Month: May 2012 (Page 3 of 4)

Tisch Library receives the first Green Office Gold Certification

May 10, 2012 / / 2 Comments

Carol Ellis accepts the certificate for Tisch Library

This spring, the Office of Sustainability finally  launched a new program to recognize, support and promote offices that are engaging in sustainable practices.

The Green Office Certification program has four levels of certification allowing offices to be recognized for their current conservation actions, while still providing a goal to work towards (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum). On Tuesday, May 8th, at the annual luncheon for Eco-Ambassadors, four offices were awarded a certificate that will be displayed in their office to reflect ongoing efforts in energy reduction, waste conservation and sustainable purchasing.

Congratulations to the Tisch Library for being the first office to achieve Gold level Green Office Certification, and to the Department of Environmental and Population Health, Ginn Library at the Fletcher School and Tufts Renewable Energy & Applied Photonics (REAP) Labs for achieving the Bronze level of office sustainability!

If your office or deparment would like to participate and begin the process of Green Office Certification, just follow this link! Any office or department on all three campuses can participate. Every year, your office can resubmit the survey to evaluate improvements made in the workplace and help Tufts University become a more sustainable campus!

Good luck! We cannot wait to award more Green Office certificates.

Tufts wins 2012 Pinnacle Award for Excellence in Commuter Options (ECO)

May 9, 2012 / / 0 Comments

Every year, MassCommute and MassDOT recognizes employer’s efforts toward making a more sustainable Massachusetts at the Massachusetts Excellence in Commuter Options (ECO) Awards. Tufts University was named a Pinnacle employer at the 2012 Massachusetts ECO Awards last month.

Tufts' 2012 Pinnacle Award

There are three levels of recognition depending on the number of  transportation benefits programs an employer offers: Pacesetter (at least 4), Leader (at least 7) and Pinnacle.

Tufts was recognized in last year’s ECO Awards as a Leader and moved up this year to become a Pinnacle employer.

The Office of Sustainability would like to thank in particular our sustainability advocates in  Human Resources, Public Safety, and Facilities for supporting the initiatives that made it possible to win the ECO Award.

Below is a list of transportation benefits that Tufts offers:

Pacesetter (entry level) – Tufts offers 6 of 7 options

  • Offer & promote the Statewide Ridematching system (NuRide – currently 38 members from Tufts, slowly increasing)
  • On-site bicycle parking
  • Flexible work schedules
  • Hold one commuter transportation event per year
  • Commuter information and transit schedules in a centralized location
  • Commuter information in new hire packets

Leader level (Tufts got this last year) – Tufts offers 7 out of 15 options

  • Guaranteed/Emergency Ride Home Program
  • Commuter tax benefits (pre-tax)
  • Preferential vanpool or carpool parking spaces (now available in Dowling garage thanks to Louis Galvez and Shiela Chisholm at Public Safety!)
  • Provide a team for the Bay State Bike Week/MassCommuter Bike Challenge – currently 33 participants and counting!
  • Provide on-site bicycle repair and/or maintenance (fix a flat) supplies (through Tufts Bikes)
  • On-site amenities (food service, dry cleaning, ATM/bank, child care, news stand, or other relevant service) (Tufts offerings are in italics)
  • Showers and lockers for employees (in the gym and a few select locations on campus)

Pinnacle (top level) – Tufts offers 4 out of 9 options

  • Shuttles from transit stations, either employer-provided or through a local TMA or similar service provider (the Joey)
  • Subsidized membership in a carsharing program (Zipcar)
  • Secure bicycle parking (cage or lockers) – currently only in the garage
  • Subsidized bicycle sharing membership (Tufts is FREE!)

 

Re2Pack, food for the summer and the MassCommute Bike Challenge

May 7, 2012 / / 1 Comment

With commencement only two weeks away, you are probably (a) taking finals and writing papers, (b) preparing for commencement, or (c) moving off campus for the summer or (boohoo!) for good.

We can’t offer you much help with the first two things but if you are indeed moving off campus, you should know that TuftsRecycles has a list of things that they collect for recycling, among them: books and school supplies, carpets, crutches and air casts, electronics, clothing and linens, hangers, and unopened cans of food. Look for the proper boxes in the dorms and check the TuftsRecycles website for more details.

World Peas CSADo the CSA folks miss their fresh organic vegetables? I know I do. Most local farmers’ markets won’t start for a few more weeks (usually after Memorial Day). Download a schedule of farmers’ markets near Tufts from our website to look for one near you. In the meantime, don’t forget to sign up for the summer CSA with World PEAS, a program of the New Entry Sustainable Farming Project sponsored by Community Teamwork Inc. and the Freidman School of Nutrition.

Don’t forget – the 2012 Bay State Bike Week is going on from May 14-20 and you can still register and help Tufts win the MassCommute Bicycle Challenge. Tufts’ total miles wentfrom 130 to 537 in a week but we are still a distant 4th behind BU. Come on, Jumbos! If you signed up, contact us at the Office of Sustainability. We have a few t-shirts to give away. (Supplies limited)

Best of luck and enjoy the sunshine!

Fannie
– Communications & Outreach Specialist, Tufts Office of Sustainability

Somerville 2012 Bay State Bike Week Events

May 7, 2012 / / 0 Comments

May 14 (Mon): Rush Hour Race
7:45 am – 10:00 am
Redbones

DRIVER vs. CYCLIST vs. T RIDER

What’s the fastest way to get from Davis Square to Kendall Square? Join three local celebrities as they “race to work” using three modes of transportation (bikes, cars, and the T). Stop by the start, come along for the ride, or stop by the finish. Light refreshments anf good times provided at both ends.

We’ll start the festivities at Redbones in Davis Square at 7:45, with the race kicking off at 8:30 AM. We expect to arrive at Genzyme (500 Kendall St) between 8:45 and 9:15.

This event is being organized by Livable Streets, the Somerville Bicycle Committee, and the Cambridge Bicycle Committee. For more information, http://livablestreets.info or events@livablestreets.info. 617-621-1746. The event is being sponsored by Genzyme.

May 16 (Wed): Somerville Bike Commuter Breakfast
 7:30 am – 9:00 am
Star Market Parking Lot

Come join us for a free bike commuter breakfast on your way to work on Wednesday May 16!! The breakfast will be held in the parking lot of the Somerville Star Market on Beacon St near Petsi’s Pies. The event is sponsored by the Somerville Bicycle Advisory Committee (http://somervillebikes.org) with refreshments provided by Star Market and Petsi’s Pies and free bike check-ups provided by Bike Boom. Stop by and chat with members of the Bike Committee and fellow cyclists and advocates. Rain date is Thursday May 17.

Contact information: Ken Carlson  kencarlson8@gmail.com  617-909-3150

May 17 (Thu): Ride of Silence
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Seven Hills Park

Join MassBike for the annual worldwide Ride of Silence in honor of bicyclists killed or injured riding on public roads, and raises awareness among drivers to be more careful around bicyclists. We will gather in Seven Hills Park (behind Davis Square T Station) at 6:30pm to get organized. The ride will start at 7pm sharp. We will ride 6.8 miles slowly and silently through Cambridge and Boston to Boston Common. Please RSVP to rides@massbike.org so we know how many riders to expect. If you would like us to honor a particular cyclist at the end of the ride, please send us his or her name. Helmets required, lights strongly recommended.

May 20 (Sun): Somerville Parks Bike Tour
2:00 pm – 4:30 pm
Somerville City Hall

The Somerville Bicycle Committee and Somerville Historic Preservation Commission team up to lead a bicycle tour of Somerville’s parks.

Many of them used to be something other than parks. Ride with us to learn more.

We’ll meet at 2 pm at Somerville City Hall, leaving promptly at 2:15. The 8-mile ride will go at an easy pace with several stops, and should be finished by around 4:30.

Please bring a $3 donation to support the activities of the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission.

A tentative map of our route is at http://g.co/maps/kyuzt.

For more information, contact rnewman@thecia.net.

To search for more events near you,
visit http://baystatebikeweek.org/events/

Jun 2: Boston Organics 10th Anniversary Celebration

May 7, 2012 / / 12 Comments

Join us in celebrating our 10th year of nourishing Boston residents and supporting a healthy food system!

Come meet the farmers, local food producers, and Boston Organics employees behind the food you eat, and join us for an afternoon of food and fun for the whole family.

  • Refreshing organic drinks!

Space is limited. Please RSVP by May 25  at http://bostonorganics.eventbrite.com/

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