX! Listen to soft music, or use this time for meditation. I usually take 15 - 20 minutes. 

6. To finish, rinse off with a cold shower. Most of the hydration mask will have absorbed, but a short shower is the best way to remove the excess product and get the rest of your body feeling fresh. The cold water is not only good for your pores, but uses less energy than a hot shower.

Viola! Within an hour, you're feeling beautiful and ready for the week! 

New Perspectives: Boston's Best Farmer's Markets

image courtesy of A Beach Cottage

Shopping for fresh, naturally grown food in any city is difficult at best, especially when convenience is a priority for busy professionals and other city dwellers. As a twenty-something professional, the challenge of eco-conscious eating can be exhausting (I admit to the occasional indulgence in those oh-so-convenient but horribly unhealthy take-out options).

Luckily, the city of Boston has taken this problem seriously and has supported local growers with more opportunities to sell their fresh produce to the masses. According to the City of Boston’s website, the number of farmer’s markets has increased from just 13 in 2004 to over 28 in 2011.

I love farmer's markets because they remind me of my hometown when I’m living in the city; fresh food, great people, and an always great experience (who can compare walking the industrialized rows of supermarket chains to strolling through the streets of Boston, perusing markets filled with colorful fruits and veggies?) Shopping at farmers markets also carries additional economic benefit; you can leave not only feeling good about yourself and what you’ll soon be filling into your stomach, but you can know that your support sustains the livelihoods of hundreds of small farmers and their families from Massachusetts.

Here are some of the best farmers markets that Boston has to offer (according to my own experiences, and with a little help from Yelp.com). All are accessible with public transportation, just remember to bring cash and an empty stomach!

1. Copley Square Farmer’s Market: Tuesday & Friday, 11AM-6PM

2. Siena Farms South End Market: Tuesday – Sunday, 12PM – 8PM

3. City Hall Farmer’s Market: Monday & Wednesday, 11AM – 6PM

4. Dewey Square Market: Tuesday & Thursday, 11:30AM- 6:30PM

5. SoWa Open Market: Sunday 10AM- 4PM

Author: Stephanie is an Economics and Art History major at Boston College, residing in Chestnut Hill. She is also a Marketing Associate at Argopoint LLC, a management consulting firm in Beacon Hill.