Author: Kannan

Urban farmer, ecology enthusiast, community organizer, sustainability educator, climate resiliency consultant.

Everything you wanted to know about Eastie Primary (March 3) Elections

On March 3, 2020, there are 4 elections you can vote in. Be prepared for all 4 so you can be a well-informed and fully engaged citizen.

  1. Presidential – you know all about that
  2. State Committee Man: The Democratic State Committee in Massachusetts has one man from every state senate district (Ours would be the same as Senator Boncore’s). Term: 4 years
  3. State Committee Woman: The Democratic State Committee in Massachusetts has one woman from every state senate district. Term: 4 years
  4. Democratic Ward Committee: This is for East Boston. Term: 4 years
  1. What does the state committee do?
    • promote the aims of the party
    • work in cooperation with the national committee and town and ward committees
    • organize and work for the nomination and election of party candidates
  2. What does the ward committee do?
    • grassroots organizing
      • What does this mean? For example, if you and many of your neighbors felt addressing traffic congestion is a one of the top priorities in Eastie, then the Eastie Dems (let’s call the Ward Committee that — sounds friendlier) should know that, recognize that, and act accordingly in their decisions and campaigns.
    • conducting caucuses in order to elect delegates to represent the ward at party conventions (These delegates then vote to endorse candidates)
      • For instance, in Markey vs Kennedy for the US senate seat nomination, the delegates will decide in the state convention.
  3. Do we have a ward committee?
  4. Why don’t I know about it?
    • The answer depends on your level of connectedness to local politics and the ward committee’s commitment to outreach
  5. How do I decide who would be a good ward committee member?
    1. Think about these questions:
      • Who is likely to reach out to you so you can attend any ward committee meeting and caucus you may be interested in?
      • Who is interested in representing the people’s voice?
      • Who values transparency, inclusiveness, diversity, and civic engagement?
      • Who gives you the confidence that the ward committee’s priorities will reflect the community’s priorities?
  6. Can I select an entire group?
    • Yes. If you like Group X fill in the oval next to “Group X“

How can I find out about the people in Group 2?

  • Here is a list provided by the group
  • In addition, you can of course do your own research

How can I find out about the people in Group 1?

  • Here is a list provided by the group
  • In addition, you can of course do your own research

World Wetlands Day at Belle Isle Marsh

“Dear Mayor Walsh, We would like to protect our wetlands because they not only help us, but also animals, plants, and our planet. Belle Isle Marsh is my favorite wetland.” Katherine, 4th grade

We were so excited about World Wetlands Day (Feb 2, 2020), we celebrated it a day early on Feb 1st 🙂 We learned about the benefits of wetlands in general, of the Belle Isle Marsh in particular, sang songs about the marsh, and had some much needed hot beverages and snacks, and played some fun games.

We also read some passionate letters from students of Donald McKay K-8 school for Governor Baker, Mayor Walsh, Department of EEOS (Environment, Energy, and Open Spaces) Chief Cook, and Councilor Edwards:

Kick the Climate can down the road

Want to fight obesity and eat your cake at the same time? Declare that you will start eating salad — and only salad — from 2050.

Want to fight obesity and eat your cake at the same time? There is a way. Declare that you will start eating salad — and only salad — from 2050. This keeps the nagging voices down, while allowing you to stuff your face with anything and everything you please in the present — in fact, till 2049, without violating your declared goal. What do you do in 2050, you ask? Why worry about that now?

In his State of the Commonwealth address, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker committed to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. What does net-zero GHG emissions mean? It means the amount of GHG’s the commonwealth emits and the amount that it absorbs back from the atmosphere will be equal, thereby having no worsening effect on climate change. In other words, in 2050, we intend to stop making climate change worse. Until then though, the party continues (Yay!). Natural Gas compressor in Weymouth? Yes! A new good old style substation in East Boston? Of course! Pipeline in Back Bay? Why not? Pipeline there? Pipeline here? Yes, yes, and — before you ask — yes!

City of Boston, being within the state of Massachusetts, also has a net-zero goal. Guess the year? Yes! 2050! Great minds think alike, eh? Let’s approve the 161-acre 10,000 unit Suffolk Downs development first. We’ll address coastal squeeze of the Belle Isle Marsh — a critical part of the city’s resiliency plan, and a presumably critical part of the state’s carbon sequestration plan too — later. Later!

On a completely unrelated note, we enjoyed a fun game of Kick the can down the road last weekend. We kicked cans with pictures of saltmarsh sparrow, owls, coyotes, koalas, penguins, polar bears, right whales, and all kinds of cute animals. The farther you kick the can, the larger your reward in the present. We appreciate everyone who participated in kicking the animals. But the rewards of today are for those who can kick the can far, far down the road — into distant future, all the way to extinction.

Boston gets an F- for election turnout

16.5% is not an A

16.5% is not a B

16.5% is not a C

16.5% is not a D

16.5% is not even a respectable F

It’s an F-. And We Bostonians should be ashamed of it.

What a dismal turnout for a municipal election! 16.5%?! Is democracy slowly dying? Are the people in power actually more comfortable with a smaller engaged population? Isn’t their work less that way? Can we claim “Bostonians have spoken” when 83.5% of the registered voters didn’t vote? Is increasing voter turnout even on anyone’s agenda? Not sure it is — so where is this trend going? Are fewer and fewer people going to decide who and how all of us are governed?

ShrugsReally?!
If people don’t want to vote, you can’t force them.Why don’t they? Also, is everyone who wants to vote voting?
Candidates are not exciting.You’re not going to date them.
Campaigns don’t bother to reach out to all people.Did you bother to reach out to the candidates? It is a democracy.
Results are already known. Nothing changes anyway.As long as you have that attitude, yes.