Know Your Non-Profits Series, 1: Liveable Streets Alliance
Steve Miller, Board Member of the LiveableStreets Alliance is our first guest blogger for our series “Know Your Non-Profits” which introduces you to non-profits doing work in the Great Boston Area.
Creating a Sustainable Transportation System
Transportation shapes where and how we live, which shapes our life style options and consumption decisions. But for too long the overwhelming focus of transportation planning was solely on moving cars as fast as possible. All other travel modes (transit, walking, bicycling, wheel chairs) and all other uses of the street space (socializing, shopping, playing, celebrating, and community building) were ignored. As a result, our air has become polluted and noisy, our streets unfriendly and unsafe, our neighborhoods under-developed.
Sidewalks and streets are often the single largest physical asset owned by a municipality. It is an enormous waste of limited tax money to reserve this huge asset solely for the use of cars.
In contrast, a livable street – including everything from the sidewalk to the roads and the buildings around them — has been structured around the needs of everyday human life. It maximizes the opportunities for personal interaction, for accomplishing everyday tasks, for experiencing beauty and culture, for heath-promotion activity, for local shopping, for fun.
In five years, LivableStreets Alliance has helped change the nature of Massachusetts transportation advocacy – and many aspects of official transportation planning. We worked with Boston to start the Hub On Wheels Bike Festival, which laid a foundation for the growing Boston Bikes program. We’ve helped reform parking policies, road designs, and bike parking in nearby urban cities. We sit on state-level advisory committees pushing for greater balance among travel “modes.” We combined public education with citizen activism.
Our publications (a weekly news summary and a monthly newsletter) and our monthly educational events are all free. If you would like to learn more or get on our low-volume mailing list, please go to http://blog.livablestreets.info/
New Guest Blog Series – Know Your Non-Profits
Hi All,
Down:2:Earth is in just a few weeks (April 9-11!) and we’ve been hard at work making sure this event is the best it’s ever been. But we are also thinking about what happens after the conference is over, after all the exhibitors pack up and the speakers go home, what is left? Have we done our job if you go home without next steps and resources? We think not.
For that reason, we are introducing the “Know Your Non-Profits” Guest Blog Series. Each week, we’ll be introducing you to two to three non-profits doing work in the Greater Boston community. Your job is to connect with the organizations that resonate with you and then:
- Volunteer with them.
- Go to their events.
- Blog, tweet, facebook, email and talk to people about them.
- Post comments about them on this blog.
So many ways to make a difference. Let’s get started!
Charles River Oil Spill, February 10, 2010
Not many of us know that on February 10, 2010 roughly 1,000+ gallons of #2 diesel fuel leaked from a faulty valve at an MWRA facility along Memorial Drive, an unstaffed pump station in Cambridge near Magazine Street Beach, below the BU Bridge. It barely made the news, and where it did, it was nothing more than a blurb in many of the papers. At approximately 3:45 am, work crews had noticed oil spilled in the driveway of the facility and contacted Hazmat. Once the Hazmat crews responded to the scene for cleanup, it was discovered that the fuel had overflowed and leaked onto the roof of the facility and into a drainpipe leading into the Charles River. Total leakage was nearly 2,500 gallons. Members of the Coast Guard and the Environmental Protection Agency arrived to monitor the clean-up and survey the damage. The ice in the river helped to contain the spill and prevent it from spreading too far; however, oil had leaked along the water line where ice had melted. Crews were working around the clock, breaking the ice about 4′ from the shore, installing booms to contain the spill, and removing the oil within the dammed area, as well as removing all contaminated soil ashore. The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority released a statement that they were able to recover 600 gallons of the oil spilled and that they would continue to monitor the area.
What Is Your Footprint’s Footprint?
Many of us have started to notice the marathon runners training in our neighborhoods, their dedication something to be admired, as they pound the pavement every day, at odd hours and in inclement weather, just to ensure they are ready to do their best on race day. I wish I had that type of commitment for running. A love for the rush, the high some of these runners talk about, but it isn’t in me. When the weather is nice I like to run trails, or along the beach, occasionally, I will hit pavement, but the joy for me is being outside in nature. As someone who tries to consider the environment in everything she does, I have always considered running to be a low environmental impact recreation. After reading some recent studies, I realized that I was wrong.
Runner’s World Magazine did an analysis on the average serious runner’s carbon footprint, with the help of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation, and the results were astonishing. Between the gear and travel to races or favorite running locations, the average serious runner is producing 5,449 lbs of CO2 a year. Even for the novice or recreational runner, these are numbers to consider. So, how can we reduce these numbers? The first steps are understanding them. Travel and plastic water bottles have obvious alternatives, use stainless and carpool as often as you can. What about the gear though? You need shoes and clothes, right?
A study by International Consumer Research and Testing found that the running shoe has an astonishing environmental impact due to the very nature of its supply chain. The average running shoe is made up of nearly 50 components, each of which were likely made at a different location until finally being hand assembled in an assembly factory. Aside from this, the processes used create huge amounts of discarded waste materials and many of the components themselves are potentially hazardous. Three examples ICRT list in their report are :
- Production waste in the form of metallic fabric cuttings and tissue fabric cuttings can contaminate the surrounding environment if an effective environmental management system (EMS) is not in place.
- A key component of any running shoe is the sole, which itself consists of three distinct layers – the insole, midsole and outsole. The insole is normally made of man-made ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) foam. EVA foam is non-biodegradable.
- A Greenpeace report, ‘Slaughtering the Amazon’, examines how the global shoe industry’s appetite for leather is a major contributor to tropical deforestation. The Amazon rain forest is being cleared at an alarming rate, often illegally, to make way for cattle ranchers in Brazil. Tree felling and burning releases vast amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere and contributes to climate change.
I know this sounds awful. What I am not suggesting is that we all give up something we love, but rather, what can we do to reduce the footprint of our very footprints? Ten years ago, it would have been near impossible to choose sustainable when it came to a running shoe. Now, the shoe manufacturers are a different breed of people. They recognize the need for environmental stewardship, at least some of them do. Here are two of our favorites:
Green Silence by Brooks Sports, Inc.
According to their site, the Green Silence is “a groundbreaking competition racing flat that boasts a sustainable element in each part of the shoe. Using soy-based inks, water-based adhesives, and recycled materials, Green Silence incorporates sustainability—without sacrificing performance—into every stitch of the shoe.” Well, that sounds promising! Brooks has been an innovator in sustainable running shoe design for a few years now, their proprietory midsole, the BioMoGo, is the worlds first biodegradeable midsole. It breaks down 50 times faster than a traditional midsole when in an enclosed active landfill. They also created a 100% recycled box.
Green Silence was constructed with less than half (48 percent) as many parts as comparable shoes. Only 26 parts comprise each Green Silence shoe compared to approximately 54 parts in similar styles. And, more than 75 percent of the 26 components have been recycled by consumers. For example, heel counters are made of recycled compact discs; shoe laces, meshes, linings, gillies, and tongue webbings are made from recycled water bottles; and outsoles are made of recycled rubber. These substitutions reduce the energy (41 percent less) and oil (.5 liter less) needed to manufacture each pair of Green Silence shoes.
The dyes, colorants, and adhesives used in production are non-toxic and not harmful to those working in the factory. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were lowered by 65 percent. The midsoles, collar foams, and sock liners are completely biodegradable, which reduces waste when the shoes are eventually retired to an active, enclosed landfill.
Five Fingers by Vibram
The reduction in components alone makes this shoe a great choice for the eco conscious. Utilizing the theory of barefoot technology to correct one’s bio-mechanics, these shoes helped me shave 2 minutes off my miles. My miles were slow, so I am not suddenly running alongside accomplished runners, but I am running more efficiently and with less impact and pain on my body. They are versatile and I use them for running, hiking, biking and walking around town. The look is something to get used to, but your feet and the environment will thank you for reconsidering what is fashionable and choosing a product that is more “green.”
As a company, Vibram is working hard to reduce their carbon, and even offset the remainder, in a quest to become carbon nuetral. They utilize renewable energies such as wind power and solar whenever possible, and all of their marketing and promotional materials are made with recycled or sustainably-minded materials. One of their most sustainably minded business practices is simply the creation of durable products that withstand rugged beatings. While they aren’t perfect, they are really looking at ways to make their massive imprint as small as possible.
Now you have some shoes, what else do you need? Patagonia is the leader in transparent supply chain manufacturing and sustainable business practices. Their recycled, and recyclable, Capilene® products are great base layers and outer layer zip-necks for any activity, however, they are greatly appreciated by runners everywhere for their excellent insulation and wicking qualities. Check out the Patagonia site for a detailed product footprint on any item in the Capilene® line.
So, now that we are all geared up, all we have to do is motivate ourselves to step away from the laptop, strap on those shoes and head outside. Right? Now, if you have a dog, don’t forget to bring him/her. They love to run and can be great personal trainers and coaches. Hope to see you on the trails.
Join NEXUS this Saturday for Green Holiday Tips!
Attend a special holiday event this Saturday, December 12, at NEXUS, a D2E partner. Learn how to green your holiday season. From sustainable food and restaurants, to energy efficiency, to wellness and nutrition, to green cleaning. This is the major green event this holiday season.
For more information, visit NEXUS online.
Tomorrow Saturday October 24th is International Climate Action Day!
The D2E blog is BACK!
Down:2:Earth is coming off a month of diverse environmental events throughout Boston, but we’re looking forward to one this weekend that takes the cake!
As many people already know, this Saturday October 24th is International Day of Climate Action, organized by the 350 Organization. Founded by Bill McKibben, who kicked off Down:2:Earth in 2008, 350 is dedicated to encouraging social and political change to secure the future of our environment. The number 350 stands for 350 parts per million (PPM), or the scientist-suggested safe upper limit for carbon dioxide in our atmosphere.
In December 2009, a meeting of world leaders in Copenhagen will discuss creating a new treaty concerning emission cuts. However, the currently crafted treaty does not require that emissions be lowered to the recommended level of 350PPM. In order to ensure that our voices are heard and that our leaders are held accountable, 350 has organized this grassroots campaign.
So what exactly IS the International Day of Climate Action? The event is made up of thousands of “actions” in thousands of locations around the globe. Actions are whatever you chose them to be from demonstrations to tree planting. 350’s goal is to raise awareness by having this actions take place simultaneously in iconic locations internationally, like the Taj Mahal and Times Square.
This picture was sent to 350.org recently from Korengal Otpost in the Korengal Valley, Kunar Province, Eastern Afghanistan:
Here are a few of the actions taking place in the Boston area tomorrow!
350 on Marsh Plaza, Boston University
Students are invited to take part in forming the number “350” for a photograph.
BYOMug and Drink Coffee!, Boston Common Coffee Co.
Bring in your own mug from 7-9AM and receive half-price coffee!
Mission Hill Energy Fair and Climate Justice Rally
Featuring music, food, vendor and organizational displays, workshops on how to save money by conserving energy, and speakers calling for government and corporate action on energy efficiency and global warming.
Boston “Under Water” 350 Festival
3:00 – 5:30 pm, Saturday, October 24, 2009. Photo at 3:50 pm
Taking place at Christopher Columbus Park by the Aquarium T stop and waterfront, the festival will feature:
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A race to build a wall of sandbags to protect Boston from rising sea leveland stronger storms!
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A massive group photo in front of the sandbag wall!
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Beach and water games!
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Participatory Climate Theater!
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Relay racing!
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Flooding Station: learn about what sea level rise and higher storm surges will mean for Boston.
- Plus blue face-painting, bike-flag making, and more!
For those of you Twittering about the event, the suggested hashtag for this event is #350ppm!
For more information about these and other actions taking place globally visit www.350.org. Find an action in your area and get out there!
Mayor’s Cup Pro Cycling Race & Concert
September 26, 2009
I have attended a few of these bicycle events organized by the City, and they are always a lot of fun. You get to meet some great people. D2E gives this two thumbs up!
More than 200 top professional racers, including Olympic cyclists and national champions, will descend on Government Center for high speed, fast-action racing. On Sunday, nearly 6,000 riders, young and old, beginner and experienced, will take to the streets for the Hub On Wheels citywide ride and festival to help raise money for a great cause.
Saturday will also feature a mascot race, a kids race and a concert.
Contact:
Nicole Freedman
617-918-4456
nicole.freedman.bra@cityofboston.gov
www.mayorscupcycling.org
Women Business Owners Lead the Way
How could I resist re-posting an article with this title? I received the below information from Steven Jones-D’Agostino, who is one of the Energy Freedom Fighters and has been a great supporter of D2E. Thanks Steve!
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Women business owners are at the forefront of leading America toward energy conservation and clean energy. In fact, a majority cite moving to clean energy as our most important energy policy goal, according to a similar survey of 455 women business owners also commissioned by WIPP and WCEE.
On both of these measures, women business owners are even more committed to clean energy than the general female population. They strongly believe wind and solar energy should have an important role in addressing our country’s electricity needs. They are also more aware of nuclear energy’s clean-air benefits—that it is not a cause of global warming and releases no air pollution—than women as a whole, and they are more supportive of nuclear energy than the general female population. Other significant findings are:
- 77 percent of female business owners have cut their electricity use at their businesses in the past few years, and 98 percent have done the same at home.
- Nearly 8 in 10 (79 percent) have made their businesses more environmentally friendly.
- 87 percent favor federal tax incentives – including 52 percent who strongly favor them – to encourage companies to become more energy-efficient and use more clean energy.
Survey Methodology
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner, the international public-opinion research and consulting firm, conducted a national telephone survey of 801 women 18 years or older, and a national web survey of 455 women business owners. The surveys were conducted between May 4 and 18, 2009. The margin of error for women 18 years and older is plus or minus 3.5 percent. The survey was commissioned by Women Impacting Public Policy in collaboration with Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment, and was underwritten through an educational grant by Entergy Nuclear.
Resources for Women
Women can learn more about how electricity impacts their world and their planet by downloading a brochure, Women and Clean Power: Electricity Matters, at www.wipp.org.
About WIPP
Women Impacting Public Policy is a non-profit national bipartisan group with more than half-a-million members. WIPP is the collective voice in Washington, DC, for 48 national women and small business organizations. WIPP advocates for and on behalf of women and minorities in business in the legislative processes of our nation, creating economic opportunities and building bridges and alliances to other small business organizations. WIPP’s policy agenda, the Economic Blueprint, the Women Business Owners’ Platform for Growth, is found on the WIPP Web site. Visit www.wipp.org.
About WCEE
The Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment is a non-partisan policy-neutral organization that focuses on women, energy, and the environment. WCEE’s mission is to provide consistently high-quality, non-partisan and policy-neutral forums for dialogue on cutting-edge energy and environmental issues, and to foster the personal and professional growth and leadership abilities of its members. Visit www.wcee.org.
Available to comment on the survey and findings:
- Barbara Kasoff, President, Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)
- Sharla B. Artz, President, Women’s Council on Energy and the Environment (WCEE)
For more information or to receive more survey results, please contact:
Kathryn Morris, The Huntington Group, 845-635-9828/914-204-6412, Kathryn.Morris@thehuntgrp.com
Kira Gordon, The Huntington Group 646-243-4920. Kira.Gordon@thehuntgrp.com
D2E 2009: Video Project
For those of you that were fortunate enough to catch some or all of our video project – below is a breakdown of the films that were submitted. We were very impressed with the amount of submissions – as well as their diversity and quality.
PROGRAM 1 Saturday 12:45 am -1:15 pm
Highlights
Peace Garden — John Coyne (3:47)
Sustain+ability – Cary and Yari Wolinsky at Trillium Studios (5:45)
Agent 350 — Scott Cushing and Jordan Murphy, Changents.com (2:58)
Studying toads on Cape Cod — Todd Tupper and Mark Adams (5:00)
Shadow of Time — Catherine Widgery (6:27)
Climate Change? – Boston Harbor Harbor Island Ambasadors (6:00)
Total running time: 29:57
PROGRAM 2 Saturday 5:00 – 6:00 pm
Peace Garden — John Coyne (3:47). Boston videographer profiles a community garden.
Aquafinito — Annalise Littman and the ICA (10:00) Boston high school student Annalise Littman provides astute documentary analysis of how the consumer market turns water into a commodity at great cost to the environment.
Sustain+ability – Cary and Yari Wolinsky at Trillium Studios (5:45)
National Geographic photographer captures a cross section of opinions on how we are responsible for our own well being.
Studying the toads of Cape Cod – Mark Adams and Todd Tupper (5:00). How the knowledge of amphibians can enhance our enjoyment of coastal landscapes.
B-Flat – Adam Frelin (4:34). A contemplative river journey based on a single note by conceptual artist and associate professor of sculpture at SUNY Albany.
Agent 350 — Scott Cushing and Jordan Murphy, Changents.com (2:58). Changents profiles a 24-year-old activitist on finding a simple message to engage the public and target carbon emissions.
Shadow of Time — Catherine Widgery (6:27). A public artist based in Montreal, Cambridge and Cape Cod captures a contemplation on the passage of time and the play of light on a pond in India.
Climate Change? — Boston Harbor Island Ambassadors (6:00). Inner city Boston students discuss how climate change affects their everyday concerns and expectations for their future lives as adults.
The Trees Have No Tongues — Linda Price-Sneddon (4:45). An ambient poetic montage of New England forests as the threatened foundation of landscape integrity.
Whiplash – Cary and Yari Wolinsky at Trillium Studios (4:56). Performance poet Lauren Whitehead of Youthspeaks.org delivers a passionate broadside for environmental justice.
History of Maps — Carlos Ferguson (3:01) Multi media artist and Fellow of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown constructs an animated vision of the world seen by a beehive.
Running time: 57:02
PROGRAM 3 Sunday 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
Big Green Bus — Earthkeepers, Changents.com (3:58)
Bumpkin Island Tin Can Communication — Sam Smiley, Astrodime Transit Authority (7:31). Boston digital artist Sam Smiley presents a pseudo documentary of appropriate technology in the Boston Harbor Islands.
Portraying Franklin Park’s Gorillas — Justin Freed and Jen Bradley (7:19). Boston videographer Justin Freed profiles artist Jen Bradley and her 10-year intimate quest to capture the personalities of Boston’s gorillas.
The Incoming Tide — Chris Hamilton (5:00). Whale videographer and sailor plays with time and examines the flow of tidewater in a Cape Cod lagoon.
Sweet Crude — and Kate Wolf (6:00). Footage from a forthcoming documentary about how multi-national oil exploitation in Nigeria undermines the lives and livelihoods of African villagers.
Paper Man – Tony Rizzi (4:28) Dancer/choreographer from Boston and Frankfurt explores how a deluge of paper consumes and buries us.
The Ladder/ Fence Thief – Adam Frelin (3:50). A wry fable on the imperative to organize and frame nature by conceptual artist and associate professor of sculpture at SUNY Albany.
Listen to your Mother — Zoe Lewis and Mark Adams (3:00). Cape Cod singer-songwriter summarizes geologic time.
Jetty Orbit – Ted Olier (3:00). Boston conceptual artist gives a birds-eye perspective of a coastal structure.
Youthcan (5:00). The search to build a curriculum about sustainability for the Boston Schools.
Climate Change? — Boston Harbor Island Ambassadors (6:00). Inner city Boston students discuss how climate change affects their everyday concerns and expectations for their future lives as adults.
History of Popcorn – Carlos Ferguson (1:55) Multi media artist and Fellow of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown constructs an animated vision of the how popcorn was discovered.
59:10
D2E 2009: Back to Basics
Mayor Menino stopped in to see the expo.
We are all recovering from a full weekend of events, exhibits and discussions. A big thanks to everyone that attended, we hope you left with more information and enthusiasm about your own impact. We’d also like to thank all of our sponsors, exhibitors, presenters, The City of Boston, Mayor Menino and of course, all of the contestants that entered their ideas in our Pitch the City contest. The jury had a hard time each step of the way, since there were so many great ideas. The City has mentioned several times that they plan to coordinate with many of the contestants. We love knowing that we helped catapult your ideas right into City Hall. Small business can make a difference.
We have seen D2E in many blogs around town and love hearing what you all have to say. There was a lot of great talk this past weekend, and I know that the people talking will take action.
Below are some photos to share – enjoy!
Alie and Mimi, two neighborhood kids from JP pitched their idea to Boston.
Adventours brought their bikes and expertise to D2E and offered free bike tours of Boston.
Mayor Menino addresses the crowd and talks about the importance of Pitch the City.
Progressive Management was at D2E to talk about how you can align your investment money with your values - and get ahead.
We have a new car dealer in town: Electric City Cars (scooters & bikes too!)
Recent Posts
D2Eets on Twitter
- Sorry for last tweet! Wrong account! For haiti updates follow @andreadatkinson
- On the plane to port au prince. From what it looks like more than half full of volunteers #haiti
- Thank you all for a FABULOUS event! Keep following us for more info on #green living in #Boston and beyond and keep going green!
- RT @realfoodmedia: New post: down:2:earth, Boston’s Sustainable Living Expo http://bit.ly/cHjm6V
