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UPCOMING EVENTS Outdoor Composting at Home Workshop Green Decade Exhibit at Historic Newton Open House-Newton Cultural Center The Flood Last Time - In Over Our Heads? 350.org Global Work Party and Bike Newton Ride 
Join us for another great season at the 31st Newton Farmers Market! The Green Decade will have our information and resource table under the red tent at both locations — volunteers of all ages are welcome to join us, as always. This year we will also feature our the popular "Magic Energy Bike" which demonstrates the difference in energy required to light up the old light bulbs vs the energy-efficient CFL bulbs. Last year’s giant caterpillars were also a special attraction, so they will return as well! Our friends from the Angino Farm will also be at the Friday Market this year, so stop by and see us both. The Newton Farmers Markets are held twice weekly from July through October. If you'd like to volunteer for a couple of hours at either location, please contact Margaret Ford, Community Outreach Coordinator, at mford@greendecade.org or 617-964-0606.
Asian Longhorned Beetle Alert The Asian Longhorned Beetle was discovered recently in Jamaica Plain, raising alarms in nearby communities like Newton. It is very important to be alert for this destructive pest. Check out massnrc.org/pests/albreport.aspx for instructions on identifying the beetle and other signs of its presence. Here is what to look for: 
To report suspicious tree damage, view photographs and videos of tree damage, or read about the Asian longhorned beetle, visit www.mass.gov/agr/alb.htm or call the toll-free Asian longhorned beetle hotline at 866-702-9938.
Ben Bois, Horticultural Supervisor, has been working as an independent gardener for over 10 years, with additional experience at Mahoney’s Garden Center in Cambridge and Simple Gifts Farm in North Amherst. He graduated from Hampshire College, where he studied sustainable agriculture, ecology, permaculture, and organic pest-management. Ben also studied soil science, botany, organic farming, and gardening at the Stockbridge school at UMass. At Green City Growers, he will be supervising the quality of plant life in raised-beds, managing seedlings and organic pest/fungal management. Anne Lemay Hurley, Director of Operations, is a MA native with a background in urban-sociology with a Metropolitan Studies degree from New York University. While at NYU, she pursued an independent study at EARTH University for Sustainable Agriculture in Costa Rica, sparking her interest in farming and waste-management. Since graduation, she has spent time traveling and honing her practical skills in the areas of Permaculture Design in Texas, Carpentry in Vermont, and Natural Building in Thailand. She is passionate about composting and knowing why things work the way they do. Anne is excited to be working with Green City Growers to be able to explore designs that allow backyard farming to be successful and accessible. Register on-line or call 617-965-1995 More info at info@greendecade.org or 617-965-1995
Join us for Green Decade's Opening Reception for our exhibit celebrating 20 years of environmental leadership in Newton! All are welcome to this wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with community members who have made the commitment to help our schools, homes, local businesses, places of worship and public facilities to become more environmentally sustainable. Desserts and cool summer beverages will be served as you visit and reminisce with many familiar faces and meet some new ones, too!
Green Decade activities (10 – 11:30am) include:
Last spring’s storms led to widespread flooding which damaged many homes and businesses in Newton and demonstrated that the city was not adequately prepared to face such circumstances. As a result the League of Women Voters of Newton (LWVN) will be sponsoring two forums to address the issue of storm water management in our city. The first forum will focus on the March 2010 floods. The program will be led by moderator Priscilla Leith, who chairs LWVN’s group on water quality. Three experts in the field, Bob Zimmerman, Tom Daley and Fred Abernathy, will speak about the Charles River, and explain how our storm drains and sewers work. Bob Zimmerman, Executive Director of the Charles River Watershed Association, will describe our usually tame urban river system and the problems of storm water which is also the biggest polluter of rivers and streams in Massachusetts, particularly in urban areas. Tom Daley, Newton’s Commissioner of Public Works, will discuss housekeeping and budget issues. He is in charge of the city’s storm drains and sewer pipes, and also oversees the sewer service and the storm water utility which are both paid for by fees from Newton residents. Fred Abernathy, Gordon McKay Professor of Engineering at Harvard, is a longtime riverbank resident who, with his students, has studied Newton’s wastewater collection system. He will explain why our sewers overflowed. The second storm water forum titled Do We Need an Ark? will be held on Tuesday, October 26, at 7:00 pm and will address the questions of whether more frequent and severe storms will bring even more flooding, and what can be done to mitigate the situation. Both events are cosponsored by the LWVN, Green Decade/Newton, Historic Newton, Newton Conservators and the Newton Free Library.
Get on board with trucks of all sizes ...You and your kids can:
MY CHIP will also provide free fingerprinting and other identification documentation for interested families. Go to The Newton Partnership for more information or to download the flyer. Complimentary snacks and light refreshments will be provided.
The program is intended to be educational, inspiring, and fun. The Tour will visit two or three Newton properties and will last approximately two to three hours. One or more professionals and/or owners will present the sustainable features in each property and will also provide ideas on making your own home more sustainable. We expect our speakers to include a renowned architect, an award-winning green builder, an energy efficiency expert, and a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Accredited Professional. Our properties will include a 1912 Arts and Crafts house which was retrofitted to take advantage of current energy efficiency technologies and a newly constructed luxury condominium which features a subterranean geothermal heating and cooling system, is outfitted for solar panels, and which was designed to take advantage of many sustainable features such as natural ventilation and daylighting. There is no charge, but donations to the Green Decade will gratefully be accepted. Register on-line. Space is limited and we have been oversubscribed in the past, so early registration is recommended. We will meet at the Newton Community Service Center on Waltham Street and car pool to Tour sites.
Join Green Decade to show your support for solar energy at the Newton City Hall War Memorial Circle followed by a Bike Newton bike ride. The environmental organization 350.org, has initiated a world wide opportunity called a “Global Work Party” for our community to celebrate climate solutions at the local level—and put the pressure on our leaders to support climate legislation. The focus is on the number 350—as in parts per million CO2. “If we can’t get below that," scientists say, "the damage we’re already seeing from global warming will continue and accelerate.” In October of 2009, 350.org coordinated 5,200 simultaneous rallies and demonstrations in 181 countries, what CNN called the “most widespread day of political action in the planet’s history.” Sign up for Green Decade’s rally in Newton Centre at www.350.org
A Newton/Needham Chamber of Commerce Expo with solutions you need to reduce your carbon footprint & over 60 exhibitors held under a big tent held from 11-5pm in Newton Centre during the Newton Harvest Fair. Continuous entertainment, food and games for the kids. Tips on how be more environmentally friendly and live a "green" life style.
These workshops and more will help you save money and the environment at the same time! More information and a list of workshops. Space is limited ts register on-line now to reserve your space. Registration is free and only takes a minute.
Form an Eco-Team with friends, neighbors, colleagues, or your faith community! With simple changes to actions you take every day, you’ll learn how to reduce your annual household CO2 output by 25%.
Visit the Newton Eco-Team Project website for more information on the project, to see the list of participating partners/organizations and more! |
