The city of Boston could, as early as February, consider banning trans fats (those artificial fats that lower your “good” cholesterol and increase the “bad”) in Boston restaurants, according to this Globe article. It’s following the lead of New York City, which enacted such a ban earlier this month.
Neil Andrews, a science writer and our newest blogger, raised some questions recently about the role public health officials should play in determining what restaurants are allowed to serve. My big question: how would the city hope to enforce such a ban?
Rounding up other recent news: The Boston Zoning Commission is expected to adopt new rules in January requiring private developers constructing buildings 50,000 square feet or more to meet strict energy efficiency (aka “green building”) standards (read this Globe article from today)
This should be important news for universities around town with major construction projects on the books. In fact, they’ve taken the lead in the city in putting up green buildings (see this NNB story) but making green buildings a requirement across the city for all private builders (not just public ones) would certainly put Boston on the map in the energy-efficiency/green building world.
Harvard is on a buying spree in Allston. Earlier this month, it sealed a deal to buy a $16 million building on the Mass Turnpike, according to the Boston Business Journal. Harvard now owns 1.65 million square feet of commercial space in Allston, the article says, most of it empty.
In a survey of 200 Massachusetts business leaders, which asked them to rate 74 MA-based institutions based on their reputation (and other factors like ethics), 8 of the top 10 ranked institutions were Boston-based universities or research hospitals (see Boston Business Journal article). Last year, Harvard topped the list. This year, it fell to 7th place. The drop is attributed to the controversy around Larry Summers and his resignation, the article says.
Number 1 this year was Brigham and Women’s hospital. Number 3: Children’s Hospital.
4: BC
5: Tufts.
Who snuck in at #2?
Dunkin Donuts.
Ah, what makes Massachusetts great: its universities/ hospitals and its donuts!
The survey was conducted in October and was sponsored by a local public relations firm.