Press "Enter" to skip to content

Posts published in “Environment”

Council defers vote on craft breweries ordinance and approves reducing use of single-use plastics [updated]

The City Council deferred its vote on the craft breweries ordinance and voted to adopt the plastic reduction ordinance amendments on Monday, September 18. Craft Breweries: The Council deferred its vote (until the next full Council meeting) on a proposed ordinance that would enable breweries, wineries, distilleries, and other similar…

Glasgow: Concerned about dangers of artificial turf

I am deeply concerned that the City of Newton has installed artificial turf at Newton South High School and plans to do so at Newton North and Albemarle field. The major reasons given for doing this are that it will allow more playing time for student athletes and it will…

Additional Meetings – Week of 9/10/2023

Transportation Advisory Group will meet virtually (Zoom link) on Wednesday, September 13 at 4PM. The agenda includes the following: Youth Commission will meet in person (Newton Free Library) on Wednesday, September 13 at 6:30PM. The agenda includes the following: Newton Community Education Commission will meet in person (NNHS International Cafe)…

Webster Woods update: City taking less land than expected, as part was already protected

Assistant City Solicitor Andrew Lee requested an opportunity to provide the Conservation Commission, at its meeting on September 7, with a summary of an item docketed before the City Council regarding a “Confirmatory Order” that corrects the boundaries and area of land known as Webster Woods, which the City took…

Friends of Edmands Park express concerns

Earlier this month, Harry Sanders, President of Friends of Edmands Park, led a group of City Councilors and neighbors on a tour of the parkland’s problem areas. Among the negative issues afflicting the 33-acre property are the impact of a polyethylene liner under the former skating lake, damaged stormwater infrastructure,…

Persons: Responding to Slater’s assertion on climate change

I would like to respond to Richard Slater’s letter last week asserting that atmospheric CO2 concentration has reached a saturation point beyond which a higher concentration will produce no additional warming. That is an often-used but misleading argument. Carbon dioxide and other global warming gases not only cause our atmosphere to absorb…

Birnbaum: Strengthen the Tree Preservation Ordinance

As a longtime Newton resident, member of Newton’s Urban Tree Commission, and economist researching the economic benefits of trees, I support the strongest possible protection of Newton’s tree canopy. Cutting healthy trees harms every neighborhood in Newton through: Each leads to meaningful costs to Newton residents. While the proposed Tree…

Mass Chapter of Sierra Club: “No new artificial turf, and organic infill on existing fields”

The Massachusetts Chapter of the Sierra Club sent this letter to the City of Newton urging leaders to reject the installation of artificial turf at Albemarle Field and use only organic infill materials if the City replaces the artificial turf at Newton South. In the letter, sent on July 5,…

Copyright 2026, Fig City News, Inc. All rights reserved.
"Fig City" is a registered trademark, and the Fig City News logo is a trademark, of Fig City News, Inc.
Privacy Policy