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Boston's Single-Stream Recycling Program Expands City-Wide
 Single-stream recycling is now city-wide! This allows residents to combine all recyclables from pizza boxes to plastic soda bottles and glass containers into one bin without any more sorting. The program will also now accept what are known as "rigid plastics" - children's toys and other hard plastics typically not accepted in regular recycling.
Check out this video from a J.P. resident!
As part of the revamped recycling program, the city is rolling out 55,000 large wheeled carts to homes across the city. These 64-gallon wheeled carts make it easier for residents to collect their recyclables in single family homes or apartment buildings with up to 6 units. Carts are now being distributed throughout Jamaica Plain and Roxbury. Residents in other neighborhoods, who will receive new carts within the year, can use previously issued blue bins or any barrels clearly marked with a recycling sticker obtained at the City's Recycling Department or by calling 617-635-4959. Learn more here.
City of Boston Unveils EECBG Strategy
Mayor Menino recently unveiled the City's Energy Efficiency Conservation Strategy, a plan that utilizes $6.5 million in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants from the U.S. Department of Energy to fund the Renew Boston initiative. Boston was recently allocated this funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The plan sets an ambitious goal of reducing the City's greenhouse gas emissions by 40,000 metric tons annually while stimulating the local green economy by creating 100 high-quality green-collar jobs.
In unveiling the City's Energy Efficiency Conservation Strategy, Mayor Menino outlined a ten-part plan to utilize $6.5 million in federal funding to jumpstart Renew Boston. The recovery strategy focuses on providing Boston's residents and small businesses with financial resources to make their homes and workplaces more energy efficient while also reducing energy costs. Residential funding priorities include energy efficiency retrofits for existing homes, an energy efficiency program to improve multi-family buildings, a solar pilot program, and community based outreach to promote available resources. The plan also calls for a dedicated small business energy efficiency program as well as investments to create energy savings at the municipal level. The strategy will stretch federal funding by leveraging existing utility programs and by accessing private-sector financial resources.
As part of the city's strategy, Mayor Thomas M. Menino just launched the $200,000 Renew Boston Residential Energy Efficiency Pilot Program in partnership with Next Step Living, Inc., a new Boston-based company that specializes in residential energy efficiency services to lower energy costs for homeowners and green the environment. Joined by Chief Jim Hunt and Geoff Chapin, CEO of Next Step Living, Mayor Menino congratulated Dorchester resident and homeowner Crystal Haynes for being the first person to take advantage of this innovative partnership.
 The Renew Boston Pilot will serve residents between 60-120 percent of the median income. The pilot program will coordinate closely with the City's Department of Neighborhood Development and Action for Boston Community Development's (ABCD) existing residential weatherization programs to reach residents between 0-60 percent of the median income. Next Step Living will initially provide more than 150 Boston homes with its comprehensive weatherization services. 20 percent of the homes served will receive a more substantial investment of up to $2,000 for energy efficiency improvements. Mass Energy Consumers Alliance will administer the funds and identify pilot customers within the eligible income range.
Going Green: Mayor Menino Announces $300,000 in Empowerment Zone Funding to Create Green-Collar Jobs
Mayor Menino recently announced $300,000 in grant funding that Boston will receive from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for green-collar workforce investments. The grant will fund green-collar job creation and workforce training for three separate initiatives: the Green Youth Corps, green technician and auditor training, and green job creation through the Mayor's Renew Boston initiative. Each program will receive a $100,000 investment in an effort to help green the Empowerment Zone.
$100,000 of the grant will fund 30 slots in the Green Youth Corps, a year-round jobs program that allows Empowerment Zone youth to explore green careers and promote sustainability in Boston. The program, which targets at-risk youth, will partner with community organizations, including Bikes Not Bombs, Alternatives for Community Environment, ABCD, the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, and Sociedad Latina, to offer employment opportunities. The Asian American Civic Association (AACA) and JYF Networks, a Boston-based workforce and career development training center, will receive $100,000 to fund 10-15 adults in green-collar job training programs. The AACA will train green facilities maintenance technicians, while JYF Networks will train assistant energy auditors and brownfield remediation technicians.
Green Summer Jobs
One of Mayor Menino's priorities for the summer is to make sure young people have jobs that help them learn to be responsible, manage money, and to obtain new skills. This summer, the Mayor initiated a new green jobs program for youth. There are approximately 350 green jobs funded through the Boston Youth Fund as part of the Mayor's Summer Jobs Program. Hosting partners include The Food Project, BNAN, Earthworks, Frankling Park Coalition, Southwest Boston CDC, and others. Projects include restoration work, clearing land, and working farm sites. The program runs July 6-August 14.
Community Advisory Committee Announced
Mayor Menino would like to congratulate everyone who was nominated to the Climate Action Leadership Committee's Community Advisory Committee. The number and quality of the nominees was extraordinary. The Committee will have 36 members who represent the diverse neighborhoods and businesses of Boston. (Visit the Community Advisory Committee
website for a complete list of members). The Committee will meet at least four times between September 2009 and April 2010, provide the Leadership Committee with input on climate issues and proposed actions, and help to develop a plan for engaging all Boston residents, businesses, and institutions in climate action.
Take Steps to Lower Your Home Energy Use with the Kill-A-WattTM
A household electronics energy measuring device can now be borrowed from all Boston Public Library branches. The device - called a Kill-A-WattTM
- measures the amount of electricity used by individual household appliances and electronics. Residents can calculate how much it costs to keep an appliance plugged in by multiplying the amount measured using the
Kill-A-WattTM
device by the cost per kilowatt hour on their electric bills. Armed with the results, residents can make informed decisions on which appliances to use less of, to unplug when not in use, or to invest in power strips to better manage consumption.  Kill-A-WattTM
devices are available at all branches of the Boston Public Library and can be borrowed the same way as a book - with a library card. The circulation desk at the library will have the devices as well as a Kill-A-WattTM
information sheet with simple how-to-use directions and a guide on the back to chart energy use.
In addition to the Kill-A-WattTM being made available at local library branches in partnership with Nstar, the City of Boston has partnered with several community based organizations that will make the devices available to local residents. Community partners include: Boston Climate Action Network, Dorchester Environmental Health Coalition, West Roxbury Saves Energy, Allston Brighton Community Development Corporation, Beacon Hill Civic Association Green Committee, Mass Energy Consumers Alliance, Fenway Community Development Corporation, Boston Latin School's Youth Climate Action Network, Asian American Civic Association, Boston Building Materials Co-op, and the Chinese Economic Development Council. Learn more about the program here.
Keeping Boston Harbor Clean
 On July 6, Mayor Menino was joined by The Boston Harbor Association, MWRA, Eastern Salt, Massport and UMass Urban Harbors Institute to announce the 10th year of the Boston Harbor and Charles River debris clean-up. Led by TBHA with city funding, the debris clean up boat operates 8 hours/day, 5 days/week removing debris and hazards from these waterways.
Following last year's designation of Boston Harbor as a No Discharge Area, the City of Boston (through BRA/EDIC and the Environment Dept) has provided two new pumpout sites at Berth 10 in the Boston Marine Industrial Park and in the Charlestown Navy Yard Pier 4. In addition, the MWRA has provided the City with a pumpout boat to service commercial vessel and workboats. This boat, the "Head of the Harbor" is operated for the City by UMASS-Boston as part of their Marine Operations and Harbor Studies program. The boat responds to requests for sewage pumpouts and does public education and outreach as well as water quality and ecosystem research.
Charles River Receives Landmark Designation
After a comprehensive study and community process, Mayor Menino and the Boston City Council approved the Boston Landmarks Commission landmark designation of the Charles River Esplanade on July 7. The Esplanade is a focal point of the Charles River Basin which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the first U.S. public park to provide free, open air athletic facilities in the 1892 Charlesbank section, and designed by three significant landscape architects - Frederick Law Olmsted Sr., Charles Eliot and Arthur Shurcliff. Its boundaries are the upstream edge of the Craigie Drawbridge on the east, the Charles River on the north, the B.U. Bridge on the west, and Storrow Drive on the south.
Environmental Kudos
Boston was recently named the 2nd Best City to start a clean-tech company by BusinessWeek. The publication noted Boston continues to pursure new sustainaiblity initiatives with economic development in mind while continuing to be an early adopter of "green" ideas and policy.
In a recently released report the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) commended the City of Boston for its exemplary environmental stewardship and sustainability. In the report, Boston placed eighth among large cities in the overall eco-smart ranking and was the top green city on the east coast. The Smarter Cities program looks to encourage government at all levels to promote efficient, liveable cities. The NRDC report placed Boston second in transportation and seventh in energy production and conservation. The report highlighted Mayor Menino’s new biking initiative, Boston Bikes, the use of LED traffic signals to save $400,000 a year, wind and solar energy projects, and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority.
The NRDC recognition comes on the heels of new green initiatives announced by Mayor Menino over the past few weeks, including expanding "single-stream" recycling citywide, rolling out a residential energy efficiency pilot for "Renew Boston" in anticipation of additional economic stimulus funding, and providing grants for green job training programs for youth and displaced workers.
Beetle Watch
Asian Longhorn Beetle (ALB) infestations have been discovered in Worcester and other communities in Central Massachusetts. While no infestations have been discovered in Boston, we are on the lookout. ALB's pose a serious threat to trees by tunneling into the tree trunk and its branches. This disrupts the flow of sap and weakens the tree, eventually destroying it. The beetle grows and reproduces on deciduous hardwood tree species such as maple, birch, horse chestnut, poplar,  willow, elm and ash. ALBs are most visible from late July through August. There is no known biological or chemical control for the beetle. Finding infestation early is critical. Please visit the Massachusetts ALB Eradication web page for news, to learn to identify the ALB and for contact information if you believe you have found evidence of this destructive beetle.
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