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Curious about “forest bathing” (spoiler alert: no water required) and "rewilding" yourself? Come once or join every workshop in this 6-part series to explore the concept of "Shinrin-yoku" (“forest bathing”) which is the practice of being mindful and contemplative within nature, using all your senses. The experiential portion of the workshops will focus on our senses one at a time, workshop-by-workshop, through simple mindfulness exercises, gentle guided nature imagery, and other grounding activities that promote relaxation and (re-)connection with ourselves and with nature. No level of physical ability or prior experience with meditation or mindfulness is necessary — just an openness to relax and explore a new way of calming and connecting. Questions? Please email bquinlan@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4035.

Curious about “forest bathing” (spoiler alert: no water required) and "rewilding" yourself? Come once or join every workshop in this 6-part series to explore the concept of "Shinrin-yoku" (“forest bathing”) which is the practice of being mindful and contemplative within nature, using all your senses. The experiential portion of the workshops will focus on our senses one at a time, workshop-by-workshop, through simple mindfulness exercises, gentle guided nature imagery, and other grounding activities that promote relaxation and (re-)connection with ourselves and with nature. No level of physical ability or prior experience with meditation or mindfulness is necessary — just an openness to relax and explore a new way of calming and connecting. Questions? Please email bquinlan@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4035.

Curious about “forest bathing” (spoiler alert: no water required) and "rewilding" yourself? Come once or join every workshop in this 6-part series to explore the concept of "Shinrin-yoku" (“forest bathing”) which is the practice of being mindful and contemplative within nature, using all your senses. The experiential portion of the workshops will focus on our senses one at a time, workshop-by-workshop, through simple mindfulness exercises, gentle guided nature imagery, and other grounding activities that promote relaxation and (re-)connection with ourselves and with nature. No level of physical ability or prior experience with meditation or mindfulness is necessary — just an openness to relax and explore a new way of calming and connecting. Questions? Please email bquinlan@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4035.

Curious about “forest bathing” (spoiler alert: no water required) and "rewilding" yourself? Come once or join every workshop in this 6-part series to explore the concept of "Shinrin-yoku" (“forest bathing”) which is the practice of being mindful and contemplative within nature, using all your senses. The experiential portion of the workshops will focus on our senses one at a time, workshop-by-workshop, through simple mindfulness exercises, gentle guided nature imagery, and other grounding activities that promote relaxation and (re-)connection with ourselves and with nature. No level of physical ability or prior experience with meditation or mindfulness is necessary — just an openness to relax and explore a new way of calming and connecting. Questions? Please email bquinlan@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-4035.

Start the year off right by getting to know Cambridge birds! All ages are welcome to join us as we observe birds at Fresh Pond, which provides habitat for many different species at all times of the year. This event will focus on birds that can be found in the winter in Cambridge, including several species of ducks, sparrows and more. We may also see some of our year-round resident birds, and we will discuss general birdwatching tips and learn more about the birds we share our outdoor spaces with. A limited supply of binoculars will be available. Please dress accordingly as we will be outside for the entire walk. Registration is required for this event. The walk will meet outside the ranger station/water department building at Fresh Pond: https://maps.app.goo.gl/G1bJGhMG17mAaFgL9 In case of inclement weather or conditions, this event will be rescheduled to Saturday, January 24th. For more information, contact the O'Neill Branch at 617-349-4023.

The Moses Youth Center (Formerly known as the Area 4 Youth Center) was originally constructed in 1992. The building is 19,500 GSF with a concrete structure, large windows, skylights, and its original building systems. Named for Bob and Janet Moses, Cambridge residents, educators, and civil rights leaders, the facility is primarily used by the Department of Human Service Programs’ Cambridge Youth Programs division, which serves Cambridge teens through afterschool and summer programming. Nurtury, , an early childhood education provider, operates from the building’s basement level. Moses Youth Center also serves the larger community as a location for programs supporting new parents, community meetings, and a neighborhood voting location. The building has been evaluated for systems upgrades several times and is currently in design for an upcoming capital project to improve the aging HVAC systems, repair critical plumbing infrastructure, and make key elements of the building more visually appealing for users. In addition, DPW Engineering is working on a project for street improvements around the building to help address and improve exterior water infiltration issues that have impacted the Youth Center. (Kristen, you could link to the port project that Gerry is working on if you think it is appropriate). This project will enhance thermal comfort for staff and residents who use the Moses Youth Center. It will also further the climate goals outlined by the Cambridge Net Zero Action Plan through its transition to an electric energy system, which will decrease the building’s greenhouse gas emissions.

Some appliances, large or bulky items require a permit for disposal. Residents must purchase permits from Public Works in advance to schedule pickup of the items.

Cold Weather Precautions

The City of Cambridge urges residents planning to celebrate Halloween to follow the guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and to engage in only lower or moderate risk activities to minimize the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Halloween activities are subject to the current state gathering size limits as well as applicable any sector-specific workplace safety standards. Halloween activities are subject to the current state gathering size limits.

Climate change is making our storms bigger, our summers hotter, our winter weather more unpredictable, and our rainfall patterns swing wildly from flash flooding to flash droughts. Over time, we will need to manage increasing challenges such as higher ocean and groundwater levels and more wind, fire, and drought. Extreme weather is not new. We already know how to deal with blizzards without major loss of life or property damage. Climate change means that we need to learn how similarly manage these new challenges while minimizing harm to people and our surroundings.