Sustainable Arlington

Welcome to Sustainable Arlington

Sustainable Arlington is a Vision2020 Environment Task Group Committee and a chapter of the Massachusetts Climate Action Network.

Sustainable Arlington acts on a local level to promote climate stabilization and other important environmental goals.

This site provides updated news about our Town's environmental activities, is a destination to learn more about Sustainable Arlington's activities, and provides information on how to lower your carbon footprint.

Thanks for visiting.

SILVER MAPLE FOREST BENEFIT CONCERT, Feb. 4, 7:30 pm

Friday, 03 February 2012 15:30 |

Last Updated on Friday, 03 February 2012 15:43

LISTEN TO JAZZ AND HELP SAVE A LOCAL FOREST, SAT., FEB. 4, 7:30 pm, Arlington

The 15-acre Silver Maple Forest (aka Belmont Uplands) lies on the Arlington, Cambridge, Belmont border. It's a small river floodplain forest with a unique and fragile urban wildlife habitat. Along with its surrounding wetlands, it also helps limit local flooding. (map and concert tickets at http://www.belmontcoalition.org/)

Nine Arlington, Belmont and Cambridge organizations are co-sponsoring a "Save the Silver Maple Forest Benefit Concert" to be held Sat., Feb. 4, at 7:30 pm, in Arlington. Featured performers: The Jim Scott Ensemble (former Winter consort guitarist, composer Jim Scott, Jose Pienasoia, bass, and Mark Kohler, percussion) with special guests Stan Strickland (sax, flute), Rev. Fred Small (songwriter), Elke Jahns (flute), and Maya Apfelbaum (eco-stilt dancer). Location: First Parish Arlington Unitarian Church, 630 Mass. Ave. $18 web, $20 at the door. Students $10, children free.

Proposed MBTA Fare Increases, Service Cuts

Saturday, 21 January 2012 21:48 |

Last Updated on Saturday, 21 January 2012 22:01

DO YOU RIDE THE BUS IN ARLINGTON?

MassDOT has released proposed fare increase and service reduction plans for the MBTA aimed at closing a projected $161 million budget gap for fiscal year 2013. Two scenarios are being presented. Scenario 1 involves fare increases averaging 43% with minor reductions in services. Scenario 2 involves fare increases averaging 35% with substantial reductions in services.

For Arlington, the bus service reductions in Scenario 1 would only eliminate weekend service on route 78. The service reductions in Scenario 2 would entirely eliminate bus routes 62, 67, 76, 78, 80 & 350 currently serving Arlington. The only buses remaining in Arlington in this scenario would be routes 77, 79, 84 and 87.

The MBTA will host public hearings in January, February and March. None will be held in Arlington. See below for details on meetings in Cambridge, Somerville and Boston. See the MBTA web site for a full list of meetings.

Arlington's LED Streetlight Installation Has Begun

Wednesday, 28 December 2011 12:18 |

Last Updated on Monday, 30 January 2012 20:08

LED Street Lights Come to Arlington.

Street lighting is one of Arlington’s biggest utility costs. The Town took steps six years ago to reduce this expense by installing high pressure sodium streetlights (HPS). HPS shrank the annual street lighting bill by $90,000 and cut energy consumption in half, from 2.4 million kWh to 1.2 million kWh. Today, LED technology offers additional opportunities for savings and improved safety. Compared to HPS streetlights, LED’s are twice as energy efficient and provide a 300% improvement in color rendering, better overall distribution of light, and last twice as long. The longer-lasting LED’s also reduce maintenance costs.

Solar Panels at Ottoson

Tuesday, 04 October 2011 16:07 |

Last Updated on Tuesday, 04 October 2011 19:05

October Harvest at Ottoson: Sunshine

The Ottoson has something no other school in Town has, yet--SOLAR POWER!

The middle school building is using photons of sunlight to help power the building, thanks to the installation of photovoltaic (PV) solar panels on the roof this summer.

For a one minute video on how solar panels work (and what a photon is), click here.

For a more scientific explanation from the Union of Concerned Scientists, click here.

The current system generates 3.8 Kilowatts of electricity. For a building the size of Ottoson, this is a small system, but is about the size of a typical residential system.

Thermal images now available

Sunday, 30 October 2011 10:05 |

Last Updated on Sunday, 30 October 2011 20:39

What can your thermal image tell you?

Sagewell study will help homeowners find energy savings oppportunities

1,500 Arlington homes have access to free energy efficieny reports that will identify places where adding additional insulation and sealing gaps in construction can reduce heating/cooling fuels use and costs.

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Weatherizing and insulating Arlington's Whittemore Robbins house, pictured above, will save the Town money on energy costs.

These reports are part of a study, sponsored by the MA Department of Energy Resources, that will compare the construction quality and insulation in buildings constructed in different time periods.

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