bostonzest

Tag: Back Bay

  • Phone Book Attack: Here’s an Opt-Out Link

    IMG_4341 - Version 22011-12-17-phone book attack-Back bay-Boston-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Last weekend, Back Bay homes had piles of unwanted phone books dumped on their front steps. The photo above is a single family home, so you can imagine how many were left at buildings with 40 or 60 apartments. 

    How do Bostonians feel about this topic?

    Click over to Universal Hub, and read the comments on the post, Our annual mid-winter ritual: The rotting of the abandoned phone books. Adam Gaffin also links to his 2008 and 2009 phone book conversations.

    This week he took a poll. We got two different phonebooks yesterday – which to toss in the recycling? Go over and add your vote!

    Did you know that you can opt-out of having phone books delivered to your home?

    In response to complaints, the Association of Directory Publishers has set up an opt-out program at this site, www.yellowpagesoptout.com. We're making this site our Friday Link!

    You do have to register, and then you can opt-out of the phone books from those businesses that belong to this group. We were able to elimate three deliveries with one visit.

    Of course, if you live in a multi-family home, you will have to encourage your neighbors to join you in the opt-out effort.

     

    Wider Pilot Progam Underway

    The good news is that Brookline and Cambridge are working with the Product Stewardship Institute and Catalog Choice on a pilot opt-out project. The test will make it possible for residents to stop the delivery of unwanted phone books, catalogs, coupons, and credit card solicitations. It will also measure the number of requests and program efficiency. The Product Stewardship Institute will issue a project report in the fall of 2012.

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    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

  • How to Make a Great Holiday Bow from an Expert!

    Ed produced a training video showing how to make a great bow for the Garden Club of The Back Bay's Wreath Week fund raising event. It was intended for them to use to train volunteers, but they decided to share it with everyone. 

    If you've always wanted to make a great bow for your holiday wreath or a special gift, this video will make it easy for you to use wired ribbon to create the bow of your dreams! And, listen when Margaret tells you that twisting that wire tight is the key– it is!

    We'd like to thank Margaret Pokorny for her great presentation and for letting us share her expertise with our readers. 

    If this video helps you, please consider making a contribution to The Garden Club of the Back Bay. 

    Address for PayPal payments: 

    GardenClubBackBayInc@gmail.com 

    You could also make the club members happy if you adopt a street tree, install a tree fence, learn to watch for the signs of Dutch Elm Disease, or Asian Longhorned Beetles. 

    Details:

    Words: Penny Cherubino

    Video: produced by Ed Cherubino, © 2011 BostonZest

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.

  • Gibson House Museum Holiday Open House

    The Gibson House Museum Holiday Open House is our Friday Link. The staff and volunteers have decorated the house in appropriate Victorian style. On Sunday, December 11th, they are opening their doors to friends and neighbors from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission will be free for this event.

    They invited us in while they were decorating, so we could give you a sneak preview.

    DSC_5073 - Version 32011-11-30-gibson-house-holiday- 2011-© 2011 Penny Cherubino
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    If you can't make the open house on Sunday, or if you have a holiday guest who would love to see what the homes in the Back Bay looked like a hundred years ago, you can take a guided tour of the Gibson House. And if you do that while the decorations are in place, you'll have a bonus dose of holiday spirit at no extra charge!

    We hope you've enjoyed another year of recommendations and tips from BostonZest. If you have, you can support the site by using links like this to start your Amazon shopping from here.


    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photos: © 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers' comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often those comments add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you.