RENewsletter | March 28, 2010

 

The Free environmental newsletter from RochesterEnvironment.com

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

[3/21/2010 – 3/28/2010]

 

* 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 |

 

*** The March 2010 Environmental Site of the Month Award goes to NOFLAC National Organization Firing-range Lead Abatement and Containment  | Go to Award.

 

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

 

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Opening Salvo:  “Forced Energy Choices”

 

Are natural gas and nuclear power going to be our energy future?  They probably will be, but not because they are our best energy solutions.  Despite all the controversy about how we should power our existence as our population grows and our planet warms up, at the end of the day we’ll be scared into bad energy solutions.

 

Our best energy solutions are conservation and renewable energy sources like wind and solar. They could compete for our baseload energy needs if our government subsidized, stimulated, and greased the political wheels for battery storage research like our government does for nuclear, oil, and gas production.  If we approached our future energy needs according to the most prudent solutions for our precarious future—climate change, pollution, and health concerns—we could have a bright future for everyone.

 

Instead, we’re probably going to focus on natural gas (because there’s lots of it underground) and nuclear (because of a perceived desperation).  I say perceived desperation because nuclear power, given enough power plants, can provide baseload power without contributing to greenhouse gases.  And many groups, as well as the President, are heralding this power source as our savior. Endless power from a whiz-bang source.

 

But it’s a dangerous gamble. Simply saying that nuclear power is dangerous and equating it with falling wind turbine blades or solar power bugaboos is misleading.  In truth, nuclear power is dangerous in a way that is factors beyond the dangers of any other power source.  Radiation from a nuclear power plant gone bad, for whatever reason, has the potential to mess up chromosomes—ours and other life forms unlucky enough to get in the way.  Putting back together a broken and radiated Humpty-Dumpty is beyond anything our best and brightest can handle. 

 

And though an ocean of natural gas lies at our feet here in the Northeast (and not the Mideast), it still emits greenhouse gases when burned.  Fracturing chemicals and poisoned wells aside, this energy source won’t bring us a secure future because we cannot be energy independent from the laws of thermodynamics. When we use it on a grand scale that we now use oil and gasoline, our atmosphere will warm to the tipping point. 

 

However, as I have said, we’ll probably go with nuclear and gas because they’re convenient.  We won’t upset the economic, political, and corporate system already ensconced—even though, like our banking and health systems, they are driving us out of existence. Wind and solar get dismissed as minimal players in our energy future not because they cannot take on the job (given the backing that other energy sources have received), but because we don’t have the will to change direction. To say we must bend to the political, cultural, corporate, and economic realities and go with these imperfect energy sources shows how little we actually comprehend our present environmental reality.

 

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]

 

• Slowdown for NYS Solar Industry
• Green Business Leaders Awards
• Whip-poor-will in Trouble
• EcoJobs for Students
• Money for Renewable Energy Projects
• Monies for Energy Conservation Projects

• Asian Carp In Lake Michigan - Study Says
• Local Nuclear Power Safety Issue
• State $ for Local Power Storage Company
• Possible Canandaigua Recycling Fine
• Clean Water Act - An Update
• Powder Mills Parks in the News
• Some Parks May Not Close
• Great Lakes Restoration Bill
• Possible Packaging Reform in NYS
• Hydrogen Fuel Cell Research
• Input - Limits on Ocean Acidification & C02
• Sustainability at St. Fisher College
• Rochester to Get Energy Stimulus Funds
• Ground Water Issue in Canandaigua
• Meeting Land Conservation
• EmpireStats - Lead and Immunization
• Downtown Survey on Commuters
• Public hearing on Victor Trail
• Green Development
• Jobs from Drilling Gas
• City Open House on Parking 4PMToday
• Proposed Sewage Ban on Canal

 

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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.]

 

• 3/27/2010 - More on Safe Green Spring Cleaning: Green Cleaning this Spring | Environmental Working Group Cleaning might be a chore, but it doesn't have to be toxic, too! Safer products and practices are available and easy. Why not go green when you clean? Your family's health is (naturally) worth it. - from EWG Home | Environmental Working Group
• 3/27/2010 - Earth Hour is Tonight: Official US Site for Earth Hour | My Earth Hour On Saturday, March 27 at 8:30 PM, millions of people across the globe will take a stand against climate change by turning off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. Earth hour is a chance to drive the environmental movement forward with one simple action. More than that, your participation will have impact outside of the usual suspects - you will raise climate awareness amongst your friends, family, and neighbors. Help build environmental awareness - take action this Saturday for Earth Hour.
• 3/27/2010 - Climate Change and Energy: It seems the more we learn about possible consequences of climate change and how our present energy production of fossil fuel adds to this issue, the less inclined (because of money) we are to change to renewable energy (check this story NYS solar industry slowdown needs immediate action, says association) sources.   Money spent on tar sands projects could decarbonise western economies | Business | The Guardian The £250bn cost of developing Canada's controversial tar sands between now and 2025 could be used to decarbonise the western economy by funding ambitious solar power schemes in the Sahara or a European wide shift to electric vehicles, according to a new report released today. (March 15, 2010) Latest news, comment and reviews from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk [more on Energy in our area)
• 3/26/2010 - Jeanette's Donate Recycle Reuse has been updated--again. If you are looking to recycle specific items in our area , check this continually updated local recycling list to find out where to recycle properly. Donate Recycle Reuse
• 3/26/2010 - Behold the Bat: With the raging bat disease, white-nose syndrome, and solutions sought, it does us well to remember the importance of bats and why we should encourage studies to protect bats.  They play an important role in our environment.  Bats make good neighbors, after all - Health/Science - NewsObserver.com Hunted, bad-mouthed and chased off like flies, bats have long endured a reputation as nature's fiends, synonymous with vampires, haunted houses and rabies. But the world's only flying mammals are enjoying newfound affection across North Carolina and nationwide, sought out as mosquito-gobbling helpers who can roost in backyard houses alongside songbirds. (March 15, 2010) News, Sports, Business, Politics - Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill | The News & Observer
• 3/26/2010 - EPA gets serious about large sources and suppliers reporting on greenhouse gases.  Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule | Regulatory Initiatives | Climate Change | U.S. EPA "In response to the FY2008 Consolidated Appropriations Act (H.R. 2764; Public Law 110–161), EPA promulgated the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. The rule requires reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from large sources and suppliers in the United States, and is intended to collect accurate and timely emissions data to inform future policy decisions. Under the rule, suppliers of fossil fuels or industrial greenhouse gases, manufacturers of vehicles and engines, and facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more per year of GHG emissions are required to submit annual reports to EPA. On March 22, 2010, Administrator Jackson signed the following proposed rules which amend the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. Pre-publication copies of proposals and supporting documents may be found by clicking on the appropriate proposal link in the table below. After proposals are published in the Federal Register, they may also be found at www.regulations.gov under the docket numbers listed below. Instructions on submitting comments can be found in the preamble of each proposal. " U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• 3/25/2010 - Your Water Quality, don’t give it away: Watch this great seven minute film on why you should support your community’s drinking water and not give away your water to a bottled water fad.    The Story of Bottled Water FILM RELEASE: On World Water Day, new Story of Stuff Project film takes a provocative, humorous look at bottled water The Story of Bottled Water: How Manufactured Demand pushes what we don’t need and destroys what we need most SAN FRANCISCO, CA – On March 22nd – World Water Day – The Story of Stuff Project will release The Story of Bottled Water, a 7-minute animated film, at www.storyofbottledwater.org . Hosted by Annie Leonard, the creator of the internet hit The Story of Stuff, the film was co-produced with five leading sustainability advocacy organizations: Corporate Accountability International, Environmental Working Group, Food & Water Watch, Polaris Institute and Pacific Institute. The Story of Bottled Water employs the Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand, specifically how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when they can get it almost free from a tap.
• 3/25/2010 - Spring is coming and time to Spring Clean:   8 Ways to Go Green in Spring - Earth911.com "There’s nothing we love more than great weather, sunlight and the perfect excuse to get back to nature. We won’t bore you with those expected metaphors of spring and new beginnings. Instead, we’ve made a detailed of list of simple changes you can make this month that not only reduce your impact, but can also actually save you money. " - Earth911.com - Find Recycling Centers and Learn How To Recycle
• 3/24/2010 - More on the situation with Bees and solving Colony Collapse Disorder : Bees are busier than ever as disease besieges colonies - washingtonpost.com More than three years after beekeepers starting seeing the sudden disappearance of hive populations, scientists have yet to find the cause -- let alone the fix -- for a condition called colony collapse disorder (CCD). Meanwhile, the commercial beekeeping industry is struggling to provide pollination services to the nations' farmers. One-third of food crops rely on insect pollination. (March 15, 2010) washingtonpost.com - nation, world, technology and Washington area news and headlines
• 3/24/2010 - Climate Change changes: Move evidence that Climate Change will change our environment as we know it. What’s Killing the Great Forests of the American West? by Jim Robbins: Yale Environment 360 Across western North America, huge tracts of forest are dying off at an extraordinary rate, mostly because of outbreaks of insects. Scientists are now seeing such forest die-offs around the world and are linking them to changes in climate.  (March 15, 2010) Yale Environment 360 | Methane-making Microbes Thrive Under The Ice - Science News Antarctica's ice sheets could hide vast quantities of the greenhouse gas (March 16, 2010) Science News
• 3/24/2010 - But not Rochester - 03/23/2010: EPA Issues Second Annual Ranking of U.S. Cities with the Most Energy Efficient Buildings: List shows continued growth in saving money and energy WASHINGTON - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the largest number of energy efficient buildings that earned EPA’s Energy Star in 2009. The list is headed by Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Denver, Chicago, Houston, Lakeland, Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and New York. Energy efficiency saves building owners money and fights climate change. "These cities see the importance of taking action on climate change," said Gina McCarthy, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “Communities from Los Angeles to Louisville are reducing greenhouse gases and cutting energy bills with buildings that have earned EPA's Energy Star." U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases
• 3/23/2010 - Green Ride Challenge coming up: Dr. Destler’s Green Vehicle Challenge About the Challenge Date: Saturday May 1, 2010 Time: Challenge begins at 9:00 AM Course: Approximately 3 miles beginning at the Simone Circle, participants will take Andrew’s Memorial Drive to S-Lot and return to the Simone Circle. Click here to view a PDF of the course.
• 3/23/2010 - Climate Change Changes: Weather should be the daily reporting of what our atmosphere is throwing at us. But, increasingly we are getting a wide perspective on what’s going on. Climate change studies come in almost daily, from various experts, various countries, various disciplines.  Climate Change in not a conspiracy, it’s connecting the dos on major changes coming quickly to our climate.      NASA: “It is nearly certain that a new record 12-month global temperature will be set in 2010″ « Climate Progress Must-read draft paper: "We conclude that global temperature continued to rise rapidly in the past decade" and "that there has been no reduction in the global warming trend of 0.15-0.20°C/decade that began in the late 1970s." Climate Progress  And also, check this out: Monarch butterflies making trek north from Mexico in lowest numbers in decades | Local New... Monarch butterflies, hit hard by strong storms at their winter home in Mexico, have dwindled to their lowest population levels in decades as they begin to return to Texas on their springtime flight back to the United States and Canada. (March 19, 2010) http://www.star-telegram.com/
• 3/23/2010 - Zeroing in on Bees Demise: Over recent years various explanations as to why our bee populations, which are critical to our agriculture, have been brought forth. This is the latest theory and maybe there’s a solution:    Bees Face 'unprecedented' Pesticide Exposures At Home And Afield - Science News SAN FRANCISCO For years the news has been the same: Honey bees are being hammered by some mysterious environmental plague that has a name -- colony collapse disorder – but no established cause. A two-year study now provides evidence indicting one likely group of suspects: pesticides. It found “unprecedented levels” of mite-killing chemicals and crop pesticides in hives across the United States and parts of Canada. (March 21, 2010) Science News
• 3/23/2010 - The real dirty deal: For the talk about clean fossil fuel and the dismissal of renewable energy in mainstream media, the reality is that staying on the energy course we are on is not sustainable. Check this article: EIP REPORT: ELECTRIC POWER INDUSTRY "NOT MAKING A DENT" IN DANGEROUS MERCURY POLLUTION, WHICH ROSE AT OVER HALF OF THE NATION'S 50 DIRTIEST POWER PLANTS More than half (27) of the nation's 50 worst power plants for mercury emissions increased their mercury emissions from 2007 to 2008 (the latest year for which data is available), according to a new report from the nonprofit and nonpartisan Environmental Integrity Project (EIP). The six leading U.S. power suppliers with three or more plants on the mercury emission list by total pounds (March 17, 2010) Environmental Integrity Project
• 3/22/2010 - Climate Change changes: As more evidence accumulates that Climate Change is happening, we are also learning about more possible consequences of it.    The Spread of New Diseases and the Climate Connection by Sonia Shah: Yale Environment 360 As humans increasingly encroach on forested lands and as temperatures rise, the transmission of disease from animals and insects to people is growing. Now a new field, known as “conservation medicine,” is exploring how ecosystem disturbance and changing interactions between wildlife and humans can lead to the spread of new pathogens. (March 17, 2010) Yale Environment 360 [More on Climate Change]
• 3/22/2010 - Take Action for your city’s Transportation by completing an online survey. Join in the discussion about how best to commute to the city.  Downtown Rochester Commuting Study / R201003220713269838 "The purpose of this survey is to better understand commuting and parking patterns in Downtown Rochester. Your participation will assist the City of Rochester in identifying new reliable, convenient, and affordable Downtown commuting options, enhance transportation services, and collectively reduce carbon emissions. "

 

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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 2010

 

• 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 .
• Tuesday March 30, 4PM | College of Liberal Arts Faculty Lounge (06-1251) at RIT
  • Poet, photographer, and labor activist Mark Nowak will be at RIT on Tuesday March 30 as part of the tour for his new book, Coal Mountain Elementary, a photo-documentary volume on coal mining disasters in the US and China that Howard Zinn called "a stunning educational tool.” His previous book, Shut Up Shut Down (afterword by Amiri Baraka) was a finalist for the James Laughlin Prize (Academy of American Poets) and a NY Times "Editor's Choice."   Mark Nowak will be reading at 4 pm in the College of Liberal Arts Faculty Lounge (06-1251) at RIT. Free and open to the public.   He will also be speaking at noon the same day in Professor Vincent Serravallo’s Sociology of Work class (12-3235).   Mark Nowak’s visit is sponsored by the English and Sociology departments and supported by an Interactive Learning Grant from RIT Student Affairs.   For more information, contact John Roche at jfrgla@rit.edu 

 

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.
  • 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 4/23/2010 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 April , 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.
• Tuesday, April 27nd, 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

 

 

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 May 1, 2010 Time: Challenge begins at 9:00 AM | RIT - Imagine RIT: Innovation and Creativity Festival
  • Dr. Destler’s Green Vehicle Challenge About the Challenge Date: Saturday May 1, 2010 Time: Challenge begins at 9:00 AM Course: Approximately 3 miles beginning at the Simone Circle, participants will take Andrew’s Memorial Drive to S-Lot and return to the Simone Circle. Click here to view a PDF of the course.
• 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.
• Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 10:AM - 2 PM | The Center for Student Innovation at RIT,  1 Lomb Memorial Dr Rochester, NY 14623-5698 
  • “Sustainability Mobility Fair - Future Transportation Choices for Short Trips" Admission is free and open to the public. When: Saturday, May 8, 2010 from 10:AM - 2 PM  Where: The Center for Student Innovation at RIT,  1 Lomb Memorial Dr Rochester, NY 14623-5698  Attendees will be exposed to what is new and now available on the market and able to experience the latest choices in Electric, Hydrogen, Biodiesel, Natural Gas, Propane, Hybrid, Plug-In, Ethanol, Walking School Buses, and cycling transportation technologies. All alternative fuel options will be on display. As more commuters become aware of travel choices, we expect to see more of them regularly choosing transportation alternatives because of the benefits. Sponsored by Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) and the Center for Environmental Information (CEI) for more information, surf over to CEI: Center for Environmental Information.

 

 

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: Now | March 29, 2010  
  • Take Action for your city’s Transportation by completing an online survey. Join in the discussion about how best to commute to the city.  Downtown Rochester Commuting Study / R201003220713269838 "The purpose of this survey is to better understand commuting and parking patterns in Downtown Rochester. Your participation will assist the City of Rochester in identifying new reliable, convenient, and affordable Downtown commuting options, enhance transportation services, and collectively reduce carbon emissions. "
• 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: 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.]

 

 

The March 2010 Environmental Site of the Month award goes to the “NOFLAC National Organization Firing-range Lead Abatement and Containment.” Whether or not you care about guns, I think that all can agree that lead bullets are made out of lead.  This said, not all bullets, however well intended or expertly fired, make it to their intended destinations.  Some, perhaps many, lead bullets fall to the ground and do not get picked up and this means lead from bullets can contaminate the ground, the way heavy metals do.  And, while you may not think that an expended bullet a very large piece of metal, you must admit that a lot, really a lot, of guns are being fired around the country and those expended bullets fall someplace.  That place should not be on the ground leaching into our waters and soil.  So, this group formed in the Rochester area to encourage existing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) laws to reduce lead contamination from firing ranges and comply with best management practices is spot on for our environment. 

 

NOFLAC National Organization Firing-range Lead Abatement and Containment |  http://noflac.org/ “NOFLAC was conceived in Rochester, NY in 1999. While visiting friends who lived near a gun club, we were drawn to the fact that bullets and shot are generally made of lead, but we learned that there were no laws against discharging lead shot into the environment. This led us to further investigate this gun club and find out what preventive measures the gun club was using to keep lead and other metals from leaching into the soil and groundwater. What we found out shocked us. Gun clubs do not have to follow ANY rules, laws or even recommendations with regard to containing lead and metals contamination.”