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