Twice a month, we wrote about what people had been doing to make Somerville a better place, and how this has affected stock "values."

Originally, these appeared in our column on Somerville Patch. We've reproduced these reports here.

When the Exchange opened, all three types of stocks were valued at $1.00. Creative stocks took an immediate lead, shooting up 187%, to $2.87.

First, two people donated money to the Somerville Arts Council: PJ, and an anonymous resident.

Next, there was Anyahlee Suderman, who told us she'd painted a mural on a wall on Charlestown St. She also told us about her work at the Creative Union Gallery in Union Square, where she manages the gallery's large pool of local volunteers, promotes, plans events and conceptualizes on-going projects. Volunteers can be high school students or adults, and work 3 hours shifts weekly or bi-weekly. Get in touch if you want to volunteer or buy a gorgeous work of art and help support one of the poorest populations in the world!

We also heard from a number of people involved in the Arts Council. First, there was EA, who served on the Somerville Arts Council board for 6 years (for 3 years as the chair). During that time, she helped organize numerous SAC events and fundraisers, and helped with the grant-giving process. She also helped run the Bizarre Bazaar. All of this was volunteer work. Next was Loki, who has run an art gallery in Somerville for a number of years. She has also produced a large number of public events and fundraisers-- both as part of the gallery, and with the Arts Council. We also heard from Gregory Jenkins, who has been the director of the Somerville Arts Council for 11 years. As part of his job, he has helped organize a large number of events each year; and has been involved in fundraising for the Council. Last was Jon Bernhardt, who's also served on the SAC board for 6 years, and as the chair for one year. He helped organize numerous SAC events, and helped with the grant-giving process. This was volunteer work.

All of these things helped boost creative stocks-but they would have gone up more, if it weren't for a bit of negative news. On April 11, the Massachusetts House of Representatives announced is proposed budget for next fiscal year. It included $1.3 less for the Massachusetts Cultural Council; which represents a 13% decrease in funding.

Environment stocks came in second, rising 121% to $2.21. Here's why.

On April 11, the city of Somerville announced that the Board of Alderman is working on zoning laws to encourage urban agriculture. This would allow farms (including indoor ones) to operate in Somerville. Somerville Climate Action organized a viewing of "Bag it", which is a documentary about the effects of plastic bags on the environment. The film was shown at the Somerville Theatre on April 11th. And, speaking of SCA, an anonymous person donated money to Somerville Climate Action.

We also heard from some residents, who shared some of the daily actions they're doing to live more sustainably. MJND is a Somerville resident who composts her food scraps, and recycles paper and plastic. She uses reusable shopping bags. She also has metal cups and utensils at work, so she doesn't have to use disposable ones. All of this cuts down on the amount of trash she makes. Tim Devin also composts his food scraps, and recycles paper and plastic-- and also reuses ziplock bags, and uses resuable shopping bags. He brought a cloth towel to work, so he doesn't need to use paper towels anymore. He also brought a plate, a cup, and utensils to work, so he doesn't have to use disposable ones. All of this cuts down on the amount of trash he makes.

Community stocks went up 48% to $1.48-a strong showing, but this still put them in last place. But even this modest rise was due to some really wonderful stuff.

First off, there were a few things people did for the homeless. An anonymous person donated money to the Somerville Homeless Coalition. EA organized a number of benefit raffles for the Somerville Homeless Coalition over the years. And a different anonymous person told us he bought a sandwich for a homeless person.

Next, there was Anyahlee Suderman, who directs the Art Program for the Walnut Street Center, where she works with over 90 adults with disabilities. The Center is a non-profit, human service agency providing residential, day, employment and individual support services to adults with developmental disabilities.

Third, a group of Somervillians banded together to fight the MBTA fare increases. While the fare hike ended up going through, it was nice to see people working together like this.

Then there was Jon Bernhardt, who helped organize TedXSomerville, which was a day-long event, featuring talks by influential Somervillians. And lastly, we heard from Loki, who has produced a large number of public events and fundraisers.

Creative stocks held their early lead, going up another $1.05 to end at $3.92. This probably wasn't so surprising, considering how creative Somerville is.

We heard from a whole number of these creative folks, who told us about their creative endeavors. For instance, David T. plays in Factory Seconds, a local 'honk' band. He recently published the zine 'Blind Date and Cyborg Sweetie,' with Alana K., and offered it for sale or trade at the recent Somerville Zine Thing.

Rajiv Ramaiah has been a working artist in Somerville since 2009. He creates digital art, and wood sculptures. And Alana K. made a zine with another Somerville community member (David T.), and wrote a blog post to celebrate and publicize local zine communities.

Marji Gere is a Somerville-based musician, teacher and puppeteer. She and Dan Sedgwick produced the "Shelly and Zipper Show," which was a milk jug shadow puppet show with live music. She also produced the "Moondog Madrigal Puppet Show," a feature-length tabletop garbage puppet show with An Exciting Event, a 12-piece ensemble of puppeteer/musicians; and wrote and illustrated the Moondog Madrigal Puppet Show book, which was formatted and handmade by Seattle bookmaker Moriah Neils and members of An Exciting Event. Other ventures included building a cranky show, putting together a toy theater piece, making a few marionettes, and making a teddy bear completely out of old clothes for her 4-year-old nephew. She also composes and rehearses xenharmonic (sometimes called microtonal) music with Dan, and friends in Illinois. She and Dan rehearse and perform violin/piano concert pieces, too.

We also heard from a number of folks who are doing things to support other creative people. For instance, Rajiv Ramaiah told us that he has volunteered for Somerville Open Studios for the past two years.

Marji Gere works as a violinist/camp director at Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music, a summer music festival in Sullivan, NH; and teaches weekly private violin and piano lessons to youth in Charlestown. She playing violin in the Boston Public Quartet, a professional string quartet-in-residence in Boston Public Schools. With the Boston Public Quartet, Marji co-directs musiConnects, the non-profit organization that gives free music lessons and chamber music education to children in Mattapan and Roslindale.

On April 28th, the Washington Street Art Center (in Somerville) & Rifrákt hosted "The (In)visible Artists Town Hall". The meeting focused on ways to make the Boston area better known for the arts.

Earlier this year, the state House Ways and Means Committee recommended cutting $1.2m from the Mass Cultural Council's budget. On April 24th, the House body just reversed this recommendation, and proposed to add another $300k!

Environment stocks held firm in second place, up $1.03 to end at $3.24. This was due to two reasons. First, taking advantage of the new zoning law that promotes urban agriculture, Groundwork Somerville opened its South Street Farm on April 21st. This was the first urban farm in town.

Next, we heard from Maureen Barillaro, who is part of Somerville Climate Action--which is a "grass-roots collaborative working for a safe and stable climate while helping to build a resilient, just, and sustainable community." As part of SCA, Maureen helps organize the annual Living Green festival, which is a family-friendly event that offers workshops, activities, information and hands-on learning about how to live a more Green and Sustainable life. She also helped organize the "350 Challenge," which aims to encourage more environmentally-friendly acts. Most recently, she helped put together the "E-Waste Recycling Drive," which got people to bring toxic electronics to a collection point in Davis Square instead of throwing them into the garbage.

Community stocks did really well this period--they went up $0.63 to $2.11. Unfortunately, this meant that they were still in last place.

So, what contributed to this rise? On April 13th, Somerville was voted the best place to live in the Boston area, in the Boston Phoenix's "Best of Boston" readers' poll. David T. told us that he volunteers weekly as an ESL instructor in a class run by the Welcome Project. Seth Itzkan hosts the monthly meetings for a local volunteer group at his office space in Davis Square.

A pair of public events also added to the community. On April 21st, the Somerville Homeless Coalition had its annual fundraiser. They brought in over $60,000, which will go to support the homeless and hungry in our community. And on Saturday, April 28th, dozens of people helped clean public parks, as part of the city's annual Spring Clean-Up.

All of these things made the community stocks go up a bit-but they would have gone up even more, if it weren't for some bad news. In late April, tensions and disagreement came to the forefront in Union Square over Somerville Community Corporation's proposed affordable housing development. Local property owners were unhappy about the plan. This brought stock values back down a little.

Community was the big winner this period. It'd seen a sluggish start--Community stocks only going up about 50 cents each period, and finishing last behind the other kinds of stocks. But May 15th saw all that change. Community Stocks jumped up a whopping $1.40, a 66% increase--to end at $3.51.

This growth was the result of a number of amazing things that were added to the Community Forum. First, someone donated to our partner nonprofit, the Somerville Homeless Coalition. We also found out about Eileen Feldman’s long battle to make a bank in Union Square accessible to those with disabilities. We heard about Joe Beckmann's long-standing involvement in local politics and education issues. There was Somerville Voices, which is an online forum about Somerville, which is run entirely by volunteers. Then there was Somerville Moms, another online forum--this one designed for mothers to network and discuss parenting, and which has spawned a number of real-world parenting groups--was named one of the best online resources for parent by a parenting website. The Green Line Expansion also took a few steps forward. First, the city of Somerville began buying property for the expansion. Second, Boston Metropolitan Planning Organization approved $8.1M in funding for the Route 16 Green Line station.

Arts stocks petered out a little bit. After a meteoric rise in the first two periods, they only increased $0.30 this period, to end at $4.22. But this rise was fuelled by some amazing stuff: Neil Horsky's creativity workshops; an anonymous person’s donation to the Somerville Arts Council; and the annual Somerville Open Studio weekend.

Finishing last this period were Environmental stocks. They'd started well, finishing a strong second previously--but were overtaken by Community Stocks, to finish last this period. But they still did rise in "value"--increasing $0.13, or 4%, to finish at $3.37. This rise was because of a donation to Somerville Climate Action from an anonymous person; and the Somerville Chamber of Commerce’s B2Green showcase and networking event for local green companies.

Creative stocks were a little slow again this period--but still remained on top, finishing up $0.21 at $4.43.

This rise was due to a number of reasons. First, Susan Putnins told us about how she volunteered some of her free time to help out at the Armory's iBall fundraiser. Second, we found out about all of the things the Washington Street Art Center does--serving as studio space for a community of artists; providing gallery space for visual artists; and holding a wide range of events that support the local creative community. Last, there was the Somerville Arts Council's second annual PorchFest, where over 100 Somerville musicians gave free concerts on their front porches.

Community stocks, which had shot up in early May, were strong again this period--rising $0.53 to finish at $4.04 per share.

This was because of a number of wonderful things we learned Somerville folks have been doing for the city. First, Jonah Petri told us about how he has been advocating for transportation issues, including the bike path being extended. We also found out about Michael Messina's "Green Line Challenge" contest, where people were encouraged to come up with ideas for improving Gilman Square (one of the future stops on the Green Line extension). Then there was Progress Together's Community congress. After successfully defeating a planned charter school, the volunteer members of Progress Together wanted to keep advocating for their children's education; at the congress, they discussed other education-related issues to tackle.

Finally, there was PorchFest, which proved to be a mixed blessing. Many people loved how the event energized their neighborhoods, and gave them a chance to meet their neighbors. Others resented the event because of how loud it was, and how disrespectful some of the audience members were.

Environment stocks were pretty volatile this period, but ended up $0.26, at $3.63--which put them in last place for the second straight period.

On the positive side, there were all of the amazing actions individuals told us they’ve done for the environment. For instance, Megan R. told us how she spent 30 minutes pulling up Garlic Mustard (an invasive weed that’s seeding right now) at Lexington Park while her daughter played. Jonah Petri told us about how he composts, recycles, and doesn’t drive to work. He also wrote to say that he’d bought a whole house electricity monitor, and uses it to study and minimize his electricity use. At night, his whole house draws 70 watts--which is less than a single computer and monitor. Sarah Howard told us about her work with the Earthos Institute (a Somerville nonprofit that promotes regional resource self-sufficiency), where she helps communities build local, cooperative economies with vibrant urban spaces. She's currently working with Somerville Community Corporation and resident groups to create a food coop hub that will offer year-round local, healthy, affordable food.

These were some huge gains, but they were countered by a single large loss: the Environmental Protection Agency released its annual "report card" about the health of the Mystic River. Due to the more than 14,000 gallons of sewage that storm overflow drains pour into the river each year, the EPA gave the Mystic a whopping "D", meaning that it's in pretty poor health. This huge negative counteracted many of the amazing pluses we learned about this period.

Community stocks continued their meteoric rise, and shot up $1.43 (+35%) to finish at $5.47. This put them in first place for the first time--which was a nice surprise for some of us around the Exchange, since Community stocks had been in last place for the first month we were open.

This huge gain was because of all of the amazing things people shared with us. Dvora Jonastold us about her work as the president of the Friends of the Somerville Public Library. Warren Goldstein-Gelb let us know about his work with immigrant families through the Welcome Project; he does this in order to help build the voice and power of immigrants to shape community decisions and institutions (such as schools, housing, and transportation). Kristin Parker donated money to the Somerville Homeless Coalition in honor of the "Pilgrim," which is a monthly collection of writings by Boston's homeless community. Finally, Ron Newman filled us in on all of the things he’s doing for Somerville--including helping moderate the Davis Square Live Journal (which is an online forum where Somerville community members discuss issues that affect the city), and leading bike tours for the Somerville Bicycle Committee and the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission.

In other Community news, the city reopened two playgrounds that it renovated, and held the first SomerStreets carnival of the year. Finally, the Somerville Public Library hosted their free New Moms Support Group, which is a regularly scheduled meet-up that is cosponsored by the Somerville Public Schools and Jewish Children's and Family Services.

Environment stocks were also pretty strong this period. They rose $0.96 (+26%), to close at $4.59. This means that they are in last place--but very close behind second-place Creative stocks.

What was the reason for this leap? A number of things. First, Jessie Banhazl filled us in on her work as director of Somerville’s Green City Growers, which installs raised-bed gardens. These gardens let people grow vegetable in nontraditional spaces-- as well as in yards that have lead contamination, which is common in urban areas. Mark Winterer told us about his company, Recover Green Roofs. They build and maintain green roofs and walls on residential and commercial buildings, which create more green space in urban environments and help minimize the environmental impact of buildings. Last, we heard about The Growing Center’s many workshops, including one on how to compost food scraps (which is a way to recycle unused food, so that it doesn't end up in a landfill).

Creative stocks had started so strong back in April, only to lag lately. They were up $0.24 (+2%) this period, to finish at $4.67. This put them in second place, but only $0.08 above third-place Environmental stocks, which have been rising quickly lately. Some traders here at the Exchange were surprised by this situation, given how creative Somerville’s residents are.

But these Creative stocks still did go up. Ron Newman, for instance, told us how he has volunteered for a number of years at Somerville Arts Council events, including ArtBeat and the Illuminations Trolley Tour. We also heard from Mihai Dinulescu , who is member of Artisan’s Asylum--which is a large, shared warehouse that serves as the studio and workspace of artists, tinkerers, and various other creative Somerville people. At the Asylum, Mihai makes movies, and is part of CEMMI (the Collaborative Electronic Mixed Media Institute), which "inspires, enables, and promotes technological creativity by providing education, shared resources, and events for members, students, and the public at large" SomerStreets, which had a number of bands and a parade, also helped Creative stocks a bit.

Community stocks stayed at the top of the pack, ending up 7% at $5.85.

There was a whole lot of volunteering, which was nice to hear about. Susan Putnins told us she volunteers at Union Square Main Street’s Swirl and Spice events on Thursday nights, which is a new, outdoor specialty foods market. Sara Davies and Jenna Stark both volunteer at Swirl and Spice too; they also told us that they volunteer at Union Square Main Street’s farmers market. In other community news, the Council on Aging held an open planning meeting, to discuss future intergenerational LGBT events, designed to strengthen the LGBT community.

Environment stocks shot up 21%, to finish at $5.53. This put them in second place again, this time leaving Creative stocks in their wake.

This surge was due to all of the amazing things people are doing for the city’s environment. Jenna Stark wrote to say that she uses her bike as her primary form of transportation, which cuts down on emissions. Tim Devin, MJND and about 20 other volunteers helped remove the pavement from a driveway so the homeowner could plant a garden. This "depaving" was organized by Somerville Climate Action; in addition to creating more green space, depaving reduces water run-off and the risk of flooding. Steven Nutter told us that SCA had helped him depave his backyard a couple years ago; since then, he’s created a small, private community garden that he and his friends really enjoy. Mark Winterer said that he had planted some grass on a bare patch of land; he did this to create more green space, and to help reduce storm run-off as well.

The city of Somerville launched its new "Somerville Urban Ag" website. It features information and tips on urban agriculture, and is part of the city’s push to encourage more urban growing. Nationally, the US Court of Appeals upheld the Environmental Protection Agency’s new rules on greenhouse gases (emissions that pollute the air, and add to global heat levels). These new rules will affect the emissions created by factories, power plants and cars. They will limit how much carbon dioxide newly-built factories can produce, and lays the groundwork for new standards on car emissions.

Creative stocks rose a little--6.5%, to end at $4.98. But, for the first time, they finished in last place, behind the other stocks.

But last or not, they did still see an increase. This was due to two events. First, the Somerville Arts Council held a fundraiser on June 16th at PA’s. It was a Modern Lovers tribute show, and a number of local bands played covers. Second, there was a talk on zines at the Armory, with was organized by the Arts Council. Two long-time zine-makers told a full house about their experiences with zines and the zine community.

Community stocks continued to soar, finishing up 16% at $6.78. This put them more than $0.80 higher than second-place environment stocks, and almost $1.40 over last-place creative stocks.

This rise was because of the long list of things people told us they’ve been doing for Somerville’s community. An anonymous person, for instance, donated money to our partner nonprofit, the Somerville Homeless Coalition--while another anonymous person donated money to Somerville Local First. A third anonymous person told us about her work with Community Cooks--which is an organization that provides homemade meals for different agencies, including St Patricks' Women's Shelter. Maureen McNulty filled us in on all of the volunteer work she does: as a lay minister (for Sunday services) at Hale House; as part of the National Board-MBA nonprofit connection; and as a college counselor at high schools who don't have counselors available. Rounding this group out, we had Cheryl Cheney, who occasionally picks up dog poop their owners have left behind; and Mr. Scott, who actively uses the Somerville Public Library.

There were several news items that helped boost community stocks’ value, too. First, the Somerville School Committee approved the plan to convert the Winter Hill school to an innovation school. This new model lets teachers and principals have more flexibility in their curriculums and policies. Second, the Somerville Community Corporation and Union Square Rising are going to begin meeting with a mediator, to help resolve their dispute over a proposed low-income housing development in Union Square. And, lastly, the Green Line extension got full environmental approval from the federal government. This means that the extension is now one step closer to beginning construction.

Environment stocks rose $0.40, to end at $5.93 this period. First, we had LuQ, who visits the Union Square farmers market at least twice a month, with average visit expense of $50. LuQ also went to Armory farmer's market once a month in winter. All of this helps the environment by supporting local growers, and reducing emissions from trucks transporting food from other states. Then there was Mr. Scott, who bikes instead of using a car, and bring his compost to Whole Foods. And Christopher Reichert, who depaved his property on Bigelow St., and turned it into a garde. Finally, we found out about Mycitygardens.com, which lets homeowners with extra yard space connect with others in their community who want to have space to garden; the website has members in Somerville.

Creative stocks finished last again, at $5.40, which was $0.42 higher than last period. This was more than environmental stocks rose, but not enough to retake
second place.

This gain was because of a number of things. First, an anonymous person told us that he donated money to another one of our nonprofit partners, the Somerville Arts Council. Second, Robert Smyth shared that he is a volunteer member of the Somerville Arts Council board, and is a member of Armory Arts Center neighborhood advisor committee.

Finally, there was the work that Thomas Dodson has been doing. He is the founding editor of an online and print-on-demand arts and letters magazine, Printer's Devil Review, which he just launched recently. He is also working with other editors in New England to produce an anthology of the best work being published by independent literary journals in the region. He’s been doing all of this to provide emerging writers and artists with access to publication, and readers with new voices and visions.

This period saw a major upset: Community stocks, which had been soaring lately, slipped $1.09 to $5.69--dropping all the way from first place to last. This slide was due to a report that 14.7% of Somerville residents live below the poverty line--which is slightly less than the national average (15.1%), but well above the state average of 10.5%.

But, a number of things local people are doing did help limit how far community stocks dropped. For instance, Libby told us about her volunteer work as a board member of the Somerville Community Corporation--which she does because "she wants to be more engaged in the way Somerville is developed so that it stays unique and diverse, and doesn't become any less affordable"

We learned that the Somerville Public Library recently teamed up with Shape Up Somerville to provide free veggies on certain days. (Shape Up Somerville is run by the city, and is "a city wide campaign to increase daily physical activity and healthy eating through programming, physical infrastructure improvements, and policy work") We also found out about Cambridge Health Alliance’s Spring Hill Garden behind the Somerville Hospital, which CHA runs. The food grown in the garden is given to local pantries and resident programs.

Finally, Jonathan Buck also told us that he donated money to Somerville Local First, which is a nonprofit that supports locally-owned businesses.

Environment stocks were a little slow this period--although they still rose to first place, because community stocks fell so much. They saw a slight rise of $0.08 to $6.01, due to an anonymous person telling us about his farm share (which means he pays an annual fee for fresh, locally-grown veggies). He does this because they are more healthy for him and for the environment, since they are grown organic. It also means that less fuel is burned in transporting them, because the food has to travel less than food grown in, say, California.

Creative stocks have been pretty steady lately, and this period was no exception. They rose 11% ($0.58), to end up at $5.98.

This was on the strength of a few things. First, Libby told us that she frequently goes to Somerville Arts Council events (which she goes to because they are fun and "distinctly Somerville"). She also told us that she likes to play the banjo on her front porch, which she enjoys doing because she enjoys playing--but also because it lets her connect with her neighbors.

Second, there was Artbeat, the Arts Council’s annual festival in Davis Square. Several dozen bands played; there were community and creative vendors; there was a parade, and interactive art projects. Several thousand people came.

Community stocks had a rough time last period, diving over a dollar due to a report that 15% of Somerville residents live below the poverty line. Stocks finished in last place again, but they did bounce back a little this period, rising $0.51 to end at $6.20. This gain due to three things.

First, Jacy Edelman told us about a fundraiser she’s planning for the Welcome Project (which is a nonprofit that "builds the collective power of Somerville immigrants to participate in and shape community decisions"). The fundraiser will be a benefit bike ride on Sept. 8th, in conjunction with the Spokes festival in Union Square.

We also found out about Sprout & Co.’s proposal for an alternative high school in Somerville, one that focuses on technology, engineering, and mathematics. The proposal met with an initial approval by a steering committee; Sprout will now have to flush out the plan a bit. For those that don’t know it, Sprout & Co. is a "community education and research organization devoted to creating and supporting the community-driven learning, teaching, and investigation of science"; their studio is just outside of Davis Square.

Finally, the bike-sharing company Hubway expanded into Somerville. By letting people rent bikes easily, the company provides a healthy, environmentally-friendly way for people to get around town.

Environment stocks rose $0.43 to $6.44, which left them firmly in second place. This rise was also because of Hubway’s expansion.

Creative stocks were the big winner again this period. They jumped up a whopping 17%, or $1.03, to finish at $7.01, which cemented their lead. There were a whole number of reasons for this rise.

Annette McGloin, for instance, made a donation to the Somerville Arts Council. David Miller told us that he attends Bagel Bards, which is a weekly get-together for poets at the Au Bon Pain in Davis Square. Well-known Brazilian street artists, Os Gemeos, collaborated with local artists to create a mural in Union Square; while the Somerville Arts Council released a book called "Nibble" about local food culture.

Finally, a huge boost came from Gui Cavalcanti, who told us about the Artisan’s Asylum, which he’s run since he helped found it in 2010. The Asylum is a community workshop that brings access to high end manufacturing equipment to the public; it houses 143 rental studios, offers 20 to 25 classes a month, and has more than 250 members.

After bouncing back a little last period, Community stocks took another dive, falling $0.22 to finish at $5.98. (They had dropped $1.09 on August 1st because of reports that 15% of Somerville residents live below the poverty line, and picked up a little on August 15th after we heard about some of the things residents are doing to make the city a better place.)

This drop was the result of reports that area-wide rents rose another 7%, while the number of available units fell from 3.8% to 3.1%--showing that an already-tight housing market is even tighter this year, which is in turn pushing already-high average rents to a new high. All of this means harder times for renters around the city. Since about two-thirds of the city rents, this is bad news for Somerville.

This news would have dropped stocks even further, if it weren’t for the positive things we heard from Somerville residents. First, Nia Deyounge told us about all of the organizations she volunteers for--the "We Got Next: Young Christian Adult Empowerment Movement," the Roxbury International Film Festival, and the Somerville Arts Council. When we asked her why she volunteers so much, Nia had this inspiring thing to say: "I’ve been able to explore Boston, meet people with similar interests, and contribute to grassroots movements that strengthen communities and strive to make the Greater Boston area a welcoming place to live and work. I believe in the power of individuals to celebrate life while making change, and in the importance of building societies that thrive not only on monetary capital, but on meaningful social interactions and cultural exchanges"

We also heard from Chris Boucher, who is a bicyclist for Metro Pedal Power. He told us that one of the things he likes about his job is making connections with people around town. Finally, the Nave held an event called Yarnstorming, which was designed to raise awareness of the Somerville Homeless Coalition.

In a surprise move, Environment stocks leapt up into first place this period, rising $0.94 to end up at $7.38. After ten pricing periods, this is only the second time environmental stocks have taken the lead.

The stocks rose for two reasons. First, Chris Boucher told us about the work he does with Metro Pedal Power, hauling recycling, transporting furniture, delivering vegetables and collecting compost. He does all of this on specially-made bikes--which means that work usually done by polluting cars and trucks is being done in a more environmentally-friendly way.

Second, the US Environmental Protection Agency awarded a $1m grant to clean old Kiley Barrel site at the corner of Prospect and Somerville Ave. The site is what is known as a "brownfield"-- meaning that it was heavily contaminated by commercial use. This clean up will make Somerville a healthier place to live.

Creative stocks held steady, but were nudged out of first place by environmental stocks--which beat creative stocks by a single penny. Still, they had a good period, going up $0.36 to finish at $7.37.

This increase was the result of two things. First, Nia Deyounge told us that she volunteers for the Roxbury International Film Festival, and as a board member of the Somerville Arts Council. Second, the Nave put on its Yarnstorming event in Perry Park on Saturday, August 25th. Volunteers wrapped trees, poles and fences in the park with hand-knitted pieces; all of the pieces will stay up until November.

Community stocks bounced back after slipping recently. They rose 10%, to end at $6.59, but still finished in last place.

This rise was due to a few different things. First, Kat Rutkin told us about her work with Somerville Moms, a parenting list serv. She wrote that "once upon a time, parents had the help of a village to raise their children, and [Somerville Moms] really brings back that sense of community in parenting"

Charlie Denison told us about his work with the LivableStreets Alliance, which is a nonprofit that advocates for "streets that work for everyone, whether they walk, bike, take transit, or drive a car"

Both Kat and Charlie’s contributions would have caused stocks to rise even higher, but this surge was dampened by news that Creative Union had shut down. Creative Union was a gallery in Union Square that sold works of art made by adults with disabilities, that also served as a social space for its population group.

Environmental stocks remained in first place, rising $0.35 to finish at $7.73. This change was due to the effort of two people: Galen Mook and Suzanne Cope.

Galen Mook told us about his work with Hubway, which is a bike-sharing company. By providing rental bikes, Hubway encourages people to get around town in a more environmentally-friendly way. Suzanne Cope told us about her blog (www.locavoreinthecity.com) and upcoming book, "Locavore in the City," in which she she discussesher experiences urban gardening, canning, cheese making, among other efforts. Suzanne supports local food "because of its positive environmental and economic impact -- that, and it just tastes better"

In a big upset, Creative stocks took a dip for the first time ever. They dropped a huge $0.76, to finish at $6.61. While this meant they were still technically in second place, it was only by $0.02.

This dive was because of Creative Union closing (see above), and because of concerns about the Armory closing as well. The Armory asked the city's zoning board to let it extend its hours, get a full liquor license, and begin cooking food on-site. It has been struggling financially, and has said that it needs these changes in order to remain open. Neighbors of the Armory are fighting these changes, since the space's longer business hours and increased traffic would negatively affect their lives. The Armory hosts numerous music and art events, and is home to a number of artist studios.

Community stocks stocks didn't do so well this period. They dropped a whopping 25%, losing $1.62 to end at $4.97.

They tanked for a couple reasons. First, there was a study by the Chronicle of Philanthropy that looked into how much Americans give to charities and nonprofits, and broke the results down by area. The Boston metro area ranked 49th--which means that almost every other metro area in the country is more generous towards charities and nonprofits than we are. Worse, Somerville reportedly gave at a lower rate (2.9% of discretionary income) than both Cambridge (4.2%) and Boston (4.5%). As if this wasn't bad enough, the Boston metro area was named one of the most racist cities in America by online news source Gawker. While the article represented the opinion of one journalist, it is also an allegation that seems to keep coming up, and that seems to be shared by quite a large number of people. And can that many people be wrong?

Stock would have fallen further, but the 7th annual Fluff Festival gave the community stocks a few points. The Festival was in honor of marshmallow fluff, which was invented in Somerville. There were bands, vendors, games, and food.

Environment stocks stayed pretty steady in first place, rising $0.02, to end at $7.75. This lift was because Dave B. told us he made a donation to Groundwork Somerville, a local environmental group.

Creative stocks recovered a little from the huge dip they took last period, gaining $0.24 to end at $6.85. This put them firmly in second place.

This rise was because of a hopeful sign about the Armory Arts Center. City officials agreed to ask the zoning board to let the Armory remain open late, cook food on site, and serve alcohol during events. While the final decision is up to the Zoning Board, this is very promising for the Armory, which recently declared that it couldn't remain open without these changes. The Armory is one of the only large arts venues in the city.

Community stocks bounced back a bit, after a terrible showing last period, when they dropped 25%. This week, they rose 16%, to end at $5.75.

This rise was due to a number of reasons. First, Suzanne Lubeck told us about how she collects the plastic bags that her newspapers come in, and leaves them in a box she built at the dog park at the corner of Summer and Vinyl; she does this so people can have plastic bags to pick up their dogs’ waste. “No, I don't have a dog,” she told us. “I went with a friend once and think it's the craziest thing in the world to take a brand new plastic baggie from the stand for a two second poop pick up duty. These newspaper bags are the perfect size, clean and even come in pretty colors.”

There were a couple other positive things that happened. First, the Somerville Homeless Coalition had its annual 5k fundraiser race. Second, a number of Davis Square commuters created a shrine inthe Davis Square T station to commemorate David Tagliaferro, who recently passed away. David had distributed newspapers in the station for years, and was very popular with commuters.

Environment stocks continued to soar, up 14% to end at $8.87.

First, an anonymous person told us that he doesn’t own a car; instead, he walks or takes public transit everywhere. Suzanne Lubeck's reuse of plastic bags (see above) also helped.

ACEEE (the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economey) named Massachusetts the number one state for energy efficiency. And, to top things off, the bike-sharing company Hubway installed four more stations in Somerville. By letting people rent bikes easily, the company provides a healthy, environmentally-friendly way for people to get around town.

Creative stocks had a pretty good period too. They climbed 8%, to finish at $7.38.

Rajiv Ramaiah told us about the subway-map themed public art piece he’d created for Artbeat. He then donated it to the Somerville Library. It's now on display at the Davis Square branch. Then, there was the 7th annual Honk festival, which took place on the weekend of October 6th. Over 35 marching bands took part, drawing thousands of visitors.

(No updates. We were taking a break.)

Environmental stocks stayed in first place. They rose $0.04 to end at $8.91. This was because Dirk Adams told us that he composts his food in his backyard. He then uses it in his container gardens, where he grows food and flowers.

Creative stocks were the big winner. They jumped to $8.29, which was a 12% increase. This was due to two things. First, we heard about the First and Last Word Poetry Series, which features three poets each month, and is held at the Armory on Highland Ave. Second, the Brickbottom Arts Building celebrated its 25th anniversary. The building offers studio space for over 150 artists, and was the first large studio space to open in Somerville.

Community stocks were pretty turbulent this period, but ended up rising $0.07 to $5.82.

On the positive side, the Somerville Community Corporation had a ribbon-cutting ceremony for their new building in East Somerville. The building had eight units, and will provide affordable housing to formerly homeless families. We also heard about Neighborland, which is a website that lets community members suggest things to improve their neighborhood-- new services, new laws, solutions to long-standing problems, etc. Users can then connect with each other to put these ideas into effect. Neighborland has pages for a number of cities across the nation, including one for the Boston metro area.

Then, there were some negative things. There was a conflict over how to proceed with the Beacon Street Redevelopment. Two pro-cycling organizations (Liveable Streets and the Boston Cyclist Union) had proposed eliminating parking on one side of the street between Oxford and Washington. The city seemed to favor this approach, as did a number of residents. Some of the independent businesses and residents along the stretch felt they'd been left out of the planning process, and were concerned about the effects of losing this parking. The situation devolved into tension, and was cast as cyclists versus businesses and long-term residents.

Second, the former director of the Community Action Agency of Somerville (CAAS) was found to have used the organization's credit cards for personal expenses. Among other things, CAAS provides Head Start programs for preschoolers in Somerville and Cambridge. The organization is a nonproft, and receives almost 95% of its budget from public funding. Locals are calling for more oversight and financial controls for the organization, to make sure this doesn't happen again.

Community stocks were the biggest winner this period. They shot up 22%, to end at $7.13. This still meant they were in last place, but it was a very hopeful sign.

This rise was because of a number of things. First, Columbine Phoenix told us about how she packaged up her excess Egyptian Walking Onions with instructions and left them in the Stranger Exchange box in Davis Square. (The Stranger Exchange box is a white plastic newspaper box across from the crepe restaurant. People leave unwanted items in it for others to take.)

We also learned about Boston Cares, which helps people find ways to volunteers and help out in the Boston area (including Somerville). You can search through their website (www.bostoncares.org) by interest or zip code, and choose from one of over 250 volunteer opportunities.

In other news, back in October, the governor announced that $1m in grants would go to early education in 5 communities. Somerville will be one of the towns to receive this funding. Finally, Somerville voters passed the Community Preservation Act. Homeowners will now pay a slightly higher property tax; this additional money will go to affordable housing, open space projects, and historic sites.

Creative stocks rose another 12% to $9.29, threatening the Environment’s lead. This was because of an older report that showed there were over 2,500 people in Somerville who identified themselves as a creative worker (that is, an artist or musician or writer, etc.). This represents almost 5% of the population, which is well above the national average of 1.4%.

Finally, Environmental stocks stayed in the lead with a 7% increase, finishing at $9.50.

Columbine Phoenix told us a number of things she’s doing for the environment. She pulls up knotweed in Linear Park all the time. She composts her unused food scraps, and uses the dirt that this creates in her veggies and flower garden. She rents instead of owning, so composting her food and using it in a garden is a way to reduce her environmental impact. Finally, she also doesn't own a car, which further reduces the pollution she produces.

We also learned that Somerville has 464 cars per thousand residents. This puts us well below the state average of 820 cars per thousand people, as well as below the country-wide average of 812 cars per thousand people. While this means that we cause less the auto-related pollution than other communities throughout the country, we are well above the worldwide average of 131 cars per thousand people

Creative stocks stayed level at $9.29, as there was no reported activity. Since Community stocks shot up so high, this means Creative stocks are now in last place again.

Environment stocks went up $0.14 to $9.64. This was a nice increase, but didn’t keep up with Community’s gains; this meant that Environmental stocks slipped out of first place for the first time since August.

The Environment’s gain was due to the fact that the city received national recognition for its cleanup of the Kiley Barrel brownfield site near Union Square. (Brownfields are heavily-polluted places that the national government has scheduled for clean up.) The city's senior planner, Steven Azar, was named "Person of the Year" by the "Brownfield Renewal Magazine."

Community stocks were the winner this time around, and their win was huge: they went up $2.81 (39%), to finish in first place at $9.94. They had been in last place since August, and hadn’t been in first since July. This was a very unexpected and welcome win.

And it was due to a whole slew of positive things that people told us happened in Somerville’s community. First an anonymous person told us that she donated money to the Somerville Homeless Coalition. She also said that she bought WD40 and oiled swing sets around Somerville with a friend because they were too squeaky.

Another anonymous resident reported that he had participated in The Learning Circle's food drive. He did this because he believes in the power of helping others, and was happy to support his daughter's preschool food drive.

We also heard from Michael and Elizabeth Grunko, who have lived in town since the 1960s. They have been active in progressive politics, raised two terrific children and are now helping them and their spouses raise their four grandkids. They pick up trash in their neighborhood when they go out to walk their dog. "Oh yes," they told us, "we also do our best to greet everyone who we cross paths with. A beautiful smile can make our day."

Steph Zabel filled us in on a community event she created (Herbstalk) that is devotied to educating the public about herbalism and holstic health. And Evelyn Yamauchi let us know that she helped organize the East Somerville main streets foodie crawl, and had donated over 150 bags of non-perishable food to SHC and Project soup at the 2nd annual holiday food drive in Spring Hill.

In other news, the city's Shape Up Somerville won national recognition recently. According to its website, "Shape Up Somerville is a city wide campaign to increase daily physical activity and healthy eating through programming, physical infrastructure improvements, and policy work." We also learned about two new websites that opened their doors: Yerdle ( www.yerdle.com ) and FreecyclePlus ( www.freecycleplus.com ). Both websites let you borrow items from people who live nearby, and list your own items that you don't mind sharing. These sites help you build community while saving money at the same time.

Last, there were two ground-breakings. The first was for a new, 29-unit veterans housing project in West Somerville. The second was for the Green Line Extension.

All in all, it was an incredibly strong period for Somerville’s community.

(We were on vacation. No updates for this period.)

Community stocks continued to soar this period. They went up a whopping 23% to end at $12.19—well in first place this time around.

Phil Hyde gave these stocks a big boost. He told us about the years he’s had a show on Somerville Cable Access (SCAT). His show is about an economic theory he developed in the 1980s called “timesizing”, which is an alternative to downsizing that involves slightly cutting workers’ hours. His system would “solve the core problem of job insecurity and joblessness, together the biggest source of resistance to urgent eco-initiatives,” he told us. “Most people are focused on the individual level of cleanup and recycling. I’m focused on the whole-system level of, say, recycling discarded employees.”

Stocks also got a lift from a few other places. First, at the Somerville Winter Farmer's Market, Winter Moon Root Farms gives away free bags of vegetables to the other vendors-- just out of goodwill.

Last, there are a number of program in the city to help first-time home buyers. Somerville Community Corporation offers an affordable ($35) class on how to go about buying a home for the first time. The city also offers financial incentives for first-timers. Both are designed to help residents who rent stay in town without being priced out.

Creative stocks stayed in last place, but went up $0.80 to finish at $10.09. This was because of a number of exciting things going on in the creative community.

On 1/11/13, Trilingual Press and the Haitian Artists Assembly of Massachusetts held an event called "Another Face of Haiti" at the Armory. The event celebrated the release of new books and works by Haitian artists.

Next, the Somerville Arts Council launched its Artist of the Month program. The program will feature a different creative Somervillen each month. And, finally, Somerville's New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA) celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012. NESFA is a sci-fi publishing house, and member-supported library. It's located in Magoun Square.

Environment stocks held second place, but saw its margin over Creative stocks drop a bit. Stocks went up to $10.24, up $0.60.

This was because we got our first "net zero" building. (A net zero building produces as much energy as it uses.) The building is a renovated two-family on Elmwood Street, and was recognized by the Somerville Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) as a model for future buildings.

Second, we learned about the bulk organic food-buying club that Millstone, which is a coop house near Davis Square, runs. Members of the public can join the group, and can learn more at their website

Community stocks were really active again this period. They went up another 32%, to finish in first place at $16.09.

This big win was because of a whole number of things we found out about.

First, an anonymous person made a donation to the Somerville Homeless Coalition. Then, we heard from Laura Saunders, who is on the Board of Trustees of the Somerville Public Library. This involves attending regular, open meetings with the library director to receive updates on library projects and initiatives and acting as a supporter and advocate of the library within the community. She does this for many reasons. First, as a professional librarian and current professor of library and information science, she understands and believes in the power of libraries to enrich their communities, and she wants to ensure that her city has the best possible library that it can. Second, as a lifelong resident of Somerville, she sees volunteering as a Trustee to be a way to give back to her city.

Next, there was Somerville STEP (Somerville Transportation Equity Partnership), which is a group of residents who advocate for better transportation in the city. According to their website, their "mission is to secure transportation for the city that will increase social equity, environmental health, and economic opportunity." They are proponents of the Green Line expansion, the development in Assembly Square, and the extension of the bike path. They have monthly meetings that are open to the public.

We also found out about the city's Family Learning Collaborative, which aims to support parents as they raise their children. It offers parenting workshops and new parent groups for adults, as well as information about educational options for their kids. The Collaborative also offers literacy play groups for kids. It's funded by the Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care and the Somerville Public Schools.

Fifth: Somerville SCAT (Somerville Community Access Television) is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Since it began in 1983, SCAT has (according to their website) "served the community through production of PSA's, various staff-facilitated programs, and coverage of community events, meetings, and political forums. We provide free meeting space for community groups, post messages on our bulletin board, provide video training and mentoring, offer access to high quality digital equipment and facilities, and operate an art gallery for local artists. The channel is well stocked with a wide variety of member-produced programs in many languages."

Sixth: We learned that the number of new foreclosures in Somerville dropped from 38 in 2011 to only 22 in 2012. This was especially good, since the rate state-wide only fell about 12%.

Seventh, we heard about the Somerville Yogurt Coop, which is a group of people who meet each week to make their own yogurt. They use locally-produced, additive-free ingredients to make low-cost, healthy food for their members. Anyone can join the group.

Last, there was the Intercambio Language and Culture Exchange, which lets English-speakers practice their Spanish or Portuguese with ESL students who want to practice their English. It's run by the Arts Council, and the next series of nights begins in early February. Participants needs to RSVP, but the program is free.

Creative stocks shot up 36% to $13.69. This huge showing got them out of last place, but not enough to catch up with Community.

There were a whole boat load of reasons for this rise. First Thomas Dodson told us of a book he’s about to publish. It’s called “Best Indie Lit New England,” and is an anthology of the best fiction and poetry published by independent literary magazines in the region. He initiated the project to foster community among editors and writers in New England and to provide readers with an opportunity to discover new magazines and new work.

Next, the Nave Gallery, which is located near Teele Square, opened a second space. The new space, called the Nave Annex, is in Davis Square next to Red Bones. The Annex is the first art space to open in Davis in a number of years. Both galleries are nonprofits, and are run by volunteers.

Three: Somerville SCAT’s 30th anniversary helped out creative stocks as well.

Four: The Somerville Museum, which is on Central Street, is a member-supported, community-focused exhibition space. It aims to reflect the diversity of the community, and to foster cultural education and understanding. Its exhibits have included artwork by local artists, historical presentations, and displays produced with Somerville Public Schools students. It originally grew out of the Somerville Historical Society, but has functioned as its own organization since the 1980s.

Fifth, we did some digging, and found that the city has ten large studio buildings, and a number of smaller spaces. They range from spaces like the Washington Street Art Center, Mix-It Studios, and 226 Pearl Street that offer space for about 10 artists each-- to huge spaces like Vernon Street, Brickbottom, and Joy Street that house more than 50 artists each. All of these spaces mean that the city is home to more artists per capita than anywhere else in the US, outside of New York City.

Sixth, we learned more about the Somerville Arts Council, which is part of the Massachusetts Local Cultural Council program. Massachusetts is the only state to have such a program; there are over 300 "cultural districts" in the state that are run by over 2,500 volunteers. Somerville's cultural council is especially active.

Next, there’s the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA), which is located in the basement of the Somerville Theatre. Since 1994, MOBA has collected, preserved, exhibited and celebrated "bad art in all its forms." It moved to its Somerville location in 2008. The original location in Dedham is scheduled to shut down soon.

Last but not least, in 2012, Somerville-based Candlewick Press celebrated its 20th anniversary. Candlewick is an independent press that has published hundreds of children's books.

Environment stocks found themselves in last place, for the first time since the spring. The rose $0.76, 7%-- which would have been a huge jump any other period—but not enough to compete with Community or Creative life. They ended at $11.00.

Two things made these stocks go up. First, the Somerville Yogurt Coop (mentioned above) also helped Environmental stocks go up.

Then, there was Groundwork Somerville, which is a nonprofit that aims to educate Somerville's youth and young adults about the environment. Since it was founded in 2000, its programming has focused on sustainability and green initiatives. These programs have included green jobs and internships, schoolyard gardens, river cleanups, and classes focusing on local food production.

Community stocks continued their meteoric rise, up 15% to finish at $18.49.

And they would have risen even higher, if it weren’t for two bad pieces of news. First, Several news agencies have noted a recent rise in home prices in Somerville, and real estate websites are predicting a further rise this coming year. This is good news for the one-third of the city that own their own home. But since rising home prices are usually tied to rising rents, this is potentially bad news for the other two-thirds of Somerville.

Second, the Stranger Exchange box disappeared recently, after being part of Davis Square for about 3 years. People used to leave perfectly-good but unwanted items in the box, for others to take.

But these two things couldn’t stop Community’s rise. All told, there were 6 large positive things that we found out about this period.

First, there was Somerville-based Centro Presente, which is "a member-driven, state-wide Latin American immigrant organization dedicated to the self-determination and self-sufficiency of the Latin American immigrant community of Massachusetts." Since 1981, it's fought for immigrant rights, as well as social and economic justice. It also runs an adult education center; has classes and programming for kids; and offers legal services.

Second there was SOS. According to its website, "Save Our Somerville (SOS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a voice to those who feel they have no voice in Somerville, Mass. Through community outreach, arts programs and support of youth events, SOS wants to strengthen what we believe are the diminishing community ties that make Somerville an ideal place to live." The group formed in 2005, during the planned renovation of Lexington Park, which proved a flash point between old and new Somerville; teens who felt alienated by Somerville's changing nature banded together to form SOS. Anyone can join the group by going to one of their monthly meetings.

Then, after the Feb. 8th blizzard, there were two different snow parties-- one in Davis and one in Union. Each event was organized beforehand over the internet, and each drew dozens of strangers who mingled and had fun together building snowmen and throwing snowballs.

Since 2001, the Friends of the Community Path have been involved in maintaining the bike path, and advocating the state to extend it 2.5 more miles so that it can meet the Charles River path. The Friends are a volunteer group. Anyone can join the group by going to one of their monthly meetings.

Boston Free Radio is a member-run, independent online radio station that is broadcast out of SCAT's building in Union Square. Since 2011, the station has run shows in a number of different languages; their dj's have complete control over their own programs. Any Massachusetts resident can become a member by going through orientation, and paying a membership fee.

And last: This past summer, the city's Shape Up Somerville program teamed up with nutritionists and local restaurants to launch their "Shape Up Somerville Approved" rating system. Through the program, nutritionists work with local restaurants to identify which menu items are particularly healthy; the restaurants then note which items have been designated as "Shape Up Somerville Approved." It's part of the city's push to get residents to eat more healthy.

Environment stocks had a good period, too. They went up 11% to $13.20. This still put them in last place, but closer to second-place Creative stocks than they’d been before. This strong showing was because of four things.

Somerville Climate Action is “working for a safe and stable climate while helping to build a resilient, just, and sustainable community." They organize numerous events-- including film and discussion nights; e-waste recycling collections; and work parties where people remove driveways so homeowners can plant gardens. Anyone can join by showing up to one of their monthly meetings in Davis Square.

The city launched its Urban Agriculture Ambassador Program, in conjunction with Somerville-based Green City Growers. Through the program, fifteen residents will be trained on how to install and maintain gardens. They will then spend 30 hours each helping develop gardens around town. It's part of the city's push for healthy, local living.

Living on Earth is a weekly news program that's distributed by Public Radio International, and broadcast on over 300 public radio stations. Since it was founded in 1991, the show has featured interviews, news items, and commentary on a wide range of environmental issues. It's recorded in Davis Square.

Somerville's Earthworm recycling was founded as a coop in 1970, making it one of the first recycling organizations in the country. At first, Earthworm just focused on recycling paper; in 1974 it began educational programs on the need for recycling, and reorganized as a nonprofit. In the 1990s, it moved into collecting paper from businesses and government agencies as well. Its mission expanded even more in the 2000s, when it began recycling metal, glass, plastic, and e-waste.

Creative stocks stayed in second place at $14.44, but their recent rise slowed to 5.5%. This was due to Boston Free Radio, which we mentioned above.

Environment stocks, which had been in first place for so long last fall, stayed in last place this period. They went up $0.33, to end at $13.53. This modest increase was due to two interesting initiatives.

First, Sam Christy told us about the League of Urban Canners (LUrC), which he helped start. LUrC is an urban food production cooperative where members of the community share responsibility for creating low-cost healthy food using a sustainable economic model. LUrC contracts with owners to farm, harvest and process fruit grown on their property. Each member receives a share of the processed fruit based on their contribution of work. Owners also receive shares of fruit in exchange for allowing the coop to harvest. There is no fee to join LUrC and it is open to all members of the community.

Second, we learned about Compost This, which is an all-volunteer composting initiative. Members gather compostable food scraps, and then compost them at the Somerville Community Growing Center; the dirt produced can then be used to grow food or other plants. Anyone can join the initiative.

First, we learned about the Somerville-based Folksong Society of Greater Boston, which has been promoting folk singing for over 50 years. The Society produces an annual concert series. It also offers workshops, and monthly singing parties, in addition to producing and distributing its own newsletter.

Second, String Camp is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The two-week summer program offers lessons in playing violin, viola, cello and bass; classes cover music theory, ear training, improvisation, and approaches to chamber music.

This past fall, Somerville Public Schools launched their Sistema afterschool music program. The program is open to third and fourth graders, and is run out of the East Somerville Community School. Kids who attend receive intensive training on string instruments. This music program comes on the heels of the city's instrument give-away program, which has been giving musical instruments to any school kid who wants one, since 2007.

Since 1998, Ibbetson Street Press has published a large number of poetry books from new and emerging authors. They also publish a literary magazine called "Ibbetson Street Magazine."

Somerville's Open Air Circus is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. The Circus offers a wide variety of classes for kids-- including in juggling, stilt-walking, and magic tricks. According to their website, the organization's aim is to "encourage neighborhood participation in the arts, and to promote leadership and self-esteem for children and teens."

First, the League of Urban Canners (described above) helped things. Then, we did some digging into the private social clubs around town. These are private organizations that are only open to dues-paying members. While they offer services like function rooms, their main purpose is to provide a meetings place for individuals who share a common bond or background. For example, there's the Dante Club on Dante Terrace, which has been in operation since 1908 and is geared towards the local Italian-American community. There's also the Dimosthenes Greek American Democratic Club on Somerville Ave, which is supported by the local Greek community. Another is the Winter Hill Yacht Club. In addition to offering boating facilities for its members, the club has a kitchen, bar, and events room.

There are also a variety of public social clubs in Somerville. These are businesses that cater to a certain community, but are also open to the public and welcome to visits from people from other backgrounds. For example, there's the Greek-American Social Construction, which has been at the corner of Bow and Somerville Ave. since 2010. With the European soccer games on its TVs, its Greek coffee, and copies of Greek newspapers, the club aims to create a social space for members of the local Greek community. Another public social club is Nucleo Sportinguista De Boston, which caters to the Portuguese-speaking community. The club hosts a numbers of local cultural events, and its TVs show international sports.

The Boylston Chess Foundation is also based in Somerville. Since it was founded in 1919, the Foundation's volunteers have taught kids to play chess. The group also sponsors chess competitions for people of all ages.

Cambridge's Just A Start Corp., which is a nonprofit community developement corporation, runs two programs in Somerville. First, there's their Future for Young Parents program, which is open to parents who are between the ages of 14 and 20. It is "a free GED, vocational awareness, life goals, counseling and placement services program for pregnant and parenting teens on TAFDC." Then there's the Just A Start House's Teen Living program. The house is open to pregnant teens and teenage mothers who are between 13 and 20, and their children. The house offers "training in life skills, parenting, money management and housing search."

Somerville's Elizabeth Peabody House offers a variety of services to children and their families. In addition to afterschool programs and a summer camp, the House runs a food pantry, a social space for senior citizens, sports facilities for teens, and English-as-a-second-language classes. The House moved from Boston in the 1950s, after the West End was demolished.

Welcommunity is a Somerville-based organization that works with immigrants. It offers consultation for new immigrants on how to adapt to their new home, and advocates for pro-immigrant policies.

The city of Somerville has about 30 boards and committees, ranging from the Arts Council board to the Ethics Commission to the Women's Commission to the Condominium Review Board. Each board meets on a regular basis to plan and oversee different aspects of city life. All board and committee members are volunteers.

Finally, as mentioned before, Somerville's Open Air Circus is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year

Environment stocks stay in last place, but gained some ground--going up $0.68 to end at $14.21.

We heard from Georganna Woods, who is part of Earthworm, Inc.--a Somerville-based nonprofit organization specializing in recycling and reuse that has been in operation since the 1970s. She is part of Earthworm because the organization works hard to provide services to the community in an ethical and responsible way and strives to keep their carbon footprint as small as possible while doing so.

Tim Devin told us about a skillshare he had at his house, where people learned how to make nontoxic, cheap, and environmentally-friendly cleaning products. He and his friend Heather McCann researched alternatives to store-bought products, and showed people how to make them. Tim and Heather did this because they are concerned about the effect that store-bought cleaning products have on their own health, and on the environment. About 10 people participated.

According to an article in the Somerville Beat, there are 9 different local farms that offer farm shares pick-ups in Somerville. Residents can participate by paying an annual fee; this fee will then get them a weekly assortment of fresh, locally-grown (and often organic) food during the spring, summer, and fall. Having a farm share is good for a number of reasons. First, you get fresh food for less than it would cost at the store. Second, it supports local businesses, since they can charge more than distributors would give them. Third, it reduces pollution, since the food isn't shipped in trucks from across the country, or in planes or boats from other continents.

Massachusetts and nine other states in the Northeast recently announced that power plants would have to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by half by the year 2020. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas; the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat is trapped and the more global temperatures rise. This cap is an attempt to limit global warming.

Environment stocks would have gone up higher, but we learned that Massachusetts residents produce an average of 1,515 pounds of trash per person each year. This is slightly lower than the national average, which is 1,587 pounds per person per year--but well above the average for other countries in North America and Europe: 1,080 pounds per person per year. And of course, countries in Africa, Asia and South America produce a lot less per person than that.

Creative stocks tailed off this period, going up $0.25 to $16.78. There was one positive item, and one negative one.

The positive item was that we learned about the Boston Review, which has its offices in Somerville. The well-respected magazine has published fiction, poetry, book reviews, and political essays since 1975.

Then… there was the negative: The automatic budget cuts that went into effect on March 1st included a 5 percent cut ($7.3 million) from the National Endowment for the Arts' budget. Since the NEA funds the Massachusetts Cultural Council, which in turn funds the Somerville Arts Council, this means that the Somerville Arts Council's budget will go down a little.

Community stocks shot up once again--rising $3.20 to a very impressive $25.77.

First, we learned about an anonymous resident who runs a blog (called I Can Play Too, http://icanplaytoo.blogspot.com/ ) that evaluates Somerville playgrounds. The writer takes photos, describes the equipment, and mentions whether facilities like bathrooms or handicapped parking are nearby. The blog also notes whether the playgrounds themselves are handicapped-accessible.

Then there was the Somerville Homeless Coalition, which provides resources for homeless and at-risk men, women and children. These resources include affordable housing, food programs, and case management services and counseling. The nonprofit has been in operation since 1985, and currently provides services for over 600 people.

Second Chances has been second-hand clothing and shoes to low-income and homeless people in Somerville and Cambridge since 2005. Second Chances organizes clothing drives, and encourages others to do so as well. So far, they have gathered over 43,000 pounds of clothing and given them to over 2,300 people. The organization is based in Somerville.

Somerville has two groups involved in preserving Somerville's history. First, there's the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, which is a city board. The board has met monthly since 1985; it reviews plans to change buildings, in order to preserve the city's architectural history. Second, there's Historic Somerville, which is a nonprofit that was founded in 2004. Historic Somerville organizes educational events, with the goal of making sure that "each citizen values [the city's] history and heritage."

The Somerville Community Growing Center is a 1/4-acre garden, performance space, and educational center. Since 1994, when it was created by a group of volunteers, the center has offered a range of activities and events-- ranging from concerts to plays to classes about nature and gardening.

Last: all of the farm shares available for pick-up in Somerville helped the community, since they provide healthy food for residents.

Environment stocks, which had been in first place for a few periods last fall, finished up in last. They went up $0.30 in the final period, to end at $14.51.

This modest rise was due to a few things. First, we heard from Andrew Kopacz, who runs Compost This!, a volunteer compost collective for folks in Somerville. He does this because he cares about the environment and wants to help close the loop on Somerville's food waste stream through composting residential kitchen scraps; at the same time providing a hyper-local waste management education and a beneficial soil amendment useful for himself and his neighborhoods. He aims to raise awareness for why the City of Somerville could improve community relations and quality of life by encouraging more backyard composting and developing a municipal curbside collection. You can get involved by checking out www.facebook.com/CompostThis and volunteering to fill a bucket with your kitchen scraps. He will also help you start your own backyard composting operation. If interested contact Andrew at teamcompostthis@gmail.com.

Then, we found out about an anonymous person, who is concerned about how much water she uses; she thought that a good way to do this would be to reduce the amount of water her toilet uses, since toilets often use more water than they need to. To do this, she put a sealed two-liter bottle in the tank, which reduces the amount of water the toilet uses when flushing. This both reduces how much fresh water she uses each year, and reduces how much polluted water she creates.

Finally, the city is talking about banning styrofoam. While it's just in the early stages, a recent Boston Globe survey showed that 78% of residents were in favor of it. The concern over styrofoam is that it is difficult to recycle, and as a result, is bad for the environment.

For almost the entire year, Creative stocks held steady in second place, so it was no surprise to see them end there—up 3 percent to $17.33.

Resa Blatman helped creative stocks out. She has spent nearly 60 hours designing the Somerville Open Studios brochure/map for this year's event. This year, she's also donated money to the new Nave Annex, and participated in their inaugural show; and she wrote a letter to a Somerville politician regarding the future of current artist studios in Somerville once the T comes in. In 2011 and 2012, she donated money to the Somerville Museum, and was a volunteer juror for the Somerville Local Cultural Council Artist Grant.

A second boost came from a photographer. For decades, residents have been putting religious icons in front of their houses in Somerville. These are usually Marys or Jesuses; to protect them from weather, they're put in small enclosures that a lot of people refer to as bathtubs. As Somerville's demographic changes and older residents move out, these icons have been disappearing. For the past few years, a life-long resident named Cathy Piantigini has been photographing these icons, to document this folk tradition.

Finally, Somerville & Cambridge artist and writer J. Marechal helped creative stocks rise. She has made a bunch of art, including sketches, paintings, jewelry, multimedia pieces, poems, fiction, photos, found object & fiber art; glazed ceramics for a WLP benefit auction; a permanent public video art collaboration w/ the Boston Museum of Fine Arts School; and Common Art w/ Common Cathedral. J. has also supported or attended quite a number of art events and author readings.

Community stocks have been on fire for months, so it wasn’t much of a shock to see them finish in first. They went up $1.33, to finish the year at a whopping $27.10.

This was a big gain, but it would’ve been larger if it weren’t for two huge setbacks the community saw. First, according to a recent report, the annual salary that are needed to support a family of two adults and two children in Somerville is over $81,000. This is more than $7,000 more (10% more) than the state average of $74,000. This makes Somerville one of the more difficult places in Massachusetts to get by as a family.

Second, there was a report in the Atlantic Monthly which showed a large class divide in the entire Boston area, including in Somerville. The eastern and northern parts of Somerville are largely the homes of people who are in what the article calls the "service class"-- that is, low-paying, low-skill jobs-- while the southern and western parts of the city are where the "creative class" lives-- that is, science, academia and business. Since there is a large pay difference between these types of jobs (around $33,500 for service jobs, and around $85,000 for creative jobs), this means that one half of the city earns almost three times per year more than the other half does.
Both of these reports showed some large issues our community is facing. But it wasn’t all negative this period—there were some really positive things we found out about.

First, J. Marechal told us about all of the community and social policy efforts she’s been part of—things such as participating in rallies and conferences; signing petitions and nominating people for awards; as well as writing articles and letters in support of different causes. J. also writes for Spare Change News, which involves writing profiles of homeless artists, and essays on pressing issues

We found out a few ways people can get involved. For instance, Boston Cares isn't the only volunteer organization in the area; last year, a new organization called One Brick Boston opened up shop. One Brick is a nationwide network that, like Boston Cares, tries to make it easier for people to find ways to volunteer. One Brick Boston organizes volunteer events that anyone can attend. Just take a look at their website for more information. In early 2013, Somerville also saw two new initiatives to foster community. First, a resident of Somerville and a resident of Cambridge launched Cambriville Connects. The new organization has been organizing events in order to "to connect Somerville and Cambridge folks to create an even more vibrant community." Then there was Our Common Place, which is a web-based bulletin board that encourages residents to connect in a way that will continue in real life.

And then we learned more about a number of long-standing organizations in town. Somerville's Respond, Inc., for instance, seeks to end domestic violence through "prevention, intervention, advocacy and direct services that promote safe, healthy relationships," according to its website. The organization was founded by four Somerville women in the early 1970s, and has been in continuous operation since.

Wayside Youth and Family Support Network operates a program for Boston-area homeless young adults, aged 18-22, in Somerville. The program is called ShortStop, and offers housing, transitional care, education, and vocational training.

Somerville has two Main Street organizations: East Somerville Main Streets, and Union Square Main Streets. Both are nonprofit community development organizations that try to revitalize their neighborhoods by planning public events and supporting local businesses.

Finally, since 1996, Somerville's schools have been supported by the Duhamel Education Initiative. The Initiative gives grants to teachers who work with at-risk youth, and supports innovative programming in Somerville's public schools.