WBZ-TV (Channel 4) aired a surprising story on their 11 p.m. newscast last night detailing the high demand for green homes even in a slumping housing market. According to the report which was done by Mish Michaels, one of their meteorologists, these environmentally-friendly homes contain such features as recycled lumber, energy efficient appliances and bamboo flooring. The latter is better than traditional lumber because bamboo trees grow more quickly than other species and, therefore, are more sustainable.
Of course the benefits of a green home go beyond just helping the environment. These include saving money on electricity and other utilities, improving indoor air quality and enhancing the overall value of a home. A more comprehensive list of benefits is available at this Web page from the United States Green Building Research Council (USGBC), a non-profit organization which aims to expand sustainable building.
USGBC provides one of the most widespread green construction ratings systems, the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system. Since its inception, more than 800 LEED-certified buildings have been constructed totaling almost 100 million square feet as of mid-2007, according to a USGBC report. The report also noted the number of LEED-certified projects has grown at a compound annual growth rate of 50 to 100 percent.
Finally, as the WBZ story explains, people do not necessarily have to be looking for a new home to contribute to the green revolution. There are numerous ways they can improve their home’s carbon footprint, from simply changing light bulbs to installing a solar power system. Any of these enhancements will make their homes more valuable and attractive to buyers once they are ready to sell. And, with no end to the housing slump in sight, having a green home may be a great way to ensure there is a buyer out there when the time comes to sell.
To see some additional WBZ environmental stories, check out this link.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Debate Over Chapter 40B
Most people who live in Massachusetts have probably experienced or read about Chapter 40B, the state's affordable housing law that allows developers to bypass local zoning regulations if the community does not have 10 percent of its housing classified as affordable and the developer is making a certain percent of their project affordable.
These 40B proposals generate publicity in part because they pit developers against neighbors/residents over a project that usually contains a large number of residences in a dense configuration. So, one can clearly see why neighbors would be concerned and, because local regulations can be bypassed, feel like they cannot influence the project. But, affordable housing is certainly an important item that should be available in all cities and towns, especially given the current state of the United States' economy.
In many instances this battle is eventually decided in the courts, as detailed in this Boston Globe article which examined two recent Supreme Judicial Court rulings that sided with developers.
Ultimately, there will need to be some revisions to this law. First, as urban sprawl expands, 40B developments are spreading into communities that may not have the necessary infrastructure (from police/fire to schools to town clerk staff) to handle the large influx of new residents a 40B proposal often brings. And, there is no guarantee residents will vote at Town Meeting to provide the services the community needs after a 40B development. Additionally, from an environmental standpoint, these projects tend to consume large chunks of land and substantially increase vehicular traffic especially when not built within the reach of the MBTA.
Of course, these adverse effects can also occur from a traditional development. But, in that situation, the town at least has an opportunity to force the developer to scale down the project or reject it entirely. With 40B projects, they have virtually no control, as evidenced by the two cases described in the aforementioned Globe piece.
Ultimately, the state needs to reach an appropriate balance between affordable housing and the need for local control of development. There have been some failed attempts at change in the past but due to its controversial nature, it will surely be a topic for the state legislature to debate in future.
These 40B proposals generate publicity in part because they pit developers against neighbors/residents over a project that usually contains a large number of residences in a dense configuration. So, one can clearly see why neighbors would be concerned and, because local regulations can be bypassed, feel like they cannot influence the project. But, affordable housing is certainly an important item that should be available in all cities and towns, especially given the current state of the United States' economy.
In many instances this battle is eventually decided in the courts, as detailed in this Boston Globe article which examined two recent Supreme Judicial Court rulings that sided with developers.
Ultimately, there will need to be some revisions to this law. First, as urban sprawl expands, 40B developments are spreading into communities that may not have the necessary infrastructure (from police/fire to schools to town clerk staff) to handle the large influx of new residents a 40B proposal often brings. And, there is no guarantee residents will vote at Town Meeting to provide the services the community needs after a 40B development. Additionally, from an environmental standpoint, these projects tend to consume large chunks of land and substantially increase vehicular traffic especially when not built within the reach of the MBTA.
Of course, these adverse effects can also occur from a traditional development. But, in that situation, the town at least has an opportunity to force the developer to scale down the project or reject it entirely. With 40B projects, they have virtually no control, as evidenced by the two cases described in the aforementioned Globe piece.
Ultimately, the state needs to reach an appropriate balance between affordable housing and the need for local control of development. There have been some failed attempts at change in the past but due to its controversial nature, it will surely be a topic for the state legislature to debate in future.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Controversy Over Mass. Audubon Preschool Expansion Plans
It is not surprising to read about neighbors opposing the construction of a new building or development near their property in a suburban town such as Lincoln, Mass. What is surprising is when developers are a conservation organization. But that is the case in Lincoln where Globe West reports that neighbors are in uproar over a Massachusetts Audubon Society proposal to convert a residence near their Drumlin Farm preserve into a preschool.
The problem? In order to provide adequate parking the Society says they must cut down 20 trees although residents say it could by as many as 50. Abutters are also concerned over increased traffic the school would generate on Lincoln Road, which features a bike path, according to the Globe story.
It should be noted that Mass. Audubon already runs a preschool on the Drumlin Farm property but the school has outgrown its current building and the controversial residence is the only other feasible location.
According to the Society’s Web site, the preschool serves children ages 2 years, 9 months to 6 years old and “allows children to safely explore, learn and experiment in the outdoors, all the while developing an awareness and appreciation for themselves, each other and the environment.” In the Globe article, a Mass. Audubon representative is quoted as saying “We can save it, save it, save it. Or we can use it to help teach kids to be great stewards of the earth.”
While teaching children is certainly a worthy cause and essential for successful land conservation efforts in the future (after all, they are the future politicians, scientists, hikers. conservationists and, sadly, developers), I question how much can be accomplished with preschoolers. They are probably a bit too young to grasp the environmental and social benefits of conserving open space in the suburbs
That said, this is not about the 20 or 50 tress that could be cut down. Instead it is about how widespread bad publicity for the Audubon Society could hinder future efforts to recruit members, solicit donations and conserve more land. Let’s hope this blows over quickly and, regardless of its outcome, the Society can return to doing what it does best – protecting land.
The problem? In order to provide adequate parking the Society says they must cut down 20 trees although residents say it could by as many as 50. Abutters are also concerned over increased traffic the school would generate on Lincoln Road, which features a bike path, according to the Globe story.
It should be noted that Mass. Audubon already runs a preschool on the Drumlin Farm property but the school has outgrown its current building and the controversial residence is the only other feasible location.
According to the Society’s Web site, the preschool serves children ages 2 years, 9 months to 6 years old and “allows children to safely explore, learn and experiment in the outdoors, all the while developing an awareness and appreciation for themselves, each other and the environment.” In the Globe article, a Mass. Audubon representative is quoted as saying “We can save it, save it, save it. Or we can use it to help teach kids to be great stewards of the earth.”
While teaching children is certainly a worthy cause and essential for successful land conservation efforts in the future (after all, they are the future politicians, scientists, hikers. conservationists and, sadly, developers), I question how much can be accomplished with preschoolers. They are probably a bit too young to grasp the environmental and social benefits of conserving open space in the suburbs
That said, this is not about the 20 or 50 tress that could be cut down. Instead it is about how widespread bad publicity for the Audubon Society could hinder future efforts to recruit members, solicit donations and conserve more land. Let’s hope this blows over quickly and, regardless of its outcome, the Society can return to doing what it does best – protecting land.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Maine Deer Population at Risk From Prolonged Winter
There is little doubt this year’s winter has had devastating effects on Northern New England, from a barrage of roof collapses due to the weight of storm after storm of snow to the flooding concerns from all that snow melting. But one impact that has not been publicized much involves deer.
Thousands of white tailed deer throughout Maine are in danger of starving from an unusually high snow pack still blanketing much of the Pine Tree State, according to this entry in Down to Earth, the Portland Press Herald’s environmental blog.
According to the blog, deer do not hibernate like bears and are not equipped to travel easily across deep snow. So, they store as much fat as possible before winter’s arrival and then congregate in a spruce stand to wait out the season. They hope their lack of movement will allow them to conserve enough energy to survive.
But, when winter drags well into spring as is happening this year, the deer simply do not have enough food stored to stay alive. And with no buds forming on trees and plants yet, even if the snow melts soon allowing deer to move freely, they may be unable to find food. The Press Herald estimates 30 percent of northern Maine’s and 12 percent of southern Maine’s herd could die in a bad winter like this one.
Interestingly, these deer, which live in one of the northernmost extremes possible, could potentially benefit from rising temperatures due to climate change. This phenomenon would likely result in longer growing seasons and milder winters, both trends that would benefit the deer population.
Hopefully, this winter does not significantly deplete the deer population as I always enjoy seeing them frolic around in the summer at my family’s place on Lake Winnipesaukee. It’s neat to be working on a path or painting a cabin and suddenly see a deer come down to the water to drink … a great look at nature in action! (The above picture was taken at Lake Winnipesaukee.)
Finally, to track the receding (hopefully) snow pack in the Northeast, check out this link. The image is updated daily.
Thousands of white tailed deer throughout Maine are in danger of starving from an unusually high snow pack still blanketing much of the Pine Tree State, according to this entry in Down to Earth, the Portland Press Herald’s environmental blog.
According to the blog, deer do not hibernate like bears and are not equipped to travel easily across deep snow. So, they store as much fat as possible before winter’s arrival and then congregate in a spruce stand to wait out the season. They hope their lack of movement will allow them to conserve enough energy to survive.
But, when winter drags well into spring as is happening this year, the deer simply do not have enough food stored to stay alive. And with no buds forming on trees and plants yet, even if the snow melts soon allowing deer to move freely, they may be unable to find food. The Press Herald estimates 30 percent of northern Maine’s and 12 percent of southern Maine’s herd could die in a bad winter like this one.
Interestingly, these deer, which live in one of the northernmost extremes possible, could potentially benefit from rising temperatures due to climate change. This phenomenon would likely result in longer growing seasons and milder winters, both trends that would benefit the deer population.
Hopefully, this winter does not significantly deplete the deer population as I always enjoy seeing them frolic around in the summer at my family’s place on Lake Winnipesaukee. It’s neat to be working on a path or painting a cabin and suddenly see a deer come down to the water to drink … a great look at nature in action! (The above picture was taken at Lake Winnipesaukee.)
Finally, to track the receding (hopefully) snow pack in the Northeast, check out this link. The image is updated daily.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Thoughts on NewsTrust
Yesterday in my Reinventing the News class, we were introduced to NewsTrust, a social networking Web site that allows users to rate, critique and add to stories published in the mainstream media.
While I generally am not in favor of sites that emphasize rating stories because they often drag up the ridiculously insane or fanatic celebrity stories rather than the more important issues of the day, this site seems to have avoided that pitfall. While some of the highest rated stories are not necessarily the most important of the day, they at least delve into substantive issues or cover important events rather than a young, egotistical celebrity getting drunk or having a baby.
I also appreciate the depth with which one can evaluate the stories. This includes fairness, context, evidence, balance and several other factors. This forces reviewers to think much harder about the quality of journalism contained in the article being reviewed rather than simply whether they liked the piece. I think this element attracts an audience that is interested in or has practiced journalism and truly cares about highlighting quality stories.
The daily e-mails sent to registered users are another great feature. They provide a general topic that NewsTrust will focus on for the week and offer links to some of the higher rated stories that day. The topic concept is a great idea since users can go out and search their favorite news sources for stories on the topic, then comment and review it on NewsTrust.
That said, there are still some issues with the site. First, as it is including essentially the entire world, there are some major gaps. For example, if one looks only at Boston Globe articles, there are only a few each week although there is certainly more quality stories published by that newspaper. This is probably because the site is relatively new and, therefore, does not have a comprehensive membership yet.
Additionally, I am not a fan of divulging much information online, so I am somewhat turned away by the fact that one’s ratings count more as they are more transparent. But, I realize the benefit is that it creates a more meaningful discussion of the news. Overall, this is one of the better news aggregation/social networking sites I have seen this semester and one I could see myself using occasionally.
While I generally am not in favor of sites that emphasize rating stories because they often drag up the ridiculously insane or fanatic celebrity stories rather than the more important issues of the day, this site seems to have avoided that pitfall. While some of the highest rated stories are not necessarily the most important of the day, they at least delve into substantive issues or cover important events rather than a young, egotistical celebrity getting drunk or having a baby.
I also appreciate the depth with which one can evaluate the stories. This includes fairness, context, evidence, balance and several other factors. This forces reviewers to think much harder about the quality of journalism contained in the article being reviewed rather than simply whether they liked the piece. I think this element attracts an audience that is interested in or has practiced journalism and truly cares about highlighting quality stories.
The daily e-mails sent to registered users are another great feature. They provide a general topic that NewsTrust will focus on for the week and offer links to some of the higher rated stories that day. The topic concept is a great idea since users can go out and search their favorite news sources for stories on the topic, then comment and review it on NewsTrust.
That said, there are still some issues with the site. First, as it is including essentially the entire world, there are some major gaps. For example, if one looks only at Boston Globe articles, there are only a few each week although there is certainly more quality stories published by that newspaper. This is probably because the site is relatively new and, therefore, does not have a comprehensive membership yet.
Additionally, I am not a fan of divulging much information online, so I am somewhat turned away by the fact that one’s ratings count more as they are more transparent. But, I realize the benefit is that it creates a more meaningful discussion of the news. Overall, this is one of the better news aggregation/social networking sites I have seen this semester and one I could see myself using occasionally.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Witnessing Niagara Falls
A few weeks ago, I wrote about my trip to Richmond, Va. This past weekend, I traveled to Niagara Falls (New York and Ontario) as part of the Northeastern Concert Band’s annual tour.
Having never seen Niagara Falls, I was looking forward to witnessing one of North America’s top natural features first hand. On our way there, we stopped on the American side at Niagara Falls State Park. This perspective afforded a side view of American Falls. Although it was neat to see the rapids and water dropping over the edge, it was not a view I would equate with other natural wonders like the Grand Canyon.
But, my viewpoint soon changed when, the following day, we saw both American Falls and Horseshoe Falls from several vantage points near the skyscraper-like hotels and casinos that dot the Canadian side. Here, the view was truly spectacular with water cascading down in incredible volumes at ferocious speeds and billowing clouds of water spray arching up towards the sky. And, at night, the falls and mist were lit in a varying array of colors, adding another element to the spectacle. This view clearly ranks with the Grand Canyon and the top of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington as the most amazing natural features I have seen firsthand.
It is also interesting to witness the contrast between the natural beauty of the Falls and the man-made aspects in the skyscrapers and light display. While I would ordinarily say that the latter objects interfered or ruined the natural ones, in this case they seemed to work in harmony.
One of our performances at a retirement community in Welland, Ontario was covered by the city’s newspaper, the Welland Tribune. For a relatively small city (pop. 50,331 according to Statistics Canada) surrounded largely by very rural farmland (which we experienced first hand when we made a few wrong turns – I knew I should have brought my GPS.), I was surprised to see a fairly developed Web site. It is especially unexpected given Welland is close to Niagara Falls, which has its own daily paper published by the same company that owns the Tribune, and falls within the Toronto dailies' coverage areas. Regardless, it was nice to receive a small write-up and picture of our band.
Below are several pictures from the trip:
Having never seen Niagara Falls, I was looking forward to witnessing one of North America’s top natural features first hand. On our way there, we stopped on the American side at Niagara Falls State Park. This perspective afforded a side view of American Falls. Although it was neat to see the rapids and water dropping over the edge, it was not a view I would equate with other natural wonders like the Grand Canyon.
But, my viewpoint soon changed when, the following day, we saw both American Falls and Horseshoe Falls from several vantage points near the skyscraper-like hotels and casinos that dot the Canadian side. Here, the view was truly spectacular with water cascading down in incredible volumes at ferocious speeds and billowing clouds of water spray arching up towards the sky. And, at night, the falls and mist were lit in a varying array of colors, adding another element to the spectacle. This view clearly ranks with the Grand Canyon and the top of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington as the most amazing natural features I have seen firsthand.
It is also interesting to witness the contrast between the natural beauty of the Falls and the man-made aspects in the skyscrapers and light display. While I would ordinarily say that the latter objects interfered or ruined the natural ones, in this case they seemed to work in harmony.
One of our performances at a retirement community in Welland, Ontario was covered by the city’s newspaper, the Welland Tribune. For a relatively small city (pop. 50,331 according to Statistics Canada) surrounded largely by very rural farmland (which we experienced first hand when we made a few wrong turns – I knew I should have brought my GPS.), I was surprised to see a fairly developed Web site. It is especially unexpected given Welland is close to Niagara Falls, which has its own daily paper published by the same company that owns the Tribune, and falls within the Toronto dailies' coverage areas. Regardless, it was nice to receive a small write-up and picture of our band.
Below are several pictures from the trip:
American Falls from New York.
American Falls from Canada.
Horseshoe Falls from Canada.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Take a Virtual Tour of Yosemite National Park
In its latest update to its popular online mapping program, Google announced users can now explore Street View images of Yosemite National Park.
This is a pretty neat way to see one of America's natural treasures, so take a look. And here's a link explaining how to embed Street View although I cannot get it to embed in Blogger for some reason.
This is a pretty neat way to see one of America's natural treasures, so take a look. And here's a link explaining how to embed Street View although I cannot get it to embed in Blogger for some reason.
Maple Syrup and Climate Change
Continuing with my recent focus on global warming and in light of the fact that it is prime maple sugar season (as evidenced by a recent Boston.com travel special), it is time to delve a little deeper into how climate change could impact this New England tradition.
With warmer temperatures and more erratic weather, the ideal maple syrup harvesting climate is slowly shifting northward into Canada according to a Christian Science Monitor article.
The story sights a rather striking statistic: in the 1950’s 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup production came from the United States with the remaining 20 percent coming from Canada. But, by 2005 (when the story was published), those percentages were reversed.
So, what caused this spike? As this story explains (and I have learned first hand through research for another course I am taking at Northeastern this semester – the Environment in 2090), if a projected 6 to 10 degree Fahrenheit rise in temperature by the end of the century holds true, maple trees will have slowly migrated north, leaving oak and hickory trees as the predominant species.
The maples simply will not be able to adapt to different levels of pests, air pollution and other stress factors caused by the warmer temperatures. Meanwhile, oak and hickory trees will be much less affected, leading to their predominance.
Of course it is not only the disappearance of maples that is hurting syrup production. When the temperature drops below freezing, the sap is pulled out of the tree branches and into its roots. Then, when the mercury rises above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, that sap is expelled through the tree’s wounds (such as a hole dug by a syrup harvester).
So, with less dips below freezing, there are less opportunities to for the syrup to be expelled and, therefore, a worse season. For an alternative explanation of this, take a look at the Christian Science Monitor story. Although it is a few years old, it does a great job explaining the phenomena. And, for a graphic representation, check out Boston.com’s feature linked to in the first paragraph of this post. It also has discussion forums and a map of maple sugar farms throughout New England.
With warmer temperatures and more erratic weather, the ideal maple syrup harvesting climate is slowly shifting northward into Canada according to a Christian Science Monitor article.
The story sights a rather striking statistic: in the 1950’s 80 percent of the world’s maple syrup production came from the United States with the remaining 20 percent coming from Canada. But, by 2005 (when the story was published), those percentages were reversed.
So, what caused this spike? As this story explains (and I have learned first hand through research for another course I am taking at Northeastern this semester – the Environment in 2090), if a projected 6 to 10 degree Fahrenheit rise in temperature by the end of the century holds true, maple trees will have slowly migrated north, leaving oak and hickory trees as the predominant species.
The maples simply will not be able to adapt to different levels of pests, air pollution and other stress factors caused by the warmer temperatures. Meanwhile, oak and hickory trees will be much less affected, leading to their predominance.
Of course it is not only the disappearance of maples that is hurting syrup production. When the temperature drops below freezing, the sap is pulled out of the tree branches and into its roots. Then, when the mercury rises above 32 degrees Fahrenheit, that sap is expelled through the tree’s wounds (such as a hole dug by a syrup harvester).
So, with less dips below freezing, there are less opportunities to for the syrup to be expelled and, therefore, a worse season. For an alternative explanation of this, take a look at the Christian Science Monitor story. Although it is a few years old, it does a great job explaining the phenomena. And, for a graphic representation, check out Boston.com’s feature linked to in the first paragraph of this post. It also has discussion forums and a map of maple sugar farms throughout New England.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Iceberg Collapse
In contrast to my last post about climate change, CNN.com is providing fairly in-depth coverage of another global warming indicator about as far away from New England as one can get and still be on Earth– the collapse of an Antarctic ice chunk.
The collapse covered 220 square miles of ice and leaves another massive ice shelf approximately seven times the size of Manhattan in danger of collapsing, according to the article. While this is a story worth discussing in itself, I want to devote this entry to examining how CNN.com is covering the collapse, as it is one of the better environmental online packages I have seen.
In addition to two print stories (here and here), the Web site provides a link to raw video of aerial shots from the British Antarctic Survey. This video gives a great perspective of the volume of ice impacted and presents tangible evidence of climate change that readers can grasp.
They also include a graphic showing where the Wilkins Ice Shelf (where the collapse occurred) is located on Antarctica (it is near the South American side of the continent). And, to really hammer home the magnitude of the collapse, CNN.com published a series of satellite photos accompanied by explanatory text showing the progression of the collapse, which was first noticed when a large chunk broke away on Feb. 28.
Besides the typical links to related topics and articles, CNN.com implemented one other interesting online feature – they provided links to external blogs that had linked to the article. This is a great way to supply a multitude of additional resources for those interested in further study on the topic. And, the external bloggers are more likely to link to CNN.com content once they realize their blog is publicized on CNN’s site, leading to more exposure for CNN.
So, whether a reader wanted a quick glimpse at what happened in Antarctica or a more in-depth study of the issue, he or she could find it through the CNN.com platform for this story. And that approach is an excellent way to enhance exposure on the impacts of climate change.
The collapse covered 220 square miles of ice and leaves another massive ice shelf approximately seven times the size of Manhattan in danger of collapsing, according to the article. While this is a story worth discussing in itself, I want to devote this entry to examining how CNN.com is covering the collapse, as it is one of the better environmental online packages I have seen.
In addition to two print stories (here and here), the Web site provides a link to raw video of aerial shots from the British Antarctic Survey. This video gives a great perspective of the volume of ice impacted and presents tangible evidence of climate change that readers can grasp.
They also include a graphic showing where the Wilkins Ice Shelf (where the collapse occurred) is located on Antarctica (it is near the South American side of the continent). And, to really hammer home the magnitude of the collapse, CNN.com published a series of satellite photos accompanied by explanatory text showing the progression of the collapse, which was first noticed when a large chunk broke away on Feb. 28.
Besides the typical links to related topics and articles, CNN.com implemented one other interesting online feature – they provided links to external blogs that had linked to the article. This is a great way to supply a multitude of additional resources for those interested in further study on the topic. And, the external bloggers are more likely to link to CNN.com content once they realize their blog is publicized on CNN’s site, leading to more exposure for CNN.
So, whether a reader wanted a quick glimpse at what happened in Antarctica or a more in-depth study of the issue, he or she could find it through the CNN.com platform for this story. And that approach is an excellent way to enhance exposure on the impacts of climate change.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Sensing Climate Change
It may still feel like winter here in New England with temperatures stuck in the 40s but across the United States the telltale signs of spring are coming earlier as a result of global warming, according to an Associated Press article published in the Eagle Tribune.
And unlike other indicators of climate change such as melting glaciers, these can be felt by Americans with all five senses. We can see trees blooming quicker, smell flower fragrances sooner, hear the birds chirp earlier, suffer from increased allergies and taste the honey, which is reaching its peak production faster this spring, according to the article.
There may still be some snow on the ground this Easter up in southern New Hampshire (where I’m spending the holiday) but some of the bushes are already showing green leaves. Although northern New England may have just gone through some blizzard-like conditions setting a new seasonal snowfall record in Caribou, Maine, from cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., to heavy maple pollen in Philadelphia, the AP story shows spring is springing earlier in many parts of the United States.
So, have similar trends been seen in New England? According to New England Integrated Sciences and Assessment, the amount of time until lake ice-out has decreased by 20-30 days in the Boston area from 1971 to 2000, with less of a drop as one travels closer to Canada. Meanwhile, from 1971 to 2001, average seasonal snowfall plummeted more than 40 inches in some isolated pockets of New England (It should be noted, though, that places along the South Shore and in Rhode Island and Connecticut saw slight increases in snowfall during that time period.) And, sea level has risen approximately 9 inches in Boston since 1930, with slightly less dramatic changes observed along the Maine coast.
Ultimately, what does all this mean? According to the New England Climate Coalition, by 2100, Boston’s climate could resemble modern day Charlotte, N.C. or Atlanta. And that change could significantly hurt leaf peeping, skiing and maple syrup making in New England. Of course, the region could experience expanded golf and beach seasons.
To see and download in an Excel format additional climate change data from the New England Integrated Sciences and Assessment, check out this link.
And unlike other indicators of climate change such as melting glaciers, these can be felt by Americans with all five senses. We can see trees blooming quicker, smell flower fragrances sooner, hear the birds chirp earlier, suffer from increased allergies and taste the honey, which is reaching its peak production faster this spring, according to the article.
There may still be some snow on the ground this Easter up in southern New Hampshire (where I’m spending the holiday) but some of the bushes are already showing green leaves. Although northern New England may have just gone through some blizzard-like conditions setting a new seasonal snowfall record in Caribou, Maine, from cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C., to heavy maple pollen in Philadelphia, the AP story shows spring is springing earlier in many parts of the United States.
So, have similar trends been seen in New England? According to New England Integrated Sciences and Assessment, the amount of time until lake ice-out has decreased by 20-30 days in the Boston area from 1971 to 2000, with less of a drop as one travels closer to Canada. Meanwhile, from 1971 to 2001, average seasonal snowfall plummeted more than 40 inches in some isolated pockets of New England (It should be noted, though, that places along the South Shore and in Rhode Island and Connecticut saw slight increases in snowfall during that time period.) And, sea level has risen approximately 9 inches in Boston since 1930, with slightly less dramatic changes observed along the Maine coast.
Ultimately, what does all this mean? According to the New England Climate Coalition, by 2100, Boston’s climate could resemble modern day Charlotte, N.C. or Atlanta. And that change could significantly hurt leaf peeping, skiing and maple syrup making in New England. Of course, the region could experience expanded golf and beach seasons.
To see and download in an Excel format additional climate change data from the New England Integrated Sciences and Assessment, check out this link.
Friday, March 21, 2008
Delay to Enactment Date of N.H. Shoreland Protection Act Ammendment?
According to an article in the Laconia Citizen, the enactment date of a long-heralded (by environmentalists, anyway) enhancement to the state’s Shoreland Protection Act may be pushed back from April 1 to July 1 if an amendment before the state Senate passes.
The amendment was proposed after waterfront landowners and builders were worried that the sate Department of Environmental Services (DES) is still finalizing specific details of the new Shoreland Protection Act with April 1 just around the corner, the Citizen reported.
Naturally, this delay most radically impacts Lake Winnipesaukee, the state’s largest lake with approximately 288 miles of shoreline and officially 253 islands (local lore says there is an island for every day of the year if you include some rocky “up-croppings”).
As I have mentioned previously on this blog, my family has owned a place on one of Winnipesaukee’s islands for decades and I have been spending summer weekends there my entire life. We have kept our place largely the same as it was when my family ran the property as a parent’s camp, only cutting down trees when they were dead or posed a significant safety or property damage threat and allowing the wild berry bushes and other natural trees and plants that propagate the shoreline to grow at will.
Unfortunately, far too many summer cabins have been demolished and replaced by large mansion-like homes. To exacerbate problems, the property owners around the lake have clear cut or significantly reduced the natural plant and tree growth in exchange for wide swaths of lawns and beaches.
These actions have made a tougher Shoreland Protection Act a necessity in order to maintain the habitats that support families of loons and other aquatic species. Fortunately, the New Hampshire legislature stepped up and revised the act, closing several loopholes and requiring a state permit for all construction work done within 250 feet of a shoreline. Here and here are links to discussion forums relating to the act.
It is unfortunate that the legislature is now considering pushing the start date back to July 1 although the landowners and builders have legitimate concerns. They cannot reasonably be expected to comply with a law that’s parameters have not been finalized less than two weeks before it was to be implemented. Perhaps the real question that needs some investigating is why didn’t DES finalize the rules sooner?
The amendment was proposed after waterfront landowners and builders were worried that the sate Department of Environmental Services (DES) is still finalizing specific details of the new Shoreland Protection Act with April 1 just around the corner, the Citizen reported.
Naturally, this delay most radically impacts Lake Winnipesaukee, the state’s largest lake with approximately 288 miles of shoreline and officially 253 islands (local lore says there is an island for every day of the year if you include some rocky “up-croppings”).
As I have mentioned previously on this blog, my family has owned a place on one of Winnipesaukee’s islands for decades and I have been spending summer weekends there my entire life. We have kept our place largely the same as it was when my family ran the property as a parent’s camp, only cutting down trees when they were dead or posed a significant safety or property damage threat and allowing the wild berry bushes and other natural trees and plants that propagate the shoreline to grow at will.
Unfortunately, far too many summer cabins have been demolished and replaced by large mansion-like homes. To exacerbate problems, the property owners around the lake have clear cut or significantly reduced the natural plant and tree growth in exchange for wide swaths of lawns and beaches.
These actions have made a tougher Shoreland Protection Act a necessity in order to maintain the habitats that support families of loons and other aquatic species. Fortunately, the New Hampshire legislature stepped up and revised the act, closing several loopholes and requiring a state permit for all construction work done within 250 feet of a shoreline. Here and here are links to discussion forums relating to the act.
It is unfortunate that the legislature is now considering pushing the start date back to July 1 although the landowners and builders have legitimate concerns. They cannot reasonably be expected to comply with a law that’s parameters have not been finalized less than two weeks before it was to be implemented. Perhaps the real question that needs some investigating is why didn’t DES finalize the rules sooner?
Monday, March 17, 2008
Thoughts on 9Neighbors
In my Reinventing the News class today, we were introduced to 9Neighbors, a news aggregation Web site that sorts its links by readers comments for Boston and the surrounding towns of Cambridge, Newton and Somerville.
Having the site sorted by the highest ranked story brings to light some of the quirkier links rather than the most important or newsworthy. To solve this, there should at least be an option (if not the default option) to have the posts sorted by newsworthiness as determined by an editor rather than the masses. That said, if the site is going for a slice of life approach, it works well as is.
Interestingly, as one digs deeper into the site and delves into specific categories, one obtains varied perspectives that shed more light on an incident than a traditional news account does. For example, under the Central Square section, the top three links (as of Monday afternoon) involve a pedestrian accident that happened this morning. One is the traditional news account, the other a first person perspective and the third is a post from Universal Hub that links to the other two (and provides a neat virtual image of the intersection through Google Map’s Street View, but that is a topic for another day). Being able to access these varying viewpoints on the same incident from one platform is an incredible resource.
At the same time, though, the Central Square page raises a key issue. The headlines of two of the links contain different facts - that the person is dead or just critically injured. Without a timestamp, it is unclear whether the person was injured and subsequently died or if both sites have conflicting information until digging deeper. This is a perfect place for someone at 9Neighbors to write an in-house blurb with the latest information.
So, as a slice of life, community networking Web site, 9Neighbors is wonderful. But, there is nothing that would make more inclined to read it instead of the Cambridge Chronicle’s Wicked Local site for Cambridge news. I might, however, turn to it to access first person perspectives sometimes not linked to on traditional news sites.
Having the site sorted by the highest ranked story brings to light some of the quirkier links rather than the most important or newsworthy. To solve this, there should at least be an option (if not the default option) to have the posts sorted by newsworthiness as determined by an editor rather than the masses. That said, if the site is going for a slice of life approach, it works well as is.
Interestingly, as one digs deeper into the site and delves into specific categories, one obtains varied perspectives that shed more light on an incident than a traditional news account does. For example, under the Central Square section, the top three links (as of Monday afternoon) involve a pedestrian accident that happened this morning. One is the traditional news account, the other a first person perspective and the third is a post from Universal Hub that links to the other two (and provides a neat virtual image of the intersection through Google Map’s Street View, but that is a topic for another day). Being able to access these varying viewpoints on the same incident from one platform is an incredible resource.
At the same time, though, the Central Square page raises a key issue. The headlines of two of the links contain different facts - that the person is dead or just critically injured. Without a timestamp, it is unclear whether the person was injured and subsequently died or if both sites have conflicting information until digging deeper. This is a perfect place for someone at 9Neighbors to write an in-house blurb with the latest information.
So, as a slice of life, community networking Web site, 9Neighbors is wonderful. But, there is nothing that would make more inclined to read it instead of the Cambridge Chronicle’s Wicked Local site for Cambridge news. I might, however, turn to it to access first person perspectives sometimes not linked to on traditional news sites.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Radio Boston on the Future of Newspapers
After listening to Friday’s Radio Boston show on the future of newspapers, I agree with much of what was said. First, in regard to the recent rounds of buyouts that forced the Boston Globe to eliminate its national and foreign correspondents (except for their Washington bureau), I don’t think that is necessarily a bad thing. As Globe editor Marty Baron pointed out on the show, the paper was never marketed as a national paper and is not distributed nationally. Therefore, why shouldn’t they use wire content or stories from their parent company, the New York Times, which has long been regarded as a prominent national and international news media force.
On the broadcast, Globe journalist Stephen Kurkjian was correct when he said the paper is focusing on the beats that are important to Bostonians, namely public safety, health, education, the environment and investigative reporting. Those are the lifeblood of the Globe and what readers want and expect to see when they pick up a newspaper. Therefore, if they start cutting their local staff, then we, as news consumers, and the paper have a problem because there would be no other widely read source with the credibility of the Globe left. Maybe online blogging/news reporting sites like Cape Cod Today can eventually step up to fill that gap, but they are not ready yet.
While on the topic of blogs, Kurkjian raised an interesting, but I think somewhat incorrect, point about the lack of editing with blogs being a determent whereas traditional media has a rigorous prepublication review process. Although there is typically no initial review with blogs, if someone writes something extremely controversial or inaccurate, a reader with the opposing viewpoint/correct information will most likely leave a comment, or e-mail the blogger noting his or her mistake. Of course, the beauty of an online medium is that a mistake can be corrected immediately whereas a newspaper would have to wait for the next edition (yes, they can post a correction on their Web site, but that may not reach everyone who read the initial inaccuracy).
This is where news sites like Cape Cod Today could represent the future of the media, as Dan Kennedy noted on Radio Boston. With its Web site, readers can access news reports that have gone through the traditional reporting and editing practices and the more unregulated blogs through one platform.
Besides Cape Cod Today, a Southern Massachusetts regional paper is expanding their blog presence. In their recent Web site redesign, the Patriot Ledger placed much more emphasis on blogs by linking to off-site content and hosting a few blogs by non-Ledger bloggers and Ledger staff. What we are not seeing from traditional news sites that Cape Cod Today is focusing on, is the community aspect, most notably an extensive business and services directory. Ultimately, I think news organizations will be moving more and more towards this type of medium, which encourages accurate reporting and a free marketplace of ideas – two principals that have long been considered essential to our country and journalism.
Hopefully, newspapers and other media outlets will be able to successfully make this transformation and somehow reap profits from their Web sites. There is still a tremendous desire for journalistic skills and excellence, just in a different form than Americans have traditionally preferred.
On the broadcast, Globe journalist Stephen Kurkjian was correct when he said the paper is focusing on the beats that are important to Bostonians, namely public safety, health, education, the environment and investigative reporting. Those are the lifeblood of the Globe and what readers want and expect to see when they pick up a newspaper. Therefore, if they start cutting their local staff, then we, as news consumers, and the paper have a problem because there would be no other widely read source with the credibility of the Globe left. Maybe online blogging/news reporting sites like Cape Cod Today can eventually step up to fill that gap, but they are not ready yet.
While on the topic of blogs, Kurkjian raised an interesting, but I think somewhat incorrect, point about the lack of editing with blogs being a determent whereas traditional media has a rigorous prepublication review process. Although there is typically no initial review with blogs, if someone writes something extremely controversial or inaccurate, a reader with the opposing viewpoint/correct information will most likely leave a comment, or e-mail the blogger noting his or her mistake. Of course, the beauty of an online medium is that a mistake can be corrected immediately whereas a newspaper would have to wait for the next edition (yes, they can post a correction on their Web site, but that may not reach everyone who read the initial inaccuracy).
This is where news sites like Cape Cod Today could represent the future of the media, as Dan Kennedy noted on Radio Boston. With its Web site, readers can access news reports that have gone through the traditional reporting and editing practices and the more unregulated blogs through one platform.
Besides Cape Cod Today, a Southern Massachusetts regional paper is expanding their blog presence. In their recent Web site redesign, the Patriot Ledger placed much more emphasis on blogs by linking to off-site content and hosting a few blogs by non-Ledger bloggers and Ledger staff. What we are not seeing from traditional news sites that Cape Cod Today is focusing on, is the community aspect, most notably an extensive business and services directory. Ultimately, I think news organizations will be moving more and more towards this type of medium, which encourages accurate reporting and a free marketplace of ideas – two principals that have long been considered essential to our country and journalism.
Hopefully, newspapers and other media outlets will be able to successfully make this transformation and somehow reap profits from their Web sites. There is still a tremendous desire for journalistic skills and excellence, just in a different form than Americans have traditionally preferred.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Report: Climate Change to Endanger Transportation Network
Public transportation has long been applauded as a “green” way to commute or travel. Ironically, a new report suggests the environmental problems transportation is trying to alleviate (namely, climate change) could threaten the smooth, efficient operation of such systems.
The report, produced by the National Research Council, indicates the biggest impacts to transportation will be from coastal flooding. It is no secret that the world’s oceans are rising from melting glaciers, among other factors. Naturally, higher ocean levels mean daily tides and abnormal storm surges will reach further inland, threatening to repeatedly flood railroads, airport runways and highways.
This is of great concern to New England, when one notes the number of major transportation corridors that run near the Atlantic. Heading north from New York City, Interstate 95 closely parallels the Connecticut coast through the major cities of Stamford, Bridgeport and New Haven. The highway then reconnects with the ocean in Providence, R.I., and Portsmouth, N.H. before paralleling the New Hampshire and Maine coasts into Portland. Meanwhile, Amtrak’s heavily traveled Northeast Corridor follows a similar coastal route. This does not even include Boston’s Logan Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport which are perched right on Boston Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean, respectively.
The report lists greater temperature extremes and stronger storms and hurricanes as other potential climate-related transportation threats.
So, is it a doomsday for transportation in the United States? Not necessarily, as the report notes some positive effects of climate change. For example, melting ice will open new and shorter shipping lanes and less snowfall will mean governments will have to spend less clearing roadways (well, maybe that latter argument is less strong after this winter).
But, ultimately, protecting the country’s infrastructure will require extensive mitigation efforts by transportation planners and federal, state and local government bodies and agencies. These groups need to adapt existing infrastructure to the changes and compensate for a warming climate in all future projects. How exactly that can be accomplished and funded will be the true challenge of the next few years. Otherwise, we may need a duck boat to travel from New York to Boston.
The report, produced by the National Research Council, indicates the biggest impacts to transportation will be from coastal flooding. It is no secret that the world’s oceans are rising from melting glaciers, among other factors. Naturally, higher ocean levels mean daily tides and abnormal storm surges will reach further inland, threatening to repeatedly flood railroads, airport runways and highways.
This is of great concern to New England, when one notes the number of major transportation corridors that run near the Atlantic. Heading north from New York City, Interstate 95 closely parallels the Connecticut coast through the major cities of Stamford, Bridgeport and New Haven. The highway then reconnects with the ocean in Providence, R.I., and Portsmouth, N.H. before paralleling the New Hampshire and Maine coasts into Portland. Meanwhile, Amtrak’s heavily traveled Northeast Corridor follows a similar coastal route. This does not even include Boston’s Logan Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport which are perched right on Boston Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean, respectively.
The report lists greater temperature extremes and stronger storms and hurricanes as other potential climate-related transportation threats.
So, is it a doomsday for transportation in the United States? Not necessarily, as the report notes some positive effects of climate change. For example, melting ice will open new and shorter shipping lanes and less snowfall will mean governments will have to spend less clearing roadways (well, maybe that latter argument is less strong after this winter).
But, ultimately, protecting the country’s infrastructure will require extensive mitigation efforts by transportation planners and federal, state and local government bodies and agencies. These groups need to adapt existing infrastructure to the changes and compensate for a warming climate in all future projects. How exactly that can be accomplished and funded will be the true challenge of the next few years. Otherwise, we may need a duck boat to travel from New York to Boston.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Farm Conservation
I was pleased to read an Eagle Tribune story detailing the beginnings of efforts to permanently protect four of the five remaining farms in my hometown of Windham, N.H.
The project, called the Farmland Initiatives program, will include applying for water source protection, Land and Community Heritage and federal farm protection funding, according to the story. As with any major municipal undertaking, this will most likely require the approval (and money) of Windham voters, something the town has traditionally supported in the past.
Having seen several other farms in the area transformed into housing subdivisions, I am happy to read that they are beginning to examine and advocate for protecting some of Windham’s rapidly disappearing open space.
Once a quiet, rural, summer oasis, various housing booms and the construction of Interstate 93 have transformed the town into a suburb of Manchester, N.H. and Boston. With the first steps of the controversial widening of Route 93 already occurring in neighboring Salem, N.H., it is only a matter of time before the wider highway spurs a new wave of construction, threatening to destroy the remaining undeveloped land.
This is a phenomenon occurring throughout Southern New Hampshire which could permanently destroy the region’s wildlife and wild lands. Ethan Nedeau described the trend best in this excerpt from an article published in the January/February 2006 issue of Wildlife Journal.
Clearly, Nedeau’s interesting depiction of population growth and development, compared to the lights visible from an airplane indicates that preservation work is essential to keep at least some semblance of a rural feel in Southern New Hampshire. People should not have to travel to Bear Brook State Park or Pawtuckaway State Park to experience large tracts of natural land in the region.
That said, if these properties are conserved, the land would most likely continue as a working farm. Why not go one step further and stop farming the land, letting nature gradually return it to a truly natural state. Certainly a farm is much better than a subdivision but wouldn’t a field of tall grasses dotted with some young tree saplings be even better?
The project, called the Farmland Initiatives program, will include applying for water source protection, Land and Community Heritage and federal farm protection funding, according to the story. As with any major municipal undertaking, this will most likely require the approval (and money) of Windham voters, something the town has traditionally supported in the past.
Having seen several other farms in the area transformed into housing subdivisions, I am happy to read that they are beginning to examine and advocate for protecting some of Windham’s rapidly disappearing open space.
Once a quiet, rural, summer oasis, various housing booms and the construction of Interstate 93 have transformed the town into a suburb of Manchester, N.H. and Boston. With the first steps of the controversial widening of Route 93 already occurring in neighboring Salem, N.H., it is only a matter of time before the wider highway spurs a new wave of construction, threatening to destroy the remaining undeveloped land.
This is a phenomenon occurring throughout Southern New Hampshire which could permanently destroy the region’s wildlife and wild lands. Ethan Nedeau described the trend best in this excerpt from an article published in the January/February 2006 issue of Wildlife Journal.
I was seven years old when I first rode in an airplane. My lasting memory was looking down upon the distant landscape with awe — imagining the sources of
twinkling lights, and reconciling my earth-bound perspective of the seacoast
with this new aerial view. My eyes traced the strands of lights that connected
the larger clusters, scanned the smattering of lights toward the horizon, and
looked for faint lights in dark areas.
In the last 25 years, New Hampshire’s population has grown by 330,000
people and the population is expected to grow by 350,000 more in the next 20
years. Lights across the landscape at night have multiplied even more than
people have. Clusters have grown and merged. Smatterings have become
concentrations. Dark areas have shrunk to islands in an illuminated landscape. I
imagine how startlingly we could demonstrate population growth with nighttime
photographs of southern New Hampshire over the past four centuries, condensed
into a ten-second clip, showing the supernova of which we are in the midst.
Clearly, Nedeau’s interesting depiction of population growth and development, compared to the lights visible from an airplane indicates that preservation work is essential to keep at least some semblance of a rural feel in Southern New Hampshire. People should not have to travel to Bear Brook State Park or Pawtuckaway State Park to experience large tracts of natural land in the region.
That said, if these properties are conserved, the land would most likely continue as a working farm. Why not go one step further and stop farming the land, letting nature gradually return it to a truly natural state. Certainly a farm is much better than a subdivision but wouldn’t a field of tall grasses dotted with some young tree saplings be even better?
Monday, March 10, 2008
CAA Tournament Pictures
Here are two pictures from the CAA tournament I mentioned in my previous post. The first is during the Delaware-Drexel game that preceded Northeastern's opening contest while the second is from NU's first game. Even though the stands are not that full, those who were in attendance were very energetic. I tried to include these in the initial post but Blogger would not let me upload them earlier. 
CAA Men's Basketball Tournament
Today’s entry is a brief departure from commenting on the environment. Since I just returned yesterday from playing in Northeastern’s pep band at the Colonial Athletic Association Men’s Basketball Tournament in Richmond, Va., I decided to share some of my experiences on the trip.
Northeastern advanced to the quarterfinals by beating James Madison before losing to George Mason, ending the Huskies season. Having never been to a tournament before, I was surprised to see how charged the atmosphere was, given there were many empty seats in the Richmond Coliseum. There was a certain buzz in the arena that is almost indescribable but easily felt, even from the band’s seats behind the hoop.
In the opening round, Northeastern jumped out to a large lead in the first half and was able to withstand a James Madison run in the second to advance. Though Northeastern – which had to travel among the farthest of any team – had few fans in attendance, there was still much positive energy and lots of Husky cheers. I left that game with a hoarse voice from yelling so much.
Sadly, the second game was less exciting. Though NU did grab a lead briefly, George Mason quickly developed a commanding lead at the half. Northeastern played better in the second frame, closing the gap to 5 points with only a few minutes to go, but was not able to overcome George Mason. Interestingly, during this game, NU had the backing of a group of vocal Virginia Commonwealth University fans who wanted to see George Mason knocked out.
Since both games were at night, I had free time to explore the city. Richmond is an interesting mix of modern skyscrapers and historic landmarks, statues, buildings and museums. A free Civil War museum located along the banks of the James River provided a great overview of Richmond’s role in the conflict and contained some interesting artifacts including a drum and various weapons and ammunition.
Although a little hilly, the city is very walkable since the downtown area is laid out in a grid pattern. And, because of the contrast between a modern city and the Civil War historical sites, the feel changes dramatically after only walking a few blocks. The only major downside is the wind, especially near the James River or when traversing it.
Overall, it was a great experience and I am looking forward to hopefully returning to Richmond for next year’s tournament.
Northeastern advanced to the quarterfinals by beating James Madison before losing to George Mason, ending the Huskies season. Having never been to a tournament before, I was surprised to see how charged the atmosphere was, given there were many empty seats in the Richmond Coliseum. There was a certain buzz in the arena that is almost indescribable but easily felt, even from the band’s seats behind the hoop.
In the opening round, Northeastern jumped out to a large lead in the first half and was able to withstand a James Madison run in the second to advance. Though Northeastern – which had to travel among the farthest of any team – had few fans in attendance, there was still much positive energy and lots of Husky cheers. I left that game with a hoarse voice from yelling so much.
Sadly, the second game was less exciting. Though NU did grab a lead briefly, George Mason quickly developed a commanding lead at the half. Northeastern played better in the second frame, closing the gap to 5 points with only a few minutes to go, but was not able to overcome George Mason. Interestingly, during this game, NU had the backing of a group of vocal Virginia Commonwealth University fans who wanted to see George Mason knocked out.
Since both games were at night, I had free time to explore the city. Richmond is an interesting mix of modern skyscrapers and historic landmarks, statues, buildings and museums. A free Civil War museum located along the banks of the James River provided a great overview of Richmond’s role in the conflict and contained some interesting artifacts including a drum and various weapons and ammunition.
Although a little hilly, the city is very walkable since the downtown area is laid out in a grid pattern. And, because of the contrast between a modern city and the Civil War historical sites, the feel changes dramatically after only walking a few blocks. The only major downside is the wind, especially near the James River or when traversing it.
Overall, it was a great experience and I am looking forward to hopefully returning to Richmond for next year’s tournament.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
"Violin Diplomacy"
I was quite surprised to turn on New England Cable News today and see the success of the New York Philharmonic’s journey to North Korea where they performed a 90 minute concert in the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre, as described in this story on Boston.com.
As an American, it was exhilarating to see United States and North Korean diplomats standing side-by-side listening to the orchestra perform the Star Spangled Banner and North Korea’s national anthem. And, as an amateur musician who has performed in concert and marching bands since elementary school, it was equally gratifying to realize music – particularly classical music, a genre that seems to be slipping away from the American cultural scene – brought these two arch enemies together, at least for 90 minutes.
The orchestra chose several American pieces, including works by Gershwin and Bernstein, and a theme from a Korean folk song. And, they played Antonin Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9: From the New World.” Ironically, as the Globe points out, this piece was written from the perspective of an immigrant arriving in New York City, something North Korea prohibits many of its citizens from doing.
Dvorak’s symphony also has an important place in my heart. In 2002, when I was in the marching band at Salem, N.H. High School we were invited to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and chose “New World Symphony,” as our music. Since this was just a little more than one year after the September 11th attacks, our performance included formations that spelled the abbreviations “USA” and “NYC.”
From a journalists’ prospective, North Korea provided unprecedented access, including the Internet and almost unrestricted international phone lines, according to the story And the country’s only television station broadcast the entire concert, in marked contrast to the typical policy of animosity towards all foreign things.
Despite the seemingly openness and easing of tensions, there were still some propaganda signs depicting North Korea’s hostility towards America. But, hopefully, in 50 years this concert will be looked upon as the first stepping stone in a long road to peaceful relations with North Korea. And to think, it could have all started with a few notes from the oldest symphony orchestra in America.
Finally here’s a link to a New York Times story and video. I thought the lead on this was fantastic and truly painted a picture of the scene in North Korea. There are also some pictures, video and other new media elements on the Times site.
As an American, it was exhilarating to see United States and North Korean diplomats standing side-by-side listening to the orchestra perform the Star Spangled Banner and North Korea’s national anthem. And, as an amateur musician who has performed in concert and marching bands since elementary school, it was equally gratifying to realize music – particularly classical music, a genre that seems to be slipping away from the American cultural scene – brought these two arch enemies together, at least for 90 minutes.
The orchestra chose several American pieces, including works by Gershwin and Bernstein, and a theme from a Korean folk song. And, they played Antonin Dvorak’s “Symphony No. 9: From the New World.” Ironically, as the Globe points out, this piece was written from the perspective of an immigrant arriving in New York City, something North Korea prohibits many of its citizens from doing.
Dvorak’s symphony also has an important place in my heart. In 2002, when I was in the marching band at Salem, N.H. High School we were invited to perform in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and chose “New World Symphony,” as our music. Since this was just a little more than one year after the September 11th attacks, our performance included formations that spelled the abbreviations “USA” and “NYC.”
From a journalists’ prospective, North Korea provided unprecedented access, including the Internet and almost unrestricted international phone lines, according to the story And the country’s only television station broadcast the entire concert, in marked contrast to the typical policy of animosity towards all foreign things.
Despite the seemingly openness and easing of tensions, there were still some propaganda signs depicting North Korea’s hostility towards America. But, hopefully, in 50 years this concert will be looked upon as the first stepping stone in a long road to peaceful relations with North Korea. And to think, it could have all started with a few notes from the oldest symphony orchestra in America.
Finally here’s a link to a New York Times story and video. I thought the lead on this was fantastic and truly painted a picture of the scene in North Korea. There are also some pictures, video and other new media elements on the Times site.
Sunday, February 24, 2008
First Green Roof Comes to Merrimack Valley
Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass. will host this region’s first green roof when their Addison Gallery of American Art expansion project is completed in 2009, according to a story in the Eagle Tribune.
Green roofs, which have become a mainstay in Europe, are a growing trend throughout North America. They have increased by 25 percent from 2005 to 2006 while intensive green roofs (those which include large plants) increased by 100 percent, according to statistics by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the North American green roof industry association.
Besides the obvious aesthetic benefits, green roofs provide better insulation than a traditional roof, reducing the costs of heating and cooling the building. Since plants absorb more water then roofing material does, this will create less runoff and potential for lake, ocean or river contamination. Additionally, less water will reduce the wear on city sewer systems potentially lower maintenance and expansion costs. Many other benefits are listed here.
Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino created a demonstrative green roof atop a portion of City Hall in 2005. And, there are 23 green roofs built or under construction in Massachusetts, according to Green Roofs for Healthy Cities which has a searchable database of all such projects reported to the organization. The Massachusetts ones include prominent buildings such as the IKEA store in Stoughton and the Four Seasons Hotel and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Yawkey Building for Outpatient Care, both in Boston.
This is a tremendous opportunity for new construction and renovations in both urban and rural areas. Not only are there many environmental benefits, but a green roof would probably increase the value of the building and surrounding property, making it more attractive to tenants or homeowners. And, as the MGH roof demonstrates (see pictures here), they can provide spectacular sweeping views of a city skyline or a green oasis in the heart of a bustling metropolis.
Green roofs, which have become a mainstay in Europe, are a growing trend throughout North America. They have increased by 25 percent from 2005 to 2006 while intensive green roofs (those which include large plants) increased by 100 percent, according to statistics by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the North American green roof industry association.
Besides the obvious aesthetic benefits, green roofs provide better insulation than a traditional roof, reducing the costs of heating and cooling the building. Since plants absorb more water then roofing material does, this will create less runoff and potential for lake, ocean or river contamination. Additionally, less water will reduce the wear on city sewer systems potentially lower maintenance and expansion costs. Many other benefits are listed here.
Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino created a demonstrative green roof atop a portion of City Hall in 2005. And, there are 23 green roofs built or under construction in Massachusetts, according to Green Roofs for Healthy Cities which has a searchable database of all such projects reported to the organization. The Massachusetts ones include prominent buildings such as the IKEA store in Stoughton and the Four Seasons Hotel and Massachusetts General Hospital’s Yawkey Building for Outpatient Care, both in Boston.
This is a tremendous opportunity for new construction and renovations in both urban and rural areas. Not only are there many environmental benefits, but a green roof would probably increase the value of the building and surrounding property, making it more attractive to tenants or homeowners. And, as the MGH roof demonstrates (see pictures here), they can provide spectacular sweeping views of a city skyline or a green oasis in the heart of a bustling metropolis.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Green Printing Program
An interesting video on CNN.com caught my attention tonight. Titled “Printing Green,” the piece introduced a new computer application that eliminates wasted pages from a document, saving trees and your money.
Home users can pick between the free and premium versions of GreenPrint, according to the program’s Web site. Here is a description of the program excerpted from its site:
And it seems to make sense for businesses, for which the company has developed a special version. A savings calculator, also on the Web site, indicates a company with 1,000 employees will save $90,240, 1,410,000 pages, 156.7 trees and 504.9 tons of carbon dioxide each year.
The program was very easy to install and has some neat features and reports that track cost, paper, tree and carbon dioxide savings. When printing from Microsoft Word (or any other program), the print dialogue box that pops up has an option for GreenPrint (which becomes the default choice once the program is installed). Then, after clicking print, GreenPrint opens its own application which shows which pages are being printed and which are being removed. At this point a user can ensure nothing important will not be missed. Then, click a print button and the printing begins.
In case what I just wrote made no sense, here’s a link to a tutorial.
There are also options to determine what filters (for example, only a header and footer or less than five lines on page) GreenPrint uses to eliminate pages. And, the program includes a PDF writer.
This seems like an ideal application for people who frequently print information from the Web, whether for school projects, travel itineraries and tickets or in the office. It seems to be less useful, even detrimental, for printing word processing documents since one typically wants all of that text to be printed.
Here at Northeastern University, some students have been complaining about the implementation of a 400 page per person print quota this school year. Perhaps investing a little money in this program would quell some of their concerns while helping the environment.
And, finally, no one can complain about the company’s amusing commercial:
Home users can pick between the free and premium versions of GreenPrint, according to the program’s Web site. Here is a description of the program excerpted from its site:
GreenPrint eliminates wasteful pages in any printout automatically, saving you
time and money, and maybe more importantly, saving trees, reducing greenhouse
gasses, and decreasing waste.
GreenPrint's patent-pending technology does
this by analyzing each page of every document sent to the printer and looking
for typical waste characteristics (like that last page with just a URL, banner
ad, logo, or legal jargon).
And it seems to make sense for businesses, for which the company has developed a special version. A savings calculator, also on the Web site, indicates a company with 1,000 employees will save $90,240, 1,410,000 pages, 156.7 trees and 504.9 tons of carbon dioxide each year.
The program was very easy to install and has some neat features and reports that track cost, paper, tree and carbon dioxide savings. When printing from Microsoft Word (or any other program), the print dialogue box that pops up has an option for GreenPrint (which becomes the default choice once the program is installed). Then, after clicking print, GreenPrint opens its own application which shows which pages are being printed and which are being removed. At this point a user can ensure nothing important will not be missed. Then, click a print button and the printing begins.
In case what I just wrote made no sense, here’s a link to a tutorial.
There are also options to determine what filters (for example, only a header and footer or less than five lines on page) GreenPrint uses to eliminate pages. And, the program includes a PDF writer.
This seems like an ideal application for people who frequently print information from the Web, whether for school projects, travel itineraries and tickets or in the office. It seems to be less useful, even detrimental, for printing word processing documents since one typically wants all of that text to be printed.
Here at Northeastern University, some students have been complaining about the implementation of a 400 page per person print quota this school year. Perhaps investing a little money in this program would quell some of their concerns while helping the environment.
And, finally, no one can complain about the company’s amusing commercial:
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
An Eco-egg?
That’s what Easter egg manufacturer Cadbury Schweppes is experimenting with in the United Kingdom, according to a Guardian article.
The company hopes to reduce the egg’s packaging so it is merely wrapped in foil. They will then be sold from molded plastic casing to prevent the eggs from rolling around on store shelves.
More specifics of the plan’s benefit to the environment are shown below, in an excerpt from a company press release.
Although these eco-eggs are only available in the United Kingdom, it does bring to light the worldwide problem of excessive packaging and its detrimental effects on the environment.
In Australia, government and industry partnered to create the National Packaging Covenant, a voluntary program that aims to “minimise the environmental impacts arising from the disposal of used packaging, conserve resources through better design and production processes and facilitate the re-use and recycling of used packaging materials,” according to a statement on its Web site.
And on-line shopping giant Amazon.com notes on its Web site that it primarily uses recyclable corrugated cardboard containers to ship packages. Some of their parcels also contain air filled cushions which can be recycled or at least deflated to take up less space.
Finally, what about those dreaded peanuts? Sure they were fun to play with as a child but are they really necessary to protect items? Amazon.com apparently does not think so since they use them in less than 1 percent of packages. And those that they do use are manufactured entirely from recycled materials, according to the company’s Web site.
Closer to home, New England supermarket chains Shaw’s and Hannaford’s have both been promoting campaigns to outfit customers with reusable shopping bags. Shaw’s has sold 700,000 reusable bags, an average of 3,500 per store, according to this article in the Valley Reporter, a newspaper covering several towns in Washington County, Vermont.
So, from eco-eggs to eco-bags, many companies are rethinking their product packaging. Now, consumers need to support these efforts.
The company hopes to reduce the egg’s packaging so it is merely wrapped in foil. They will then be sold from molded plastic casing to prevent the eggs from rolling around on store shelves.
More specifics of the plan’s benefit to the environment are shown below, in an excerpt from a company press release.
This Easter, the amount of plastic used will be reduced by 247 tonnes and
cardboard by 115 tonnes, saving over 2,000 trees as a result. In total, as a
result of the combination of launching the un-boxed Treasure eggs to avoid
excessive packaging and reducing packaging on the standard eggs, Cadbury will
save 1130 tonnes of packaging this Easter.
Although these eco-eggs are only available in the United Kingdom, it does bring to light the worldwide problem of excessive packaging and its detrimental effects on the environment.
In Australia, government and industry partnered to create the National Packaging Covenant, a voluntary program that aims to “minimise the environmental impacts arising from the disposal of used packaging, conserve resources through better design and production processes and facilitate the re-use and recycling of used packaging materials,” according to a statement on its Web site.
And on-line shopping giant Amazon.com notes on its Web site that it primarily uses recyclable corrugated cardboard containers to ship packages. Some of their parcels also contain air filled cushions which can be recycled or at least deflated to take up less space.
Finally, what about those dreaded peanuts? Sure they were fun to play with as a child but are they really necessary to protect items? Amazon.com apparently does not think so since they use them in less than 1 percent of packages. And those that they do use are manufactured entirely from recycled materials, according to the company’s Web site.
Closer to home, New England supermarket chains Shaw’s and Hannaford’s have both been promoting campaigns to outfit customers with reusable shopping bags. Shaw’s has sold 700,000 reusable bags, an average of 3,500 per store, according to this article in the Valley Reporter, a newspaper covering several towns in Washington County, Vermont.
So, from eco-eggs to eco-bags, many companies are rethinking their product packaging. Now, consumers need to support these efforts.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Update: Menino comments on Popular Science Ranking Boston as Third Greenest City
Last week, Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino reacted to Popular Science’s claim Boston is the third greenest city.
"Beantown truly is Greentown. Being green helps us build a better city and improve our economy at the same time. The success of Boston depends on us making the city greener," Menino said in a statement.
The Globe ran a brief story on this under their local news blog but there was no elaboration on the power plant proposal I discussed previously.
"Beantown truly is Greentown. Being green helps us build a better city and improve our economy at the same time. The success of Boston depends on us making the city greener," Menino said in a statement.
The Globe ran a brief story on this under their local news blog but there was no elaboration on the power plant proposal I discussed previously.
Patriot Ledger Receives an On-Line Makeover
Both Jessica and Eleni have already discussed this but since I have also spent time on co-op at the Patriot Ledger, I decided to weigh in on the newspaper’s new Web site.
First a quick word on Web site redesigns in general. I always find that at first it is confusing to navigate and locate all the features. But, like any change, over time the site lay-out becomes engrained in your mind and you can navigate more easily. Therefore, I am not going to comment as much on how navigable or organized the site is.
The Ledger’s site redesign was badly needed as their previous Web site was terribly outdated when compared to other regional dailies like the Eagle Tribune.
The front page is certainly visually pleasing and has a modern, 21st century feel. But, besides the lead story, all the other articles merely show a headline instead of a summary paragraph. These paragraphs are a great way to catch a quick glimpse of the story’s contents and determine if it is worth reading. Though they are present on the other pages, it would be great to see them added to the front page.
Many of the individual story pages contain grids of photos which can be enlarged when clicked. This is a wonderful way to show off the great work of Ledger photographers beyond the few that make the print edition. I hope they will include this with as many stories as possible. Plus, photos are a great opportunity to increase on-line readership, as who doesn’t want to see a picture of their kids or pets or town on the Web?
Multimedia has taken on a more prominent role with a tab on the site’s masthead devoted solely to these on-line extras including a photos of the week slideshow and video. And, like the text section, the multimedia area has RSS feeds making it easy to keep up to date with the latest South Shore developments.
Finally, I believe the biggest improvement is greater interactivity. All the stories have a comment option which is being used predominately for constructive commentary that adds additional perspectives beyond those contained in the Ledger’s journalism. And, they seem to be making a commitment to blogging by asking for suggestions for new blogs and links to other South Shore blogs.
Overall this is a tremendous improvement over the previous site and hopefully in time, we will see more great on-line elements from the Patriot Ledger.
First a quick word on Web site redesigns in general. I always find that at first it is confusing to navigate and locate all the features. But, like any change, over time the site lay-out becomes engrained in your mind and you can navigate more easily. Therefore, I am not going to comment as much on how navigable or organized the site is.
The Ledger’s site redesign was badly needed as their previous Web site was terribly outdated when compared to other regional dailies like the Eagle Tribune.
The front page is certainly visually pleasing and has a modern, 21st century feel. But, besides the lead story, all the other articles merely show a headline instead of a summary paragraph. These paragraphs are a great way to catch a quick glimpse of the story’s contents and determine if it is worth reading. Though they are present on the other pages, it would be great to see them added to the front page.
Many of the individual story pages contain grids of photos which can be enlarged when clicked. This is a wonderful way to show off the great work of Ledger photographers beyond the few that make the print edition. I hope they will include this with as many stories as possible. Plus, photos are a great opportunity to increase on-line readership, as who doesn’t want to see a picture of their kids or pets or town on the Web?
Multimedia has taken on a more prominent role with a tab on the site’s masthead devoted solely to these on-line extras including a photos of the week slideshow and video. And, like the text section, the multimedia area has RSS feeds making it easy to keep up to date with the latest South Shore developments.
Finally, I believe the biggest improvement is greater interactivity. All the stories have a comment option which is being used predominately for constructive commentary that adds additional perspectives beyond those contained in the Ledger’s journalism. And, they seem to be making a commitment to blogging by asking for suggestions for new blogs and links to other South Shore blogs.
Overall this is a tremendous improvement over the previous site and hopefully in time, we will see more great on-line elements from the Patriot Ledger.
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Efforts Underway to Protect a Pair of Falcons Nesting Atop Quincy Crane
It is not uncommon to read accounts of environmentalists rushing to protect rare species when their habitats become threatened by development or for construction projects to be delayed or even prevented by the presence of an endangered species. One must merely look to the Northern red-bellied cooter’s impact on the Middleboro, Mass. casino proposal for a recent example.
But rarely does one encounter a species complicating the process of removing a man-made structure. But that is what is happening in Quincy, Mass. where environmentalists are attempting to relocate the nesting site of a pair of peregrine falcons before mating season begins in earnest next month.
Surprisingly, the falcons chose to nest atop the gigantic crane at the former Fore River Shipyard. Now the crane, a giant behemoth of rusting metal that dominates the city’s skyline, is scheduled to be dismantled. And that poses a danger to the peregrine falcon, according to this Globe South article.
Environmentalists have already removed the nest, placing new ones at several locations in the shipyard and Quincy Medical Center, but worry the falcon will lay eggs on the metal regardless of whether there is a nest or not.
My first thought upon glancing at the piece was why would a falcon choose this crane over a more natural setting in, say, the Blue Hills. But apparently, they are attracted to man-made structures, having nested on such Boston land marks as the Deer Island treatment plant and the Logan Airport control tower. And they like to perch high above water so they can dive down and nab their prey.
The story of these birds is an interesting look into how some species have adapted to the urban environment in the Boston metropolitan area. Though the population is far from stable (with only 14 pairs in Massachusetts) it is comforting to know the birds can survive in cities. That said, just because one species can adapt does not mean society should throw caution to the wind when evaluating the impact of new developments. There are countless other animals, like the cooter in Middleboro, that need natural habitats to survive.
But rarely does one encounter a species complicating the process of removing a man-made structure. But that is what is happening in Quincy, Mass. where environmentalists are attempting to relocate the nesting site of a pair of peregrine falcons before mating season begins in earnest next month.
Surprisingly, the falcons chose to nest atop the gigantic crane at the former Fore River Shipyard. Now the crane, a giant behemoth of rusting metal that dominates the city’s skyline, is scheduled to be dismantled. And that poses a danger to the peregrine falcon, according to this Globe South article.
Environmentalists have already removed the nest, placing new ones at several locations in the shipyard and Quincy Medical Center, but worry the falcon will lay eggs on the metal regardless of whether there is a nest or not.
My first thought upon glancing at the piece was why would a falcon choose this crane over a more natural setting in, say, the Blue Hills. But apparently, they are attracted to man-made structures, having nested on such Boston land marks as the Deer Island treatment plant and the Logan Airport control tower. And they like to perch high above water so they can dive down and nab their prey.
The story of these birds is an interesting look into how some species have adapted to the urban environment in the Boston metropolitan area. Though the population is far from stable (with only 14 pairs in Massachusetts) it is comforting to know the birds can survive in cities. That said, just because one species can adapt does not mean society should throw caution to the wind when evaluating the impact of new developments. There are countless other animals, like the cooter in Middleboro, that need natural habitats to survive.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Popular Science Lists Boston as Third Greenest City
During Steve’s presentation in class yesterday on Popular Science’s Web site, I was intrigued by the magazine’s lead story on America’s 50 greenest cities. I was curious to see where Boston fit on this list and was surprised to see it ranked third.
The magazine used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and National Geographic Society’s Green Guide to evaluate cities on four categories:
In Boston, the magazine emphasized a plan for a new power plant that turns grass and leaves clippings into electricity through the feeding of anaerobic bacteria on grass. The remaining material’s decomposition into compost will be accelerated through heat and agitation.
I am fairly surprised little has been reported in the Boston media on this power plant. A quick Google search turned up nothing on the project. Perhaps the plan is still in its infancy and, therefore, has not garnered much attention. The City of Boston’s official Web site does briefly list steps Beantown is taking to reduce its dependency on foreign oil, but again no mention of this venture. Unfortunately the Popular Science magazine only provided a brief paragraph on the project. If anyone has more info, feel free to leave a comment with the link.
In addition to the list and a brief explanatory article, Popular Science included a slideshow of six specific programs cities are implementing, from zero emission buses in Oakland, Calif. to heating homes with waste in Salt Lake City. Each slide contains a diagram and a text block with background information (but nothing extremely technical). Despite this general lack of technical information in the text, each diagram provides a colorful visual of how the program works.
Cambridge, Mass. was the only other New England location on the list, coming in as the sixth greenest city in America. Cambridge beat Boston in the electricity and green living categories but lost in the transportation and recycling/perspective evaluations.
Besides the raw data, Popular Science does not provide much explanation for why certain cities scored higher than others. While this online package was interesting, it could have been tremendously enhanced with additional explanation.
The magazine used data from the U.S. Census Bureau and National Geographic Society’s Green Guide to evaluate cities on four categories:
Electricity (E; 10 points): Cities score points for drawing their energy
from renewable sources such as wind, solar, biomass and hydroelectric power, as
well as for offering incentives for residents to invest in their own power
sources, like roof-mounted solar panels.
Transportation (T; 10 points): High scores go to cities whose commuters
take public transportation or carpool. Air quality also plays a role.
Green living (G; 5 points): Cities earn points for the number of
buildings certified by the U.S. Green Building Council, as well as for devoting
area to green space, such as public parks and nature preserves.
Recycling and green perspective (R; 5 points): This measures how
comprehensive a city’s recycling program is (if the city collects old
electronics, for example) and how important its citizens consider environmental
issues.
In Boston, the magazine emphasized a plan for a new power plant that turns grass and leaves clippings into electricity through the feeding of anaerobic bacteria on grass. The remaining material’s decomposition into compost will be accelerated through heat and agitation.
I am fairly surprised little has been reported in the Boston media on this power plant. A quick Google search turned up nothing on the project. Perhaps the plan is still in its infancy and, therefore, has not garnered much attention. The City of Boston’s official Web site does briefly list steps Beantown is taking to reduce its dependency on foreign oil, but again no mention of this venture. Unfortunately the Popular Science magazine only provided a brief paragraph on the project. If anyone has more info, feel free to leave a comment with the link.
In addition to the list and a brief explanatory article, Popular Science included a slideshow of six specific programs cities are implementing, from zero emission buses in Oakland, Calif. to heating homes with waste in Salt Lake City. Each slide contains a diagram and a text block with background information (but nothing extremely technical). Despite this general lack of technical information in the text, each diagram provides a colorful visual of how the program works.
Cambridge, Mass. was the only other New England location on the list, coming in as the sixth greenest city in America. Cambridge beat Boston in the electricity and green living categories but lost in the transportation and recycling/perspective evaluations.
Besides the raw data, Popular Science does not provide much explanation for why certain cities scored higher than others. While this online package was interesting, it could have been tremendously enhanced with additional explanation.
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Electronics and the Environment
As the use of iPods, personal computers, televisions and other electronic devices continues to increase, a new study suggests Americans are becoming less in tune with nature.
In an article on CNN.com, the Associated Press breaks down the research which claims electronic gadgets are contributing to a decline in visitors to United States’ national parks. The study, funded by the Nature Conservancy, notes Americans are spending less time outdoors and, therefore, are not as connected to their surroundings. Consequently, they will be less likely to take nature vacations or support conservation and other protection efforts.
The report, which will be officially released Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explains the drop in park visitation began in the 1980s and 1990s, at the same time video games, the Internet and electronic gadgets were becoming a mainstay in households.
Of direct relevance to New Englanders, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, which winds through five New England states, peaked in 2000 before declining 18 percent by 2005.
This is certainly a troubling trend for conservationists since efforts to protect land from development usually requires substantial support (politically and/or monetarily) from the town or city in which the parcel sits.
Americans need to put down their electronic devices and climb a mountain, go snowshoeing or spend a weekend camping in a national park.
Even those urbanites living in the heart of Boston do not have to travel far for outdoor adventures. Middlesex Fells Reservation to the north and Blue Hills Reservation to the south are both quick trips with excellent outdoor activities and tremendous views of the Boston skyline. Or, explore some lesser known reservations like Moose Hill in Sharon, Mass., which offers a view of Gillette Stadium, as seen in this picture taken when I hiked there last month.
In an article on CNN.com, the Associated Press breaks down the research which claims electronic gadgets are contributing to a decline in visitors to United States’ national parks. The study, funded by the Nature Conservancy, notes Americans are spending less time outdoors and, therefore, are not as connected to their surroundings. Consequently, they will be less likely to take nature vacations or support conservation and other protection efforts.
The report, which will be officially released Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, explains the drop in park visitation began in the 1980s and 1990s, at the same time video games, the Internet and electronic gadgets were becoming a mainstay in households.
Of direct relevance to New Englanders, hiking on the Appalachian Trail, which winds through five New England states, peaked in 2000 before declining 18 percent by 2005.
This is certainly a troubling trend for conservationists since efforts to protect land from development usually requires substantial support (politically and/or monetarily) from the town or city in which the parcel sits.
Americans need to put down their electronic devices and climb a mountain, go snowshoeing or spend a weekend camping in a national park.
Even those urbanites living in the heart of Boston do not have to travel far for outdoor adventures. Middlesex Fells Reservation to the north and Blue Hills Reservation to the south are both quick trips with excellent outdoor activities and tremendous views of the Boston skyline. Or, explore some lesser known reservations like Moose Hill in Sharon, Mass., which offers a view of Gillette Stadium, as seen in this picture taken when I hiked there last month.
These and many more activities will not only be a refreshing change of pace from an electronics-driven lifestyle but help Americans reconnect with nature. And, for those who really cannot bear to put down their gadgets, bring along a camera to record the memories and a GPS to monitor your route, elevation and distance.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Blizzard of 1978
There may have been a few snow showers and squalls around the Boston area today but that was certainly no match for the onslaught Mother Nature served up 30 years ago during the infamous Blizzard of 1978.
But suppose a similar storm battered New England today. Would the region, especially Massachusetts’ South Shore, be better prepared? How would damage estimates compare? Those are questions Globe South set out to answer in this article published today.
The story contends that though the area may be better prepared from an emergency response and communications standpoint, a surge in shoreline development and coastal erosion from smaller storms make leave the region more vulnerable to another “Storm of the Century.”
In the Globe piece, Massachusetts state coastal geologist Rebecca Haney said erosion has placed more homes in the flood plain. Additionally, new construction has exacerbated the problem while a transition from summer cottages in 1978 to year round homes in 2008 would also increase damages.
Of course, improvements in construction techniques and tighter building codes negate some of these effects. And, grants are helping towns and community organizations implement mitigation measures.
While on co-op at the Patriot Ledger, I was able to cover several Nor’easters. Although none caused serious coastal damage, I did learn about some efforts residents are doing to lessen storm impact on their towns’ coastlines. These include planting dune grass, whose roots trap sand, limiting the effects of erosion. (see this story).
Amid the flurry of features and recaps New England news organizations have produced recently about the Blizzard of 1978, those like the Globe piece stand out because they are not simply recounting the storm (an interesting and worthy piece of journalism in itself) but applying it and post-storm actions to present day issues.
As an aside, the Patriot Ledger and Brockton Enterprise have a special Web page with first hand accounts of the Blizzard through text and video and some photographs of storm cleanup. Below is one video featuring Brockton, Mass. fire chief Kenneth Galligan.
Though the presentation is not nearly as interactive and multimedia-based as other features on news Web sites, it certainly has some interesting storm stories, including one from a mother to her daughter who was away at college during the Blizzard.
But suppose a similar storm battered New England today. Would the region, especially Massachusetts’ South Shore, be better prepared? How would damage estimates compare? Those are questions Globe South set out to answer in this article published today.
The story contends that though the area may be better prepared from an emergency response and communications standpoint, a surge in shoreline development and coastal erosion from smaller storms make leave the region more vulnerable to another “Storm of the Century.”
In the Globe piece, Massachusetts state coastal geologist Rebecca Haney said erosion has placed more homes in the flood plain. Additionally, new construction has exacerbated the problem while a transition from summer cottages in 1978 to year round homes in 2008 would also increase damages.
Of course, improvements in construction techniques and tighter building codes negate some of these effects. And, grants are helping towns and community organizations implement mitigation measures.
While on co-op at the Patriot Ledger, I was able to cover several Nor’easters. Although none caused serious coastal damage, I did learn about some efforts residents are doing to lessen storm impact on their towns’ coastlines. These include planting dune grass, whose roots trap sand, limiting the effects of erosion. (see this story).
Amid the flurry of features and recaps New England news organizations have produced recently about the Blizzard of 1978, those like the Globe piece stand out because they are not simply recounting the storm (an interesting and worthy piece of journalism in itself) but applying it and post-storm actions to present day issues.
As an aside, the Patriot Ledger and Brockton Enterprise have a special Web page with first hand accounts of the Blizzard through text and video and some photographs of storm cleanup. Below is one video featuring Brockton, Mass. fire chief Kenneth Galligan.
Though the presentation is not nearly as interactive and multimedia-based as other features on news Web sites, it certainly has some interesting storm stories, including one from a mother to her daughter who was away at college during the Blizzard.
Photo by Flickr member Sister72. Some rights reserved.
Monday, February 4, 2008
How safe are compact fluorescent light bulbs?
I want to commend the Union Leader for bringing to light one of the less reported aspects of compact fluorescent light bulbs – their mercury content, as discussed in this article. Certainly the dangers of mercury in regards to thermometers became so widely known that such devices are no longer made.
But, over the past few years, compact fluorescent light bulbs have grown increasingly popular along with the movement for reducing energy consumption. While their usage has increased, awareness of how to clean up broken bulbs and properly dispose of used bulbs has not followed.
According to New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) statistics, 106 pounds of mercury are generated annually by 2.4 million worn fluorescent lamps, placing it among the largest sources of the element in the Granite State. Additionally, only 20 to 30 percent of these bulbs are properly recycled.
Of course compact fluorescent bulbs contain significantly less mercury than the old-fashioned thermometers (5 mg to 500 mg, according to EPA statistics cited in the Union Leader piece).
Nevertheless, even small traces of mercury can cause problems for humans and the environment. NHDES notes these symptoms:
And these environmental effects:
That said, these warnings do not mean people should stop replacing halogen light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. There simply needs to be greater awareness of proper handling and disposal techniques.
As the Union leader points out, NHDES has posted a list of hardware stores that recycle bulbs in the state. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection provides a similar list for Bay State residents.
Both of these Web sites also have information on how to manage a broken or spent compact fluorescent bulb (the most important thing being not to vacuum it.). But this is not enough. Similar information should be highly visible on store shelves and on light bulb containers.
Finally, this will eventually become a moot point as LED bulbs replace fluorescent ones but that’s a topic for another post sometime.
But, over the past few years, compact fluorescent light bulbs have grown increasingly popular along with the movement for reducing energy consumption. While their usage has increased, awareness of how to clean up broken bulbs and properly dispose of used bulbs has not followed.
According to New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) statistics, 106 pounds of mercury are generated annually by 2.4 million worn fluorescent lamps, placing it among the largest sources of the element in the Granite State. Additionally, only 20 to 30 percent of these bulbs are properly recycled.
Of course compact fluorescent bulbs contain significantly less mercury than the old-fashioned thermometers (5 mg to 500 mg, according to EPA statistics cited in the Union Leader piece).
Nevertheless, even small traces of mercury can cause problems for humans and the environment. NHDES notes these symptoms:
In humans, mercury is toxic to the nervous system, affecting the brain, spinal
cord, kidneys and liver. Mercury exposure is particularly significant for young
children and pregnant women because mercury inhibits the development of the
brain and nervous system. Lowered intelligence, impaired hearing, and poor
coordination are some of the effects seen in children with elevated mercury
exposure.
And these environmental effects:
Mercury is highly toxic to wildlife. It accumulates in the tissues of fish and
other organisms inhabiting mercury-contaminated waters and builds up in the
tissues of organisms higher up the food chain, including humans. Eagles, osprey,
common loons, river otters, mink, and other fishing-eating animals may suffer
premature death, weight loss, difficulties reproducing, and other problems as a
result of eating mercury-contaminated fish.
That said, these warnings do not mean people should stop replacing halogen light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones. There simply needs to be greater awareness of proper handling and disposal techniques.
As the Union leader points out, NHDES has posted a list of hardware stores that recycle bulbs in the state. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection provides a similar list for Bay State residents.
Both of these Web sites also have information on how to manage a broken or spent compact fluorescent bulb (the most important thing being not to vacuum it.). But this is not enough. Similar information should be highly visible on store shelves and on light bulb containers.
Finally, this will eventually become a moot point as LED bulbs replace fluorescent ones but that’s a topic for another post sometime.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
NFL Aims for Green Super Bowl
Amid the frenzied media attention preceding tomorrow’s Super Bowl, both teams have been thoroughly analyzed, the Phoenix area heavily explored and Patriots quarterback Tom Brady received a marriage proposal from an intrepid reporter. But few of the throngs of journalists in the Valley of the Sun have examined the environmental impact of the culmination of the NFL Season.
Had they done so, as this Associated Press piece does, they would have realized the NFL has gone to great lengths to improve the environment around Super Bowl host cities as part of the NFL Environmental Program.
“From planting 10,000 new trees in Arizona to donating thousands of pounds of leftover food to soup kitchens and shelters, the NFL Environmental Program is trying to make the pinnacle of professional football a paragon of environmentalism,” the Associated Press wrote.
Though NFL officials acknowledged their efforts will not offset the entire environmental impact of the Super Bowl, their attempts are certainly commendable. The 10,000 trees were planted in an area that experienced a devastating wildfire several years ago. Although only several thousand are expected to survive due to poor soil, it is still more than if the NFL did nothing.
Additionally, the game will be powered with SRP EarthWise Energy, which is produced entirely from renewable sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal power, according to the official Super Bowl Web site. On the same Web page, the NFL has provided energy saving and recycling tips to encourage fans to be as green as possible as well.
While such actions are not that unusual in today’s more environmentally-conscious world, I was surprised to learn that the NFL introduced its environmental program 14 years ago when activism and global warming were not as prominent in America. Hopefully the program can continue to improve during the next 14 years and become a role model for other major sporting events such as the World Series, NBA Finals and Stanley Cup.
So, regardless of the Super Bowl’s outcome, fans can rest assured the NFL has attempted to make the game environmentally friendly.
Had they done so, as this Associated Press piece does, they would have realized the NFL has gone to great lengths to improve the environment around Super Bowl host cities as part of the NFL Environmental Program.
“From planting 10,000 new trees in Arizona to donating thousands of pounds of leftover food to soup kitchens and shelters, the NFL Environmental Program is trying to make the pinnacle of professional football a paragon of environmentalism,” the Associated Press wrote.
Though NFL officials acknowledged their efforts will not offset the entire environmental impact of the Super Bowl, their attempts are certainly commendable. The 10,000 trees were planted in an area that experienced a devastating wildfire several years ago. Although only several thousand are expected to survive due to poor soil, it is still more than if the NFL did nothing.
Additionally, the game will be powered with SRP EarthWise Energy, which is produced entirely from renewable sources like solar, wind, hydroelectric and geothermal power, according to the official Super Bowl Web site. On the same Web page, the NFL has provided energy saving and recycling tips to encourage fans to be as green as possible as well.
While such actions are not that unusual in today’s more environmentally-conscious world, I was surprised to learn that the NFL introduced its environmental program 14 years ago when activism and global warming were not as prominent in America. Hopefully the program can continue to improve during the next 14 years and become a role model for other major sporting events such as the World Series, NBA Finals and Stanley Cup.
So, regardless of the Super Bowl’s outcome, fans can rest assured the NFL has attempted to make the game environmentally friendly.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Update to Winnipesaukee speed limits
Two quick updates on my previous Winnipesaukee speed limit post.
First, here’s a slightly more detailed Associated Press story on the subject.
Secondly, a greater environmental impact of the legislation may involve emissions. The lack of a speed limit attracts large cigarette boats which are less efficient than traditional pleasure craft (and tend to produce larger wakes). Additionally, boats generally obtain better mileage at slower speeds, assuming the vessel has reached plane.
First, here’s a slightly more detailed Associated Press story on the subject.
Secondly, a greater environmental impact of the legislation may involve emissions. The lack of a speed limit attracts large cigarette boats which are less efficient than traditional pleasure craft (and tend to produce larger wakes). Additionally, boats generally obtain better mileage at slower speeds, assuming the vessel has reached plane.
Winnipesaukee Speed Limit Bill Passes House
According to a Union Leader story, a two year trial speed limit bill for Lake Winnipesaukee passed the New Hampshire House of Representatives today. It now moves to the Senate.
If approved, the bill would set speed limits on the state’s largest lake at 45 miles per hour during the day and 25 miles per hour at night beginning in 2009, according to its text, found here. Since it is only a two year trial, the bill would expire in 2011.
Before I go further, I should state my family owns property on an island on Winnipesaukee and I have spent much of my summers there.
That said, a speed limit is desperately needed as there are too many boats traveling too fast. The Union Leader said the bill "has been opposed by boaters and fishermen who want to get from one spot to another quickly. They argue the greatest threats to safety are not speed, but operator inattention and violations of safety regulations."
While this latter statement is true, as a boater, I am more than happy to only travel 45 miles per hour. If one goes faster, he or she could not possibly enjoy the spectacular scenery. More importantly, there are countless rocks hidden just beneath the water that, could rip apart a boat’s hull. Since not all are marked by lighted buoys (or buoys at all), they pose an additional danger at night.
The environmental aspect in all of this is shoreline erosion. I have watched wave after wave pummel Winnipesaukee’s rocky shoreline, especially during weekends and holidays in July and August, from boats going faster than 45 miles per hour. These waves erode the soil, exposing tree and plant roots and clouding the water, a source of cleaning and drinking water for many island residents. While this would not eliminate all large wakes (many are caused by cabin cruisers traveling slowly), it would be a great step towards limiting erosion.
I was surprised this argument was not discussed in the Union Leader story, as it has often been voiced by islanders. Perhaps since this broke during the day, they will have an expanded story in tomorrow’s paper.
If approved, the bill would set speed limits on the state’s largest lake at 45 miles per hour during the day and 25 miles per hour at night beginning in 2009, according to its text, found here. Since it is only a two year trial, the bill would expire in 2011.
Before I go further, I should state my family owns property on an island on Winnipesaukee and I have spent much of my summers there.
That said, a speed limit is desperately needed as there are too many boats traveling too fast. The Union Leader said the bill "has been opposed by boaters and fishermen who want to get from one spot to another quickly. They argue the greatest threats to safety are not speed, but operator inattention and violations of safety regulations."
While this latter statement is true, as a boater, I am more than happy to only travel 45 miles per hour. If one goes faster, he or she could not possibly enjoy the spectacular scenery. More importantly, there are countless rocks hidden just beneath the water that, could rip apart a boat’s hull. Since not all are marked by lighted buoys (or buoys at all), they pose an additional danger at night.
The environmental aspect in all of this is shoreline erosion. I have watched wave after wave pummel Winnipesaukee’s rocky shoreline, especially during weekends and holidays in July and August, from boats going faster than 45 miles per hour. These waves erode the soil, exposing tree and plant roots and clouding the water, a source of cleaning and drinking water for many island residents. While this would not eliminate all large wakes (many are caused by cabin cruisers traveling slowly), it would be a great step towards limiting erosion.
I was surprised this argument was not discussed in the Union Leader story, as it has often been voiced by islanders. Perhaps since this broke during the day, they will have an expanded story in tomorrow’s paper.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Widgets
The Washington Post has an interesting interactive web-based presidential primary election resource that greatly facilitates reading about candidate issues. Upon clicking on a candidate's headshot, users are presented with a list of issues. The font size and position of each issue is based upon the number of stories that contain the candidate and that issue.
This is somewhat misleading because even if one candidate has many hits on abortion, the story may examine how their standing is anti-abortion or be about another candidate and simply mention the initial candidate as their rival in an upcoming debate.
But, assuming users of the application take the time to sample some of the stories (which are pulled from news organizations around the country, not just Washington Post-affiliated sites) they will have a better understanding of the candidate's stance on each major issue.
This program, called a widget, takes what could be solely a text-based subject and transforms it into a visual journey. Yes, readers are still devouring text, but access to that text is through a user-friendly visual medium.
What makes this application really unique is it can be embedded on blogs and other Web sites instead of merely a link (see below). Of course as a user delves deeper into the application, it transfers them to the Post’s Web site for the remainder of the feature. After all, it would not make sense for a newspaper to offer this service if the widget did not link back to their site.
The Washington Post has several similar widgets relating to politics, entertainment, photojournalism and the Iraq War, all accessible from one page.
Environmentally, this has several applications. Much the same as the Post has done with election issues, a widget could be used to track specific environmental topics like land conservation or alternative energy. Or, it could be a map-based interface that transports users to various environmental hot spots in world, all from their own blog.
One unique example of an environmental widget, produced by http://www.co2stats.com/, supposedly offsets the amount of fossil fuels burned while browsing a site with the widget installed. More information on this is available at the Boston Herald’s Green World blog here.
Note: I accidentally published this post while in the process of writing it. So please ignore the previous version if it appears in an RSS reader.
This is somewhat misleading because even if one candidate has many hits on abortion, the story may examine how their standing is anti-abortion or be about another candidate and simply mention the initial candidate as their rival in an upcoming debate.
But, assuming users of the application take the time to sample some of the stories (which are pulled from news organizations around the country, not just Washington Post-affiliated sites) they will have a better understanding of the candidate's stance on each major issue.
This program, called a widget, takes what could be solely a text-based subject and transforms it into a visual journey. Yes, readers are still devouring text, but access to that text is through a user-friendly visual medium.
What makes this application really unique is it can be embedded on blogs and other Web sites instead of merely a link (see below). Of course as a user delves deeper into the application, it transfers them to the Post’s Web site for the remainder of the feature. After all, it would not make sense for a newspaper to offer this service if the widget did not link back to their site.
The Washington Post has several similar widgets relating to politics, entertainment, photojournalism and the Iraq War, all accessible from one page.
Environmentally, this has several applications. Much the same as the Post has done with election issues, a widget could be used to track specific environmental topics like land conservation or alternative energy. Or, it could be a map-based interface that transports users to various environmental hot spots in world, all from their own blog.
One unique example of an environmental widget, produced by http://www.co2stats.com/, supposedly offsets the amount of fossil fuels burned while browsing a site with the widget installed. More information on this is available at the Boston Herald’s Green World blog here.
Note: I accidentally published this post while in the process of writing it. So please ignore the previous version if it appears in an RSS reader.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Pay-as-you-throw Recycling Program Reviewed in R.I.
It’s an interesting concept: charge residents only for the trash they throw away while making recyclables free. And, according to a Providence Journal article, a statewide mandatory program was considered by the Rhode Island state legislature at a recent recycling summit. The summit was spurred by the fact that the Ocean State’s landfill is expected to need a $100 million expansion in two years if recycling rates do not increase.
Recycling is one of the few steps homeowners can take to protect the environment without assuming much (if any) costs. One must simply be knowledgeable about what can be recycled and make the effort to separate those items from regular household trash. There are no expensive solar panels to install or light bulbs to replace; just a little time and reading
The pay-as-you-throw plan is one excellent way to encourage recycling since financial savings is probably one of the best motivational tools, especially in a weak economy. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection even has a Web site devoted to the program. It has been implemented successfully in many towns in New England, while others like Whitman, Mass. are considering creating a program.
But encouraging residential recycling is only part of the problem. In Rhode Island, business and government have worse recycling rates than residences (4 percent, according to the same Journal story).
While this rate is abysmal, the business/government rate is shocking as they manage much larger recyclable volumes of waste than a homeowner does. Therefore, it should be more cost effective for them to sort trash and recycle as much as possible.
Clearly, with rates that low, there has been no incentive or mandate for them to improve recycling standards. At the same recycling summit – the first in state history – experts from environmental and waste disposal agencies advised lawmakers to enact stricter standards and improve enforcement of existing ones.
Only time will tell if additional commercial and residential recycling programs are implemented or more and more trash continues to pile up at landfills.
Recycling is one of the few steps homeowners can take to protect the environment without assuming much (if any) costs. One must simply be knowledgeable about what can be recycled and make the effort to separate those items from regular household trash. There are no expensive solar panels to install or light bulbs to replace; just a little time and reading
The pay-as-you-throw plan is one excellent way to encourage recycling since financial savings is probably one of the best motivational tools, especially in a weak economy. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection even has a Web site devoted to the program. It has been implemented successfully in many towns in New England, while others like Whitman, Mass. are considering creating a program.
But encouraging residential recycling is only part of the problem. In Rhode Island, business and government have worse recycling rates than residences (4 percent, according to the same Journal story).
While this rate is abysmal, the business/government rate is shocking as they manage much larger recyclable volumes of waste than a homeowner does. Therefore, it should be more cost effective for them to sort trash and recycle as much as possible.
Clearly, with rates that low, there has been no incentive or mandate for them to improve recycling standards. At the same recycling summit – the first in state history – experts from environmental and waste disposal agencies advised lawmakers to enact stricter standards and improve enforcement of existing ones.
Only time will tell if additional commercial and residential recycling programs are implemented or more and more trash continues to pile up at landfills.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Economic Development vs. Conservation in Maine’s Moosehead Lake Region
It is a question that arises anytime a new subdivision is proposed. But, New England has probably not seen something like Plum Creek Timber’s proposal to build close to 1,000 houses and several resort hotels near Maine’s Moosehead Lake, arguably the gateway to the state’s – and New England’s – last major swath of forestland.
Proponents have argued the area needs more development to boost the economy and lower the tax burden. While, even some environmentalists will admit development is needed, shouldn’t the region look to industry to decrease taxes and create jobs?
As opponents have pointed out, a housing development of this magnitude will overwhelm the region’s schools, fire, police, hospitals and other infrastructure, more than likely, causing tax increases for residents.
Industry could include alternative energy plants, environmentally-friendly product manufacturers, sustainable forestry or a haven for scientific research. These are establishments that could enhance schools and add to Moosehead Lake’s distinctive character.
For more of this argument see these Portland Press Herald articles here and here.
Under the proposal, the developer will make around 400,000 acres conservation land. But, one must always examine this with skepticism. Is that land even buildable in the first place? Is it contiguous and/or connected to already conserved land or fragmented by new neighborhoods?
This potential conservation land has been the subject of contention even within environmental circles. Though residential development would be prohibited, the land could still be used for logging, skiing and hiking huts, communications towers and wind farms, all of which could destroy additional wildlife habitat.
In regards to wind power, forests are not ideal locations for major wind farms, as their construction would destroy valuable wildlife habitat. Instead, planners should look to already developed areas (like Hull, Mass. and Boston, as I described in a previous post.)
Another concern for environmentalists is the precedent approving such a massive development would set. Certainly, other companies may step forward with ambitions similar to Plum Creek Timber’s in other sections of Maine’s vast northern woods. Once one is approved, does it open the floodgates for others?
Whether the proposal is struck down or approved, the public has had ample time to express their thoughts as a series of four public hearing recently concluded. Now the fate of a region rests in the hands of the state’s Land Use Regulation Commission.
Proponents have argued the area needs more development to boost the economy and lower the tax burden. While, even some environmentalists will admit development is needed, shouldn’t the region look to industry to decrease taxes and create jobs?
As opponents have pointed out, a housing development of this magnitude will overwhelm the region’s schools, fire, police, hospitals and other infrastructure, more than likely, causing tax increases for residents.
Industry could include alternative energy plants, environmentally-friendly product manufacturers, sustainable forestry or a haven for scientific research. These are establishments that could enhance schools and add to Moosehead Lake’s distinctive character.
For more of this argument see these Portland Press Herald articles here and here.
Under the proposal, the developer will make around 400,000 acres conservation land. But, one must always examine this with skepticism. Is that land even buildable in the first place? Is it contiguous and/or connected to already conserved land or fragmented by new neighborhoods?
This potential conservation land has been the subject of contention even within environmental circles. Though residential development would be prohibited, the land could still be used for logging, skiing and hiking huts, communications towers and wind farms, all of which could destroy additional wildlife habitat.
In regards to wind power, forests are not ideal locations for major wind farms, as their construction would destroy valuable wildlife habitat. Instead, planners should look to already developed areas (like Hull, Mass. and Boston, as I described in a previous post.)
Another concern for environmentalists is the precedent approving such a massive development would set. Certainly, other companies may step forward with ambitions similar to Plum Creek Timber’s in other sections of Maine’s vast northern woods. Once one is approved, does it open the floodgates for others?
Whether the proposal is struck down or approved, the public has had ample time to express their thoughts as a series of four public hearing recently concluded. Now the fate of a region rests in the hands of the state’s Land Use Regulation Commission.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Geographic News
Today, I am departing from this blog’s overall environmental theme to focus on a new web journalism development the Union Leader experimented with over the weekend. The New Hampshire-based paper used Google Maps to visually plot the locations of all the news stories the newspaper covered this weekend.
Additionally, symbols represented various types of stories (ex. accident, politics, etc). This is an excellent way to visually show the news and a tremendous tool for readers, especially those unfamiliar with the Granite State who may have been directed to a Union Leader story from an external Web site.
Of course, other news organizations have already utilized this. The Boston Globe has used Google Maps to mark campaign contributions and Boston homicides. CBS News has an download for Google Earth that maps all the station’s news stories each day (depicted above). And many television stations use satellite images on the air, especially if they are covering breaking news and do not have any video from the scene.
Traditionally, news has been organized predominately by what an editor judges is most important and then by region/state. Now, readers (and viewers) can obtain the day’s news solely based on geography.
Obviously the age-old practice of news judgment is still essential and how most – if not all – people generally obtain their news. But integrating mapping sites and programs to the fullest extent possible will increase news organization’s Web site’s visibility and readership and eventually become a staple on-line reporting technique.
In the realm of environmental journalism, this has some obvious applications from displaying the location of a potential new piece of conservation land to visually depicting endangered species population figures. A reporter working on a story about migratory birds could utilize maps to show the bird’s annual flight south.
Google Earth already has some environmental content, including a depiction of mountain top removal in the Appalachian Mountains and satellite photos showing the growth of cities and deforestation. However, much of this comes from environmental organizations like the Worldwide Fund for Nature and United Nations Environment Programme rather than the traditional media.
This is a resource just waiting to be fully tapped into by newspapers, television stations and on-line news sites.
Additionally, symbols represented various types of stories (ex. accident, politics, etc). This is an excellent way to visually show the news and a tremendous tool for readers, especially those unfamiliar with the Granite State who may have been directed to a Union Leader story from an external Web site.
Of course, other news organizations have already utilized this. The Boston Globe has used Google Maps to mark campaign contributions and Boston homicides. CBS News has an download for Google Earth that maps all the station’s news stories each day (depicted above). And many television stations use satellite images on the air, especially if they are covering breaking news and do not have any video from the scene.
Traditionally, news has been organized predominately by what an editor judges is most important and then by region/state. Now, readers (and viewers) can obtain the day’s news solely based on geography.
Obviously the age-old practice of news judgment is still essential and how most – if not all – people generally obtain their news. But integrating mapping sites and programs to the fullest extent possible will increase news organization’s Web site’s visibility and readership and eventually become a staple on-line reporting technique.
In the realm of environmental journalism, this has some obvious applications from displaying the location of a potential new piece of conservation land to visually depicting endangered species population figures. A reporter working on a story about migratory birds could utilize maps to show the bird’s annual flight south.
Google Earth already has some environmental content, including a depiction of mountain top removal in the Appalachian Mountains and satellite photos showing the growth of cities and deforestation. However, much of this comes from environmental organizations like the Worldwide Fund for Nature and United Nations Environment Programme rather than the traditional media.
This is a resource just waiting to be fully tapped into by newspapers, television stations and on-line news sites.
Friday, January 18, 2008
A Tale of Two Wind Projects
While perusing the Boston Globe I was surprised to read that if a proposed wind farm off the Hull, Mass. coast is approved, the town of more than 11,000 could generate all its power through wind. What a remarkable achievement that would be for a community in a world that is just beginning to realize it must break free from its dependence on nonrenewable energy sources.
A more widely known Massachusetts wind proposal is Cape Wind’s goal of erecting 140 turbines in Nantucket Sound, a plan that has garnered strong opposition from people concerned about its impact on tourism, fish and potential damage to the region’s famed beaches.
Below is an excerpt from a Cape Cod Commission meeting last October that highlights some of the debate.
While this debate rages, residents in Hull are living with two turbines, one perched at the terminus of the town’s peninsula in what the Globe calls a “photogenic locale against the backdrop of Boston Harbor and its islands.” Instead of worrying about spoiled views, the town has embraced its windmills, using them as an educational tool for their children.
It even attracts out-of-towners (I visited the location last fall.) and tourists. Having an entire town powered by wind would only increase its ecotourism appeal.
While some lobstermen have spoken against the plan, they appear to understand the necessity for alternative energy and may be willing to compromise.
Of course, Cape Wind’s proposal is on a much larger scale and raises some serious concerns about ecological damage both at sea and with additional facilities needed on land. But, if global warming continues to cause rising ocean levels, much of the Cape could be flooded in the future. And rising ocean temperatures could eliminate fishing grounds on their own, without assistance from a wind turbine.
The U.S. Minerals Management Service recently released a report stating construction of 130 turbines would cause minimal environmental impact. But, there is still a public comment window for new concerns to arise.
However the debate concludes, it needs to happen quickly so the region can find another alternative energy source if wind is not politically or environmentally feasible.
Finally, on the lighter side, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino recently discussed adding a wind turbine atop City Hall. There certainly should not be many people concerned about the turbine destroying a view, as City Hall is probably one of the ugliest buildings in Beantown.
A more widely known Massachusetts wind proposal is Cape Wind’s goal of erecting 140 turbines in Nantucket Sound, a plan that has garnered strong opposition from people concerned about its impact on tourism, fish and potential damage to the region’s famed beaches.
Below is an excerpt from a Cape Cod Commission meeting last October that highlights some of the debate.
While this debate rages, residents in Hull are living with two turbines, one perched at the terminus of the town’s peninsula in what the Globe calls a “photogenic locale against the backdrop of Boston Harbor and its islands.” Instead of worrying about spoiled views, the town has embraced its windmills, using them as an educational tool for their children.
It even attracts out-of-towners (I visited the location last fall.) and tourists. Having an entire town powered by wind would only increase its ecotourism appeal.
While some lobstermen have spoken against the plan, they appear to understand the necessity for alternative energy and may be willing to compromise.
Of course, Cape Wind’s proposal is on a much larger scale and raises some serious concerns about ecological damage both at sea and with additional facilities needed on land. But, if global warming continues to cause rising ocean levels, much of the Cape could be flooded in the future. And rising ocean temperatures could eliminate fishing grounds on their own, without assistance from a wind turbine.
The U.S. Minerals Management Service recently released a report stating construction of 130 turbines would cause minimal environmental impact. But, there is still a public comment window for new concerns to arise.
However the debate concludes, it needs to happen quickly so the region can find another alternative energy source if wind is not politically or environmentally feasible.
Finally, on the lighter side, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino recently discussed adding a wind turbine atop City Hall. There certainly should not be many people concerned about the turbine destroying a view, as City Hall is probably one of the ugliest buildings in Beantown.
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