The Greening of Fitchburg, Massachusetts
November 2, 2011
Hosted by Rob Moir
[Download MP3] [itunes] [Bookmark Episode]
Guest Information
Episode Description
Mayor Lisa Wong takes Rob down to the Nashua River that is the reason for this New England industrial town. Once the river ran through mill factories; now walls that canalized and accelerated are coming down with the building of three green parks. Andria Freeman of the Trustees of Reservations, DPW Commissioner Lenny Laakso and Bob Jokela, Business Manager of the Fitchburg Public Schools all tell of their respective effort to green the city and strengthen community. When police cruisers are retired, reducing carbon footprint with donated motorcycles and pedal bicycles, not only do police interact more closely with community, a group of high school seniors ask the Mayor how they can become Fitchburg policemen. Hear why similar requests are being made of DPW, Parks & Recreation, and schools. The Fitchburg Mayor faces a tough reelection vote on November 8, 2011 due to out-of-town factors.
Moir’s Environmental Dialogues
Archives Available on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel
With the knowledge of Carson and the courage of Achilles, individuals are steadfastly going the distance to defend wildlife and ecosystems from assaults of environmental degradations and destructions. Join environmental studies scientist Dr. Rob Moir for lively dialogue and revealing narrative inquiry into how individuals are overcoming the obstacles turning forlorn hope into effective actions for oceans, rivers, watersheds, wildlife and ecosystems. Discover how listening to individuals, thinking locally, and acting in concert with other, you can act to save ecosystems. Got environmental stewardship? Become an Eco-steward. Act to bring about a greener and blue Planet Earth.
Rob Moir
Rob Moir is director and founder of the Ocean River Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Dr. Moir, an educator and scientist, has been a leader of citizen science and efforts to clean up Salem Sound and Boston Harbor, as founder of Salem Sound Harbor Monitors & Salem Sound 2000, later president of Save the Harbor/Save the Bay, and through his appointment by the Secretary of Interior to the Boston Harbor Islands Partnership. He was formerly Curator of Natural History at the Peabody Essex Museum, Curator of Education at the New England Aquarium and Executive Director of the Discovery Museums in Acton, MA. Dr. Moir was awarded a Switzer Environmental Fellowship from the Robert & Patricia Switzer Foundation, and the James Centorino Award for Distinguished Performance in Marine Education by the National Marine Educators Association, which he later served as president. He was Sea Education Association’s first assistant scientist to work consecutive voyages of the R.V. Westward in 1979 and 1980, an advancement officer for his alma mater, Hampshire College and serves today on the boards of his alma mater, Cambridge School of Weston, Ocean Champions, and the Massachusetts League of Environmental Voters. Dr. Moir has a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies and a Masters of Science and Teaching from Antioch New England Graduate School in Keene, NH and certificate of studies from the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole.
