Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Speak Out about Earth Day


On a warm, sunny Earth Day in the Public Garden, people filled the park. Some did not know that it was Earth Day or had no plans to celebrate. Even those who knew did not make special activities.

Allison Goldin

“I totally forgot about Earth Day. For most people it means nothing. I think everyone should think about the earth every day, mostly now because of global warming.”

Brandon Crose

“I spent my lunch outside to celebrate Earth Day. I think it’s a noble endeavor to acknowledge the earth.”

Junior Gustavo

“I knew it was coming up but I didn’t know it was today. I think Earth Day should be more than one day.”

Arnold Oosterveld

“It’s a good thing. It makes people aware.”

Clean Methods


A new store has popped up as suddenly as the leaves on Newbury Street trees. At the end of Newbury just short of Mass Ave, a small colorful shop called Method opened in time for Earth Day, faeturing "green" cleaning products and promising that everything in the store as safe for your body as it is for the environment, even down to the packaging.  

The products are made with non-toxic earth friendly ingredients instead of the chemicals found in many popular cleaning products. According to healthy cleaning.com, a list of 18 chemicals that have hazardous effects on your body are found in most cleaning products. These chemicals often cause asthma or skin allergies, burning and itching of the eyes, fatality if ingested, damage to organs, and are often flammable. Method allows a viewer to click on a product on its website Methodhome.com and see exactly what it contains and none of the products include any toxins.

 "I buy those products at Target, they are affordable and I like the fragrances.  I’m definitely starting to get into the whole Green idea," said shopper Julia Sowinski who stopped in on her way to work. 

Method also provides a line for babies, including shampoos, detergents, and cleaning products. Some cleaning products are targeted for people with children because “You could drink them if you want to, if you were so inclined,” said Nate Pence, Method's creative director, explaining that even if you do not know what the bottom of your table leg tastes like, your baby might. 

Andrew Paraskos, a professor from Newbury College who teaches sustainability and environmental sensitivity,  was purchasing a few items from the store. "I guess the issue is, I think that what you are going to find is young people are much more in tune to this topic than people in my age category. I think the thing that I feel so positive about is I’m observing that the younger generation is much more sensitive and they are much more proactive about it, they’re much more concerned," said Paraskos. 

San Francisco-based Method also prides itself in its choices as a company, off-setting its carbon emissions, and packaging its products in recycled materials.


“The company…is based on the cradle-to-cradle philosophy,” said Pence, meaning that everything that starts in a good place ends in a good place. They promise to “leave the earth as spotless as your tub,” because the packaging, as well as the liquids, are all biodegradable. The wood floor kit for example, is packaged in a brown container made of recycled bamboo that can actually be planted in your garden to decompose naturally.

The colorful products really pop against the dry sidewalks and monotonous rows of brick buildings in this pop up store, because the products themselves are vibrant and colorful. Shelves of lavender all purpose cleaner, lime green dish soap, ice blue hand wash, and hot pink baby laundry detergent are each lined up with other products in their own colors and scents. And each shelf "pop" with a bowl of brightly colored gumballs next to a flourishing green planter of grass, adding to the “cleaning can be fun” company vibe. 

 

Boston Green Sox?

The Environmental Protection Agency will present the Boston Red Sox with an Environmental Merit Award at tonight's game against the Angels in recognition of the club's eco-friendly initiatives.

In honor of Earth Day, a ceremonial joint first pitch will be thrown by representatives from both the EPA and the Natural Resources Defense Council.

The Red Sox are planning to execute a five-year plan to make Fenway Park "greener." According to a press release, the plans include "the installation of solar panels to reduce energy requirements for heating water; installation of solar-powered "Big Belly" trash compactors around the park; creation of the Poland Spring Green Team, the first of its kind in professional sports, to collect plastic soda and water bottles from fans during games; placement of 75 recycling bins throughout the park; and the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices in the front office, on the field and in the concession stands and restaurants."

Nick Garlow, a Red Sox fan from New Hampshire, said the club's efforts reflect on the overall cleanliness of the city, which he thinks is a lot better than most cities.

"This is really going to represent the city well and make [the team] look better," he said.

Earth Day in Eastie

On Earth Day in East Boston, the most evident theme to the eyes of a passerby was transition.
Much of the city is currently under construction for projects aimed towards making each finished product greener and brighter. Areas like Maverick Square, Central Square and the Seville Theater are a just a few of the more prominent examples of construction projects the city is currently undergoing.
The Maverick Square project will spruce up the outside of the Maverick MBTA station as well as renovate the inside. The $55 million project is expected to be completed by mid-2008.
The Seville project will create 65 housing units, storefronts and 47 parking spaces at the site of the former theatre. Construction is set to begin in the fall.
Many residents also have lined up trash on the side of the road during the day for the weekly collection by the city’s sanitation department.
“We try to recycle as much as we can,” said resident Mark D’Agostino of his family’s recycling habits. “We don’t want anything to go to waste.”















Earth Day at the Boston Children's Museum

Boston Children’s Museum is hosting a day of special events in honor of Earth Day. The museum is at 300 Congress Street in the Fort Point section of Boston.

Visitors are able to participate in activities such as recycle creations, exploring green packaging and decorating a reusable bag. Additionally they can learn about water testing and how to pack a waste free lunch.

Every family who attends the event can take home a free tree and attend a demonstration on proper planting.

National Grid, an energy company and a sponsor of Earth Day at the museum, has employees on-hand to answer questions. Sue Lednar, a specialist in the energy efficiency department, she she has noticed more people becoming Earth-conscious.

Members of MassRecycle, are there to promote paper recycling, agree.

“I see it in the level of questions asked on our website. How can I recycle at my child’s school? How can I recycle at work? Lots of people are asking how they can recycle in their own world community,” said Jessica Wozniak, executive director of MassRecycle.

Izzitgreen.com is a local online community launching next month that functions as a social networking site where visitors can rate local businesses on their eco-sensitivity.
Their goal is to make the green movement more powerful at the local level, said Jordan Wirfs-Brock, content director of Izzitgreen.com.

The company’s mascot, Izzit, a large furry lima-bean green creature is on hand to take pictures and interact with visitors.

Brookline Earth Day

While there was no Earth Day celebration in the streets of Brookline today, residents and employees enjoyed the recent surge of customers using reusable bags at the local food stop, Trader Joe’s.

“The residents here have sensitivity to the environment and places like Trader Joe’s are creating an interest in that in the community,” said Dana Brigham, manger of Brookline Booksmith and resident of Brookline. “At our store, the best selling items are the eco-friendly products and reusable bags.”

Jessica Schoonmaker, employee at KaBloom flower shop, said that one of the best initiatives she has seen in Brookline has been the reusable bags. “People in Brookline are meticulous about being eco-friendly in the neighborhood,” Schoonmaker said. “Trader Joe’s is raising awareness and giving incentive.”

Amanda Chipperfield, manager of Trader Joe’s said the store has a program that enters customers into a sweepstakes when they bring in reusable bags. Every week, three names are drawn and the winners are given a Trader Joe’s brand bag filled with products.

“This movement has really taken off and people have embraced the idea of reusing bags,” Chipperfield said. “The people of Brookline are more apt to embrace new ideas to save the environment in their neighborhood.”

Greening Dorchester

Dorchester residents have found that being environmentally friendly helps save the planet; it also lowers their bills and makes the neighborhood a nicer place.

Neighbors said they are installing energy-efficient windows, low-energy lights, keeping the thermostat down while away, and driving hybrid cars. Denise King said she recently recycled $19 worth of plastic bottles and used the money to buy her potting soil, and saves gas by biking to work in warm weather.

In addition to being green, Dorchester is looking greener as gardens are planted. Nancy Thornton and her sister Deborah have tended to herb, vegetable, and flower gardens for a decade at their Dorchester home. "It's nice," said Nancy. "It's pretty. It makes you feel good, and it adds to the oxygen in the air."

"I think it also helps if people see that you take care of your yard," said Deborah. "Then they'll take care of their yard."

Clever Beacon Hill Shop Cleans Green + Clothes Planet

Clevergreen Cleaners, an environmentally-friendly dry cleaner, is marking Earth Day with a clothing drive this month in honor of Earth Day. Used clothing will be cleaned and sent to Planet Aid, a non-profit group located in several states that raises money for those in need in third-world countries.

Once the group receives the clothing, they resell it and proceeds go towards education and HIV/AIDS programs in Africa and Asia. Chelsea, an employee at Clevergreen, estimates about 30-something people have donated their used clothes over the past few weeks.

“We’ve been pretty successful. We could use more children’s clothes, since we’ve been mostly getting adult’s. But we’re not complaining,” she said.

For the rest of the year, Clevergreen likes to think of itself as celebrating Earth Day every day because it uses DF 2000, a biodegradable cleaning solvent. The company usese less than one gallon of DF2000 to clean 40 pounds of clothes, she said. Since the clothing never actually gets wet, there is no need for drying equipment that consumes lots of energy.

Expanding Minds Not Landfills

Sumona Dey stands next to a pile of laptops in the bottom floor of the China Trade Building, near Chinatown. The recruitment manager for World Computer Exchange, Dey is spending her Earth Day patiently waiting for donations of computers.

After an hour, no donations had come in, but Dey remains optimistic.

“We have some companies who have called saying they will be coming,” Dey says.

Dey works for World Computer Exchange, a global education and environment non-profit group. WCE is hosting “Expand Minds Not Landfills” today through Friday in celebration of Earth Day to create social change on two fronts. In regards to the environment, WCE works to keep used working computers and laptops out of landfills to help the environment -- and computer education is a second -- but equally important -- goal for the group.

Donated computers are shipped to schools in developing countries and volunteers teach students to use them.

“Volunteers find schools that need them [computers]. We seek volunteers who will do the training for the students, show them how the computers work and the Internet,” Dey says.

The last WCE shipment went from Chicago to Nigeria, along with seven volunteers. WCE has 25 chapters nationwide, and has sent more than 10,000 computers from Boston. The group is extending its stay in Chinatown after this week and will be accepting donations every Friday through the summer.

For more info: www.worldcomputerexchange.org

Allston-Brighton is Pretty Green Everyday

Allston and Brighton residents may not have a specific event in honor of Earth Day, but many people say they do something every day to save the Earth.

“I guess my job on Earth Day is to take out the recycling, and I’ve done a pretty good job I think,” said Nick DiGiornio, a Brighton resident who took out a box of empty wine bottles to be recycled at 10 a.m.

Another Brighton resident who had just woken up, Tina Georgieva, took out a stack of magazines and a pack of empty Heineken beer bottles to be recycled.
“Recycling these bottles is the easiest thing to do, I think everyone should do it, not just today but every day,” she said.

Further down in Allston, Jack, a Boston University student who was going into Shaw's, had no idea today was Earth Day, but he promised he would do his part -- even though he said he’s not a big environmentalist.

“I won’t use the plastic bags anymore, how’s that for an environmentalist?” he asked, promising that he would buy reusable totes on his way out.

For more information on neighborhood recycling -- http://recyclingcenters.org

Not all flowers are for Earth Day

A kiosk at the corner of Franklin and Federal streets is over-run with boxes of fresh flowers . . .turns out most of them are for Secretaries/Administrative Assistant's Day which is tomorrow April 23 -- so keep those cards and letters coming.

Boston history causes problems for Earth Day

One intrepid reporter, Chrisanne Grise, learned that Cambridge and other communities don't have many Earth Day events. One reason is an Earth Day concert that used to be held at the Hatch Shell along the Charles River.

The concert, sponsored by WBOS-FM, drew so many people that local activities went overlooked. But several years ago, the show was changed to mid-May because of rain-outs and yet remains a reason for limited local events on Earth Day itself.

"For years, we didn't organize any events here [in Cambridge] because everyone was going to the free concert over there," said John Bolduc, environmental planner for the city. "This year the station moved it to May, probably for weather reasons."

However, some groups in Cambridge have planned their own events. MIT has an entire Earth Week , featuring a speech from Gov. Deval Patrick on Tuesday night, in which he will speak about his plans for the future of clean energy in the commonwealth, according to an MIT press release. Patrick is expected to also discuss energy innovation and other energy policy plans.

MIT's Earth Week also includes an opportunity for MIT students to show projects related to environmental research, called the EcoExpo on April 23. The following day there is the Earth Day Fair which features MIT groups and vendors teaching students how to voice opinions on environmental issues and how to make life more sustainable. There will also be free food and live music.

"I hope this raises environmental awareness on campus. I went to Dartmouth a few weekends ago and compared to them, I would say we don't very well in terms of energy conservation and recycling," said Jean Li, a sophomore at MIT. "I'm not sure what exactly the agenda is for the Earth Fair, but I hope it's a good mix of long term research goals like biodiesel, or solar power as well as things we can do better on a daily basis."

Monday, April 21, 2008

EC Journalism class joins 21st century

This blog was set up to host the Earth Day live coverage in real-time. You can send this URL (jr304.blogspot.com) to friends, family, strangers or sources so they can see you're actually doing the reporter thing.