Month: December 2014

Economic Benefits of Urban Green Spaces

Evan 21 Comments

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Persuasive Research Paper

Of

Economic Benefits of Urban Green Spaces

Luke Fontes, Kevin O’Halloran, William Reich

 

NATSCI 397A Professional Writing

Evan Ross

December 4, 2014

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Urban Green Spaces and the Green Industry

The economic and ecological benefits of urban green spaces are undeniable. The green industry is one of the fastest growing segments of the nation’s agricultural economy and has produced roughly 1,964,339 jobs, according to a USDA-funded research report (Hall, Haydu, & Hodges, 2011). The green industry is made up of green roof construction, sustainable landscaping, waste reduction services, arborists, garden centers, lawn care services, and many more (Hall, Haydu, & Hodges, 2011). In the most simplistic terms, the green industry are economies that striving towards a more sustainable development. Adopting policies that advocate for the green industry and green spaces in Springfield, MA would improve the economy and environmental health of the city and its inhabitants. These policies would act as solutions to some of the environmental problems that municipalities encounter, due to the natural benefits of green spaces.

The development of our natural environment into an urban landscape has eliminated vegetation that is crucial to a healthy and sustainable environment (Carter & Fowler, 2008). There are a number of ways in which green spaces can be effectively implemented into a urban environment. Ranging from green roofs to rain gardens between roadways, each serves an important purpose in a larger system. The Environmental Protection Agency (2014) defines green spaces as areas with any type of vegetation, whether it is grass, shrubs, or trees. However, for the sake of this paper, we will be referring to solely green roofs and sidewalk rain gardens when discussing urban green space. Urban green spaces are often made for recreational areas or for simple aesthetics, but there are a number of ways in which green infrastructure can also contribute to assist in resolving many environmental issues, such as storm water runoff and greenhouse gasses, while also having a monetary gain through savings (Gale, 2014).

Often when people envision green roofs they imagine a flourishing green garden. While sometimes this may be the case, the design and construction of green roofs vary depending on many factors. For example, the climate, orientation, location, and building characteristics are all considered when deciding the appropriate green roof to implement (Hilary, 2014). Green roofs are broken down into two different types, extensive and intensive. Extensive green roofs follow more simplistic requirements, and are often used on single and multi family residential homes. The planting medium usually ranges between 2-4”, and minimal vegetation is used to limit roof loads and maintenance needs. According to Hilary, the benefits of extensive green roofs are mainly water use and thermal advantages, with the intention of keeping overall weight low and requiring access only during maintenance. Hilary continues to discuss how intensive green roofs are more lavish and aesthetically pleasing, and typically are used on commercial buildings. Planting mediums range between 6-10”, and includes vegetation such as grasses, ground covers, shrubs, flowers, and even trees. Some intensive green roofs even include walkways and sitting areas, encouraging people to utilize the gardens. Intensive green roofs require additional maintenance because of the diverse variety of vegetation they support. Commercial buildings are ideal for intensive green roofs because they have higher roof loads that allow for human activity and higher abundance of materials. Intensive green roofs are often referred to as “rooftop gardens”(Hilary, 2010).

Municipal Problems

Xie, Zhang, Zhang, Zhang, & Zhang (2012) argue that urbanization has interfered with the natural process of rainwater filtration, and in turn has lead to polluted runoff that is re-entering our waterways. There are a number of environmental circumstances that affect rainwater runoff. For example, type of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet), intensity of precipitation, duration of the precipitation, and amount of precipitation, to name a few (Speak, Rothwell, Lindley, Smith (2013) . Also, the buildings and structures in urban environments are predominantly made of impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces are artificial structures such as sidewalks, roads and buildings made of materials that prevent rainwater to infiltrate into the ground (Xie et. al 2012). Impervious surface interrupt the natural filtration cycle of water, which leads to storm water pooling that gets redirected to the municipal sewage systems. The storm water collects pollutants as it runs down the buildings and flows along these impervious surfaces. In the process, unwanted contaminants are collected in the runoff and directed into the sewage systems as well (Xie et. al 2012). Our sewer systems are intended to divert rainwater from the streets, directing it to wastewater treatment plants and our natural waterways, ensuring that lakes and rivers remain at a capacity able to sustain life. However, these wastewater treatment plants are directing contaminated water from these urban areas into these lakes and rivers, harming the natural environment. MAKE BLOCK FORMAT- Why is storm water pollution so bad? As polluted water makes its way to the oceans, water quality can be affected, which often results in the closing of local beaches due to unhealthy water conditions. Storm water carries disease-causing bacteria and viruses. Swimming in polluted waters can make you sick. A study in Santa Monica Bay showed that people who swim in front of flowing storm drains are 50 percent more likely to develop certain symptoms than those who swim 400 yards from the same drain. Illnesses generally associated with swimming in water contaminated with urban runoff include earaches, sinus problems, diarrhea, fever and rashes. Polluted storm water can also hurt aquatic life. Cigarette butts, the number one most littered item in America, have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales and other marine creatures that mistake them for food. The plastic loops that hold six-packs of beer or soda together can strangle seabirds. (United States Environmental Protection Agency, 2014)

Urbanization not only takes away the landscapes ability to absorb water; it has caused problems within our atmosphere and environment with the reduction of vegetation in favor of large buildings, structures, and streets (e.g. impervious surfaces). Without the vegetation we lose carbon sink, which causes an abundance of unwanted greenhouse gas.   A “sink” is a naturally occurring part of the environment that absorbs gases and particulates from the air, with the largest being the worlds oceans and vegetation (“Trees Reduce Air Pollution”, 2011). Sinks are the opposite of “sources”, which add carbon and other gases to the air, such as the burning of fossil fuels. Urbanization indirectly causes a net increase of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which contributes to global warming. There is typically more air pollution in urban and developed areas caused by burning fossil fuels with the extra amount of activity. Therefore, resulting in high emissions from industrial and manufacturing processes to contribute with pollution coming from households. The added air pollution and the lack of vegetation to remove the particulates and gases from the atmosphere results in what is called the heat island effect.

The heat island effect is a phenomenon that occurs in more developed and urban areas in which the temperature is hotter than in the surrounding suburban and rural areas. In some cases the difference in temperatures can be as high as 22 degrees Fahrenheit (Environmental Protection Agency, 2014). The urban heat island effect can result in numerous negative side effects for residence of the community. For example, higher temperatures result in greater energy consumption and air conditioning costs, and in the most extreme conditions can even result in health complications (EPA, 2014).

Our Proposal

Urban green spacing is economically beneficial due to the positive effects it can have on the environment and human health. We chose Springfield to be the location that we work toward making a greener city. We felt that Springfield would be an appropriate city to implement this plan because its is still a developing city. To do so we want to use both green roofs and sidewalk planter boxes because they are the beneficial economically and environmentally. We want to install two policies in the city of Springfield to enforce the use of green roofs, with the first being that any new buildings should be required to have green roofs. This makes it so that owners have no choice of not using green roofs, whether it is for a preference of other sustainable rooftop system or opposition due to cost. The second policy is that every street should implement green space in the form of storm water retaining planter boxes. This encourages natural filtration of the rainwater into the soil rather than redirecting the water along the street into the municipal sewage system. Along with the resulting economic and environmental benefits of these policies, there will also be an aesthetic benefit. Much like what was done in the city of Toronto, green roof projects will be given grants at a value of $50.00 per m2 of green roofs up to a total of $100,000 to assist with construction costs (Toronto.ca).

How This Affects You

As we have discussed thus far urban development has been the cause of many environmental downfalls. Therefore, it is important that the people living in these communities are well educated about the problem, and also how they can partake in the solution. An effective way in any situation to create awareness amongst a community is when there is opportunity for economic benefit. The impacts of green roofs economically affect residents in many ways. By implementing green roofs and other vegetation you are reducing energy consumption through heating and cooling costs .In a study conducted by the City of Chicago Department of Environment (2003), green roofs were found to reduce roof temperature fluctuations by about 8 degrees compared to traditional roofing materials, making for a more consistent interior temperature.   This of course would be dependent on the type of green roof being used. Intensive green roofs range from 6-10” of soil with vegetation, while extensive green roofs range from 2-4” and have minimal vegetation. In a study conducted by Carnegie Mellon University (2011) about the thermal performance of green roofs on two campus buildings, they were able to conclude that the green roof improved the thermal performance of the roof by reducing heat gain in cooling months and reducing heat loss in heating months. In the heating months of 2009 and 2010, it was found that on average, 26% less heat was lost from the green roof than was lost from the control roof (Becker & Wang, 2011). Also, the presence of plants and growing media reduces the amount of solar radiation reaching the roof’s surface. In doing so, you are also decreasing roof surface temperatures and heat influx during warm-weather months (Becker & Wang, 2011). This again is dependent on the type of green roof and the consistency.

The hidden and more indirect benefits of having green spaces that we cannot put a price tag on, is our health. There are two sides to this, your mental and physical health. Urban areas are usually characterized by cement buildings, asphalt roads, and virtually no trees or other forms of vegetation. In a project put together by Ph.D. K. Flora and K. Wolf (2010) they claim that “urban nature, when provided as… walkways and incorporated into building design, provides calming and inspiring environments and encourages learning, inquisitiveness, and alertness… Planter [boxes], gardens, green roofs, and other features can be incorporated into building design to address mental health and cognitive function.” This study shows that having planter boxes on the side of the road would be conducive to improving people’s mental health. Also, in a study published in BMC Public Health (2010) it was found that, compared to walking or running in urban environments, physical activity in green spaces led to decreased anger, fatigue, and feelings of depression in addition to increased attention levels. The benefits to your mental health are less documented and recognizable than physical benefits, but studies have been done to conclude the benefit.

Urban green spaces also help to increase workplace satisfaction and productivity. One study found that Employees with an outside view of plants experience less job pressure and greater job satisfaction that workers viewing man made objects. These same workers also reported fewer headaches and other health conditions that workers without a natural view. Another study by the Virginia Cooperative Extension (2009) claimed that psychologists have found that access to plants and green spaces provides a sense of rest and allows workers to be more productive, thus bringing in more money for the company

The physical health benefits that come from green roofs and planters boxes are mostly respiratory, and again, hard to give a monetary value. This can be attributed to the better air quality that results from more vegetation in urban areas. The vegetation isn’t just a carbon sink; the particulates that you can breathe in can be in the form of smoke, ash, dust, pollen, and pollen (Maryland DNR, 2009). All of these particulates can harm your lungs, and there are many gases and other particles that are absorbed through trees that could proven to be carcinogenic. Some of the gases that are absorbed from the atmosphere are known to be harmful such as carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, and in turn oxygen is released leaving our air more fresh and healthy for us to breathe (“Trees reduce Air Pollution”, 2011). Having more vegetation around would lead to fewer people with respiratory diseases and other illnesses.

 

What Has Worked Elsewhere

Some cities such as Toronto have already began to make progress towards a more sustainable future by implementing green strategies and policies. In 2008, the City Council put in place a strategy for climate change adaptation, as well as placed an increasing importance on the creation of a city that is “resilient to the projected effects of climate change”(City of Toronto, 2009). In doing so, the city changed and introduced environmental policies into their official plan. The following year in 2009 the City Council approved the Toronto Green Standard, a two-tier set of environmental performance measures applied during the planning process to create more sustainable developments and help build a resilient city. The Toronto Green Standard is an important performance management tool for new development, aimed at lessening future infrastructure demands and environmental impacts. Also during 2009, Council adopted the City’s Green Roof By-law, making Toronto the first City in North America to have a by-law to require and govern the construction of green roofs on new development. Overall, Toronto has paved the way for other cities when it comes to innovative and progressive sustainable strategies. The Toronto Green Standard integrates environmental performance requirements established through City policy, guidelines and regulations (City of Toronto, 2008). By making sustainability part of the Official plan of the city, they have set the precedent for others that are interested in striving towards a more resilient and sustainable community.

Urban green spaces can also help increase the property value of a building. The additional aesthetic benefit of the green space is attributive to its other functions. The increase in property value as a result of green space has been proven and documented in numerous studies. In an article by Smart Money Magazine (2003) it is shown that consumers value a landscaped home up to 11.3% higher than its base price. This is an incentive for business owners and municipalities to get excited and involved with sustainability movement. Also, in the study The Freeway Roadside Environment (2000), conducted by the University of Washington College of Forest resources, three neighborhoods in Boulder Colorado indicated that property values decreased by $4.20 for each foot away from a green space.

The ability of these practices to deliver multiple ecological, economic and social benefits or services has made green infrastructure an increasingly popular strategy in recent years (Philadelphia Water Department, 2014). While many cities have already made giant steps towards a healthier, more sustainable environment, others are now following having seen the benefits these cities are experiencing. The industry association Green Roofs for Healthy Cities announced last fall in a press release that Toronto’s green roof requirements had already resulted in more than 1.2 million square feet (113,300 square meters) of new green space planned on commercial, institutional, and multifamily residential developments in the city (Benfield, 2012). According to the association, the benefits will include more than 125 full-time jobs related to the manufacture, design, installation and maintenance of the roofs; reduction of more than 435,000 cubic feet of storm water (enough to fill about 50 Olympic-size swimming pools) each year; and annual energy savings of over 1.5 million KWH for building owners (Benfield 2012). On the other hand, cities such as Philadelphia are following Toronto’s lead and have began to take part in the process.

The city of Philadelphia has a vision to “protect and enhance our watersheds by managing storm water runoff with innovative green storm water infrastructure throughout our city, maximizing economic, social, and environmental benefits for Philadelphia”(Philadelphia Water Department, 2014). Philadelphia has also taken some big strides towards getting the community involved In the process of doing so. Philadelphia put into effect a number of different strategies to get the community engaged. Businesses committed to storm water reduction and management can earn storm water credits, recognition, and other rewards. Community groups, institutions, neighborhood associations and others are invited to partner on watershed protection programs. Toronto’s initiative to strive towards a more sustainable future has hopefully began a revolution. What Toronto has accomplished, and what Philadelphia is currently working in the direction of is admirable. By encouraging the participation of both the municipality and the community, we hope to make sustainability part of every city’s Official Plan.

 

Resistant Audience

When it comes to green roofs like any innovative technology, you are going to face opposition. While the benefits of green roofs seem to outweigh the downfalls, there are still some opposition that needs to be addressed. One opposing argument against green roofs is going to be costs. The initial estimated costs of installing a green roof start at $10 per square foot for simpler extensive roofing, and $25 per square foot for intensive roofs. Annual maintenance costs for either type of roof may range from $0.75–$1.50 per square foot (Environmental Protection Agency, 2013). While the initial costs of a green roof is more than that of a conventional roof, you will soon begin to see the payback through lower energy consumption, storm water management costs, and potentially through a longer life cycle than that of a conventional roof.   A University of Michigan study (2008) compared the expected costs of conventional roofs with the cost of a 21,000-square-foot (1,950 m2) green roof and all its benefits, such as storm water management and improved public health from the absorption of unwanted greenhouse gases. The green roof would cost $464,000 to install versus $335,000 for a conventional roof. However, over its lifetime, the green roof would save about $200,000,nearly two-thirds of these savings would come from reduced energy needs for the building with the green roof (Environmental Protection Agency, 2013). However, when installing a green roof you are doing it for the environmental value rather than the monetary value, but not everyone follows these same morals. Another opposing argument is the effectiveness of green roofs. However, this argument is easily rebutted by factual evidence and numerous case studies, and is equivocal to people arguing the legitimacy of global warming.

The implementation of these environmental policies and strategies into the overall plan of our cities is necessary. Green roofs are becoming popular in the United States, with roughly 8.5 million square feet installed or in progress as of June 2008(Environmental Protection Agency, 2013). With the levels of energy consumption and pollution that are a result of our urban environments, we need standards in place to assure we are working towards a more sustainable future. The benefits of going forward with urban green space is undeniable, and outweighs the opposing argument. In conclusion, we are involved in the beginning of a movement something that is essential to the well being of our future environment. With the education and participation within each local community, we can begin to move in the right direction.

 

Reference List

 

Becker, D. & Wang, D. (2011, May 12). Retreived from http://www.cmu.edu/environment/campus-green-design/green-roofs/documents/heat-transfer-and-thermal-performance-analysis.pdf

 

Benfield, K. (2012, April 25). Toronto’s leadership for green roofs. [Web log comment]. Retrieved from http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/kbenfield/torontos_leadership_for_green.html

 

Bowler, D., Buyung-Ali, L., Knight, T,.& Pullin, A. (2010) A systematic review of evidence for the added benefits to health of exposure to natural environments. BMC Public Health 10. doi:10.1186/1471-2458-10-456

 

Carter,T. & Fowler, L. (2008). Establishing green roof infrastructure through environmental policy instruments.Environmental Management 42, pp.151-164. doi: 10.1007/s00267-008-9095-5

Evans, E. (n.d.). Trees of Strength. Retrieved from http://www.ncsu.edu/project/treesofstrength/benefits.htm

 

Hall, C., Haydu, J., & Hodges, W. (2011). Economic impacts of the green industry in the United States. Retrieved from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe566

 

Featured story: Stormwater runoff. (2013, November 25).Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/region9/water/npdes/stormwater-feature.html

 

Flora, K. & Wolf, K. (2010, December 10). Mental health & function. Retrieved from

http://depts.washington.edu/hhwb/Thm_Mental.html

 

Green roof bylaw. (n.d.).Retrieved from http://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=83520621f3161410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=3a7a036318061410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD

 

Green stormwater infrastructure. (2014).Retrieved fromhttp://www.phillywatersheds.org/what_were_doing/green_infrastructure

 

Heat island effect. (2014, July 31). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/heatisland/

 

Hilary, D. (2010, July 31). Intensive vs extensive green roofs: what’s the difference? Retrieved December 3, 2014, from http://www.greenroofplan.com/intensive-vs-extensive-green-roofs/

 

Lindley, S., Rothwell, J., Smith, C., & Speak, A. (2013, January). Rainwater runoff retention on an aged intensive green roof. Science of the Total Environment, 461, pp. 28-38.

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.04.085

Net Benefits and Costs of a Green Roof on John Crerar Library over 40 Years at a 6% Discount Rate. (n.d.). [Graph illustration of cost and benefit analysis] Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Online Collection. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/infomark.do?&source=gale&idigest=f1eac380167b7605799a391ef47d98d2&prodId=GRNR&userGroupName=mlin_w_umassamh&tabID=T011&docId=GD3208730906&type=retrieve&contentSet=GREF&version=1.0

 

What is open space/green space? (2014, May 6). Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/region1/eco/uep/openspace.html

 

Relf, D. (2009, May 1). The value of landscaping. Retrieved from http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/publications/urban2.html

 

Temperature fluctuations at membrane horizon by roof type. July 15-20, 2003. (2004). [Graph illustration of temperature fluctuations on roofs]. Global Reference on the Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources Online Collection. Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/infomark.do?&source=gale&idigest=f1eac380167b7605799a391ef47d98d2&prodId=GRNR&userGroupName=mlin_w_umassamh&tabID=T011&docId=GD3208730905&type=retrieve&contentSet=GREF&version=1.0

 

The value of green infrastructure. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.cnt.org/repository/gi-values-guide.pdf

 

Trees reduce air pollution. (n.d.) Retrieved from http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/publications/urban2.html

 

Wolf, K. (2010) The freeway roadside environment: Testing visual quality at the road edge.Retrieved from http://www.naturewithin.info/Roadside/Rsd-Prefs-FS9.pdf

 

Xie, G., Zhang, B., Zhang, C., & Zhang, J. (2012). The economic benefits of rainwater-runoff reduction by urban green spaces: A case study in Beijing, China. Journal Of Environmental Management, 100, pp. 65-71.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2012.01.015

 

Renewable Energy Policy in Massachusetts

Evan 11 Comments

Philip Williams (NRC), Ryan Crawford (Environmental Science), Kevin Hollerbach (Science),
Hyatt Benkiran (Animal Science)


Introduction

According to the Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation report,

“The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is already experiencing the effects of climate change in the form of hotter summers, rising sea levels, more frequent flooding, and warmer waters — leading to a growing concern about how the impacts of these changes will affect the state‘s future.” (Cash, et. al., 2011, p. 8)

Climate change originating from fossil fuel usage will affect hundreds of businesses, thousands of families, and millions of individuals across the state. Boston itself will be underwater without intervention against the rising sea levels resulting from climate change (Suarez, Anderson, Mahal, & Lakshmanan, 2005, para. 1). It is imperative that leaders in the statehouse understand the severe impeding risks associated with climate change and do everything in their power to prevent these catastrophic events from destroying the commonwealth as we know it.

Background

Aside from obvious direct impacts on the commonwealth due to climate change, there are many indirect factors that will affect the state as well. Hundreds of thousands of “climate refugees” are expected to emerge from rising sea levels, drought, scarce food supplies, and catastrophic heat waves. With colder winters and milder summers, the Northeast is an ideal candidate as a location for climate refugees to settle. With a large population increase, local residents will see less food availability, higher crime rates, and higher taxes.

Another major implication of fossil fuels and climate change is environmental justice. In Massachusetts, minorities are disproportionately affected by point-source pollution. According to Northeastern University researchers Dr. Faber and Dr. Krieg (2005), the greatest number of point-source pollution sites are also where 25% or more of the population is non-white (p. 18). If Massachusetts administrations want to stress social justice issues, focusing on renewable energy and climate mitigation will benefit minority groups as well because it will provide more minority-identified people with a better standard of living.  Thus, in turn, Massachusetts will achieve a higher level of equality. As newly elected governor, Charlie Baker (2014) has been stressing “public safety” in his newly developed urban agenda, disproportionate effects of pollution on urban areas and areas with higher percentages of minorities need to be addressed.

Another major benefit of addressing climate change in the commonwealth is the creation of green jobs. The first priority of newly elected governor Charlie Baker is economic growth and jobs. If he is serious about this agenda item, renewable energy development should be stressed during his administration. According to Danielle Byrnett (2014) in the “Clean Energy Workforce Development” PowerPoint, the first step towards creating these “green jobs” is to support renewable energy and energy efficiency policies. Therefore, an increase in support for these policies from the governor, and the development of strategies to increase renewable energy research, siting, and development will aid in his desire to decrease unemployment rates and boost the economy in the commonwealth.

Because of the multitude of problems that climate change and pollution cause, and because of all of the benefits that would arise from pushing renewable energy technologies across the board, policies that ease the research, citing, and development of these systems are imperative.Policy focusing on the production and implementation of renewable energy technologies are not being pushed urgently enough when compared to the urgent nature of climate change. Therefore, the next Massachusetts gubernatorial administration should prioritize renewable energies and expedite the development of these systems.

Major impacts tothe implication of renewable energy are the citizens themselves. Many wealthy homeowners reject and slow local pushes for renewable energy sighting and planning because of personal interests. In Massachusetts, the Cape Wind Energy project itself was delayed nearly a decade from its original installation date because of public homeowners slowing the process (Seelye, 2014, para. 6). These individuals slow the sighting and implication of wind turbines and other renewable energy systems due to the view they pay for, and opposing alternative energy sources which may ruin that view or disturb a surrounding area. They dispute these systems despite their clear benefits to the community.These people are referred to as “NIMBYs,” which stands for “not in my backyard”. However, fighting against alternative energy sources perpetuates the high demand for fossil fuels in Massachusetts. Myths such as ambient noise from windmills affecting residents’ health are only myths. These arguments against renewable energy systems have no basis in science.

Even in Amherst, Massachusetts, there are opposition groups to installing photovoltaic cells. The Amherst Citizens for Responsible Solar have several arguments including health concerns regarding putting solar panels on a landfill (Hersh, 2011). Although these concerns were addressed by town officials, the group has still been a major impediment to the project and may cause the system to never be installed. Projects on public land could be put to a popular vote to discourage small, militant groups from impeding the installation of renewable energy systems too much. In another case of “NIMBY” this group has thrown a wrench in the process of developing renewable energy systems for selfish interests.  Opposition to renewable energy sources is a huge cause to our main claim, but what about our current fossil fuel usage in this state?

The usage of fossils fuels throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts has been the major priority of electricity generation for a long time.  According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, Massachusetts has three liquefied natural gas import terminals, and only one of them has received imports since 2010.  This supplies about 20% of New England’s demand for natural gas, while the rest comes by pipeline throughout the state.  Also within Massachusetts, heating oil reserves storage sites, which are used to help with the fluctuations of home heating oil is located in Revere, Massachusetts. Utilization of fossil fuels will always be the go-to option everywhere in the world, not just in Massachusetts. However, finding new ways to help them burn more efficiently will help with our climate change issues. Another significant fact about fossil fuels in Massachusetts is that 63% of electricity came from natural gas, and 12% from coal in 2013. Further, coal fired power plants will all be shut down within the next few years, since natural gas is really beginning to take over. However, this is still a fossil fuel that is affecting climate change, and renewable energies will need to help offset it for future generations. As far as consumption by each sector for fossil fuels transportation hits the highest rank with 450.3 trillion BTU, followed by residential use which is 408.6 trillion Btu, commercial use is 270.3 trillion Btu, and finally industrial makes up the smallest scale with 256.8 trillion Btu (U.S. Energy, 2014). Also according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (2014), “Compared to the U.S. average, a greater proportion of Massachusetts residents (31 percent) use fuel oil as their main space heating fuel and a much smaller proportion of residents (10 percent) use electricity, according to EIA’s Residential Energy Consumption Survey” (U.S. Energy, 2014).For a highly progressive state, it is impressive to think that today Massachusetts’s residents continue to rely so heavily on fossil fuels.  Further, as one of the leading states in renewable energy, Massachusetts becomes an example for other states to follow. However, these statistics prove that as a role model, Massachusetts is not as ideal as it could or should be.  Moreover, the overall usage of fossil fuels throughout the commonwealth of Massachusetts needs to be changed drastically to help slow down the problems associated with climate change.

Resistant Audience

For a state that is considered by many to be very energetically progressive, the dependency on fossil fuels and coal is remarkably high, suggesting there is still room for more improvement.  It is easy to believe that Massachusetts, with Boston ranking as “the ‘5th’ Most Sustainable City’ in the U.S. by the Economist Intelligence Unit and the ‘3rd Greenest City’ in North America by Popular Science,” is on the forefront of battling climate change  (Goldstein, 2011, p. 39).  As was indicated earlier, not only does this state still rely heavily on fossil fuels, but it also has citizens who are willingly slowing down efforts to battle climate because they prioritize the aesthetics of their surroundings to a couple of wind turbines or solar panels.  This suggests that while Massachusetts is ahead of other states in North America, it is not necessarily progressive with respect to the urgent nature of climate change as a whole.

Further, Massachusetts is one of the most densely populated states in the Nation, making it a significantly important place to focus on the dependence on renewable energy when compared to other states (EIA, 2014).  Further, buildings eat up “40% of primary energy annually in the United States,” meaning that if currently old buildings that rely on fossil fuels or coal are not renovated, rebuilt, or retrofitted to go with the renewable energy agenda, eventually the states’ anti-climate change progress will slow down (Mass.gov, 2014).  Massachusetts is also on the coast, making it more susceptible to climate change conditions in terms of rising sea levels and coastal alterations.  This puts Massachusetts in a delicate position, suggesting Massachusetts has the potential to emit more greenhouse gases than other states because of how densely populated it is, and because of its partial reliance on non-renewable resources.

It might also be argued that renewable energy is too expensive to start off with, however it is actually more cost effective when the economic impacts of climate change are taken into consideration.  It is predicted that, “A sea level rise of 0.65 meters (26 inches) in Boston by 2050 could damage assets worth an estimated $463 billion” (Cash, et. al., 2011, p. 2).  This is exceedingly more money than the Massachusetts state budget of $36 billion (Mass.gov, 2014).  Therefore, it would just add more costs if policy makers do not put more focus on streamlining.  It is especially detrimental considering Eastern Massachusetts is more heavily populated than Western Massachusetts.  Therefore, this would affect not only the state as a whole financially and otherwise, but the individual people who live around the area as well.

Proposal

After Deval Patrick’s relatively progressive stances on renewable energy sources, newly elected governor Charlie Baker has a big reputation to live up to. Even after Patrick’s many proposals, policies, and laws in the push for a greener Massachusetts, much more needs to be done to remain ahead of the curve on energy. Charlie Baker needs to focus on three major areas for Massachusetts to become and remain an example for states across the country; streamlining permitting policies, renewable energy investment, and the creation of “green collar” jobs.

Baker proposes a “balanced” approach in terms of renewable energy, “I will pursue a balanced approach that includes natural gas, wind, solar and hydroelectric generation, with a strong emphasis on efficiency to reduce the cost of energy and reduce our carbon footprint” (Baker, 2014, para. 3). While it is beneficial that Charlie Baker is interested in pursuing different forms of renewable energy, natural gas should not be included, as natural gas is, by definition, not renewable. If Baker (2014) is truly concerned with reducing the state’s carbon footprint and meeting the carbon emission cutting goals of 80% by 2050, he needs to fight against all fossil fuels including natural gas. Pursuing other renewable energies with streamlined policies, and advocating for these systems is essential.

The streamlining of permitting policies needs to be addressed throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, since state bureaucracy has previously impeded the sighting and development of certain renewable energy sources.  The biggest concern is shortening the overall time spent obtaining the permits for renewable energy sources.  Massachusetts needs to create more one stop permitting programs like the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act (Kimmel, Bumkin, & Evans, 2011, para. 9).  In this example, The authors argued that the Wind Energy Sighting Act passed under the Patrick administration simplifies the process of sighting and wind turbines for renewable energy, and creates clear sighting standards, establishes one-stop permitting at local and state levels, and overall eases the appeals process (Kimmel, Bumkin, & Evans, 2011, para. 9).  Creating and utilizing more of these programs in Massachusetts will help us move towards a greener state.  The next governor, Charlie Baker, and the new politicians in the legislature need to continue what Patrick has slowly started but get the process of streamlining of permits for the siting of renewable energy sources.  A source like solar panels is similar to wind turbines since they both need space, and creating a standard like the Wind Energy Siting Reform Act would help get panels on state and local lands.

An example of where the streamlining process is really being pushed and utilized is in Vermont. In a case presentation done by the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), they have commented that most states currently have a complex system when it comes to permitting requirements for renewable energy sources at both municipality and county levels. The beginning of this streamlining process began in 2011 when House Bill 56 was enacted in the state of Vermont. This bill created a streamlining policy that expedited the permitting process statewide to only 10 days for solar net-metering systems of 5-kW or less, and in 2012 provisions were expanded to include solar systems of 10-kW or less.  The overall process to obtain a permit begins with a customer submitting a completed one-page registration form and a certification of compliance to the energy office in the Vermont Public Service Board (PSB).  After everything is submitted, the project enters a mandatory ten-day waiting period where the interconnecting electric company may issue a letter to the customer and the PSB with any problems, and if no letter is submitted in ten days, a Certificate of Public Good is issued (NASEO, 2013, p. 10).  With the certificate deemed, facility construction can begin whenever.  This example may be on the small scale for solar panels, but building off this bill, Massachusetts can also streamline their current provisions for all renewable energy sources including geothermal, wind, hydroelectric, and solar.

Germany is a great model in thegreen energy field, and has set footsteps that Massachusetts, and other states, should follow. Germany has enacted grid priorities to companies supplying power generated by a renewable source, so that clean energy doesn’t compete with conventional energy, allowing renewable energy companies to have the advantage in the market. Low interest loans are also highly accessible on new renewable energy plants, to allow for easy installation and to provide stable, renewable energy to the country (Bozsoki, 2014). All pushed by the Act on Granting Priority to Renewable Energy Sources, Germany is achieving a level of renewable and clean energy standard that Massachusetts cannot compare tobut can accomplish. In  2011 Germany also passed the KfW policy, a policy that streamlined and pushed for off the coast wind energy similar to the streamlining of wind energy here in Massachusetts. It provides funding and investments for up to 70% of the installation of wind turbines in their coastal regions, something Massachusetts does not have (IEA, 2011). Germany has many similar funding programs that are key incentives for renewable energy, as well as research and minimum levels of biofuel use rather than conventional fuels. The Biofuels Quota Act set a minimum of 6.25% of  all fuel used in road transportation must be biofuel based, rather than conventional petrol. By 2015 quotas on reductions of greenhouse gas emissions will become in effect, and by 2020 the minimum biofuel use will be increased to 7% (IEA, 2011). Following in the policies and incentives that Germany set up, Massachusetts can meet the urgent nature of climate change head on, and provide stable, clean energy to the residents of the state.

After the Second World War, thousands of returning veterans were given jobs building the nation’s infrastructure. From highways, to railroads, to power plants, these people worked for years to build and maintain the infrastructure that powers the U.S. today. This lead to huge economic gains, and allowed the United States to become and remain the dominant world power. Creating green jobs and a new renewable economy will once again allow the United States to lead the world, but rather than leading the world in military prowess or automobile manufacturing, the country can be recognized for research and technology that has the potential to save the planet. Massachusetts is the perfect setting to spark the green economy revolution. With subsidizations for renewable energy companies, these “green collar” jobs will be created, boosting the economy and therefore saving the state from long-term catastrophic environmental events. Governor-elected Charlie Baker has made promises to decrease the unemployment rate and make the commonwealth more sustainable. He can achieve both with one simple policy for subsidizing renewable energy companies rather than oil or gas companies.

 

Conclusion

In order to save our state, country, and planet, major actions, specifically on the part of our lawmakers, must take place. With a new governor in the Commonwealth, and as the effects of climate change are ever looming, the aforementioned actions need to be taken swiftly and decisively. Some effects of climate change are already irreversible and we will already face significant events such as sea level rise (Solomon, Plattner, Knutti, & Freidlingsten, 2008, para. 9). However, if administrations finally obtain the wherewithal to make the switch to renewables, they can prevent even further damage to the state and the planet. Citizens are also responsible to take climate policies and renewable energy policies seriously at the voting booths, to be sure that state officials are concerned with these issues. Without a clean, safe, and carbon-free environment, nothing else will be possible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References:

Baker, C. (2014). Charlie releases urban agenda, policies to promote economic
independence, stronger communities in MA cities. charliebaker2014.com. Retrieved from https://www.charliebaker2014.com/urbanagenda

 

Baker, C. (2014). Charlie Baker’s answers to questions on environmental issues. (2014). Boston Globe. Retrieved from http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/politics/2014/10/07/charlie-baker-answers-questions-environmental-issues/zPJrvK2yXAxVh9W7PE36cI/story.html

 

Bill h.4001. (2014). Retrieved from https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4001

 

Byrnett, D. Clean energy workforce development: Growing green jobs to achieve climate and energy goals. EPA. Retrieved from http://www.epa.gov/statelocalclimate/documents/pdf/CPPD_CE_WD_PPT_4-28-09.pdf

 

Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. (2011).  Massachusetts Climate Change Adaptation Report. Retrieved from http://www.mass.gov/eea/docs/eea/energy/cca/eea-climate-adaptation-report.pdf

 

Faber, D.,  & Krieg, E. (2005). Unequal exposure to ecological hazards 2005: Environmental injustices in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. [Data File]. Retrieved from http://www.northeastern.edu/nejrc/wp-content/uploads/Final-Unequal-Exposure-Report-2005-10-12-05.pdf

 

Goldstein, N. (2011). Boston bold on climate change. BioCycle, 52(12), 38-42. Retrieved from GreenFile.

 

Hersh, R. (2011). Amherst, Massachusetts: Impediments to solar installations on closed landfills.

[Data File]. Retrieved from http://www.cpeo.org/pubs/AmherstSolar.pdf

 

IEA – Renewable Energy. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.iea.org/policiesandmeasures/renewableenergy/?country=Germany

 

Kimmell, K., Bumkin, A. & Evans, R. (2011). Wind energy facility siting in Massachusetts. Natural Resources & Environment, 25(2), 8-11. Retrieved from ProQuest.

 

Martin, M. (2014). Focus on migration: A closer look at ‘climate refugees’. Africa News Service.

Retrieved from http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/infomark.do?&source=gale&idigest=f1eac380167b7605799a391ef47d98d2&prodId=GRNR&userGroupName=mlin_w_umassamh&tabID=T004&docId=A387547626&type=retrieve&PDFRange=%5B%5D&contentSet=IAC-Documents&version=1.0

 

EIA – Massachusetts state profile and energy estimates. (2013, December 18). Retrieved from http://www.eia.gov/state/analysis.cfm?sid=MA

 

Seelye, K. (2014, February 26). Funds and new timetable for offshore wind farm in Massachusetts. The New York Times. Retrieved October 29, 2014, from http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/27/us/funds-and-new-timetable-for-offshore-wind-farm-in-massachusetts.html?_r=1

 

Solomon, S., Plattner, G., Knutti, R., & Freidlingsten, P. (2008). Irreversible climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions. Proceedings of the National Academy of the United States of America. Retrieved from http://www.pnas.org/content/106/6/1704.long

 

 

Suarez, P., Anderson, W., Mahal, V., & Lakshmanan, T.R. (2005). Impacts of flooding and climate change on urban transportation: A systemwide performance assessment of the Boston metro area. Journal of  Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 10, 231-244.

 

U.S. Energy Information Administration [EIA]. (2014). Massachusetts State Profile and Energy Estimates [Data file]. Retrieved from  http://www.eia.gov/state/?sid=MA

 

National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO). (2013). NASEO Best Practices Review: Streamlined Renewable Energy Permitting Initiatives [Data file]. Retrieved from http://www.naseo.org/data/sites/1/documents/publications/NASEO-Best-Practices-Review–Streamlined-RE-Permitting-Initiatives.p

The use of controlled fires to reestablish shrubland habitat for the New England cottontail

Evan 12 Comments

One of the most recognizable backyard animals is the rabbit. It quietly hops among the grass in your lawn, foraging for food. It has brown ears, big black eyes, long hind feet, and a small tuft of a white tail. You think, oh it’s a bunny. Or perhaps you can correctly identify it as a cottontail. What you are likely seeing is an eastern cottontail, a prolific, invasive rabbit that was introduced to New England and spread rapidly throughout the region. In addition to being a general pest that destroys our gardens, the eastern cottontail impacts native species and can serve as a vector for harmful diseases to both our family and pets (Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, n.d.). But did you know that New England also has an environmentally beneficial native cottontail? Continue Reading →

Integrating Green Spaces Into the Urban Environment

Evan 16 Comments

wynnpic

Christopher Tran, John Waters, Dario Kantardzic

Prof. Evan  Ross

NATSCI 397A

December 2, 2014

 

As the human population grows within cities, the issue of overpopulation leads to increased urbanization. In a study titled, Effects of spatial form on urban commute for major cities in China (2014) , Zhao et al claim, “City compactness can be measured simply using urban spatial form or morphology: the more concentrated the built-up area, the more compact the city is” which shows the more people per square footage leads to a more crowded city. The many conveniences that buildings within cities offer attract large crowds of people in order to live, work, and attend school. Continue Reading →

Seeking Alternatives to Landfills

Evan 23 Comments

Jensen, Nathan, Animal Science                                                                                                       Nigrelli, James, Animal Science                                                                                                             McCallister, Shane, Urban Forestry

Seeking Alternatives to Landfills

Looking back to waste management techniques practiced in the late 1800’s, it was common to send barges filled with municipal waste out to sea to be openly dumped (Roberts, 2011). By disposing garbage into the ocean regularly, it can be assumed that there was little knowledge or care over the impacts that this had on the environment. The first significant improvement from open dumping did not happen until the Fresno Sanitary Landfill was established in 1937 (Vincenz, 2010). Being the first landfill to follow rules and regulations, it showed substantial progress in the waste management industry. Continue Reading →

Veal Calves

Evan 13 Comments

You’re at an upscale Italian restaurant and decide to splurge on veal parm, but have you ever thought of where that meat comes from? That calf you are enjoying was taken from it’s mother hours after birth and for it’s short time on this earth fed an inadequate diet and kept in a tiny crate where it couldn’t even turn around. Wouldn’t you be willing to spend afew extra dollars to know your dinner lived a better, less stressful life? Veal calves are the male offspring of the dairy dams and are therefore an unavoidable ethical dilemma. Although it cannot be stopped there is much room for improvement. In most states restricting movement to simply standing up and sitting down, purposely feeding inadequate milk replacers, and providing unsanitary living conditions are only some of the terrible things veal calves suffer through (MSPCA, 2014). These everyday stresses cause a weakened immune system leading to diseases and many stereotypic behaviors (Leadley, Sojda, 2004). These negative effects can decrease the quality if the meat produced by the farms these animals call home (Centner, 2009). The welfare and quality of life of veal calves on high production farms will be improved by improving diet and housing.

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Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Evan 14 Comments

Our planet is suffering from climate change due to human activity and greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide (CO2).  According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, 2013b), “Earth’s average temperature has risen by 1.4°F over the past century, and is projected to rise another 2 to 11.5°F over the next hundred years” (para. 1). This may not seem like much, but on a global scale the warming of Earth’s surface to this extent can change aspects of climate tremendously. Increasing global average temperatures will have drastic negative impacts on agriculture, water supplies, communities, and human health. Perhaps, focusing on one geographic area makes it easier to define the problem and how significant this issue actually is. The Northeast is susceptible to the impacts of climate change especially in coastal regions and due to the adverse weather patterns in the area. The Environmental Protection Agency (2013a) states that “As temperatures rise, farms and fisheries will likely face…problems with productivity, potentially damaging livelihoods and the regional economy” (para. 9).   More frequent heavy rains cause a rise in sea levels which will increase flooding in the Northeast (Environmental Protection Agency, 2013a, para. 4).  In spite of trying to minimize these effects, policy change is necessary in order to reduce the amount of harmful greenhouse gas emissions that fuel climate change.

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The Feasibility and Environmental Benefits of Utilizing Woody Biomass in Massachusetts

Evan 98 Comments

For a long time now man has dug for coal as a source of energy and it is still utilized globally. In coal burning power plants combusting coal generates energy and it heats up water that creates steam. The steam moves a turbine that creates electricity. Electricity uses over 90% of coal produced in the United States, accounting for 39% of the country’s electricity consumption. The United States is starting to make an effort to cut back on coal use for electricity, while other countries are starting to increase their use (Magill, 2014). Globally, in the past decade, the number of coal power plants has grown and so has carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere. Within the next forty years 300 billion tons of carbon dioxide will enter the atmosphere from coal power plants (Magill, 2014). These high carbon dioxide emissions devastate our environment. Fortunately, there is a growing movement to switch to renewable energy sources, which could offer better alternatives to coal.

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