RENewsletter February 13, 2011

RENewsletter | February 13, 2011

The Free environmental newsletter from RochesterEnvironment.com

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

[2/06/11 – 2/13/11]

* 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, which continually informs our community on our local environmental news, events, actions, is worthwhile, please encourage others to sign up.

The great conundrum of our times is that in a time of rapidly occurring Climate Change and a rapid disintegration of the environment that we need to thrive and survive, mainstream media still marginalizes environmental concerns. [Check often for this continually updated list on the possible consequences of Climate Change in our region--supported by facts.] If there isn’t a quick and substantial change in how environmental concerns are reported, edited, and chosen in mainstream media, the public will continue to believe that environmental concerns are merely special interest matters, issues they can avoid if they choose. How can we inform the public and monitor our environment without abridging our Freedoms--in enough time to safe ourselves?

Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet. -- Carl Sagan

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

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Opening Salvo: “Why football is bad for our Rochester, NY environment”

Last Sunday evening, in Rochester, NY and around the country, lots of folks were glued to their media attending to a popular pastime, football. I mean a lot of folks. What if all those people with all that money put football and other expensive sports on the back-burner and focused their incredible intelligence and energy on solving our desperate environmental issues? Rochester, NY has a litany of environmental issues that need to be address as Climate Change changes our area, but the public is out for half-time, absorbed in super-bowls and endless replays of things that don’t matter.

I’m not against sports; I even played a lot of high school football—badly, I might add. Though a bit violent for a body that hasn’t finished growing, sports for kids does build character, a sense of responsibility, good health, physical and mental skills that are good for a lifetime. And though I don’t ‘get’ professional sports (most players don’t even live, or ever have lived, in the community they are playing for,) I’m not against it.

What I question is the scale and the incredible amount of time and mental energy consumed by such a large proportion of our population on something that essentially doesn’t matter. Who wins the super bowl doesn’t feed the hungry, cure cancer, or save our environment. It’s just a game and like candy for kids, it’s probably OK within limits.

But billions of dollars for corporations, including a culture of where our best and our brightest don’t get off the bench to take responsibility for our environment, is not OK. By the time we’ve spent countless hours in front of countless games drinking countless beers and storing countless facts about a game that doesn’t matter, saving our environment may be too late. We are already going to experience many alterations in our Rochester, NY environment because Climate Change wasn’t addressed on a large scale earlier.

There’s a lot going on and much to acquaint yourself with in these extraordinary times. Climate Change is warming the planet and it will diminish the availability of food and fresh water. We need to know where candidates stand on environmental issues. We need the public to get informed about these issues so they can shop and choose careers for a sustainable planet. How can that happen if the attention of the majority of the population is absorbed on a game and not on our environment? Instead of informing themselves on the vast complexities and enormities of our environmental issues, our citizens’ free time is consumed in sports mania. Sports corporations have taken over our minds—taken our eyes off the real ball (Earth).

Our species’ ultimate goal, I suggest, was not to watch endless football games or any kind of games for that matter. Over the last 200,000 years, where we pretty much got to where we are in terms of evolution, we’ve been busy combating our environment like superhero football players—just to stay alive. Your ancestors, by definition, survived in a very hostile environment and made it so you could be here. They weren’t buying T-shirts and sweat-shirts with corporate logos to get a sense of direction in life or self-worth. They were doing what humans do best: adapt and survive.

If, while we’re busy watching sports, we pass some of the possible environmental tipping points-- on biodiversity, Climate Change, or ocean acidification-- there won’t be a gridiron, a football, or very high-paid players to play with either of them.

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]

· Brain Worm in New York's Moose

· DEC Commissioner Urges Caution On Fracking | New York League of Conservation Voters

· Comments gathered at downtown Rochester transit workshop | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com

· Group urges more study of plan to store liquid gas in mines

· Beavers get to stay put in Lagoon Park - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow

· Solar panels power savings at Greater Rochester airport | Democrat and Chronicle | democratandchronicle.com

· EERE News: DOE Announces Resources to Help Communities Benefit from Solar Energy]

· Rochester airport to finally get rooftop solar panels | Innovation Trail

· Solar Panels for Rochester Airport - RochesterHomePage.net

· EPA Wants to Look at Full Lifecycle of Fracking in New Study - ProPublica

· Buffalo takes a stand on fracking - News Blog - Rochester City Newspaper

· DEVELOPMENT: Sprawling communities, spiraling costs - News Articles - Rochester City Newspaper

· Climate Change in Wisconsin - 1330 WHBL Sheboygan's News Radio

· Nuclear-waste transport plan facing a fight

· First and Only Chevy Volt in Rochester Leaves Showroom - Rochester, News, Weather, Sports, and Events - 13WHAM.com

· Gas Prices Going Up

· Obama calls for $53 billion high-speed rail - Canandaigua, NY - MPNnow

· Monroe County will offer trees and shrubs for low fees | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle

· No park closures planned this year | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle

· State 'fix' losing credit - Times Union

· The Canadian Press: Federal report says despite abundance of water in Great Lakes region, some areas can run short

· WXXI: Nuclear Waste Shipment on Great Lakes Approved (2011-02-08)

· N.J. solar firm eyes facility at Eastman Business Park | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information

· Two tech firms get funds from NYSERDA | Rochester Business Journal New York business news and information

· NYSERDA funds 17 energy-saving transportation ideas from Long Island to Rochester | NewsLI.com

· Clean Air Act funds to help clean Lake Champlain

· Seneca Meadows to accept recyclables

· Congress to examine highway, transit needs at Rochester hearing | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle

· Rochester air quality improves, study finds | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle

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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.]

2/12/2011 - More Bicycles on our streets, more safety, less greenhouse gases: I recently spoke at the Student Environmental Summit (Event) at Center for Student Innovation at Rochester Institute of Technology and talked about city of Rochester efforts on Bicycle Boulevards. Here’s an example of Bicycle Boulevards in the Upper Monroe Avenue. One of the questions the students asked me is: “What will be done to insure bicycle safety if we starting getting more folks to ride their bicycles to work and school?” The answer is that by virtue of the rise in bicycle use itself; our streets will become safer for bicyclists. The more bicycles on the streets, the more those in vehicles notice them and expect them to be a part of our Transportation in the Rochester region. Here’s some read data on this issue: Streetsblog.net » More Cyclists = Safer Cycling in Minneapolis "Studies have long linked cycling safety to the number of cyclists on the street — the old safety-in-numbers maxim in action. The latest evidence validating this phenomenon comes from chilly Minneapolis. In the mid-1990s, collisions involving cyclists peaked at 334, according to city data reported by the League of American Bicyclists. Since then, bike commuting has skyrocketed 174 percent. Meanwhile, the number of collisions has declined 20 percent to 269. "
2/12/2011 - More and more about communities in NYS not interested in fracking. As the public learns more about hydrofracking as a means to get at natural gas in the Marcellus Gas Shale, the less enthralled they seem to be with it. Council Member Wants All Great Lake Cities to Ban Hydrofracking | WKBW News 7: News, Sports, Weather | Buffalo, NY | Local Buffalo, NY (WKBW) -- Buffalo is now the first city in the state to ban hydrofracking, and the second in the nation. Now, Common Council is taking it's stance on the road to warn cities on the Great Lakes. Rita Yelda from Frack Action of Buffalo submitted 1600 signatures asking Buffalo City Council to ban hydrofracking in the city. (February 9, 2011) WKBW News 7: News, Sports, Weather | Buffalo, NY
2/11/2011 - Check out this very useful article about energy loss from our home this winter. Article by Kimie Romeo: Ice Dams A Major Problem for Homeowners "This Winter Drive through almost any residential neighborhood this winter and you cannot help but notice the number of houses with massive icicles hanging from roof edges. While this may create a beautiful wintry scene, ice buildup on roof edges can create some very ugly problems for homeowners. “Ice dams often lead to snow melt water leaking into a house and causing extensive damage” says Kimie Romeo of the Center for Environmental Information This winter’s weather has set up perfect conditions for the formation of ice dams. “When moderate to heavy snow is combined with several days where daytime temperatures stay between 15 and 29 degrees, you have ideal conditions for creating ice build-up on house roof edges” says Romeo. " more...
2/11/2011 - Great dearth of knowledge and understanding of Wildlife’s role in our state’s ecology: I submit that while most folks are aware of wildlife around New York State—deer, beaver, bald eagles, frogs, birds, those pesky squirrels, house flies, and those darn mosquitoes—most of us don’t have a clue as to why we need them. Prove me wrong. Sure, many need to know that our wildlife is there, doing what they do to fill the background, our nature ambience thing. And, many folks harvest (shoot, fish, and just throw in the dumpster) because it’s fun, and it’s what our ancestors did with dangerous and obnoxious wildlife we wanted to get rid of. But what do we know of the true purpose of our fellow creatures in this area? Besides the enjoyment of their presence and shooting them for sport, what is the purpose of Wildlife in our region. Could we live without them? Sure we’d be sadder, and our hunting business would collapse, but would our environment collapse with them? Here’s a way for our kids to get engaged on this subject and maybe someone will take on and inform our public that wildlife is integral to the biological machinery that keeps our particular environment going. Endangered Species Program | What We Do | Habitat Conservation Plans | Overview "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Endangered Species Coalition, Association of Zoos and Aquariums and Ogden Museum of Southern Art/University of New Orleans announce the launch of the 2011 national Endangered Species Day art contest. The competition offers young people an opportunity to learn about endangered species and express their knowledge and support through artwork. Endangered Species Day, taking place on May 20, 2011, recognizes the conservation programs nationwide aimed at protecting America’s threatened and endangered species. "On May 20, 2011 the Fish and Wildlife Service will observe Endangered Species Day in order to recognize the national conservation effort to protect our nation’s endangered species and their habitats."Northeast Region, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
2/10/2011 - Got Solar Power info? I have to admit I don’t know much about solar energy, and I’m especially ignorant of how solar energy will be developed in the Rochester, NY region. I’m the blame, I know. I cannot just excuse my ignorance on the lack of enthusiasm by the local media on this most promising of renewable energy sources. But I must say until today’s rash of stories on solar panels coming to Rochester Airport, I haven’t heard much about solar power in our area. · Rochester airport to finally get rooftop solar panels | Innovation Trail The Innovation Trail has learned that the installation of rooftop solar panels at the Greater Rochester International Airport is scheduled to begin on Monday. Airport Director David Damelio says the solar panels were received earlier this week, and that work will begin on the 13th, weather permitting. It's the first step toward realizing the airport's long-delayed Green Energy Initiatives Project. (February 10, 2011) Innovation Trail [more on Solar Power in our area] · Solar Panels for Rochester Airport - RochesterHomePage.net Rochester's airport is going green and it may end up saving passengers some green as well. In a month's time, enough solar panels to fill a football field will go on top of the roof at Rochester International Airport. The project is capable of providing 100-thousand watts of power. (February 10, 2011) Rochester, NY News | www.WHEC.com [more on Solar Power in our area] I’m trying to build a page for resources and news on Solar Power in the Rochester, NY region but people aren’t up in arms about it the way they are about wind power. I would think solar power would be a boon for green jobs, renewable energy, no old companies to deal with, no foreign wars over it, and our sun has another 4 or 5 billion years before it goes out. If you have information or resources, or even a program on Solar Energy for the Rochester, NY region, please get in contact with me so I can do everything in my power to get Solar Power moving in our region. Contact me at FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com.
2/10/2011 - Read the important speech by EPA chief on energy and power: 02/09/2011: Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Opening Statement Before the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Energy and Power "As prepared for delivery – Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me to testify about Chairman Upton’s draft bill to eliminate portions of the Clean Air Act, the landmark law that all American children and adults rely on to protect them from harmful air pollution. The bill appears to be part of a broader effort in this Congress to delay, weaken, or eliminate Clean Air Act protections of the American public. I respectfully ask the members of this Committee to keep in mind that EPA’s implementation of the Clean Air Act saves millions of American children and adults from the debilitating and expensive illnesses that occur when smokestacks and tailpipes release unrestricted amounts of harmful pollution into the air we breathe. " (February 9, 2011) U.S. EPA Newsroom - News Releases
2/09/2011 -Preparing for a Green Job in Green Businesses in the Rochester, NY region: One of the ways to demonstrate your commitment to our environment in these exceptional times is to volunteer with local organizations working on our environmental health. Volunteering also can up your chances of getting a job in the environmental field by either moving up to a paying position in the organization, or putting some concrete skills and references on your resume. No better environmental organization can help you with environmental information than the folks over at CEI: CEI: Environmental Volunteering Volunteer Opportunities in the Greater Rochester Area --from CEI: Center for Environmental Information
2/08/2011 - Good to see our local media finally on the job: This story about shipping nuclear material through our area from Lake Ontario and up the St. Lawrence has been raging in Canada for quite awhile. Just check these newslinks: Energy newslinks. But not so much here in our region. It seemed very peculiar that such a major environmental story was going silent and unheeded by our local press for so long. It’s not so much that it is dangerous shipping large amounts of nuclear material past our front door and the possible combination that could result if there was an accident. That is probably true. But what struck me was how invisible this issue was in our local press. If something environmental is going on in Canada, near our borders, and the Great Lakes, and the St. Lawrence River, we in our region should at least know about it. We’re all connected environmentally. If there is an accident and nuclear material gets into our waters, this connection will get in our face quickly. We have a nuclear plant in our backyard, I hope our local news editors are taking a look over there once in awhile to make sure this dangerous form of energy is watched carefully and not given special treatment because so many Rochester-area people want it. Nuclear power may not emit much in the way of greenhouse gases, as compare to other energy options, but an accident at a nuclear plant is on another scale of magnitude than bit of ice flinging off a wind turbine blade. WXXI: Nuclear Waste Shipment on Great Lakes Approved (2011-02-08) ROCHESTER, NY (WXXI) - A coalition of Great Lakes mayors is opposing an extraordinarily large shipment of nuclear waste across several of the lakes, including Lake Ontario. The shipment just won approval from the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. Canadian company Bruce Power plans to ship16 school-bus sized, radioactive generators for recycling in Sweden this spring. David Ullrich is the Director of the Great Lakes and Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative. He says the organization of mayors is worried the ship could sink and contaminate the lakes and the St. Lawrence River. (February 7, 2011) WXXI NewsRoom [more on Energy in our area]
2/07/2011 - The Wrong Power: Power from Landfills Landfills do create methane gas which leaks up to our atmosphere and puts more greenhouse gases into our atmosphere. And methane gas is a very heat-trapping gas (many more times than CO2) and a relatively easy way to grab energy. But it’s a bad idea. It’s a bad idea because it encourages our society to continually throw away stuff we should be recycling, reusing, and composting. Grabbing methane gas from landfills creates in a great delusion that we can have our cake and eat it too: that we can just package all our stuff and when we done with everything just throw it into the ground and then we’ll even get cheap energy for it. It’s a delusion because it is a shortsighted delusionary loop of reality. It’s shortsighted because it ignores the myriad of environmental issues surrounding waste, Climate Change, and natural resources. We could be reusing many of the stuff we are now land-filling and creating new industries and reducing the amount of natural resources we have to dig from the earth. And at the end of the day, burning methane gas is burning a greenhouse gas—it’s going to continue to warm the planet. Capping off methane gas from landfills and burning it for energy is a depraved way of getting energy because it compounds many environmental issues with the delusion of an easy fix. We should be recycling, reusing, producing more renewable energy that doesn’t warm the planet; we should be using the ideas of Zero Waste so we don’t produce products that are toxic. This hopeful article ignores our environment: Noxious, but profitable, gas - Times Union Methane emanating from landfills can be a valuable commodity | ALBANY -- The vast majority of the greenhouse gases emitted by the city -- some 86 percent -- come from Rapp Road landfill. The chief culprit is the copious amounts of methane -- an odorless gas that makes up as much as 50 percent of the foul cocktail of gasses that waft from the landfill and is 21 times worse than carbon dioxide for trapping heat in the atmosphere. (February 5, 2011) Home - Times Union

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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.

February 2011

February 17th from 6:00 - 7:30 at Chocolate and Vine, 757 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607

Join us for UGBN Green Drinks - February February 17th from 6:00 - 7:30 at Chocolate and Vine, 757 University Avenue, Rochester, NY 14607 hosted by Empire State College --from CEI: Center for Environmental Information

Friday, February 18, 2011 from 9:00 - 10:30 am at Cornell Cooperative Extension (Highland Room) 249 Highland Ave, Rochester, NY 14620

NYSERDA mini-seminar for HVAC and Home Improvement contractors Friday, February 18, 2011 from 9:00 - 10:30 am at Cornell Cooperative Extension (Highland Room) 249 Highland Ave, Rochester, NY 14620 Home Performance with ENERGY STAR is a program designed to provide homeowners with a Comprehensive Home Assessment (CHA) of their existing home (the home audit). The home audit targets not only energy efficiency issues related to building envelope & HVAC systems, but also home health and safety, and general home comfort issues. To register for the event click here --from CEI: Center for Environmental Information

Sunday, February 27, 2011, 2:30pm-4:00pm | Penfield Community Center Penfield Library Ruth Braman Room 1985 Baird Rd Penfield NY 14526

PENFIELD HERITAGE ASSOCIATION PENFIELD GREEN INITIATIVE FRIENDS OF PENFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY PRESENT PENFIELD'S FARMERS - WHO ARE THEY? Sunday, February 27,2011 Penfield Community Center Penfield Library Ruth Braman Room 1985 Baird Rd Penfield NY 14526 2:30pm-4:00pm Join us as we hear from our farm families - their family histories, current challenges for farming, how farming has changed over the years, and their thoughts on the future of farming in Penfield. Representing the farm families are: Jim Bauman, Peter Braman, Dick Hammann, Terry Rothfuss, Marty Schutt, and Dave Woodward. Learn how we can support Penfield's farmers and protect our environmentally sensitive areas. Charlie Barker will be moderator for this panel. Penfield Heritage Association thanks Mel Callan and Robyn Miller from PGI for their help in planning this program. Light refreshments will be served. Bring a friend! PENFIELD GREEN INITIATIVE Planning Committee The voice for Penfield’s environmental assets!

February 28, 2011 | Submit stories online or by mail to: Carole Fraser NYS DEC Universal Access Program 625 Broadway, 5th floor Albany, NY 12233-4255

DEC Kicks Off "Great Stories From The Great Outdoors" Contest- NYS Dept. of Environmental ConservationContestants Share Positive and Inspirational Experiences The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is calling for writers to share inspirational stories of experiences in New York's great outdoors by entering the "Great Stories from the Great Outdoors" contest. Stories can range from the simplest walk through the woods to meeting a challenge through an outdoor activity. The contest is open to all and runs through February 2011. Each month, DEC will select stories and post them on the DEC website. A prize will be awarded for the top story each month. Complete contest rules are available online. Through the Great Outdoor Stories contest, students, sportsmen and women, outdoor enthusiasts, campers and hikers can reflect and share the importance of the natural environment in their lives. Entries can range from a few sentences to a maximum 650 words. All story entries must be received by February 28, 2011. Submit stories online or by mail to: Carole Fraser NYS DEC Universal Access Program 625 Broadway, 5th floor Albany, NY 12233-4255

March 2011

March 11 Reception 6:30 (For Premier Ticket Holders) Concert 8:00 First Unitarian Church 220 Winton Rd S., Rochester, NY

ROCHESTER ROOTS 20th Anniversary Benefit Concert with Emma’s Revolution Friday, March 11 Reception 6:30 (For Premier Ticket Holders) Concert 8:00 First Unitarian Church 220 Winton Rd S., Rochester, NY Award-winning, international touring songwriters in the tradition of Pete Seeger, Phil Ochs and Holly Near will be performing a benefit concert for the Rochester Roots urban school and community garden project. Emma’s Revolution sings songs about peace and justice, the environment, human rights, women, LGBT, and hope. Musicians Pat Humphries and Sandy O. “have a real knack for identifying our many struggles while showing us their connections and the ways we can work together to overcome them.” Please join us to celebrate our 20 years of developing innovative sustainable agriculture and education programs for all citizens. "Beyond progressive commentary, Emma's Revolution examines issues of our time the way the media should." Z Magazine -- Please join us to celebrate our 20 years of developing innovative sustainable agriculture and education programs for all citizens. CONCERT-ONLY TICKETS / 8:00 pm Advance Concert Tickets $20 each Student & Low-income $15 each At Door / $25 each

Sunday, March 13th, 2011 2PM 2131 Temple B'rith Kodesh, Rochester, NY Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY 14618

Lecture: Hydrofracking in New York State? Sunday, March 13th, 2011 – 2PM. 2131 Temple B'rith Kodesh, Rochester, NY Elmwood Ave, Rochester, NY 14618 (585)244-7060 Free and Open to the public. Read the flyer for details.

March 31 - April 2, 2011 | Taylor & Anabel Taylor Hall, Ithaca, New York

Cornell Environmental Law Society 2011 Energy Conference Gas Drilling, Sustainability & Energy Policy: Searching for Common Ground Location: Cornell Law School, Myron Taylor & Anabel Taylor Hall, Ithaca, New York Dates: Schedule Description: The conference will explore the legal, scientific, and business perspectives on Shale Gas Development and hydraulic fracturing ("hydrofracking"). This issue has ignited a fierce battle over energy and the environment in New York State. Eight fast-paced and interactive panels will use natural gas drilling as a lens to explore national energy policy, the global energy market, and the integral role the law must play in creating energy security and ensuring a sustainable future. The conference brings together over 45 distinguished speakers from Cornell University and around the country working in law, science, business, and government from all sides of the energy debate. Learn more at 2011 Energy Conference

April 2011

APRIL 8TH 2011 8:00 AM | where: THE LINKS AT ERIE VILLAGE EAST SYRACUSE, NY

Seventh Annual SYMPOSIUM ON ENERGY in the 21st CENTURY REDUCING OUR CARBON FOOTPRINT - CHOOSING THE RIGHT PATH | When APRIL 8TH 2011 8:00 AM | where: THE LINKS AT ERIE VILLAGE EAST SYRACUSE, NY | "The Annual Symposium on Energy in the 21st century brings together experts in the field of energy to present and discuss the future and possibilities of energy sustainability, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and partnerships. The Symposium provides a venue for diverse groups to join together in a bi-partisan multi-disciplinary conversation and learning experience. Attending are congressmen, mayors, town supervisors, presidents and deans of colleges, CEO's, professors, students, engineers, architects, city planners, representatives from the offices of elected official both on the federal, state and local levels, farmers, as well as interested citizens. Diverse groups of people, all who work in or have interest in energy, from the largest to the smallest of municipalities, come to share and learn from each other and from an outstanding group of speakers. "

April 9th, 2011, 9am-noon at Monroe County Department of Parks

Pick Up the Parks April 9th, 2011, 9am-noon at Monroe County Department of ParksJoin the Monroe County Department of Parks, Sunnking Electronics Recycling, and several local recreation and environmental groups in continuing the “Pick Up the Parks” event. This great parks stewardship event will expand from 4 to 6 parks in 2011; Black Creek, Ellison, Genesee Valley, Mendon Ponds, Ontario Beach, and Seneca Parks. View Flyer (from CEI: Center for Environmental Information)

Saturday, April 9th from12 - 5pm (Vendor set-up starts @10:30am) Where: Foodlink Distribution Center 138 Joseph Ave, Rochester NY 14605

"The 2011 Upstate NY Permaculture Gathering " When: Saturday, April 9th from12 - 5pm (Vendor set-up starts @10:30am) Where: Foodlink Distribution Center 138 Joseph Ave, Rochester NY 14605 Why: To inspire & educate our communities about locally grown foods, sustainable shelters, and community interaction. “Permaculture knowledge is not a privilege, it is a necessity for the future.” Call for Speakers and/or Vendors This year’s Gathering is a regional event designed to foster networking, coordination, and learning of permaculture philosophies among all classes of community in Upstate New York. Permaculture is a whole-systems approach to community and landscape design. This provides regenerative agriculture techniques in order to meet human and animal needs for development projects that allow for more self sufficient living. The event will include a series of 4-5 individual workshops & keynote speakers. There will also be a trade-show style vendor track of businesses, organizations & non profit groups with missions relating to this event’s philosophy. Your RSVP is appreciated by Monday, February 21st as it will help with the planning & promotion. This mission will be accomplished in a professional and ‑financially responsible manner that is in the best interest of all participants. All vendors will be provided with at least 6’x6’ space; $15 for businesses and free for non-profit organizations.

Apr 15 2011 | Braddock Bay Park 199 East Manitou Rd. - Greece, NY

Bird of Prey Days 2011 Apr 15 2011 - 00:00 AM Mark you calendars and plan to attend our 23rd annual BOP Days event! BBRR will be celebrating it's 25th anniversary! You won't want to miss it! Braddock Bay Raptor Research

Thursday, April 21, First Unitarian Church, 220 Winton Road North

Sierra Club’s 13th Annual Environmental Forum: “Sustainable Production: Rochester’s Cutting Edge” 6pm Doors open -- network with and learn from representatives of 30+ environmental organizations
-- sustainably produced food and drink available for purchase from local vendors 7pm Program begins 9pm Adjourn Please join us for a conversation with two nationally recognized leaders who are driving innovative sustainable production methods, right here at home in Rochester: Dr. Nabil Nasr, RIT’s Assistant Provost and Director of the Golisano Institute for Sustainability Catherine Reeves, Director, Sustainable Operations at Xerox Join us for the premier Earth Day event of the year!

April 24, 2010 from 10 am to 2 pm in Area #4, Shelter 5. at Hamline Beach State Park, Hamlin, NY

Celebrate Earth Day at Hamlin Beach State Park Mark your calendars! The 3rd annual Earth Day event at Hamlin Beach State Park will be held on April 24, 2010 from 10 am to 2 pm in Area #4, Shelter 5. 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, and our popular tree seedling give-away. With free refreshments and free admission into the Hamlin Beach State Park, this is a fun and educational family event you won’t want to miss.

April 27, 2011 | Rochester, NY

Save the date: Active Transportation Symposium Save the date: Wednesday, April 27, 2011 for a unique opportunity to change Rochester’s transportation. Much has still to be worked out, but this event will be held in Rochester, NY. Seeking: Organizations and institutional leaders in government, education, community organizations and the business community and individual activists. For: a full day event with National and local experts. To: make Greater Rochester a preeminent Active Transportation region. Walking and wheeling can improve health and the bottom line for businesses and the community. Brought to you by: Rochester Cycling Alliance, Genesee Transportation Council, NYS Dept. of Transportation, Monroe County and the City of Rochester. Continuing Education Credits being Pursued. For more information contact Richard DeSarra at rdscomm@rochester.rr.com or Rochelle Bell at rbell@monroecounty.gov .

May 2011

Fri, 05/06/2011 - Sat, 05/07/2011 Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ages: All Ages Family Price: Free with Zoo admission. Venue: Seneca Park Zoo

Our Fragile World Environmental Fair | Kids Out and About.com (Rochester)The Seneca Park Zoo has a goal to engage, inspire and empower citizens to act on behalf of wildlife, nature and our environment. Each year, this event features 30 or more local environmentally-conscious businesses, nature organizations and government agencies that are working to improve the health of our local environment. We hope you will join us and learn how to make our world a healthier place for wildlife, your children and generations to come. Our event in 2010 was held on April 30 and May 1. Nearly 1,000 students participated in the Zoo's interactive Scavenger Hunt held on Friday, April 30. There were 40 booths, 33 outside vendors and seven Docent stations for the students to check out along the way.

September 2011

September 17-18, 2011 - High Falls, Downtown, Rochester, NY

Greentopia Festival The Greentopia Festival is Rochester’s and the Finger Lakes celebration of the green movement sweeping around the globe. The two-day, interactive fest in historic High Falls will reveal what the region is doing to help the environment – and envision a greener Rochester of the future. Think of Greentopia as a walk-through of a totally sustainable Rochester. We’ve already begun this walk by exploring healthier ways of living, as individuals and as a community. In social, economic and environmental ways, we’ve made the decision to go 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

Join a new local Hydrofracturing Action Alert email list by contacting Anna Sears asears@rochester.rr.com. Also the local Sierra Club's Global Warming & Energy Committee has been addressing the topic of Hydrofracturing. They meet the 2nd Monday evening of the month. Contact bteheger@juno.com for more info. Also - you may wish to review this coalition letter Coalition Letter to Governor Cuomo Regarding Executive Order No. 41: Requiring Further Environmental Review of High-Volume Hydraulic Fracturing Combined With Horizontal Drilling | Toxics Targeting and Governor Cuomo issued a "continuation" of Executive Order No. 41 on his first day in office, as he earlier signaled he would. See: No. 2 REVIEW, CONTINUATION AND EXPIRATION OF PRIOR EXECUTIVE ORDERS | Governor

ACTION: Due Date: Until the money runs out.

There is still time to save energy on this NYSERDA program until the money for the rebates run out: New York's Great Appliance Swap Out "The New York State Energy-Efficient Appliance Rebate Program To qualify, your eligible appliance(s) must be purchased between February 12th, 2010 and the date available funding runs out. Welcome to "New York’s Great Appliance Swap Out" website which will provide all the information you need in order to participate. This rebate program, administered by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), is available to residential consumers replacing existing appliances of the same type with new ENERGY STAR® qualified appliances or High Efficiency ENERGY STAR appliances. A larger rebate will be granted to consumers who recycle their discarded appliances. Appliance Rebate Funds Still Available!!! Due to a large number of rebate reservations that were never claimed, there are still funds available under New York’s Great Appliance Swap Out! Applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis as long as funds remain available. " --a program funded by ARRA and administered by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority

ACTION: Due Date - Now

Sierra Club: Help Ban Toxics from Children's Toy Jewelry!Help Ban Toxics from Children's Toy Jewelry! After Congress acted, the Consumer Product Safety Commission finally took action to protect children from lead in children's products. Now another dangerous toxin, cadmium, is being found in children’s toy jewelry. Please take a moment today and tell the Commission to protect our families from cadmium in children's toys! --from Sierra Club Home Page: Explore, Enjoy and Protect the Planet

Action Due March 30, 2011

DEC Announces 2011 Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale Free Seedlings available to New York Schools The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation's (DEC) Saratoga Tree Nursery has begun taking orders for its annual sale of tree and shrub seedlings. Schools across New York can also now receive free seedlings for spring planting through the DEC School Seedling Program, which will provide 50 tree seedlings or a mixed packet of 30 wildlife shrubs to any public or private school that would like to participate. The Saratoga Tree Nursery produces more than 50 species of trees and shrubs for planting on public and private land. The objective of the program is to provide low-cost, native planting materials from known New York sources to encourage landowners to enhance the state's environment for future generations. (January 7, 2010) DEC Announces 2011 Tree and Shrub Seedling Sale - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation

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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.]