‘We pry and smash’: Local group creating more green space by removing asphalt, creating gardens

SOMERVILLE, Mass. — There really isn’t anything that’s much uglier than asphalt. Or as hot.

That’s why hearty volunteers with Green & Open Somerville, an environmental non-profit, are making it their mission to “depave” one of the state’s most developed cities.

“Many of the backyards and driveways in Somerville have been paved over so we’re terribly short on green space,” said Renee Scott, one of the group’s leaders.

“One of the ways to increase it is to actually create more and that’s done by taking out asphalt.”

That’s just what Tina Lu and Jonathan Liu decided to do in their backyard which was completely paved.

“We’re going to plant some gardens,” Lu explained. “We want more pollinators and bees. My daughter is excited about having a tree in the backyard so she can watch the birds from the kitchen window. So yeah, those are exciting things.”

Scott organizes up to two dozen volunteers to work on a project.

“We pry and smash, pry and smash, with sledgehammers and we cart it away into a dumpster.”

All the labor is free. The homeowners are just responsible for renting a dumpster to remove the debris.

Scott says freeing up the land has a number of benefits, like softening the impact of hotter temperatures.

“Somerville being the least green is also one of the very hottest in the greater Boston area because of the asphalt.”

Hard surfaces like asphalt can make flooding worse, a real concern as severe rainstorms become more frequent.

Adding green space can keep that deluge of water out of the sewer system because the ground will absorb it.

Jen Stevenson-Zepeda loves to volunteer at these events feeling they really bring the community together.

She says swinging a sledgehammer is “wildly, wildly satisfying. . .it’s a great workout and it really lets you leave it all out on the pavement!”

Lu was taken aback by the number of people knew who were working so hard on her property.

“This is awesome. So much fun. Everyone’s chipping in. I don’t know half the people here, but everyone’s heard about it and just came down to help.

So far, Green & Open Somerville has transformed a couple dozen yards around the city.

“The more of these little pockets we create of backyards that are cool and green and taking in water the better,” added Scott. “It just benefits everybody.”

Scott told Boston 25 that their group wants to help more communities develop programs to get rid of old asphalt.

She says they’ll come and train groups and even lend some tools if necessary. Contact them at www.greenopensomerville@gmail.com.

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