Our 2012 National meeting is coming up next month, and we wanted to showcase the city where it will be hosted! Here are some of the great things we've uncovered about green initiatives in Boston.
According to CEOs for Cities’ City Vitals 2.0 research, Boston, MA ranks as #4 among the 50 largest metropolitan areas in the US in the percentage of the population over 25-years with a four-year college degree. That high ranking may be due to the large number of higher-education institutions in and around the city, but perhaps it is due to the influence of being in an innovation-rich city. Whatever it is, Boston boasts both a high number of educated and innovative residents.
From solar panel sales training to responsible waste management companies, Boston is home to many innovators committed to making their city and the planet a better place. Some notable projects and programs in Boston include:
- Hubway – a bike sharing network that allows members to bike one direction without having to worry about where they leave their bike
- Life Totes – a “green” service for moving homes or businesses, because why waste cardboard boxes when you could rent reusable plastic ones?
- Save That Stuff – a waste management company that helps organizations most efficiently and responsibly dispose of their unwanted items
Boston’s Mayor, Thomas Menino, has supported Boston’s trend towards innovation through the creation of the Innovation District in January 2010. While there are no set boundaries, the South Boston Waterfront is filling up with creative thinkers and doers. Part of this is due to the work of MassChallenge, a startup accelerator that offers a prize competition to aspiring startups. The 2012 finalists can be seen here. Some notably “green” startups include:
- E-POL, which is working to turn glycerin, the waste product of biodiesel production, into useful products
- Bootstrap Compost, a food scrap pickup service
- GreenCampusPoints, a coupon-based program that incentivizes consumers to purchase sustainably
What green initiatives do you see popping up in your own community? Which of these do you see as being helpful or viable in your city?
