green news

NEWSLETTER OF GREEN DECADE / NEWTON

VOL.24 - NO. 5 SEPT/OCT 2014
Over 24 Years of Environmental Leadership 1990 - 2014
Soil health and climate
change workshop
Sept. 1 Labor Day 10:00am-4:00pm at Newton
Community Farm, 303 Nahanton St, Newton Centre
The Northeast Organic Farming Association/
Mass welcomes Dr. Christine Jones, an Australian soil
biologist, researcher and international educator about
carbon sequestration in the soil. Dr. Jones has this to say
in her essay Farming for the Future: There is much
that can be done on the farm to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions, sequester carbon and nitrogen, increase
soil water-holding capacity and change the climate--
rather than being changed by it. Come to this day-
long workshop to learn with us and ask Dr. Jones your
questions about soil carbon sequestration and how the
soils we depend on can be a climate change solution.
More articles and resources from Dr. Jones can be found
at www.amazingcarbon.com. More info and required
registration: www.nofamass.org/events/type/farming
Join our Food
Day celebration
on October 24 !
This is is a nationwide
celebration of healthy,
affordable, and sustainably
produced food and a
grassroots campaign for better food policies. This year
Massachusetts is focusing on nutritional education, food
justice, and highlighting partnerships with local farmers.
In 2013 Massachusetts was #2 in the country with 640
Food Day activities! This years themes are focused
on nutritional education, food justice, and highlighting
partnerships with a local farmer.
Register to attend a pot luck vegan dinner celebration with
Green Decade Board members at info@greendecade.org
Check for details on our web site in mid-September.
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Graphic Designer needed
Green Decade is looking for graphic design assistance
for our bi-monthly newsletter. If you or someone you
know is profcient at using the InDesign software program
and would like to volunteer to assist Green Decade in
this way, every other month for approximately 12 hours,
please contact info@greendecade.org
Tuesday, October 21 at 7pm
Wild Plants I Have Known
and Eaten with Russ Cohen

The area in and around Newton

is home to over 70 species of edible
wild plants, some of which are more
nutritious and/or favorful than
their cultivated counterparts, and
at least a dozen species of edible
mushrooms. Join expert forager
Russ Cohen for an illustrated talk
that will cover over 40 of the tastiest
species the region has to offerfrom
At the Newton Free Library 330 Homer St, Newton
Thursday, Sept 18 at 7pm
plants everyone knows like daisies and dandelions, to
plants many have never have even heard of like calamus
and carrion fower. Learn about local mushroom species
including morels in the spring, black chanterelles in the
summer and hen of the woods mushrooms in the fall.
Russ, author of Wild Plants I Have Known...and Eaten,
will present information on identifcation tips, edible
portion(s), season(s) of availability and preparation
methods, along with general guidelines for safe and
environmentally-responsible foraging. Russ will also
bring foraged goodies for people to taste.
Cosponsored by Green Decade/Newton and the Newton Conservators.
Over the past six years
ecologist, photographer,
and natural history
educator, Brooks
Mathewson, has been
working on three
photographic projects:
studying the neotropical migratory songbirds that pass
through eastern Massachusetts during the spring and
fall, the shorebirds and wading birds of a salt pond and
barrier beach in southern Rhode Island, and the fora
and fauna of the woodlands and freshwater wetlands
of Harvard Forest in central Massachusetts. Brooks will
present his photography, share the stories behind how
he produced some of his favorite images and also relate
the fascinating natural history of his subjects.
Warblers, Waders, and Woodlands
Photo Presentation by Brooks Mathewson
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PAGE 2 SEPT/OCT 2014
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For the next newsletter, please send submissions by e-mail to
Ira Krepchin, irapk@alum.mit.edu, by Mon, Sept 29, 2014.
Thanks for making this newsletter possible to Managing Editor
Ira Krepchin, Editor Peter Smith and article authors. Many
thanks to our mailing volunteers.
Thanks ! and next newsletter deadline
Please visit and Like Green
Decade/Newtons Facebook page at :
https://www.facebook.com/greendecadenewton
. . . .and then pass it on to your friends.
Helen Caldicott: Facing our
nuclear responsibilities
Sept. 20-Saturday, 2-4pm at Newton City Hall
War Memorial Auditorium.
Newton Dialogues on Peace and War invites you to
this important event in honor of the International Day
of Peace. Dr. Helen Caldicott, the featured speaker, is
a renowned activist and author of The New Nuclear
Danger and Nuclear Power is Not the Answer as
well as a Nobel Peace Prize nominee and founder of the
Nobel Peace prize-winning organization Physicians for
Social Responsibility.
As a former Newton resident, she founded WAND
(Womens Action for Nuclear Disarmament). Dr.
Caldicott will be speaking about: the imminent threat
of nuclear war, particularly with the current state of
events in Ukraine; the impact that artifcial intelligence
contributes to the risk of nuclear war; the past near
misses of nuclear war; and Fukushima and how nuclear
power plants like Pilgrim pose a grave health threat.
Distinguished panelists will discuss the status of
international treaties, our nuclear arsenal and its costs,
nuclear power and our environment.
Panelist: Guntram Mueller, Board Chairman, Mass.
Peace Action: Nuclear arsenals, their costs; status of
Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
Panelist: Diane Turco, co-founder of Cape
Downwinders: Nuclear power: waste fuel issue, the
environment, status of Pilgrim Plant
Moderator: Beverly Droz, Past National President,
WAND. Newton is a Mayors for Peace City.
Co-Sponsors: (to date) 20/20 Action, Arlington United
for Peace & Justice, Cape Codders for Peace & Justice,
Cape Downwinders, Coalition for a Strong United
Nations, Green Decade/Newton, Mass Peace Action,
Newton Dialogues for Peace and War, On Behalf of
Planet Earth, Veterans for Peace/ Smedley D. Butler
Brigade, Womens Action for New Directions, Womens
International League for Peace & Freedom
Ask Green News: meat trays?
Did you know . . . that you can recycle your foam
meat trays (if they have the recycle triangle on the
bottom with a number 6 inside)? You have to rinse,
take off the wrapper and take them to the styrofoam
bin at the Recycling Depot at 115 Rumford Ave. So
save them up for a while and when you are at
Rumford to pick up your free compost drop them off
and reduce the amount you throw in the blue trash bin!
Walk the recycle walkor bike
Green Decade and Newtons Dept. of Public Works
continue to seek volunteers to place recycling education
stickers onto residential green bins. The Recycle
Sticker Project reminds everyone of what may or may
not be placed in our green bins. Funding for printing the
stickers was provided by Green Decade, Whole Foods
Markets Newton and Waste Management with a goal
to raise awareness about recyclingnot only to beneft
our environment, but to also reap substantial fnancial
savings on the cost of disposing the Citys trash.
So far, more than 15,000 bins have been labeled by
our wonderful team of volunteers. If you want to help
increase participation in Newtons recycling program
and enjoy taking early morning walks or riding your
bike, please contact Green Decades recycling committee
at info@greendecade.org.
Vote YES on Question 2
We need to prevent litter and keep our state clean.
This November, a YES vote on Question 2 will help to do
just that by fnally updating a 30-year-old (1982 Bottle
Bill) law to include fve cent deposits on water bottles
and sports drinks. Please vote YES on 2 to update
the law and reduce the water bottle and sports drinks
litter that turn our streets, waterways and parks into
an eyesore. There is strong support for YES on 2 from
the public, from Governor Deval Patrick and former
Governor Mitt Romney, from over 200 cities and towns
and 400 businesses who have endorsed a YES on 2.
Currently, 80% of bottles with a deposit on them are
recycled, while less than 23% of containers without a
deposit are recycled. The updated Bottle Bill will save
our cities and towns about $6.7 million a yearor an
average of $1 per person living in our state-- in litter pick
up and trash disposal costs. It also will mean less waste
will go into landflls and incinerators. Saving money for
our communities is a common sense action that helps
everyone. Please remember to Vote YES on Question 2
on November 4th. by Clare Kelly
Supporting the Bottle Bill
Green Decade has exceeded our pledge to collect more
than 200 bottle bill signatures! Over 300 from Newton
and 42 from surrounding communities. Many thanks
to everyone who collected signatures. Now we all
have to tell our neighbors and friends to vote YES! in
November for the binding law ! See next article below.
NEWSLETTER OF THE GREEN DECADE / NEWTON PAGE 3
T-Shirts (youth sizes only)
with the Energy Smart Newton logo
imprinted on the front are available for
sale from Green Decade at $20 per
organic cotton shirt. To place your
order: info@greendecade.org
A Community
Partnership
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Dirty Boys Composting
Newton South High Students Grant Berman and Max
MacKenzie recently started an eco-business, Dirty Boys
Composting, to help increase the composting rate in
Newton. Friends for many years, they came up with the
idea after brainstorming what business they could start
that would not only pay them to work outdoors over
the summer, but enable them to give back and have an
impact on where theyve been.
Their business model includes the delivery of the
composting bin, installation, education, their own red
wiggle worms, and follow-up with customers until the
customers graduate. Things are going well so far in
this initial concept year with plans to gear up over
the winter for expansion next summer. Through trial
and error the team has learned what works and what
doesnt in a compost pile. This knowledge allows them
to make it as easy as possible for people to compost. If
done properly, a compost pile does not smell, nor does it
attract animals.
Customers have been happy with results. It generally
takes 8-10 weeks for usable compost to form. The
benefts to composting are two-fold. First, the customer
enjoys compost as a soil enhancer around gardens and
lawns. Second, there is an environmental beneft in that
food scraps no longer take up land-fll space or clog our
drain pipes and use electricity for disposals.
For more information on their services, contact Grant or
Max at: http://www.dirtyboyscomposting.com/#home
Composting Tip from Dirty Boys:
It is important not to place any dairy or meat products
in a compost pile.
Tuesdays with Green Decade
This past summer, we had the opportunity to spend
fve Tuesdays at Green Decades booth at the Newton
Farmers Market to help out as student interns. The
booth has some popular attractions, especially for
children. For example there are two types of funky
looking caterpillars. The Cecropia Moth caterpillar has
been compared to the bristles of a colorful brush. The
Tomato Hornworm resembles a green leaf and is very
well camoufaged. These two little creatures brought
a steady stream of visitors to our booth. We were
interested to learn about the life cycle of the caterpillars
and it was fun to educate kids about the changes
caterpillars undergo in their life.
We also shared information about how to improve
the environment by offering printed articles on a range
of topics, such as organic lawn care and composting
at home. We talked about the Recycle Your Corks
project, which allows us to collect the corks from wine
bottles and eventually give them to Whole Foods
Market. In addition, we had ideas that led to new
activities that drew more attention to the booth. A game,
which we named Cork-Toss Challenge, and some fun
magic tricks, encouraged kids to stop and take a look,
allowing time for their parents to browse through the
available information on our table. On occasion, other
animals such as pet rabbits and dogs would come to
visit. The Farmers Market is a vivacious place to be on
Tuesday afternoons, and we will continue to visit even
after our internship ends! by Marisa Ng and Zhe Wu
Removing invasive weeds
from the Charles
The Department of Conservation and Recreation
(DCR) now has $350,000 in its FY2015 budget for
removal and continuing control of invasive aquatic
species in the Charles. Green Decade Newton is
most appreciative of the outstanding efforts made by
Massachusetts State Representative Kay Khan to secure
this funding. The money will help the City of Newton
to fght this expansive infestation in the Charles River
Lakes District.
It will help to pay for large-scale mechanical
harvesting to remove water chestnuts and other
invasive weeds that have long plagued the District,
a section of river bordered by Waltham, Weston
and Newton. These invasive plants can alter water
chemistry and make it uninhabitable for fsh and other
aquatic life.
Left to right: Melissa Sullivan, Roz Aronow, Marisa Ng, and Zhe Wu at
Green Decade/Newtons tent at Farmers Market with visiting rabbit.
PAGE 4
SEPT/OCT 2014
Join Students
for A Greener World
Students for A Greener World (SGW) is Green
Decade/Newtons (GDN) student committee, with
volunteers from middle schools and high schools. We
help GDN reach out to kids of all ages to help them learn
and practice environmentally-friendly actions at home,
school, wherever -- and have fun doing it. We are kids
teaching kids about the environment!
Our projects and activities to make Newton greener go
all over townto schools, special events, workshops, the
library, NewtonSERVES, the Farmers Market and more!
SGW meets once a month during the school year and
presents an annual spring program for the Greening Our
Community series at the Newton Free Library. Check
out some of our events and photos at greendecade.org/
sgwyou may even see someone you know!
Our next meeting will be Monday, September 8 at
5:30pm. Visit us at the Farmers Market on Tuesdays at
Cold Spring Park or Saturdays on Elm Street in West
Newton. You can also contact us at sgw@greendecade.
org or 617-965-1995 to fnd out more! by Margaret Ford
Newtons recycling rate:
room for growth
Newtons curbside recycling rate currently sits at
50.4 percent. The rate is defned as: (total weight of
recyclables collected in the green carts + yard waste)/
(total weight of blue carts + green carts + yard waste).
The citywide overall recycling rate is a bit higher, 54%,
because it also includes recyclables not picked up
curbside, such as scrap metal, rigid plastics, appliances
and electronics, and yard waste dropped off at the
Rumford Avenue recycling center..
We can do better. There are still recyclables being
thrown in the trash both at home and in City squares
and parks. We could very dramatically increase the rate
of curbside recycling rate if everyone pitches in! At the
curb, we can also strive to increase our recycling rate
by wasting less, reusing more, and recycling all you
can! Compost food scraps, donate/recycle ALL textiles,
reduce packaging (buy in bulk dont use single serve
or disposable products), recycle all plastic bottles (dont
forget the ones from your bathroom), junk mail, cereal
boxes and cardboard.
Heres a summary of what can be placed loosely in
the green cart (remember, no plastic bags!):
cardboard and paperboard (cereal, shoe boxes, etc.)
newspapers, magazines, phone books, junk mail
(envelopes OK)
all offce paper (staples, paper clips OK)
all plastic bottles, leave caps on, check for the neck
plastic food tubs (yogurt, cottage cheese)
glass containers (all colors)
aluminum pie plates, trays, and foil
metal cans (steel, tin, aluminum)
beverage containers, drink boxes, milk/juice cartons
empty aerosol cans by Marcia Cooper
(L-R) Kneeling: Isabel Snyder and Niki Yeracaris Standing: Caleb
Abercrombie, Alison Costello, Taylor Yeracaris, Dani Davidoff, Michael
Costello, Roz Aronow, Audrey Kissin (on Eeyore)
Volunteer at Farmers Market
Green Decade welcomes volunteers of all ages at our
Newton Farmers Market booth, for even just an hour
or two on an occasional basis. In addition to providing
information on environmental topics, weve got the best
live entertainment, a colorful group of live caterpillars
and the ever popular Magic Energy Bike. Until the last
week in October, Farmers Markets are Tuesdays, 1:30-6pm
in Cold Spring Park on Beacon Street, and Saturdays, 10am
to 2pm on Elm Street in West Newton. To volunteer,
contact info@greendecade.org or call 617-965-1995.
BikeNewton will again offer FREE VALET BICYCLE
PARKING at the Tuesday Farmers Market at Cold Spring
Park on Beacon Street. Anyone who bikes to the market
can leave their bike with us at the park entrance.
If you can spare an hour (or more!) to help host our tent,
please email: bikenewton@gmail.com. Pick your time to
help us out.
Thank you to our over 400 members!
Please RENEW your Green Decade
membership! www.greendecade.org/join
September 23 Green Decade
School Outreach meeting
Did you know that Green Decades School Outreach
Committee works to share project ideas about energy,
conservation and environmental concerns with each
school community in the City? Meetings are scheduled
during the school year in members homes to share
successful green projects and best practice ideas. If you
are interested in learning more about how to participate
or to RSVP to attend the next School Outreach
Committee meeting on September 23, please contact
Eric Bobby at ericbobby@hotmail.com
NEWSLETTER OF THE GREEN DECADE / NEWTON PAGE 5
Eco-friendly goods
Save 5% when you purchase well-designed, eco-
friendly clothing, self-care products, jewelry and gifts
at UplandRoad.com, and Upland Road will donate 10%
of your purchase value to Green Decade/Newton! Use
code GDN510 when you check out. Upland Road was
started by Green Decade board member Mindy Sieber,
with the goal of helping the environment by making it
easier to buy quality, eco-friendly goods. This discount/
donation is valid through February 14, 2014.
Two programs promoting and installing solar panels
on Newton homes have been completed and a third is
set to start this fall. Although the latest program fell
short of its goals, the lessons learned should help the
new program. And, we have already installed close to
400 kW of solar energy on homes in the city.
As of July 1, the citys residential solar program, Solar
Smart Newton came to an end. This program was a
partnership among the Newton Eco-project, the citys
Energy Smart initiative and Solarfair, the vendor. It
offered discounts to Newton homeowners who installed
solar panels through the program. The fve month
initiative was modeled after Solarize Mass, sponsored
by the Clean Energy Center, part of the Massachusetts
Department of Energy Resources. Newton participated
in the Solarize program in 2013 and installed over 300
kW of electrical power on 64 homes. The Solar Smart
program installed 80 kW on 13 homes. The program is
currently working with Lasell College and Lasell Village
to bring the program total over 100 kW.
While contributing to the continuing effort to reduce
our citys carbon emissions and making Newton a more
sustainable community, the results of the Solar Smart
program were disappointing. We attribute the lower
than expected participation in the program to a number
of factors. The most important of these was the inability
to distinguish the citys program from all the rest of the
solar panel company offerings out there. Currently there
is so much noise around residential solar that it is very
Amazon dams: clean power or
environmental destruction?
There is a growing concern among environmentalists
about the construction of the Belo Monte Dam in Brazils
Amazon. This dam has been the subject of much
debate and controversy both within Brazil and in the
environmental community as a whole, with Belo Monte
protests occurring from Paris to Australia to Sao Paulo.
The mega-dam strikes at the heart of the Amazon,
degrades the rainforest, affects the native tribes living
in the area, and is the leader for the wave of 100+ dams
planned in the Amazon.
With such strong opposition, the dam has seen long
delays and construction is continuing a year behind
schedule. The Amazon Rainforest plays a major role in creating
our rainfall and climate, even here in Massachusetts,
so there is a movement afoot to mobilize to preserve
our water and climate. Buying coffee and other goods
outside Brazil is one good way to take action on Belo
Monte and the dams. Visit Wildxingu.tumblr.com to read
more about the Belo Monte Dam. by Willie OLaughlin
Whats the Difference:
Green News vs. E-Bulletin?
Green Decade/Newton volunteers hear this question
all the time! So heres the answer and you can get
both or either one, as you wish.
Green News: Our newsletter since 1990, printed bi-
monthly, mailed to members only, either by snail-mail or
on-line. Articles are in-depth, and photos are included
in both versions.
GD/Ns Monthly E-Bulletin: A brief summary
of upcoming events -- Green Decades and other
organizations -- including some, that may not be in the
Green News. E-mailed at the beginning of each month
to subscribers who sign up on-line or at our resource
table at events.
Available to members and non-members, who
may unsubscribe at any time. Current and previous
issues of the Green News and the Monthly E-Bulletin
can be viewed at www.greendecade.org in our
Communications & News section. Happy reading!
by Margaret Ford
More solar opportunities for Newton homes
diffcult for homeowners to make sense of it all. With
salesmen at Home Depot, cold calls in the evenings,
radio and television spots offering an array of solar
panel products and fnancing options, the public is left a
bit overwhelmed.
Another issue is Newtons physical constraints. The
fact is that Newton is an older residential community
with large trees and older homes that dont provide the
roof exposure conducive to good solar installations.
We believe only 10-15% of the homes in Newton are
solar-ready with the orientation and unobstructed roof
area needed. However with a housing stock of over
30,000 single-family homes and only around 250 homes
utilizing solar panels, we have abundant opportunity for
improvement.
We are not done. Green Decades Eco-project
is working with Rob Garrity, the citys Director of
Sustainability, to continue to promote residential
solar panels in our city. At this point the program is
envisioned to offer a number of different vetted vendors
that install residential solar. We are also looking into
a community solar component where residents who
cannot install panels on their own homes can beneft
from electricity produced from a remote solar array
from another location in the city. The goal is to provide
Newton homeowners unbiased information and an
array of options for solar panel installations. We hope to
roll out the program by mid-October. Anyone interested
in participating in the program development should
contact Jay Walter at Entasis@rcn.com by Jay Walter
SEPT/OCT 2014
PAGE 6
DO try this at home!
Although Dan Ruben, Green Decade Board Chair, lives
in house that looks much like his neighbors, his house is
in fact way more energy effcient than most other houses in
Newton. During our summer internship with Green
Decade, we had the opportunity to visit Dans house and
listen to his presentation called How to Cut Your
Carbon Footprint by 85% and be Happier than Ever.
Dan has saved energy and money on his bills by
transforming his home into an impressively energy-
effcient place. Dan showed us how he has saved as much
as 80% energy without becoming too uncomfortable. He
approaches his mission by cutting his heating, hot water, and
electricity usage. To lower the energy use of home heating,
he made his house air-tight, insulated, and monitored. He
sealed up vents in the freplace and elsewhere. Drafts from
windows and doors are also eliminated by using weather
strips. Energy effcient windows recently replaced his
old windows, and energy effcient shades cover each one.
The house is well insulated and sealed to reduce air fow
between the inside and the outside walls.
A programmable thermostat controls the temperature
within the house. During the winter months, the
temperature is set at 60 degrees during the day and
around 52 degrees at the night, though there is fexibility
on those numbers when guests come to visit. He forgoes
air-conditioning during the summer and uses a fan when
necessary. As long as I am comfortable, he says, there
is no need for me to use unnecessary energy.
Dan uses little hot water and the boiler is mostly turned
on when showering and dishwashing. The house uses
energy-effcient appliances and electronic equipment, as
well as fuorescent and LED light bulbs. Lights and
appliances are turned off when not in use, and a power
strip cuts down phantom energy loss. He also lets his
clothes air-dry instead of using a clothes dryer.
It will take Dan about four years to pay back his investment.
By reducing his energy use, he has signifcantly reduced
his carbon footprint, as well as the cost of his bills. He
often asks the question What is crazy? Wearing many
layers in the winter or allowing the world to suffer the
consequences of climate change? by Zhe Wu and Marisa Ng
Dan Ruben (left) stands with Green Decade interns Zhe Wu and Marisa Ng
outside his very energy effcient house in Newton. Read below about how he does it.
The Peoples Climate March
Sept. 21 in New York City
This march is shaping up to be the biggest mass
mobilization the climate movement has ever seen. Over
600 organizations are pitching in to organize it, from
local labor unions to environmental justice groups
to international NGOs. Round trip charter buses are
going from Boston (one day or two day round trips
-wwwbetterfutureproject.org/buses-to-nyc/
World leaders are coming to New York City for a UN
summit on the climate crisis. UN Secretary General Ban
Ki-moon is urging governments to support an ambitious
global agreement to dramatically reduce global warming
pollution. Organizers plan to take a stand for a world
with an economy that works for people and the planet;
a world safe from the ravages of climate change; a
world with good jobs, clean air and water, and healthy
communities. For more information visit:
http://peoplesclimate.org/march/
Join Green Decades new
Water Resources Committee
Green Decades Board of Directors is pleased to
announce the formation of a new Program Committee
for Water Resources that will focus on Newtons storm-
water issues. Myron Rosenberg, a member of Green
Decades Board, and an expert in water management,
has agreed to chair the committee.
Initially, because Newtons water supply and
wastewater infrastructure is well-managed in
cooperation with the Massachusetts Water Resources
Authority (MWRA), Green Decades new committee
will, most likely, devote its attention to what is called
non-point-sources of pollution found in urban storm-
water runoff.
Storm water is collected and discharged to surface
water bodies in pipes separate from wastewater (which
fows through sewers to an MWRA treatment plant).
The City of Newton is responsible for the quality
and quantity of these storm-water discharges and is
obligated to obtain state/federal discharge permits
under the Clean Water Act. Minimum control measures,
required by permit, most often rely on community
education aimed at pet control and street cleanliness.
Technical data and information on the effectiveness of
these measures is lacking. This is where Green Decade
may be best able to help. Dr. Rosenberg and others from
Green Decades Board will meet with City offcials in
the near future and determine precisely where/how we
might focus our efforts.
Soon after these meetings, the new Water Resources
Committee will meet. If you are interested in learning
more or joining the committee, please contact Myron
Rosenberg directly by email at rosenberg.myron@gmail.
com. by Myron Rosenberg
NEWSLETTER OF THE GREEN DECADE / NEWTON PAGE 7
Rake up the gold!
Your garden is a model of organic sustainability. You
keep a sweet-smelling compost bin. Maybe you collect
and use rainwater. Next stepinstead of raking and
bagging all of those autumn leaves for city pick-up, why
not turn them into some of the best mulch youll ever use?
A few inches of leaf mulch on your fower and/or
vegetable garden will keep weed growth down and
provide organic nutrients to the soil. Its lighter in
weight than bark mulch, helps the soil retain moisture
and, properly composted, does not have that sharp
mulchy odor. And, leaf mulch breaks down faster
than bark mulch, creating a wonderful, dark soil full of
microbes and earthworms.
Depending on how fancy you want to be, you can
rake all of your leaves into a corner of the yard and leave
them. Or you can make or buy cage-like leaf bins to
keep everything in one place. The most important thing
is allowing the decaying leaves plenty of aeration and
moisture in the form of rain and snow. Ive found that
turning the pile every so often helps the process and
some people shred the leaves before composting. In 8-12
months, your compost will be ready to spread.
So plant bulbs, put out the birdfeeders, fnd a good
spot to compost all those leaves and settle in for a long
winter of planning for next years garden! by Anna Zeusler
EPAs Back-to-School Tips
Students, parents, and teachers can all make a
difference in reducing waste at school. By practicing the
3 Rs of waste reduction-reduce, reuse, and recycle.
Before starting the new school year, sort through
your old materials. Many of last years supplies can
be reused or recycled. Make a list before you shop for
school supplies, it will help you remember what you
wanted to purchase and limit impulse buying.
Buy smart! Purchase and use a wide assortment of
supplies made from recycled products, such as pencils
made from old blue jeans; binders made from old
shipping boxes. Many types of recycled paper products
contain a percentage of Post-Consumer Waste (PCW).
You can also reuse items like refllable pens, rechargeable
batteries, and scrap paper for notes.
Recycle unwanted papers and reuse your old folders
and binders. Paper that had only one side written on it
can be reused; you can cut it up and re-staple it to make
a notebook. Buy used goods from resale shops. This is
an inexpensive way to get assorted merchandise, and
retro fashions are always coming back into style.
Waste from packaging accounts for more than 30% of
all the waste generated each year. Use school supplies
wrapped with minimal packaging; use compact or
concentrated products; or buy products that come in
bulk sizes.
Save packaging, colored paper, egg cartons, and other
items for arts and crafts projects. Look for other ways
you can reduce the amount of packaging you throw
away and recycle!
Cover your textbooks with cut-up grocery or shopping
bags helps reduce waste and keeps your books in good
condition. Be creative - use markers or colored pencils
to give your covers unique and fun designs. Paper
grocery bags and newspaper are also great for wrapping
packages.
Use nontoxic products, inks and art supplies, such as
vegetable-based inks, white tape instead of whiteout,
and water-based paints, and batteries with less mercury.
If you bring your lunch to school, package it in reusable
containers and carry them in a reusable plastic or cloth
bag, or lunch box. Bring drinks in a thermos or water
bottle instead of disposable bottles or cartons.
Make a commitment to walk, bike or take public
transportation to school.
Tell the managers at your favorite stores that you and
your friends are interested in seeing more green items on
the shelves. Tell your teachers you want to have a time
dedicated to learning more about what you and your
fellow classmates can do for the environment.
For more tips visit:
http://www.epa.gov/osw/wycd/funfacts/school3.htm
Farm stand open at
Newton Community Farm
Looking for fresh, locally-grown produce? Then shop
at Newton Community Farms on-site farm stand on
Winchester Street on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1 pm.
The farm stand is also open Tuesday through Friday
from 1:30 to 6 pm. Newton Community Farm is selling
our crop of greens and other veggies grown at the Farm!
Newton Community Farm is located at the corner of
Winchester Street and Nahanton Street. The Farm
accepts cash, checks, Master Card, and Visa.
Vote No on Question 1
This November 4th, Mass residents will be voting on a
statewide ballot question that would eliminate indexing
the gas tax to infation. Question 1 would eliminate a law
that links the state gas tax to infation. This transportation
funding from gas tax indexing is constitutionally protected
for transportation. Passage of Question 1 would be a step
backwards. It would cause our roads, bridges, public
transportation, bikeways and sidewalks to fall into further
disrepair, while increasing the signifcant public safety crisis
we face. It would hurt our economic competitiveness, and
threaten the gains weve made towards a sustainable, healthy,
and equitable transportation system. To help defeat Question 1:
1. Tell your friends and family to vote No on Question 1
2. Sign up for updates. Visit saferoadsbridges.com
PAGE 8 SEPT/OCT 2014
617 965-1995 e-mail: info@greendecade.org www.greendecade.org
Printed with soy-based ink on 100% post-consumer waste unbleached recycled paper
that is made without a chemical separation process.
Please join/renew
online at
www.greendecade.org/join
Green Decade is proud of its 24 year history and our
organizations efforts to help residences, businesses and
public facilities become more sustainable. You may also
send a $25 payment for a basic membership to Green
Decade/Newton, P.O. Box 590242, Newton, MA 02459
Board of Directors Advisory Board
Jessica Avery, Recycling
John Bates, at large
Ann Berwick, at large
Eric Bobby, School Outreach
Jack Cheng, Transportation
Marcia Cooper, President
Sharon Cushing, Treasurer
Michele Davis, Recycling
Lucia Dolan, Clerk, Transportation
Paul Eldrenkamp, at large
Paul Holt, at large
Sunwoo Kahng
Ira Krepchin, Newsletter
Lois Levin, Transportation
Ken Mallory, Library Speakers
Eric Olson, at large
Jim Purdy, Vice Pres, Energy
Myron Rosenberg, Development
Dan Ruben, Chairperson
Mindy Sieber, Membership
Peter Smith, Newsletter; Chamber
Karen Albert
Ana Zarina Asuaje Solon,
Louise Bruyn, Past Pres.
Sheila Clawson
David & Elva Del Porto
Bev Droz, Past President
Dianne Dumanoski
Kevin Dutt
Katherine Gekas
Bonnie Glickman,EcoTeams
Ellie Goldberg, New TV
Fred Gordon, MCAN Bd.
Barbara Herson, Past Pres.
Francoise LaMonica
Brooke Lipsitt
Jean MacRae
Matt Pawa
Annabelle Ship
Rohna Shoul
Heather Tausig
Maeve Ward
continuous entertainment, food and games for the
kids. Get tips on how to live a green life style. See
exhibitors with green products, services and ideas.
See how far electric cars can take you before you
have to switch to gasoline. See the advanced Tesla
electric car. Find out how you can convert to solar
electricity and reduce your electric bills without
spending thousands. Have a green lawn all summer
without watering and only cut once a month. This
years EXPO will include games and activities for kids.
Solar Flair Energy, Inc. is the frst sponsor to sign
up for this years EXPO. Solar Flair is a Mass. based
company that was selected for the Solarize Mass
Newton program by the City. Look for more of Green
Solutions EXPO on www.greendecade.org
At Newton Centre with Newtons Harvest Fair
Sunday, October 19 -10:30am-4:30pm
This years Newton/Needham
Chamber of Commerce Green
Solutions EXPO showcases
solutions you can use to reduce
your carbon footprint. We will
have over 50 exhibitors in one
area. Come enjoy the Newton
Harvest Fair which also features
Green Solutions EXPO
A big hit at the 2013 Green Solutions EXPO was Newton resident
Steve Loars innovativre single passenger solar/pedal, lithium battery
powered hybrid ELF vehicle manufactured by Organic Transit.
Steve at far left, stands proudly behind his vehicle, while Green
Decades winner of the 2014 Individual Environmental Leadership
Award, Prof. Nathan Phillips and his son look through the open door.
Volunteers needed
to rake leaves
Newton at Home is a non-proft
organization that works with older adults
in Newton to enable them to remain living
at home for as long as possible. Volunteers
of all ages are needed for two hours of time
- on a weekday or weekend - to rake leaves
at a members home. Rakes, bags and work
gloves will be provided. Contact 617-795-
2560 or volcoord@newtonathome.org.
Were looking for
quiet landscapers . . shhh
If you know of any landscapers that rake, instead of
using leaf blowers, please contact info@greendecade.org
We are making a list of landscapers who dont use gas
powered leaf blowers or mowers, both of which have
worse emissions and pollution than cars.
Please suggest that your friends join us
as we celebrate our 25th year in 2015 !