Tag Archives: Earth Day

Clean up Central Square on Sunday, April 25!

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Prince street, Cambridge, MA Spring Cleanup, CleanCambridge.org by Clean Cambridge Clear Conscience Café, Toscanini’s Ice Cream and the Central Square Business Association will sponsor “Clean Up Central Square” Sunday, April 25, from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.

The Central Square Cleanup will kick off at 8:30 am at Clear Conscience Cafe, 581 Mass Ave, where the owners of the café, Daniel Goldstein and Jack Kutner, will treat volunteers to organic, fair-trade coffee and tea before the clean up begins. From 9am to 11:30, participants will clean; supplies will be provided by the Department of Public Works and by volunteers. For Daniel Goldstein, the cleanup is “a sign of the times and feels like a rebirth of citizenry and businesses to be stakeholders in a clean, well kept square.” After the cleanup, Toscanini’s will host the cleanup team for ice cream.

All are invited to join the effort on Sunday April 25th.

For more information, visit www.centralsquarecambridge.com.

Guess “who’s” turning 40?

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FIASCOP 15 by Pierre Marcel Given our area’s notoriously schizophrenic weather you could forgive some for celebrating Earth Day a little early or late, but what if you want to observe this round-number anniversary the day of? Otherwise it can be a bit like trying to get excited about trick-or-treating on November 1st.

Here’s a special Earth Day view of our local events calendar to make it easier to find something to celebrate with. Some highlights include:

Also of interest, PBS’ American Experience will be airing a two-hour special on the history of Earth Day on Monday April 19 at 9. It should be in heavy rotation for the remainder of the week. On April 27 at 10 PM, Independent Lens is showing “Garbage Dreams” by Mai Iskander.

Welcome to the world’s largest garbage village located on the outskirts of Cairo, Egypt. The Zaballeen (Arabic for “garbage people”) recycle 80 percent of the trash they collect—far more than other recycling initiatives. But now multinational corporations threatens their livelihood. Follow three teenage boys born into the business who are forced to make choices that will impact the survival of their community.

Commonwealth Challenge’s Campaign running until Earth Day

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Retrofit Revolutionaries! by Peter Papesch, AIA

The Commonwealth Challenge is a campaign to collectively save 100,000 kWh of electricity by Earth Day, April 22. Free air sealing for basements or attics is one of the benefits of participating in this campaign to retrofit homes and address poverty and climate change throughout Massachusetts. The campaign has a goal for residents of all income levels to cut their electrical usage by 5 percent, while saving money, reducing pollution, and creating good local jobs.

The participants can:

  • Sign up for a free home energy screening
  • Retrofit their home at a group discount (20 partnered organizations across the state are giving discounted and free home insulation services to all participants)
  • Track and compare their energy use with neighbors, see also Smarter Cambridge—it’s not just for Cantabridgians!

These services are offered as part of NStar and National Grid’s utility programs and also include access to over $2,000 in rebates for insulation work and a seven-year term, zero-interest loan of $15,000 to complete more extensive home retrofitting work.

According to Josh Lynch, Commonwealth Challenge coordinator, “this campaign is about connecting issues of pollution and poverty before this 40th Earth Day”. He continued “We also have an economic crisis in this country that affects people in low-income communities and communities of color first and worst. The climate crisis and economic crises are connected. People that live in pollution also often live in poverty.”

To find out more information about the campaign visit CommonwealthChallenge.org and The Leadership Campaign.

Cash for your clunky appliance coming soon

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New Refrigerator by dsleetor_2000Beginning on Earth Day, you can receive a rebate of up to $250 if you exchange your old refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes washer, or freezer for a new energy efficient model. However advanced registration required for these rebates will only be available for a two week period.  Start planning now if you want to take advantage of this offer and save you money on your utility bills for years to come.

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Happy UN-Earth Day!

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8IozVfph7I

Who knew? It’s World Environment Day. This UN holiday doesn’t get as much press as Earth Day in the U.S., but this year it’s especially poignant since it comes exactly 6 months before the beginning of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, the successor to the ill-fated Kyoto Protocol. If you’re up for a bit of light reading this weekend, some of the documents covering the conference have been released; a refreshing glimmer of transparency. Otherwise, if you catch this in time, the Institute of Contemporary Art is having a free showing—along with venues around the world—of Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s documentary film, “Home.” The spectacular aerial imagery narrated by inveterate actress Glenn Close begins at 7PM, and the doors open at 6 this evening. However, if you can’t make it YouTube is hosting the entire film (in multiple languages) at http://www.youtube.com/homeproject along with commentary, making-of, etc. plus “Born to be wild: Giraffes on the move” and “Koyaanisqatsi.”

This man needs your signature on Earth Day.

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enviro-gore

Al Gore has aligned with Repower America to ask everyone throughout the US to send a message to their local congressman to support the  energy legislation currently before the House. The Repower folks have made it easy too. All you have to do is add your email address and zip code. They’ll make sure it gets to the right politician.

Happy Earth/Wind/Sun Day

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Wind TurbineWind TurbinesIt’s Earth Day, 2009.  What have you done this year to lessen your carbon footprint, save energy, and shop responsibly?  I remain imperfect although I claim to be “green.”  I educate myself, take public transit to work, turn off lights, shop with reusable bags and keep the heat off as much as possible.  Still, is this enough?  I’ve decided it’s important to not get overwhelmed and instead do what you can using the “every vote counts” motto.

For example, a simple way to support renewable energy is a mere few clicks away.  Just recently I learned Boston-area residents have the option to support clean wind power under NSTAR Green. This program makes it easy for consumers to support wind energy by demanding their electricity be provided by wind, not coal.  You have the option of choosing between 50% and 100% wind power.  And no, it’s not that expensive.  So, on this Earth Day, do your part by checking out NSTAR Green and switching from coal-generated electricity to wind.