Daily Updates | Analysis of the environmental news in our area

Daily Updates

These are the daily recordings of what I believe are important indicators of our Rochester-area environment --since 1998. For all Daily Updates, go to Update Archives.

Good Day! It's Saturday, July 04, 2009 

• 7/04/09 - We agree that we need to curb C02 that we put into our atmosphere, But how and how much? Listen to this debate: Recorded Jun 10 2009 Chevron + Sierra Club: Drilling for Common Ground DAVE O'REILLY, CARL POPE, ALAN MURRAY --from the Commonwealth Club
• 7/02/09 - Lots of opportunities to be in and about about Nature this summer: Sterling Park Home Page, Cayuga County New York Check out events: For further information, questions, or reservations please call the Nature Center at 315-947-6143 or email snc@co.cayuga.ny.us The Friends of The Sterling Nature Center PO Box 216 Sterling, New York 13156 (315) 947-6143
• 7/01/09 - Get in touch with the Food you eat (in our area) and our environment: For the Love of Food Tune in to learn about Rochester, NY's  best-kept culinary secrets. Hear restaurant recommendations, interviews with chefs and specialty food providers. 
• 7/01/09 - Green Jobs - Learning from others.  Perhaps New Yorkers can learn about Green Jobs in the Michigan Green Job Report.
• 6/27/09 --Green Jobs: If you missed the Green Job's Forum, Thursday June 25 sponsored by Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County     I have collected all the resources suggested for finding green jobs from yesterday’s program and added them to my existing Green Business page http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/Green%20Business.htm to help people in our area get jobs and help our environment. 
• 6/27/09 - Critical Feedback Requested about our community: We here at RochesterEnvironment.com wish to remind you again of an important website that has been launched in our area.  ACT Rochester  has been a long time in the works and is modeled on other cities who have worked on this concept of provide communities of important indicator that will determine among other things Education, Environment, Technology, Transportation, Health, Public Safety, etc. This site is an on-going, long-term project to provide not only community groups and governmental bodies, but you the citizen who cares about your community, with critical data (not opinions and news, but expertly acquired data).  Please take a moment to get the facts about the state of Rochester, New York’s sustainability prospects and most importantly get engaged.  Answers to surveys and comments are asked at this site and this is important because feedback from these people who are actually collecting the data about our community is critical.  It’s not like blogs, or newspapers who want to know how important Michael Jackson is to your life, but what kind of information do you or your group need to know to begin project, complete grants, clean up your neighborhood.  So, please get engaged with this special website in our community and encourage your employer, you friends, your groups that you belong to of this unique and important resource for our area. It’s not just the usual stuff, trust me:  ACT Rochester "Changing the Culture of Public Discussion and Debate The mission of ACT Rochester is to stimulate community solutions to our most critical challenges by changing the culture of public discussion and debate.  This will be achieved through focused, independent and objective measurement of key community indicators, through diverse and timely dialogue and by promoting results-oriented actions. ACT Rochester is a collaboration of Rochester Area Community Foundation and the United Way of Greater Rochester.  We developed the Website together, along with assistance from the Center for Governmental Research, and plan to sustain and update it as a central component of ACT Rochester.   We hope that the comprehensive data and other information contained here will serve as a focal point for formal and informal community forums and inspire you and others in the community to share comments and participate in polls, which will be added to the Website in the coming months. In addition, we will be scheduling a variety of community discussions and activities beginning in the fall of 2009. The name ACT Rochester urges action, specifically in response to the issues highlighted by the data.  The name also stands for Achieving Community Targets, which signals the potential to establish specific targets or goals for improvement.  These targets will be the result of the community involvement process, and will form the future development of ACT Rochester. ACT Rochester currently covers a seven-county region: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Wayne and Wyoming.  This Website contains indicators, analysis of trends, summaries of community efforts to address issues and numerous listings of community resources.  Please see the Using the Site section for details on the rich information contained here and tips on how to best use the site. "
• 6/27/09 -- Help monitor the environment this summer: Make summer a blast with BirdSleuth! Are you looking for new, low-cost activities for your camp, nature center, scouting troop, home school, or youth program? I hope you'll consider the BirdSleuth curriculum developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The first module, BirdSleuth: Most Wanted Birds, contains fun, easy lessons with activities that teach children how to identify birds and collect observations that can be reported to the Cornell Lab and used in scientific studies. The curriculum comes with everything you need to help children make an important connection with nature-perhaps for the first time. Each flexible, easy-to-use lesson in BirdSleuth is geared --from Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology
• 6/27/09 -- This about the American Clean Energy and Security act by Union of Concerned Scientists" Moments ago, the House of Representatives took a historic vote to pass comprehensive climate legislation that would put in place a nationwide plan to rein in global warming pollution and create an entirely new, cleaner approach to our nation's energy system.     This legislation does not include everything we wanted—nor did we expect it would—but it establishes a critical first step in building the foundation to rein in global warming pollution, reduce our dependence on oil, and transition to a clean energy economy.   What's more, in a clear victory for science, the bill includes key provisions ensuring these policies can be strengthened in the future in response to emerging climate science—provisions UCS helped write and win support for.    This progress wouldn't have happened if it weren't for UCS supporters like you. You've demanded that Congress take action and provided us with the funding needed to advocate for smart climate solutions, distribute our analysis to Congress, and mobilize nationwide support for this bill.    History has shown that when it comes to cleaning up our environment, getting a national policy in place makes an enormous difference. Again and again, we have shown that we can rise to the challenge set by these national policies by meeting and surpassing environmental standards through innovation, smart science, and American ingenuity. The Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act made possible the healthier environment that we take for granted today. When people saw that these vital pieces of legislation were saving lives and helping us breathe easier and drink safer water, they pushed for more. And then we were able to make these protections even stronger.   But we have a long, up-hill battle before us to ensure this groundbreaking legislation becomes law—and the scientific and technical expertise UCS brings to these issues will be essential in this fight. The House of Representatives has shown the way forward, but now our work moves to the Senate where we’ll once again be up against the coal and oil industries and the legislators who support them.   President Obama has already expressed support for this bill. But we will need your help to put a strong bill over the finish line. Specifically, you can help turn up the heat on the Senate to act quickly and ensure that we enact a final bill that helps build a revitalized clean energy economy, while reducing the threat of global warming.  "American Clean Energy and Security Act | Union of Concerned Scientists American Clean Energy and Security Act H.R. 2454 The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) sets us on the path toward curbing global warming, reducing our dependence on oil, and putting Americans back to work. Specifically, the bill: --from the
• 6/27/09 --Here's what the city of Toronto (just across the waters) is doing about climate change in their city this summer: City of Toronto: Change is in the Air... Climate Change, Clean Air & Sustainable Energy Action Plan In July 2007, Council unanimously approved Toronto's Climate Change, Clean Air & Sustainable Energy Action Plan. This plan outlines how the City of Toronto, and its residents, businesses and communities will cut greenhouse gas emissions, clean the air and help create a sustainable energy future.
• 6/26/09 - Still looking for that Green Job? This page Green Business has been updated with information and resources I learned from yesterday's Green Jobs Forum from the Monroe County branch of the Cornell Cooperative Extension / New York Energy Smart Programs.
• 6/24/09 - Quietly working on our Environment, don't forget what our city of Rochester is doing to make our city sustainable: City of Rochester | Green Team Mayor Duffy set up the Green Team to ensure that the City maintains and enhances its long-standing commitment to preserving, protecting, and restoring our natural resources.  The City of Rochester will demonstrate through practice and policy our commitment to exemplary environmental stewardship.  The City, while cognizant of fiscal limits, is committed to the implementation of environmental management practices which will provide a healthy and sustainable environment and enhance the quality of life for our citizens. 
• 6/24/09 - Something from the EPA on environmental education: Climate Change, Wildlife, and Wildlands Toolkit | What You Can Do | Climate Change | U.S. EPA A Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators The new Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit for Formal and Informal Educators is an updated and expanded version of the award-winning (2001 Public Relations Society of America Bronze Anvil Award for Interactive Communications and 2002 Telly Award) and very popular (over 40,000 kits distributed in all 51 states and territories and over a dozen countries across the world) Climate Change, Wildlife and Wildlands Toolkit for Teachers and Interpreters first published in 2001.
• 6/23/09 - Your going to see Purple Boxes in our area soon: MDA - Emerald Ash Borer - Purple Trap Survey Q & A "The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a small, metallic-green, wood-boring beetle that was discovered in southeast Michigan in 2002. Native to Asia, it’s believed to have been unknowingly transported to the United States in wood packing material. Since its discovery, the EAB has been detected in six other States -- Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Federal and State quarantines have been established in these States to mitigate the spread of EAB. Quarantines prohibit the movement (within the State and out of the State) of regulated articles, which include ash nursery stock, ash logs and lumber with bark, pallets, branches, stumps, etc., and all hardwood chips and firewood."-MDA - Department of Agriculture
• 6/22/09 - This weeks RENewsletter is now published: RENewsletter | June 21, 2009
• 6/22/09 - With summer nowadays, comes West Nile Virus: Take precautions and learn more form Public Health | Monroe County, NY West Nile virus (WNV) is an illness transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. The illness is most serious for older people; healthy children and younger adults are at very low-risk for serious WNV infection.
• 6/22/09 - Summertime and we’re thinking beaches.  But, how safe are they this year?  How many times have they been closed?  Check here: Monroe County Beaches –from Beaches | US EPA "Beaches are a place to play, watch wildlife, fish, and swim. With beaches giving us so much, we have to protect them from a variety of potential problems. We can help you plan a trip to the beach, learn about beaches and the issues around them, and understand how we protect beaches."
• 6/20/09 - Recycling - Do you need to dispose of hazardous household waste? Please note: Monroe County's Hazardous Household Waste (HHW) Appointment Scheduler (includes Pharmaceuticals) http://www.monroecounty.gov/hhw 
• 6/20/09 - Find out what you are eating and what chemicals may or maynot have gotten in your food: What’s On My Food? Pesticides …on our food, even after washing; …in our bodies, for years; …& in our environment, traveling many miles on wind, water and dust. What’s On My Food? is a searchable database designed to make the public problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable. -- More on Food and our Environment here...
• 6/20/09 - Environmentalists: New group joins online wealth of information and monitoring to protect our environment: Niagara Watershed Alliance A group of committed Niagara County citizens working to restore the health of the Niagara Region Watershed ecosystem.  | Due to the inability of government to control and /or eliminate the storage and importation of hazardous and radioactive waste within the Niagara Watershed and Great Lakes basin, the Niagara Watershed Alliance has decided to form a consortium of educational, environmental, elected officials, economic, public health and safety groups to pool resources in finding a method to stop the degradation of the Niagara Watershed and Great Lakes basin.  We welcome all who wish to join in our efforts.
• 6/20/09 - **ACTION**  Get informed, be involved in Climate and Energy legislation: Repower America | Join Al Gore for an urgent briefing Join Al Gore for an urgent briefing We've never been closer to breaking the political gridlock in Washington. Find out the latest on historic climate and energy legislation that's moving through Congress, and how you can help. Reserve your spot now to listen to a special briefing by Al Gore on Tuesday, June 23, at 8 p.m. (EDT). On Tuesday, we'll call and connect you to the briefing at the number you provide below.
• 6/20/09 - Reducing our dependency on those ubiquitous plastic bags littering our roads, trails, up in the branches of our trees, down our drainpipes, across our lawns and just about everywhere is not just a good idea – it’s the law.  Mostly, these laws pertain to large stores, but it’s a sign that times are a’changing. Think of taking a reusable bag around with you when you shop and buying less stuff.    NYS Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Law - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation * Title 27 - Plastic Bag Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Section 27-2701. Definitions. 27-2703. Store operator responsibilities. 27-2705. Recycling program requirements. 27-2707. Manufacturer responsibilities. 27-2709. Department responsibility. 27-2711. Regulations. 27-2713. Preemption. * NB There are 2 Title 27's
• 6/20/09 - From our friends over at Rochesterians Against The Misuse of Pesticides (RAMP), we learn more about how our modern idea of a oil and pesticide intensive lawn have come about.  But, you can free yourself from your pesticides and tractors.  Read RAMP:  You can join RAMP, one of the most effective environmental organizations in Rochester, by writing to 10 Landing Road South, Rochester, NY 14610.  Meanwhile, check out this way to reduce your lawn and go natural:  LessLawn : information about landscape design for nature lovers... shrink your lawn and grow your pleasure!Want a low-maintenance, ecologically friendly landscape? Chemical free? Want to do it yourself? Find information and inspiration here at LessLawn. We'll help you shrink your lawn and grow your pleasure!
• 6/20/09 -Find out how Global Warming might change various of our environment: |  Global Change Biology - Journal Information Global Change Biology exists to promote understanding of the interface between all aspects of current environmental change and biological systems, including rising tropospheric O3 and CO2 concentrations, climate change, loss of biodiversity, and eutrophication. Topics covered include the following, in the context of biological implications and feedbacks: Climate change Global change Land-use change Rising carbon dioxide Ocean warming Atmospheric pollution Carbon sequestration Carbon mitigation Global food security --from Wiley:
• 6/18/09 - Do something about our Rochester Area Environment: Searching around the net for environmental issues pertaining to our area, I came across this from the Democrat and Chronicle:  Rochester Environmental Causes - Get Involved - The Democrat and Chronicle Generate positive energy! Are you concerned about global warming? Endangered species? Protecting wetlands and/or beaches? Keeping your neighborhood park clean and safe? Check out these opportunities to get involved. - from democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• 6/17/09 - Find out what specific change we can expect from Climate Change in our area: Northeast "Northeast annual average temperature has increased by 2°F since 1970, with winter temperatures rising twice this much. Warming has resulted in many other climate-related changes including more frequent very hot days, a longer growing season, an increase in heavy downpours, less winter precipitation falling as snow and more as rain, reduced snowpack, earlier break-up of winter ice on lakes and rivers, earlier spring snowmelt resulting in earlier peak river flows, rising sea surface temperatures, and rising sea level. These trends are projected to continue, with more dramatic changes under higher emissions scenarios compared to lower emissions scenarios. Some of the extensive climate-related changes projected for the region could significantly alter the region’s economy, landscape, character, and quality of life."  -from  globalchange.gov "The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) coordinates and integrates federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society. The USGCRP began as a presidential initiative in 1989 and was mandated by Congress in the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-606), which called for "a comprehensive and integrated United States research program which will assist the Nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change."
• 6/17/09 - Get some green training for those green jobs: RIT - Golisano Institute for Sustainability "The 1987 “Our Common Future” report of the World Commission on Environment and Development defines sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Simply stated, a sustainable process is one which can be carried out over and over without negative environmental effects, such as air and water pollution, solid waste, and biodegradation which lead to larger, global problems including climate change and destruction of natural resources. "
• 6/17/09 - How is Vermont handling Green Jobs? U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders ""Today we face the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. There is no better moment to move forward aggressively on energy efficiency and creating new sustainable energy and creating jobs in the process. The potential for job growth in this area is bigger than almost anything else I can think of." -Senator Bernie Sanders, chairman of the Senate Green Jobs and New Economy Subcommittee"
• 6/16/09 - Bats help manage insects for farmers who produce our food.  White-nose bat syndrome is killing bats off in large numbers:  Learn more: White-Nose Syndrome in bats: Something is killing our bats  "In February 2006 some 40 miles west of Albany, N.Y., a caver photographed hibernating bats with an unusual white substance on their muzzles. He noticed several dead bats. The following winter, bats behaving erratically, bats with white noses and a few hundred dead bats in several caves came to the attention of New York Department of Environmental Conservation biologists, who documented white-nose syndrome in January 2007. Hundreds of thousands of hibernating bats have died since. Biologists with state and federal agencies and organizations across the country are still trying to find the answer to this deadly mystery. " --Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
• 6/15/09 -Test that Well: As New York State does not have a comprehensive law on well water standards, test your well water. It might be helpful to contact your representative and ask them why we don’t have standards on well water, like we do for other drinking water. Well water should be tested annually to reduce health risks to children Private well water should be tested yearly, and in some cases more often, according to new guidance offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, took a lead role in working with the AAP to develop these recommendations and draft a new AAP policy statement about the things parents should do if their children drink well water. The recommendations call for annual well testing, especially for nitrate and microorganisms such as coliform bacteria, which can indicate that sewage has contaminated the well. The recommendations point out circumstances when additional testing should occur, including testing when there is a new infant in the house or if the well is subjected to structural damage. (May 26, 09) EurekAlert! Public News List
• 6/15/09 - It’s good ole summertime and the fishing is…, err problematical.  Remember, if you are fishing in New York and eating the fish, there are advisories by the NYS Department of Health. Of course, if there were stricter controls on chemical releases into our waters (lakes, streams, ponds, rivers, etc.) we wouldn’t need a litany of restriction on eating fish.  But, there’s a lot of stuff in our waters that shouldn’t be there.  Chemicals in Sportfish and Game: 2009-2010 Health Advisories Fish are nutritious and good to eat. However contaminated fish and game can be the main source of exposure to some contaminants. New York State issues advisories of eating sportfish and game because some of these foods contain chemicals at levels that may be harmful to health. These advisories tell people which fish and game to avoid and how to reduce exposure to fish they do eat. These advisories are for sportfish and game that people take and are not for fish and game sold in markets. -- New York State Department of Health
• 6/12/09 - Let us repeat ourselves, Don't Curb that Old TV with the New Digital TV Signal Change.  Do good, go here: On Friday, June 12th and Saturday, June 13th, Zeller is partnering with 13WHAM and SunnKing Electronics Recycling to give back to the community and help reduce electronic waste during the digital transition. SunnKing will be providing recycling containers at Zeller, 1000 University Avenue and 13WHAM, W. Henrietta Road for members of the community to properly dispose of their electronic waste free of charge. Both locations will be accepting your electronic waste starting on Friday from 5:00a.m.-5:00p.m. and on Saturday from 9:00a.m.-4:00p.m. Acceptable material for the electronic recycling includes televisions, computer/laptops, printers, cellular telephones, copiers, and more. For a complete list of acceptable materials, log on to SunnKing Recycling and click on the recycle tab. For more information, please contact Jill Galvin at 585-254-8840.
• 6/12/09 - If we got our act together could we successfully battle Climate Change here in the Northeast? The Union of Scientists thinks so: U.S. Can Curb Global Warming and Lower Energy Costs with Carbon Cap and Smart Energy, Transportation Policies, New Study Finds | Union of Concerned Scientists WASHINGTON (May 19, 2009) – With the right policies in place, the United States could dramatically cut the heat-trapping emissions that cause global warming and, at the same time, lower energy costs in every region of the country, according to the findings of a two-year, peer-reviewed study by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). (May 19, 09) Homepage | Union of Concerned Scientists
• 6/12/09 - Are we living at the end of the Age of Coal: Living on Earth: Generating Controversy:  The Changing Climate of Coal The world's appetite for energy seems insatiable and coal, cheap and plentiful, is increasingly being used to generate electricity. In the United States almost half of our electricity comes from burning coal and fast developing China already uses more coal than the United States, the European Union and Japan, combined. But in addition to generating energy coal plants spew carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases scientists say is warming the planet. Our series "Generating Controversy: The Changing Climate of Coal" looks at the problems and promise of coal, and the potential of new technologies --from Living on Earth: Sound Journalism for the Whole Planet
• 6/11/09 - High Speed Rail—Good for the Environment? You’ve heard of it, the proposed High-Speed Rail from Albany to Buffalo, but have you read it? It’s long and I myself have yet to read it at this point.  But this may come our way and have a great influence on our community—even our environment.  If more people find high-speed rail public transportation as a viable alternative to various traveling destination as they do in many countries (though, the proposed train will only have a top speed of 110 mph), it could reduce vehicular use.  That would reduce global warming gases and transportation costs for the public.  In any event, it’s good to have the case before you, instead of railing against a system where you don’t have the facts  - State Rail Plan "The plan, entitled NEW YORK STATE RAIL PLAN 2009 - Strategies for a New Age, was developed in cooperation with New York’s freight railroads, Amtrak, commuter railroads, transportation planners, and New York residents.  The State Rail Plan was prepared based on extensive public comments, including four public information workshops, regarding a draft State Rail Plan report released in June 2008." --from NYSDOT Home
• 6/10/09 - Monitoring our Environment: Though a lot of indicators need to be monitored to assess the healthiness of one community, but arguably one of the most important is our environmental health.  Without a sound environment, everything else loses its foundation. This new project, which includes many specific environmental indicators for our region is especially welcome.  Take a moment to check out the various environmental indicators like (Prevalence of Pesticides, Air Quality, Clean Water, Population Density, Recycling Rate, Beach Contamination, Toxic Chemical Release, and more…) that suggest whether or not we are living sustainably—here in the Rochester area. Don’t form a critical opinion about the state of our environment without getting the facts.  This site works towards that: ActRochester : Environment From the rolling slopes of the Finger Lakes and the broad Genesee Valley to the spectacular Lake Ontario coast, nature has provided a splendid setting. Preserving our great natural resources is the goal of the many people who work to protect our environment. --from ACT Rochester : The goal of ACT Rochester is to build on community strengths to help solve our critical problems. ACT Rochester will achieve this through community debate, discussion and engagement based on objective, timely and independent data that can reshape our approach to community problem-solving.
• 6/10/09 - More ways to live environmentally friendly: Green Home - Green Home Living | Sierra Club Green Home Welcome. Sierra Club Green Home is dedicated to helping you create a more sustainable home environment. Browse our site to learn more about all the things you can do. Your health, your wallet and the earth will thank you.
• 6/10/09 -Don't Curb it! "A preventable environmental problem can be avoided when the new TV signal changes, if you recycle your new TV. But, you don’t have to buy a new TV, get a digital converter coupon and stay with what you’ve got.  June 12 TV signals change to digital and for those still using the antenna, instead of cable and satellites, your going to have to do something.  That’s if you still watch TV.  But, if you still watch TV, Check this out: The Looming E-Waste Tsunami - Television Recycling What Should You Do With Your Old TV Sets: Unlike leading computer manufacturers, the television industry has been, with the exception of Sony, very reluctant to take responsibility for their products at the end of their useful life. Televisions present all of the same disposal issues as computer equipment and other e-waste (TVs, computers, monitors, phones, etc.), from leaded glass to brominated fire retardants. However televisions contain much less valuable materials to offset the cost of recycling than most electronics, discouraging e-waste collectors and processors from handling them. " Digital TV age dawns Friday | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle While the analog signals to your television may end on Friday, at least one Rochester-area television station is keeping a "night light" on for people slow to make the switch to digital. democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
• 6/09/09 - New transportation route, New carbon-free transportation route in Rochester. Rochester Greenway "a revolutionary all-weather alternative-energy transitway for bikes, e-bikes, joggers, and skaters connecting RIT, U of R,  MCC, downtown Rochester.  http://tinyurl.com/RochesterGreenPaper  A straight-line fair-weather bikeway already connects downtown Rochester with the University of Rochester, and RIT1. By turning this scenic five-mile path into a year-round asset, we can create a revolutionary all-weather alternative energy transitway 
for bikes, e-vehicles, joggers, and skaters that will reduce road traffic and parking pressures on our campuses, create a year-round recreational attraction for locals and visitors from around the world, and put us at the forefront of the new energy economy.   By merely endeavoring to pursue this vision, we can help revitalize Rochester's reputation for  technological and social innovation, stimulate collaboration and synergy between our urban and academic communities, create jobs, and attract funds to the region. As documented at our new website http://RochesterGreenway.org, this is an early-stage vision.  But we could begin to act immediately  and incrementally. 
• 6/08/09 - Food production in our country.  You should look under the hood at food production in our country and understand how it affects our health and our environment.  I highly recommend this important report by PBS NOW:   Food, Inc. - Interview With Director Robert Kenner . NOW on PBS Americans have a longstanding love affair with food—the modern supermarket has, on average, 47,000 products. But do we really know what goes into making the products we so eagerly consume?  NOW on PBS
• 6/05/09 - Learn about what one of our area colleges is doing about Recycling: RIT Green | Recycling "RIT currently recycles approximately 2,000 tons of waste each year.  In 2007, 38.5% of all waste produced on campus was recycled.  The Recycling Department has set a goal of recycling over 50% of the waste that leaves the campus.  When met, this goal will place RIT's recycling program among the top schools nationwide. In order to meet the goal, the Recycling Department at RIT is working continuously to raise awareness of the benefits of recycling and to make recycling more convenient for everyone."
• 6/05/09 - Help monitor our environment: Frog watches, like bird watches, are important because these creatures are important indicators of our environment’s health. That frog populations and other wildlife are shrinking to causes other than urban sprawl (loss of their habitats) indicates that perhaps global warming or manmade pollution may be contributing causes to their demise. In any case, we shouldn’t just be mulling this over in our minds, real data needs to be gathered and this is an activity where ordinary people can contribute. [more on Living Green in Rochester] FrogwatchUSA Homepage - USGS/National Wildlife Federation - FrogwatchUSA - National Wildlife Federation FrogWatch USA is a Citizen Science Monitoring Program that gives YOU the opportunity to help scientists conserve amphibians! Being a FrogWatch volunteer gives you the opportunity to gather information that will help increase awareness of nationwide amphibian declines that can ultimately lead to practical and workable ways to help conserve these important species – all while helping you learn more about the wetlands in your community and the calls of frogs and toads in your community!
• 6/02/09 -The Bottle Bill Ban Battle This story strikes me as an odd way to look at the halt in the NYS bottle bill that was supposed to go into effect on June 1st, and an odd way to see environmental issues in general by the media. The environmentalists (isn’t everyone for a clean and healthy environment?) are unhappy that they lost the battle to remove discarded bottles from our streets, urban forests, roadway (you-name-it bottles are everywhere) via a popular measure (most New Yorkers are for this bottle bill) by a judge, bottling companies, some politicians, grocery and convenience stores.  The point is that the media sees a battle not an environmental problem where an incredible amount of waste is piling up around us. The press cannot see the forest because of the trees.  The forest is our environmental issues that jeopardize the sustainability of our way of life.  The trees are the way mainstream media frames environmental issues—as a series of battles, oftentimes only with opponents willing to step up to the microphone. Allegedly, the rest of the public is dozing on the sidelines.  In this story about the ban on this bill, what is missing is the incredible amount of trash and loss of resources and the needless use of energy that is polluting the planet. It’s not about squabbles going on by groups of people remote from our existence: It’s about how we (every one of us) conduct our business (economics) and whether or not that means our way of life is sustainable. At present, our environment is failing, pollution is building, our energy sources are warming the planet, the list goes on and on—and the media is trying to retain high profits, or just staying alive, by pandering to the public by narrowly focusing on large problems with small squabbles. The tragedy of this bottle bill ban is that without some measure to curb unnecessary bottling (like our water) and a way to discourage trashing worthless bottles, we will continue on doing what we have been doing—as if that wasn’t the problem and only the fight between those tenacious to fight for this bill or against it is.  The evidence for the case that the press doesn’t get it is this: Other than this bill, there will be no other stories about reducing trash and recycling properly before or after April of next year.     Check this story out:  Environmentalists unhappy with delay on bottle deposit law - syracuse.com Environmental advocates and redemption center owners are boiling over a court order to delay implementation of New York's Bigger Better Bottle Bill for another year." Syracuse NY Local News, Breaking News, Sports & Weather - syracuse.com
• 6/01/09 - The new RENewsletter is out - RENewsletter May 31, 2009
• 5/30/09 - Going Green: We all have to go, but there are a lot of us: People out thinking out of the traditional coffin and ways that won’t harm our environment.  This might seem preposterous and heretical to a fundamental right of us all to be buried with dignity, but with 6.5 billion of us wanting our own space—forever—is going to get crowded and its unsustainable.  Better that we think ahead and get some new ideas on traditional burying methods:  Here’s one: Dirt: Dying Green in NY on Vimeo  "Natural Burial is a rising trend within the green movement. Already quite popular abroad and in California, Natural Burial is fast making its way to the east coast. "Dying Green" isn't just for hippies anymore. Motivated not only by ecological concerns, but also economic and emotional ones, "Dirt" explores the ideas behind green burial itself, its availability in NYS, and a host of the quirky movers-and-shakers behind the cause."    
• 5/29/09 Energy a moral issue: As we turn on our lights, run our air conditioners, and charge our gadgets we do so mostly by burning coal. Coal pollutes and adds dramatically to manmade global warming.  So, when we decide not to conserve electricity or not to allow a renewable energy source near our home, we condemn many to the hazards of mountain top removal. That wind turbine won’t be in our backyard, but that blasted mountain top which tailing will pollute that wants and disfigure the lands will be in somebody else’s backyard. Morally, though, we all live in the coal fields because we use the power of coal and won’t allow a better power source to run our lives.  - "We All Live in the Coal Fields": West Virginians Step Up Protests as EPA OKs New Mountaintop Removal At least thirty people were arrested in West Virginia Saturday as protesters marked a new phase of Operation Appalachian Spring, a campaign to end mountaintop removal mining. The protests came just a week after the Obama administration gave the green light for forty-two more mountaintop removal permits in a major victory for the coal industry. We speak to journalist Jeff Biggers, author of the book United States of Appalachia: How Southern Mountaineers Brought Independence, Culture and Enlightenment to America. Biggers says mountaintop removal is a national issue, not a local one, as many perceive." (May 29, 09) Democracy Now! | Radio and TV News
• 5/29/09 - This kind of analysis, checking to see what new chemicals we produce are having what effect on our health provided by the federal government, is what our government should be doing. We cannot rely, as we usually do, on industries to self-monitor their pollution and certainly we cannot depend on them to proactively seek out the possible repercussions of their new chemicals on our health and environment. In this country, as opposed to other countries, the burden of proof of the toxicity of industrial chemicals is on those whose complain, not on those who produce them.  So, having our government ramping up their studies on the relationship between manmade chemicals and their health ramifications is right on. ToxCast™ Program | National Center for Computational Toxicology | US EPA In 2007, EPA launched ToxCast™ in order to develop a cost-effective approach for prioritizing the toxicity testing of large numbers of chemicals in a short period of time. Using data from state-of-the-art high throughput screening (HTS) bioassays developed in the pharmaceutical industry, ToxCast™ is building computational models to forecast the potential human toxicity of chemicals. These hazard predictions will provide EPA regulatory programs with science-based information helpful in prioritizing chemicals for more detailed toxicological evaluations, and lead to more efficient use of animal testing. --from National Center for Computational Toxicology | US EPA
• 5/29/09 - Might want to think twice or three times about drilling for natural gas in our state.  Some communities have not fared so well Check out this regional environmental issue from investigative reporters who have done their homework Officials in Three States Pin Water Woes on Gas Drilling - ProPublica "But a string of documented cases of gas escaping into drinking water -- not just in Pennsylvania but across North America -- is raising new concerns about the hidden costs of this economic tide and strengthening arguments across the country that drilling can put drinking water at risk. " (April 26, 09) ProPublica - Journalism in the Public Interest
• 5/28/09 - Now we’re talking Green Jobs: What we have been waiting for, since the stimulus package, was a way for the common folk to find out about and get green jobs. Now, our government is making that happen.  We may or may not like the options, but we do have the right to know what kinds of jobs are becoming available as a result of our bailout monies. And, now that we have the facts, we can pressure our government to see that we get these jobs and make better jobs available.     New York State Department of Labor - |  GOV SITE - GOVERNOR PATERSON REQUIRES NEW STIMULUS JOBS TO BE POSTED ON PUBLIC WEBSITE Site Will Make New Jobs More Accessible to New Yorkers Governor’s Request Furthers Transparency in Stimulus Spending Governor David A. Paterson today announced that every firm that the State hires with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds is required to post any jobs created by these funds to the New York State Job Bank, which can be accessed at www.labor.ny.gov.
• 5/27/09 - Get that Green Job: Often, I get request for webmasters and business like recycling business to list their green business on my site, but I am usually reluctant to because I cannot vet them.  Meaning, I cannot determine whether or not this or that company is environmentally friendly from "cradle to cradle" recycling systems to what the effects are of their product on our environment.  With that said, I do help promote sites that do vet green businesses and databases for environmentally friendly information, practices, etc.  Here’s a new site that is an excellent example of a business that help people find green jobs and does the heavy lifting for bringing people and green jobs together.  I suspect we are going to see lots of these kinds of websites emerge and it will be a good thing: Green Collar Jobs Board - SustainLane "What is SustainLane.com? SustainLane.com is the web's largest people-powered guide to sustainable living. The hub of SustainLane Media's offerings, SustainLane.com is filled with personal accounts of how-tos, news, and local business and product reviews for sustainable living. The site connects interested consumers with the tools and information on everything related to green, including: The largest directory of local, green-friendly businesses in the United States with over 20,000 small business listings; Consumer-generated how-tos, news and product reviews of new green offerings in the marketplace; and A community of likeminded individuals willing to share information and personal experiences with each other. "
• 5/27/09 - See Climate Change: If you’re from Missouri, you probably want us to ‘show you’ the effects of climate change, instead of listing article after article. Because of the nature of large-scale, long-term changes inherit in climate change this proved a challenge for the public who didn’t own their own intergalactic satellite. Well, now you can borrow NASA’s satellites and watch them watch our planet’s ice move, water levels rise, and storms move. So, before leveling an opinion about whether we can witness climate change happening, check this amazingly assessable data from NASA and see for yourself—even if you just from New York.  Climate Change: NASA's Eyes on the Earth "Eyes on the Earth – Earth-orbiting spacecraft and instruments developed my NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory currently study all aspects of our planet – oceans, land, atmosphere, biosphere and cyrosphere.  They provide critical data about the rate and extent of global climate change."
• 5/22/09 - If high-speed rail runs through the Rochester area, our transportation modes would change dramatically.  Find out more about this issue and make comment to the government:    FEDERAL RAILROAD ADMINISTRATION : PASSENGER RAIL"President Obama proposes to help address the nation's transportation challenges by launching a new and efficient high-speed passenger rail network in 100-600 mile corridors that connect communities across America.  The Strategic Plan outlines the President’s vision that would transform the nation’s transportation system by rebuilding existing rail infrastructure while developing a comprehensive high-speed intercity passenger rail network through a long-term commitment at both the federal and state levels.  This plan draws from the successful highway and aviation development models with a 21st century solution that focuses on clean, energy-efficient rail transportation. "
• 5/22/09 - In many ways colleges are leading the way in environmental practices. RochesterEnvironment.com acknowledges the great contributions in environmental education that can be put into real models of sustainability via our colleges and universities.  Our local educational institutions host many programs and are conduits for teaching our community about how to treat our environment:    RIT Green "The Institute recognizes that the sustainable choices made by faculty, staff, and students will resonate for generations throughout the Upstate New York area and beyond. Those that work and study at RIT also live and raise families in the area. By making the campus more environmentally friendly and by engaging in and learning more about sustainable practices, the RIT community is improving the cleanliness of the greater environment in real and measurable ways. By doing so, we can take steps now to ensure that the Rochester area and the greater world in which we live continue to be safe and healthy well into the future."
• 5/22/09- Know your power and where it's going: Official Google Blog: Power to the people "Imagine how hard it would be to stick to a budget in a store with no prices. Well, that's pretty much how we buy electricity today. Your utility company sends you a bill at the end of the month with very few details. Most people don't know how much electricity their appliances use, where in the house they are wasting electricity, or how much the bill might go up during different seasons. But in a world where everyone had a detailed understanding of their home energy use, we could find all sorts of ways to save energy and lower electricity bills. In fact, studies show that access to home energy information results in savings between 5-15% on monthly electricity bills. It may not sound like much, but if half of America's households cut their energy demand by 10 percent, it would be the equivalent of taking eight million cars off the road. "
• 5/21/09 - I’m passing on this interesting proposal: Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act. For those of us [the public] who helped the banks who almost failed save our bailout monies, now it’s time for us to consider a bill that would protect our environment and help create green jobs.  So, on the face of it, this bill seems especially timely: the proposed Clean Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act - A writer suggests: "The $5 Billion Clean Water, Clean Air & Green Jobs Bond Act of 2009 as it is proposed would vastly expand opportunities for conservation beyond state and federally funded programs and initiatives.  Voter-approved bond proceeds would be utilized for state environmental projects that protect our water, land and air and create jobs.  Funding created through this initiative would make long-term improvements to our environmental infrastructure and natural resources, energy efficiency, transit, building weatherization, public health protection and economic development.  The Bond Act would build upon the federal stimulus and provide a significant investment to further New York’s economic recovery through environmentally friendly capital investments.    It was our intent in the development of this proposal to have the largest economic benefit as possible and in areas where their were natural fits - seek to elevate some of the burdens put on local municipalities - such as wastewater and drinking water infrastructure, energy efficiency program, brownfields cleanup and environmental remediation program funding,  as well as traditional conservation efforts like the protection of open space, habitat restoration and parks.     As you will see from the attached draft case statement, there are areas that could have a significant benefit regions across the state - including the Rochester area." Here's more  Working Daft NYS 2009 Environmental Bond Case Statement | ASSEMBLY STANDING COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
• 5/21/09 - Sure our sun warms our planet, keeps it from flinging itself out to the wide universe with its gravitation disparity with Earth, and keeps life alive—but is that it?  Not quite. Seems like you can do a lot more with the sun:  The Solar Cooking Archive
• 5/20/09 - I'm a little late in announcing this but here it is: MAY is National Bike Month:  The League of American Bicyclists (www.bikeleague.org) is promoting Bike-to-Work Week May 11 - 15 and Bike-to-Work Day on Friday, May 15.  Check the events section of this site often to see what bike month and bike to work week events are going on in your community.  To relieve stress, start your own event and submit your information to be posted on the site to: communication@bikeleague.org.  Please make sure you write, "Bike Month Event" in the subject line of the email.
• 5/20/09 -As the talk continues on the creation of green jobs using federal stimulus monies (our tax bucks), we continue to monitor and drill through these articles to find that Rochester-area green job with will get you and me employed and our environment sustainable.  HUD Information Related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 The Recovery Act includes $13.61 billion for projects and programs administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, nearly 75 percent of which was allocated to state and local recipients on February 25, 2009 – only eight days after President Obama signed the Act into law. Recovery Act investments in HUD programs will be not just swift, but also effective: they will generate tens of thousands of jobs, modernize homes to make them energy efficient, and help the families and communities hardest hit by the economic crisis. The remaining 25 percent of funds will be awarded via competition in the coming months. Additional guidance on the implementation of all funds will be routinely provided on this website.
• 5/18/09 - Advanced environmentalism: Understanding that everything you do, as a member of a species that dominates this planet with 6.5 billion souls who must eat and craves stuff, and realizing that everything you purchase has repercussions on our environment, means your one step closer to the mindset that may keep our species sustainable.  The next step perhaps is beginning to chose wisely based on a wide breath of information you would need to know to achieve truly green living.  To that end, we come across this interesting site that measures a products impact: GoodGuide | Ratings of Natural, Green and Healthy Products "GoodGuide provides the world's largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home.  
• 5/18/09 - Best not to pollute in the first place.  The cleanup efforts, so long in the courts and the goop so long at the bottom of the Hudson River, are a close-by example of the externalities associated with getting pollution removed from our environment.  There’s the question of whether it is safer for the public and the environment to leave the stuff alone rather than trying to remove it. And, a zillion other issues once we pollute. GE Begins Hudson River Cleanup : NPR One of the biggest environmental cleanups in U.S. history got under way Friday. (May 15, 09) NPR : National Public Radio : News & Analysis, World, US, Music & Arts | Hudson River PCBs | Region 2 | US EPA "From approximately 1947 to 1977, the General Electric Company (GE) discharged as much as 1.3 million pounds of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from its capacitor manufacturing plants at the Hudson Falls and Fort Edward facilities into the Hudson River."
• 5/12/09 - Will it ever get cleaned up? Sadly, it is not hard to believe that the clean-up of the Hudson River due to PCB pollution is still choked by delays. Here’s how these big pollution events seem to go.  A corporation for one reason or another pollutes a body of water. Maybe it was an accident, maybe it was OK to pollute years ago, whatever, there’s always an excuse.  Then, there has to be a sufficient cry of outrage to get our waters cleaned up, or it just doesn’t get to the court’s radar. Then, it goes to court and really smart people in law (but not very bright on our environment) wrangle over the merits of the case.  And, maybe once in a great while the people win and the waters have to be cleaned up.  But, sometimes the company has gone bankrupt.  Then, there are delays. There are delays because no one is ever satisfied that the courts have made them clean up their mess. Then, once is a very great while the case will go through all the appeals, all the nigglings at the law, everything—but there still will be delays. The poison’s sit because removing the poisons is complicated, expensive, and disruptive to people's lives. In a way this all sounds sensible as this is the way corporations and our laws work—you just have to wait for the wheel of the law to turn wherever they are going to turn. Trouble is Nature and the laws of physics are not so democratic. If you put a lot of poisons in the water, stuff happens. Check this out: Barrier drops to PCB dredge -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY ALBANY — Saratoga County officials have dropped part of a lawsuit seeking to halt the Hudson River PCB dredging project in a dispute with the federal government over a safe supply of outside drinking water from Troy. (May 9, 09) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy 
• 5/09/09 - One of the most notorious Brownfields, Environmental history was made nearby at Love Canal. Now you can view an expertly constructed web site that documents the tragedy with photos and records. Love Canal Collections - University at Buffalo Libraries "A new online resource on the Love Canal Collections in the University Archives is now available online. This resource includes links to the Love Canal collections finding aids, an image gallery, a clipping database, and an introduction to the history and background of the events that occurred at Love Canal. The basic portion of the Collection provides: Background information about the country's most notorious and infamous hazardous waste site. A chronological history of the Love Canal A glossary of definitions for the Love Canal Love Canal Collections includes special records and collections: ETF Records Ecumenical Task Force Records -- MS 65 -- includes scanned documents from the ETF collection Revitalization Agency Records Love Canal Area Revitalization Agency Records -- MS 74 Repository Grant Records Love Canal Repository Grant Records -- MS 89 Adeline Levine Research Materials Adeline Levine Love Canal Research Materials (part I) -- 22/3F/634 Adeline Levine Love Canal Research Materials (part II) -- 22/3F/1113 Additional Collections" - Frederick W. Stoss, M.S. (zool/ecol), M.L.S. Associate Librarian (Biological and Environmental Sciences and Mathematics) 228-B Capen Hall Science and Engineering Library Arts & Sciences Libraries University Libraries University at Buffalo--SUNY Buffalo, NY 14260-1672 
• 5/08/09 - Greening our way into the future: If you think you have seen it all in green technology, you probably haven’t.  See what the guys and gals have been up to a M.I.T.  Watch this seven-minute video on what a bike a computer and a wireless connection can do in a city to go green:   Green Wheel - Smart Mobility and Ubiquitous Computing "The MIT Mobile Experience Lab and Smart Cities Group worked together to envision future scenarios describing design opportunities related to topics that deal with social navigation, distributed data sensing, healthcare, bike sharing racks optimization, peer-to-peer freight, urban races and civic engagement. Smart Cities has developed the Green Wheel electric bicycle motor, an innovative in-wheel regenerative electric motor that can be adapted to any sort of bicycle." 
• 5/07/09 - From our friends down state, Birds - Cornell Lab of Ornithology world experts on bird and bird watching (how better to monitor our environment than to monitor birds, here’s a great chance for Environmental Education:   Inside Birding, Learn how to better identify birds, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology "As Chris Wood and Jessie Barry, members of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Team Sapsucker, get ready for the World Series of Birding in New Jersey this Saturday—you can share in their birding tips, techniques, and tools on the new "Inside Birding" video series. Join Jessie and Chris in the field as they as they explain how to use the "four keys" to identification--size and shape, color pattern, behavior, and habitat--to reveal critical clues to a bird's identity. The videos include breathtaking footage of birds from the Cornell Lab's Macaulay Library and advice that's fun and easy to adopt. Watch now."
• 5/07/09 - As I come across these online events, I’m going to post opportunities for Environmental Education.  Here’s one from National Wildlife Federation "As a scientist, I know that global warming is one of the most serious problems facing our planet. As a mother, I worry about what that means for my sons' futures. My name is Amanda Staudt and I’m the National Wildlife Federation's Chief Climate Scientist. I hope you’ll join me on May 12 at 2 pm EST to learn about the latest findings on climate change and what we can to do to make sure our children and grandchildren inherit a healthy and thriving natural world:. --National Wildlife Federation:
• 5/07/09 - Volunteer work this summer that helps our environment (will look good on your resume also): The Nature Conservancy in New York - Volunteer in New York "The Nature Conservancy was built on the dedication of volunteers. Today we still rely on their support. Our trustees volunteer their time and more. And across the region, volunteers help us build bridges, create trails, monitor properties, count turtles, remove invasive species, stuff envelopes, organize files, lead hikes and much more." The Nature Conservancy - Protecting Nature, Preserving Life
• 5/07/09 - Green Jobs for the common folks? Lots of the federal stimulus money coming to our state. How much is going to green jobs to make our environment more sustainable?  The figures are coming in and it’s clear, our government seems inordinately fond of highways. “The stimulus legislation delivers substantial support for infrastructure projects. At the national level, this includes $48 billion in funding for transportation capital projects ($8.4 billion for mass transit, $27.5 billion for highways and bridges, $9.3 billion for rail, $1.3 billion for airport improvement projects; $1.5 billion for discretionary surface transportation projects). Of this total, New York is expected to receive at least $1.25 billion for the mass transit and $1.1 billion for highways and bridges. The Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Cabinet will be working with State agencies and local governments to aggressively seek funding from other sources of transportation funding.   The legislation also includes $16.8 billion for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects and technologies, including research and development. New York will receive $126 million through the State Energy Program and $31 million in alternative energy block grants. It provides $4.5 billion for energy research and development projects nationwide, including $2.0 billion for energy storage technologies, which could provide funding for the Governor’s proposed battery storage consortium.   New York State is also projected to receive $435 million from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund; $85 million from the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund; and $404 million to help weatherize the homes of low-income individual.” --Recovery and Reinvestment Act
• 5/06/09 - Communities are Greening up: I’m coming across more and more project to help communities go green-become environmentally friendly, that is, from the public, to business, to government.  Here’s another great project:    How Green is My Town? - a project of Grassroots Environmental Education Our two-year quest for the answer to this question led us on a journey around the virtual world, and along the way we discovered inspiring people and outstanding organizations all holding pieces of the puzzle - creative and practical solutions to some of our most pressing and vexing problems. Their ideas and programs fill the pages of our web site, and we are deeply grateful for their efforts. "How Green Is My Town?" is a project of Grassroots Environmental Education, a non-profit organization based in Port Washington, New York. The project was made possible in part by the generous support of the Rauch Foundation.
• 5/06/09- Sign of the Times: Certainly, it’s a sign of the times when a major news service decides to devote an entire section of its news service to Green Business news: Green Business News | Reuters.com. Business, industry, corporations, etc. should have always included our environment in their business practices.  In the future they will be so merged as to be one—this is because they always have been.  It’s just that for a zillion reasons, business have not treated our environment as anything but an infinite and free resource or a drain to pour their chemicals down. (Rather than argue this point, go to RTKNet: The Right-to-Know Network | rtknet.org: The Right-to-Know Network type in your city and find out how much toxic waste was released into your environment by industry since 1982.)  So, now business will not only be cleaning up their act, they will be providing jobs so we the people can make a living cleaning up the planet and keeping it clean. While this great change in business and media thinking is to be applauded, so much devastation to our environment has occurred before we have gotten to this point.  
• 5/06/09 - How environmentally clean is Rochester, NY?  If you find yourself with absolutely nothing else to do with your life, you might look over this data on toxic releases for Rochester, NY over the past several years: ERNS Incidents in New York (1982 - 2007) You do have the right to know:  This information comes from the RTKNet: The Right-to-Know Network | rtknet.org: The Right-to-Know Network, which is a branch of the OMB Watch | Promoting open government, accountability, and citizen participation since 1983
• 5/05/09 - This request just in: "KidWind is looking for 2 judges for our KidWind Challenge in Buffalo on May 16th, 2009.Judges would need to be at the Buffalo Museum of Science from 9-3:30on Saturday May 16th. KidWind is looking for individual with experience with wind energy at a variety of technical levels.  Judges should also be interested in working with student design projects. Judges will be evaluating student built turbines based on a variety of factors.  Judges who sign up will receive more information on judging procedures. Michael Arquin  Director, KidWind Anyone who wishes to participate as a judge should please contact Andy Lueth at: maxdroid@verizon.net"
• 5/04/09 - Your government or business trying to go Green? Check out SEC - State Electronics Challenge "Collectively, state and local government purchase more than $35 billion worth of technology equipment annually*, and has the opportunity to provide leadership in the environmentally sound and cost effective management of electronic assets. Quick Links/News Newly Posted: State Electronics Challenge First Year (2008) Accomplishments 2008 Partner Recognition SEC welcomes its 30th Partner: the City of Middletown, Connecticut. For the full list of Partners click here. The State Electronics Challenge (SEC) is a voluntary program that encourages state, regional, and local governments, including schools and other public entities, to: Purchase greener electronic products. Reduce the impacts of electronic products during use. Manage obsolete electronics in an environmentally safe way."
• 5/04/09 - **EVENT** - Embracing Solar Power Seminar: ‘Essential Information about buying a photovoltaic system and having it installed’.  When: May 19, 2009 from 3:00 to 5:00 PM Where: Downtown Rochester at 55 St. Paul Street. Fee: $10 for UGBN members, $25 for non-members.  --from CEI: Center for Environmental Information
• 5/02/09 -**ACTION** -This from the Union of Concerned Scientist: Rushing to Expand Corn Ethanol is Not Smart Bioenergy The use of gasoline alternatives, such as ethanol, could play a key role in reducing pollution from fuels, but scientific findings show that biofuels can also increase pollution when done wrong. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is developing a comprehensive plan to move toward biofuels with reduced global warming emissions while protecting air quality and public health. The ethanol industry, however, does not want science to interfere with their expansion plans. Producers want immediate permission to increase the amount of ethanol they can blend into regular gasoline before government tests are complete to determine if this could be a public health risk. The EPA opened a public comment period on this issue through May 16. Please tell EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to deny the producers’ premature request and focus on a comprehensive plan that protects public health while ensuring biofuels contribute to fueling our clean energy future. -Homepage | Union of Concerned Scientists