This week we discuss phenology (whatever that is,) Massachusetts polls and cool things to do with MCAN this summer. Listen in.
The reading list:
- Climate activism and citizen scientist at Mt Auburn Cemetery
- Wikipedia on Mt Auburn Cemetery
- WBUR Climate Change series, including poll results
- Deadly air pollution
- Sheldon Whitehouse on Climate and Health
Events
- Net Zero Apartment Building
- Join MCAN for a tour of the Distillery North, the largest Passive House in New England: a cost-competitive, 30-unit apartment building located in South Boston. This tour is available in both July and August. Tour attendees will hear from former MCAN board member, Fred Gordon, who will be on-site to lead the tour and presentation, explaining the methods and materials used and how the project team navigated the difficulties of large-scale development in the City of Boston. The new 60,000 s.f. building is a Passive House, which now can often be built for no cost premium over ordinary buildings while using 90% less energy to heat and cool. Since completing this building, our architect is building two more-- a 95 unit and 40 unit affordable housing project. The building was conceived as their contribution to the effort to come to grips with the environmental crisis, and the good news is that it is performing as it was designed!
- RSVP: July RSVP & August RSVP
-
- When: Saturday, July 15th @11am & Monday, August 7th 4pm.
- Where: The Distillery North Apartments, 516 E 2nd Street, Boston, MA
Kendall cogeneration station has been a source of reliable energy for the city of Boston since 1949 through the use of combined heat and power (CHP). Also known as cogeneration, CHP, recycles waste heat from its electric generation process into useful thermal energy, which is used for steam heating and powering chillers. Acquired by Veolia in 2005, Kendall Cogeneration Station has worked to become up to 80% efficient through CHP. This dramatically reduced emissions while being reliable, sustainable, and cost-efficient.
When: Thursday, July 27th, 1-3pm
Where: 21 Athenaeum St, Cambridge, MA 02142
RSVP: click here
Deer Island Clean Energy Tour - back by popular demand!
Located on a spit of land in Boston Harbor, Deer Island is not only a Sewage Treatment Plant - it is a clean energy powerhouse. In addition to protecting Boston Harbor from pollution (the plant treats waste water from 43 communities in the greater Boston area), Deer Island sources renewable energy from solar panels and wind turbines, as well as an anaerobic digestion facility, all of which will be part of the tour. This is a great opportunity to see clean energy up close and think about what additional on-site clean energy options your town might be able to take advantage of. Click here to see the pictures from our tours last summer. - Join MCAN for a tour of the Distillery North, the largest Passive House in New England: a cost-competitive, 30-unit apartment building located in South Boston. This tour is available in both July and August. Tour attendees will hear from former MCAN board member, Fred Gordon, who will be on-site to lead the tour and presentation, explaining the methods and materials used and how the project team navigated the difficulties of large-scale development in the City of Boston. The new 60,000 s.f. building is a Passive House, which now can often be built for no cost premium over ordinary buildings while using 90% less energy to heat and cool. Since completing this building, our architect is building two more-- a 95 unit and 40 unit affordable housing project. The building was conceived as their contribution to the effort to come to grips with the environmental crisis, and the good news is that it is performing as it was designed!
- When: Wednesday, August 16th 9:30am-12pm
- Where:Deer Island in Winthrop, MA (RSVP for directions)
- RSVP: click here
- HOWEVER, for the Deer Island tour we need a signed release form and a copy of a government ID (like a driver's license) from all attendees by August 4th, so I am inviting you early. Please sign up now if you are interested, and we will send out release forms.
- If you work closely with someone on town staff or your board of selectmen, city council, etc, please pass this invite along to town staff or local officials (board of selectmen, dept of public workers, energy managers, city counselors etc.). I am also happy to email them if you send us contact information for your town or city government folks who might be interested.
- HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES
Because we recognize the necessity of personal accountability for our actions, because we accept responsibility for building a durable future and because we believe it is our patriotic duty as citizens to speak out, we must insist that the United States put a price on carbon.
Thanks for listening.
…Ted McIntyre
Do you like this post?