4 QEN’s Network News • Summer 2009 QEN’s Network News • Summer 2009 1

NETWORK NEWSOfficial newsletter of the Quincy Environmental Network

P.O. Box 690184, Quincy, MA 02269 • 617-877-5975 • admin@QENet.org • www.QENet.org

Some Light for Town Brook Vol. 6, Issue 2, Summer 2009

TABLE OF CONTENTSBeechwood Knoll Goes Green.....2Env. Festival A Success!...............2Quincy Farmers' Market...............3Get Involved Calendar..................3Paddle for the Environment!.........4Making Way for Wind..................4

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEESteve Perdios and Maura O’Gara

(spokespersons), Peter Fifield,Courtney Perdios, Cherie Dewar,

Marina Kelly, Jean Mackey,and Maureen Mazrimas

To learn more about the topics in this newsletter,

visit our website:www.QENet.org

JOIN OUR LIST-SERVE!A great way to keep up with local environmental news and events.

Easy to sign up...just send a blank email to:

QEN-subscribe@topica.com

MISSION STATEMENT:

The QEN strives to coordinate and encourage the efforts of those who are concerned about, or have a re-sponsibility to the environment, in order to advocate for its protection and restoration.

The QEN is a public volunteer organization that encourages open participation by all.

other that is integrated into the green spaces. We would like to see more green space in the southern end of the downtown with ample public amenities. All new and retrofit buildings should meet established ‘green building’ standards for materials used, energy efficiency, and construction practices.

Leadership of the QEN met with the city and the developer in March. Recently the developer has been using all of the right terms mentioned here, but we have not seen details of their proposal yet. How much of the Town Brook are they proposing to open? What will the southern end of the Center look like? What will the green spaces offer the community? How will the green building elements be incorporated into construction? We hope these important items will be fleshed out soon.

Lastly, let’s take a minute to dispel a few misconceptions about the Town Brook:• The Town Brook dries up sometimes – FALSE. The Town Brook is a beautiful

brook that is always running. The Army Corps of Engineers' flood control project was permitted with the condition that they would maintain a minimum flow in the brook. Currently the flow drops below this from time to time but the city is working to correct this.

• The Town Brook is too polluted to sustain wildlife – FALSE. The water quality of the brook is excellent. In fact, a small fish called smelt spawns in the brook every spring. This smaller fish is an important food source for larger fish in Massachusetts Bay and critical to our fishing industry.

• Exposing the Town Brook will cause flooding – Again, FALSE. Taking the brook out of the pipe it is in will create more space in the brook for flood waters. This will keep the water in the brook and not in neighboring basements.

Making Way for Wind...At their June 1st meeting, the City Council voted unanimously to pass the Quincy Wind Ordinance, which defines standards for the development of wind energy projects in the city. This historic moment marked the end of a year-long process in which the QEN played a significant role.

Mayor Koch’s Wind Energy Committee, established in May of last year to draft a wind ordinance, consisted of City Councilors, advisors from the Mayor’s Office, concerned citizens, and representatives from Quincy’s environmental community, including the QEN. The group met regularly over many months to work out the details of the legislation.

To encourage discussion of wind energy and provide opportunities for the public to learn about this renewable energy source, the QEN’s Climate Action Subcommittee organized a series of workshops dedicated to the topic. Back in October, Senator Morrissey and a panel of experts shared their knowledge of the Green Communities Act and how that legislation would affect wind power in Quincy. In January of this year, Charles McClelland of the Renewable Energy Research Laboratory at UMass Amherst, provided some basic information on how wind energy works, and then in March, John MacLeod, former Operations Manager of Hull Municipal Light Plant, shared his insights on Hull’s experience of building two turbines. The workshops were very successful and very well attended.

Once the Wind Energy Committee submitted its draft to the City Council’s Ordinance Committee, the QEN community came together to show its support for the passage of the ordinance and having wind energy projects in the city. Numerous members, holding signs and spinning pinwheels, filled Council Chambers for the public hearing. The enthusiasm of those who spoke in favor of the ordinance impressed the councilors and likely contributed to their overall support for the legislation.

Thank you to Mayor Koch, the City Councilors, especially Councilor Coughlin and Councilor Gutro, and the many others that helped with this effort. QEN volunteers, by coming to the workshops, signing petitions, calling their councilors, and showing their support at the public hearing, helped pave the way for clean energy in Quincy.

The QEN will continue to stay engaged in the development of wind energy and other renewable energy sources in the city as part of its efforts to address climate change locally. If you’re interested in reducing Quincy’s carbon footprint, please come to the next meeting of the Climate Action Subcommittee and share your ideas. Please see page 3 for details on upcoming meeting dates and locations, and for other exciting local environmental events.

PARADIGM LANDSCAPINGProviding safe, organic solutions

Joe CotterQuincy, MA ~ 617-472-7550

NOFA accredited ~ Land Care Professional

spring/fall cleanups ~ lawn cuts ~ soil testingmulching ~ hedge trimming

organic fertilization & weed control ~ and more!

If you're looking for a fun summer family activity that won't break the bank, the QEN, Quincy Recreation Department, DCR, and the NE Aquarium are teaming up to provide just the thing - Paddle for the Environment. On Saturday, July 11th from noon until 4:30pm, we'll be hosting an afternoon at Black's Creek (located between Pageant Field & Caddy Park) full of exciting canoe and kayak races, guided canoe tours for beginning boaters and families, a BBQ, and free family activities like the NE Aquarium Touch Tank, a bubble station, craft tables, and face painting. This event will not only raise funds for the QEN, but will provide residents with a great opportunity to get on the water and explore one of Quincy's hidden environmental jewels.

Experienced or novice canoers and kayakers can compete in races individually or as a relay team (form your own team or let us assign you to one). A $20 race entry donation includes use of a boat along with a free lunch ticket. Of course, you're welcome to race in your own boat (see race entry form for complete details). For those who have never had the opportunity to paddle Black's Creek, DCR and the Quincy Recreation Department staff will be on hand to get you started. Black's Creek is the perfect protected spot to learn this new skill, but Quincy Police Patrol will be on hand to ensure the safety of all.

So whether you want to test your rowing prowess in a race, cheer on a team, explore activities with your children, or just try out your "sea legs", you will find it at Paddle for the Environment, all while showing your support for the QEN.

Paddle for the Environment!Recent newspaper articles show the progress we have made with the City of Quincy and the developer for the downtown with regards to daylighting the Town Brook. Exactly how much progress is still in question.

Certainly Quincy Center could be more than it is today. The city has put considerable resources into exploring what the new downtown should look like. The QEN has been advocating for several important additions to that plan. The Town Brook should play a prominent role in the redevelopment. We envision a Town Brook visible from one end of the project to the

Town Brook near Revere Road

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Why Shop At The QFM?We were lucky enough to catch up with Anneli Johnson, founder and manager of the Quincy Farmers' Market (QFM). We asked her a few questions about this year's QFM...

What kinds of vendors/products will we find at the QFM this year? This year the QFM is extremely fortunate to have its faithful farmers (Stillman Farm, Lunenburg; Freitas Farm, Middleboro; Serving Ourselves Farm, Long Island; Kettle Pond Farm, Berkley) return, bringing a full line of produce grown here in NE. Almquist Flower Land (Quincy) and Ferrara Greenhouse (Hyde Park) will have bedding plants, perennials, and hanging baskets. Ohan Farm's free range eggs (Holbrook), honey (Leominster) goat cheese (Holland), and Amy's All Natural handmade soap will also be available. Ginger Betty's (Quincy) and Panorama International Bakery (Newton) will have baked goods. An exciting addition this season is the Manning Lobsters from Hull and the Lane family Lobsters from Scituate. We are looking forward to having fresh lobsters every week. Bring your cooler and naturally bring your own shopping bags.

Where does the produce come from? These are all local family farmers, within a 50 mile radius. Serving Ourselves Farm is on Long Island off Squantum, Almquist Flower Land is right up in historic Penn's Hill near the Abigail Adams Cairn, and Ginger Betty's is just over on Sea Street.

Why shop at the QFM over the convenience of a supermarket? There are many benefits to shopping locally. 1) Naturally the freshness and taste of the produce. Our farmers grow their produce for flavor, not shipping. Many now also grow heirloom varieties, famous for their flavor, but may not look as perfect as the ones at the supermarket. 2) Because the produce is picked that day, it is higher in nutrient value. 3) We can buy direct from the grower themselves, and meet them one-on-one. At the supermarket, you don't know who grew your produce. 4) The farmers get the whole dollar rather than a fraction of it if they sell to middlemen. Wholesalers sell to distributors, then to supermarkets. Shopping locally, exercises your buying power and positively impacts our local/regional economy. 5) The Dept. of Agriculture states that our farms keep land for open space and farmland is tax revenue producing for the state.

It's tough for working people to make it with the current hours. Some of the farmers stay late so even folks coming from work can find farmers there until around 6:00pm.

Back in January, the second graders of Beechwood Knoll Elementary School dedicated themselves to learning how to care for our natural resources by redusing, reusing, and recycling in order to take part in National Green Week.

For one week, the second graders monitored the number of discarded drink containers and snack trash weight brought in from home throughout the school. Using their Green Machine to collect data, they found that students consumed 914 drink containers and 16 pounds of snack containers. Their goal was to reduce that number by the end of March by introducing reusable drink and snack containers. When the final tally was taken in late March, only 551 drink containers and a mere 2 pounds of snack containers were collected! Looks like this green project was a success!

This project was supported by Beechwood Knoll's PTO and a donation from Quincy's Department of Public Works.

Head of the Environmental Class - Part 2: Beechwood Knoll Goes Green

Thank You For Making QEN's Environmental Festival A Success!

“Networking” is an important part of the Quincy Environmental Network’s mission. To that end, the morning portion of the first annual QEN Environmental Festival held in April at St. Ann's school focused on bringing together a variety of groups working toward making Quincy a truly “greener” community. In roundtable format, representatives of groups ranging from Friends of Wollaston Beach to the Neponset River Watershed Association (NepRWA) to teachers from local middle schools spoke about the programs and initiatives currently in the works. Connections were made and everyone felt that the opportunity to put names to faces was worthwhile. Coffee Break Café donated bagels and coffee for the morning's discussion.

The afternoon focused on the family-centered “festival” part of the day. Children enjoyed spending a few quiet moments in the QEN-sponsored environmental reading area, seeing the marine life in the NE Aquarium Touch Tank, building their own wind turbine, planting their own seeds, watching the Science Made Fun program, and getting their faces painted - all for free! Parents learned a great deal about the local environmental scene in Quincy from the booths that the morning participants had set up telling about their ongoing and future initiatives. Chips, fruit and cookies for the afternoon were provided by Eatin' Healthy.

A good start to what can only be a continuing success in future years….

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QEN's Green Reads Bookclub

We're taking a break for the summer, but we'll be returning to our exciting discussions in September.

"Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder" by Richard Louv

Tuesday, September 15th • 7pm Thomas Crane Public Library, Quincy Ctr branch

Quincy Farmers' Market Now Open! 11:30am - 5:30pm every Friday

Fresh local produce, breads and more!John Hancock pkg lot (across from courthouse)

www.quincyfarmersmarket.com

Tues. 7/7 & Thurs. 7/9, 6:30 ~ 7:30 am (& every Tues. & Thurs. thru end of Sept.):Sunrise Yoga on the Beach with Christine Way-Cotter$10 fee, portion goes to QEN. Tues mornings at Post Island Road Beach, Thurs mornings at Merrymount Beach. Weather permitting. Call 617-472-7550.

Wed. 7/8 & 7/22:Cooking with Bernard - healthy & wholesome cookingHealing Tree Yoga, 605 Hancock St., Quincy.

Fri. 7/10, 11:30-5:30 (weekly thru summer):Quincy Farmers' MarketJohn Hancock parking lot, across from courthouse.

Sat. 7/11, 12 ~ 4:30 pm (raindate: 7/18, 9 am):QEN's Paddle for the Environment on Black's CreekKayak & canoe races, guided tours, BBQ, free family activities and more! Visit www.QENet.org for more information or call 617-877-5975 if you're interested in signing up to race!

Wed. 7/22, 7 pm (also 8/26):QEN Climate Action Subcommittee Meeting Open to all. City Hall 2nd floor conf room.

Sun. 8/2, 10 am:11th Annual Wollaston Beach Volleyball Tournament Sponsored by FWB & Tony's Clam Shop.

Sun. 8/30, 1 ~ 3pm:Green Living Open House at Stony BrookDCR Headquarters, 12 Brainard St., Hyde Park.

Sat. 9/12, 11 am ~ 1 pm:Coast Sweep on Wollaston BeachPart of a statewide effort to clean up the MA coast.

Get Involved Calendar