Environment

Plan Calls for Planting Hundreds of Trees in Watertown

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Town officials seek to plant 250 trees a year in Watertown, some of which will be done by the Town, but others will be done by non-municipal groups. Those groups include Trees for Watertown. Pictured here, Watertown resident David Jay of Trees for Watertown plants a tree outside Hosmer Elementary School in honor of Arbor Day. Hundreds of trees will be planted in Watertown each year as part of an effort to increase the number of street trees and tree canopy in town. The Tree Planting Program calls for planting 2,500 trees over 10 years.

Environment

OP-ED: MBTA Behind on Climate Change Adaptation

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State Sen. Will Brownsberger

The following piece was provided by State Sen. Will Brownsberger of Belmont who also represents Watertown and parts of Boston:

At a recent MBTA board meeting, it became alarmingly clear that the MBTA is behind in its planning for climate resiliency.  Add that challenge to the challenges of catching up on maintenance, assuring safety, and expanding service. Andrew Brennan, Senior Director for Energy and Environment, explained to the board that the MBTA completed a “high-level” vulnerability assessment of the system in 2017.  His presentation materials are here and his talk begins at 2:55 in this livestream of the June 10 board meeting. The 2017 high level assessment revealed the obvious: Namely, that the most exposed asset is the Blue Line and that the greatest risk to the Blue line comes from flooding due to sea level rise. Only months after the assessment, the winter high tide of 2018 flooded Aquarium station. As to the lowest lying assets on the Blue line (Aquarium station and the Orient Heights Maintenance Facility), more detailed engineering studies have been completed to identify just how they would be flooded and what can be done to protect them: for example, raising openings like vent shafts and raising the most water sensitive components like transformers.

Community Choice Aggregation

UPDATED: Watertown Electrical Customers Moving to New Green Energy Program in Fall

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Watertown’s new electricity plan will get half its energy from renewable sources, such as solar panels. NOTE: A fourth informational meeting has been added, see details below:

In September, Watertown residents will be transitioned to the Town’s new Electricity Choice Program, which gets half its power from renewable sources. Customers have a choice to opt out of the program, or to get a greater percentage of green electricity. The new renewable energy contract will be part of the state’s Community Choice Aggregation program. In May, the Town Council gave Town Manager Michael Driscoll the authority to approve a contract with a greater amount of renewable energy that required by the state.

Around Town

DPW Trying to get Watertown to Clean Up its Recycling

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Residents will soon be able to purchase a second recycling toter – the green one – for less than before. With the recycling world in flux, the Department of Public Works is trying to get Watertown to clean up its recycling in an effort to maintain service and keep prices down. Jesse Myott, the DPW’s director of Administration and Finance, said that the facilities that take the recyclable items from the United States have become more strict about what they will take. Loads with the wrong type of materials, or those that are dirty or soiled with trash are being rejected. “Back in 2018 we saw significant change with regards to the global processing of recycling,” Myott said.

Around Town

Watertown Woman Honored for Tireless Advocacy of Solar Energy

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Watertown’s Jocelyn Tager recently received an honor for her work advocating for solar energy. A Watertown woman who made it her mission to spread the use of solar energy in town, and beyond, recently received an award for her work and accolades from the Town Council. Jocelyn “Jolly” Tager was honored at the Solar Energy BusinessAssociation of New England’s Summer Solstice Celebration for her advocacy for solar energy. Last week, the Town Council recognized Tager for, among other things, pushing for Watertown to become the first community in Massachusetts to have a solar requirement for new developments over a certain size. Tager said said she has enjoyed the accolades.

Environment

LETTER: Thank You to Our Local Government for Cleanup

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On Saturday, April 27, members and supporters of Watertown Citizens for Peace, Justice & the Environment again participated in the annual Charles River Cleanup. The general impression is that there was less trash this year; the ban on single-use thin plastic shopping bags works! However, we were appalled to discover a nearby stretch of property being used as a dumping ground for construction debris. Old windows, carpeting, tiles among other trash were among the objects we found. This was too much for us to be able to remove.

Entertainment

Plumbing Museum Hosting the First WATERtown Film Festival

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The following information was provided by The Plumbing Museum:

The Plumbing Museum is pleased to announce its first annual WATERtown Film Festival designed to increase the public awareness of environmental, social, and cultural importance of water. This two-day festival will kick off on Thursday, June 27 at 6 p.m. at the Plumbing Museum featuring an exciting line up of documentary, narrative, and experimental short films from around the world. The full program will screen 20 films in four screening blocks over two days. Highlights include a narrative film Haleema about two young children in a search for water in Sudan, a documentary film Bass by Kayak about an expedition party crossing from the Australian mainland to Tasmania in sea kayaks, a narrative film The Great Route about the effects of global warming in the west cost of Greenland, and an experimental film Plankton about the ideas and aspirations that float around at the bottom of the food chain. “We’re excited to bring such a great variety of unique films to Watertown,” said Sasha Parfenova, Festival Director.

Around Town

Discount Available on Solar Systems for Watertown Residents

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The following information was provided by Neighborhood Solar:

Now Is a Great Time to Consider Solar! Come Find Out Why! Please join Watertown Faces Climate Change, Belmont Goes Solar, and Neighborhood Solar for an informative presentation on the benefits of installing solar and why now is the perfect time to consider it. 

Neighborhood Solar is a local nonprofit working to leverage a group-buy to make a solar installation more affordable. Right now, and until July 31st, Watertown residents, businesses, and nonprofits can save 20 percent off the base-price of installation, receive a 30 percent federal tax credit, use Massachusetts’s new SMART incentive, and apply for a zero-down loan to get the work done! Date: June 13, 2019

Time: 7:00 PM

Place: Habitat, Education and Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 Juniper Road, Belmont, MA 02478