The Globe sent the Boston mayoral candidates 10 questions on environmental issues. Each candidate’s full answers are provided below. Three candidates — Charles Yancey, Charles Clemons Jr., and David James Wyatt — did not provide answers.

Felix Arroyo

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

Yes. Greening our city and implementing a long-term approach to addressing climate change and reducing carbon emission encourages economic growth and helps improve our public health and our overall quality of life. Boston has made important strides towards mitigating our environmental impact and ensuring a healthy living and working environment for all of our residents, but tremendous challenges remain. I have developed a 6 point plan to address those challenges and make Boston a more sustainable city, which includes reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, promoting renewable alternatives, implementing the Diesel Emission Reduction Ordinance, and improving public modes of transportation. I believe it is one of the primary responsibilities of government to ensure that everyone, regardless of race or income, has a healthy environment in which to live, work, and raise a family.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

While cutting carbon emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050 is indeed an ambitious goal, I believe we can and we must achieve it. There is mounting evidence about the negative, long-term effects of climate change, including coastal flooding, higher temperatures, and more extreme weather. We must work to improve our environment in ways that will make people happier and healthier, such as promoting urban agriculture and ensuring that every Boston resident has access to clean water, air, and green space.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

As a city with a substantial amount of older infrastructure, Boston faces the dual challenge of incorporating green building practices into new construction while also retrofitting existing buildings to reflect advances in energy conservation practices. As Mayor, I will work with stakeholders at the federal, state, and city level, as well as private parties, to successfully implement strategies designed to lessen GHG emissions from Boston’s commercial, industrial, and residential buildings. I believe we should continue the innovative Renew Boston, reform the city’s zoning ordinances, and initiatives like the Building Energy Reporting and Disclosure Ordinance because it not only creates jobs and gives us the power of information to measure and manage energy efficiently, but also is cost effective, good for our economy and for our environment.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

It was not that long ago that the single-stream recycling was a new idea and now it is a successful program in our city. I believe we should introduce a citywide curbside composting program to divert food waste from our landfills and could be sold to local farmers to grow more healthy food. A local start-up in Boston called Bootstrap Composting has already diverted 170,000 pounds of food scraps in the last two years. We have the potential to make a great impact by implementing a composting program as a city.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

Anaerobic digestion is an important part of waste reduction and green energy production. I would be open to the idea and willing to explore the feasibility

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

There are many more steps we can take to ensure that less of the waste we create ends up in landfills. I have a vision for Boston where there is a recycling bin next to every public trash can in the city, including on our streets and in our parks. While the city has distributed tens of thousands of recycling bins to private residences throughout Boston, there is less consistent access to recycling on our public streets and in our government buildings and green spaces. By increasing the feasibility to recycle on our public streets and in our parks, we will increase our recycling rates.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land?

As we confront the growing reality of climate change, one of the most pressing challenges is to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. We can do this by making meaningful investment in alternative energy sources, such as wind and solar. As Mayor, I will build upon the momentum already begun towards renewable energy and work with businesses and residents to expand the solar energy base, through untapped opportunities, like installing solar panels on the roof of the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. We must make it a priority to work with businesses and residents to tap into the immense potential of wind energy, and I will work towards a goal of 100 Megawatts of wind power 50 Megawatts of solar installed in Boston by 2020.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

I support expanding the bottle bill to include water, juice, sports drinks and other beverages to be redeemed for a nickel. This will help increase recycling, reduce waste in our city, and save millions of taxpayer dollars in the reduced cost of waste disposal in our city. Having this question on the ballot will allow the voters to have a voice in the direction of our city and state.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

Supporting the Grow Boston Greener initiative and planting an additional 100,000 trees in Boston by 2020 is one of my priorities. These additional trees will make the city cooler overall, absorb air pollution, improve the aesthetic appearance of the city, and add to overall quality of life. Supporting this program is an important piece of improving Boston’s environment for all of the city’s residents.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

I am a lifelong Bostonian and a lifelong asthmatic and unfortunately, this is all too common story in Boston. The safety and cleanliness of your environment should not be determined by your race, nationality or income level. Most of the harmful particulate matter that pollutes our air comes from construction vehicles and that is why I have introduced and support passing the Diesel Emission Reduction Ordinance (DERO). It will require construction vehicles to be replaced or retrofitted to significantly cut the harmful emissions from those vehicles into the air we breathe. I believe this can have a dramatic effect on the high asthma rates in the city and improve the health of our city while improving our environment and making sure that we give our children a better city than we have today.

John F. Barros

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

I am committed to reducing carbon emissions, through meaningful and sustainable climate related action in Boston that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) to meet our goals and to lead the nation. As Mayor, I will work with residents and businesses to create a city – a Boston Green —that is prepared for and will thrive in the coming global realities of climate change and a transition to clean energy. Together, we will prove that cities are the engines for a new green economy that not only supports the health and quality of life of all our residents, but generates good local jobs, technological innovations, and shared wealth that is truly sustainable. Building a green city does not only make environmental sense, but is also good economics and a strategy for more equitable development. To get all Bostonians involved in envisioning and working towards this future, I will launch Boston Green task forces, similar to the Green Ribbon Commission in every neighborhood. The Green Ribbon Commission is a citizen-led collaborative working with local government to reduce energy use in Boston’s commercial buildings. These broad stakeholder groups will identify key priorities, launch local initiatives, and review our performance to provide feedback and ideas on how we can accelerate progress. Our neighborhood Boston Green task forces will then come together and work with the Green Ribbon Commission to develop a city-wide plan that will keep Boston a beacon for the rest of the world. In this process, we must address our local vulnerabilities, as well as remedy the environmental disparities that still exist in low-income neighborhoods. No neighborhood can be left behind in Boston’s green future. As demonstrated in Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina, the most resilient cities are the ones that have robust community leadership and social networks.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

The Boston Climate Action Leadership Committee created a Climate Action Plan in 2010 that set a course to reduce Boston’s greenhouse gas emissions 25% by 2020 and it also set a target of 80% reduction by 2050. These are targets that I believe we cannot afford to miss. To reach these goals the City of Boston needs to lead by example. The City owns and operates a large number of properties. There is a great deal of money wasted on paying for energy waste and there is an opportunity to advance efficiency throughout city government. The innovations and clean energy solutions that are created to address efficiencies for municipal buildings will then be more accessible to commercial property owners.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

As mayor, I will mandate every department in City government integrate sustainability, greenhouse reduction goals and climate preparedness into planning and implementation. I will create a senior level post for a Resilience Officer to oversee this process and integrate the City’s resiliency planning efforts related to infrastructure, operations, facilities, and services across all relevant departments. We will consider both the cost of implementing actions to improve our ability to adapt and the potential cost of inaction. We can promote a prosperous, livable, equitable, and environmentally sustainable economy while simultaneously growing our economy and population. We will develop a clean energy master plan that focuses on low-carbon energy and efficient solutions, such as district energy, solar energy and combined heat and power technologies. We have to prepare our residents and businesses for the climate change impacts we are already experiencing including sea level rise. City government cannot do it alone. As mayor, I will work with the multi stakeholder Green Ribbon Commission and Boston Green Task Force to assess the risks the City faces from sea level rise in the medium and long term and outline achievable strategies for increasing resiliency citywide.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

Yes, Boston should lead and not wait for the state. We should education our residents and create the system that supports composting and recycling food waste. It is not the requirement that will spur maximum recycling, but rather incentives and providing easy access to recycling. Residents will not only buy into programs, but will promote programs when they are the driving force behind them. Providing resources through Boston Green task forces will allow residents to be the driving environmental force instead of government.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

Yes, I support building advanced anaerobic digestion, reuse, recycling and composting programs and facilities that also ensure fair wages and safe workplaces for workers. These industries can create 10 times more jobs than incineration and landfill, while improving air and water quality, public health and the climate

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

Using the 2014 expiration of the recycling contract, I would support aggressive exploration of additional recycling for residential buildings with more than 6 units and recycling in commercial buildings, including the possibility a small tax rebate for property owners that participate. I will also replace existing trash cans with dual/recycling cans in schools, city buildings, sidewalks and parks.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land.

The City must lead when it comes to renewable energy. A comprehensive plan and strategy must be created to increase energy efficiency and clean energy in municipal buildings. I will do this by implementing:

Energy use tracking, energy audits, retrofits, improved operations and maintenance.

Installing highly efficient technologies such as combined heat and power and renewable sources such as solar and wind.

Raising the bar on construction standards and practices so that new buildings are net zero and major renovations are at least 50% more efficient.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

Yes, its time we update the law to change the narrow definition of redeemable bottles and reflect the growing trend in the increasing use of noncarbonated beverages.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

Tree coverage is important for air quality. Clean air is fundamental to a healthy place to live. Air pollution is dangerous to our health and plays a leading role in many diseases including asthma, heart disease, lung cancer and respiratory problems. I would partner with the many community efforts that are working to increase green space and tree coverage to plant new trees and take care of them. This would greatly reduce the cost to the city while increasing local awareness and capacity for maintenance. Youth summer jobs can also be connected to tree planting in an initiative to help build landscaping skills of Boston’s high school students.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

First, we need to pass the current pending Diesel Emissions Reduction Ordinance and strictly enforce the state’s anti-idling law by increasing the city’s enforcement by empowering police and parking attendants to ticket for violations. We can also reduce congestion by keeping cars moving with better timing of traffic lights. However the best way to improve air quality is to reduce congestion and encourage alternative and clean modes of transportation.

Daniel F. Conley

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

Absolutely. Boston has made impressive strides to increase its energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, but there is more we can do. The most important step is improving the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings by insisting on the greenest standards for new buildings, and incentivizing the updating and retrofitting of existing structures in a steady, systematic way. Focusing on transportation is also crucial so encouraging the use of public transportation, car-sharing, bikes and walking is important. In addition, as Mayor I’ll insist that the city only procure hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles. Energy use reduction is also critical, and I’m committed to doubling the city’s commitment to solar energy, from its current goal of 25 megawatts to 50 megawatts by 2020; put Boston on track to purchase a fixed and growing percentage of its electricity from renewable sources each year between now and 2020; and encourage and incentivize the use of new energy and construction technologies to produce more zero- or near-zero energy homes and buildings.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

My goal is to exceed these reduction goals and move up the target dates. I would accomplish this by continuing to promote green buildings, including residential dwellings; energy conservation efforts, including expanded incentives for commercial and residential property owners to reduce their energy consumption; expanded access to renewable energy technologies, again including incentives for more solar and wind power; and finally, focusing on more efficient transportation modes, as well as alternative modes of transportation. This would include continuing to procure only hybrid or alternate fuel vehicles, building better infrastructure to support more bicycles and making Boston’s streets safer for them. Finally, as mayor I’m going to be quite vocal about public transportation and the need to get it upgraded, updated, and on secure financial ground. We need to be encouraging more ridership but we need to be able to offer a product that is reliable, sustainable, and gives consumers a more pleasant ridership experience.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

Boston, like New York, is a waterfront city. New York came face to face with this reality in truly tragic fashion through Hurricane Sandy and the devastation it wrought. I firmly believe that Boston needs to be creating short term disaster planning and long term solutions similar to what Mayor Bloomberg did in New York. As Mayor I’ll put together a top panel of engineers, scientists, climatologists, developers and others to look at the issue and recommend concrete solutions. These are not easy issues, the cost of many of the changes that some already recommend are astronomical to the point that many people dismiss them out of hand, and yet these hard conversations need to be had because the cost of not acting could be so much greater. Each of these questions needs to be raised and viewed as part of the whole challenge. Consider that New York is looking for $32.8 billion to repair all the damage the storm caused, and New Jersey suffered $36.8 billion in damage.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

I support composting and want to see the practice expanded as part of Boston’s overall strategy to increase recycling and reuse and reduce trash and waste. My approach would begin with educating, encouraging and enabling its practice. I would emulate Mayor Michael Bloomberg in New York who enlisted more than 100 restaurants to highlight and participate in a Food Waste Challenge, aimed at diverting 75 percent of solid waste from landfills by 2030. In Portland, Oregon, the city will provide residents with a big green rolling cart to compost meat, dairy, yard clippings and even pizza boxes. There are also composting vessels suitable for apartments or small backyards. Plus, at least 90 cities now have regular compost collection programs.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

Due to its potential cost and size, I would support the creation of a regional anaerobic facility and would work with Boston’s neighboring communities to determine their level of support, tolerance of the cost, and a suitable site for such a facility.

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

I first ran for election to the Boston City Council on a platform that included a call for curbside recycling. As mayor, I’ll do everything I can to put Boston on track to achieve a citywide recycling goal of 80% before the decade is out. I’ll encourage developers of all new office and residential buildings to factor recycling needs for workers and residents into building designs and incentivize existing landlords to offer more recycling capacity and opportunities to residents. I’ll also expand Boston’s recycling efforts to include residential composting in order to move Boston toward its goals.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land?

One of the ideas I offer for businesses and residents interested in pursuing renewable energy solutions and retrofitting properties, is Property Assessed Clean Energy Financing, or PACE loans. PACE loans are authorized now in 30 states and the District of Columbia and it allows property or business owners to borrow the money for conservation or clean energy upgrades and pay it back over a long term through a property tax surcharge. The approach began because securing bank financing for these kind of upgrades was difficult at best. Massachusetts law allows this but no program exists here. As mayor I’ll work hard to put a program like this in place so that business and property owners who are interested in cutting their energy consumption and bills but for whom the upfront cost is prohibitive can proceed.

In addition, I am committed to doubling the city’s commitment to solar energy, from its current goal of 25 megawatts to 50 megawatts by 2020; put Boston on track to purchase a fixed and growing percentage of its electricity from renewable sources each year between now and 2020; and encourage and incentivize the use of new energy and construction technologies to produce more zero- or near-zero energy homes and buildings.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

The Bottle Bill has been called one of the most successful environmental programs in history. It was written years ahead of the emergence of “sports drinks” and bottled water as popular consumer products and major occupiers of store shelf space. It makes perfect sense to expand the bottle bill to cover these containers and, absent legislative action to make this happen, would support a ballot initiative.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

Absolutely. Trees improve our environment, air and water quality, make our neighborhoods more clean, attractive and livable. Their mere presence in front of a home will almost always add to the home’s value and even benefit people’s psychology. As Mayor, I’ll seek to expand the city’s investment in trees in a number of ways, including more aggressively seeking out private and non-profit partners, as well as public and private grants. In addition, I’ll enlist neighborhood, civic, business and advocacy groups to assist in the effort by helping to keep the trees healthy once they are planted – checking the trees for fungus, aerating the soil around the trees, and other measures that protect the investment and reduce tree loss.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

I would enforcement No Idling Ordinances and encourage construction, transportation and shipping companies, among others, to deploy vehicles and equipment that meet EPA specifications. In addition, one of the ideas I have proposed is a Clean Air Action Plan for Boston Harbor. While docked in the Harbor, auxiliary diesel engines running the internal power of a ship spew out polluting gases estimated at over 1,000 tons per year. This doesn’t even include the pollutants that come from the ships entering and departing port, the thousands of trucks and equipment that service the ships, fill and empty the holds and move their cargo. My would include incentivizing shipping companies to use low sulfur fuel when coming in or out of the Harbor, implementing a Clean Trucks Plan to phase out older and dirtier from the harbor area, and requiring cargo-handling equipment to meet certain EPA guidelines and specifications. This was what the port of Los Angeles did and it resulted in a 45% reduction in diesel, sulfur and other emissions and was heralded within the maritime industry. The benefits go beyond cleaner harbor air, but will reduce emissions that fall disproportionately on the neighborhoods surrounding the Harbor, including East Boston, South Boston and Dorchester, which are disproportionately lower income and racially diverse. These reductions also help to reduce incidents of asthma which affect 11% of adults in the city of Boston, but affect African-American and Latino residents at a rate of 15% and 12%, respectively, compared to 5% and 9% for Asian and white residents.

John R. Connolly

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

Yes, the city must reduce its carbon emissions. The debate about whether we must respond to climate change is over — it is one of the gravest threats we face, and it is here today. The question now is how we respond, and I believe we must deploy a range of strategies that will reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and transition us to a successful clean energy economy. That means everything from improving buildings’ energy efficiency to boosting renewable energy sources; promoting walking, biking, and transit; and planting more trees. In my campaign, I am pleased to have the support of environmental leaders like Ian Bowles, the former Massachusetts secretary of energy and environmental affairs under Governor Patrick. I will not be afraid to take the steps necessary to move Boston to the forefront as our nation’s top green city.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

In 2009 and 2010, I was proud to serve on the city’s Climate Action Leadership Committee, the panel convened by Mayor Menino to develop strategies for responding to climate change. In our final report in April 2010, we called for citywide reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of 25 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. I strongly support these goals. They represent steep, but necessary, reductions in our emissions. As we learn more and begin to achieve these goals, we will also need robust interim goals between 2020 and 2050 to hold ourselves accountable on the path to 80 percent emissions reductions.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

According to the Boston Harbor Association, had Superstorm Sandy reached Boston at high tide, 83 million square feet of the city could have flooded, “with floodwaters reaching City Hall.” Improving our resilience will not be cheap, but we’ll be looking at billions in flooding damages if we don’t act. Yes, we need our building codes to proactively address the threat posed by rising sea levels and major storms, but building codes are just one part of this. I’ve proposed convening a panel of climate scientists, civil engineers, and other leading experts to do for the Boston area what Mayor Michael Bloomberg recently unveiled for New York City: a sweeping, detailed plan to examine our critical infrastructure and offer concrete recommendations for changes we must make to become more resilient.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

Much of the trash that goes to landfills from Boston every day could instead be heading to composting facilities to become nutrient-rich soil for our gardens and flower beds. Curbside composting would allow residents to participate in this important step in waste reduction without each person having to own their own composter. San Francisco and Toronto, both cities that are larger than Boston, have had curbside composting for years. It is time for Boston to not only catch up with other cities on composting, but to be a national leader in this area. It is not to say that this will be an easy challenge to take on, but I think we need to start by making composting available and encouraging residents to take advantage of it.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

Yes, building new facilities like these are critical to meeting our economic and environmental goals. Anaerobic digestion turns organic waste into compost material or biogas for electricity. Germany – which is in many ways the reference market for renewable energy – gets more green power from anaerobic digestion than from wind and solar combined. Boston already has a state-of-the-art set of anaerobic digesters at Deer Island and I will make it a priority to be sure that existing capacity is being utilized. In several other parts of the City of Boston, additional digester facilities are being explored. As with wind power, siting standards are important and issues like truck traffic must be addressed for any given site to make sense. But I see anaerobic digestion as being on the critical path for us to meet the ambitious waste diversion, green energy, green jobs, and climate goals that I have set out.

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

I’ve called for a goal of diverting 80 percent of all waste – residential and commercial – from landfills by 2020. That means a dramatic boost to recycling and fostering a whole new industry to take advantage of the energy potential of yard and food waste. San Francisco Mayor Edwin Lee announced last fall that his city had already reached 80 percent diversion. Boston needs to respond and become the East Coast leader on green waste management, reducing emissions in landfills and through combustion.

We can do more to educate people about what’s recyclable. As mayor, I will support a citywide recycling awareness campaign. I will work to expand the city’s recycling contract to include larger residential buildings as well as small businesses. Our public spaces are perfect locations to increase the visibility and ease of recycling. Every public trash can in Boston should have a single-stream recycling bin alongside it that collects the same items we recycle at home. And I am very pleased to see that the Boston Public Schools are moving toward single stream recycling, both for the direct benefits and for the opportunity to engage people at a young age about the importance of protecting our environment and natural resources.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land.

I’ve called for a new goal of installing 100 megawatts of solar in Boston by 2020. This represents a quadrupling of Boston’s existing solar goal and represents enough energy to power roughly 16,000 homes. Massachusetts has one of the best solar markets in the country and Boston should be leading the way. We should look to city-owned properties and iconic buildings like the Convention Center as priorities for solar power installations. As Mayor, I will make sure that we review each city property for its suitability for energy efficiency retrofits and renewable energy generation. We will find the best opportunities for efficiency, solar and wind and clear the way to exploit these opportunities.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

I have filed three resolutions in the City Council calling for the passage of an updated bottle bill. Each of those resolutions has passed the council. Every time, the legislation has failed to pass the state legislature. Many of our neighboring states have expanded their bottle bills to include water bottles and other prevalent bottle categories. I was happy to see a coalition of organizations launch an effort to update the bottle bill in 2014, and as mayor, I will put the full weight of my office behind the effort.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

Planting trees is a way not just to beautify our city and improve our quality of life, but also to help reduce greenhouse gases. As mayor, I will redouble our efforts to increase the city’s tree canopy. I will coordinate a citywide effort to strengthen tree maintenance and planting in our city’s parks. I have also been a supporter of the city’s urban wilds, and I will continue that support as mayor.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

Poor air quality is an issue that disproportionately affects residents of color in Boston, as evidenced by the much higher rates of emergency room visits for asthma among black and Latino children in Boston. So improving air quality is an issue of both environmental and social justice. We need a comprehensive effort that includes approving the diesel emission reduction ordinance, enforcing the state’s anti-idling law, increasing the city’s tree canopy, sending less waste to landfills, and promoting alternatives to driving.

Rob Consalvo

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

See #2

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

The goals of the Green Ribbon commission are laudable, but I want to go a step further. As mayor, I will make Boston carbon neutral by 2050. Climate change is as important as any other issue the city is facing and we have an obligation to future generations to get this right. I will reduce energy consumption in public buildings by 25 percent, implement a green curriculum in schools to prepare BPS students for the green economy and work to make sure that every resident of Boston lives no more than a five minute walk to an accessible for of alternative transportation.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

To address the concerns of rising sea levels, we need to amend our zoning code to reflect the new reality and to make sure that our existing buildings and new construction are designed to withstand the most serious impacts of storms. Property issues are important, but they are not the only issue. In addition to developing best practices and new zoning codes, I will hire a new BRA director who has experience with green development practices and climate change so that we can appropriately plan for the future.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

As a green city, Boston can and should do better in managing our waste, but simple mandates alone are not going to get us where we need to be. When it comes to food waste, we need to think outside the box for innovative solutions. As mayor, I will create a solid waste master plan for the city that will reduce the amount of trash and ensure recycling of all material including plastic, glass and metals, while reducing costs for taxpayers. In my first term, I will explore a pilot program to begin collecting food waste for composting and recycling.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

Yes.

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

As mayor, I will create a solid waste master plan for the city that will include a multi-language campaign to educate long-time residents and new Bostonians alike and will design a recycling program within BPS to teach our children the importance of recycling. We need to look at all of the tools and strategies, including recycling mandates and trash limits and develop a plan that works for Boston’s residents.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land.

I would build on the current plan to evaluate all of our existing municipal properties for the feasibility of installing wind, solar, green roofs, combined heat and power and bio-energy installations. As mayor, I would increase the percentage of electricity purchased by municipals departments that comes from renewable sources and I will reduce energy consumption in public buildings by 25 percent.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

I support expanding the bottle bill to include noncarbonated beverages and would use my position as mayor to support the change in policy. Upon taking office, I will convene a task force to develop a solid waste master plan for all materials, residential and commercial, that achieves a fifty percent recycling rate for Boston by 2020. I will also issue an executive order requiring recycling in all of our schools, parks and throughout our streets where we have trash receptacles. Every trash receptacle will have a recycle bin next to it.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

I support the goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020. Increasing the number of trees in the city is important, but the location of those new trees is just as important. Priority should be given to neighborhoods where we have less tree canopy and higher rates of asthma and higher impacts from high heat days. It is not simply about the quantity of trees, it also needs to be about the quality of the spaces. It is equally important to address the need for a long-term plan to maintain and protect the existing street tree canopy.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

Where feasible, I would require that all new motor vehicles purchased by the city will be alternative fuel, flexible fuel or hybrid vehicles. I would require diesel retrofits for all city vehicles and require the same for contractors doing business with the city. I would also require that all diesel fuel used by municipal vehicles will be at least 10 percent biodiesel by the end of my first term.

Charlotte Golar Richie

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

Absolutely the city must reduce carbon emissions. It’s a matter of preparing our city for the future, and building a better foundation for our children and our grandchildren. The better head start we get in accomplishing this now, the better positioned our city will be to thrive and compete in the future as firm carbon emission limits confront us all whether we like it or not. A large portion of the city’s emissions is tied to our infrastructure – both buildings and transportation – and making changes that significantly reduce emissions will take time. So, our actions today are important for the long-term path of emissions. Sensible planning and investment choices can make a big difference over the long run.

The City of Boston produced its first Climate Action Plan in 2007, and then published an updated plan in 2011. These represent a good foundation which we should build on. Unlike some other pollutants which have often been associated with a single industry or isolated industrial activity or chemical product, the greenhouse gas problem touches every economic activity from agriculture to power generation, from cement production to automobile fuels and so on. Boston’s Climate Action Plan already identifies a wide range of policies and programs, which is exactly the kind of comprehensive program that is required. Different aspects of these policies and programs are the responsibility of different levels of government. For example, the Massachusetts State Government has taken leadership in capping carbon emissions from power generation and developing renewable portfolio standards to encourage wind and solar power, among others. The city can cooperate with and facilitate the successful implementation of this state program in many ways, such as working to site renewable generation, among other things. The city has the lead responsibility in other areas such as building codes and certain transportation policies. The next mayor will have to show leadership in implementing the many different programs and policies outlined in the Climate Action Plan, and also in reevaluating the effectiveness of the policies through time.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

This ambition is great. I believe we can achieve these reductions, and we need to set ambitious targets. But I also know that it is going to be tough to realize our ambitions. Setting ambitious and achievable targets is an important start. Scoping out the programs and policies to accomplish them is also important. But the next step is going to be implementation. We know from experience on many other environmental goals, such as recycling and energy efficiency programs, that we often fall short of achieving goals which seemed doable. My experience as a successful executive in the Mayor’s cabinet, the head of housing, is an important qualification to consider on environmental issues. I have the skills to successfully lead us to realizing our ambitions.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

We shouldn’t think of preparing for rising sea levels as something that is in conflict with the city’s tax base. The entire point of preparing for rising sea levels is to preserve the city’s long-term economic future. And because the two goals are really one, there is a path that works for both at the same time. Finding that path takes work and collaboration. I will listen to developers’ concerns. We need to take advantage of developers’ experience and knowledge. The Mayor’s job is to balance the broad interest of the city as a whole, and to lead the many different constituencies to a common strategy that serves that broad interest. Rising sea levels are a real danger. Hurricane Sandy was a wake-up call for many people. So we will need to change building codes to confront this problem. Exactly how and on what time frame is a difficult task that needs to be developed through very carefully and with wide consultation.

The city is already wisely considering the implications of sea level rise for the water and storm drainage system of the city, and for emergency evacuation plans, among other things. The prospects for sea level rise are highly uncertain and will play out over many decades. Consequently, the city participates actively in broad forums monitoring the science and policy issues pertaining to sea level rise. This is a long- term issue that requires leadership beyond quoting a specific near-term program or action. It is a question of approach and the quality of governance.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

I recognize that waste management is a critical issue. The Commercial Food Waste Bill is designed to reduce the volume of waste sent to landfills. Food waste and organics generally comprise 20-25% of the current waste stream going into the trash can. The food waste ban assists Massachusetts in reaching its goal of reducing the waste stream by 30% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. Regarding waste management in the residential sector, I prefer to initially focus on greatly improving recycling participation. I have unique government and political experience in implementing programs and services that my team has initiated. I also have ample executive experience in building bridges across multi-sectors to effectively advance solutions where inertia use to exist. I also recognize that a waste management campaign that includes an awareness of waste production to reduce home waste management issues is key. While my initial plans focus on improving recycle, I also plan to reduce the amount of waste Boston generates.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

I fully support exploring the benefits of building an anaerobic digestion facility in Boston.

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

As I mentioned previously, waste management is a critical issue. It is linked with other pertinent issues, such as public health, land use, energy and more. It is a complex problem that requires integrated solutions, including creative approaches. I am the only mayoral candidate who has run a City of Boston agency, built bridges to multi-sector leaders to deliver programs and services and balanced a $100 million budget. I have the managerial and political experience and expertise to move an initiative into successful action. This is key. Regarding Boston’s recycling rate, my first step will be to inquire about the barriers preventing greater participation. Based on that understanding, I look forward to engaging the residential and commercial sector with progressive outreach programs with effective messaging. I am also interested in considering recycling competitions and incentives to assist in promoting and increasing recycling.

In addition to motivating multi-sectors to recycle, I also want to educate the public on understanding how to reduce their waste and to be aware of the environmental, social and economic impacts of their consumer choices.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land.

Making Boston a net zero energy city is a priority of mine. I believe in expediting the deployment of distributed generation throughout the city, especially renewable energy and combined heat and power. I also propose decreasing greenhouse gas emissions with multi-sector programs designed for positive impact such as installing solar panels, white roofs and/or green roofs on every rooftop.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

I support a ballot initiative to allow non-carbonated beverages to be redeemed. It has a proven record of serving as an incentive to reduce waste.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

Conservation of the city’s green spaces needs to remain a goal under Boston’s climate action plan. Parklands, play areas, and open space are critical to the quality of life of a densely populated and urban, pedestrian friendly city like Boston, and I am committed to growing the amount of green space in the city. I support a no net loss policy that ensures adequate protection for Boston’s precious green space.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

Improving Boston’s air quality is a key focus of mine. Air quality is a complex issue with many contributing factors. It will require multi-faceted solutions. I understand that to successfully address this issue I will work closely with EEA and DEP. Initially, I will focus on idling and other construction contributors to this issue. Again, with my managerial and political experience, I will mobilize citizens and multi-sectors to shape and implement an initiative for impact.

Mike Ross

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

The city absolutely has a responsibility to reduce carbon emissions and to do everything we can to address our city’s contribution to global warming. I support the goals of the city’s existing climate action plan that aims to reduce emissions by 80 percent by 2050 I would work to reduce emissions by supporting more sustainable forms of transportation like the public transit and bikes; I would strengthen programs to help make homes and businesses more energy efficient; increase the amount of electricity the city uses that comes from renewable sources; and increase recycling to reduce Boston’s solid waste incineration.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

Both goals are essential. The challenge for the next mayor will be making sure we stay focused on the immediate goal while aggressively pursuing the long-term vision to cut carbon emissions by 80% in the next 35 years, essentially achieving carbon neutrality. I will do both.”

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings?

How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

We must codify resilient design standards into all new development along Boston’s waterfront and within critical flood zones. I don’t believe it will reduce the city’s tax base. The cost of inaction is greater. Insurance companies are already rewarding properties that are designed for climate resistance. I led a process much like this before, when I pushed the Building Energy Reporting Disclosure Ordinance through the City Council. While there was opposition to the legislation from developers, I brought leaders from the community to the table and we got the legislation passed.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

I led the efforts to expand recycling in Boston as a city councilor. I believe very strongly in recycling — we pay extra so we can recycle at my campaign office. Boston still has a long way to go to achieve the waste diversion rate we need, and curb-side composting is a key part of getting there. I’d favor piloting curb-side composing programs in a few neighborhoods to better understand how to make it a success across the city, with the ultimate goal of expanding them city-wide.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

Anaerobic digestion facilities are increasingly becoming an important component of our state’s renewable energy portfolio. There are significant benefits to this technology that can turn organic waste into useful energy. I would be open to an anaerobic digestion facility being built in Boston. However, there are important questions that any city looking to site such a facility needs to ask, ranging from how related odors and noise would be managed to what the traffic impacts of the trucks bringing in the waste would be. Through a community planning and discussion process, we can determine if this is a facility that makes sense for Boston.

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

Despite efforts to increase recycling for multi-family residential buildings and businesses – efforts that I helped lead – Boston still has a long way to go to achieve the waste diversion rate we need. There are a number of steps that we can take in cooperation with the real estate and business communities to reduce barriers to large building recycling that will greatly help us increase recycling rates. While other cities have had success with Pay As You Throw (PAYT) systems, I believe that a residential PAYT system would need to be gradually phased in in Boston as we address basic issues that are preventing greater recycling rates. Things like stronger public awareness programs, greater adoption of basic recycling in large buildings, and recycling in public spaces will all help residents shift their behavior to recycling more ahead of implementing a PAYT scheme. Efforts to reduce waste in our city also must be measured against core principles of environmental justice and must not place a burden on low-income families and communities.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land.

In 2008, I held a city council hearing on the feasibility of implementing wind turbines in the city of Boston to explore both turbines along the water and on municipal buildings themselves. While Boston is one of the windiest cities, permitting and installing wind turbines are very difficult.

Luckily, there are a large number of opportunities for solar energy installation sites on city-owned buildings like schools. Boston should continue working toward the goal of 25 Megawatts of installed solar energy by 2015, leading by installing solar in city-owned or managed property as well as promoting solar to businesses and homeowners through Renew Boston. Solar thermal often has even greater financial return than solar PV and the City of Boston should establish an aggressive goal for kBTU/hrs of installed solar thermal, including Boston Housing Authority buildings.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

Reducing the use of bottled water and ensuring the ability to easily recycle used bottles are critical to minimizing the amount of plastic waste generated and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions generated from transporting bottled water. I support the current iteration of the Bottle Bill in the State House as a way to reduce waste associated with bottled water. I also strongly support public education efforts to encourage people to drink tap water and use reusable water bottles instead of single-serve bottled water.

As Mayor, I would support the legislation to ban the use of municipal funds to purchase bottled water with the exception of use by first responders in emergency preparedness and response situations when no other option for potable water exists. I would, however, direct emergency personnel to investigate viable alternatives to bottled water so that the city can be completely free of bottled water.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

We need to commit to that goal. As with many problems, my first instinct is to say, “who is doing this better?” New York, with their MillionTrees NYC program, is seeing a lot of success by bringing together local partners with corporate sponsors. I’d see what we could do to duplicate that model and get back on track towards our goal.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

It’s unacceptable that our levels of air pollution are that high, and it’s unacceptable that a lot of that pollution is concentrated in some of our poorest neighborhoods. Children from those neighborhoods are more likely to have asthma and other medical conditions, which plague them for the rest of their lives. One way we can fight air pollution is by enforcing laws that are already on the books. Idling — leaving a car or truck on while parked — is a huge contributor to air pollution. It’s actually a ticketable offense, but we only have a few people covering the whole city. I have suggested deputizing our parking enforcement officers so those officers are able to also give out tickets for idling. They are already out walking the streets, and would be uniquely positioned to be our first line of defense in tackling this problem.

Bill Walczak

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

Climate change is the most serious environmental challenge facing Boston — and the world — so addressing this danger is my primary environmental focus. We must reduce energy consumption and replace fossil fuels with renewably generated electricity. Mitigating climate change also produces other environmental benefits, such as improving local air quality, conserving natural resources, and preserving open space. My policies will simultaneously address climate change, reduce air pollution, create jobs, and save money for Bostonians.

Specifically, I propose:

Reducing Costs Through Lower Energy Use

Accelerate the trajectory of Renew Boston, whose energy conservation mission is central to achieving the 2020 GHG reduction goal

Support the recently enacted Building Energy Rating and Disclosure Ordinance

Require new buildings to meet stringent energy standards by reducing the size threshold for LEED certification or compliance with ASHRAE Advanced Energy Design Guides

Improve efficiency by producing heat and electricity together (cogeneration) in city district heating systems.

Expanding Renewable Energy (see response to question 7 below)

Improving Mass Transit

Work with the MBTA to establish 24/7 service

Ensure Boston residents have the option to use public transit instead of owning a car

Push for electrifying MBTA bus and commuter rail systems to reduce urban air pollution and greenhouse gases.

Buy more electric municipal vehicles and provide more electric vehicle charging stations.

Give buses and light rail intersection priority, and create dedicated bus lanes in congested corridors and on key routes

Improve Boston biking by expanding bike paths, lanes, and the Hubway system.

Preserving Our Urban Environment

Incorporate heat island reduction measures in zoning and building regulations

Expand urban agriculture to provide fresh food, create jobs, and reduce food transportation energy

Incorporate energy usage and carbon emissions targets in City master planning

Supporting Innovation

Continue the successful expansion of the Innovation District to maintain Boston as a center of clean technology investment and commercialization

Formalize collaboration with local universities and research facilities to strengthen those institutions and apply their capabilities for the benefit of Boston’s citizens.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

These greenhouse gas reduction goals have been adopted by the state and by the Menino administration, and they are consistent with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates of actions needed to avoid the worst effects of climate change. These goals are ambitious and appropriate. Goals should also be reviewed periodically, and the actions we take now may set the stage for greater reductions before 2050. Ultimately, humans must stop removing fossil-fuel carbon from the ground and burning it.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

Studies on minimizing Boston climate change impacts suggest that a combination of preparing buildings for flooding and protecting buildings from flooding will be the most cost-effective approach. While this issue requires more study, I anticipate that some building code changes will be required to adequately prepare our infrastructure. I do not expect this to reduce the tax base, but rather to preserve the tax base. I will identify and begin the long-term preparations for protecting Boston from sea-level rise and catastrophic storms. I will also advocate for preservation of marshland and other low-lying areas as buffer zones for flood protection through the Conservation Commission.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

I would favor creating more composting options, composting promotion, and composting education. I would work to implement a simple 3-category waste disposal program: (1) Recycleables, (2) Compost, and (3) Default Landfill. This will cover all compostable materials, such as grass and leaves; not just food waste. But I would not favor mandatory composting measures by themselves at this time. To be effective, it must be part of a comprehensive recycling program.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

Yes. I support all clean and cost-effective renewable energy resources.

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

As Mayor I would promote more recycling and more recycling education. With the exception of an expanded bottle bill (see question 8 below), I do not support mandatory recycling measures at this time.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land.

My renewable energy proposals include:

Establish a renewable energy requirement for city buildings: 15% now and 30% by 2020

Promote renewable energy programs at city schools

Support a growing Renewable Portfolio Standard for utility customers as technology costs decline

Encourage cost-effective residential solar energy self-generation

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

Yes and yes. About 80% of containers with deposits are recycled, four times more than the overall recycling rate. The deposit is a simple and proven way to increase recycling and reduce litter. I was a leader in the passage of the original bottle bill, and support expanding it.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

I support this goal. Trees provide welcome shade and beauty, as well as sequestering carbon. There may be many reasons tree planting is behind schedule, but good management is about overcoming problems to accomplishing goals, and I excel as a manager. I would systematically identify and remove obstacles to accomplishing this goal and other important goals.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

My focus on reducing greenhouse gas emissions will also reduce diesel pollution. While filters on diesel construction equipment have been proposed, these filters would not reduce carbon dioxide emissions from this equipment. I seek policies that accomplish multiple goals at that same time. For example, electrifying MBTA bus and commuter rail lines would both reduce diesel pollution and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Martin J. Walsh

1. Should the city try to reduce carbon emissions, and if so, what would you propose to do that?

Without question. Reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is critical to mitigating the climate changes we are facing and what our children and their children will face. I am committed to building on the excellent work begun under the Climate Action Plan launched by Mayor Menino by working with local and international experts in the field to position Boston as a leader in GHG reduction.

Reducing GHG emissions is a complex and comprehensive challenge, and the scope of response cannot be addressed in short answer format. However, I would like to stress that we understand the scope of the challenge and the crosscutting effort it requires. GHG emission reductions will be achieved by partnering with residents, organizations, and businesses across Boston, and as mayor, I am committed to leading that effort.

2. Is the city too ambitious or not ambitious enough by aiming to cut carbon emissions 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050?

I think the 2020 goal is sufficiently challenging, but we are looking at ways to exceed the 2050 goal of 80 percent reduction. The Boston Climate Action Leadership Committee and Community Advisory Committee did fantastic work that formed the basis of Boston’s current Climate Action Plan, but each year we learn more about what steps we can take to reduce GHG emissions, and it may well be that we can incorporate new learning and innovations in order to exceed the 2050 goal.

3. As sea levels rise, do you favor requiring new building codes to put critical systems on higher floors, even if it reduces the city’s tax base? And what about existing buildings? How would you respond to developers’ concerns? Anything else you think the city should be doing about rising seas?

Sea level rise, increased frequency and intensity of heat waves, and ever more extreme storms are the most concerning outcomes of climate change. I am committed to leading visionary responses to the coming changes. It is not enough to just focus on reduction of greenhouse gases.

Our response must be comprehensive, and it must be bold. Yes, we will be looking at the role of building codes in encouraging and supporting developers to build smart for Boston. Yes, we will be looking to support actions that protect existing buildings from climate change impacts. We know there will be concerns from developers because we’re setting a high bar. Change is challenging, but can be an impetus for innovation, and we look forward to partnering with developers to support that innovation.

But beyond building codes, we will also be looking to the best practices around the world to make our city more resilient during climate change, and nothing is off the table right now from floating developments to a series of locks and dams ringing the city. We all saw what happened to New York City during Superstorm Sandy—devastation that could have hit Boston as well had the timing of the storm been just six hours different. Boston faces very significant challenges from climate change, and we cannot be timid. As mayor, I would be committed to bold and visionary action for a thriving, healthy Boston.

4. As the state moves to ban large institutions from discarding food waste and considers doing so for residents, should Boston act first and require residents to compost or recycle food waste rather than tossing it in the trash?

I am absolutely in favor of residential recycling and composting of food waste. In my first term, my focus would be on education and support, building on what has been started, on reducing the barriers for residents to adopt this new behavior, and then, once the education and support systems are in place, looking at how legislative measures might be used to complement those systems.

5. Would you support an anaerobic digestion facility to be built in Boston to convert food waste into energy?

I think it’s an interesting idea. I’m open to big changes in the way we operate in Boston, particularly around significantly increasing our green practices. There are many benefits to diverting food waste to an energy generation plant, including cleaner electricity generation, less material in landfills, and potential savings in trash removal costs for businesses. There are other options, perhaps complementary, for handling food waste, such as composting for use in community and residential gardens as well as city green spaces, so we’d need to look at the most efficient uses for that food waste across the city and how the impacts, positive and negative, of those decisions affect residents.

6. Until recently, despite tens of millions of dollars spent, a raft of new programs, and the availability of curbside recycling to nearly everyone, only about 20 percent of all residential garbage is recycled in Boston, much less than is recycled in other major cities. What would you do to change this?

As the question itself implies, all of those efforts have led to an increased recycling rate (about 30%) which is good news. The bad news is, of course, that we could be doing much better. As anyone who has ever tried to change their diet or exercise regimen knows, behavior change is really difficult. Education can take a long time and a lot of repetition and exposure to have an impact. It’s important not to give up on all the great work that has been started, because it forms the foundation for long-term, effective behavior change. However, I am not opposed to looking at increasing monitoring of waste flows and enforcement of recycling paired with effective penalties. I understand the benefits that have been achieved in some cities by implementing pay-as-you-throw approaches, but I am deeply concerned by the net effect of pay-as-you-throw creating disproportionate financial hardship for the poor.

7. What would you do to promote renewable energy in Boston? Do you envision more solar panels on city buildings? Wind turbines on city land.

I plan to model adoption of renewable energy approaches on city properties: adding solar panels to existing buildings, for instance. A critical component of reducing our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is changing how we generate electricity. Electricity generation is, by far, the greatest contributor to Boston’s GHG emissions. The use of solar and wind technologies is fundamental to cleaner electricity, and we are committed to the city leading that transition.

As a previous question touched upon, we have many options for renewable energy including diverting food waste for electricity generation. Beyond the city leading the transition to renewable energy sources, I am committed to supporting innovation and entrepreneurial efforts at the local and municipal level as well as inviting in companies from outside the city to partner with us.

Most of all, it’s a matter of political will. Are we committed to making big changes, some more difficult than others, in order to put Boston on the right path or are we going to just try to tweak the current models and hope things get better anyway? As mayor, I would be committed to visionary and bold actions to secure the future of Boston.

8. The state’s bottle law has not been updated in more than 30 years to allow noncarbonated beverages to be redeemed for a nickel, as it allows for soda, beer, and malt beverages. Would you support a ballot initiative to change the law, and would you use the mayor’s bully pulpit to seek support?

Yes, I would support a ballot initiative, and I would use my position as mayor to support this initiative as recycling of carbonated beverage containers have, far and away, the highest recycling rate. I supported legislation to update the bottle bill.

9. Six years ago, city officials set a goal of planting 100,000 trees by 2020, but for many reasons, as of last year, they had only planted about 10 percent of the promised trees. Is this a priority for you and what if anything would you do to try to complete the goal?

Here, the famous saying about “No plan survives contact with reality” came into play. The plan to plant 100,00 trees was based on some flawed logic, including trying to plant trees in existing, narrow sidewalks where trees cannot flourish. By expanding the program to include residential and business properties included with the public right of ways, we would dramatically expand planting sites AND the viability of the trees planted. It’s important to emphasize that the number of trees planted is one thing, but it’s entirely another to count how many survived.

Additionally, and this cannot be stated too baldly, the city budget for trees, for trimming, for planting new ones, has been cut to such an extent that residents wait a year and a half to get a tree trimmed. Increasing the urban tree canopy cannot happen without the political will to fund the initiative at the level it needs.

I am committed to looking at how to get this initiative back on track, including looking at the organizations currently in charge, and whether they are the right fit for the job, what kind of support is needed, and how we can move past excuses and toward solutions.

10. The Environmental Protection Agency has found that Suffolk County has more diesel pollution — 300 times the amount considered acceptable by the federal government — than 99 percent of the nation’s counties, more than one-third of it spewed by construction equipment. What would you do to reduce diesel and other pollution?

That was not a surprising result, but still heartbreaking and unacceptable. However, significant progress has already been achieved since that study came out a few years back, and the benefits are continuing as diesel emissions drop year by year.

Reducing diesel pollution will be a top priority for my administration. Much as the state DEP requires in its contracts, the city will require construction companies contracted by the city to retrofit their equipment with emission control devices (ECDs). We will continue to require that all city vehicles purchased have hybrid engines or use less polluting fuels; we will use the 2014 contract negotiations with waste hauling companies to reward companies that retrofit their vehicles with ECDs; we will look at expanding and strengthening out anti-idling laws and emission inspections; and we will investigate how best to support the use of ECDs by companies which find their use a financial hardship. While I understand that the responsible use of ECDs represents a financial challenge to companies, it is not acceptable for the costs of non-use to be borne by Boston residents. I look forward to working with all companies that are committed to the health and well-being of Boston residents.

It’s a new twist on an old concept: dig slight depressions into the ground to act as a traditional sort of catch-basin for rainwater — but this time, add various types of indigenous plants that thrive in wet environments so as to increase the basin’s efficacy.

That small change not only makes the basin more aesthetically pleasing, but also better at sopping up runoff before it washes away soil and carries pollutants into the water system.

Although these “rain gardens” are still a relatively new concept in the stormwater management field, they’ve gained traction with Pequannock Township Engineer Joe Golden, who recently completed an application for a $2,000 grant from Rutgers University’s “Sustainable Jersey” program in order to fund a local course on the practice.

His plan, he said in a Thursday afternoon phone conversation, is to use the money to hold the class, and then have those that attend construct a demo rain garden somewhere on public property so other residents can see firsthand how they work.

Golden is already certified by the university as a rain garden specialist and trainer, and has built several of his own, including one at an Andover Township school that helped that town win a NJ Governor’s Award for stormwater management in 2010.

He’s hoping to do something similar in Pequannock, which, what with its sandy, permeable soil and perennial flooding issues, is the ideal spot for both public and private plots.

“Rain gardens typically get about 30 percent more [water] infiltration than a lawn does,” he said. “If every lawn had a rain garden, we’d have 30 percent less water [running off]… and if every property in the area installed one, we would actually maybe make a dent in the flooding.”

Even if it never helped the flooding, however, the small parcels — Golden’s own at his Sussex County home measures about 20-by-8 feet — are excellent for water conservation, and the combination of grass, plants, and mulch at the edge of a parking lot or gutter downspout helps “eat away the bad stuff” that might otherwise drain into local rivers.

“You put it on the end of a driveway, and it takes out the oil,” he said. “It cleans the water before it gets into the ground… it’s been very successful in some other communities.”

Plus, he said, they are “very attractive,” and can entice hummingbirds, monarch butterflies, and other bits of nature into the area.

The course would most likely be free, he said, and the town’s garden, wherever it may be, could be labeled with signs and become a sort of ecosystem exhibit as well. He’s hoping to find out whether Pequannock secured the grant sometime in September, and the work could be done in the spring.

He meets with the town Green Team on Monday night to discuss the plans further.

Meanwhile, the Township Council voiced support for the plan when its members heard about it at their Aug. 13 meeting, with Councilwoman Cathy Winterfield saying the concept is “pretty exciting” and Mayor Rich Phelan noting that it “sounds cool.”

Councilman Jay Vanderhoff, who has an extensive background in the landscaping field, said he heard that a number of town Green Teams and environmental clubs are getting behind the idea and doing it in their own municipalities.

Another community garden is coming to the city of Richland.

The city council recently approved a master plan for about 1.5 acres at the southwest corner of the Stevens-Jadwin Avenue intersection — an area known as Stevens triangle.

The plan includes a community garden, which will start with 30 garden boxes and could later be expanded.

Home Depot is donating materials and labor, and the Richland stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints also will provide volunteers.

The city will add fencing and landscaping. A small parking area also is included in the plan.

“We’re excited for this new option,” said Maria Gutierrez, chairwoman of Richland’s parks and recreation commission. “Stevens triangle is a space where we’ve been hoping to do something that’s productive and attractive for the community. I think this is a very nice fit.”

The triangle’s northern end was improved as a demonstration xeriscape project by Washington State University students in the 90s, according to a memo from city staff to the council. The southern part, where the community garden will go, is unimproved, with a crushed rock surface, the information said.

The idea is to have the garden ready by next spring, in time for gardening season. The city also has the McMurray Community Garden behind the Safeway on George Washington Way and the Venus Community Garden near Gage Boulevard in south Richland.

“In our park system, we’re trying to provide services and facilities that meet the needs of all our population. After the city put in the first community garden at McMurray, it was clear there was demand for more,” said Joe Schiessl, parks and recreation director.

Each of the two existing community gardens has about 30 plots, and they’re popular among residents.

The city council approved the Stevens triangle master plan during its regular meeting last Tuesday, after discussing the need to speed up the timeline of the fencing and landscaping so they don’t lag behind the installation of the garden. Councilman Terry Christensen noted that the area is a gateway to the city and said buffer elements are important, especially during the months when the community garden is in its off-season.

Schiessl told the council that, “we can look at our phasing and bring several phases together into one larger project and deal with the screening issue.”

After the meeting, Christensen said he feels good about the community garden project. “I think it can all come out very positive,” he said.

— Sara Schilling: 582-1529; sschilling@tricityherald.com; Twitter: @saraTCHerald

Outdoors

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Friday, August 23, 2013 1:06 AM EDT

Up front about the harvest

BY MARK SCHLUEB | ORLANDO SENTINEL

Jason and Jennifer Helvenston stand among the sweet potato vines in their front yard garden in Orlando, Florida, on August 6, 2013. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/MCT)

After an embarrassing battle with a couple of gardeners, Orlando, Fla., officials have drawn up new rules governing homeowners who want to plant carrots and cucumbers in their front yards.

It’s the latest salvo — and probably the last — in a literal turf war over what Orlando residents can plant in front of their homes. It started last year, when Jason and Jennifer Helvenston were hit with a code-enforcement citation for digging up their College Park neighborhood front lawn and replacing it with lettuce, kale, radishes, tomatoes and more.

The perception of big government cracking down on veggies drew media attention and a gardener revolt.

City planners responded by drawing up rules that specifically allowed front-yard vegetable gardens, but critics protested outside City Hall. The rules were so strict that they would drastically cut the space available for food gardens, they argued. Commissioners sent the planners back to the drawing board.

The new version, expected to go to the City Council for final approval next month, is quite a bit more relaxed.

“We’re going to get to keep our garden,” Jason Helvenston said. “There are going to be very few gardens that will be illegal under this particular wording.”

The first version of the garden regulations would have allowed residents to plant vegetables on no more than 25 percent of their front yard; required gardens to be screened with fencing or shrubs, set back at least 10 feet from the property line or put in planter boxes; and limited vegetable plants to no more than 4 feet tall. Green-thumbed protesters objected.

Gardens are on the rise, partly because of the still-struggling economy, partly because of a “clean food” movement that objects to pesticides and the environmental footprint of factory farming. Gardeners argued that city officials should be encouraging residents to cultivate their own food, not limiting how much space they can use or how tall their tomatoes grow.

Planners revamped the new rules with help from landscape architects, horticulturists and the Helvenstons themselves.

The new rules would allow veggies to cover as much as 60 percent of a front yard. The 10-foot setback was shrunk to 3 feet, and the vegetable-height limit was thrown out.

Jennifer Helvenston credited the gardening army with changing minds at City Hall.

“I think we arrived at the right spot in the end,” chief planner Jason Burton said. “That input from around the world and locally helped get us to the point we are today, where we have an ordinance I think everyone can live with. I think it’s a positive thing.”

Burton said Orlando unfairly got a black eye over the garden war. Planners simply want to ensure the landscaping is well maintained — vegetable or otherwise — rather than out-of-control weeds or a garden gone to seed.

“People thought we were against front-yard gardens, and we really weren’t,” Burton said. “People are not always successful with gardens, and what happens is, people will do it for one season and suddenly it’s dirt forever. We wanted to make sure there was a level of permanent landscaping.”

Helvenston predicts one portion of the new code will have unintended consequences. The city added a 5-foot height limit on temporary structures, which was meant to govern such things as tomato cages. But Helvenston thinks it would prevent homeowners from placing swings or fountains in their front yards.

Gardeners are likely to be as happy as they can be with a set of rules. But the Helvenstons wonder: Why adopt any rules, especially if they are so limited that they will affect few homeowners?

“It’s a perfect example of how a government reacts to something and tries to do their thing but goes way too far,” Jason Helvenston said. “They didn’t really need to do anything but say, ‘Front-yard gardens are OK.'”

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Ongoing

Critters and Humans: Riverside Nature Center, 150 Francisco Lemos St., Kerrville, 830-257-4837, www.riverside
naturecenter.org. Guests will learn how to co-exist with critters and creatures. There will be children’s activities and visits with the animals at the center. Free. Donations accepted. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Daily through Sept. 9.

Tuesday

Growing Vegetables: AM AgriLife Extension Service, 3355 Cherry Ridge Drive, Suite 208, 210-467-6575. In the first of a two-part series, horticulturist David Rodriguez will focus on planning and preparation for a vegetable garden. $10 per person. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Registration is required. The second part on purchasing and planting is scheduled for Sept. 17.

Friday

Watersaver tour: Nominations are being accepted for the Watersaver Landscape Tour. Nominations, which must be for yards considered unique and water efficient, can be made at www.GardeningVolunteers.org or by calling 210-251-8101 by Friday.

Saturday

Fall Landscaping: Schulz Nursery, 3700 Broadway, www.schulznursery.
com. Horticulturist David Rodriguez will present an Earth-Kind Education Seminar: “Landscaping Chores for the Upcoming Fall Planting Season.” Free. 10:30 a.m.-noon.

Children’s Garden Program: San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place, 210-467-6575,
www.sabot.org. Bexar County Master Gardener volunteers will mentor children ages 8-13 in growing their own gardens. Each child will have a garden plot to grow herbs, vegetables and flowers. $40 per child, $50 for two children to share a plot. The session is from 9 a.m.-noon every Saturday through Dec. 7.

Upcoming

Home tour and symposium: Crowley Theater, 98 S. Austin St., Marfa, www.designmarfa.com. Design Marfa will present a panel of architects, designers, builders and landscapers along with a tour of seven unique homes. $35-$250. Prices increase Sept. 1. Space is limited. Nov. 1-3.

Email event notices to hgcalendar@
express-news.net at least three weeks before the event. Fax: 210-250-3405.

Latest Headlines

• Pet Project— July 9

• Pet Project: April 30

• Pet Project: April 23

• Animals Matter: How to address packs of roaming dogs

• Pet Project: April 16

Conference speakers cover a wide range of topics, from bees and bats to ferns and vertical landscaping. Here is the schedule.

Friday, Sept. 20

9-10:15 a.m., Keynote address,  Great Gardens of the World, Vincent Simeone. Detailed information on a wide variety of unusual and exotic species of plants, picturesque views of natural and cultivated areas and helpful information on garden design and popular trends.

10:45 a.m.-noon, Historic Landscape Preservation: Reinventing an Aging Landscape, Vincent Simeone. Explore the world of historic landscape preservation and how to rehabilitate a landscape.

Vertical Gardening, Mark Dwyer. Plant selection along with the use of various structures can maximize the beauty of your garden while minimizing the “footprint” of these plants in narrow or limited spaces. 

The Herbs and Plants of Beatrice Potter’s World, Jan Powers. A look at the herbs and plants of Peter Rabbit. 

River Clean-up, Michael Coyne-Logan. The history and mission of Living Lands and Waters, a Hampton, Ill.-based environmental organization founded by river clean-up man Chad Pregracke.

1:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.

Ferns and Mosses, Mark Dwyer. Ferns offer color and texture in the garden and moss have value as a groundcover.

Urban Agriculture Research, Sam Wortman. Economically sustainable food production and the potential environmental issues limiting the growth of urban agriculture.

Patterns in Nature that Inspire Japanese Gardens and the Connections Between Garden and Architecture, Tim Gruner. A sense of calm and peace, the opportunity for fresh, clear thought and awe of nature’s rejuvenative ability are some of the things that can occur in a garden space that might exist in the midde of a busy city or in one’s own backyard.

Plant Clinic Year in Review, Suzanne Bissonnette. Problems with trees and other ornamentals seen in Illinois during this growing season.

Gardening in Miniature, Kathryn Newman. Learn how to creat entire landscapes in a planter. Tips, techniques and easy-to-grow plants.

3:15-4:30 p.m.

All America Selections, Diane Blazek. A look into the past and future of this nonprofit plant testing organization.

Proper Tree Pruning, Less is not More, Scott Carlson. Learn to anticipate a tree’s growth and understand its response to pruning so that the proper cut is made today.

New Trends in Hardscapes, Dave Schneider. Concrete pavers and stone walls for outdoor living spaces.

Organic or Conventional? Jeff Hawes. Strategies of soil management, plant nutrition and pest management to improve your gardening.

Saturday, Sept. 21

9-10:45 a.m., Keynote address, American Home Landscapes, Denise Adams. A historical perspective of the evolution of America’s residential landscape.

10:45 a.m.-12 noon, Sustainable Gardens: Creating and Maintaining a Gravel Garden, Jeff Epping. Based on concepts developed by German horticulturist Cassian Schmidt, these gardens are as lush, green and colorful as any perennial border.

Horticulture Judging: and the ribbon goes to…, Jim Schmidt. The qualities that make common horticulture exhibits blue ribbon winners.

Ancient Gardeners and Gardens, Michael Wiant. Learn how early people laid the groundwork for the gardens and food we grow today.

Beekeeping Basics, Phil Crandall. Beekeeping and encouraging bees to your landscape.

Gardening in Miniature, Kathryn Newman. Learn how to creat entire landscapes in a planter. Tips, techniques and easy-to-grow plants.

1:30-2:45 p.m.

Made Wild by Pompous Catalogues from Florists and Seedsmen…, Denise Adams. How to use old plant catalogs as a research tool.

Sustainable Gardens: Designs and Plants for Greener Gardens, Jeff Epping. How to grow beautiful gardens that require less time, water and chemical inputs.

Bats, Vera Blevins. Putting fears aside, looking at bats as important indicators of a healthy environment and how we can play a part in planning for their future. Live bats present.

Chicago Victory Gardens: Yesterday and Tomorrow, LaManda Joy. The pivitol role of Chicago in the World War II Victory Garden movement and how the city is, once again, playing a leading role in urban food production.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Click photo to enlarge

Marin

• The Marin Open Garden Project encourages residents to bring their excess backyard-grown fruit and vegetables to the following locations for a free exchange with other gardeners on Saturdays: Mill Valley from 10 to 11 a.m. on the Greenwood School front porch at 17 Buena Vista Avenue; San Anselmo from 9 to 10 a.m. at the San Anselmo Town Hall Lawn; San Rafael from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in Sun Valley Park at K and Solano streets; San Rafael from 9 to 10 a.m. at Pueblo Park on Hacienda Way in Santa Venetia; San Rafael from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the Terra Linda Community Garden at 850 Nova Albion Way; and Novato at the corner of Ferris Drive and Nova Lane from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Go to www.opengardenproject.org or email contact@opengardenproject.org.

• A free informational session for people interested in becoming Marin Master Gardeners is from 10 to 11 a.m. Aug. 24 at the UCCE office at 1682 Novato Blvd. in Novato. Call 473-4204 or go to www.marinmg.org.

• West Marin Commons offers a weekly harvest exchange at 1:30 p.m. Saturdays at the Livery Stable gardens on the commons in Point Reyes Station. Go to www.westmarin commons.org.

• The Novato Independent Elders Program seeks volunteers to help Novato seniors with their overgrown yards on Tuesday mornings or Thursday afternoons. Call 899-8296.

• Volunteers are sought to help in Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy nurseries from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays at Tennessee Valley, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesdays at Muir Woods or 1 to 4 p.m. Wednesdays or 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays in the Marin Headlands. Call 561-3077 or go to www.parksconservancy.org/volunteer.

• The SPAWN (Salmon Protection and Watershed Network) native plant nursery days are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays and weekends. Call 663-8590, ext. 114, or email jonathan@tirn.net to register and for directions.

• Marin Open Garden Project (MOGP) volunteers are available to help Marin residents glean excess fruit from their trees for donations to local organizations serving people in need and to build raised beds to start vegetable gardens through the MicroGardens program. MGOP also offers a garden tool lending library. Go to www.opengardenproject.org or email contact@opengarden project.org.

• Marin Master Gardeners and the Marin Municipal Water District offer free residential Bay-Friendly Garden Walks to MMWD customers. The year-round service helps homeowners identify water-saving opportunities and soil conservation techniques for their landscaping. Call 473-4204 to request a visit to your garden.

San Francisco

• The Conservatory of Flowers, at 100 John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park, displays permanent galleries of tropical plant species as well as changing special exhibits from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. $2 to $7. Call 831-2090 or go to www.conservatoryofflowers.org.

• The San Francisco Botanical Garden Society, at Ninth Avenue and Lincoln Way in Golden Gate Park, offers several ongoing events. $7; free to San Francisco residents, members and school groups. Call 661-1316 or go to www.sfbotanicalgarden.org. Free docent tours leave from the Strybing Bookstore near the main gate at 1:30 p.m. weekdays, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. weekends; and from the north entrance at 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Groups of 10 or more can call ahead for special-focus tours.

Around the Bay

• Cornerstone Gardens is a permanent, gallery-style garden featuring walk-through installations on nine acres at 23570 Highway 121 in Sonoma. Free. Call 707-933-3010 or go to www.corner stonegardens.com.

• Garden Valley Ranch rose garden is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays at 498 Pepper Road in Petaluma. $2 to $10. Call 707-795-0919 or go to www.gardenvalley.com.

• The Luther Burbank Home at Santa Rosa and Sonoma avenues in Santa Rosa has docent-led tours of the greenhouse and a portion of the gardens every half hour from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. $7. Call 707-524-5445.

• McEvoy Ranch at 5935 Red Hill Road in Petaluma offers tips on planting olive trees and has olive trees for sale by appointment. Call 707-769-4123 or go to www.mcevoy ranch.com.

• Wednesdays are volunteer days from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Occidental Arts and Ecology Center at 15290 Coleman Valley Road in Occidental. Call 707-874-1557, ext. 201, or go to www.oaec.org.

• Quarryhill Botanical Garden at 12841 Sonoma Highway in Glen Ellen covers 61 acres and showcases a large selection of scientifically documented wild source temperate Asian plants. The garden is open for self-guided tours from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. $5 to $10. Call 707-996-3166 or go to www.quarryhillbg.org.

The Trowel Glove Calendar appears Saturdays. Send high-resolution jpg photo attachments and details about your event to calendar@marinij.com or mail to Home and Garden Calendar/Lifestyles, Marin Independent Journal, 4000 Civic Center Drive, Suite 301, San Rafael, CA 94903. Items should be sent two weeks in advance. Photos should be a minimum of 1 megabyte and include caption information. Include a daytime phone number on your release.

—-

ORLANDO, Fla. – After an embarrassing battle with a couple of gardeners, Orlando, Fla., officials have drawn up new rules governing homeowners who want to plant carrots and cucumbers in their front yards.

It’s the latest salvo – and probably the last – in a literal turf war over what Orlando residents can plant in front of their homes. It started last year, when Jason and Jennifer Helvenston were hit with a code-enforcement citation for digging up their College Park neighborhood front lawn and replacing it with lettuce, kale, radishes, tomatoes and more.

The perception of big government cracking down on veggies drew media attention and a gardener revolt.

City planners responded by drawing up rules that specifically allowed front-yard vegetable gardens, but critics protested outside City Hall. The rules were so strict that they would drastically cut the space available for food gardens, they argued. Commissioners sent the planners back to the drawing board.

The new version, expected to go to the City Council for final approval next month, is quite a bit more relaxed.

“We’re going to get to keep our garden,” Jason Helvenston said. “There are going to be very few gardens that will be illegal under this particular wording.”

The first version of the garden regulations would have allowed residents to plant vegetables on no more than 25 percent of their front yard; required gardens to be screened with fencing or shrubs, set back at least 10 feet from the property line or put in planter boxes; and limited vegetable plants to no more than 4 feet tall. Green-thumbed protesters objected.

Gardens are on the rise, partly because of the still-struggling economy, partly because of a “clean food” movement that objects to pesticides and the environmental footprint of factory farming. Gardeners argued that city officials should be encouraging residents to cultivate their own food, not limiting how much space they can use or how tall their tomatoes grow.

Planners revamped the new rules with help from landscape architects, horticulturists and the Helvenstons themselves.

The new rules would allow veggies to cover as much as 60 percent of a front yard. The 10-foot setback was shrunk to 3 feet, and the vegetable-height limit was thrown out.

Jennifer Helvenston credited the gardening army with changing minds at City Hall.

“I think we arrived at the right spot in the end,” chief planner Jason Burton said. “That input from around the world and locally helped get us to the point we are today, where we have an ordinance I think everyone can live with. I think it’s a positive thing.”

Burton said Orlando unfairly got a black eye over the garden war. Planners simply want to ensure the landscaping is well maintained – vegetable or otherwise – rather than out-of-control weeds or a garden gone to seed.

“People thought we were against front-yard gardens, and we really weren’t,” Burton said. “People are not always successful with gardens, and what happens is, people will do it for one season and suddenly it’s dirt forever. We wanted to make sure there was a level of permanent landscaping.”

Helvenston predicts one portion of the new code will have unintended consequences. The city added a 5-foot height limit on temporary structures, which was meant to govern such things as tomato cages. But Helvenston thinks it would prevent homeowners from placing swings or fountains in their front yards.

Gardeners are likely to be as happy as they can be with a set of rules. But the Helvenstons wonder: Why adopt any rules, especially if they are so limited that they will affect few homeowners?

“It’s a perfect example of how a government reacts to something and tries to do their thing but goes way too far,” Jason Helvenston said. “They didn’t really need to do anything but say, ‘Front-yard gardens are OK.'”

McClatchy-Tribune

“One is nearer God’s heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth.” – Dorothy Frances Gurney

At its most basic, a garden is a piece of land shaped into a place where fruits, vegetables and flowers bloom, but these flora-filled oases can be so much more.

A place for contemplation, relaxation or a haven to unwind and enjoy the world around, a simple collection of plants, water features and ornaments, or an extravagantly designed masterpiece that strays so far from tradition you’ll wonder if it’s a garden at all.

The Cheapflights.com crew has searched high and low to uncover 10 of the most unusual gardens found on Earth, from a mathematical masterpiece to a beautiful garbage collection.

Loading Slideshow

• Las Pozas, Xilitla, Mexico

  A “Surrealist Xanadu” in the heart of the Mexican jungle, Las Pozas (the Pools) combines man-made structures with exotic flowers, native plants, waterfalls and pools to create a strangely harmonious and peaceful garden.

  The gardens are the creation of eccentric English poet and artist Edward James, who bought the 80-acre former coffee plantation in the mid-1940s in an attempt to create his own Garden of Eden.

  Between 1949 and 1984, James built a total of 36 surreal concrete sculptures and structures on the site with names such as the House with a Roof like a Whale and the Staircase to Heaven.

  As of 2007, the gardens are maintained by the Fondo Xilitla foundation.

• The Garden of Cosmic Speculation, Dumfries, Scotland

  Science and mathematics plus sculptures and landscaping equal one fascinating garden of cosmic proportions.

  The Garden of Cosmic Speculation is a 30-acre garden created by landscape architect and architectural theorist Charles Jencks at his home, Portrack House in Southwest a href=”http://www.cheapflights.com/flights-to-Scotland” target=”_hplink”Scotland/a.

  Inspired by science and mathematics, the garden’s sculptures and landscaping are suitably based on everything from black holes to fractals. There is also a distinct oriental influence thanks to Jencks’ late wife Maggie Keswick, an expert on Asian garden design.

  While the garden is private, it does open up to the public one day a year as part of Scotland’s Gardens Scheme and raises money for Maggie’s Centres, a cancer care charity.

• Rock Garden of Chandigarh, India

  The saying goes that one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, but in the case of the Rock Garden, a city’s junk was transformed into everyone’s treasure.

  Public servant Nek Chand began creating his masterpiece in 1957 from cast-off industrial and home waste he collected from demolition sites across Chandigarh.

  However, his chosen site was actually conservation land with a building restriction. He managed to keep his construction secret for 18 years and, when the authorities finally uncovered the garden, it had grown into 12 acres of courtyards filled with hundreds of sculptures.

  Thanks to public support, the garden was saved from demolition, and Chand was awarded a salary and a workforce of 50 so he could complete his vision.

  Today, Nek Chand’s Rock Garden is spread over a massive 40 acres.

• A French Kiss in Akaroa, Christchurch, New Zealand

  Held every year late in the a href=”http://www.cheapflights.com/flights-to-new-zealand/” target=”_hplink”New Zealand/a summer, the Ellerslie International Flower Show attracts a global audience of garden designers and garden lovers who come to see the best of garden design, gardening trends and new products.

  Founded in Auckland in 1994, the show moved to its current (and fitting) home in Hagley Park, Christchurch, New Zealand’s Garden City, in 2008.

  In 2013, landscape designer Ben Hoyle picked up his sixth Gold Medal for his sunken oasis called “A French Kiss in Akaroa” that featured a lounge pit filled with pillows where visitors could take in a unique view from below the waterline. The inspiration for the garden came from the history of the French settlement in the South Island town of Akaroa.

  Kate Hillier, exhibition manager at the Ellerslie International Flower Show said the garden, along with several others, had been donated to New Brighton – a coastal suburb in Christchurch that was badly damaged in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

  “We look forward to seeing the garden live on, brightening the days of people living in such a seriously damaged area,” Hillier said.

  Photo credit: a href=”http://www.ellerslieflowershow.co.nz/” target=”_hplink”Ellerslie International Flower Show/a

• Forestiere Underground Gardens, Fresno, California, United States

  Forestiere Underground Gardens are the creation of Sicilian immigrant Baldasare Forestiere, who built the garden over 40 years from 1906 until his death in 1946.

  Inspired by a childhood fascination with the catacombs in Rome, Forestiere built the Underground Garden as an escape from the scorching a href=”http://www.cheapflights.com/flights-to-fresno/” target=”_hplink”Fresno/a summer.

  Today a listed California Historical Landmark, the three-level underground structure is a network of rooms and passageways and features a summer and winter bedroom, kitchen, fish pond, a parlor complete with fireplace, and several subterranean gardens.

  Many of the garden’s plants are more than 100 years old and, thanks to the underground construction, are protected from frost over the winter months.

  The garden is home to a variety of fruit-bearing trees and vines from citrus to berries that were planted at different times, so the trees bloom one after the other giving a lengthened growing season.

  Photo credit: a href=”http://www.undergroundgardens.com/index.html” target=”_hplink”Forestiere Underground Gardens/a

• Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden, Tromsø, Norway

  The Arctic-Alpine Botanical Garden (Arktisk alpin Botanisk hage) is the most northern botanical garden in the world and home to an impressive display of Arctic and alpine plants from across the globe.

  Opened in 1994, the garden is run by the Tromsø University Museum and aside from the Arctic collection it features plants from the Himalayas, South America and even Africa.

  The city of Tromsø lies 220 miles inside the Arctic Circle (corresponding to the north coast of Alaska) and experiences the famed “Midnight Sun” from mid-May until late-July. However, from late-November until mid-January the sun never rises. But, thanks to the Gulf Stream, winters in Tromsø are relatively mild with an average temperature of 24°F.

  The garden is open from May to October and entry is free of charge.
  Part of the rock landscapes.

  Photo credit: a href=”http://uit.no/tmu/artikkel?p_document_id=343610p_dimension_id=88178p_menu=42433″ target=”_hplink”Arve Elvebakk/Arctic University of Norway/a

• Bookworm Garden, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, United States

  Pull up a pew, make yourself comfy and settle down for story time in Sheboygan’s Bookworm Garden.

  The creation of local gardener Sandy Livermore, the garden takes inspiration from more than 60 of the world’s most loved children’s books including “Hansel and Gretel,” “Winnie the Pooh,” “Goodnight Moon,” “Where the Wild Things Are” and, of course, the “Secret Garden.”

  The garden is divided into six themed areas, called Gateways. Books for each area are laminated and stored at the entrance of each Gateway.

  The garden is open from May 1 to October 31 and entrance is free.

• Tarot Garden (Giardino dei Tarocchi), Tuscany, Italy

  The imaginative sculptures by French artist Niki de Saint Phalle sparkle against the picturesque Tuscan landscape in the Tarot Garden (Giardino dei Tarocchi) of Capalbio, Italy.

  Inspired by Gaudí´s Parc Güell in Barcelona, Spain, de Saint Phalle wanted to create a “small Eden where man and nature meet.”

  Each of the garden’s giant statues was designed and painstakingly handmade by de Saint Phalle including the Empress, the Tree of Life, the Devil, the Magician and the Sun.

  The Tarot Garden is open 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. from April to October.

• Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech, Morocco

  The Majorelle Garden is a 12-acre botanical and landscape garden designed by the French artist Jacques Majorelle in the 1920s and 1930s.

  Open to the public since 1947, the garden was owned by legendary fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent from 1980 until his death in 2008 (his ashes are scattered in the garden).

  The garden contains cacti, exotic plants and trees set off by vibrant colors, pools, streams and fountains.

  Majorelle even created a special shade of bold cobalt blue, now called Majorelle Blue, that is found on many of the buildings throughout the garden.

  The garden also houses the Islamic Art Museum of Marrakech, which includes North African textiles from Saint-Laurent’s personal collection and ceramics, jewelery and paintings by Majorelle.

• Poison Garden, Northumberland, England

  The Poison Garden at Alnwick Garden is the personal project of the Duchess of Northumberland.

  More than 100 plants of varying degrees of deadliness are grown in the Poison Garden and many of the plants had to be given a special license from the Home Office to be included in the display.

  Some of the garden’s deadly inhabitants include mandrake (a strong narcotic), deadly nightshade (just three of the sweet berries are enough to kill), opium and foxglove (a 16th-century laxative, the entire plant is poisonous).

  Daily tours run every 20 minutes with the last tour leaving at 5:15 p.m.

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Rain gardens are a landscaping trend focused on making the most of rainfall when we receive it while helping to protect our rivers, lakes and streams. An opportunity to learn what a rain garden is and how to build your own rain garden is once again being offered in Columbus next week.

The rain garden workshop and hands-on installation will be held Wednesday, Aug. 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the new Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce office at 753 33rd Ave. Plan to attend to learn about rain gardens and to have the opportunity to help install and plant a rain garden.

This workshop was offered in June, but rainfall prevented us from holding the workshop and installing the rain garden at that time. I am repeating this article to let you know we are once again offering this interesting workshop for you to attend all or a portion.

Along with hands-on experience, participants will receive a rain garden manual valued at $15 and will have the opportunity to ask questions of presenters experienced with rain garden design and installation.

A rain garden is basically a shallow bowl-shaped garden that has low berms on three sides. The gardens are located where they will receive rainwater from a downspout, driveway or lawn area. Most are planted to perennial flowers and ornamental grasses, but shrubs are used as well.

Correctly designed and installed rain gardens are not water gardens, ponds or bogs. They are designed so that rainwater typically soaks into the soil in less than 24 hours. Hence, a wide variety of plants can be used and rain gardens do not breed mosquitoes.

The Columbus rain garden workshop will be taught by Katie Pekarek, University of Nebraska-Lincoln water quality educator, and Kelly Feehan, UNL horticulture educator. Pekarek has helped with the installation of other rain gardens across Nebraska, and we will benefit from her experience and knowledge.

At the workshop, the morning session will be spent learning how rain gardens are used for water conservation and stormwater management, the basics of designing a rain garden, and about the types of plants to use in rain gardens.

The afternoon will be spent applying much of what was learned as participants help complete and plant a rain garden. Come prepared to get your hands dirty and to be pleasantly surprised at the ease with which most rain gardens can be added to a home landscape, as well as the variety of perennial flowers and ornamental grasses that can be used in rain gardens.

There will be a $10 fee to register for the workshop; however, this fee will be returned to you upon attendance. Lunch will be provided. For more information, please call the UNL Extension office at 402-563-4901 or e-mail kfeehan2@unl.edu.

This workshop is being sponsored by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Stormwater Management Team, the Nebraska Statewide Arboretum and Environmental Trust Waterwise Grant Program, the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, the City of Columbus, and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Kelly Feehan is a UNL extension educator-horticulture. She can be reached at (402) 563-4901 or by email at kfeehan2@unl.edu.