Daily Updates for November 2009
RochesterEnvironment.com
These Daily Updates for this month represent just one month in over a decade of connecting the dots on our area's environmental situation.
Find out what’s going on environmentally in our area—and why you should care? GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL STORY ABOUT THE ROCHESTER, NY AREA FROM A CREDIBLE SOURCE? SEND IT TO ME! Looking for something specific. Use Control + F and search for it on this page.
These daily updates pertain to what is going on in our environment in Rochester & around the world. Although I do not see RochesterEnvironment.com, or Global Environmental Resources, as environmental activist sites, I do view them as active. They are active conduits for all the environmental news, services, links, and an on-going discovery for the potential role that I believe the Internet will play in environmentalism. Your local news media is not doing its job in informing the public on the breath and depth of our environmental problems, so you are going to have to get on the Internet.
- 11/25/09 - Good Environmental Coverage: I applaud this story below by the Democrat and Chronicle yesterday for it thoroughness and importance. Not that all good local environmental reporting has to be about a negative situation (Brownfields), but every community should have a thorough understanding of its environment in order for its citizens to act and vote to keep their local environmental sustainable. Not knowing about old dumpsites, the state of our water and our air is not how a community develops and goes forward. We have to know the historical, present, and future plans of what is going on in our environment and we must be able to depend on our local media to do that. This article, if it represents an attitude towards our environment coverage to be presented to the public everyday, would demand that the public support it in this time of media crisis. Our media shouldn’t have to pander to the public’s wishes in order to survive; it should provide the public information we need to know to survive. And, the public should be willing to support thorough ongoing environmental reporting in its community, or suffer the consequences of acting on insufficient, delusional or misguided information. Irondequoit residents living above old dump sit on uneasy ground | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Time and again over the last quarter-century, state and local agencies raised questions and alarms about possible threats to residents of Timrod Drive but never acted, an investigation by the Democrat and Chronicle found. On at least two occasions, officials recommended testing to see whether Timrod Drive residents faced any health risks, but the testing was never done. (November 29, 09) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Brownfields in our area]
- 11/25/09 - Could this happen in the Rochester, NY area? Mandatory recycling? Perhaps our inability to recycle adequately now will require that we mandatory recycling like some communities are doing: Mandatory recycling comes to Hampton | SeacoastOnline.com HAMPTON — In case you haven't heard, there is no longer an option when it comes to recycling in the town of Hampton. Selectmen voted in August to phase in a mandatory recycling over a three-month period. It started first with glass bottles in October, then aluminium/tin food and beverage cans were added in November. Now, starting on Dec. 1, all cardboard and paper will be required to be recycled. (November 27, 09) Seacoast Online - Portsmouth NH, York ME, Hampton NH, Exeter NH, and Kennebunk ME Guide
- 11/25/09 - Consider joining in a very effective way of monitoring our environment with Get Involved — Great Backyard Bird Count "Your Help Will Make a Difference The success of the Great Backyard Bird Count depends on participants from every community to count birds across the United States and Canada. Help spread the word in your town by asking people to count birds for at least 15 minutes during the count. It's fun, easy, raises awareness of birds, and provides an important record of where the birds are--a record that scientists can use well into the future to track how birds are faring as their environments change. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Audubon invite everyone to “Count for Fun, Count for the Future.” --Great Backyard Bird Count — Great Backyard Bird Count
- 11/24, 09 - Keep tracking those Green Jobs in our area: Green Jobs | New York State Senate "Green Jobs/ Green Homes NY is a landmark job creation program that pays for itself through energy savings and the revitalization of conomically distressed communities. It will create 14,000 family-sustaining jobs while significantly reducing energy costs for an estimated 1 million homes and business, curtailing the dangerous effect of greenhouse emissions on the environment. Green Jobs/ Green Homes NY GJ/GNY doesn’t take any money out of the state budget; it save homeowners money on their utility bills and creates thousands of jobs that bring money into the local economy. "
- 11/23/09 - How well is Monroe County doing on recovering food waste so that it does not unnecessarily go into our landfills? Check out: Surplus Food Recovery and Recycling Success Stories | Organic Materials | US EPA Many organizations have successful food recovery programs. Use the online form to tell us about your food scraps diversion or recovery project. --from U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- 11/21/09 - "Can't Afford to Waste One Minute" Getting How Important and Immediate the Climate Change issue is: This statement below by Orville Schell in the interview After Obama Visit, Assessing U.S.-China Relations from Fresh Air from WHYY : NPR struck me how real and in our face the Climate Change issue is to people who have an intricate knowledge of world affairs. Read the whole transcript, but this statement stood out from the rest. "This doesn't mean that I like people being put in jail or losing their rights and I still think this is extremely important. But if you look at where we really can not afford to waste a minute, I think you'd have to say that climate change begs all of us to make as herculean an effort as we possibly can before it's too late. And China is the heart of the matter and the United States is a close second. "
- 11/20/09 - Prying Green Eyes: One of the scenarios that I've envisioned for a long time is that the Internet is going to be a major monitoring tool for our environment. It’s obvious: more and more people care about the depreciating state of our global environment with climate change, pollution, loss of biodiversity, etc.—at the same time our senses have been broaden by the Internet. Anyone with a computer connection, a camera, and a computer can communicate with the rest of the world the environmental degradation they are experiencing—regardless of it’s on the mainstream media’s or their government’s agenda. In the future it’s going to be harder and harder to keep non-environmental (sustainable) practices hidden. Check out this story: Google spyware will help vigilantes save rainforests Environmentalists across the world are to be enlisted as armchair detectives to monitor satellite images of rainforests and report any illegal logging. The images will be frequently updated and anyone with internet access will be able to make instant comparisons with historical images and spot destruction of rainforest almost as soon as it happens. World News from TimesOnline (November 20, 09)
- 11/20/09 - Get some more facts about how Climate Change will affect our area and our country--from the government. Checkout this elegant and well-designed website to quickly comprehend the nature of Climate Change: United States Global Change Research Program The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) coordinates and integrates federal research on changes in the global environment and their implications for society. The USGCRP began as a presidential initiative in 1989 and was mandated by Congress in the Global Change Research Act of 1990 (P.L. 101-606), which called for "a comprehensive and integrated United States research program which will assist the Nation and the world to understand, assess, predict, and respond to human-induced and natural processes of global change."
- 11/19/09 - As the world changes in our our way of life moves to new and more efficient energy solutions, groups are forming to be best situated for alternative fuels Genesee Region Clean Communities Genesee Region Clean Communities is a U. S. Department of Energy sponsored program designed to encourage the use of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and their underlying support systems throughout the Greater Rochester area. Our organization is built on the premise that we can change our communities for the better through cooperation and voluntary partnerships, working to reduce our reliance on imported oil and improve air quality. Through GRCC, we develop public/private partnerships to promote alternative fuels and vehicles, fuel blends, fuel economy, hybrid vehicles, and idle reduction
- 11/19/09 - How Walkable is Rochester, NY? Walking is a great way to get around and it's Transportation. Take your own survey and find out how Walkable Rochester is: Walkability Checklist --from Partnership for a Walkable America The Partnership for a Walkable America (PWA) is a national coalition working to improve the conditions for walking in America and to increase the number of Americans who walk regularly. The members are national governmental agencies and non-profit organizations concerned about three main areas: Health, Safety and the Environment.
- 11/18/09 - An integral part of any communities Transportation efforts must be the concept of Complete Streets so that the best and most efficient use of our streets can be made for pedestrians, bicyclers, and anyone who wants to get around. Complete Streets The streets of our cities and towns are an important part of the livability of our communities. They ought to be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper. But too many of our streets are designed only for speeding cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams.
- 11/17/09 - So, maybe Green Jobs are coming, but are they coming to Rochester? Chek it out: So you want a green career? -- latimes.com The giant push for eco-friendly practices has created job opportunities for those with little or no experience. Although the recession has emptied shopping malls and filled jobless centers, the call has only gotten louder for renewable energy, environmentally gentle products and eco-friendly practices -- and for people to make all of that happen. President Obama has said that he hopes to create 5 million green jobs within a decade. The U.S. Conference of Mayors estimates that the "green economy" could account for as much as 10% of job growth over the next 30 years. (November 15, 09) http://www.latimes.com/ [More on Green Business in our area]
- 11/17/09 - What will Rochester's Transportation future look like? Get a glimpse with Rochester's Master Plan City of Rochester | RFP - Rochester Bicycle Master Plan The Rochester Bicycle Master Plan will examine best practices in bicycle infrastructure and services, assess their feasibility for application locally, identify appropriate locations for bicycle facilities, and recommend bicycle-supportive policies. The Plan will complement the TIP project by providing conceptual design and inventory work with respect to on-street bicycle lanes. However, this Plan is not limited to bicycle lanes; additional bicycling infrastructure and services to be considered include shared lane markings (sharrows), bicycle boulevards, bicycle parking, commuter facilities (e.g., showers, lockers, etc.), bicycle sharing, and more. The City of Rochester and Monroe County recently received an “honorable mention” from the League of American Bicyclists’ Bicycle Friendly Communities Program; the City has a goal of achieving full Bicycle Friendly Community status. This Master Plan will provide the City with a framework for meeting this goal. --from City of Rochester
- 11/16/09 -- Although the story below is address to the Albany area specifically, the issue of old sewer infrastructure is not a popular environmental issue but it is going to have to be addressed in every community. Old sewer pipes creating a tough challenge -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY:2783: ALBANY -- Aging sewer systems in the Capital Region are dumping more than a billion gallons of watered-down, untreated sewage into the Hudson River each year, according to a report by the Capital District Regional Planning Commission. (November 15, 09 ) Albany NY News - Times Union - Serving Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Troy [more on Green Living in our area]
- 11/16/09 - Good advice from the D&C on everyday ideas on how to conserve energy: 'Vampire' devices use power even when off | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle Halloween may be over, but the vampires are still in your house. And getting rid of them is key to saving money on your power bill. A "vampire" is a term for any device in your home that uses "standby" power when you think it is off or idling. (November 16, 09) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York [more on Green Living in our area]
- 11/14/09 - Caring for our parks is a concern for all of us, as our parks are ours, they are public and they are an environmental concern: Notes from a friend: Parks Preservation in Monroe County, NY "..was created by a group of private citizens who are concerned about negative, irreversible changes to the Monroe County Parks, who desired a means to get the information about the issues out to more people. We are not an official group, but are all park lovers and users. Site content details current issues and downloadable source documents. We offer a link to send email comments on issues to County Legislators on the Recreation & Education Committee, Director of Parks and the County Executive. As individuals many of us belong to a variety of local organizations that use and treasure our parks, including: Adirondack Mountain Club, Sierra Club, Federation of Monroe County Environmentalists, Rochester Birding Association, Burroughs Audubon Nature Club, Rochester Butterfly Club, Genesee Valley Audubon, People for Parks, and others. You can connect with us on Facebook at Save Monroecountyparks. Our email is: parkspreservation@gmail.com
- 11/14/09 - A worthy lecture series to find out how Rochester might be shaped sustainable for our future: Reshaping Rochester Lecture Series 2009-2010 On October 21st the RRCDC began hosting the 5th annual Reshaping Rochester Lecture Series, which features six accomplished speakers of diverse backgrounds who will address sustainability issues and the future well being of our built environment. --from Rochester Regional Community Design Center
- 11/14/09 - Another local source for the 2009 Pandemic Flu outbreak--because this Environmental Health issue should be on all our radars: 2009 Swine Flu Outbreak - 13WHAM.com - Rochester News, Weather, and Sports
- 11/14/09 - Consider alternative Transportation in the Rochester, NY area: Rochester Regional Rail | Google Groups "This group is intended to further the discussion and implementation of a sustainable and efficient mass transportation system in the Rochester New York region. While the center of a system is in the city of Rochester, the focus is on the region due to the greater community benefit. "
- 11/14/09 - More places in Rochester to bridge back to walking instead of driving. Maybe someday walking will be the new Transportation commute: Railroad bridge could become trail walkway | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle From 200 feet above the Genesee River gorge, the abandoned railroad bridge offers spectacular views and some uncertain footing. The 700-foot span, just north of Smith Street, came to the city as part of a $1 million-plus land deal in 2005. The land, nearly 20 acres of abandoned rail line, stretches from Charlotte to High Falls, and a significant portion will be converted to a recreational trail next year. The 130-year-old bridge was something of an extra — and also an unknown. (November 14, 09) democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving Rochester, New York
- 11/14/09 - Remember to Recycle: Tomorrow, November 15th, is Americas Recycles day, see ya curbside: www.americarecyclesday.org - America Recycles Day "About America Recycles Day America Recycles Day (ARD), November 15, is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and to buy recycled products. Celebrating its 12th year, it has grown to include millions of Americans pledging to increase their recycling habits at home and work and to buy products made with recycled materials. Through America Recycles Day, Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (KAB) and the National Recycling Coalition (NRC) support local communities and raises awareness by educating citizens about the benefits of recycling. Volunteer America Recycles Day coordinators are positioned throughout the country and work to organize recycling awareness events in their schools and communities, and in conjunction with their local municipalities. "
- 11/12/09 - If you missed this Rochester-area 350.org event recently, you still have a chance to see one of the main events. The Rochester Greenway project might make Rochester a Bicycling capitol. [Full disclosure: I have helped write grants for this worthy project] RochesterGreenway Blog and Clipping Service: Rochester Bicycle Ecology and Opportunity Here's the movie we prepared for the Oct 24 GreenRide and Bike Summit.
- 11/11/09 - Don't forget you personally have a stake in the Climate Change Bill coming up: Climate Fight: EPA Sends Global Warming Finding to White House | Congress might be a long way from passing legislation to fight climate change, but the Obama administration appears one step closer to creating its own regime for controlling greenhouse gases. On Monday, the Environmental Protection Agency announced it sent the White House Office of Management and Budget its proposed finding that greenhouse gases endanger human health and welfare. (November 9, 09) Business News & Financial News - The Wall Street Journal - WSJ.com
- 11/10/09 - Can the Green Job revolution create quality green jobs? Find out in this booklet by the Apollo Alliance: Community Jobs in the Green Economy --from Apollo Alliance : The Apollo Alliance is a coalition of labor, business, environmental, and community leaders working to catalyze a clean energy revolution that will put millions of Americans to work in a new generation of high-quality, green-collar jobs. Inspired by the Apollo space program, we promote investments in energy efficiency, clean power, mass transit, next-generation vehicles, and emerging technology, as well as in education and training. Working together, we will reduce carbon emissions and oil imports, spur domestic job growth, and position America to thrive in the 21st century economy.
- 11/07/09 - Because we live in an area so rich in Clean Water, we forget that water scarcity is a world-wide crisis that need addressing. And because we have so much clean water, we are part of this equation: Could water scarcity cause international conflict? | csmonitor.com "In reporting a recent story on a fight over water between residents of a small Colorado town and Nestlé Waters North America, a bottled water company, I learned much about water scarcity around the world, and the sense — also growing — that shortages of water could spark much future conflict. In recent years, there’s been a proliferation of books on the world’s present and future water woes, from Maude Barlow’s Blue Covenant to Robert Glennon’s Unquenchable." --from The Christian Science Monitor | csmonitor.com
- 11/07/09 - How about a little Rochester area Transportation history? Maybe some of our past transportation solutions will have a place in our future: Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Online - CANAL DISCOVERY: Rochester’s subway through the years "The City of Rochester was faced with an interesting dilemma after New York state opened the Erie Barge Canal in 1918. During this enlargement in Rochester, the Erie Canal was actually moved from its location of more than 90 years in the center of the business district, to a location further south outside of the city center. The original canal route in Rochester featured one of the most amazing architectural structures found on the entire 363-mile path of the Erie Canal, the Rochester Aqueduct. This series of stone arches and overhead trough actually carried boats over the rapids of the Genesee River as it traversed the city. Engineering being in its infancy in the early 1820s, the original Erie Canal “engineers” did not have a viable plan to cross the river at grade so raising the canal over the river presented the best alternative." - Lockport Union-Sun & Journal Online
- 11/06/07 - How to position yourself for that Green Job: How to Find Training for a Green Job - PayScale Resources The green economy is coming – some say it's already arrived – and around the country new types of careers and programs that offer short training for green jobs are popping up rapidly, while old jobs are changing to align with sustainable practices. Green services and products are already in demand, and workforce development experts agree that this movement is going to have enormous impact on jobs of every level. “This will affect all areas of the economy in ways we are only beginning to find out,” says Julian L. Alssid, executive director of Workforce Strategy Center (WSC), an East Coast-based organization that consults with economic development agencies and educational institutions to help state and regional economies grow. “If we do this well, green will become a part of every job.” --from PayScale - Salary Comparison, Salary Survey, Wages
- 11/06/09 - Good place to get educated about the natural gas issue is Cornell Cooperative Extension's Natural Gas Development Resource Center "The Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) Natural Gas Development Resource Center brings together information from a variety of sources, including academic research, industry analysis, local government officials and citizens. Our goal is to provide a space for dialogue and learning that will lead to informed decision making by all concerned parties."
- 11/05/09 - Could the non-profit option be the future of Journalism? Colorado Public TV Station Launches Non-Profit Investigative News Division In Colorado, a Denver public television station has announced plans for a non-profit investigative news division. KBDI-TV says it hopes to raise $400,000 to launch a website and on-air program focused on investigative reporting. -from Democracy Now! | Radio and TV News | Check out Colorado Public News "This is the prototype of Colorado Public News (CPN) -- a new kind of news website for a new media world. We were founded by award-winning journalists and PBS member station Colorado Public Television to provide in-depth, investigative reporting. " | And they are even going to have, unlike most corporate media an environmental section: Colorado Public News » Environment Category Feed
- 11/04/09 - Do voluntary local efforts to reduce our energy consumptions work? Check it out: Curb Your Car Week Fall 2009: The Results Congratulations to all Curb Your Car Week participants! This fall, we had 104 registered participants. 53 households reported saving a total of — 4413 mile, 190 gallons of gas, and 3610 pounds of CO2! --from Home Page - Color Brighton Green
- 11/04/09 - If Coal is so bad our our environment and problematic because of Climate Change, why does the US insist on pursuing it? Maybe, this is the answer: FT.com / US & Canada - Coal-rich US puts faith in CO2 storage "Across the prairies of Wyoming, past buffalo herds and miles from any town lies the world’s biggest coal mine. For 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the North Antelope Rochelle Mine is at work. Using hulking trucks, workers strip off hundreds of feet of grass, soil and rock to get to the coal below. " (November 2, 09) World business, finance and political news from the Financial Times – FT.com US
- 11/02/09 - Every year, we here at RochesterEnvironment.com try and track The Red List to see how the state of our planets biodiversity is doing. It keeps getting worse and our media does a poor job on reminding us to keep our attention on this issue. But, some media does keep us updated: BBC NEWS | Science & Environment | Species' extinction threat grows More than a third of species assessed in a major international biodiversity study are threatened with extinction, scientists have warned. Out of the 47,677 species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 17,291 were deemed to be at serious risk.
- 11/02/09 - How walkable is Rochester, NY? Check out some site that will give you a clue: Get Your Walk Score - A Walkability Score For Any Address "We help you find a walkable place to live by calculating a Walk Score for any address. " Google Earth "Google Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. You can explore rich geographical content, save your toured places, and share with others." Bing Maps Map a trip with multiple stops and direction hints. Check traffic, and route for current conditions.