BIKE-Arlington Tour Set For May 19

Event is part of the celebration of Bay State Bike Week.

It's that time of year again -- time to dust of the Schwinn and hit the open road. May 19 is the date for the annual BIKE-Arlington Tour. Don't worry if you aren't ready for the Tour de France, the event is an easy-paced bicycle tour around Arlington. The BIKE-Arlington Tour is organized by the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee (ABAC) and is being held as part of the celebration of Bay State Bike Week. This is something that's great for riders of all ages and is a wonderful activity to take part in as a family. The ride will take place from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and will begin and end at the Medford Boat Club on Mystic Lake. Parking is available at the club for those riders arriving by car. The event is free but helmets are required and …

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Community Collection Day Scheduled For Saturday, May 11

Clean out your home, garage or attic and drop off items that can be recycled.

Have you got Spring Cleaning on your mind this week? Your timing is perfect. On Saturday, the Arlington DPW Yard at 51 Grove St., will be the site of the town's semi-annual Community Collection Day. The drop-off event will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, according to the Arlington Town Web Site. Residents are invited to drop off a wide variety of household items for recycling. These include small electric appliances, such as toasters, microwaves, or printers, medical sharps (in approved containers), bikes, books and many other items. CRT's can be dropped off for a charge of $10 per unit. Confidential papers can be dropped off for shredding. Technically this service is free but organizers are suggesting that a cash donation…

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7 Jobs that Make the World a Better Place

Want to make a real difference in the world? Consider one of these seven "green" careers that help protect -- and improve -- our planet. Provided by AOL.

  The following story was provided by AOL.com  By Debra Auerbach for CareerBuiler Have you ever had an itch to quit your job and instead do work that makes a real difference in the world? In honor of Earth Day on April 22, we've compiled a list of seven jobs that help people live a better life – from the buildings they work and live in, to the energy that fuels their homes, to the air they breathe.  1. Conservation scientist: Conservation scientists are hired to help preserve and protect natural habitats. They usually work with landowners and federal, state and local governments to find the best ways to use and improve the land while conserving the environment.* If you’re looking for a green job in Arlington, check out our jobs page. 2. …

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How Can We Make Every Day Earth Day? (Sponsored)

Here are some family activities you can do to foster environmentalism. Sponsored by Sony.

Very few events are celebrated around the globe, but Earth Day is. This year, it’s come and gone. But we’re here to ask: What can we do to show our love of the earth on that day, and every day? On May 31st, Sony will release After Earth, an action-packed movie that takes place 1,000 years after cataclysmic events forced humanity to leave. It’s the kind of scenario that makes you want to donate to Greenpeace, recycle everything, and start biking every where, immediately. So, in honor of Earth Day, Patch has teamed up with Sony to present these ideas for making every day Earth Day. How can we make every day Earth Day? Begin with little things. Easy things. Obvious things. Things we take for granted each day, and use and/or abuse because of …

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Minuteman Commuter Bikeway Open House Sunday

The open house is from 1-4 p.m. in Lexington.

Arlington, Lexington and Bedford officials have been working with consultants from Toole Design Group to gather input from the public for a plan to improve the Minuteman Commuter Bikeway experience. On Sunday, May 5, you’re invited to come see the fruits of their labor at an open house from 1-4 p.m. at the Lexington Depot, 13 Depot Square, Lexington. At the open house, you’ll be able to review the draft plan of recommendations and provide your own input. For more, see the Arlington Bicycle Advisory Committee website.

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Today: Rummage Sale for the Environment

The sale is from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Arlington High School.

There is a rummage sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in front of Arlington High School. The sale will be run by the high school’s environmental club, SAVE, and proceeds will go toward an environmentally-oriented charity. Donations of gently-used items will be accepted from 9 a.m. to noon. Items that will be accepted include books, DVDs, children’s clothing, accessories, scarves, hats, shoes, sporting equipment and small miscellaneous items. Large furniture, dishware, electronics and items that are very used will not be accepted.

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New: Foam Recycling at Arlington’s Community Collection Day May 11

Save the date.

For the first time, foam recycling will be accepted at Arlington’s Community Collection Day on Saturday, May 11. Foam meat trays, Styrofoam packaging from electronics, foam to-go containers and hot coffee cups made from foam are all on the list – all of these items are not recyclable through Arlington’s curbside pickup. The collection day is at the DPW Yard, 51 Grove St., from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. that Saturday. For complete details, read the attached release.

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Town’s Stormwater Awareness Series Continues April 9

The session will look at permeable pavers.

The following is from the Town of Arlington. The Arlington Engineering Division continues to host the public Stormwater Awareness Series designed to educate residents and businesses on stormwater and the environment. Stormwater professionals will make presentations, followed by question and answer sessions, for the purpose of increasing awareness of stormwater impacts and to provide information on how to reduce them. The sixth presentation, “Permeable Pavers,” will be presented by Larry Nicolai of Ideal Concrete Block. The presentation will discuss how infiltration is a highly effective method in mitigating impacts and the advantages of permeable pavers offer homeowners as an on-site solution. This session will be held on Tuesday, April 9…

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What Is an Ecological Footprint and How Big Is Yours?

Come learn more at Arlington’s EcoFest 2013 this Saturday, March 23.

The following is from the Town of Arlington. What is an Ecological Footprint and how BIG is yours? Your carbon or “ecological footprint” is a measure of the impact your choices have on the environment or “nature.” What we do at home and work, our travel, what we eat, buy and throw away, and what we mine and transport all affect greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Modifying our actions can reduce our footprint on a large and small scale and help stabilize the environment and climate for future generations. Ecological footprints measure humanity's demands on nature. Everything we do has consequences. Ever wonder how much “nature” your lifestyle requires? You can find out. The Ecological Footprint Quiz created by the …

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You Ask... Patch Answers

Where Is Arlington's Closest Electric Car Charging Station?

NSTAR and crowd-sourced websites offer tips and locations for charging electric cars.

Drivers who are considering a switch to electric vehicles or current owners looking for a place to charge their rides have a couple of options near Arlington to find their outlet. For Arlington, the closest charging stations are in Cambridge at Alewife Station and Porter Square Shopping Center and in Lexington Center at 4 Grant St., according to crowd-sourced website carstations.com. Carstations allows users to upload new car charging locations to a Google map and (when applicable) provides details on the station. According to the site's About section, "this website is designed to encourage participation and welcomes user interaction in the form of comments, updates and user generated content." There are also more official sites providing …

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