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 2007—the last year for which data are available—Massachusetts ranked 48th in per capita energy consumption, falling from 42nd in 2000. , Massachusetts residents consumed only 234 million btu per capita, down from 255 in 2004. |
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5.1.2 Household recycling rates and solid waste generated, Boston vs. other Massachusetts cities |
In 2008, Boston’s residents disposed 221,148 tons of waste—down more than 7,500 tons from 2007—and recycled 25,785 tons of waste—up about 2,300 tons from 2007. In 2008, the city’s recycling rate was 15%, the same as 1995 but still lower than the high of 17% in 2005. |
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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 |
Massachusetts’ 2007 grade according to the Climate Change Action Plan annual report card was a B- up from a C- in 2006. Overall, total fossil fuel emissions declined by 6% between 2005 and 2007. |
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5.2.3 Energy from renewable sources, Massachusetts and Boston
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Massachusetts utilities are required to obtain 15% of their power from renewable sources by 2020. In June 2007, Boston became one of 13 inaugural Solar America Cities, with a goal of increasing solar energy installations from 0.5 megawatts to 25 MW by 2015. |
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5.2.4 Green buildings, Boston and Massachusetts |
Boston has added 81 LEED-certified buildings since 2007 and ranked 7th among the 50 largest US cities in committment to green buildings according to SustainLane's 2008 ranking. |
| 5.3 Productive and Efficient Use of Land |
5.3.1 Smart growth measured by trends in development, Metro Boston |
As of September 2009, 28 municipalities in the state had approved 40R/40S districts, up from 16 in 2007, covering more than 1,200 acres and plans for nearly 9,8000 new housing units, with 26 more cities or towns considering an application. |
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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 2008, the annual mean PM10 levels remainend 23, the lowest level recorded since 1994 and PM2.5 levels dropped to 11.3, the lowest since 1999. |
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5.4.2 Regional ozone (smog), Suffolk county and Massachusetts |
Suffolk County ozone concentration has continued to fall and in 2007 the 2nd Max 1 hour value was 0.088 parts per million while the 4th max 8 hour concentration was 0.072 parts per million—both the lowest readings since 2000 |
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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 |
The EPA’s annual grade for the Charles rose from D in 1995 to an all-time high of B++ in 2007 and then dropped back to B+ in 2008 and unswimmable days at Boston beaches reached the highest rate since 2005. |
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5.5.3 Efficient and sustainable use of fresh water supplies within available means, Boston and Massachusetts |
Demand on the MWRA system has remained below the safe yield of 300 million gallons per day (mgd), and has declined to low of 196.7 mgd in through October of 2009 |
| 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 |
According to the 2008 National Audubon Society Annual Christmas Bird Count, over 42,000 birds and 123 different species were spotted in Greater Boston in one day. |
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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) increased in the City of Boston to 10 in 2008—the highest rate since 2003 when the rate reached 11. However, Boston's child lead poisoning has declined more than 90% between 1992 and 2008. |
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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 |
Boston has 5,040 acres of public parkland and ranks 5th among high-density cities in parkland as a percent of total land area (16.3%), 2nd in acres per residents (8.3), 9th in playgrounds per 10,000 residents (3.6) and spent $101 per resident on Parks and Recreation in FY07.
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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 |
The Cith of Boston planted 1,000 trees in 2007 and 2008 and nearly half of all neighborhoods have at least a 30% tree cover, though East Boston and South Boston have less than a 10% tree cover. |
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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. |