By: Katie Dugan
Last week, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) released this year’s City Energy Efficient Scoreboard. Out of the 34 most populated cities in the United States, good old Beantown takes the top spot. Each city is evaluated on what steps they are taking to reduce energy consumption in five key areas. This includes buildings, transportation, energy and water utility efforts, local government operations, and community-wide initiatives. According to Mayor Thomas Menino, “our economic prosperity is tied to [our] ‘greenovation.’”
On Earth Day 2011, Mayor Menino released an updated climate action plan for the city of Boston called “A Climate of Progress.” To summarize, the goal of the plan was to make Boston a more energy-efficient city in every way possible. Some of these goals included reducing community greenhouse gas emissions, incorporating projected climate change into all formal planning and project review processes, engaging all segments of the community in climate action and leadership, and finally developing innovative businesses and workforce skills to take advantage of climate action opportunities. It is clear that the people of Boston want to make this city the best in the country, and Bostonians are the kind of people that will do everything to make it happen.
As a New Hampshire native, I can tell you that if you take a trip to the Granite State you will see trees, trees, maybe a lake or two, and more trees. Although it is gorgeous up there this time of year, New Hampshire is only known for its scenery. Because of that, New Hampshire has dozens of conservation organizations that work to preserve its wildlife all year round. As the summer came to a close and I began to pack my life away in a suitcase, I would start to imagine the crazy atmosphere I would be moving into. The crowds, the skyscrapers, the noise…drastically different that the quiet suburbs of New Hampshire that I grew up in. To be completely honest, I did not think that Boston put the environment as a top priority. I was wrong. I was so wrong.
The first thing I noticed when I moved into my dorm on 150 Tremont was the large, colorful, spherical pieces of art that are lined up along the street. Not to mention they are really hard to miss. If you’ve ever walked by, you might have noticed that each of those works of art display a message about being more environmentally aware. I know they are effective because I walk by them every day and when I do, I automatically think about my own carbon footprint. Did I shut off the lights when I left? Did I recycle my empty Starbucks container? Thankfully, we are lucky enough to go to a college where environmental awareness is promoted.
To begin with, each dorm room is provided with a recycling bin for plastic, cardboard and other recyclables, which makes you almost feel obligated to use it. Secondly, the trash receptacles in the dining halls are divided into three bins: trash, compost and of course recycling. These little details will encourage young adults to think a little bit more about taking care of the planet we live on.
Boston has received some criticism for past careless mistakes. For someone who hasn’t even lived in the city for a month, it is clear to me that Boston is working tirelessly to make up for those past misjudgments and to ensure complete economic efficiency.
