Wow, way back, almost half a career ago I was part of the Greater Boston Clean Cities Program. We convinced the Boston MPO to put aside funds that created the first EV Pilot Program in the state. About 17 years ago EV charging stations were placed in Alewife and Braintree Stations in hopes of seeing these installed all over the Boston region.
I am glad to see the first private facilities being installed. I just want to know, what took so long?
Lenox Hotel installs EV Charging
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Carless on Cape Cod: Expanding The Walking Area
After walking for a few days I have noticed that in 20 minutes I can cover more distance, bringing my "market" area to about a mile from home. This brings our village center into consideration. Unfortunately, as with many villages on Cape Cod, the mix of uses lend themselves to the tourism market and not the day to day needs of area residents.
Yes you can find fine coffees and teas, sandwiches, pizzas and snack foods. But the people who live and work here must leave the area for their basic needs. Not to mention those who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. Overall, the village fails as a live-work-shop location.
Expanding beyond the 20 minute walk, to 30 minutes, brings a chain convenience store into play. Better prices, but still a very limited selection. The walk score of 20 sure seems generous, on a sustainability rating I think is far lower.
Yes you can find fine coffees and teas, sandwiches, pizzas and snack foods. But the people who live and work here must leave the area for their basic needs. Not to mention those who live in the surrounding neighborhoods. Overall, the village fails as a live-work-shop location.
Expanding beyond the 20 minute walk, to 30 minutes, brings a chain convenience store into play. Better prices, but still a very limited selection. The walk score of 20 sure seems generous, on a sustainability rating I think is far lower.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Carless on Cape Cod - Trash Day
So Sunday is supposed to be trash day. We actually live within walking distance of the tansfer station by way of an old paper street. The right of way currently has a trail that is used by hikers and mountain bikers. So you would think that we could dispose of our trash without a car.
No such luck.
Our town requires you to be a "resident" of town to dispose of your trash. You would think that residency could be easy to show, after all there are so many ways to show residency. Not so fast. Those "non-resident taxpayers" don't deserve to throw their trash away at resident rates, thus the tax bill is not a valid measure for access to the transfer station. Voter roll, also unacceptable. The Town has chosen to use where you register your vehile, and every pass is tied to your vehicle.
No vehicle, no access to dispose of your trash. Car sharing programs (Zip Car) and rental cars do not cut it. you get to buy a pass based upon paying your vehicle excise tax
So trash day does not pass the carless test.
No such luck.
Our town requires you to be a "resident" of town to dispose of your trash. You would think that residency could be easy to show, after all there are so many ways to show residency. Not so fast. Those "non-resident taxpayers" don't deserve to throw their trash away at resident rates, thus the tax bill is not a valid measure for access to the transfer station. Voter roll, also unacceptable. The Town has chosen to use where you register your vehile, and every pass is tied to your vehicle.
No vehicle, no access to dispose of your trash. Car sharing programs (Zip Car) and rental cars do not cut it. you get to buy a pass based upon paying your vehicle excise tax
So trash day does not pass the carless test.
Carless on Cape Cod: The Farm Stand
Walkscore.com gives our neighborhood an index of 20, this means we are considered "car dependent." Check out your score here: walkscore.com.
The convenience store I previously talked about is about 3/4's of a mile from our house. Walkscore shows the farm stand as a "grocery" as well. After being disappointed by the selection at the convenience store, we chose to walk to the farm stand.
From spring to fall this stand provides fresh vegetables, eggs and other homemade items such as pies, salad dressings and preserves. Since we did not find anything we wanted at the other store, we hoped for more luck at the Farm Stand. Today we were looking for potatoes, carrots, salad items and dressing. Found everything but the carrots, substituted zucchini as the days vegetable of choice.
Overall, at least during the growing season, we could survive on what we can buy at the Farm Stand. Walkscore also notes that the Farm Stand is only a third of a mile from the house. It could be a doable walk, even in the rain.
The convenience store I previously talked about is about 3/4's of a mile from our house. Walkscore shows the farm stand as a "grocery" as well. After being disappointed by the selection at the convenience store, we chose to walk to the farm stand.
From spring to fall this stand provides fresh vegetables, eggs and other homemade items such as pies, salad dressings and preserves. Since we did not find anything we wanted at the other store, we hoped for more luck at the Farm Stand. Today we were looking for potatoes, carrots, salad items and dressing. Found everything but the carrots, substituted zucchini as the days vegetable of choice.
Overall, at least during the growing season, we could survive on what we can buy at the Farm Stand. Walkscore also notes that the Farm Stand is only a third of a mile from the house. It could be a doable walk, even in the rain.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Carless on Cape Cod - The First Trip To The Store
Now we start to test whether where we live can support a car-less lifestyle.
First, it is clear I cannot make my commute. I am 51 and well beyond the years I rode over 20 miles each way for work. So I start from the position that I must have a vehicle for the most basic of needs.
Taking the next step, what errands are possible by foot. The convenience store nearby advertises that it has "groceries." Well, you probably could sustain yourself, minimally, on the cold cuts and tv dinners, but the food selection is limited. There is no fresh fruit or vegetables to be found in the store. The store would hardly sustain a healthy diet and given alcohol products make up at least half the shelf space, it is more of a package store than the convenience market/grocery that it bills itself as.
Size wise, the store probably could serve as a grocery, but it needs a wider variety of food products. Its offerings are clearly limited by its clientele. Most in the neighborhood probably do not think of this store as a destination for meeting one's day to day needs. Needing to survive financially, it lives down to those expectations. In the end, one has to conclude that this store does not support a car-less of car-free lifestyle.
I guess this neighborhood is sinking fast into being one where a car is mandatory.
First, it is clear I cannot make my commute. I am 51 and well beyond the years I rode over 20 miles each way for work. So I start from the position that I must have a vehicle for the most basic of needs.
Taking the next step, what errands are possible by foot. The convenience store nearby advertises that it has "groceries." Well, you probably could sustain yourself, minimally, on the cold cuts and tv dinners, but the food selection is limited. There is no fresh fruit or vegetables to be found in the store. The store would hardly sustain a healthy diet and given alcohol products make up at least half the shelf space, it is more of a package store than the convenience market/grocery that it bills itself as.
Size wise, the store probably could serve as a grocery, but it needs a wider variety of food products. Its offerings are clearly limited by its clientele. Most in the neighborhood probably do not think of this store as a destination for meeting one's day to day needs. Needing to survive financially, it lives down to those expectations. In the end, one has to conclude that this store does not support a car-less of car-free lifestyle.
I guess this neighborhood is sinking fast into being one where a car is mandatory.
Carless on Cape Cod The 20 Minute Walk
If you are carless, you need to fill your basic needs within walking distance. A good walk from where we live, in our 70's style subdivision, is about 20 minutes. Within this walking distance we find:
- A convenience store which advertises they have groceries;
- A farm stand, which, at least during harvest season can meet some needs;
- The town transfer station: and
- A pizza place.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Carless on Cape Cod
Okay, here is the challenge. Think about what is available to you within a 20 minute walk. Can you meet your most baxic needs? Most will immediately realize they could not get to work. But, what else would you be deprived of?
Traditionally villages grew around their church, market and common services. So, until you stop and think about where you live, or find yourself temporarily carless, do the problems of modern day (Euclidean) separation of land uses become so apparent.
So, I challenge you park your car for a few days, put your T pass away, and see if you can find your basec needs within walking distance.
I will share our experiences. Give it a try.
Traditionally villages grew around their church, market and common services. So, until you stop and think about where you live, or find yourself temporarily carless, do the problems of modern day (Euclidean) separation of land uses become so apparent.
So, I challenge you park your car for a few days, put your T pass away, and see if you can find your basec needs within walking distance.
I will share our experiences. Give it a try.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Chapter 40B and the Ballot Box
Affordable Housing, obviously it is needed. How we get there has become a hot topic. Chapter 40B, the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Law is being brought to the ballot box. This will have significant ramifications.
If it loses, many people in need of affordable housing will be disadvantaged.
If it survives, the environmental controls needed to ensure orderly development patterns will be destroyed.
If it loses, some form of substitute is almost guaranteed. That substitute could be a new, more community friendly statute which has been called for for years. Or, it could be a more onerous replacement imposed through judicial mandate.
If it survives, backers will be strengthened in their resolve, as Chapter 40B will now have the backing of a popular mandate. A mandate that could based upon low mid-term voter turn-out.
If it loses, obviously, the same low mid-term voter turn-out could be used to support the creation of replacement legislation not much different than what is present today.
If it survives, there will be less of a push to fix all that is wrong with the present Chapter 40B.
It is going to be a tough decision. When I walk in to that voting booth in November I am not clear which way I will vote. I believe in affordable housing. I do not believe it needs to be balanced such that every tiny out of the way community needs a project under the statute.
Chapter 40B needs to be fixed, more control given back to cities and towns. The Ballot Box cannot fix bad legislation. However, a vote to keep Chapter 40B almost ensures it will not be fixed. We are at the midnight hour, one way or the other. A vote one way does not support my head or my heart, but a vote the other way is similarly disruptive.
Affordable housing at the cost of environmental protection. Or environmental protection at the expense of affordable housing.
If it loses, many people in need of affordable housing will be disadvantaged.
If it survives, the environmental controls needed to ensure orderly development patterns will be destroyed.
If it loses, some form of substitute is almost guaranteed. That substitute could be a new, more community friendly statute which has been called for for years. Or, it could be a more onerous replacement imposed through judicial mandate.
If it survives, backers will be strengthened in their resolve, as Chapter 40B will now have the backing of a popular mandate. A mandate that could based upon low mid-term voter turn-out.
If it loses, obviously, the same low mid-term voter turn-out could be used to support the creation of replacement legislation not much different than what is present today.
If it survives, there will be less of a push to fix all that is wrong with the present Chapter 40B.
It is going to be a tough decision. When I walk in to that voting booth in November I am not clear which way I will vote. I believe in affordable housing. I do not believe it needs to be balanced such that every tiny out of the way community needs a project under the statute.
Chapter 40B needs to be fixed, more control given back to cities and towns. The Ballot Box cannot fix bad legislation. However, a vote to keep Chapter 40B almost ensures it will not be fixed. We are at the midnight hour, one way or the other. A vote one way does not support my head or my heart, but a vote the other way is similarly disruptive.
Affordable housing at the cost of environmental protection. Or environmental protection at the expense of affordable housing.
Monday, August 2, 2010
Protecting the Public Trust
There have been court cases racing around the country looking at the extent and limits of the Public Trust. In Florida, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, when filling submerged lands, the state maintained rights to the formerly submerged property. It noted that, while property owners may have rights to lands created by natural accretion, the formal action of filling tidelands provided no such benefit.
A similar case in Massachusetts has just been decided. The SJC decided today that the State maintains Public Trust Rights to filled tidelands, even ones filled over a century ago. This case is important to most coastal communities. Chapter 91 protects the public's interests in filled tidelands that are seaward of the first street. This provides the protection of public rights to the presently submerged lands.
Given the amount of public and private beach nourishment that occurs in Massachusetts, it will be interesting to see how this all plays out. It is clear that in this case, the Commonwealth felt it was important to maintain public rights. With most of our beach front areas being subjected to restrictions by adjacent private property owners that limit public passage for fishing and fowling, one has to wonder if beach nourishment projects could actually open these previously submerged lands to greater public access such as in the Florida case?
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Clean Air, Clean Water
As you read this post, the Gulf Oil Spill grows worse and worse. Even in the wake of this disaster Big Oil seeks changes to many federal laws which will weaken air and water protection policies.
While both the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act have their shortcomings, it is clearly not time to dismantle either of them. Rather, it is time to call upon Congress to fix the problems and strengthen these two critical pieces of legislation.
The Clean Air Act is currently under attack. Oil and coal interests are pushing to weaken the act in the name of "national security." While gaining access to our resources may be important to "national security" the resources we seek to harness needs to be in the best interest of all citizens of the country. Rather than changing laws to ignore the external costs of oil and coal, we need to recognize and properly price these external costs. Only when we recognize full cradle to grave costs, will we see our abundent, clean energy sources as clearly being superior to increased reliance on oil and coal.
Follow the link and join Repower America in pushing for a new energy future.
While both the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act have their shortcomings, it is clearly not time to dismantle either of them. Rather, it is time to call upon Congress to fix the problems and strengthen these two critical pieces of legislation.
The Clean Air Act is currently under attack. Oil and coal interests are pushing to weaken the act in the name of "national security." While gaining access to our resources may be important to "national security" the resources we seek to harness needs to be in the best interest of all citizens of the country. Rather than changing laws to ignore the external costs of oil and coal, we need to recognize and properly price these external costs. Only when we recognize full cradle to grave costs, will we see our abundent, clean energy sources as clearly being superior to increased reliance on oil and coal.
Follow the link and join Repower America in pushing for a new energy future.
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