This month marks the official launch of the Beacon Hill Civic Association Green Committee, which intends to raise environmental awareness in the neighborhood.
The new committee, which was approved by the Civic Association last month, proposes “to educate and encourage residents and businesses to adopt and sustain responsible environmental friendly practices,” according to a document obtained by the Times. Consisting of between eight and 10 members, its steering committee meets for the first time at the end of the month and is chaired by BHCA board member Linda Cox and Sharon Malt, chair of the Beacon Hill Garden Club’s Conservation Committee.
While Malt acknowledged that the committee is still in its “exploratory phase,” she cites improving the recycling rates of garbage on the Hill as its first objective.
“We want to see less trash and more recycling,” Malt said, adding that the city is launching programs to make recycling more convenient for residents.
To achieve this goal, the city’s Office of Environmental and Energy Services will advise the committee on how to best educate people in the neighborhood on green practices.
“The City of Boston, through the mayor’s office, has long been pushing a green agenda in the city,” said Jim Hunt, the city’s chief of environment and energy. “We are leading by example as a municipality and also want to make local residents and civic associations part of the solution.”
Besides touting the benefits of the city’s recycling program, Hunt said the committee hopes to inform residents of small steps they can take to make their homes greener. These measures, which can also result in significant savings on utility bills, include trading in incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescent ones and purchasing a programmable thermostat.
The committee will also encourage residents to be more reliant on public transportation and hopes to identify pilot programs that the city could incorporate into its transportation plans.
“These are simple things that individuals can do to be involved in the campaign to make Boston a greener, more efficient, healthier city,” Hunt said.
Meanwhile, Cox said the committee has no plans of becoming the neighborhood’s “green police.”
“We’re going to encourage people to take simple and realistic steps to make Beacon Hill greener,” she said.

In 2007, Boston saw a decrease in most types of crime and Beacon Hill was no different.
In District A-1, which includes the Beacon Hill, the North End, Downtown, Charlestown and Chinatown, robbery, aggravated assault, larceny and vehicle theft were down.
There were 234 robberies in A-1 in 2007—31 less than the 264 that occurred in 2006. There were 297 aggravated assaults in A-1 in 2007—33 less that the 330 that occurred in 2006. There were 2,600 larcenies in A-1 in 2007—349 less than the 2,949 that occurred in 2006. Lastly there were 208 vehicle thefts in A-1 in 2007—six less than the 214 that occurred in 2006.
While all Part One crime was down in the area—there was a total of 380 less Part One crimes in 2007 when compared to 2006—there was an increase in rape and burglary.
In 2006 there were only 17 rapes or attempted rapes in A-1. That number went up slightly and in 2007 the district recorded 19 rapes or attempted rapes.
Also, burglary was up in the district in 2007. In 2006 there were 270 burglaries but that number increased 307 in 2007.
There was no change in homicide. The district recorded only one murder in 2006 and in 2007.
Overall there was a total of 3,666 Part One crimes in 2007 compared to the 4,046 that were recorded in 2006.
However, one crime--larceny from motor vehicles—that is not recorded with as a Part One crime, was up across the board in all districts in 2007 according to Boston Police.
This new trend in Boston has mostly involved thieves smashing windows and stealing GPS systems, i-Pods, laptops or other expensive electronics. It only takes seconds for the thief to commit the crime and police have asked residents to remove these items from their cars and make sure to lock their doors.

Boat Haven Partners Contribute $400,000 to Esplanade Docks

A partnership of The Esplanade Association (TEA), the Union Boat Club (UBC), Community Boating (CBI) and the Lawrence and Lillian Solomon Fund has recently completed a $400,000 fundraising campaign in support of the reconstruction of the docks at Commissioners Landing East and West and Governors Landing on the Esplanade. Patrice Todisco and Jeryl Oristaglio of TEA and Charlie Zechal of CBI conveyed the funds to Commissioner Rick Sullivan of the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) the week before Christmas.
The reconstruction of the Boat Haven docks and the contiguous granite landings has been a priority of The Esplanade Association since its inception. These historic features were built as part of the Esplanade’s 1923 redesign by eminent landscape architect Arthur Shurcliff. They provide a formal connection between the river and park and provide opportunities for boating and sunning.
The dock reconstruction has been underway since the fall and is scheduled to be completed this spring. It will be followed by the restoration of the granite work at Commissioners Landings. The project is being overseen by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and their consultants, Bourne Engineering.
For more information, please call us at 617-227-0365 or send an email to info@esplanadeassociation.org.
The Esplanade Association is a nonprofit, friends group working to restore and enhance the historic Charles River Esplanade.

The Cambridge Street reconstruction project got underway back when Jane Swift was governor.
The project, a mere half mile in length, may go down in Massachusetts history as the most poorly managed road construction project ever. We’re accustomed to making history in this community, but this isn’t the kind of history we need.
When I became a member of the House of Representatives three years ago this month, I had no notion that Karen Cord Taylor and I would spend countless hours trying to break a seemingly endless number of logjams on the project. At every turn, a new problem arose that caused yet more delay.
You know there is trouble when the local newspaper publisher and state representative hold regular strategy sessions about how to get the state to finish a road. Neither of us should have to walk up and down the street creating our own punch list of unfinished work. Yet, that is what we, along with the Beacon Hill Business Association and the Beacon Hill Civic Association, have done.
As we reflect on all that has gone awry, and it is a remarkable list, we should also pause to learn how the state and city may avoid problems going forward.
First, I hope Todesca Equipment is never again hired to undertake a public construction project. On this point, I assume further elaboration is unnecessary. In addition, all of the sub-contractors, including Best Electric, should be closely evaluated to determine if they should be entrusted with public construction work in the future.
Second, the project underscores the need for frequent communication among city and state agencies. With better communication, we could have avoided the embarrassment of one agency putting up a sign behind another agency’s tree (or, since no one is taking responsibility, one agency planting a tree in front of another agency’s sign).
Third, once a design plan is agreed upon, the state and city should stick with it absent unusual circumstances. For example, I wonder if the already broken irrigation system was a truly necessary addition to the plan.
Lastly, members of the community must be involved from start to finish, not only to help with the design but also to ensure that the project is built according to the plans. Design changes should be fully discussed and agreed upon by the local community. One of the outdoor café areas was eliminated without notice, thereby cutting out one of the amenities an improved street would provide to local residents and the affected restaurant.
As the new year dawns, two significant items remain: the replacement of the plants destroyed during the Red Sox victory parade and the repair of the irrigation system, also broken during the parade. This work is slated to occur in the Spring. Rest assured, as soon as the first thaw occurs, I’ll be on the telephone with MassHighway to set a date for the work to begin, and to end.
State Representative Marty Walz can be reached at 617-722-2460 and at marty.walz@state.ma.us