Real Hartford

E-Recycling

On Saturday, June 28th from 9-1, you can bring your electronic waste to be recycled. This includes televisions, radios, cell phones, computers, and fax machines. If there’s an item you’re not sure about, you can call 757-9311 to ask if it can be recycled.

The drop-off location is at the Hartford Municipal Parking Lot at 141 Sheldon Street. This is for Hartford residents and those in surrounding towns.

How to Build Community (Against All Odds): Part One

The Syracuse Cultural Workers created a poster which I’m sure many readers have seen before, but which I feel compelled to discuss regardless. The items in bold are on their list of ways to build community, and my comments are in a regular font.

Think of no one as “them”: Creating categories based on difference allows individuals to more easily justify the unjustifiable, to excuse the inexcusable. The result? When some kind of crime or wrongdoing occurs in an certain area or to a person who belongs to a different group (race, class, sexuality, ability, gender, religion, political affiliation, you name it…), it is not thought of as something that might concern all in society. Thus, it’s remains to be addressed in a productive way. The “answer” goes something like this: “avoid Hartford,” “bulldoze it and start over,” “more prisons,” “send criminals/undesirables to Springfield.” Those sentiments are not productive by any stretch of the imagination.

Don’t confuse your comfort with your safety: In my walks to work, I have felt discomfort. In my old neighborhood, I would pass a homeless shelter and park where people who were basically up to no good, or had no other place to go, would congregate. Even with the verbal street harassment which made the trip sometimes irritating, I never felt unsafe. Continue reading How to Build Community (Against All Odds): Part One…

Good News = Not News

I had to dig a little to find anything on Friday’s groundbreaking ceremony for the South Branch Trail in the Behind the Rocks neighborhood. Of course, news of heroin convictions and other crimes are posted as headlines for the city. Eventually, the trail should connect up to Bushnell Park and Pope Park, if the funding does not disappear.

Tangentially related, there will be a plant sale over the Memorial Day weekend (that’s May 23 and 24th, for those of you who are oblivious to such holidays) at 75 Laurel Street (Knox Parks Foundation). There will be flowers, herbs, and vegetable plants for sale. This is a fundraiser for the Knox Green Crew.

Upcoming Events: Nuclear, War, and Boats

This Friday, at 7:30pm there will be a showing of the film Meltdown. The film shows what might happen during a nuclear accident in the United States. There will be a discussion led by Judi Friedman of People’s Action For Clean Energy. This free event will be at Alchemy on New Britain Avenue.

On Saturday (at Wesleyan in Middletown– Exley Science Center) there will be a statewide anti-war student conference and rally. There will be workshops on how to run effective meetings, how to connect with the media (full disclosure: I’m doing this one), how to recruit new members, and more. This will also provide students (from any college, not just Wesleyan) with a chance to network. This runs from 10-5.

Starting on Saturday, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition will open at the Civic Center. There will be hundreds of artifacts on display. The hours: M-Th 9-8 and Fri-Sun 10-9. Tickets are $18 for children and $22 for adults

CRCOG’s Active Transportation Initiative

The Capitol Region Council of Governments has completed their Regional Pedestrian and Bicycle Plan. The goal of the plan is to significantly increase the number of people who regularly use biking or walking as their transportation. On Thursday April 10, there will be a public forum at the Hartford Public Library (6 pm) so that people can give their input on this plan.

Their goals by 2015:

all major commute routes to employment concentrations will have appropriate bike
facilities (bike lanes, bike shoulders, wide curb lanes, or parallel multi use paths)

the East Coast Greenway will be completed through the region

all commercial developments will have safe and convenient pedestrian access

all new residential development will provide the option of non-motorized access to
surrounding neighborhood destinations

standards for bicycle and pedestrian facilities will have been adopted throughout the
region

all the region’s towns will have adopted bicycle and pedestrian plans

bicycle commuting in the region will have increased significantly (to 5000 individuals)

one percent of all non-commuting automobile trips will have shifted to bicycling or
walking (a shift of 67,000 vehicle miles of daily travel.)

a robust regional trails fund will insure the ongoing construction of multi use paths.

It seems that they based some of their goals on the results received on the Active Transportation Initiative Survey that was active from November 2007 to January 2008. In their plan, they also compare Hartford to other metro areas in the country. Madison WI is one place that does much better than Hartford CT when it comes to alternative transportation.

Later in the plan, they outline how to make a case for their goals. They explained that about 30% of the population does not drive, though that does not mean that 30% rely on biking or walking alone.

You can read the full plan on the CRCOG website.

Chemicals in the Water

I wanted to see if I was imagining the smell of chlorine in the water. I wasn’t. There is chlorine, lime, and fluoride added to Hartford’s drinking water. I’m assuming that the amounts used are safe, but looking at the NY Department of Health website has made me a little paranoid.

Ongoing Community Events

Every time I go to the Alchemy Cafe, I fall in love a little more. I usually reserve that kind of awe for Northampton or Provincetown MA. Besides having smoothies, vegan snacks, meals, and a store, there are also events at The Green Vibration’s Alchemy Cafe and Eco-Boutique.
Continue reading Ongoing Community Events…