RENewsletter | March 21, 2010

 

The Free environmental newsletter from RochesterEnvironment.com

“Our Environment is changing: Keep up with the Change.”

[3/14/2010 – 3/21/2010]

 

* Need to vent? | Go to my blog: Environmental Thoughts - Rochester, NY

* Found an important Rochester environmental story from a credible source that you think needs attention? Or, an Environmental Event, Please, SEND ME THE LINK. If you think this newsletter, continually informing our community on our local environmental news, events, actions, is worthwhile, please encourage others to sign up.

 

Opening Salvo | NewsLinks | Daily Updates | Events | Environmental Site of the Month | Take Action |

 

 

 

[Hyperlinks work by CTRL + click to follow a link]

 

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Opening Salvo:  “Earth Day: The Real Meaning”

 

A year doesn’t go by where there isn’t at least one article about the real meaning behind each approaching holiday.  Meaning, every Christmas there’s a story about the true meaning of December 25th, something besides massive shopping.  Or, the Fourth of July, which is about our country’s founding values, and not smuggling fireworks into a state that forbids them. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, not really about terrorizing the turkey population.

 

So, what is Earth Day, April 22^nd, really about?  Sure, it’s a celebration: Earth Day: “Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It is on 22 April. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin) as an environmental teach-in in 1970 and is celebrated in many countries every year. The first Earth Day was in 1970.” - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

As you can see, Earth Day is not really meant as a celebration.  What Earth Day is really about is a reminder.  It reminds us that we (meaning most of humanity) are disinclined to acknowledge that we are running the planet.  Of course, we aren’t running the planet in the sense that now we have co-opted the laws of physics and biology and chemistry. We are running planet in the sense that there are over six billion of us whose every action now determines the environmental health of the planet.  We are no longer bystanders, simply one of the innumerable species struggling to survive on a harsh planet. Our every action, like the power of the sun, is one of the driving forces that determine what species survive, which natural resources remain intact, the quality of our air, and how much land will be above or below water.

 

Earth Day, like other holidays, should remind us to revisit the purpose of the holiday in the first place.  Obviously, we really need reminding that we have to change how we think about our planet. 

 

Maybe a fitting metaphor will help remind us of why we observe Earth Day.  You and your companions are in a row boat floating casually down the Niagara River towards the falls.  You look around and all seems calm and serene, birds in the air, motor boats buzzing by, people waving from the shore.  But you’re not a fool.  You know where you are.  You can hear, because you know enough to listen for it, the sounds of water roaring up ahead.  You say to your companions that they should either turn the boat around and head away from the falls, or head to shore—quickly.

 

But, your friends aren’t from around these parts.  They think the roar they hear is the traffic on the adjacent highway.  The people frantically waving on the shore are simply being friendly.  Everything looks fine and dandy to them.  But you know it’s not.  A few nuts have survived going over Niagara Falls in a barrel, but you’re not up to it.  For you, the falls are a tipping point. Everything might look OK to those unfamiliar with the power of the falls, but you know better.  Once over the falls in a row boat, your life will be different—and not in a good way.  There will be no going back.  

 

Scientist say that many such tipping points are approaching if we don’t change our direction—climate change, the loss of biodiversity, ocean fishing stocks crashing, pollution, and much more.  Your friends and neighbors may think that all looks good and our way of life is going along just swell.  But you know better.  Earth Day is your chance to get your companions to listen to the roar of the falls. 

 

FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com  (Click on my email for feedback)

 

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NewsLinks – Environmental NewsLinks – [Highlights of major environmental stories concerning our area from the past week]

 

• More Year of Biodiversity Figures
• "Energy Start" Better
• Fluoridating Water Locally
• Mercury From Power Plants - Still

• Committed to Environment - RIT
• Green Building
• EPA: Hydraulic Fracturing Study
• City-own Land Near Lakes Sold to NYS
• Endangered Species - Every Country
• Underwater Cable for Great Lakes?
• Lake Ontario 's Health
• More on Turbine Study
• NYSERDA $100 Million Energy Improvement
• Search: No Asian Carp in Great Lakes
• NYS Canal System No Boat Sewage
• Geneva Turbine Study Results
• Pharmaceutical waste drop offs
• More Against Wind Turbines
• More Dog Parks in Monroe County Parks?
• EPA: Free Chemical Substance Inventory
• Public Comment on  Wind Plans
• Update on Bee Colony Collapse Disorder
• Cleaning Waste Water
• Environmental Camps Applications

 

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Updates – Daily Updates – [Connecting the dots on Rochester’s environment. Find out what’s going on environmentally in our area—and why you should care? Clicking on -DISCUSSION – will take you to my blog “Environmental Thoughts, NY, where you can add your comments.]

 

• 3/20/2010 - Join the Earth Hour Locally for our Environment: Earth Hour 2010 is Saturday, March 27th, 8:30-9:30pm Turn off your lights, computers, other appliances for one hour with cities, landmarks and people all around the world, to make a statement for the earth. You can sign up at earthhour.org.   Locally, The Town of Brighton and Penfield High School are officially signed up to participate.    On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people, organizations, corporations and governments around the world will come together to make a bold statement about their concern for climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. In the U.S. where we are already feeling the impacts of climate change, Earth Hour sends a clear message that Americans care about this issue and want to turn the lights out on dirty air, dangerous dependency on foreign oil and costly climate change impacts, and make the switch to cleaner air, a strong economic future and a more secure nation. Participation is easy. By flipping off your lights on March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time you will be making the switch to a cleaner, more secure nation and prosperous America. View the toolkits, to find out what else you can do to get involved including leading the Earth Hour movement in your community.   Set Your Clock On Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 8:30 p.m. local time, Earth Hour will once again cascade around the globe, from New Zealand to Hawaii
• 3/19/2010 - In these Extraordinary Times: Another reason for acknowledging that we are living at a precarious time for our environment is that most of the large fishing stocks in the oceans are failing. “WWF - Poorly managed fishing” Man has fished the oceans for a long time, but only recently has the amount of fish taken from the ocean meant a possible collapse of our ocean’s fish.  Cod fishing off the Canadian coast has crashed and the bluefin Tuna populations are threatened (with no solution imminent) and the fishing collapse issue is not getting better.  Oftentimes, as with human nature, these collapses occur so slowly in our own particular lifetimes, we don’t see how extraordinary fast they are occurring on an environmental scale.  Near the end of fishing collapse those born recently might think the numbers of fish normal and a few more fish gone hardly worth noticing.  But, this inability or refusal to see environmental issues on a longer time scale than our own individual lives means that (like the boiling frog metaphor) we plunge our environmental into collapse without even knowing it.  That’s why we must change our attitude towards our environment, and force ourselves to see what’s really going on.    The End of the Line is making waves for fish stocks recovery | Felicity Lawrence | Environment | guardian.co.uk "The End of the Line began life as a ground-breaking book by the environment journalist Charles Clover in 2004. It was an impassioned description of the wanton destruction being wreaked on fish stocks by industrial fishing round the world. It left me feeling both angry and despondent. Now it's been turned into a film of the same title, and it's a must-see. "
• 3/19/2010 - Living Green with the EPA: ""Got environment?" Earth Day is coming up (April 22), and we want to let you know some cool ways to go green! 1) Show YOUR commitment to a clean and healthy environment by joining in the "It’s My Environment" video project!  Just take a 10-15 second video showing a simple action to protect the environment, read a sign saying "It's My Environment," and pass it across the screen from the viewer's left to right. We’ll pick several to include in a compilation video we’ll release on Earth Day (April 22). It’ll look like the sign is traveling from clip to clip, forming a human chain around the globe. Because environmental protection is for everyone - people of all ages, races, languages, economic status, or geographic location! Detailed instructions are at: http://www.epa.gov/earthday/video  And check out our promo video on YouTube at http://bit.ly/youtubepromo  2) Get a daily environmental tip you can use in every part of your life: driving, saving money on electricity, sun safety and conserving water - - just to name a few. Sign up at doc_snippets.html?partner_id=3675&document_id=107860# You can also listen to podcasts in English: http://www.epa.gov/earthday/podcasts/index.html or Espanol:  http://www.epa.gov/earthday/espanol/podcasts.html. Finally, you can also install the daily environmental tip widget on your own site: http://www.epa.gov/earthday/widgets/index.htm 3) Subscribe to our monthly newsletter Go Green! Every month you'll get "what you can do" consumer information about activities, events and more environmental tips. Sign up at http://www.epa.gov/newsroom/gogreen/ under "Enter your email to receive this newsletter." Want more tips? Visit EPA's Earth Day site to learn more about Earth Day, the US Environmental Protection Agency, and what you can do to help protect human health and the environment.  http://www.epa.gov/earthday/tips2.htm   "
• 3/18/2010 - Greening up our World: Our Rochester-area colleges and universities are a major source of environmental activity and a resource for learning how to recycling, conserve, and act more environmentally friendly.The Green Dandelion "The Green Dandelion is dedicated to sustainability and the work that is being done at the University of Rochester by Facilities and Services Department in the area of sustainability.  "
• 3/18/2010 - Would you consider bicycle commuting in Rochester?  Rochester Cycling Alliance : Rochester, NY wants to get an idea of how people use their bicycles in the Rochester area.  Our transportation, public health, and environment would be greatly improved if the public rode their bicycles to work and play more often. Consider taking this brief survey about your bicycling habit that will help the premier bicycle advocacy group in our area do a better job in make Rochester a bicycling area.     Bicycle Commuter Survey "The Rochester Cycling Alliance works to create a better bicycling infrastructure and a stronger voice for bicyclists in Rochester, NY. This survey collects data on bicycle commuters in the Greater Rochester region. The Alliance will use the data to help support our goal and objectives to make Rochester a more bicycle friendly city. "
• 3/18/2010 - Spring Cleaning: Donate that old Bike When you’re sprucing up this spring, thinking you might have to finally get rid of that old bike that you don’t ride anymore think of donating your bike to R Community Bikes: Rochester, New York.  I stopped over there yesterday and it was a beehive of activity.  Volunteers fixing bikes, giving away bikes, cleaning, stacking bike stuff, a quick pizza break and then back to work—this in the name of recycling bikes so that others can ride. Even when a bike is really, really messed up, they take them, the salvageable parts stripped and reused, the frame taken to a metal recycler, nothing left but rubber from unusable tires.  When they find a place to recycle rubber, it’s going to be a contained recycling system.  Consider supporting this invaluable Rochester-area recycling and transportation with your volunteering and donations.  Stop over a get a tour of this great operation that give to others transportation. R Community Bikes: Rochester, New York "R Community Bikes is a grassroots, 501(c)3 organization that collects and repairs used bicycles for distribution, free of charge, to Rochester, NY's most needy children and adults. Our mission is meeting the basic transportation needs of those in the community who depend on bikes for recreation as well as for transport to work, school, rehabilitation programs, and training sessions. For this segment of the population, both quality of life and the ability to participate in our community are greatly enhanced when our mission is achieved. R Community Bikes also provides a venue for the Rochester bicycling community to conduct educational programs relative to bicycle safety and maintenance. We are open to the public on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9:30 am to 1:00 pm at our warehouse at 226 Hudson Ave. (at the intersection with Woodbury Street). In addition, on Wednesdays in the summer we conduct bike repairs at St. Joseph's House of Hospitality at 402 South Avenue. "
• 3/17/2010 - ACTION : Earth Day Lobby Day 2010 "Join hundreds of environmentalists from across the state in advocating for measures to protect our air, water, land and health.   No lobbying experience needed! Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM New York State Capitol Albany, NY New York’s environmental resources are being threatened now as they never have been before.   Please join us for the 20th annual Earth Day Lobby Day in Albany, New York! Hear from government and environmental leaders, learn about current legislation, and lobby your state law-makers on environmental issues that are important to you. This event is free and open to the public, but you must preregister to attend. Sign up now for Earth Day Lobby Day by clicking here! " -The event is being sponsored by Audubon New York, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Advocates of New York, the New York Public Interest Research Group, Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, and other organizations.
• 3/17/2010 - Rochester’s Transportation Future: Find what the plans are for our areas transportation future, including bicycle infrastructure and make public comment today at two different locations. Genesee Transportation Council - Draft TIP "The Genesee Transportation Council (GTC) is making the DRAFT 2011-2014 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) Project List available for a 30-day public review from Thursday, February 25, 2010 through Friday, March 26, 2010.   GTC is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region. USDOT requires every metropolitan area with a population over 50,000 to have a designated MPO to qualify for receipt of federal highway and transit funds. " - from Genesee Transportation Council
• 3/16/2010 - How does our region go about limiting green house gases?  Check this out: Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) CO2 Budget Trading Program "The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) is a cooperative effort by ten Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states to limit greenhouse gas emissions. RGGI is the first mandatory, market-based CO2 emissions reduction program in the United States. The states of Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont are signatory states to the RGGI agreement. These ten states have capped CO2 emissions from the power sector, and will require a 10 percent reduction in these emissions by 2018. "
• 3/16/2010 - Earth Day is coming. Celebrate around Rochester.  Here's a whole month of events: Rochester Museum & Science Center: Earth Month "Beginning Saturday, March 20, 2010 Celebrate Earth Day for an Entire Month! Join us and have fun with local experts from the Water Education Collaborative while investigating water runoff and your local watershed. "
• 3/16/2010 - Spring is coming and we here in Rochester love to tidy up our city: City of Rochester | Clean Sweep "Help us make Rochester sparkle at the 2010 Clean Sweeps More than 15,000 volunteers have demonstrated their pride in Rochester by working alongside City crews to clean and beautify just about every street in the city. In addition to removing litter and debris, volunteers do such things as planting flowers, pruning trees and performing other neighborhood beautification projects. In 2009, the Northeast Quadrant cleanup drew nearly 1,200 volunteers who collected more than 25 tons of litter and debris from the neighborhood. That brought the total debris collection for 2009's Clean Sweeps to more than 100 tons. With your help, we can make 2010 surpass the impressive goals set in 2009. In 2010, the Clean Sweep program will pick up where it left off after a successful 2009 and continue to clean up Rochester while building community spirit. Come and join in on the fun on one of the following Saturdays: Southwest Quadrant- May 1st at Genesee Valley Park, 131 Elmwood Ave. Northeast Quadrant- May 8th at Northeast Neighborhood Service Center, 500 Norton Street Northwest Quadrant- May 15th at Edgerton Park, 41 Backus St. Southeast Quadrant- May 22nd at Cobb's Hill Park, Culver Rd. and Norris Dr. --from City of Rochester
• 3/15/2010 - Rochester NY future green plans.  Check out what your community has planed for our future. City of Rochester | Project Green Imagine a city where neighborhoods are built around parks and gardens, where building walls and rooftops are alive with vegetation; where tree-lined streets encourage commuters to ride their bikes or take a walk. This is the vision of Project Green, a bold plan that would change the look and feel of Rochester by replacing vacant properties with vast swaths of green space. It’s a plan that recognizes Rochester’s built environment – our buildings, streets and public utilities – no longer match our population trends.  Over the next 20 years, more than three dozen city blocks will be converted into a “green infrastructure” of open space that can be used for such purposes as community gardens, urban farms, parks and renewable-energy generating facilities. These green spaces will be connected by a network of pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly “green corridors” that will further enhance Rochester’s exceptional quality of life. Other elements of Project Green include the installation of roof-top gardens, historic preservation, focused investment and strategic development of the city’s downtown and waterways. Project Green is an opportunity to shape Rochester’s future – an opportunity to grow the city in the right direction. View the final report here.
• 3/15/2010 - Following the Bee Story: We have been following the Colony Collapse disorder on bees since it began in the Rochester, NY area.  Today the New York Times does a section “The Latest on Bees” Bees - The New York Times Long known as the angels of agriculture, honey bees have received global attention due to losses attributed to a combination of factors: Colony Collapse Disorder, mites, deforestation and industrial agriculture. Honey bees provide pollination for crops, orchards and flowers; honey and wax for cosmetics, food and medicinal-religious objects; and inspiration to artists, architects and scientists. (March 15, 2010) The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia [more on Wildlife in our area]

 

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Events – Rochester Environmental Events Calendar – [The most complete listing of all environmental events around the Rochester, New York area.]  If you don’t see your event, or know of a local environmental event, please send me the info: FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com with (EV event) in the subject line.

 

March

 

• Sunday, March 21, HAMLIN BEACH STATE PARK
  • Looking for diving ducks, Red-necked Grebes (note: grebes are best seen early in the day) and other spring migrants.  Meet in parking lot No. 1 at 7:30 a.m.  Extra spotting scopes would be very helpful. For more information, 288-2611 or visit www.rochesterbirding.com .
• Tuesday, March 23rd, at  4:30 PM – 6 PM  | at the AAUW house, 494 East Ave, Rochester, NY
  • Zero Waste Committee:  How can the Rochester, NY area recycle more and waste less?  Come on over and find out what we’re doing, thinking, and who we’re networking with on this issue. Join up and get our notices at  Rochester Zero Waste Committee. We are working on several projects, including how to let the public know where and how to recycle. –from the Rochester Regional Group Sierra Club | Sierra Club
• Friday, March 26, 2010 | RMSC at 657 East Avenue
  • Great Lakes Water Conservation Workshop Friday, March 26, 2010 at the RMSC at 657 East Avenue This one-day workshop is to help craft brewers and cheesemakers save water and save money. With many water utilities in the Great Lakes region increasing fees by 25% or more in the next year, this workshop will pay for itself through practical systems for water savings.
• Friday, March 26th from 9 - 10:30 AM | Cornell Cooperative Extension (Highland Room) 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620 
  • Contractor mini-seminar on NYSERDA’s Home Performance with ENERGY STAR Friday, March 26th from 9 - 10:30 AM at Cornell Cooperative Extension (Highland Room) 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620  This free seminar will provide information on program requirements and cash incentive opportunities available through the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR program.  register here. For more information contact Lee M. Loomis, Coordinator Finger Lakes Energy $mart Communitiestel: (585) 262-2870. [view flyer]
• Sunday, March 28, DURAND EASTMAN PARK and LAKESHORE
  • We’ll search for migrants. Meet at the Lake Shore Boulevard parking area between Log Cabin Road and Zoo Road (Parking Lot D) at 8:00 a.m. For more information, 227-5837 and 482-7778 or visit www.rochesterbirding.com .

 

April 2010

 

• April 10th, 2010 10AM - 2:00PM | Email or call today to register your family, group of friends, club, organization, scout troop, or class! Contact Ryan Loysen at rloysen@monroecounty.gov or 585-753-7281. Please help distribute, publicize, and post wherever you see fit! http://www.monroecounty.gov/File/PickUpTheParksPacket%282%29.pdf
  • We're passing on this request from Monroe County Parks : Pick Up the Parks A new initiative from the Monroe County Department of Parks April 10th, 2010  Join us and several local recreation and environmental groups in kicking off this new local stewardship event. In this first year, we will be targeting 4 parks: Ellison, Genesee Valley, Greece Canal, and Ontario Beach Parks for clean up and other park improvements. Why just four? As you know there are 21 parks within the Monroe County Parks system. As it’s a first year event, we wanted to identify popular parks that could also accommodate our widespread community. We welcome your ideas for future projects and will certainly add more parks to the event as community support grows.   Email or call today to register your family, group of friends, club, organization, scout troop, or class! Contact Ryan Loysen at rloysen@monroecounty.gov or 585-753-7281.   Be sure to tell us your group size, preferred park, e-mail address, and phone number, or just come on out to one of the project sites on April 10th and register on-site. Orientation begins at 10 a.m. at each project site with refreshments and additional information. Group projects and field work will begin at 10:30 a.m.   The Monroe County Parks belong to all of us, so let’s join together to keep them clean and green. Check back for additional event details, meet-up locations and park information at www.monroecounty.gov/parks 
• Saturday 4/10 10 am – 4 pm. | Town of Pittsford at the Community Library (Main St).
  • Earth Day Celebration sponsored by Town of Pittsford at the Community Library (Main St). Environmental experts & learn to be more “green”. Seminars on 4/8. See http://townofpittsford.org.
• Monday, April 12, 2010 from 8:30 AM till 4:00 PM | Golisano Institute for Sustainability at RIT
  • Green Infrastructure Workshop - Stormwater Management Challenges in Upstate New York Monday, April 12, 2010 from 8:30 AM till 4:00 PM Golisano Institute for Sustainability at RIT Green Infrastructure is highlights the importance of the natural environment in decisions about land use planning. In particular there is an emphasis on the "life support" functions provided by a network of natural ecosystems, with an emphasis on interconnectivity to support long term sustainability. -more at CEI: Center for Environmental Information
• Wednesday, April 14, 2010 (the week before Earth Day) from 6:00-8:00 PM | Where: Victor Primary School, front and cafeteria entrances 953 High Street, Victor 14564
  • The Victor PTSA Environment Committee is pleased to announce its Third Annual Earth Day Celebration, to be held on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 (the week before Earth Day) from 6:00-8:00 PM at Victor Primary School. This is a new location for us this year.  This community event is open to the public free of charge and is a great way to promote area businesses and organizations to Victor/Farmington families and those visiting from surrounding areas. In the past, the event has been advertised in the media and has been a great success, drawing hundreds of people. We will be inviting over 100 vendors to participate, including Seneca Park Zoo, who will bring live animals. We also plan to expand our celebration with the participation of more students and classes, who are invited to bring environment-related projects for display. Again, we will hold a raffle and have craft activities for the kids and snacks for purchase.  We promise it will be an exciting night of learning about the earth and the things we can all do to live in more sustainable ways.   Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2010   Time: 6:00-8:00 PM.  Location: Victor Primary School, front and cafeteria entrances 953 High Street, Victor 14564   We hope you can attend!
• APRIL 16, 2010 | The Links at Erie Village, E. Syracuse, N.Y
  • "THE ENERGY HIGHWAY " Efficient, Secure, Reliable & Environmentally Sensitive Transmission & Distribution of Electricity This may be the most important Energy Symposium of the Year! Don't miss it!   Join leaders in government, business, environment and academia for the Sixth Annual Symposium on Energy in the 21st Century.Speakers will include: *Thomas King, President & CEO National Grid,  *Richard Kessel,  President & CEO, NYPA   *Frank Murray, President & CEO, NYSERDA  *Garry Brown, Chairman, PSC  *Samir Succar, Senior Energy Analyst, NRDC  *Carol Murphy, Executive Director,             Alliance for Clean Energy New York * Congressman Paul Tonko * Kit Kennedy, Deputy Attorney General for Environment   This is the Sixth Year we are bringing you a Symposium on Energy and each one is even more spectacular than the previous.  Town Supervisors, Mayors, City and Town Planners, College Presidents, faculty and students from two  dozen colleges, representatives from 50 municipalities, business owners, architects, engineers, governmental staff and just interested citizens have made up the 350 attendees.  We have kept the registration fee at $40, including breakfast and lunch. The new venue provides adequate parking but we still may have to cap attendance so reserve your space now.   Check out the entire program and Register online today at "THE ENERGY HIGHWAY "  There are also excellent optional tours:      *ESF - Wood Chips to Ethanol Process *Fenner Wind Farm *Morrisville Biodigester *Fitzpatrick Nuclear Plant              ***NEW TOUR***  *National Grid Distribution & Training Center    Don't miss this event and register now. Looking forward to hearing from you. Rhea   Dr. Rhea Jezer Chair, Symposium on Energy in the 21st Century Senior Lecturer, Cazenovia College Adjunct Associate Professor, SUNY ESF 315-727-0123 rjezer@gmail.com   
• ACTION : Due Date: Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM New York State Capitol Albany, NY
  • Earth Day Lobby Day 2010 "Join hundreds of environmentalists from across the state in advocating for measures to protect our air, water, land and health.   No lobbying experience needed! Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM New York State Capitol Albany, NY New York’s environmental resources are being threatened now as they never have been before.   Please join us for the 20th annual Earth Day Lobby Day in Albany, New York! Hear from government and environmental leaders, learn about current legislation, and lobby your state law-makers on environmental issues that are important to you. This event is free and open to the public, but you must preregister to attend. Sign up now for Earth Day Lobby Day by clicking here! " -The event is being sponsored by Audubon New York, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Advocates of New York, the New York Public Interest Research Group, Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, and other organizations.
• Thursday, April 22, 2010 - 5PM - 8:30 PM| at the First Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Rd South, Rochester NY. 
  • The Rochester Regional Group of the Sierra Club is pleased to announce its 12th Annual Forum, which will be an interactive event, Transitioning to Sustainable Communities. This is Rochester’s premier environmental event promoting individual and organizational networking.   Our speaker, Tina Clarke, has been a consultant with the Sustainability Institute (www.sustainer.org) and Bill McKibben’s 350.org (www.350.org) and is a certified Transition Towns Trainer (www.transitiontowns.org).  She will describe the latest thinking on the “Triple Challenge” of Peak Oil, Climate Change and Economic Instability.  She will share inspiring stories, models and methods that communities are using to “transition” to a more resilient future.   Following Tina’s presentation, we will form Facilitated Discussion Groups to encourage discussion by all participants, stimulate new ideas, raise questions and explore answers.  We hope to spark interest and creative thinking and offer people an opportunity to identify and join an organization working on these issues.   The Forum will be on Thursday, April 22, 2010 at the First Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Rd South, Rochester NY.  As always the Forum is free and open to the public.
• Thu 4/22/2010 5:30p-8p -Imagine It - 565 Blossom Road, Suite D
  • Green Drinks (3rd Thursday) at Imagine It - 565 Blossom Road, Suite D. Everything is free, your only admission is material to be recycled to benefit CEI (Center for Environmental Information). For info, contact Kimie Romeo kimie@imaginerecycling.com  or 585-545-9022.
• Saturday, April 24 9am - 12 pm  | Penfield, NY
  • Penfield Environmental Day Saturday, April 24 9am - 12 pm Penfield Community Center Community volunteers will be assigned areas throughout town to pick up litter & winter refuse. Groups or individuals can sign up by calling (585) 340-8651
• Saturday, April 24th from 10 – 2 | at   Hamlin Beach State Park Area #4
  • Earth Day at Hamlin Beach State Park Mark your calendars, the 3rd annual Earth Day event at Hamlin   Beach State Park will be held Saturday, April 24th from 10 – 2 at   Hamlin Beach State Park Area #4.  This collaborative effort   between the Hamlin Conservation Board, Hamlin Beach State Park   and the Environmental Sciences Department at SUNY Brockport   will feature many activities including environmental information   booths and presentations, walking tours, an organized beach clean-   up and our popular tree seedling give-away. With free   refreshments and free admission into the park, this is a fun and   educational family event you won’t want to miss.
• Sunday 4/25 1-4pm. | Jewish Comm. Fed. (441 East Ave).
  • Recycle and Reuse Earth Day sponsored by Rochester’s Interfaith Community. Bring pharmaceuticals, electronics, # 5 plastics to Jewish Comm. Fed. (441 East Ave). Bring sneakers, shoes, boots and clothing to Third Presbyterian Church (4 Meigs St at East Ave). Call Isobel 461-0490 x235 or igoldman@jewishrochester.org.

 

May 2010

 

• Saturday, May 1, 2010 from 10am to 5pm, rain or shine | Imagine RIT takes place throughout RIT’s campus in Henrietta, NY.
  • RIT - Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival is a campus-wide event that showcases the innovative and creative spirit of RIT students, faculty and staff. Visitors experience the breadth and depth of RIT through interactive presentations, hands-on demonstrations, exhibitions, and research projects set up throughout campus. Inflatables, games and multiple performance stages with live music and entertainment are also a hit with visitors of all ages. Held annually each spring, Imagine RIT is the annual kickoff to Rochester’s rich festival season. Date & Time: Saturday, May 1, 2010 from 10am to 5pm, rain or shine. Cost: Free and open to the public! Location: Imagine RIT takes place throughout RIT’s campus in Henrietta, NY.
• Saturday 5/1 10 am – 2 pm. | Bring bikes to Pittsford Mendon High School parking lot (Rte 64). 
  • Bike Drive sponsored by Rotary Club of Pittsford. Bring bikes to Pittsford Mendon High School parking lot (Rte 64). Info 329-4319. http://www.rcommunitybikes.net.
• May 1, 2010  9:00 AM to 5:00 PM | Dryden Theatre, George Eastman House 900 East Avenue, Rochester, NY
  • Symposium Main Page | Rochester Zen Center TURNING TOWARD THE EARTH: A Conversation with Leading Environmentalists and Buddhists May 1, 2010  9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Dryden Theatre, George Eastman House 900 East Avenue, Rochester, NY Tickets $60:  $40 students and RZC members
• Saturday 5/15 | http://giveyourstuffaway.com
  • Give Your Stuff Away. Put items you no longer want to the curb (see site for guidelines.) At the same time, people will be coming around picking up free items. http://giveyourstuffaway.com.

June

 

• Sunday, June 13, 2010, 9am to 1pm  |  Brighton High School Parking Lot. Brighton, NY
  • 2010 Green Energy Fair Sunday, June 13, 2010, 9am to 1pm, at Brighton High School Parking Lot. Like last year, the fair will take place together with the Brighton Farmers Market. The fair will feature the following and more: A wide variety of businesses offering energy saving and green products and services. Tables with information and resources about energy- and resource-saving technologies and lifestyle choices.  Displays of current alternative technologies. Student projects related to alternative energy and energy conservation. A silent auction featuring energy-saving products and services, to benefit future educational programs of ColorBrightonGreen.org . Drawing to be held at 12:45 at the ColorBrightonGreen.org tent. Brighton Farmers Market. - from Home Page - Color Brighton Green

 

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Action – Take Action - Often, I receive request to pass on alerts, petitions, Public Comments on local developments, and environmental items needing action by the Rochester Community and around the world. I’ll keep Actions posted until their due date. 

• Action Due Date: Today
  • Donate to a worthy cause: Christine Sevilla Project (Christine Sevilla Project) "Welcome to A Living Project to Preserve a Place in Christine's Honor  For All to Enjoy in Perpetuity Christine's family and friends envision a natural area, including wetlands, preserved in her memory.  This vision includes an educational component, like an interpretive trail to help others recognize what Christine saw - an interconnected natural community of flora and fauna, soil and water. Perhaps even an  Arts and Music Festival to celebrate what Christine so treasured. "
• Action Due Date: March 22
  • EPA Strengthens Smog Standard/Proposed standards, strictest to date, will protect the health of all Americans, especially children The United States Environmental Protection Agency today proposed the strictest health standards to date for smog. Smog, also known as ground-level ozone, is linked to a number of serious health problems, ranging from aggravation of asthma to increased risk of premature death in people with heart or lung disease. Ozone can even harm healthy people who work and play outdoors. The agency is proposing to replace the standards set by the previous administration, which many believe were not protective enough of human health.  EPA will take public comment until March 22. The agency will hold three public hearings on the proposal: Feb. 2, 2010 in Arlington, Va. and in Houston; and Feb. 4, 2010 in Sacramento. More information: Ground-level Ozone | US EPA  (January 7, 2010)  [more on Air Quality in our area]
• Action Due Date: March 27, 2010  from 8:30 to 9:30pm,  
  • Demonstrate your concern for Energy Conservation: Earth Hour 2010: turn off your lights for one hour  The Town of Brighton is officially signed up for Earth Hour 2010! On Saturday, March 27, 2010 from 8:30 to 9:30pm, join your neighbors, and hundreds of millions of people around the world by turning off your lights for one hour. --from Home Page - Color Brighton Green
• Action Due Date: April 10th, 2010  10AM - 2:00 PM| Email or call today to register your family, group of friends, club, organization, scout troop, or class! Contact Ryan Loysen at rloysen@monroecounty.gov or 585-753-7281.
  • We're passing on this request from Monroe County Parks : Pick Up the Parks A new initiative from the Monroe County Department of Parks April 10th, 2010  Join us and several local recreation and environmental groups in kicking off this new local stewardship event. In this first year, we will be targeting 4 parks: Ellison, Genesee Valley, Greece Canal, and Ontario Beach Parks for clean up and other park improvements. Why just four? As you know there are 21 parks within the Monroe County Parks system. As it’s a first year event, we wanted to identify popular parks that could also accommodate our widespread community. We welcome your ideas for future projects and will certainly add more parks to the event as community support grows.   Email or call today to register your family, group of friends, club, organization, scout troop, or class! Contact Ryan Loysen at rloysen@monroecounty.gov or 585-753-7281.   Be sure to tell us your group size, preferred park, e-mail address, and phone number, or just come on out to one of the project sites on April 10th and register on-site. Orientation begins at 10 a.m. at each project site with refreshments and additional information. Group projects and field work will begin at 10:30 a.m.   The Monroe County Parks belong to all of us, so let’s join together to keep them clean and green. Check back for additional event details, meet-up locations and park information at Parks | Monroe County, NY
• ACTION : Due Date: Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM New York State Capitol Albany, NY
  • Earth Day Lobby Day 2010 "Join hundreds of environmentalists from across the state in advocating for measures to protect our air, water, land and health.   No lobbying experience needed! Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 9:30 AM – 4:00 PM New York State Capitol Albany, NY New York’s environmental resources are being threatened now as they never have been before.   Please join us for the 20th annual Earth Day Lobby Day in Albany, New York! Hear from government and environmental leaders, learn about current legislation, and lobby your state law-makers on environmental issues that are important to you. This event is free and open to the public, but you must preregister to attend. Sign up now for Earth Day Lobby Day by clicking here! " -The event is being sponsored by Audubon New York, Citizens Campaign for the Environment, Environmental Advocates of New York, the New York Public Interest Research Group, Sierra Club, The Nature Conservancy, and other organizations.  

 

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Award – Environmental Site of the Month Award – [On the last Sunday of each month, we present an environmental award for the Rochester-area environmental web site or blog that best promotes the need to protect and offers solutions for our area's environmental issues.]