News
New Garden Space at the Edgerly Center!
May 23, 2008
School finished early on Wednesday, but students at the East Somerville Community School at the Edgerly Center, Next Wave Middle School, and Full Circle High School stayed busy late into the afternoon. Over 20 students joined teachers, parents, and community partners helping to build, install, and plant three new raised beds outside of the Edgerly Center.
Budding artists worked to decorate signs for the garden. Future chefs chopped, measured, and stirred to make a yummy cucumber dill salad. Students wanting to use their muscles and get their hands dirty helped locate each garden bed frame, shovel soil, and carry buckets of dirt to fill the frames. Those who stayed for several hours planted pollinator plants and young vegetable seedlings including peppers, tomatoes, beans, squash, and corn. Many small hands carefully scattered, covered up, and watered a variety of seeds. In one afternoon, the narrow strip of grass was transformed into a beautiful young spring garden.
Groundwork Somerville brought together a coalition of people and organizations to jump start the garden’s creation. The Eisner Lans Foundation generously donated funds through the National Gardening Association’s Adopt-a-School Garden program. During a Tufts Alumni Service event, the alums purchased and assembled materials to create the garden bed frames. A sincere thank you to Tufts for supporting this process! On Wednesday, May 21st parents, teachers, and students gathered to till soil, fill frames with rich brown compost, plant seeds and seedlings, paint murals, and concoct healthy snacks for all the hard workers.
The work at the Edgerly Center is part of the Groundwork Somerville School Gardens Program working to transform school lawns and courtyards into nutrition learning gardens. The gardens serve as outdoor classrooms where children experience the joy of planning, growing, preparing and eating good, healthy foods. Groundwork Somerville has supported the creation and maintenance of garden spaces at 5 schools.
Davis Square minds its carbon footprints
By Amy Farnsworth Globe Correspondent May 11, 2008
The Boston Globe
In Davis Square, restaurants have started discarding waste in compost and recycling bins and screwing in compact fluorescent light bulbs. They tidy up with green cleaning products and recycle cooking grease. Customers at two cafes sip beverages from biodegradable cups, and one restaurant encourages customers to ride their bicycles to dinner by providing a bike valet service.
more stories like this
It’s all part of a growing grass-roots movement called GoGreen Davis Square, an initiative for an environmentally sustainable square, and one this community hopes will jump-start the greening of other neighborhoods in the city.
The citizens and businesses of Somerville's Davis Square neighborhood are adopting a low-carbon "diet" to reduce their carbon footprint, the greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere that contribute to global warming, by conserving energy and reducing waste in their homes and workplaces.
It started in 2007, when members of independent businesses and three nonprofit groups - Groundwork Somerville, Somerville Climate Action, and DARBI - began discussing ways to lessen Somerville's carbon impact.
"The idea was to make Davis Square carbon-neutral and do it as a business district," said Vanessa Rule, cofounder of GoGreen Davis and chairwoman of the nonprofit organization Somerville Climate Action.
Somerville Climate Action looked at a 1997 carbon inventory report by the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives, which uses data on energy, transportation, and waste to calculate greenhouse gas emissions. The report showed that in Somerville, 46 percent of carbon emissions come from residential buildings, 30 percent from commercial and industrial buildings, and 21 percent from road transportation. Other communities have latched on to author David Gershon's "Low Carbon Diet," a 30-day program to reduce carbon levels by 5,000 pounds in a person's home and community. But those involved with GoGreen Davis aren't adhering to Gershon's rules. They are creating a new model that focuses on greening businesses.
"Businesses are consuming more than people," said Rule. "It’s another way to reach the rest of the community, and I think it’s a great way for the business community to contribute to the life of the city."
Last fall, Johnny D's Uptown Restaurant and Music Club served green martinis to introduce businesses to GoGreen Davis Square. Now, six other restaurants have joined the greening team, each taking steps to conserve energy and reduce waste.
Jennifer Park, coowner of Diesel Cafe and Bloc11Cafe, is working with GoGreen to make her restaurants waste-free. She says she has significantly reduced waste and saved money by composting and recycling. Instead of putting trash bags out on the curb every day, she says she now puts them out three times a week.
To conserve energy, restaurants have applied for energy audits from NStar, which recommends ways businesses can save money, such as using energy-efficient lighting. So far, the restaurants involved have saved about $6,000 a year from the NStar audit, according to Rule. Park has noticed that the greening efforts are catching on with customers who frequent her two restaurants.
more stories like this
"I think it's built - even increased - loyalty of our customers for the kind of people who care about this area," she said. "It gets people thinking about this stuff." Redbones Barbecue has joined the initiative. The restaurant makes deliveries in a one-mile radius by bicycle, and has been providing a valet service for customers who arrive by bike since 1996.
"If we can get more people to ride their bikes and walk in Davis Square, that's a great thing," said Redbones co-owner Rob Gregory.
Redbones used to spend $6,000 per year to remove grease used for cooking, according to Gregory. Now, the restaurant sells the vegetable oil from its fryers to Smartfuel in Seabrook, N.H., which turns it into biodiesel, or biodegradable fuel for vehicles.
Johnny D's, too, made some changes to become greener. Last year, the nightclub and restaurant became a certified green restaurant by meeting environmental standards issued by the Green Restaurant Association. Johnny D's installed energy-efficient lighting and refrigeration systems, changed the valves on its sinks and faucets to conserve water, and started recycling cardboard, glass, and metal.
Carla DeLellis, a cofounder of GoGreen Davis and the owner of Johnny D’s, thinks Davis Square is a fitting place for the initiative.
"Green is becoming a way of life for people, and Davis Square has people who are on board with it," DeLellis said.
In addition to the restaurant team, two architecture firms, Arrowstreet Architects and Mostue & Associates Architects, have been working with local businesses and landlords to install ecological rooftops with vegetation, as a way to avoid runoff.
A green office team was launched last month, with four companies that are hoping to create more sustainable office spaces. Some plans include teaming up to purchase office products locally to reduce truck trips into Davis Square, providing a website that offers the community leftover boxes and packaging supplies, and improving bicycle access and storage for employees who work in Davis Square.
Seth Itzkan, who runs two technology companies, Planet-Tech Associates and Charles River Web, is a member of the green office team. He works at 240 Elm St., the Social Security building, which has completed an NStar energy audit. "Our ultimate objective is to be carbon-neutral and reduce our footprint while saving money," Itzkan said.
"I'd like to see Davis Square set a precedent for business collaborations about environmental stewardship and leadership for sustainable economic development."
People involved with GoGreen Davis Square remain optimistic that other businesses will join their effort.
"This is a relatively new endeavor. I think [people] are interested in the program," Rule said. "The idea is, once we develop it we can apply it to other squares to help green the city overall."
Groundwork Somerville in Somerville Journal
Silent auction aids Groundwork Somerville
5/5/2008 2:31pm
A silent art auction to benefit Groundwork Somerville will be held Thursday, May 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at 38 Cameron Ave. Gallery at the Cambridge/Somerville line.
Groundwork Somerville works with local businesses, organizations, city government and residents to create a sustainable community through such projects as the Green Team, the Garden Youth Crew and the Growing Healthy Gardens program in the city’s schools.
The auction will showcase art by local artists inspired by the contrasts and challenges of fostering green space and green thinking in our densely settled city. There will be two rounds of bidding on art, which can be picked up that evening or can be held at the Groundwork Somerville office. A buffet-style dinner will be provided.
The suggested donation is $50 to $75 at the door. For more information, visit www.groundworksomerville.org.
Green Infrastructure Presentation by Malek Al-Chalabi at Tufts University!
Malek, Tisch Scholar, and GWS Intern concluded a year of research Tuesday, May 6 in front of a packed house, including Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curatone, various department heads for the City of Somerville, professors at Tufts, GWS staff/Board and many others! This was a great culminating event, and we are very proud!
Action Alert: Funding School Gardens via the 2007 Farm Bill
1/25/2008 6:00pm
Attention supporters of school and community gardening: Here's an opportunity to raise awareness at the federal level about the myriad benefits of school gardening, and perhaps garner significant funding for gardening projects!
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont has included an amendment in the Farm Bill to authorize $10,000,000 to establish a pilot program for community school gardens.
The Farm Bill passed the Senate by a vote of 79 to 14 on December 14, with the school garden amendment intact. The Farm Bill is now headed to conference committee where the Senate and House will determine the final version of the bill which goes to the President.
Time is now of the essence to ensure that the school garden amendment is included in the final version of the Farm Bill.
Your letters, e-mails, and phone calls to your representatives in the House can help make the difference when the House and Senate conferees meet.
The key message to communicate is as follows, restated in your own words:
"Dear Representative ________________. Please make sure that the Senate provision in the Farm Bill for setting up a pilot program for community gardening in high-poverty schools is included when the House and Senate conferees meet. Please support community gardening in schools as a means for learning about agriculture, improving the diet of children and youths, and growing healthy food for use in summer nutrition programs."
For reference, the text of the school garden amendment is reprinted here. Please take time TODAY to contact your representative in Washington and help to ensure that the school garden amendment stays in the Farm Bill.
Sincerely,
Mike Metallo, President
National Gardening Association
Day One of Fall Green Team!
10/31/2007 3:36pm
On Saturday, Oct 27, We met at the Visiting Nurse Association Assisted Living facility on Lowell St. I think we caused quite a stir bringing 10 young lively people in to use one of their meeting rooms, but the residents seemed to be excited to see us and had lots of questions about why we were there. We had a varied group of individuals, Mike and Brandon from Suffolk, Tara from Smith College, Lara, Chris, and Tina from Somerville High and Tayla from Prospect Hill Academy, as well as the Green Team Coordinator, Amy Greene and Groundwork's Executive Director Jen Lawrence.
We started by thinking about soil in general. Soil samples of different types were passed around and the Green Team members examined them carefully to decide which type of soil they would like to start a backyard garden in. The soil rich in compost won hands down. Green Team members noted that they would not like to have very sandy soil in their yard and we discussed how different textures of soil have the potential to retain moisture and nutrients. Plants need a good balance of moisture and oxygen in the soil to thrive.
The Green Team was encouraged to think about the project ahead of us. For the next four weeks we will be in East Somerville talking to backyard gardeners about the health of their soil. In Particular, we will be offering them free soil tests to make sure their soil does not contain any lead of other heavy metals.
We split up into small groups to review information from a wide range of sources on the topics of soil testing and lead's effects on humans when consumed. We learned that lead can affect the nervous system and can cause cognitive delays in young children if they are exposed to more than the recommended level of 300ppm. Lead gets into the soil from paint chips from houses and from exhaust from leaded fuels. When you are planning your garden site, you should choose a location away from the house and the road to be safest. You can also be smart about what types of food you grow. Fruiting plants like tomatoes and squash do not tend to absorb lead from the soil. Root vegetables, like potatoes and carrots should be cleaned thoroughly and peeled to avoid eating lead dust. Leafy green plants like spinach, kale, and collard greens are most likely to absorb lead and should be avoided.
We also learned that there are several remediation techniques gardeners can use to improve their growing conditions if the soil tests reveal they have lead contamination above the approved level. They can install raised beds with clean soil, they can mix in large amounts of compost, they can excavate their soil and replace it with good soil, or they can use phytoremediation (planting crops that will absorb the lead over time).
After reviewing the info and role-playing what we would say to homeowners, we walked over to East Somerville's Community Garden on Glen St. (on our way we met John, who is another Somerville High student who will be on the Green Team) and practiced our soil sampling techniques. Finally, we took a sample of the soil to be sent to the UMass Amherst Soil Lab where we will be sending all our other samples.
Now that we're prepared, next week we’ll start talking to gardeners!
Healey students explore urban nature
10/29/2007 7:47pm
Somerville - Grades 3 through 6 at the Healey School spent two spectacular autumn days getting to know some of the natural treasures in their school’s backyard. During an innovative program called “Exploring Our Urban Wild,” each child engaged in lessons at two outdoor sites: one in the Healey’s own garden, and one at the Mystic River, a ten-minute walk from the school.
Animal lore and other wildlife details filled the school garden, where Amber Espar teaches year round as part of Groundwork Somerville. Espar challenged kids to use their observation skills and increase their knowledge of local ecology. Teaming up with Aviva Asher, Groundwork’s garden teacher for the East Somerville Community School, she had kids think about the producers, consumers, and decomposers that coexist in a habitat. And, like their fellow creatures, these humans put their five senses to work. For example, noses were vital in matching fragrant herbs just harvested from the garden. And ears figured in a game where film cans had been made into rattles. Each student, supplied with a rattle, sought out the one other person in the group whose film can made exactly the same noise. In another exercise in intensive listening, students identified the recorded voices of chickadees, frogs, chipmunks, coyotes, and other wildlife.
Leading groups of students to the Mystic River were Jennifer Capuano and Nora Chovanec. Capuano is a Healey parent with roots in Groundwork Somerville. Chovanec, a junior at Tufts University, has been teaching nutrition, gardening, and mural design at the Healey. In a typical session, as these two “river guides” and Susan Fothergill’s fifth graders reached the grassy area near the Blessing of the Bay boathouse, the children scared up a rabbit. When the humans and the rabbit stopped in their respective tracks and gazed at each other, the lesson hit its stride.
From herring and muskrats to egrets and swans, wildlife abounds along the Mystic, and Chovanec and Capuano encouraged children to observe the intricate connections between living things. After using maps to get the big picture on this 20-mile-long river, they went to the water’s edge for a microscopic perspective. Chovanec scooped out a couple of ounces of water and added it to a test chemical. As it got shaken with gusto by a number of kids, the sample turned a rose color. Consulting a special color chart, the students estimated the oxygen level at a fairly healthy 6 parts per million. The pH level of a second vial of river water also seemed pretty good. It turned a light green, suggesting a mid-range between too acidic and too basic.
Both river guides were quick to point out that the Mystic is a long way from being clean, however. Students discussed some of the factors that affect the pH, oxygen, and pollution levels in the river, including air temperature, rainfall, and run-off. And they considered the impact of water quality on bacteria, shellfish, and other life in the river. Walking down a wooded bank on the far side of the boathouse, the group looked at the elements of a healthy riverside environment, where erosion is kept to a minimum and wildlife is protected.
The next afternoon, as if to punctuate two days of nature lessons with an exclamation point, a skunk waddled right into the Healey School garden. Espar, working with Dina Matsas’s sixth graders at the time, appreciated the restraint shown by the students, and by the skunk. Memorable as it was, the encounter resulted in not one whiff of regret on either side.
Groundwork Somerville’s urban nature program at the Healey School garden and beside the Mystic River on October 15 and 16 was designed by Amber Espar and Jennifer Capuano. The program was made possible through a grant from the Somerville Lions Club.
This article taken from the Somerville Journal, Oct 27, 2007
© 2008, Groundwork Somerville
