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Boston restaurants think locally and act innovatively to reduce their environmental impact

Increasingly, owners are trying to reduce this environmental impact, implementing rigorous recycling and composting programs, installing energy- and water-saving devices, relying on local ingredients, and more. The Green Restaurant Association, started in 1990 with the goal of forging an ecologically sustainable restaurant industry, offers an ongoing certification program to help restaurateurs go green.

Read more:     http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/food/articles/2008/12/03/the_greenest_of_them_all/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe –Green Blog by Devra First /Glob Staff

Explaining what wind energy is all about

Take it from a reporter who covers wind energy: The issues get thorny.

Few people are against wind energy, in theory, but the placement of giant turbines has raised concerns about bird and bat deaths, noise, and, of course, aesthetics.

Read more:  http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2011/02/14/explaining_what_wind_energy_is_all_about/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe posted by Beth Daley

Studies link global warming, extreme storms

WASHINGTON — Extreme rainstorms and snowfalls have grown substantially stronger, two studies suggest, with scientists for the first time finding the telltale fingerprints of man-made global warming on downpours that often cause deadly flooding.

Two studies in yesterday's issue of the journal Nature link heavy rains to increases in greenhouse gases more than ever before.

Read more:   http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2011/02/17/studies_link_global_warming_extreme_storms/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe-Green Blog by Associated Press

 

New data adds job creation to the many benefits of bicycle infrastructure

This week, a coalition of bicycling advocates introduced me to a new report showing that in Baltimore, MD, pedestrian and bicycle projects created nearly twice as many jobs per dollar spent than typical road projects.

In this case-study, "Estimating the Employment Impacts of Pedestrian, Bicycle, and Road Infrastructure," the Political Economy Research Institute compiled data provided by the city of Baltimore. They found that on-street bike lanes and pedestrian measures created more direct jobs, more indirect jobs, and moreinduced jobs per dollar than either road upgrades or road resurfacing.

More from the Department of Transportation:
http://fastlane.dot.gov/2011/01/new-data-adds-job-creation-to-the-many-benefits-of-bicycle-infrastructure.html

Green Your Car: Warm It Up Manually

Dealing with frost on the car windows can be a hassle, and unfortunately, most people tend to get rid of it by sitting inside their cars while they warm up. Instead, reduce carbon dioxide by manually clearing the frost using an ice scraper and some elbow grease. Not only will this defrost your car in a more eco-friendly manner, but it’s a great way to warm yourself up as well. If you have to park your car outside overnight, cover up the windshield with a piece of cardboard. It’ll prevent frost from forming and save you and the environment a whole lot of grief the next morning.

Article courtesy of The Green Life (green.life@sierraclub.org)

DIY Air Freshener

Store-bought air fresheners aren't very good for the
environment; most are made of paper and filled with chemicals.
The next time you want your car smelling fresher, take matters into
your own hands by making your own air freshener. Find an old blanket
or old piece of clothing and cut out a shape of your choice. Next, affix
the cloth to a piece of cardboard (keep it the same size), decorate
it, then soak the fabric in your favorite essential oil.

Article courtesy of The Green Life (green.life@sierraclub.org)

Improve Fuel Efficiency

Daily Tips for Living Well and Doing Good from the editors of Sierra magazine

Driving is one of the least green modes of transportation,
but there are ways of being eco-friendly even while in a car. This
week's tips will help you have less of an impact the next time
you have to drive.

http://action.sierraclub.org/site/R?i=fP9EX21klBhnPvYpuQ4QUg..

While zero-impact cars and fuels don't (yet) exist, there are
things every driver can do to improve fuel efficiency. One is simply
by driving at a smoother pace - rapid acceleration wastes gas
and increases emissions. Avoid drive-through windows, too: Unless you
drive a hybrid, idling next to a pick-up window for more than 30
seconds actually wastes more gas than turning off, then restarting
your car.

 

Article courtesy of The Green Life (green.lie@sierraclub.org)

The melting Arctic: a bigger-than-estimated impact on climate

The dramatic shrinking of Arctic sea ice and the Northern Hemisphere's glaciers and snowfields has reduced the radiation of sunlight back into space more than scientists previously predicted, according to a new study in the journal Nature Geoscience.

As a result, the ocean and land mass exposed by the melting ice and snow have absorbed more heat, contributing to global warming.

Read more:   http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef0147e1aeb583970b-pi

Article courtesy of the LA Times Greenspace  by Margot Roosevelt

Evergreen Solar expands job-cut figure

Evergreen Solar Inc., which revealed on Tuesday that it will close its solar panel plant in Devens, now says it will cut more jobs than previously disclosed. However, the company also plans to invest millions of dollars in its existing research and development center in Marlborough, and remains committed to Massachusetts.

Read more:   http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/articles/2011/01/15/evergreen_solar_announces_additional_job_cuts/

 

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Todd Wallack

Turning gas guzzlers into efficient hybrids

The black Lincoln Town Car that Tod Hynes has been driving around Boston looks like the sort of sedan that would ferry a well-paid executive. But under the hood and stashed in the trunk is a system that has turned the gas guzzler into a hybrid, nudging down its gas consumption. Read more:   http://www.boston.com/business/technology/articles/2011/01/10/turning_gas_guzzlers_into_efficient_hybrids/?p1=Well_Science_links

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe  by Scott Kirsner