Join Medford’s Walk/Ride Day on last Friday of the Month

Go car-free and celebrate Medford’s independent businesses!

Medford has many “hidden gems.” Here are some ideas to help you explore them on Friday, July 27^th and every last Friday.  All you need to do is walk, ride a bike, or take a bus to any of the Walk/Ride Day partners, and ask for your special reward.

Feel and look your best:

Start your day the serene way, with a free  6 am “slow-flow” yoga class, at Awakened Warrior Yoga (Riverside Ave).  And while you’re there, enter the raffle for a month of free lessons from Xtreme Ninja Martial Arts Center.

Get 10 percent off a trim, a new cut, or maybe even a color treatment at Hair’s Karen Salon, or get 20 percent off all products you choose.

Treat yourself to a free fitness evaluation and a free training session at Fitness Together on Salem Street.

Recenter yourself with a massage from Medford Muscular Therapy Centre, and add a free 15-minute treatment of your choice.

Get 10 percent off all services at Nancy’s Family Salon on Salem Street.

Improve your life going forward: make an appointment with Lions Share Coaching (online/phone only) and get entered into a six-week life and/or career coaching program, or get 15 percent off any coaching package. Email marie[at]lionssharecoaching.com  or call 617–803–1508 to sign up.

Food and drink:

Visit Mystic Coffee Roaster on Riverside Ave and order your free cup of fresh-roasted coffee. Don’t forget to get one of Janabee’s amazing cinnamon rolls or other pastry to go with your beverage.

Enjoy a free cup of amazing clam chowder (and treat yourself to some other yummy bites) at Depot Square Grill.

Get a yummy dinner or snack at Colleen’s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop and sign the raffle entry for a gift card.

Stop in at Paul Revere Restaurant and get a free soda when you buy a club sandwich.

Shopping:

Start smack in the middle of Medford Square at Century Bank by opening a personal checking account, and get a free $50.00!

Just a few doors down Salem Street at Aggie’s Attic (women’s clothing and accessories): dress yourself up and get 10 percent off whatever you buy.

Squinting? Cross back over the major intersection and stop in at Medford Optical on High Street, for $100 off any complete pair of prescription eyewear.

Just a few doors away, at D’Errico-McGlynn Flowers, select $20 worth of flowers and get 10 percent off your purchase.

Need a gift? Or want to reward yourself? Ward’s Gifts has a huge selection, and you’ll get 15 percent off your purchase.

Online:

Go online and get 10 off a good book (or several) from Bestsellers Café: http://shop.bestsellers-cafe.com. The new store will be open soon!

If you commute car-free, check-in at http://greenstreets.mapc.org/ to be entered into a raffle.

Visit www.GoGreenStreets.org to find all the participating businesses and other partners in Walk/Ride Days.

More about Walk/Ride Days in Medford

Walk/Ride Days is looking for new retailers and schools to join the project. To participate, a business chooses an incentive that will help bring more customers to the business without driving. Then, on the last Friday of each month, the businesses reward the people who visited because of the program. Schools in the Walk/Ride project can participate in many ways, from Walking School Bus events to a Special Walk/Ride day for the whole community.

Walk/Ride Days is a project of the Green Streets Initiative, an international grassroots organization based in Cambridge, MA, that celebrates and promotes the use of sustainable and active transportation. Green Streets’ mission is to create safer, healthier, and quieter streets and more vibrant communities. More information at: http://www.gogreenstreets.org/.

Green Medford and the Medford partners of Mass in Motion are coordinating participation in Walk/Ride Days. To sign up or ask questions, call Susan at 781-526-4714, or email greenmedford[at]gmail.com.

Green Medford seeks to educate the Medford community to understand our environmental impact, and to empower members of our community to make more sustainable energy choices related to homes and businesses, transportation, and food. More information at: www.greenmedford.org and at our Facebook page (search for Green Medford).

Give a big cheer for Climate Summer!

The six Climate Summer members from the Massachusetts team should be arriving in Medford sometime tomorrow (Monday). They will be riding in from Waltham. Please give them a rousing welcome!

Here's a photo of the team, from their week in Hull:

They are (not in the order shown in the photo):

Murtaza Nek, Program Coordinator

Becky Palermo, Media Coordinator

Aaron Morales, New Media Coordinator

Emily Edgerly, Outreach Coordinator

Julia Barnes, Video Co-Coordinator

Andrew Nguyen, Video Co-Coordinator

You can read their interesting stories here: http://www.climatesummer.net/the-teams/massachusetts-team-2012/

They will be staying at Wesley United Methodist Church on Winthrop Street, where we will also hold the Green Medford meeting on Tuesday at 7 pm. Please come and meet them, and contribute your unique ideas for a greener Medford.

In case you missed the last email, here are some of the things the Climate Summer team will be doing during their week with us:

o   Bike Fest at the Medford Farmers Market, Thursday, July 19^th from 3-7 pm, Riverside Ave behind City Hall. The Bike Fest will include free tuneups, kids’ activities, test rides of electric bikes from Smooth Scooters, a raffle for a new bike helmet from Medford Saving Lives, as well as donations of used bikes and equipment to low-income individuals who need them though an organization called ROLL IT FORWARD. Bring your bike, your kids, your buddies, and your shopping bags to the Farmers Market and Bike Fest for a great event.

o   Circle the Square, Thursday, July 19^th from 3-7 pm, all around Medford Square. Enjoy all the beauty and bounty that Medford Square has to offer, on display for your pleasure! At this debut event, you can shop at the Farmers Market, listen to great live music, meet the Climate Summer team, and buy local art—all right in “the Square.”

 o   Outreach for Walk-Ride Days: The team will recruit businesses to join the growing Medford Walk-Ride Days program, which is designed to get people out of cars and onto the streets. Celebrated on the last Friday of each month, Walk-Ride Day businesses offer special incentives to people who ride a bike, walk, or take a bus. Find all the participating businesses and their offers here: http://gogreenstreets.org/city/medford-ma.

o   Pulling invasive water chestnuts from the Mystic River. The Mystic River Watershed Association is sponsoring a small team of boats on July 17^th. The riders will get off their bikes and onto the water for a few hours of effort on behalf of our river.

o    Making a film about sustainability and curbing our addiction to fossil fuels: Climate Summer members will be interviewing members of the Medford community for this video. Want to be on camera? Just look for the distinctive group of bikers with video cameras around Medford all week.

Climate Summer Bicyclists Coming to Medford July 16-22

Six young adults are spending the summer traveling exclusively by bike around Massachusetts to inspire communities to curb use of fossil fuels

Medford, MA, July 8 ~ New England Climate Summer will reprise their 2011 visit to Medford this coming July 16-22, helping to strengthen and inspire community groups, while actively addressing society’s addiction to fossil fuels by crafting local solutions that strengthen communities. The Climate Summer riders, who are college students and recent graduates, are spending their summer working with community leaders and residents to connect diverse constituencies and weave a powerful movement against fossil fuel use and climate change. Riders live their values—traveling exclusively by bike across New England.

The Medford team consists of three young women and three young men, who will visit six Massachusetts communities in addition to Medford (Lexington, Hull, Waltham, Northampton, Holyoke, and Worcester) by the end of summer. Their visit to Medford is sponsored by the City and by Green Medford. More information about the team members is posted on the Climate Summer website (http://www.climatesummer.net/the-teams/massachusetts-team-2012).

While they are in Medford, the Climate summer team plans to participate in many events on behalf of a better Medford. EVERYONE IS WELCOME TO JOIN THEM!

o   Bike Fest at the Medford Farmers Market, Thursday, July 19^th from 3-7 pm, Riverside Ave behind City Hall. The Bike Fest will include free tuneups, kids’ activities, test rides of electric bikes from Smooth Scooters, a raffle for a new bike helmet from Medford Saving Lives, as well as donations of used bikes and equipment to low-income individuals who need them though an organization called ROLL IT FORWARD. Bring your bike, your kids, your buddies, and your shopping bags to the Farmers Market and Bike Fest for a great event.

o   Circle the Square, Thursday, July 19^th from 3-7 pm, all around Medford Square. Enjoy all the beauty and bounty that Medford Square has to offer, on display for your pleasure! At this debut event, you can shop at the Farmers Market, listen to great live music, meet the Climate Summer team, and buy local art—all right in “the Square.”

o   Outreach for Walk-Ride Days: The team will recruit businesses to join the growing Medford Walk-Ride Days program, which is designed to get people out of cars and onto the streets. Celebrated on the last Friday of each month, Walk-Ride Day businesses offer special incentives to people who ride a bike, walk, or take a bus. Find all the participating businesses and their offers here: http://gogreenstreets.org/city/medford-ma.

o   Green Medford Planning Meeting, July 17, 7-9 pm. For location, email greenmedford@gmail.com.

o   Pulling invasive water chestnuts from the Mystic River. The Mystic River Watershed Association is sponsoring a small team of boats on July 17^th. The riders will get off their bikes and onto the water for a few hours of effort on behalf of our river.

o   A film about sustainability and curbing our addiction to fossil fuels: Climate Summer members will be interviewing members of the Medford community for this video. Want to be on camera? Just look for the distinctive group of bikers with video cameras around Medford all week.

New England Climate Summer (http://www.climatesummer.net) is a summer internship program for college students, graduate students, and recent graduates. Climate Summer riders travel exclusively by bicycle in small teams across New England, spending approximately one week in a community before biking on to the next. While in each town, riders connect with community leaders who are actively addressing society’s addiction to fossil fuels by crafting local solutions that strengthen communities. Riders bring with them a movement-building perspective, empowering those they meet and helping to highlight the important work of local organizations. In Medford Climate Summer is partnering with Green Medford and many organizations that are working to make Medford great in every way.

Green Medford (http://greenmedford.blogspot.com) is a grassroots group of residents. Some volunteer with other Medford-based organizations, while others are independent but want to help Medford be a more sustainable and enjoyable community. Green Medford also supports municipal efforts related to energy efficiency and climate change. We are a chapter of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network, which combines the forces of more than 70 communities across the state, all working to fight the impacts of climate change.

Contact:

Susan Altman, Green Medford, greenmedford@gmail.com, 781-526-4714

Invitation to Medford Starts with Me Workshop, June 11

The “Medford Starts with Me” campaign was recently launched to increase awareness and community pride about Medford. The goal of this campaign is to inspire people in our community to make it even greater. 

“Medford Starts With Me” is a message of community unity and pride, as well as a way to recognize those who take steps to improve our community. It’s also a rallying cry and a call to action— motivating people from all parts of the Medford community to do their unique part to make Medford the best it can be. It sends a simple message: “Medford is important to me, and I am important to Medford.”

We are planning an interactive workshop gathering from 7-9 pm on Monday, June 11, in Medford Square (ERA Andrew Realty), to discuss how to get this concept moving. We may also discuss the basic goals of the advisory board, and the qualifications that would be useful for advisory board members to have.  The tone of the meeting will be positive; we are focusing on a brighter future for all of Medford's community members.

If you would like to attend this meeting, please RSVP, as space is limited. To RSVP, send email to greenmedford[at]gmail.com, or call 781-526-4714 (Susan Altman).

Also, we welcome your suggestions about other people we could invite to this or other meetings to develop the concept of Medford Starts with Me.  We are very interested in hearing from people who reflect any of the many facets of Medford, including various:

 o   neighborhoods
o   ethnicities
o   ages
o   educational levels
o   religious views
o   organizations
o   businesses
o   etc.

Many thanks, and we look forward to seeing you at this gathering. 

Sincerely,

Susan Altman

781-526-4714

Jack McGoldrick

Brooks School Students Celebrate a Month of Walking on Walk/Ride Day

Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, and Brooks School Receive “Golden Shoe” Awards

Medford, May 25, 2012 ~ All fourth and fifth graders at the Brooks Elementary School spent the past month improving their fitness and having fun, by participating in the month-long Brooks Walking Challenge. The students received free pedometers, provided by Medford Health Matters and Safe Routes to Schools, to keep track of their steps for a month.  They celebrated their achievement Friday morning, May 25^th. The Brooks Walking Challenge is part of Walk/Ride Days, a program that celebrates and promotes the use of sustainable, active transportation in Medford and other communities. Syrah McGivern, Community Transformation Grant Coordinator for the Medford Board of Health, emceed the event. 

Brooks School Principal Michael Simon accepted a “Golden Shoe” award on behalf of the school for its whole-hearted embrace of the Walking Challenge. Awards were also given to the fourth-grade and fifth-grade teachers for coordinating their classes. Watch a video of the event here, and see photos here.

McGivern introduced Janie Katz-Christy, the director of Green Streets Initiative, which founded the Walk/Ride Day program. Katz-Christie briefly described Walk/Ride Days and its long-term goal of creating safer, healthier, and quieter streets and more vibrant communities. She also gave a pop-quiz to the students about walking, which they participated in with great enthusiasm.

Long-distance running star Lindsay Willard (pictured at left) entranced the children by telling them about her initiation into running as a 12-year-old student. A Medford resident, Willard was the fifth American woman to cross the finish line at this year’s Boston Marathon, taking 17^th place among women overall. She crossed the finish line with a time of 2 hours, 55 minutes, and 53 seconds—the second-fastest time among Massachusetts women.

Other guests at the event included Samantha Fonseca-Moreira of Safe Routes to Schools, and Susan Altman of Green Medford, who coordinates Medford Walk/Ride Days.

McGivern told the audience that Brooks School students and teachers helped the program enormously by testing the Walking Challenge, which will be rolled out to all Medford schools this coming fall.

The Brooks Walking Challenge is a project of Medford Walk-Ride Days, which celebrates and promotes the use of sustainable and active transportation. This event was organized by the City of Medford, Safe Routes to School, and Green Medford.

 In addition to the Brooks School, fifteen retail businesses in Medford Square and elsewhere are participating in Walk-Ride Days, which occur on the last Friday of each month. All customers who go car-free to any of these retailers on that day will receive a special incentive. Also, residents who commute from Medford car-free on Walk/Ride Days can be entered into a monthly raffle by checking in at http://greenstreets.mapc.org/. Visit http://gogreenstreets.org/retailers/medford to find all the participating Medford businesses and other partners in Walk/Ride Days.

To join Walk/Ride Days or ask questions, call Susan at 781-526-4714, or email greenmedford[at]gmail.com. Green Medford seeks to educate the Medford community to understand our environmental impact, and to empower members of our community to make more sustainable energy choices related to homes and businesses, transportation, and food. More information at: www.greenmedford.org and on Facebook (search for Green Medford).

Medford Shone at April 28th CleanUps

Medford celebrated Earth Day by giving several areas of the city a major spring cleanup on Saturday, April 28^th.  Cleanups drew almost 150 people to Medford Square and Riverbend Park.

The Medford Square CleanUp brought together kids and adults who picked up trash and recycleables from the sides of Route 93, the banks of the Mystic River, and the entire business district of the Square.  A team of children from the Medford Boys & Girls Club painted a utility switchbox at the interaction of Clippership Drive and Riverside Avenue. Another team planted seven planters along Riverside Avenue with bright pansies and other ornamentals. A recycling game kept small children occupied for hours, and a free yoga class was offered at Clippership Park.

The CleanUp began at the lawn beside One City Hall Mall, just behind City Hall, where the Medford Farmers Market will be located this year. Mayor McGlynn and the Medford Energy Committee kicked off the CleanUp by announcing the Medford Green Awards, which will recognize businesses (including non-profits) and homeowners who are actively implementing energy efficiency and conservation measures, as well as environmentally friendly practices that promote sustainability.

The cleanup was organized by a small group of volunteers coordinated by Green Medford, Xtreme Ninja Martial Arts, and Awakened Warrior Yoga, as well as 15 other busnesses and groups: the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middlesex County, Friends of the Mystic River, G&S Music, Grace Church’s GreenUp CleanUp, the Medford Chamber of Commerce, City of Medford, Medford Farmers Market, Medford Health Matters, Mystic Coffee Roaster, Mystic Community Earth Day, Mystic River Watershed Association, Next Step Living, Tri-City Community Action Program (Tri-CAP), Tufts University, and West Medford Open Studios.  The extraordinary support of the City’s energy and Environment Office, Department of Public Works, Mayor’s Office, and Diversity Office were key to the success of the CleanUp.

See photos of the Cleanup here: https://plus.google.com/photos/115083778520887526342/albums/5737198424528198049?banner=pwa 

The Friends of the Mystic River also had their Spring Cleanup on Saturday as well, which this year focused on Riverbend Park—the home of ‘Windy’ the Medford wind turbine, and of the Andrews and McGlynn schools. More than 70 volunteers also participated in that cleanup. 

Applications for the Medford Green Awards can be completed by going to

• http://medford.org/Pages/MedfordMA_Energy/GreenAwards/nomination
• http://medford.org/Pages/MedfordMA_Energy/GreenAwards/Residential%20Nomination

Environmental Merits Awards bestowed on Medford!

A Medford-based organization and a Mystic River Watershed Association staffer are among 24 recipients of 2012 Environmental Merit Awards from the Environmental Protection Association, Region 1.

The merit awards, recognizing valuable contributions to environmental awareness and problem solving, are a unique way that EPA can recognize individuals and groups that are making significant impacts on environmental quality in distinct ways.

The Medford-related winners:


Patrick Herron
Mystic River Watershed Association, Arlington, Mass.

Patrick Herron (pictured at left center), Water Quality Monitoring Director for the Mystic River Watershed Association (www.mysticriver.org), has improved the lives of more than a half million residents living in Mystic River communities. The Mystic Monitoring Network, which uses volunteers to gather data, has been integral to the association's work for more than a decade. Patrick, a dedicated scientist, has used data collected through the network to raise awareness about discharges that pollute the Mystic River and other resources in its watershed. He drew attention to the problem of sanitary sewer overflows in the watershed because he believed that rain and snow were causing contamination of the river and neighboring waters. With help from university interns and dedicated volunteer monitors, Patrick monitored and calculated the impact of discharges on river ecology and water chemistry. He created an online sewer overflow reporting form that made data collected easily available. This information helped the association inform citizens and helped local officials identify overflow points. His conversations with local water and sewer officials influenced the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority to study the pipe system and facilities in the Mystic River district to determine if they could prevent ongoing overflows. Patrick also created a Mystic River Herring Monitoring Network to be launched this spring, and advocated for installation of green infrastructure in the Mystic River Watershed. He has partnered with local officials, community organizations, environmental advocacy groups and a variety of academic partners in the watershed. Through these collaborations, he has brought hope and direction for the concerns of residents and decision-makers in the Mystic River watershed.

BizNGO
West Medford, Mass.

BizNGO (www.bizngo.org) is a non-profit environmental organization that works to protect consumers from toxic chemicals. Also known as the Business-NGO Working Group, this organization promotes creation and use of safer chemicals and sustainable materials in a way that supports a healthy economy, healthy environment, and healthy people. The organization released two important frameworks to help companies choose more sustainable plastics and safer chemicals for their products: 1) The Principles for Sustainable Plastics, and 2) Chemical Alternatives Assessment Protocol (v.1.0): How to Select Safer Alternatives to Chemicals of Concern to Human Health or the Environment. This represents the collective work of Mark Rossi, Chair and vital member of the New England Green Chemistry Initiative, and his colleagues. Together they are working to advance safer chemicals and materials in consumer products. These two documents are the result of dedication and an ability to help business to business communication and cooperation. BizNGO also runs annual two-day conferences at sites around New England. The assessment and evaluation tools provided by BizNGO will help companies identify hazardous chemicals along the entire supply chain and will guide them in choosing safer alternatives. This lifecycle approach encourages sustainability and contributes to the public health and environmental protection in an economically sustainable way.

More on the Environmental Merit Awards:

http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/0/77220647C76BF3C3852579EB006FE446

Medford Shone at April 28th CleanUps

Medford, MA, May 3 ~ Medford celebrated Earth Day by giving several areas of the city a major spring cleanup on Saturday, April 28^th.  Cleanups drew almost 150 people to Medford Square and Riverbend Park.

The Medford Square CleanUp brought together kids and adults who picked up trash and recycleables from the sides of Route 93, the banks of the Mystic River, and the entire business district of the Square.  A team of children from the Medford Boys & Girls Club painted a utility switchbox at the interaction of Clippership Drive and Riverside Avenue. Another team planted seven planters along Riverside Avenue with bright pansies and other ornamentals. A recycling game kept small children occupied for hours, and a free yoga class was offered at Clippership Park.

The CleanUp began at the lawn beside One City Hall Mall, just behind City Hall, where the Medford Farmers Market will be located this year. Mayor McGlynn and the Medford Energy Committee kicked off the CleanUp by announcing the Medford Green Awards, which will recognize businesses (including non-profits) and homeowners who are actively implementing energy efficiency and conservation measures, as well as environmentally friendly practices that promote sustainability.

The cleanup was organized by a small group of volunteers coordinated by Green Medford, Xtreme Ninja Martial Arts, and Awakened Warrior Yoga, as well as 15 other busnesses and groups: the Boys and Girls Clubs of Middlesex County, Friends of the Mystic River, G&S Music, Grace Church’s GreenUp CleanUp, the Medford Chamber of Commerce, City of Medford, Medford Farmers Market, Medford Health Matters, Mystic Coffee Roaster, Mystic Community Earth Day, Mystic River Watershed Association, Next Step Living, Tri-City Community Action Program (Tri-CAP), Tufts University, and West Medford Open Studios.  The extraordinary support of the City’s energy and Environment Office, Department of Public Works, Mayor’s Office, and Diversity Office were key to the success of the CleanUp.

See photos of the Cleanup here: http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/578160_351896291525637_106640332717902_894525_1770006976_n.jpg

The Friends of the Mystic River also had their Spring Cleanup on Saturday, which this year focused on Riverbend Park—the home of ‘Windy’ the Medford wind turbine, and of the Andrews and McGlynn schools. More than 70 volunteers also participated in that cleanup. 

Applications for the Medford Green Awards can be completed by going to

• http://medford.org/Pages/MedfordMA_Energy/GreenAwards/nomination
• http://medford.org/Pages/MedfordMA_Energy/GreenAwards/Residential%20Nomination

Help Give Medford Square a Spring Cleaning, April 28 (Saturday)

Celebrate Earth Day!

...by volunteering at the Second Annual Medford Square Clean Up on Saturday, April 28^th. Green Medford, the City of Medford, and several other organizations are partnering to give Medford Square a good spring cleaning in honor of Earth Day.

The cleanup and related activities run from 9 am to Noon. Volunteers will also be able to participate in green art projects, games, live music, and other activities. Mystic Coffee Roaster and Donuts with a Difference will provide morning refreshments, and other local food will also be featured.

The event will begin behind City Hall at One City Hall Mall (Riverside Ave & Clippership Drive), the future site of the Medford Farmers Market. At 9:30 am Mayor Michael McGlynn will welcome the crowd and announce the new Medford Green Awards, after which the cleanup kicks into high gear to neaten and beautify the Square, Clippership Park, and other adjacent areas.

Other activities will include a recycling relay race for kids, a free community yoga class, 10:00 am at Clippership Park (rain location 45 Riverside Ave), and green art-making—for kids, artists, and those who wish they were—at the brick plaza on Riverside Ave from 10 to noon.

In addition to the Medford Square Clean-Up, two other neighborhood cleanups are also being held the same day—one sponsored by the Friends of the Mystic River from 9:30 am to 2:00 pm at Riverbend Park, and another by the Mystic River Watershed Association, in Somerville. West Medford Open Studios will also be taking place from Noon to 5 pm both Saturday and Sunday, and volunteers are encouraged to support our local artists by visiting some of the 70-plus artists in sites all over West Medford.

The cleanups are part of Mystic Community Earth Day, which includes many events in Medford, Malden, and Everett. This year we are proud to be working with the following community organizations: Awakened Warrior Yoga, Boys and Girls Clubs of Middlesex County, Friends of the Mystic River, G&S Music, GreenUp CleanUp, Green Medford, Medford Chamber of Commerce, City of Medford, Medford Farmers Market, Medford Health Matters, Mystic Coffee Roaster, Mystic Community Earth Day, Mystic River Watershed Association, Next Step Living, Tri-City Community Action Program (Tri-CAP), Tufts University, West Medford Open Studios, and Xtreme Ninja Martial Arts Center.

See all the pictures from last year's cleanup here.

CONTACT: For more information, email greenmedford@gmail.com, contact Susan Altman at 781-526-4714, or visit www.greenmedford.blogspot.com.

Also see www.fomr.org for information about the Friends of the Mystic River cleanup,www.mysticriver.org for more about the Mystic River Watershed Association cleanup, andwww.wmos.org for details about the West Medford Open Studios.

99% Spring full day training

Our friends at the Better Future Project (who sponsored Climate Summer last July and will be doing so again this July) are running this training.

First Church Somerville, Davis Square, Somerville
14 Apr , 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM

The people are rising. Let's work together to build a future worthy of our deepest values and highest hopes. For some, this training will be an introduction to nonviolent direct action, for others it will be a next step in their movement leadership development, and for others it will be a sorely needed respite from the action – a time to reenergize in the presence of new movement partners. Wherever you find yourself on this continuum, we invite you to join us on April 14th. Better Future Project (BetterFutureProject.org) is excited to host a full-day training in conjunction with First Church Somerville. The 99% Spring Trainings will gather across America, 100,000 strong, in homes, places of worship, campuses and the streets to train ourselves in non-violent action and join together in the work of reclaiming our country. History is calling; it’s time to step up.

Status: Public, open for RSVP, 63 Guests (Max 150)

Best way to contact host: Email

Event URL: http://civic.moveon.org/event/99spring/128674

Marla Marcum

Director of Programs, Better Future Project

Social and Ecological Ethicist in the Christian tradition

Director of Christian Education, Lexington United Methodist Church

Chair, Climate Change Task Force, New England Conference, United Methodist Church

(781) 475-0996

Climate Summer and Ride for the Future are programs of Better Future Project. BFP is fiscally sponsored by the Open Space Institute, Inc., as part of their Citizen Action Program. OSI is a nonprofit public charity exempt from federal income tax under Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Celebrate Earth Day in Medford Square, April 28!

Join in Walk/Ride Day this Friday, March 30!

Walk/Ride Day is coming up this Friday, March 30^th in Medford, as well as in Cambridge, Somerville, Boston, Everett, and Lynn.

Three more local, independent retail businesses have joined Medford Walk/Ride Days in March, bringing the number of business partners to fifteen. These businesses are primarily in Medford Square, with others in West Medford Square and online. Go car-free this Friday and take advantage of their special offers just for Walk/Ride participants. (The participants are all listed below.)

In addition, people who plan to commute from Medford car-free this Friday can check-in at http://greenstreets.mapc.org/ and will be entered into a raffleVisit www.GoGreenStreets.org to find other partners in Walk/Ride Days and their special offers for people who go car-free.

Walk/Ride Partners in Medford Square:

Aggie’s Attic: 10% off any item

Awakened Warrior Yoga: Take a FREE class

Bestsellers Café: 10% discount on phone or on-line orders

Century Bank: $50.00 when you open a personal checking account

Colleen’s Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop: Free raffle entry for a gift card (with your purchase)

D’Errico-McGlynn Flowers: 10% off floral purchase of $20 or more, carry-out sale only

Medford Muscular Therapy Centre: Add a 15-minute treatment of your choice to your massage session

Medford Optical: $100 off any complete pair of prescription eye ware (cannot be combined with any insurance or other discounts)

Mystic Coffee Roaster: Free small cup of fresh-roasted coffee (several choices available)

Oliver Deli/Chickpeas: Free drink of your choice
Ward’s Gifts: 15% off purchases (cannot combine with other discounts or promotions)

Xtreme Ninja Martial Arts Center: Raffle entry for a month of free lessons

Walk/Ride Partners in Other Medford Locations:

Depot Square Grill, West Medford: Free cup of clam chowder

Hair’s Karen Salon, West Medford: 20% off all products and 10% off all services

Lions Share Coaching (online/phone only): (1) Be entered into a 6-week life and/or career coaching program, or (2) Get 15% off any coaching package. Email marie[at]lionssharecoaching.com or call 617–803–1508 to sign up.

Green Medford's Letter on MBTA Service/Fare Proposals

We submitted this letter to the MBTA email address for this issue, which is:

fareproposal@mbta.com

Please copy if you wish and send your own version. Deadline for comments is March 12, 2012.

_________

Our organization, Green Medford, wishes to express our opposition to the MBTA’s proposed fare increases and service cuts. Green Medford is a group of volunteer activists dedicated to taking action to reducing Medford’s carbon emissions.

A few of the extremely negative consequences that would result from the implementation of either of these proposals include:

1. Increased air pollution and carbon emissions (leading us away from addressing climate change).

2. An increase in health problems due to air pollution.

3. Economic downturn in Medford and other communities affected by the service cuts, as T riders take to cars and completely bypass the community small businesses that currently receive their patronage.

4. Increased wear and tear on highways and other major arteries, due to increased car traffic.

5. Increased traffic congestion.

These costs will undoubtedly outweigh the value of increased revenues from the higher fares. Equally concerning is the fact that all of these negatives will be disproportionately felt by low-income, senior, and disabled persons.

 

We especially oppose the proposed service cuts. In many instances, these cuts will eliminate access for those dependent upon public transportation. In other instances, these service cuts will force riders to shift to automobiles. Either outcome is unacceptable.

Several Medford buses are slated for elimination or cutbacks in both proposals: 80, 95, 96, 325, 326, and 134. One end of Medford has an Orange Line Stop (Wellington), and the very limited Commuter Rail stop in West Medford. Otherwise there are no subway stops anywhere in Medford or near it. Medford residents rely heavily on bus routes to get around. We do not have a wealthy population, and any decrease in bus service would negatively impact residents to a very great degree. Residents who currently take one bus (e.g., the 96 to Davis Square Red Line) would have to take two, three, or four buses instead, greatly increasing the time and inconvenience of their commutes. Many, rather than do so, would instead take to cars, thereby increasing pollution and carbon emissions, causing more wear and tear on our already stressed road system, and contributing to worse traffic, which is already severe in parts of Medford, not to mention the rest of the greater Boston area.

We are also aware of the Commonwealth’s leadership on issues affecting climate change, such as the Global Warming Solutions Act and the Green Communities Act. We applaud these commitments to take real and lasting steps towards reducing greenhouse gasses (GHG) emissions and building a more sustainable future. The Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2020 charts the path for achieving a 25% reduction in GHG emissions by 2020 (below 1990 levels). In this context, it is especially ironic and disheartening to witness the failure to protect and support our public transportation system, which is a vital component in any plan for reducing GHG emissions and the principle means by which we can maintain a sustainable, prosperous region into the future.

While we are aware of the deep financial difficulties the MBTA is facing, and agree that some modest fair hikes may be appropriate, we are also mindful of the tragic negative impacts likely to ensue if either of the proposals were implemented. We largely agree with the suggestions made in the MBTA Advisory Board’s February 2012 Review of MASSDOT Fare Increase and Service Cut Proposals, especially the goal of restructuring funding for public transportation. We need a long-term solution, not a short-term fix. We urge you to hold out for an overhaul of the way the T is funded.

We urge the MBTA and our elected leaders to seek other solutions to the MBTA’s fiscal difficulties to avoid these devastating impacts. The MBTA Advisory Board’s proposals for alternative funding sources appear promising in this regard, as do other thoughtful approaches, such as congestion pricing or increased parking fees that would have beneficial synergistic effects on travel choices in our region. It would be particularly short-sighted to cripple our public transportation system just when we need it most.

Sincerely,

Susan Altman

President, Green Medford

Apply for Youth Climate Action Mini-Grants by October 31st!

This is a great opportunity for Medford youth!

Please forward to people you know in the Medford-based schools, religious congregations, community groups.

Green Medford has been awarded $750 from the Wolfe-Rita Climate Action Projects fund of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network. Green Medford will use this funding to award three $250 mini-grants to youth addressing climate change in Medford. The deadline for the application will be October 31. Grantees will be notified on December 1, and projects must be completed by April 30, 2012.

Click here to link to the application.

Specifically, funding will be available for projects that address grassroots climate action within Medford. Project priorities may include hosting educational and training conferences; successful climate protection or educational projects; journalism about climate activism; lectures; forums; prizes to recognize and promote climate activism; policy initiatives; or media and social media projects that engage other youth in climate activism. All projects must take place in Medford.
Teachers, churches, youth groups, older youth (ages 16 - 20), and child and youth-serving organizations are eligible to apply. Funding cannot be used to pay individuals, salaries or consultants’ fees.

We are also seeking members of the judging committee for the applications. We have three volunteers and would love to have two more, especially people who have a connection to Medford students. (Of course, you would have to recuse yourself if there is a direct connection/conflict of interest with any application.) Please let Christine or me know if you are interested. We estimate the total time as under 5 hours total, but that could go up a bit if there are lots of applicants. The committee can do all its work by conference call and email, to keep your hours low.

About Green Medford: We educate the Medford community to understand its environmental impact, and empower residents to make more sustainable energy choices related to homes and businesses, transportation, and food. Green Medford is a chapter of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about this grant or the application process!

Christine Ellersick (christinemaher[add 'at' sign here]gmail.com)
Susan Altman
website: GreenMedford.org
FB: Green Medford

Request for Proposals, fall 2011

Tufts Community Research Center

The Tufts Community Research Center is a collaborative of Tufts researchers and Boston-area community representatives. This RFP solicits requests for funding of community-collaborative research projects.

Grant Specifications:

1) Amount available: One award of $6,500

2) Application is due at 5pm on November 4, 2011

3) Funding must be used between November 5, 2011 and June 30, 2012

4) A final report on the project must be submitted by July 31, 2012

Application Requirements:

1) The team that is applying must include at least one Tufts-based researcher and at least one community-based organization. You might want to consult: http://www.ccph.info/.

2) Proposals may be from any discipline.

3) The proposed research could be community-based participatory research, but could also involve other approaches to research collaboration.

4) Applicants must specify what kind of research will be conducted.

5) The community, and the ways that it is involved, must be clearly defined. We are particularly interested in proposals from Tufts host communities (Somerville, Boston Chinatown, Medford), but will consider proposals from other communities.

6) The proposal must be for a research project that is asking a question of interest to the community partner.

7) Funding is prioritized for start-up projects rather than as an add-on to existing research.

8) The applicant must clearly indicate how the TCRC funds will be used by providing a brief line item budget and justification (stipends, hiring a research assistant, etc.).

Submission process:

Applications should consist of no more than 3 pages (Times New Roman 12 point type, 1 inch margins) of narrative, plus the budget and justification. The structure of the narrative is at the discretion of the applicant.

Signed letters, on letterhead, from all partners indicating that they have agreed to participate in the proposal development must be included.

One-on-one meetings to discuss this RFP can be scheduled with the director of TCRC in advance of submission.

Final applications should be submitted as an email attachment (preferably in PDF format) to dbrugge@aol.com. For more information contact Doug Brugge, Director of TCRC, via email at dbrugge@aol.com or phone at (617) 636-0326.

NOTE: The funded application will be eligible for technical assistance from the director and steering committee of the Tufts Community Research Center during the implementation of the research.

Medford to Boston Contingent of Moving Planet New England

Just four days to the Moving Planet Rally!

This Saturday, September 24th, hundreds of thousands of people across the globe will come together to move beyond fossil fuels and create a watershed moment in planetary history.

Together, we will send a loud, clear and inspiring message: we are creating a healthy, just, and sustainable world for all, and expect our elected officials and corporate executives to do the same. Let's keep them accountable for moving us beyond fossil fuels!

Planet Movers will fill roads, trains, and waterways by foot, bike, canoe, kayak, and ferry, T and commuter rail on their way to the Moving Planet: New England Rally. See the scores of participating groups here.

Join Green Medford for this historic and world-changing event!

We will meet at the West Medford Commuter Rail station. We're gathering starting about 1:00 pm (with free donuts from the remarkable Donuts with a Difference in Medford Square), and we will depart about 1:30 pm.

We will be biking to Union Square to meet up with the group from Somerville Climate Action, so we can ride in to Boston together in one really big contingent!

Please RSVP to Bruce Kulik if you want to join us for the ride or take the Commuter Rail (1:32 pm departure for North Station) and meet back up at North Station.

Here's our route to Union Square:

West Medford Station
Cross High Street to Harvard Avenue
Left on Boston Avenue
Cross Mystic Valley Parkway
Right on North Street
Cross Powderhouse Boulevard
Left on Broadway
Bear Right onto Holland St at Teele Square
Through Davis Square road name becomes Elm Street
Left onto Somerville Avenue, into Union Square

We will meet the Somerville group at the triangle behind the fire station. From there they have a route through Sullivan Square, Charlestown, through the Navy Yard, across the locks, and through the North End to Columbus Park. You can see that here.

Groups of 15-25 will parade from North Station to Christopher Columbus Park every few minutes.

The Boston Rally

When: 3:50 pm (to mark the max safe limit of 350 parts per million of carbon in our atmosphere)

Where: Christopher Columbus Park (Aquarium T stop)

The rally will feature Sustainable Hip Hop artist Tem Blessed, Pedal-Powered Soul and Roll band Melodeego, Living on Earth's Steve Curwood, inspiring students from Boston Latin School's Youth Climate Action Network, updates on national and local Tar Sands Actions, and opportunities to connect with others!