Our Past Projects
Tree Canopy Project
2016 - 2018
Using Google Maps and satellite imagery the Tree Canopy Project measures Cambridge’s tree canopy health. With this Data, we can better inform development projects around the city as well as Cambridge’s goals for Tree Coverage!
Banning Plastic Bags
2014-2016
Green Cambridge has supported a ban on plastic bags since its inception, and worked directly with the city council to ensure that banning plastic bags would not result in increased consumption of paper bags. Although paper bags can be recycled, and theoretically can be manufactured in a sustainable manner, the increased weight and volume of paper bags causes additional greenhouse gas emissions during transport and manufacture of the bags that make them a worse alternative.
The “bring your own bag ordinance” therefore bans the thin plastic bags currently used and imposes a mandatory fee on any bags distributed at the point of sale, as a direct result of our advocacy. The fees are kept by the merchant and serve as a simple deterrent to shoppers requesting paper or thicker plastic bags.
The correct alternative to distributing free plastic bags is the widespread use of reusable shopping bags, which are now cheaply available. Green Cambridge is actively working to promote adoption of reusable shopping bags, including free shopping bag repair by board member Susan Ringler.
On May 30, 2015, Cambridge City Council adopted the Bring Your Own Bag Ordinance, with the ban on distributing plastic bags and the mandatory collection of fees for paper bags taking effect on March 31st, 2016.
Advocating for Net Zero Buildings
2013-2015
Starting with our annual meeting in 2013, Green Cambridge advocated for net-zero fossil fuel energy buildings by introducing a zoning petition. While the petition was not adopted, it led directly to the creation of the highly successful Getting to Net Zero Task Force. In July 2015 , the Getting to Net Zero Task Force final recommendations were unanimously adopted by the Cambridge City Council! Former Cambridge Mayor and Net Zero Advocate Henrietta Davis and Green Cambridge President Quinton Zondervan have successfully helped spread the concept to nearby communities including Lexington and Concord.
Puppetry Project
2012-2018
The Cambridge Wildlife Puppetry Project (CWPP) connects people of all ages to the urban wildlife and habitats of Cambridge. Through participatory experiences in parades, puppetry, and other visual and performing arts. This program has not really ended, rather just evolved into our Wildlife Arts Program.
Our artistic collaborators have included the Puppeteer’s Cooperative, Cambridge sculptor Michelle Lougee, Puppeteer Deborah Costine, Puppet Showplace Theater, and the Beautiful Stuff Project. Community partners have included the Cambridge Center for Families, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community School, Tobin Community School, Cambridge Camping Association, Magazine Beach Partners and the Pathways for Family Success program. We have received three Cambridge Arts Council/Massachusetts Cultural Council grants.
