By Elissa Ely Before he became chair of Sustainable Belmont, before the PhD in pharmacogenetics, before moving to the United States, certainly before any awareness of the environmental needs of a Massachusetts town next to Cambridge, Dean Hickman was picking up litter. “Have been picking up trash anywhere I go since I could walk,” his Instagram says. Growing up in farm country west of London, traveling the footpath systems, Dean took the “Keep Britain Tidy” campaign of the 1960s to heart. Many decades later, on a late rainy afternoon when he could have been enjoying a mug of tea, we [READ MORE]
We Need to Enforce Waste Bans
By Janet Domenitz and Morgan Molloy Creating positive change for our climate in everyday life can be daunting, but there are ways we in the Commonwealth can make progress in the here and now. Reducing the waste we discard in landfills and incinerators reduces pollution and climate emissions. One key to reducing waste disposal is enforcing our decades-old waste ban regulations. Of the 5.6 million tons of waste we dispose of in Massachusetts each year, approximately two million tons (~40%) are banned from landfills and incinerators by Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) regulations. Some examples of banned materials are [READ MORE]
How Can Belmont Reduce Single-Use Plastics?
By Vincent Stanton, Jr. The United States generates more plastic waste than any other country in the world: 42 million tons, or 286 pounds per person, in 2016. That includes plastic waste the US exports to other countries with weak recycling systems (see links at end of article for details). Plastic waste lasts a long time and has many noxious effects (See “Think Twice About Single-Use Plastics,” Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter, November 2021). The Massachusetts legislature, a recycling leader in 1981 when it passed the “bottle bill” over Governor Ed King’s veto, has become a laggard. (See “Time To Pass [READ MORE]
Time To Pass An Updated Bottle Bill
By Janet Domenitz and Julia Blatt We need to stop kicking the can down the road. Since its passage nearly 40 years ago, the bottle bill has created a successful recycling program in Massachusetts. But time is catching up to the law, and it needs updating to deliver the best results. A lot has changed in Massachusetts since the original bottle bill was established in 1983. First, our waste problem has worsened. According to the new Trash in America report released by MASSPIRG and other regional public interest groups, the average American throws out nearly 1,800 pounds of trash each [READ MORE]
Think Twice About Single-Use Plastics
By Lindsay Levine and Dean Hickman Envision the life-cycle of a single-use plastic item. Oil or natural gas is extracted from the ground, transported, chemically transformed into plastic which is then manufactured, transported to the point of sale, briefly used, and then tossed into the garbage. But it does not end there. Because of their durability, plastics last for hundreds of years and do not degrade meaningfully over your entire lifetime, except perhaps break into smaller pieces. Now imagine that same process repeated for many of the items we use daily. Have you ever counted the number of single-use plastic [READ MORE]
The Litter Guy Cleans Up Belmont
By Patrick O’Dougherty Photos by Mary Bradley As a boy, I became aware of seeing litter almost everywhere. Among the many things we did and learned about as Boy Scouts was public service. Picking up litter was one of our services. In the 1970s, a targeted ad campaign seemed to diminish the amount of litter in public spaces. Adulthood has taken me in many different directions, and litter wasn’t something about which I thought. About 20 years ago, I fell in love with cycling and I began to notice litter again. Lots of it. Apparently, litter is back. My memories [READ MORE]
Changing Economics Alter Belmont’s Recycling
By Terri Goldberg According to the US EPA, in 2017, the latest year for which they have published data, the United States recycling and composting rate was about 35%. The country’s recycling rate has been stuck in the low- to mid-30 percent range since the early 2000s in spite of the extensive efforts to improve it. In part, the recycling system has been working to keep up with the changes in the materials generated by households, businesses, and institutions. Over the past decade, the composition of municipal solid waste has been evolving away from newsprint, office paper, and glass containers [READ MORE]
Paper Bag Fee Would Reduce Emissions
By Rahul Ramakrishnan As a lifelong Belmont resident and Belmont High School alum, I take pride in Belmont’s forward-thinking mind-set and commitment to the environment. As a senior at MIT studying materials science, I have had the opportunity to learn about the diversity in production and policy surrounding the materials that make up our world. Recently, I thought about how I could use what I have learned to keep Belmont on an environmentally conscious trajectory, and an idea popped up. Problems with Plastic—and Paper For the last many years, we have repeatedly been told that paper bags are better for [READ MORE]
May/June 2019 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF
View or download the May/June 2019 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. Articles in this issue: New Plans for McLean Land Density is key issue as town considers proposals for two McLean campus parcels By Sue Bass Twenty years ago, Belmont voted to allow development on McLean Hospital land on Belmont Hill. Now McLean is coming back to the town with new proposals for two parcels of land that are still undeveloped. Read more. Composting in Belmont: Breaking it Down By Mary Bradley Composting is no longer just a backyard hobby for the ardent gardener. [READ MORE]
Composting in Belmont: Breaking it Down
By Mary Bradley A Virtuous Cycle Composting is no longer just a backyard hobby for the ardent gardener. It has Facebook groups and a following from environmentalists, politicians, and scientists. Most praise compost as a means to keep food waste out of landfills and reduce release of methane. While consensus ends there, composting has evolved from a tale of worms, microbes, and bacteria to the realm of politics, emerging technologies, and scientific disputes. For me, however, composting is about magic: Wave one hand over an orange peel clutched in your other hand, and reveal a fistful of dirt. If that’s [READ MORE]
Belmont Roots, May/June 2019
Environmental News, Notes, and Events By Meg Muckenhoupt Well, it’s spring, sort of. The average last frost date in Belmont is somewhere between May 1 and May 11, depending on which website you believe—the Old Farmer’s Almanac? Plantmaps.com? But my grandmother in Newton never planted her tomatoes before Memorial Day. Warmth-loving plants such as tomatoes and peppers are sensitive to soil temperature as well as air temperature. They can suffer “transplant shock” and become stunted and grim if roots are a bit too chilled. Seeds are more secure in their identity, and will simply sit and shiver in the soil [READ MORE]
January/February 2018 Belmont Citizens Forum Newsletter & PDF
View or download the January-February 2018 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. . Articles in this issue: A Vision for Belmont Looking Back, Looking Ahead by Sue Bass Nearly eight years ago, in the spring of 2010, the town completed two years of work on a comprehensive plan intended to guide the next decade of change in Belmont. Looking back, how are we doing? The $148,000 plan, called “A Vision for Belmont: Mapping a Sustainable Future,” which was adopted by the Belmont Planning Board and is posted on its website, made nine primary recommendations. Read more. [READ MORE]
Environmental Events, Nov-Dec 2017
Big Woods Hike Sunday, November 19, 11:30 AM–3 PM There’s a walk in the woods…and then there’s a walk in the woods with a naturalist to discover what is happening in the world of nature as plants and animals prepare for winter. Sanctuary naturalists will lead small groups as they venture out to the “Big Woods” on Averill’s Island. Stop along the way to hear stories of the original settlers and learn about the fascinating cultural history of the sanctuary. Look for animal signs as we hike through the woodlands and marshes. Dress warmly and wear comfortable footwear. Warm up [READ MORE]
Belmont Citizens Forum Sept-Oct 2017 Newsletter
View or download the September-October 2017 issue as a color PDF here, or read single articles below. . Articles in this issue: Demolition Delay Could Save Historic Buildings Read more here. Belmont Reviews Trash and Recycling Options Read more here. Iyengar Joins Land Management Committee Read more here. Keeping the Lights On and the Water Flowing Read more here. Tracking Traffic Read more here. What’s the Latest in Cushing Square? Read more here. Letter to the Editor Read more here. Environmental Events Read more here.
Keeping the Lights On and the Water Flowing
The Sources of Belmont Utilities by Virginia Jordan In the US, most of us take our water and other utilities for granted. But how are they delivered to Belmont residents, and who is responsible for keeping them flowing? Utility companies supply our electricity, gas, water, telephone, cable, internet, and wireless. Some are supplied by corporations like National Grid or Eversource (formerly NStar.) These private electricity and gas providers, also known as investor-owned utilities, are regulated by various state and federal agencies. Other utilities are supplied by the Water Division of Belmont’s Department of Public Works (DPW) and the Belmont Light [READ MORE]
Belmont Reviews Trash and Recycling Options
Town Hearing Set for September 25 by Kim Slack This fall, Belmont will be negotiating a new contract for trash and recycling collection with interested haulers, to begin in July 2018. Now is an optimal time to consider other options for how Belmont deals with its trash. There are many urgent reasons that suggest that we change how we deal with our trash. Along with fellow members of the Sustainable Belmont Advisory Group, I evaluated several options. We encourage the public to voice their views at a meeting on September 25 at Town Hall. The state has set a goal that [READ MORE]
Environmental Events Sept-Oct 2017
Extreme Events and Climate Change Thursday, September 14; 7–8 PM What We Know and What We Can Do Ellen Marie Douglas, Associate Professor of Hydrology, School for the Environment, University of Massachusetts Boston. Douglas will discuss observations of our changing climate, what changes may be in Boston’s future, and some plans for how to adapt to these changes. New England Aquarium, 1 Central Wharf, Boston. Belmont Drives Electric, Ride & Drive Sunday, September 17, 1–4 PM Learn about electric vehicles and test drive Chevy Bolts, Volkswagen Golfs, Nissan Leafs, and other electric vehicles. Meet local owners to get their experience. [READ MORE]
Belmont Citizens Forum May-June 2017 Newsletter
Belmont Citizens Forum March-April 2017 Newsletter PDF
Environmental Events March-April 2017
Featured Event: Poetry Walk at Rock Meadow Saturday, April 29, 2-3:30PM Anne-Marie Lambert will be joined by Kevin Gallagher, local poet and author of the recently published book Loom, about the Massachusetts textile industry and its relation to the surge in demand for slave labor in the South in the 19th century. “Through poetry,” says Lambert, “we will explore the landscape and history of this part of Belmont and Waltham.” Meet at the small Rock Meadow parking lot on Mill Street. Bike racks are available and there is more parking across the street. Woolapalooza at Drumlin Farm Friday, March [READ MORE]