EcoWeek '22: Bioblitz! Starts Today

Arlington MA

29 April, 2022

7:02 PM

Description

Your Arlington Last Updated: 29 April 2022 Written by Lynette Aznavour, town website UPDATED April 28: EcoWeek, Arlington's annual invitation to welcome spring by encouraging the public to consider a green future, is being held for longer than a week, from April 22 through May 10. See the full series of events here >> The array of activities offers an opportunity for all to learn, reflect and act. Community and student groups and Town of Arlington departments will offer presentations, tours, and interactive events to inspire connection to and celebration of our natural world. Reducing our carbon footprint and protecting our natural resources is in our community as well as our personal interest. What we do at home EcoWeek will highlight the importance of what we do at home and as a greater community to learn, act and prepare for weather, public health and economic change that we will face as our climate changes. Previously held as EcoFest, a one day event held at Arlington's Town Hall, since 2019 this event has grown into a week or more of education. Topics include options for renewable electricity, local plants and wildlife; methods to reduce, reuse and recycle everyday items; and the impact of public art on our overall environment. Community members are invited to participate in the many events. Among them are litter cleanups, document shredding, bicycle donations and clothing swaps. Events will include: From April 29 through May 2, BioBlitz! focuses on finding and identifying as many species as possible in a specific area in a short time. At a BioBlitz, scientists, families, students, teachers and other community members work together to get a snapshot of an area's biodiversity. Help locate and map local plants and wildlife -- be a citizen scientist with City Nature Challenge and iNaturalist. Learn more >> April 30 bicycle-donation bonanza: Donate your unused or underused bike to a great cause. Arlington scouts will help collect bikes for the Lowell Bike Connector. Everyone who bikes: come out and meet the members of the Arlington Police Department Bike Unit, and get some great safety tips. The event is being held April 30, 12-4 PM at the Reuse & Recycling Center, 33 Ryder Street. Please park at the Ed Burns Arena (422 Summer St.) and walk over the Minuteman bikeway. Read more about Bike Donation Bonanza. Secure document shredding April 30, 9 a.m. to noon: For Arlington residents only, two box/bag limit per household, free and no need to sign up, at the Reuse & Recycling Center, 33 Ryder St., cash donations accepted for FoodLink and Arlington Eats. Learn more. May 1 Zero Waste Day: Fixit Clinic, Clothing Swap, and Youth Climate Workshops Sunday, May 1, all events are free and open to all, Thompson School, 187 Everett St. Find specific times at arlingtonma.gov/ecoweek. Recycle Your Textiles: Worn and torn, donate them all. Opportunities to opt up to 100-percent renewable electricity. Public art and our environment. See the film "Plastic Bag Store" May 10 at the Regent. More here >> Already held: April 26 Virtual BioDiversity Summit Come learn what is happening in our community and at the state level to protect the biodiversity we all depend on. Topics include pollinator and native habitat protection, as well as invasive plant removal. Learn more here >> The Town of Arlington has been an environmental leader in our region." -- David Morgan Panel aims to connect housing to action against climate change Virtual event 7 p.m. May 5 At 7 p.m. May, the Town of Arlington's Department of Planning & Community Development (DPCD) will host a virtual panel which will feature a discussion of the connections between climate and housing goals at the local and state levels, as well as specific case studies in the region that illustrate how these intersections play out on the ground. Panelists will share their work on housing and climate policy and environmentally sustainable residential construction and retrofits. Presentations, followed by a facilitated question-and-answer session, will explore opportunities for improving public health, environmental quality, and transportation options while reducing greenhouse gas emissions—the pollutants that cause climate change. Learn more about the event, panelists, register >> "Whether we are constructing new homes or retrofitting those already in existence, the decisions we make about building efficiency and fuel choice determine the extent to which those homes will contribute to additional global warming and the potential for catastrophic climate change," said Brucie Moulton, cochair of Sustainable Arlington and moderator of the panel. "Homes can be designed to protect from climate-induced weather extremes and also help reduce the likelihood of those extremes becoming greater in the future." The panel will also feature representatives from DPCD, who will discuss the intersections between the town's ongoing efforts to address climate change and improve housing affordability, access, and choice. These include the town's Net Zero Action Plan and the Connect Arlington Sustainable Transportation Plan, and the new Housing Plan The goals set out in these plans are aligned with State and regional efforts to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions, improve housing choice and affordability, and enhance public health, environmental quality, efficiency and mobility. "The Commonwealth and Town have many different policies and programs aimed at increasing climate action and the preservation and creation of housing," says Jennifer Raitt, Director of DPCD. "Housing policy intersects with environmental justice, equity, and affordability. This panel session will provide an opportunity to learn more about how aligned housing and climate policy can improve outcomes and increase benefits for all." David Morgan, the environmental planner and conservation agent in Arlington's Department of Planning and Community Development, says: "Arlington is an engaged community where environmental issues are a central concern. "EcoWeek showcases the important work that Arlington residents do, from encouraging biodiversity to planning for climate change. The Town of Arlington has been an environmental leader in our region. Initiatives like EcoWeek demonstrate how Arlington works toward a future where all living beings — and the ecosystems we depend on — thrive." Arlington School Sustainability Coordinator Rachel Oliveri commented that Arlington's youth will play a key role in EcoWeek events, leading climate-change and climate-justice workshops, organizing bake sales to promote local sustainability initiatives, and creating media and public art to raise awareness about the importance of native plants and pollinators. "Arlington EcoWeek is important to the town because we are a community who cares deeply about reducing our environmental impact and protecting our local green spaces, waterways, and wildlife," she said. Contact Charlotte Milan via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Additional Resources EcoWeek: arlingtonma.gov/departments/public-works/recycling-trash-composting/ecoweek-events/ecoweek-events Climate and Resiliency Planning: arlingtonma.gov/departments/planning-community-development/climate-resiliency-planning Affordable Housing in Arlington: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/departments/planning-community-development/affordable-housing-in-arlington Net Zero Action Plan: arlingtonma.gov/town-governance/boards-and-committees/clean-energy-future-committee Connect Arlington Sustainable Transportation Plan: arlingtonma.gov/departments/planning-community-development/transportation-planning Housing Plan: arlingtonma.gov/town-governance/boards-and-committees/housing-plan-implementation-committee\ Massachusetts Clean Energy and Climate Plan for 2025 and 2030: mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-clean-energy-and-climate-plan-for-2025-and-2030 Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Commission Long-Range Transportation Plan: ctps.org/lrtp YourArlington.com has provided news and opinion about Arlington, Mass., since 2006. Publisher Bob Sprague is a former editor at The Boston Globe, Boston Herald and Arlington Advocate. Read more at https://www.yourarlington.com/about.