Painting the Town Green

Boston companies are touting their newfound eco-friendliness—but do all their efforts match the hype?

By By Julia Kaganskiy

: Illustration by Michelle Thompson.

We chose six local, greened-up operations and had Gene Marckini, head of Boston Environmental & Engineering Associates, evaluate each on its dedication to the cause:

Commonwealth Worldwide The limo company has added three Toyota Prius hybrids to its fleet of 97 cars, and is using nitrogen in tires to extend tire life.

Marckini’s analysis: “A prudent first step but, at best, a beginning effort. In fleet vehicles, checking and maintaining proper tire pressure should be a given.” •

Fenway Park A five-year greening initiative is under way here, starting with a recycling program that this year collected 10 tons of cardboard. Also saved: 4,600 gallons of oil, 70,000 gallons of water, and 41,000 kilowatt hours of electricity.

Marckini’s analysis: Efforts on this scale are important, but with so many night games and beer drinkers, Fenway should also install better lighting and water-efficient plumbing. ••

Grille Zone This seven-month-old eatery uses energy-efficient equipment, composts 29 tons of waste annually, and purchases mostly local food (saving more than 500 gallons of gas per year).

Marckini’s analysis: A start, but more can be done, including using high-efficiency lighting and improved indoor-air-quality monitoring. ••

Healthworks The local chain of women’s gyms has cut its paper use by 45 percent, recycles over 675 pounds of bottles and cans and 750 pounds of paper each week, and uses eco-friendly cleaning supplies, bath products, and light bulbs.

Marckini’s analysis: It’s good to use less materials, but more can be saved in a gym, especially by cutting water waste in showers and sinks. ••

Fan Pier Spanning 21 acres on the South Boston waterfront, the city’s largest green commercial development finishes construction in 2010. Water use will be held down by up to 30 percent, electricity by up to 20 percent. At least half of the construction debris will be recycled.

Marckini’s analysis: “Environmental considerations are integral to 100 percent of the effort.” •••

Logan’s Terminal A After a 2005 upgrade, the terminal reduced annual usage of electricity (savings: $300,000) and water (savings: 1.7 million gallons).

Marckini’s analysis: “There is little I might offer to improve this initiative.” •••

The green key: • Kermit the Frog •• Al Gore ••• Captain Planet

Originally published in Boston magazine, December 2007