#greenovate

#HomeImprovement: Greenovate! [Infographic] | ecogreenlove #reduce #reuse #remodel #ecofriendly

“With energy costs rising by an average of 6 percent every year, what’s a homeowner to do? Green-ovate! After working to pay for themselves, many green home improvements have a return on investment that far outperforms CDs, savings accounts, and the stock market. If you’re looking for a place to put your money, these home improvements have the highest rate of return.“

(more…)

Story by Marianne Salza

“e” inc., a non-profit environmental science learning and action center based in Charlestown, hosted a gathering on June 25 to discuss concerns about the potential impacts of global warming on the Charlestown community.

The Environmental Protection Agency predicts a rise in sea levels of two feet by 2025 due to global warming. Some scientists believe that worldwide temperatures could increase between three to nine degrees Fahrenheit by the year 2050, causing sea levels to rise several feet, flooding coastlines.

“Flooding will be a serious challenge with sea levels rising. Whole areas can be inundated,” said Dr. Ricky Stern, “e” inc. Executive Director. “As we learned from our speakers at the Charlestown climate meet-up, the path rising waters would take in a storm surge could even turn Charlestown into a temporary island.”

Nasser Brahim, Climate Change Professional, and his colleague, Christine McCarthy, Technical Writer, gave a presentation to the guests about preparing for the various effects of climate change.

Brahim has a decade of experience as a climate change resilience practitioner and is currently an adviser at Kleinfelder, an engineering, architectural, and science consulting firm in Cambridge that provides solutions to infrastructure and natural resource challenges.

Brahim explained how people must rethink the ways they support coastal regions in order to protect the city from rising waters.

“The goal of the meet-up was to invite neighbors to learn from Nasser, as well as discuss steps that can be taken. The effects of rising waters could be substantial in Charlestown,” said Dr. Stern. “There are disaster preparations that one can do oneself and with neighbors, and then there are long term mitigations the city is considering and planning.”  

Prevention measures range from barriers put in place at building entrances to protect from surging waters, to building higher off the ground. People can install vital systems, like heat and electricity, upstairs instead of on lower levels of their homes or offices.

Brahim also advises putting natural beds, like coastal saltwater marshes, in the water to slow down and absorb the impact of the surge. Installing rain gardens will help more drainage seep into ground water instead of ending up in drains and flowing into the sea.

“Communities have to become resilient and connected in ways that they can help each other,” Stern said.

Greenovate, Boston’s commission on energy and environmental affairs, is campaigning to reduce the city’s greenhouse emissions 25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. “e” inc. has volunteered to be a Greenovate ambassador in Charlestown for this climate resilience workshop.

“Greenovate is the hub of the city’s efforts around sustainability,” said Stern. “They have to worry about long range planning for coastal cities.”

  On March 7, 2014, at the Council of State Governments Eastern Regional Conference, “Weathering the Storm: Moving Forward on Regional Resilience,” Mayor Martin J. Walsh said, "As one of America’s oldest seaports, Boston has seen many a coastal storm. But past experience is not enough to prepare us for the future. As we’ve seen up and down the East Coast in recent years, severe storms are having ever more damaging effects. And communities that thought they were prepared are being devastated. Boston only avoided these kinds of impacts by sheer luck. It is not a time for complacency. We need to take action, and that’s what we’ve been doing.

"In late 2013, the City of Boston completed a climate vulnerability assessment. This report took input from every department, detailing the threat to all of our programs, populations, and infrastructure. We are now working diligently to mitigate these risks.

"Climate preparedness is a top priority of mine. We are currently updating our Climate Action Plan, to prepare for the effects of global warming and to meet our greenhouse gas reduction goals. We’ve brought in a top-notch consultant team to help us make Boston the most prepared city in the U.S. It’s also a value of my administration to include the people of Boston in everything we do. We have a community engagement plan in place to make sure everyone’s voice is heard." 

Boston Joins 10-City Effort to Cut Carbon Emissions

On January 30, 2014, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that Boston will join the City Energy Project (CEP), a new joint initiative of the Institute for Market Transformation (IMT), the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and select cities with ambitious strategies to save energy and reduce their buildings’ greenhouse gas emissions. The CEP will help 10 cities develop their locally tailored plans to advance energy efficiency and reduce waste in their largest buildings. 

In Boston, the City Energy Project will support the outreach and implementation around the city’s Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance (BERDO) and its Renew Boston energy program’s large-building strategy, efforts which could save the commercial sector hundreds of millions of dollars in energy costs in the next 10 years.

“We are proud to partner with the City Energy Project as well as the other world-class cities participating in this important initiative,” Mayor Walsh said. “Last year, Boston was ranked the most energy-efficient city in the United States, and we know that through collaborations like this one, we’ll continue our progress towards being an even greener, healthier city with a growing economy.”

Boston vs. New York: The Climate Game from City of Boston on Vimeo.

Mayor Walsh announces Renew Boston Solarize Sign-ups

On March 3, 2014, Mayor Martin J. Walsh  announced that 106 Boston homeowners have signed contracts to install solar power through the 2013 Renew Boston Solarize program, a community bulk pricing program. A high rate of participation helped Renew Boston Solarize achieve its goal of 500 kilowatts (kW) of solar power and qualify for the lowest costs in the tiered pricing structure.

“Hundreds of Boston residents are now choosing to save money on their energy bills by taking advantage of this great program and going solar," Mayor Walsh said. "At the same time, we're adding to the clean energy economy in the city of Boston."

The deadline for sign-ups has also been extended to December 31, 2014. 

Mayor Walsh Opens Up the 8th Annual Mayor‘s Greenovate Awards

On March 25, 2014, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that he is now accepting applications for the 2014 Mayor’s Greenovate Boston Awards, which recognizes sustainability leadership across the city of Boston, including businesses, community organizations, non-profits, residents and institutions. Nominations were due April 18th, 2014, and the awards ceremony will take place on May 31, 2014 at the Greenovate Boston Community Summit.

"The City of Boston continues to work closely with our residents, business and institutions to make Boston the greenest city in the country," Mayor Walsh said. 

Boston to Join C40 Global Climate Leadership Group

On April 4, 2014, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that Boston will be joining the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40), an invitation-only global network of cities on the front line of preparing for and helping prevent climate change. The Mayor also announced the creation of the 2014 Climate Action Plan Steering Committee, which will help guide the update of Boston’s Climate Action Plan.

“The City of Boston is proud to join the C40 and be recognized as a global leader on climate action,” said Mayor of Boston Martin J. Walsh. “Boston must take a proactive position on the global stage on a variety of issues, and climate change is chief among them. Through the 2014 Climate Action Plan Update, Boston will continue its leadership tradition, ensuring that Boston stays on track to meeting its aggressive climate goals.”

Race to Solar launches in Boston

On April 10, 2014, Mayor Martin J. Walsh of Boston and Mayor David P. Maher of Cambridge launched the Race to Solar, a program for local non-profits and small businesses to increase the adoption of solar power installations and energy efficiency measures. Race to Solar is a partnership with Renew Boston, NStar, National Grid, and Home Energy Efficiency Team (HEET) to promote energy efficiency upgrades and make solar power more affordable and accessible for non-profits, including houses of worship and schools, and small businesses that own their buildings.

“Solar has been taking off in Boston and I am pleased to work with the City of Cambridge to bring solar to organizations that serve and do business right in our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Walsh. “Boston is a leader in providing its non-profits and businesses the tools to be sustainable and we must continue to ‘greenovate’ our city.”

What can you do to reduce our energy usage and help prevent climate change?

• Attend the Greenovate Community Summit on May 31, 2014. 

3 ways to improve your workday from City of Boston on Vimeo.

3, 2, 1....chaching from City of Boston on Vimeo.

Charles Zhu is one of the Mayor's two inaugural Greenovate Boston Fellows. He manages the performance measures, grassroots engagement strategies, and technology platforms for the Greenovate Boston initiative. The Greenovate Boston Fellows report directly to the Chief of Environment & Energy and the Mayor.

What does the green, sustainable Boston of the future look like? As the City updates its Climate Action Plan (CAP) next year, we’ll be working with all of Boston’s residents, businesses and institutions to answer that question.

Our last CAP, updated in 2011, set ambitious targets for reducing Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions—25% by 2020 and 80% by 2050—as well as a vision for a city that is reducing its carbon footprint while preparing  for the impacts of an already changing climate.

As recommended by the Climate Action Leadership Committee, a citywide body that helped craft the 2011 CAP, our strategies--which cover everything from transportation and building infrastructure to our tree canopy cover--are updated every three years. And with every subsequent update, we’ll evaluate our current strategies, look at new ones, and re-energize the community as we progress towards 2050.

It’s a long road, but the CAP ensures that we have a map to get there.

One thing is certain: City Hall can’t do this work alone.  In order to achieve our goals, every Bostonian must be involved in helping us create a sustainable vision, while taking his or her own actions to help, small or large. That’s why we want to engage at least 10,000 people throughout the 2014 CAP’s planning and implementation process. We’ve already gotten started with the launch of the Engage Greenovate Boston platform, a virtual town hall that allows everyone to submit their comments about what goes into the City’s climate strategies.

Beyond online engagement, we’re also getting out to the neighborhoods, partnering with community organizations to conduct outreach across the entire city. Here are some upcoming events:

Greenovate Boston Community Kick-off Meeting(December 9): This meeting is aimed at key community stakeholders and sustainability leaders to discuss the process and how to get involved.

Co-sponsored Events (January to April): A series of co-sponsored events between Greenovate Boston and partners will educate residents about the CAP as well as everyday actions they can take to reduce their carbon footprints.

Greenovate Boston Community Summit (April/May):  We’re aiming to have hundreds of attendees at an event that will feature educational workshops, focused discussions, showcases, and more.

Next year, we’ll also convene a formal committee, just like the original Climate Action Leadership Committee. Along with this overarching committee, we plan to include five strategy groups made up of community representatives, city staff and technical experts.

A 10-Piece Wardrobe for 365 Days

Out of Malaysia comes eco-fashion label ULTRA and this minimalist 10-piece wardrobe.  Comprised of mix-and-match basics and multifunctional pieces, the line was developed to as a response to the overconsumption that is often associated with fashion.

The collection is a collaboration of LOHAS, Greenovate, and The Wellness Works. Pieces include a 4-in-1 coat that turns into a shirt and skirt or a dress, and a 2-in-1 jacket that turns into a vest.

All of the items are made of recycled and sustainable materials like bamboo, organic cotton, organic silk, biodegradable tencel, and recycled polyester.

At the end of the year, the ULTRA 10 collection can be returned for upcycling, in exchange for a discount on a fresh supply of new pieces.