Thanks to all who participated in the third annual Environmental Forum May 30 following immediately after Harvard’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness listening session. Both of these events addressed Harvard’s environmental future.
In addition to representatives from the Board of Health, Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee, Select Board, Energy Advisory Committee, Agricultural, Conservation, and Parks and Recreation commissions, a number of residents came and joined the discussions.
In years past, the Environmental Forum gave representatives from town boards and committees an opportunity to collaborate and provide updates on their environmental initiatives. This year the format was changed to discuss whether and how Harvard should weigh environmental impacts alongside budget and other objectives when planning major town projects and policies.
While projects and policies have budgetary impact analyses from the finance and capital committees, there does not appear to be a mechanism for short- and long-term environmental assessment. For example: Although we might accept that powering our new elementary school with 100% renewable energy is a desirable outcome, how might we evaluate the long-term costs and benefits of 100% renewable against the additional tax burden both short-term and long-term?
Most of the forum participants raised their hands when asked whether they’d like to see, as a matter of course, some process for considering environmental impact of projects and policies. Suggestions were put forth on how we might approach this goal, such as a shared resource for conducting environmental assessments and a simple consideration process for town boards/committees to follow.
Another area of interest by those attending was education—education for residents on how we can better protect our lands and water and the use of more environmentally friendly products for lawn care, pest control, and erosion control. How residents care for their own environment adds greatly to the environment of the town and its open spaces.
There are many ways to make a difference at the local level, and we hope some residents will sign on and join us in developing an environmental assessment approach and an education campaign. Many hands make it lighter for everyone, and our environment needs your help. If interested, please contact Eric Broadbent at ebroadbent@me.com or Ellen Sachs Leicher at esachsleicher@gmail.com.
Eric Broadbent and Ellen Sachs Leicher, for the Harvard Energy Advisory Committee
Bruce Leicher, for the Bare Hill Pond Watershed Management Committee
