Tag: MBTA

Eco-Rep Update

Anyone pumped about the environment, which ought be everyone, should apply to be an Eco-Rep for the Fall of 2013!  We are looking for a diverse group of people looking to make an positive impact on the environment!  Do it now! 

Get excited!  Recyclemania is coming to a close with only a week left for all the dorm to step up the recycling!  Make sure to check out the website if you are not sure what is and is not recyclable, or, ask any Eco-Rep!  Go green and help support Tufts in the national competition!

A call for old cloths: do you have cloths that you don’t wear any more?  Do you have no more space in your closet?  It’s about time to let go of your old cloths by donating it to the Eco-Reps for the upcoming clothing swap!  There are boxes in each dorm for cloths (but no shoes) so make sure to get some Spring cleaning done and stick some of your old cloths in the labelled boxes!

This week at our meeting the Eco-Reps learned about environmentally friendly ways to get around.  Too often we rely on our personal cars to take us places.  We found that in reality, public transportation tends to be cheaper, stress free, and easier.  The T is always a reliable way to get around the Boston area, and buses are very dependable too!  There are a lot of helpful applications for your phone to track buses and the T.  We came to the conclusion that buses are a great way to get around: bus drivers are great, they are cheaper than the T, and you can even hitch your bike to the front of the bus( just don’t forget to take it down when you get off!).  Getting a ZipCar and carpooling is also often very cost effective and convenient.  If you are a Tufts student, there are special rate!  Check out the website to learn more and to see how to register.  But, let’s not forget the lovely Tufts Bikes group on campus that allows us to borrow bikes from Tisch library for up to 8 hours!

Fun fact: L.A. could have potentially been the most eco-friendly county.  But, because of the political and economic power of big oil companies, much of the plans to implement awesome public transportation was not made possible.  It was quite surprising to many of us how great energy-efficient technology has been developed in the past, but has been destroyed or overlooked because of the multi-billion dollar industry that capitalized on oil and fossil fuels.

Earth Day is coming up so get excited for dorm and school-wide events!  There are going to be flyers and posters all around campus, but if you want to get more details RA’s and Eco-Reps are always happy to tell you all about the exiting upcoming events!

Mar 29: Streetalk – Boston Under After Hours

Thursday, 3/29 @ 6-9PM
Central Square Theater 4
50 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge

We’ve all asked the age ol’ question, “Why doesn’t the T stay open later?” Now you can find out why. Come watch the Boston Under After Hours documentary about what happens after the T shuts down, and the MBTA employees who work 1:30am-5:00am to make the system run smoothly the following day. With current fare increases and service cuts pending, this question is even more relevant. Why not keep the T open longer for more revenue? What can you do to keep the T going? Get insight in to the inter-workings of the T, and the current MBTA’s financial situation and service plan. Discussion with filmmakers, MBTA, and On The Move following the film.

Stay for a social hour afterwards to meet and chat with filmmakers and the stars of the film. Popcorn and snacks provided and $2 Harpoon.

Tickets: $6.00.

This event is hosted by LivableStreets Alliance and sponsored by On the Move Coalition

Feb 28,29 & Mar 1,6: MBTA Medford/Somerville Public Service Cut Meetings

We wanted to bring to your attention the MTBA’s latest proposal to address its serious budget shortfall. The MBTA is proposing to eliminate some service to the Tufts Medford/Somerville campus and to reduce routes in and around Boston that may have a major impact on access for faculty, staff and students. Proposed changes would affect subway, bus and commuter rail.

The routes that would be affected include the #80 and #96 buses, serving Medford, as well as many others. The proposal also includes fare increases of 35% to 45%.

Please take a few minutes to review this information so that you will understand how these changes might affect your daily commute to work or other trips for which you rely on public transportation. Complete information is available at http://www.mbta.com/about_the_mbta/?id=23567.

The MBTA has been holding meetings in affected communities to allow users of public transportation to express their concerns. We encourage you to add your voice so that MBTA officials understand the full impact of these proposed service eliminations. You can write a letter, send an email or attend one of the remaining scheduled meetings. Meeting dates and contact information are listed below.

Public meetings:

February 28th –Somerville High School Auditorium, 81 Highland Avenue, 6:00-8:00 pm (http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/?id=23598)

February 29th – Cambridge City Hall Council Chambers, 795 Massachusetts Avenue, 6:00-8:00 pm (http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/?id=23581)

March 1 – Waltham Government Center, 119 School Street, 6:00-8:00 pm (http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/?id=23599)

March 6 – Brockton, Massasoit Community College, 1 Massasoit Boulevard, Liberal Arts Building, 6:00-8:00 pm (http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/?id=23618)

A list of all public meeting dates and locations can be found at http://mbta.com/about_the_mbta/public_meetings/.

Letters should be addressed to:

Fare Proposal
10 Park Plaza, Suite 3910
Boston, MA. 02116

Email address: fareproposal@mbta.com

With the Hubway bikeshare system, Boston is your oyster. Go explore!

A cyclist taking a load off and soaking in the gorgeous Charles River.

Get out of that dorm room, you couch potato, and glide around Boston using the city’s new bikeshare system.

Trust me. The will be the start of a beautiful friendship. So beautiful that from all the exercise, you won’t feel bad about stopping off in the North End for a gelato. And, with zero emissions, no friendship could be greener!

So how does this work? First, head to any of 61 bikeshare stations in Boston, where you can buy a 24-hour ($5) or three-day ($12) membership with a credit or debit card. I suggest the one at the Charles/MGH station, a quick jaunt down the Red Line from Tufts.

Then, ride the bike! They are sturdy and comfy, if slower than those of Boston’s veteran bikers, and traverse neighborhoods at least as quickly as the MBTA. The bikes also feature a bell, adjustable seats, and lights that turn on at night. You can park only at Hubway stations, but at least you don’t have to worry about locking the bike or buying one in the first place.

Make sure, of course, to check out TheHubway.com for safety tips and a list of Boston retailers that sell inexpensive helmets. Gotta cover that noggin, Jumbo.

By the way, if you have any questions about using the Hubway, reach me at chrisjgirard@gmail.com. I happily use it to commute.

So where should you go? Here are a few ideas:

These Hubway bikes need friends! Come ride one.

1) The Ivory Tower Tour: Start at Park Street and say hello to friends at Suffolk University and Emerson College. Then, bike to the Christian Science Plaza station and rub shoulders with Northeastern University and Berkeley School of Music students. Once you get sick of the guitar busking, head over to the station at 725 Commonwealth Avenue, where you can check out the Boston University campus, which has a million Green Line stations. (Hey! Give some to Tufts!) Finish up by riding to the Harvard Stadium station. Cross the beautiful Charles River and check out the Crimson campus before taking the Red Line to Davis home.

2) The Art Lover’s Tour: Start at South Station and ride over to the Fan Pier station in the Seaport District to check out The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston’s shiniest and (probably) weirdest museum. Then, head to the Northeastern University station to see the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and, right next door, the fabulous Museum of Fine Arts. Ride back to South Station and feel good about being so cultured.

3) The Title Tour: Start at Park Street and ride from the Tremont Street station to North Station, and pay homage to the Celtics and Bruins. Then glide over to the Yawkey Way station to worship at the altar of Fenway Park before proceeding to the site of Braves Field, where the Boston Braves (now the Atlanta Braves) used to play, near the Agganis Arena station. Then ride over to the Charles/MGH station to head back home to nap, dreams of future Boston championships swirling in your head.