Goals
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Indicator Measures
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How are we doing?
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| 5.1 Environmental Stewardship |
5.1.1 The ecological footprint: per capita consumption of global resources, Massachusetts |
In 2003—the last year for which data are available—Massachusetts ranked 46th in per capita energy consumption, falling from 42nd in 2000. US residents consumed, on average, nearly 350 million btu per capita in 2003, Massachusetts residents consumed only 255 million btu per capita. |
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5.1.2 Household recycling rates and solid waste generated, Boston vs. other Massachusetts cities |
Boston’s recycling rate rose to 12% in 2004 from 10% in 2002, yet remained lower than the high of 15% in 1995, according to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. |
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5.1.3 Friends groups for parks and greenspaces, Metro Boston |
As of 2006, Metro Boston had nearly 140 formal and informal friends groups devoted to the preservation and maintenance of parks and greenspaces, likewise, the number of people involved in the stewardship of their favorite Boston parks and open spaces continues to increase. |
| 5.2 Clean Energy and Climate Stability |
5.2.1 Trends in climate change, Metro Boston and New England
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The region has been warming at a rate of .5 degrees per decade from 1970 to 2000, with winter temperatures rising even faster at 1.3 degrees per decade. Historically, Boston has only one or two days per summer with temperatures greater than 100 degrees, but under the higher emissions scenario there could be more than 20 such days annually by the end of the 21st century. |
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5.2.2 Per capita greenhouse gas or C02 emissions, Massachusetts |
According to the 2006 Climate Change Action Plan annual report cards, Massachusetts’ 2006 grade was a C-, down from B- in 2004 and C+ in 2005. Total Massachusetts GHG emissions increased by about 9% from 1990-2003, or 0.7% annually. |
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5.2.3 Energy from renewable sources, Massachusetts and Boston
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The City of Boston—with 8.6% of city purchases supplied by renewable sources in 2006—has become the largest municipal use of renewable electricity in New England. |
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5.2.4 Green buildings, Boston and Massachusetts |
As of November 2006, there were 28 LEED-certified green buildings in Massachusetts, 8 of which were located in the City of Boston. Another 39 buildings have “registered” with the US Green Building Council—the first step in the certification process—and 7 of these are in Boston. |
| 5.3 Productive and Efficient Use of Land |
5.3.1 Smart growth measured by trends in development, Metro Boston |
A 2006 analysis by the Massachusetts Housing Partnership and MIT found that the average new single-family home built in eastern Massachusetts is consuming about twice as much land as an existing home in the same community. As of June 2007, 14 Massachusetts municipalities had adopted 40R/40S Smart Growth zoning. |
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5.3.2 Housing density and services within 1/4 mile of transit nodes, Boston and Metro Boston |
Almost 80% of jobs in Boston, 51% of Boston’s public schools and 56% of all Boston residents are located within a 10-minute walk of an MBTA commuter rail or subway station or a surface trolley stop. |
| 5.4 Clean Air |
5.4.1 Changes in air quality – level of PM10 and PM 2.5 micron particles in the air, Suffolk County |
Greater Boston's air quality has been improving over the last decade. In 2006, the annual mean PM10 levels fell to 23, the lowest level recorded since 1994 and PM2.5 levels dropped to 12, the lowest since 1999. |
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5.4.2 Regional ozone (smog), Suffolk county and Massachusetts |
Although the number of days in which Boston's ozone or smog levels are considered unhealthy have declined fairly steadily since the mid-1980s, in 2005 there were 20 days during the summer when the 8-hour ozone standard was exceeded. |
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5.4.3 Low emission vehicles, Massachusetts |
The fleet of new vehicles sold in Massachusetts is becoming dramatically cleaner since Massachusetts adopted California’s stricter motor vehicle emissions regulations providing for the sale of Low Emission Vehicles and Ultra Low Emission Vehicles, however, sales of clean vehicles peaked in 2000 and have largely declined since. |
| 5.5 Clean and Plentiful Water |
5.5.1 Aquifer/water table depletion caused by water runoff from impervious surfaces and combined sewer overflows (CSOs), Massachusetts and Metro Boston |
During the summer of 2006, 18 communities in Massachusetts instituted voluntary or mandatory water bans. |
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5.5.2 Swimmable days and violations of safe swimming standards in Boston’s rivers and harbor |
Based on data demonstrating that the Charles River met boating standards 90% of the time and swimming standards 62% of the time in 2006, EPA graded the health of the river as a B+ for the fourth year in a row in 2007. |
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5.5.3 Efficient and sustainable use of fresh water supplies within available means, Boston and Massachusetts |
Massachusetts’ new Water Policy, which sets a target of 65 gallons per person per day for residential water use in communities, provides an important regulatory framework to sustain and support water conservation efforts in Boston and statewide. |
| 5.6 Sustainable and Healthy Ecosystems |
5.6.1 Acres of protected and restored urban wilds and natural areas, Boston |
The City of Boston currently contains 36 ‘Urban Wilds’ sites with nearly 240 protected acres, according to the Boston Natural Areas Network—a complete list of sites is available through the City of Boston Urban Wilds Initiative. |
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5.6.2 Biodiversity: number and volume of bird species, Boston |
A comparison of data collected on a single day each year, over the course of four years, shows that 27 different species of birds visit Boston's Leverett Pond. The highest number of birds and species observed was in 2000—19 species and 207 birds. |
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5.6.3 Harvestable shellfish beds, Boston Harbor areas |
While data at the three fisheries in the Boston area suggest some decreases, most areas are still on restricted status, which means that any fish caught must be cleaned at a purification plant in Newburyport before they can be sold for consumption. Clamming activity continues on the flats of Logan Airport. |
| 5.7 Environmental Justice and Equity |
5.7.1 Public health stresses on children, Boston neighborhood |
The average annual rate of asthma hospitalization (per 1000 children under age 5) fell in the City of Boston from 9 in 1999 to 2003 to 8.5 in 2003 to 2005 and elevated blood lead levels among Boston children declined by more than 50% from 2001 to 2006. |
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5.7.2 Toxic emissions from smokestacks and tailpipes, Boston |
The MBTA placed into service 343 compressed natural gas (CNG) buses between 2003 and 2004 and between 2004 and 2006, the MBTA took delivery of an additional 260 “clean diesel” buses to replace the last of its heavy-polluters. |
| 5.8 Accessible Green and Recreational Spaces |
5.8.1 Green space distribution, acres per 1,000 children, Boston neighborhood |
Central Boston and the South End have about 2 acres of green space per 1,000 people, the least in the city. Fenway, Back Bay, and Dorchester have about twice that amount. Jamaica Plain, Hyde Park, Roslindale, and West Roxbury have the most open space per capita. |
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5.8.2 Access to and public use of Harborwalk and Harbor Islands National Park |
The long-awaited 120-acre park on Spectacle Island opened to the public in the summer of 2006, with a new pier, marina, visitor center, two public beaches and five miles of walking trails. |
| 5.9 Beautiful Walkable Communities |
5.9.1 Tree cover and number of trees and bulbs/flowers planted, Boston |
A 2006 comprehensive Urban Forrest Inventory found that Boston contains 500,000 trees. Each year 100,000 bulbs are planed by the Boston Parks and Recreation Department. |
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5.9.2 Community gardens, Boston neighborhood |
The Boston area has nearly 200 school and community gardens spread throughout its neighborhoods, with the heaviest concentrations in Dorchester, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and the South End. The Boston Natural Areas Network estimates that more than 10,000 individuals and families are involved in school and community gardening, many of them low-income. |
| 5.10 Sustained Public Support for Environment and Open Space |
5.10.1 Funding for the environment and open space, Boston and Massachusetts |
Even with modest increases in the fiscal year 2006 and 2007 budgets, state spending on environmental programs is down 17% compared to the fiscal year 2001 level. In 2003, Massachusetts ranked near the bottom among all states in natural resources spending per capita, 49th out of 50 states. |