Updates December 2007

• 12/30/07 - Because what other people do elsewhere matters to our environment, especially the closer the more influence, here’s what our neighbors to the north are up to: City of Toronto: Change is in the Air... "With the first phase of Toronto's Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan unanimously approved by Council in July 2007, Toronto is beginning to implement the most ambitious environmental plan in North America." - from Toronto - The official City of Toronto Web site

• 12/30/07 - Rochester's Biggest Business Story of the year: Today’s Democrat and Chronicle highlights the biggest business story of the year, but this is not an easy thing to measure anymore. Hopefully, in the future all aspects of businesses, including their relationship to our environment will be heard: Read Top area business story? Don't expect agreement (Dec 30, 07)  "Frank Regan, former chairman of the Sierra Club's Rochester chapter, was especially passionate about the RG&E decision. "The PAETEC story may loom large in the public view of what visually constitutes change, but removing one of the largest coal-burning power plants in the Northeast and promising not to use coal in the upgrade will make all the other efforts the public makes ... to curb global warming worthwhile," Regan said in an e-mail. "If Russell Station just went back to coal, anything else our city did to stop global warming would have been negligible."

• 12/29/07 - Saving birds in Rochester. Check out this bird photo sight about a concern saving local birds: Erie Canal In Brighton Photos by Jay Greenberg This is a collection of photos made during walks along the canal between S. Clinton Ave. and Winton Rd. This is my favorite walk in Brighton because of the many birds, other animals, and plants found in the area as well as the undeveloped open space which is now threatened by a development proposal. Perhaps the most notable feature of the area is the abandoned pastures of the former Gonsenhauser Farm. They provide increasingly scarce habitat for grassland bird species such as bobolinks, savannah sparrows, and eastern meadowlarks that are in serious decline nationally, primarily due to habitat loss. I've seen at least 85 bird species in the area over the years. To see my canal bird list, my 1998 Brighton-Pittsford Post guest editorial on the importance of the pastures as habitat for grassland birds, and my comments to the town board on the proposed development, click on the links below.

• 12/28/07 - Learn about Pesticides from the NYS official site: Questions and Answers Regarding New York State Pesticides Program - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation Welcome to the Pesticides Program's series of Questions and Answers (Q&A). This Q&A series is designed to provide information on Pesticide Program subjects of interest to the public and the regulated community. The Q&A cover a range of subjects, such as pesticide product labels, commercial lawn applications, certified applicators, and many more topics. The subjects covered in our Q&A are listed below in alphabetical order under "Topics". Please click on topics of interest to you to gain information on those subject areas. We plan to regularly expand this Q&A series to address additional questions in those and other subject areas. --from New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

• 12/24/07 - Watching for Local Signs of Climate Change: This is probably a non-story for environmental news, but something I’m going to be watching over the years.  One of the many predictions about how Global Warming will affect the Northeast is a change in some flora of our area, which will affect some business, and the production of maple syrup may be one of those. (Maple syrup shortage taps wallets - Prices are up after poor spring weather kept production down— If you'll be giving or serving New York maple syrup this holiday season, you probably paid more for it this year. A combination of consumer demand and a supply shortage have boosted prices 10 percent to 20 percent at many area retailers. (December 24, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle) I’m hesitant to post this remark, because many view environmentalists as ‘alarmists,’ which of course we are—and must be.  One of the most important roles for environmentalists, I believe, is to use their reason, education, observations, interactions with others and the environment, to foresee possible positive and negative trends in our environment.  Sadly, it has evolved that it is the trend of business to set the bar of environmental concern very high (in some cases absolute scientific proof) before determining whether or not something constitutes a danger.  The problem is that with environmental degradation, long before something can be proven to the satisfaction of all, that bar will make it impossible to solve environmental problems, as many are irreversible.  On this note, I’m reading an interesting book “A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations” by Clive Ponting.  I suggest all read it because it provide a long sweeping view of history in terms of how mankind has affected our environment and in many cased doomed their civilization.  I cannot help if this seems depressing to some, but hiding ones head in sand in these extraordinary times is the mark of a species heading for extinction. Anyway,  there are a host of possible ramification of Global Warming for our area that a prudent species should keep their eyes on: temperatures rising, a migration of plants and animals north as our climate adopts a Southern visage (though, most ((especially plants)) won’t move quickly enough), droughts, change in precipitation, lowering of Great Lakes water levels, coastal flooding, sea-level rise, shore-line change, extreme heat in our cities, more diseases (like Lyme disease, West Nile Virus, and maybe malaria) and more potent cases of poison ivy, air quality loss, agriculture changes, changes in the fisheries, changes in the dairy industry, changes in spruce/fir forest of the Adirondacks, alterations in winter recreation (did you know the NYS has “more ski areas than any other state in the nation”?), and an increase in ozone pollution."

• 12/24/07 - Changing the criteria for news: The Democrat & Chronicle is running an interesting contest in its news, here at the end of the year: What was the top business story for the Rochester area in the past year? (Dec 23, 07)  I believe without a doubt the biggest business story of this year was Rochester Gas & Electric decided not to upgrade its Russell Station coal burning plant with coal.  (Russell Station plans change — Rochester Gas and Electric Corp. has withdrawn its application to convert Russell Station to a clean coal power plant and will instead go with the option of rebuilding the Greece site as a natural gas power plant. (September 29, 2007) Democrat & Chronicle)  It would be a real service to the city it the Democrat and Chronicle used this criteria, helping in the fight against Global Warming, instead of how many ‘hits’ a company gets or how popular an issue.  The PAETEC story may loom large in the public view of what visually constitutes change, but removing one of the largest coal-burning producing power plants in the Northeast and promising not to use coal in the upgrade will make all the other efforts the public makes in their lives to curb global warming worthwhile.  If Russell Station just went back to coal, anything else our city did to stop global warming would have been negligible, or impossible to counteract.  Using the criteria of corporate responsibility and sustainability is more important it this point in time (after the Bali Climate Change Summit) than how many jobs or how titillating a business story.

• 12/23/07 - You've just lost some of your ability to monitor the environment: Don't think this issue is a real concern? Check out this media issue from the 12/23/07 New York Times, you have just lost your ability to find out from your local media what is going on with your environment F.C.C. Eases Media Ownership Rule - New York Times -F.C.C. Eases Media Ownership Rule - New York Times: "“In the final analysis,” Mr. Copps said, “the real winners today are businesses that are in many cases quite healthy, and the real losers are going to be all of us who depend on the news media to learn what’s happening in our communities and to keep an eye on local government.”" Read more: Kill Your TV!

• 12/22/07 -  **ESSAYS** - A Reasonable Assumption A decade and a half ago, I unscientifically began to reason that since the Industrial Revolution, when the churning of industry and the transportation of billions from fossil-fuels, the cutting down of billions of trees, the paving of billions of miles of asphalt roads, and the billowing billions of tons of industrial waste into the air, there would be consequences. It seemed a reasonable assumption that this assault upon our planet’s delicate balance of Nature, where clean air and clean water are critical to our existence, should be investigated thoroughly, with the thought that if there were even the possibility that mankind could affect something so profound as climate change, finding a conservative point along the continuum of action and scientific validity should be paramount.

• 12/14/07 - **EVENT**  - "The Return of the Bald Eagle to Irondequoit Bay" -“Friends of Irondequoit Bay” is pleased to co-sponsor a presentation called "The Return of the Bald Eagle to Irondequoit Bay". Bald Eagle expert Mike Allen, Sr. Wildlife Technician at the Department of Environmental Conservation, will give a dynamic presentation about the return of this majestic bird, from near extinction. A captive Bald Eagle, named Liberty, will make a guest appearance. You will have an opportunity for an up close and personal experience with this imposing and symbolic bird. Mr. Allen's presentation will be about the successes and setbacks the NYSDEC has experienced reviving the bald eagle population in New York State, from just one pair of nesting Bald Eagles in 1960, to a much healthier population of more than 80 nesting pairs. The focus of this discussion will be on the pair of Bald Eagles located on Irondequoit Bay and the policies and procedures that the NYSDEC uses to protect of the birds and their sensitive nesting site. Date: February 27, 2008, 7 p.m. This event is free and open to the public. No registration required. Location: Irondequoit Town Hall 1280 Titus Ave. Rochester, NY 14617 - Co-sponsors of this event: Sierra Club Department of Environmental Conservation Supporters: Town of Irondequoit Institute for Environmental Learning Adirondack mountain Club Rochester Birding Association Newport Yacht Club Irondequoit Bay Fish and Game Club
• 12/20/07 - We need continual, updated, and thorough information about our environment, so we the public can make informed decisions: I applaud the Democrat and Chronicle for this new section of its online newspaper ROCDOC These are useful documents and reports concerning the Rochester area.  There are several very useful environmental reports and documents, I suggest you check out: 1. Lead: A Toxic Legacy – “Lead paint in deteriorating urban housing has taken its toll on thousands of Rochester children.” 2. Danger Below: Toxic Vapors: “An ongoing Democrat and Chronicle investigation has revealed that the Rochester region is replete with old, illicit, toxic dump sites that have not been cleaned up by government agencies. As a result, hazardous chemicals, especially TCE, continue to seep through soil and water, posing a threat to the health of nearby residents”. 3. Hazardous waste disposal: “Statewide, more than 400 older hazardous waste disposal sites with underground contamination are being studied for evidence that toxic vapors could be rising through the soil and accumulating in nearby buildings. Forty-seven of these sites are in the Rochester region. In the coming months, buildings may be tested for vapors near some of those sites. An undetermined number of newer hazardous waste disposal sites not on this list could be in for the same treatment.”
• 12/20/07 -  More trees are good. It would be great if Rochester adopted this public lunge towards planting more and diverse trees for its urban tree population. Trees not only enhance public and private property in the urban setting, they help towards Global Warming by cooling down cities, which heat up because of asphalt and buildings retain heat in the summer. Not to mention trees take in carbon breathe in carbon dioxide and thus help sequester it instead of emitting it like our cars. Mayor applauds city-wide tree planting -Binghamton -- The Department of Parks and Recreation, Shade Tree Commission, and 25 volunteers collaborated to plant 164 trees in Binghamton’s public utility strips between November 13th and 28th, fulfilling resident requests for trees at those sites and enhancing the sustainability of the local tree population. (Dec 20, 07) New York State News on the Net!
• 12/20/07 - I have not read this assessment yet of how increase ethanol production will affect the Great Lakes region, but it should prove interesting now that the Energy Independence and Security Act  has been passed. http://www.glc.org/tributary/pubs/documents/EthanolPaper121807FINAL.pdf "An assessment of the current status and trends of corn-based ethanol production and the potential impacts of increasing corn output in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River region to meet that demand are the focus of a research paper released today by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Great Lakes & Ohio River Division and the Great Lakes Commission."--from GLIN
• 12/18/07 - **ACTION** - Stop Big Media - Take Action: Stop Big Media "The clock is ticking. On Tuesday, Dec. 18, the Federal Communications Commission plans to open the floodgates of further media consolidation across America. We can still stop them.Urge your senators to support the Media Ownership Act (S. 2332), legislation that will delay tomorrow's vote at the FCC. After you make your calls, please tell us how it went." -from StopBigMedia.com
• 12/18/07 -  **ESSAYS**  - Media Priorities - Hannah Montana made it to Rochester during an almost blizzard and out again.  I don’t know who Hannah Montana is, but I’m glad she made it safely to and from Rochester.  I know this because the local news was saturated with this topic all weekend.  I could not find, however, a story about the climate talks in Bali, where the US dragged its feet on coming to an agreement with the rest of the world on curbing Global Warming gases. Wait, it was mentioned here: ENVIRONMENT: You're getting warmer - News & Opinion - Rochester City Newspaper  I’m wondering what goes on in the minds of the editors of the media sources in our area.  When I asked around to those who listen to local news, I found nobody who had any idea what Bali was or what was going on there last week.  This is odd considering that in less than 24 hours, the Federal Communications Commission plans to vote through rules that will let the largest media companies swallow up more local newspapers and TV stations. This is the Media Ownership Act of 2007 (S. 2332) where the FCC made a token attempt to receive public comment on this issue and despite questioning by Congress on whether they even listened to the public concern about merging media companies, are pushing like mad to get this bill passed. How has it come to pass that we have decided that it’s far more important to inform ourselves about the movements of a pop star than even mentioning that our environment is in deep trouble and our country, which releases more green house gases than any nation in the world, refuses to set limits or work with other nations?  Check out this story from the NY Times: Bali Climate Talks - Global Warming - New York Times or any of the listing I've placed on my blog,  Environmental Thoughts.These are strange days indeed.  I guess to some, like media editors, environmental matters, like sustainability and the survival, are now assumed to be patrician issues and they’re squeamish about the objectivity problem: If the media mentions that Global Warming could radically change our way of life and that our present administration refuses to help find a solution with other nations—they would have to trouble themselves to find someone to argue the opposite position.  Of course, that is becoming increasing hard to do because most of the nation of the world and most of the scientists in those nations know Global Warming to be a major threat.  Here’s my point: As our mainstream media consolidates to save itself from making smaller and smaller profits, we the people are going to become more and more inundated with media views that don’t conform to reality.  Environmental issues, which seem to threaten corporations, will be mentioned less and less, though they rise in importance around the world.  The world is watching us and they must wonder how such a rich, intelligent, and powerful country can have so many people who don’t even care about the planet they share with others.  But, we sure do know about our pop stars and which sports heroes take what performance enhancing drugs.  We are going on our merry way in this country oblivious to the looming environmental crisis of Global Warming and what other nations think of our dismissal of it.   
• 12/17/07 - Can the environment be too costly? It’s an odd sense of priorities when we as a species decide that our way of life is more important than life itself. That we cannot and should not disrupt our economy to save ourselves and future generations from environmental degradation because we cannot fit it into our budget. How have things gotten to this state? How can the smartest species ever to existed on this planet come to the collective decision that the system they use to motivate themselves (our economy) be so important that cleaning up and making our existence sustainable must take a back seat to a thriving economy. If we were smart, we would alter our economy to accommodate our environment and insure our future. This can be done by allowing our environment to become an integral part of our economy—which, of course, it will do anyway because when you run out of natural resources, you run out of natural resources. When the planet heats up and you can’t grow crops that fed your economy, or cannot provide fresh water to your industry because of a sustained drought, or you can’t breathe the air your local industry creates, then your economy fails. So, this story is very weird in the sense that anyone things environmental issues can be put aside to save ourselves. If we don’t get our priorities strait, that a clean environment comes first, Nature will make sure we do. Reports say warming hurts Mich., but are fixes too costly? The international fight over global warming, and what to do about it, is coming to Lansing, where a fight is brewing over proposed reforms that advocates say can repair environmental damage but critics contend a recession-plagued state can't afford. In the past week, two reports found that global warming already is harming the state. One, released Thursday by the National Environmental Trust, found the state ranks 10th nationally for carbon dioxide emissions blamed on warming. Last week, a three-year, binational study concluded rising temperatures already are a threat to the comeback of the Detroit River and Lake Erie. (Dec 14, 07) Detroit News Online | Monday, December 17, 2007
• 12/16/07 - This should be one of our top priorities. Our future is the environment and any designs for our future must include sustainable (that means it’s going to survive) designs. That means good planning. That means your involvement in your community’s future. Check out this site and what role you can play in shaping and preserving our environment. RRCDC: Rochester Regional Community Design Center "The Rochester Regional Community Design Center is a group of design professionals, planners and citizens with a shared interest in defining, promoting and helping to implement design excellence and sustainability in the built environment." Want to become involved in your communities future and protect your environment, joining their efforts: RRCDC: Reshaping Rochester! 2008 Get their full event calendar - ***William Hudnut Former Mayor Indianapolis IN Senior Resident Fellow, Urban Land Institute Washington DC Third Presbyterian Church 4 Meigs Street 7–9 pm ***Bruce Katz Vice President and Founding Director Metropolitan Policy Program, Brookings Institution Washington DC St. Mary’s Church 15 St. Mary’s Place 7–9 pm *** Robert Campbell Architecture Critic Pulitzer Prize Recipient Boston Globe Cutler Union Memorial Art Gallery 500 University Ave 7–9 pm April 24 May 13 June 11 *** David Boehlke Founding member Healthy Neighborhoods Alexandria VA Lutheran Church of the Reformation 111 N. Chestnut Street 7–9 pm ***Richard Bernhardt Executive Director Nashville-Davidson County Planning Nashville TN Chapel Hill (formerly Sacred Heart Academy) 8 Prince Street 7–9 pm *** Walter J. Hood, Jr. Landscape Architecture UC Berkeley Principal, Hood Design Berkeley CA Visual Studies Workshop 31 Prince Street 7–9 pm
• 12/16/07 - **ACTION** Take Action: Help Stop Global Warming. Act Now! New York power plants want to keep spewing the pollution that causes climate change into our air. Under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the state's environmental agency will make dirty power plants clean up their act by requiring them to cut carbon dioxide emissions and pay a price for any remaining pollution. Tell the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) that you want them to auction 100 percent of carbon dioxide allowances in order to ensure that power plants in New York State don't get a free pass on pollution. Let's make sure the regional climate plan gives power producers a real incentive to cut global warming pollution. --from Environmental Advocates of New York
• 12/14/07 - **EVENT**  - Park and Ttrails NY Need Help with a Trail Project? Technical Assistance available from Parks & Trails New York - One month remaining to application deadline! Applications for technical assistance through Parks & Trails New York 's Healthy Trails, Healthy People program are being accepted until January 11, 2008. Parks & Trails New York staff provide technical and planning assistance, present workshops, and offer organizational support to help communities develop multi-use trails. Community organizations and local governments are encouraged to apply. Prior to submitting an application, contact Parks & Trails New York or call (518) 434-1583. Selection is based on the level of community interest, partnership possibilities, and opportunities to increase physical activity levels. Please pass this alert on to others who care about parks & trails in New York Parks & Trails New York 29 Elk Street, Albany, N.Y. 12207 518-434-1583
• 12/14/07 - Recycling Redux - Sometimes the greatest innovation has already been done.  Recycling, extracting our junk into resources is probably one of the greatest hopes for curbing our environmental problems.  No more landfills, no more toxins leaching into our ground and water, no more exporting toxic materials to the developing countries, no more waste period.  Imagine taking everything we potentially throw away—steel, iron, paper, cardboard, computers, batteries, appliances, even house—and reusing everything.  I mean everything, so that nothing gets wasted.  Wouldn’t we be for the first time a responsible and thrifty society?  Not really.  It’s not such a wild new idea.  If lived through World War II, or watched The War - A Film By Ken Burns and Lynn Novick (2007) you know that massive recycling has been done before in the United States.  You know that everyone, especially kids, will pitch in and learn how to extract and prepare everything not essential for the recycling project.  You already know that these extracted items can be put in a place where the recyclers can get at them, where the recyclers can take them to industry to reuse them.  Everything gets reused, nothing goes into the ground, less natural resources need to be ripped from our environment—sounds like an impossible dream, except that it’s already been done.  We can do it again if the public understands the importance and critical need for this to happen.  When not only government, but industry remembers how to do this massive recycling, turning junk into new resources and products, our economy can thrive. Once galvanized recycling on the scale accomplished back in World War Two can be accomplished.     
• 12/14/07 - **EVENT**  Sierra Club Book Study Group  We are reading Break Through: From the Death of Environmentalism to the Politics of Possibility by Nordhaus and Shellenberger. It's a thoughtful, challenging treatise. While taking the need for immediate action on global warming (among other issues) very seriously, the authors make a compelling case that "we" have been going about promoting that need all wrong. They offer many examples of other ways to do it. So, it should be a great discussion! Please join us Monday, January 14 from 7:00PM to 8:30. at the Friends Meeting House (corner of Scio and Charlotte Streets, across from the East End Parking Garage. Janet Laird, Group Coordinator   Free and open to the public.
• 12/14/07 - New Boon for Great Lakes Region? Since observing the news about the great droughts going on in the South and West (and the possible diversion of waters to those regions) I’ve also thought that our area’s loss of population to the South and West might be not only stemmed, but increased if the public thought of the advantage of our area having so much fresh water. Within this century, the one that might see dramatic changes in climate, it could be true that populations and industry might gravitate towards areas with lost of fresh, clean water. Check this story out from Syracuse. We in Rochester will probably joining the bandwagon in the near future. And, this can have good and bad consequences, depending on how this new paradigm is handled. One good way would be to insure that our waters remain clean and fresh and attractive to any one wanting to move here or set up a business. Onondaga County to rest of nation: Plenty of fresh, clean water here ... - Syracuse.com Could the Southeast's water woes bring companies and jobs to Central New York? Onondaga County's economic development office thinks so. Starting next month and continuing through March, it will launch an advertising campaign touting the county's abundant supply of clean water and available land at a 250-acre site in Clay the county is trying to turn into a business park. (Dec 14, 07)  News, Sports, Entertainment, Video, and Life in Central New York - Syracuse.com
• 12/13/07 - Learn about Climate Change in the Northeast and take actions. Climate Choices in the Northeast "See how global warming is changing the Northeast and how choices we make today will determine our children's and grandchildren's quality of life." --From Climate Choices www.climatechoices.org
• 12/12/07 -- New York State is taking the relicensing of Nuclear Power Plants seriously.  We need energy that does not pollute, but at what cost? DEC Position on Indian Point Relicensing - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation "Governor Eliot Spitzer and Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo have announced the submission of papers to deny the relicensing of the Indian Point nuclear power plant. The papers identify dangerous deficiencies - including those related to terrorism, evacuation plans and the surrounding population density - in Entergy's relicensing application."
• 12/12/07 - Read or listen or watch the speech: Al Gore, 2007 Nobel Peace Laureate speaking in Oslo, Norway. --provided by Democracy Now! | Radio and TV News
• 12/09/07 - Be a part of your changing environment. Too often the public sees a changing environment in a passive way. It seems, to the casual eye, that the changes about us, including the rise of concern about Global Warming, was something that came inevitably without our participation. No so. At every point along the continuum of anthropogenic change in our environment were decisions made by someone that has made crucial changes to our environment. Here’s an example: This community is going to decide on changes to the lakefront of Seneca Lake. As a citizen you have the right to be a part of the change and help that it not only insures that your area grows economically sound, but environmental sound also. You cannot have economically sound environment, if you trash the environment to get it. City of Geneva Department of Planning and Economic Development Geneva Industrial Development Agency -- Lakefront/Downtown Development Plan II Ten years ago, the City of Geneva completed its first Lakefront Master Plan. That document, along with the City's Master Plan, has guided much of the development activity in the lakefront and downtown areas of Geneva over the last decade. Changes in Geneva's landscape during that time now require the community to update the plan that will shape the future of the lakefront and downtown.
• 12/09/07 - Please think twice about letting your pets go into the wild. Some, when tired of their pets, may think that the most humane thing they can do when they are tried of, or for some reason, cannot continue to care for their exotic pet, believe that releasing them into the wild is the next best solution. Not true. Sometimes the consequences of such actions are not only dear to the animals and plants you release, but to our environment as a whole. Check out this very important site: Habitattitude (TM) "Welcome to a site for aquarium hobbyists, backyard pond owners, water gardeners and others who are concerned about aquatic resource conservation. Americans enjoy a diversity of hobbies, many of which involve our natural environment. And protecting these resources is an important part of our overall enjoyment." HabitattitudeTM is a national initiative developed by the ANS Task Force and its partner organizations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service serves the lead federal agency for HabitattitudeTM; however, there are some very distinct differences between this and previous ANS Task Force initiatives. HabitattitudeTM has the significant support and involvement of two different, but related sectors; the pet and aquarium trade and the nursery and landscape industry. This support and involvement is what separates HabitattitudeTM from other initiatives and it will ultimately make this campaign successful. 
• 12/09/07 - Invasive plant species around New York State, where are they? Check out The Invasive Plant Council of NYS IPC has developed an Early Detection list for each of the eight PRISM regions in the state (see PRISM map at bottom of page). Each of the plants listed below is on the Early Detection List for one or more PRISMs.
• 12/08/07 - Be sure the check Rochester City Newspaper for articles on environment this week. There's even an short article from Bill McKibben on why the Bali Conference is so important. ENVIRONMENT: You're getting warmer By Bill McKibben on Dec. 5th, 2007 "Ten years warmer: The important physical-world reality to know about the 10 years after Kyoto is that they included the warmest years on record. All of the warmest years on record. In that span of time, we've come to understand that not only is the globe warming, but also that we'd dramatically underestimated the speed and the size of that warming. By now, the data from the planet outstrips the scientific prediction on an almost daily basis."
• 12/08/07 - Have a happy holiday and stay Green: Green Up Your Holidays by Reducing, Reusing, Recycling, Composting and Buying Recycled - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation The holiday season with its accompanying buying, wrapping and celebrating substantially increases the amount of solid waste we generate. However, there are many opportunities for you to reduce, reuse and recycle the remnants of holiday cheer. Listed below are some tips for reducing waste during the holiday season.--from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
• 12/08/07 - **ACTION** Ask The Little Theatre (the greatest film house in town) to show these two new environmental films: Out Of Balance: ExxonMobil's Impact on Climate Change “Out of Balance: ExxonMobil’s Impact on Climate Change“ shows the influence that the largest company in the world has on governments, the media and citizens and what can be done about global warming. While the Earth’s climate is pushed further out of balance by increasing use of fossil fuels, ExxonMobil continues to assert undue influence around the world— making record profits while ignoring climate science for which there has been overwhelming consenus for over ten years. " And  - Here's another environmental film documentary that is a must: King Corn If our local theatre's don't show it, order online or have your environmental group order them and show for the public.
• 12/08/07 - Looking for the latest and greatest happening blogs on Global Warming where you can learn quickly what is going on and join in the discussion?
  • Post Carbon Cities "The Post Carbon Cities program helps local governments understand the challenges posed by energy and climate uncertainty, and provides resources for elected officials, planners, managers and others to develop plans and responses appropriate to their communities. Post Carbon Cities is a program of Post Carbon Institute. Post Carbon Institute conducts research, develops resources and organizes leaders to aid the smooth transition of local economies to a world no longer dependent on hydrocarbon fuels nor emitting climate-changing levels of carbon: the post-carbon world."
  • http://blogs.reuters.com/environment
  • http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/ "By 2050 or so, the world population is expected to reach nine billion, essentially adding two Chinas to the number of people alive today. Those billions will be seeking food, water and other resources on a planet where, scientists say, humans are already shaping climate and the web of life. In Dot Earth, reporter Andrew C. Revkin examines efforts to balance human affairs with the planet’s limits. Supported in part by a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship, Mr. Revkin tracks relevant news from suburbia to Siberia, and conducts an interactive exploration of trends and ideas with readers and experts."
  • http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/sci_tech/green_room/default.stm The Green Room -from BBC News.
  • Dateline Earth Dateline Earth Seattle Post-Intelligencer reporters Lisa Stiffler and Robert McClure dish up enviro tidbits from around the region and across the globe -- stuff you might have missed, cool environmental happenings locally and speedy updates for ongoing issues.
  • http://environmentaldefenseblogs.org/climate411/ Blogging the science and policy of global warming  --from Environmental Defense - Finding the Ways That Work
• 12/07/07 - This Rochester-based site has some very practical and unique ways of saving energy for our planet and for your pocket book. I’m always looking for innovative a Rochester-area environmental site that uses this 21st Century to help us live a sustainable lif--and this site gets specific. Check it out and monitor your energy and living habits so you personally can help move our way of life to a more sustainable one.  PROJECT-HOUSE.US "Project H.O.U.S.E. is designed to be a comprehensive resource for anyone who is looking for information, motivation, organizations, etc. in regard to reducing our carbon footprint, saving energy, and sustaining a liveable planet. Please click on all the tabs to fully access the information and resources available to you on this site."
• 12/06/07 - **EVENT** The Finger Lakes Group of the SIERRA CLUB cordially invites you to a
  Zero Waste Forum - Sponsored by the SIERRA CLUB National Zero Waste Committee -December 12, 2007 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. -Steele Memorial Library -101 East Church Street, Elmira - KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Lynne Pledger, from Hardwick, Massachusetts -Member, SC National Zero Waste Committee -Learn more about: The role our production/disposal cycle is playing in the Global Warming crisis. Why recycling is not enough! How other communities are moving forward with Zero Waste. What we can and must do to implement Zero Waste initiatives in our area. Light refreshments will be served. For more information contact Robin De Lill Stroman -Sierra Club Finger Lakes Group Zero Waste Committee Chair at (607)529-3510 or stromanhome@earthlink.net “Humans are the only species that create waste. Waste is a resource in disguise. It represents a failure of our processes and products and a loss of money.” The Zero Waste Alliance “recommends that the entire concept of waste should be eliminated from our thinking and the word resource be substituted.” (See www.zerowaste.org ). The Zero Waste Forum is meant to show Sierrans, local government officials and policy makers, and all interested citizens why we can no longer wait for the one-person-at-a-time approach to the waste crisis facing this country. Organizers of the forum hope to educate the public about Zero Waste initiatives with the result that citizens and leaders will join the movement to implement Zero Waste in every community.
• 12/06/07 - About changing your media. I believe in this day, when mainstream, corporate media blurs and spins important environmental information that we need to survive because of their specific ideologies and their shareholder’s economic interests, we have to change our media. We have to change how we get our media and the sources we use to inform us of what’s going on. If the media we are accustomed to has mislead us or chooses on an unsound basis which stores we shall listen to and which they want us to ignore, then we have to change. There’s no shortage of new and old media out there. And by “out there,” one of the main conduits for finding out what exactly is going on in our environment is too surf around the Internet for trusted news sources, which can come from other countries, other industries, other groups—voices that don’t appear on our television or radios (Or, maybe they do, but we could not reach them except for the power of the Internet). So, all this points to the importance of this story coming out of the NYS Governor’s office that can make it easier for all of us to have this choice of media: Affordable, High-Speed Broadband Internet for Every New Yorker - "Increased access to broadband service combined with digital literacy programs can dramatically improve social, cultural and educational opportunities that ultimately lead to increased job creation and economic development. This Universal Broadband initiative is a key component of the First Lady’s I Live New York initiative aimed at attracting and retaining New York’s next generation."
• 12/03/07 - Recycling Question: "Is it okay to throw burned out fluorescent bulbs out with the trash? I understand there's some mercury in them: if there's a cheap alternative that ensures the mercury won't enter the food system, I'd rather do that." My answer: You ask a very good question. There is a tiny (I mean really small amount) bit of mercury in each of these new fluorescent bulbs, but they should not go into the trash or the Monroe County recycling system. Yet, you should still replace your present incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent blubs because they are so much more energy efficient that some countries, including Australia, are now going to ban incandescent bulbs. Here's what the Monroe County website says: "If discarded from a household, call 753-7600 (option 3) to set up an appointment for drop-off at the Monroe County HHW Facility. Please purchase fluorescent tubes with green ends—they have reduced mercury in them." If you need more information about what should and should not go into the Monroe County recycling system, go to the Monroe County Recycling page: Residential Recycling http://www.monroecounty.gov/des-residentialrecycling.php  and check out the document: Material the curbside Recycling Program Does Not Include: http://www.monroecounty.gov/File/Non-Blue%20Box%20Program%20Materials.pdf I would suggest that you wait until you get several (these bulbs last a long time, seven years, I've heard) and put them someplace until you have enough to make it worthwhile to call. However, by the time your florescent blubs burn out, Monroe County, a new company, or a local group of some kind will have developed a program for household residents to easily dispose of these bulbs properly. Many environmental groups, government, and industry are aware of the mercury problem and I'm sure it will be address. Please remember that the amount in any one bulb is vanishingly small and the bulbs last a long time, so the solution is coming.
• 12/02/07 - This Month's RochesterEnvironment.com's Newsletter:  November 2007 RENewsletter Word (requires Word document plug-in for your browser)   November 2007 RENewsletter PDF (requires Adobe Reader) The reason is that while the Word format provides all the online features (all links on the newsletter work) not everyone can use this format.  With Adobe Reader, a format that most browsers accept, there is a limited ability to follow the embedded links to online articles and web page, and e-mails that are a very important part of RENewsletter.  Both formats print out perfectly for easy reading. Please click on the version of your choice.

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