The Boston Indicators Project 2004

ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW

ENVIRONMENT INDICATORS

AT-A-GLANCE

5.1	Environmental Stewardship
5.2	Clean Energy and Climate Stability
5.3	Productive and Efficient Use of Land
5.4	Clean Air
5.5	Clean and Plentiful Water
5.6	Sustainable and Healthy Ecosystems
5.7	Environmental Justice and Equity
5.8	Accessible Green and Recreational Spaces
5.9	Beautiful Walkable Communities
5.10	Sustained Public Support for Environment and Open Space

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CREDITS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

HOW TO USE THIS REPORT

Environment: Goals & Measures

Goals

Indicator Measures

How are we doing?

5.1 Environmental Stewardship

	5.1.1 The ecological footprint: per capita consumption of the Earth’s resources	On average, Americans require about 24 acres per person to sustain our lifestyle - four times the world average. Between 1992, the date of the first Earth Summit, and 2002, energy consumption in the US increased by 21% and US greenhouse gas emissions are projected to increase by 46% by 2020. The Kyoto Accord, now signed by 128 nations, including Japan, Russia and the EU, requires reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels.
	5.1.2 Household recycling rates and solid waste generated — Boston versus other Massachusetts cities	Boston’s recycling rate fell from about 15% in 1995 to 10% in 2002, the last date for data, compared to 39% in Saugus and 37% in Newton. Only Revere had a lower rate among Metro Boston’s inner core communities.
	5.1.3 Friends groups for parks and greenspaces	The number of parks in Boston is increasing, with the highest rate of park stewardship in Dorchester, the South End, Roxbury and the downtown neighborhoods.

5.2 Clean Energy and Climate Stability

	5.2.1 Trends in climate change – local, national and global	Over the last century, average temperatures in Amherst, MA, increased by two degrees Fahrenheit while rainfall increased by 20% in many areas. A 2004 EPA-commissioned study projects that temperatures over 90 degrees in Metro Boston will double to 30 days/year in this century, and that sea levels could rise by 24 inches, with coastal flooding causing up to $94 billion in damages, and additional river flooding.
	5.2.2 Per capita greenhouse gas or CO2 emissions from residential and commercial energy use, transportation, and solid waste disposal	Massachusetts’ greenhouse gas emissions are14.9 metric tons per person compared to the national average of 24.9 metric tons per person; however, the MA total increased by about 5.4% between 1990 and 2000. If MA were a country, its emissions would rank 15th in the world – below Greece and above Portugal. In 2002, Mayor Menino committed to reducing Boston’s municipal energy use by 10% by 2005; and he instituted a “green” building code in 2004.
	5.2.3 Energy from renewable sources	In 2002, MA ranked 24th out of 50 states in the creation of renewable power, although at 242 million BTUs (British Thermal Units) of energy per capita, MA ranked 47th in energy consumption per capita, 40% lower than the US average.

5.3 Productive and Efficient Use of Land

	5.3.1 Smart growth measured by trends in development and effects on Boston and the region	Between 1970 and 2000, the amount of land developed in MA increased by 60%. In Boston’s suburbs, the average house lot increased from 0.7 - 0.8 acres to 1.1 - 1.6 acres, and the number of registered automobiles in the outer ring of Metro Boston increased by 34%, with an increase of about 20% in the inner ring, while Boston/Cambridge saw an increase of 32%, despite slow population growth overall during this period.
	5.3.2 Housing density and services within ¼ mile of transit nodes in Metro Boston	Almost 80% of jobs in Boston, 51% of public schools, and 56% of Boston residents are located within a ten-minute walk of a public transit station or stop, while 98% are within a ten-minute walk of transit or a bus stop.

5.4 Clean Air

	5.4.1 Changes in air quality – level of PM10 and PM 2.5 micron particles in the air at selected Boston sites	Steady between 1994 and 2002, the annual mean for larger particulates dropped by 19% in 2003, holding steady in 2004, and Boston currently complies with air quality standards. However, the 2004 rate for fine particulates increased by 11% over 2002 levels.
	5.4.2 Regional ozone (smog)	Key readings for Suffolk County reached a new high in 2002 and then declined to almost to 1994 levels in 2004.
	5.4.3 Alternative fuel vehicles	Massachusetts has adopted California’s stricter motor vehicle emission regulations. In the 2003 model year, 55% of vehicles sold met the Low Emission Vehicle Standard, and 41% met the Ultra Low Emission Vehicle Standard. The 2004 fleet was significantly cleaner, and improvements are expected as tighter standards are phased in through 2010.

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)	During the summer of 2004, 22 communities in Eastern MA instituted voluntary water bans due to low levels, as sprawling development (about 16,000 acres/year statewide) contributes to the depletion of groundwater due to paved surfaces redirecting water to storm drains. The Charles, Neponset and Ipswich Rivers are setting records for low flow.
	5.5.2 Swimmable days and violations of safe swimming standards in Boston’s rivers and harbor	The EPA has set a goal of a swimmable Charles River by 2005. Between 1995 and 1999, clean-up efforts led to dramatic improvements, and the EPA grade for the Charles River rose from D to B. However, since 1999, there has been little improvement. Boston’s Malibu, Tenean and Savin Hill Beaches exceeded the safe standard for swimming more than 20% of the days tested in 2003, while the other Boston beaches had violations on fewer than 10% of days tested.
	5.5.3 Efficient and sustainable use of fresh water supplies within available means	Since 1990, demand on the MWRA system has remained below the safe yield of 300 million gallons per day, declining to about 230mgd despite the growth of the system’s service area due to system improvements.

5.6 Sustainable and Healthy Ecosystems

	5.6.1 Acres of protected and restored urban wilds and natural areas in Boston	Since the Urban Wilds Program began in 1975, close to 831 acres have been protected in Boston, almost 517 acres have been developed, and about 605 acres remain whose status has not been determined.
	5.6.2 Bio-diversity: number and volume of bird species in Boston	Beginning in 1999, students at Odyssey High School in South Boston have monitored the bird population at Leverett Pond on the Muddy River in Boston. The highest number of birds and species observed — 19 species and 207 birds — was in 2000.
	5.6.3 Harvestable shellfish beds in the Boston Harbor area	While data at the three fisheries in the Boston area suggest some improvement, most areas are still on restricted status.

5.7 Environmental Justice and Equity

	5.7.1 Public health stresses on children by neighborhood	The average rate of asthma hospitalization was several times higher in Roxbury, Fenway, Jamaica Plain, South Dorchester and Mattapan than in other Boston neighborhoods. And since 1990, the rate of childhood lead poisoning has dropped about 90%, with a further reduction between 2001 and 2003. Mattapan, North Dorchester and South Dorchester had the highest rate of children with elevated lead levels.
	5.7.2 Toxic emissions from smokestacks and tailpipes	All Boston school buses have been or soon will be retrofitted with advanced emissions controls, which will eliminate at least 540 pounds of diesel particulate matter, 2,480 pounds of smog-causing hydrocarbons, and 17,380 tons of carbon monoxide. The MBTA placed 343 compressed natural gas buses into service between 2003 and 2004, and will replace all heavily polluting buses by 2006.

5.8 Accessible Green and Recreational Spaces

	5.8.1 Green space distribution, acres/1,000 children by Boston neighborhood	Central Boston and the South End have about 2 acres of green space per 1,000 residents, the least in the city. Fenway, Back Bay and Dorchester have about twice that, while Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and West Roxbury have the most open space per capita.
	5.8.2 Access to and public use of Harborwalk and Harbor Islands National Park	More than 240,000 visits were made to the Boston Harbor Islands National Park in 2002, but visits have been declining.

5.9 Beautiful Walkable Communities

	5.9.1 Tree cover and number of trees and bulbs/flowers planted in Boston	Since 1994, the Boston Parks and Recreation Department has planted about 100,000 bulbs a year in the city annually as well as about 1,000 new street trees.
	5.9.2 Community gardens in Boston	Boston has more than 175 community gardens — up from about 120 in 1990 — with the heaviest concentrations in Dorchester, Roxbury, Jamaica Plain, and the South End.

5.10 Sustained Public Support for Environment and Open Space

5.10.1 Funding for the environment and open space in Boston and Massachusetts

Massachusetts’ environmental spending ranked near the bottom among all states, at 44th in 2000, and since then, the rate of spending has declined. The FY2005 environment budget was 33% lower than in FY1989 budget, declining from a high of 1.4% of the state budget to only 0.7% today.

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