* Creating an Environmental Science Academy within Boston Public Schools. This proposal will not impact this year’s school budget and it will take more than a few years to develop, but I think we need a big vision for our children’s future and every citizen’s environmental education. I envision an innovative public school open to all students with a rigorous green curriculum that focuses on developing math, science and trades skills that will both prepare students to compete in the green economy and create more responsible citizens who are environmentally literate and practice sustainable lifestyles.
* Convening Local Summits to focus on Local and Individual Strategies to Combat Global Climate Change. The goal of these summits will be to discuss and promote steps that individuals can take to reduce their impact on the environment. I would like to invite all members of the BMG community to participate in these two summits which I have scheduled to take place around Earth Day – the first summit will be on April 21st at 6 PM at Building 114 in the Charlestown Navy Yard, and the second summit will be on April 23rd at 5:30 PM at The Great Hall in Codman Square, Dorchester. Even if you can’t come to one of these summits, please post comments with any useful strategies that you have personally used to reduce your own impact on the environment and I will make some of them available on my website connollyforboston.com.
* Starting a Carbon Neutral Neighborhood pilot program, where the City will provide resources and support for local businesses that are willing to group together and pledge to reduce their “net” carbon footprint to zero. My hope is that this will incentivize the greening of Boston’s local business districts in much the same way as the Main Streets Program has revitalized many of Boston’s neighborhood business districts.
* Continuing to push for more Sustainable Public Transportation. In addition to continued work on the Shared-Bike program discussed above, I want to build on the commitment I got from the City in 2008 to triple the number of hybrid vehicles to be added to the City’s vehicle fleet.
I realize that many of these goals are ambitious and long-term, but I don’t think we can afford to think small on the environment. We all know that the more our government involves community leaders and activists, the better any policy initiative becomes, so I mean it – please give me your comments, advice, stories, proposals, etc. I welcome all of them. If you’d like to learn more about these proposals, you can view a video of my introduction of the Green Agenda to the City Council and visit my website connollyforboston.com for more details. Thanks, and I look forward to your comments.
