Boston Common - Niche Media - A side of Boston that's anything but common.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/526269
Boston confronts climate change on the land, in the air, and on the sea. THE GREEN LINE From the mayor's offce in City Hall to the cob- blestone streets of Beacon Hill and all across our community, Bostonians are committed to safeguarding the climate with programs aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Greenovate Boston Launched by Mayor Tom Menino and rein- vigorated by Mayor Marty Walsh, Greenovate Boston is a community-driven initiative to involve all Bostonians in the task of meeting the city's environmental goals, including the reduc- tion of greenhouse gases. The latter target is lofty: cut emissions 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050, according to the city's Climate Action Plan. The multitier plan focuses on en- gaging Boston residents and business leaders in citywide conservation and climate efforts, particularly reducing carbon emissions from neighborhoods, large buildings and institutions, and transportation networks. Hubway Bikes By 2020, Boston may have a shot at shaking its "worst drivers in the country" reputation— and reducing auto emissions in the process. If Hubway Bikes has its way, more and more of us will be two-wheeling it. Supporting the city's Bicycle Network Plan, which aims to build 356 miles of bike lanes and paths by 2043, Hubway provides bicycles that Bostonians can share, more than 1,300 of them at 140 stations throughout Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville. thehubway.com Green Ribbon Commission Cofounded by the Barr Foundation's Amos Hostetter Jr. and Mayor Tom Menino, the Green Ribbon Commission brings together leading thinkers and innovators from every sector of the city to share ideas, track progress, and develop strategies for fghting climate change. Real estate, healthcare, and higher education are among the targeted industries in this ongoing effort. greenribboncommission.org Logan Airport No one can say that Logan Airport offcials don't aim for the sky. They recently announced a detailed plan to confront climate change, one of the nation's frst major airports to do so. Airport offcials intend to spend $9 million to protect runways and critical equipment from the sea, expected to rise between two and six feet by the end of the century. The airport also aims to cut its carbon emissions by 40 percent and its energy consumption by 25 percent compared to 2012 levels by 2020; curtail the amount of waste produced by passengers by 2 percent per year by 2030; increase its recycling rate by 60 percent by the end of the decade; and lower water use by 1 percent every year over the next 10 years. massport.com/business- with-massport/resiliency/resiliency-and- climate-change Boston Green Drinks Throughout the year, Boston Green Drinks brings together Bostonians who share inter- est in a wide range of "green" issues. Climate- control advocates—primarily in the health, energy, and education felds—can meet and discuss ideas about sustainability, share career and project opportunities, and educate the public about new environmental issues and industry events. bostongreendrinks.com The Boston Tree Party Environmentalist Lisa Gross founded The Boston Tree Party as a call to action. The non- proft group encourages communities to plant and care for heirloom apple trees, symbolizing their commitment to the environmental health of Boston. bostontreeparty.org clockwise from left: Boston Tree Party encourages communities to plant heirloom apple trees; shareable bicycles from Hubway Bikes; solar panels at Logan Airport help reduce emissions. BoSToNCoMMoN-MAGAzINE.CoM 105