A Look Back at Local Environmental Achievements for 2011

2011 was a challenging year for the economy and the environment.  Yet despite this, dedicated businesses, organizations, communities, and individuals all around the world pushed-on and persevered in their efforts to make the world a more environmentally sustainable place.  Here is just a small sampling of local achievements we should all feel very proud of….

• The Sustainable Business Leader Program (SBLP) enrolled over 50 new local and independent businesses, graduated its 97th business as a certified Sustainable Business Leader, launched a sister program in Worcester, and collectively reduced over 1 million lbs. of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere!
• The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy released its fifth annual State Energy Efficiency Scorecard and Massachusetts earned the top spot for the first time.
• The City of Boston’s Renew Boston Program completed over 4,000 home and small business energy assessments, retrofitted over 1,300 homes and small businesses, and completed over 800 home weatherization’s- significantly decreasing the Cities energy use and individuals energy bills. 
• 33 new communities in Massachusetts were designated as Green Communities under the Green Communities Act this year, bringing the grand total to 86!
• Mayor Menino achieved great environmental gains in the City of Boston including (but not limited to):  launching HubWay, Boston’s new bike share program (accommodating 140,000 riders in its first season!); installing the Cities first electric vehicle recharging stations downtown; passing the stretch energy code requiring new construction and building retrofits to be 20% more energy efficient than the existing energy code; and completion of the Boston Street Light Retrofit program which retrofitted all of the Cities mercury vapor bulbs with super efficient LED’s!
• The City of Boston also announced that it reached its Kyoto target of reducing the Cities GHG emissions by 7%, a year ahead of schedule!
• The local food movement in Massachusetts is growing strong.  Massachusetts boasts over 160 community farmers markets, over 60 CSA’s (Community Shared Agriculture Programs), and for the second year in a row over 30,000 people came out to SBN’s Boston Local Food Festival on October 1st, 2011 in support of local and sustainable food for all!

The above list just scratches the surface of all of the great work and achievements of 2011.  While this is certainly something to celebrate we must also acknowledge how much is left to do and consider what we can all do to make 2012 an even more successful year for the environment.  

Here at the Sustainable Business Leader Program our goals for 2012 are to double the number of certified Sustainable Business Leaders in Massachusetts, increase the amount of avoided GHG emissions by our participating businesses, support organizations in other U.S states and internationally in starting SBLP-like programs, and to further increase recognition and awareness of the Sustainable Business Leader designation by local consumers.  Individually some of our environmental New Years resolutions are to begin composting at home, buy more bulk products to reduce packaging, bike to work on a more regular basis, and test out vegetarianism.  What are your environmental goals for 2012?  

Written by Katie Mindess, SBLP Marketing & Communications Intern and Katrina Kazda, SBLP Managing Coordinator.  Please write to Katrina@sbnboston.org with any questions or comments.