RENewsletter | June 21, 2009
The Free environmental newsletter from RochesterEnvironment.com
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/>
"Our Environment is changing: Keep up with the Change."
[06/14/09- 06/21/09]
* Need to vent? | Go to my blog: Environmental
<http://rochesterenvironmentny.blogspot.com/> Thoughts - Rochester, NY
Opening <> Salvo | NewsLinks <> | Daily <> Updates | Events <> |
Environmental <> Site of the Month | Take Action <> |
[Hyperlinks work by CTRL + click to follow a link]
__________________________________________
Opening Salvo: "Hope for a Messy World"
One would think that the days of a monolithic weltanschauung
<http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Weltanschauung> are over, where singular
views of religion, culture, ideas, even prejudices, once ruled. Now, it's
not only unfashionable, but positively Neanderthal to be continually
captivated by a single view of life. Makes you look stodgy.
Yet, I tenaciously hold (despite many discussions to the contrary) that
Nature rules. Moreover, it will do so even in Rochester. This seems to be
an unpopular single-mindedness because in this Recession the
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_is_Flat> "World is Flat" view means
keep changing or you'll get run over by new ideas, new economic models, and
especially the Internet. The prevailing thinking seems to be: in this modern
world, you had better streamline your operation. Better just paint yourself
green and not go the whole hog. And, quite frankly, harping on
environmental issues bores and annoys a lot of people-though given the
wholesale consequences of environmental collapse (Think Easter Island in
that chapter in Collapse: How Societies
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse_(book)> Choose to Fail or Succeed by
Jared M. Diamond) not obsessing on our environment at this moment in history
seems foolhardy.
Mainstream media seems convinced that pandering to a cornucopia of issues
rather than zeroing our attention on environmental changes will sell better.
Some news outlets ignore the environment altogether. As I read the news, it
seems more profitable for the media to report on stories about impeding or
cobbling legislation like the Climate
<http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/14/AR200...
2266.html> Energy-Bill or the Bottle
<http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090603/NEWS01/906030337...
rss01> Bill. Seems to make more sense for the media to go with the flow,
that is, tone down environmental stories and balance our environmental
concerns with our other preoccupations: job loss, wars, or Eliot Spitzer's
comeback-which given his brainpower and good work on behalf of our
environment, may not be a bad idea.
The world, I maintain, really is flat, not just because of the Internet and
zippy broadband Wi-Fi's. It's flat because Nature rules China, Hong Kong,
Timbuktu, Rochester and everything living on this planet. Global Warming
will not only change this pale blue dot
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pale_Blue_Dot> , it's going to have some very
peculiar changes-according to this week's release of the US Global Change
Research <http://www.globalchange.gov/> Program-on the Northeast
<http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessmen...
impacts/regional-climate-change-impacts/northeast> -which is where, as we
all know boys and girls, Rochester, NY resides. Too, that pandemic is
wreaking havoc not only on the Third world with fewer economic resources;
it's straining our health system <http://www.mpnnow.com/homepage/rss> here
in Monroe County.
This week alone we learned that the Emerald Ash Borer
<http://www.dec.ny.gov/press/55725.html> crossed into NYS, promising to
kill or affect 7% of our state's trees. This invasive
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/invasive_species.htm> species issue
was somebody else's problem. But due to a changing environment, it's now in
our backyard. Also, a recent environmental study (something we should be
doing continually) points out that all those PCB
<http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/mohawks-and-pcbs> 's we've
been dumping and allowing to be dumped are changing us. But, not in a good
way.
Ok, enough doom and gloom. This week had some bright spots in our movement
here in the Rochester area towards sustainability: steps are being taken on
curbing pharmaceutical
<http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1519...
XI.Local.Stories/Great.Lakes.Cities.Tackle.Pharmaceutical.Pollution>
pollution, a new group
<http://www.buffalonews.com/cityregion/story/708357.html> forming to fight
for water quality, our very own U of R is finding ways to save
<http://inventorspot.com/articles/will_laser_technology_bring_back_ene...
ficient_incandescent_l_29061> the incandescent bulb by requiring less
energy, more green energy, a forum
<http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20090616/GROUP01/90611035...
/rss01> on green jobs is coming up this week, boating
<http://www.fws.gov/news/NewsReleases/showNews.cfm?newsId=C58E867B-A2C...
-C088478A841A3296> courses by the DEC to teach boaters how not to pollute
our waters, help to green
<http://www.lohud.com/article/20090614/NEWS01/906140353/1019/NEWS03> up our
auto shops, and articles describing how that high-speed
<https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/policy-and-strategy/planning-bureau/...
rail-plan> rail project everyone is talking about might help
<http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/14/realestate/14sqft.html?_r=3&scp=1&s...
&st=cse> our cities.
So, there is a lot of hope in this messy world that that has one ruling
power: the laws of Nature-not man's wishes or his economic models (which,
are presently in a tailspin). However, hope does not hinge on deluding
ourselves that we are getting greener when we are not. Hope depends on
putting environmental issues squarely before us, not cherry-picking the
hopeful stories, as our local media too often does. The hope is that our
media will switch gears and get the environment so in our collected faces
that we all feel compelled to make the changes that will make our way of
life sustainable.
FrankRe...@RochesterEnvironment.com
<mailto:FrankRe...@RochesterEnvironment.com?subject=I'm%20contacting%20you%2
0from%20the%20RENewsletter> (Click on my email for feedback)
__________________________________________
NewsLinks - Environmental <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
NewsLinks - [Highlights of major environmental stories concerning our area
from the past week]
* Bottled Water at City
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> Events - We've been Billed
* Pharmaceutical Pollution
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* New Group Fights for Water
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> Quality
* Gassing 800 Canadian Geese
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Bear Falls, Dies <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* UofR Saving the <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
Incandescent Bulb
* Emerald Ash Borer is Here
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* NYS DEC Open Space Plan
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Possible 850,000 New Jobs
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> in US
* Green Energy for NYS
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Pandemic Flu in Monroe
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> County
* Water, the New Oil <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* US Report on Climate Change
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> - Northeast
* GREEN JOBS FORUM - JUNE 25
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Report: Move Quickly on
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> Global Warming
* Boating Course to Protect
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> our Waters
* Bear in Tree <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Green Auto Shops - NYS DEC
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* PCB's in Food Study <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Swine Flu Money <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Record Breaking Recycling Event
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm>
* Bicyclers <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> &
Walkers Project
* High Speed Rail's Effect on
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/news.htm> Cities
___________________________________________
Updates - Daily Updates
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/Daily%20Updates.htm> - [Connecting the
dots on Rochester's environment. Find out what's going on environmentally in
our area-and why you should care? Clicking on
<http://rochesterenvironmentny.blogspot.com/> -DISCUSSION - will take you to
my blog "Environmental Thoughts, NY, where you can add your comments.]
* 6/20/09 - Recycling
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/recycling.htm> - Do you need to dispose
of hazardous household waste? Please note: Monroe County's Hazardous
Household Waste (HHW) Appointment Scheduler (includes Pharmaceuticals)
http://www.monroecounty.gov/hhw
* 6/20/09 - Find out what you are eating and what chemicals may or
maynot have gotten in your food: What <http://www.whatsonmyfood.org/> 's On
My Food? Pesticides :on our food, even after washing; :in our bodies, for
years; :& in our environment, traveling many miles on wind, water and dust.
What's On My Food? is a searchable database designed to make the public
problem of pesticide exposure visible and more understandable. -- More
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/food.htm> on Food and our Environment
here...
* 6/20/09 - Environmentalists:
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/enviromentalists.htm> New group joins
online wealth of information and monitoring to protect our environment:
Niagara Watershed Alliance <http://www.had-e-nuff.com/> A group of
committed Niagara County citizens working to restore the health of the
Niagara Region Watershed ecosystem. | Due to the inability of government to
control and /or eliminate the storage and importation of hazardous and
radioactive waste within the Niagara Watershed and Great Lakes basin, the
Niagara Watershed Alliance has decided to form a consortium of educational,
environmental, elected officials, economic, public health and safety groups
to pool resources in finding a method to stop the degradation of the Niagara
Watershed and Great Lakes basin. We welcome all who wish to join in our
efforts.
* 6/20/09 - Reducing our dependency on those ubiquitous plastic bags
littering our roads, trails, up in the branches of our trees, down our
drainpipes, across our lawns and just about everywhere is not just a good
idea - it's the law. Mostly, these laws pertain to large stores, but it's a
sign that times are a'changing. Think of taking a reusable bag around with
you when you shop and buying less stuff. NYS Plastic Bag
<http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/50421.html> Reduction, Reuse and Recycling
Law - NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation * Title 27 - Plastic Bag
Reduction, Reuse and Recycling Section 27-2701. Definitions. 27-2703. Store
operator responsibilities. 27-2705. Recycling program requirements. 27-2707.
Manufacturer responsibilities. 27-2709. Department responsibility. 27-2711.
Regulations. 27-2713. Preemption. * NB There are 2 Title 27's
* 6/20/09 - From our friends over at Rochesterians Against The Misuse
of Pesticides (RAMP), we learn more about how our modern idea of a oil and
pesticide intensive lawn have come about. But, you can free yourself from
your pesticides and tractors. Read RAMP: You can join RAMP, one of the
most effective environmental organizations in Rochester, by writing to 10
Landing Road South, Rochester, NY 14610. Meanwhile, check out this way to
reduce your lawn and go natural: LessLawn : information about landscape
<http://www.lesslawn.com/> design for nature lovers... shrink your lawn and
grow your pleasure!Want a low-maintenance, ecologically friendly landscape?
Chemical free? Want to do it yourself? Find information and inspiration here
at LessLawn. We'll help you shrink your lawn and grow your pleasure!
* 6/20/09 -Find out how Global Warming might change various of our
environment: | Global Change
<http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=1354-1013> Biology - Journal
Information Global Change Biology exists to promote understanding of the
interface between all aspects of current environmental change and biological
systems, including rising tropospheric O3 and CO2 concentrations, climate
change, loss of biodiversity, and eutrophication. Topics covered include the
following, in the context of biological implications and feedbacks: Climate
change Global change Land-use change Rising carbon dioxide Ocean warming
Atmospheric pollution Carbon sequestration Carbon mitigation Global food
security --from Wiley: <http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA>
* 6/18/09 - Do something about our Rochester Area Environment:
Searching around the net for environmental issues pertaining to our area, I
came across this from the Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester
<http://dogood.democratandchronicle.com/featured/causes/environment;js...
id=62E706A01191E763F6479C7289D501EF.node2> Environmental Causes - Get
Involved - The Democrat and Chronicle Generate positive energy! Are you
concerned about global warming? Endangered species? Protecting wetlands
and/or beaches? Keeping your neighborhood park clean and safe? Check out
these opportunities to get involved. - from democratandchronicle.com
<http://www.democratandchronicle.com/> | Democrat and Chronicle | Rochester
news, community, entertainment, yellow pages and classifieds. Serving
Rochester, New York
* 6/17/09 - Find out what specific change we can expect from Climate
Change in our area: Northeast
<http://www.globalchange.gov/publications/reports/scientific-assessmen...
impacts/regional-climate-change-impacts/northeast> "Northeast annual
average temperature has increased by 2°F since 1970, with winter
temperatures rising twice this much. Warming has resulted in many other
climate-related changes including more frequent very hot days, a longer
growing season, an increase in heavy downpours, less winter precipitation
falling as snow and more as rain, reduced snowpack, earlier break-up of
winter ice on lakes and rivers, earlier spring snowmelt resulting in earlier
peak river flows, rising sea surface temperatures, and rising sea level.
These trends are projected to continue, with more dramatic changes under
higher emissions scenarios compared to lower emissions scenarios. Some of
the extensive climate-related changes projected for the region could
significantly alter the region's economy, landscape, character, and quality
of life." -from globalchange.gov <http://www.globalchange.gov/> "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
<http://www.globalchange.gov/about/program-structure/global-change-res...
act> 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."
* 6/17/09 - Get some green training for those green jobs: RIT -
Golisano Institute for <http://www.sustainability.rit.edu/> Sustainability
"The 1987 "Our Common Future" report of the World Commission on Environment
and Development defines sustainable development as development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs. Simply stated, a sustainable process is
one which can be carried out over and over without negative environmental
effects, such as air and water pollution, solid waste, and biodegradation
which lead to larger, global problems including climate change and
destruction of natural resources. "
* 6/17/09 - How is Vermont handling Green Jobs? U.S. Senator Bernie
<http://www.sanders.senate.gov/issues/green.cfm> Sanders ""Today we face
the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression. There is no better
moment to move forward aggressively on energy efficiency and creating new
sustainable energy and creating jobs in the process. The potential for job
growth in this area is bigger than almost anything else I can think of."
-Senator Bernie Sanders, chairman of the Senate Green Jobs and New Economy
Subcommittee"
* 6/16/09 - Bats help manage insects for farmers who produce our food.
White-nose bat syndrome is killing bats off in large numbers: Learn more:
White-Nose Syndrome in <http://www.fws.gov/northeast/white_nose.html> bats:
Something is killing our bats "In February 2006 some 40 miles west of
Albany, N.Y., a caver photographed hibernating bats with an unusual white
substance on their muzzles. He noticed several dead bats. The following
winter, bats behaving erratically, bats with white noses and a few hundred
dead bats in several caves came to the attention of New York Department of
Environmental Conservation biologists, who documented white-nose syndrome in
January 2007. Hundreds of thousands of hibernating bats have died since.
Biologists with state and federal agencies and organizations across the
country are still trying to find the answer to this deadly mystery. "
--Northeast Region, U.S. Fish <http://www.fws.gov/northeast/index.cfm> and
Wildlife Service
* 6/15/09 -Test that Well: As New York State does not have a
comprehensive law on well water standards, test your well water. It might be
helpful to contact your representative and ask them why we don't have
standards on well water, like we do for other drinking water. Well
<http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-05/nioe-wws052209.php> water
should be tested annually to reduce health risks to children Private well
water should be tested yearly, and in some cases more often, according to
new guidance offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
(NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, took a lead role in
working with the AAP to develop these recommendations and draft a new AAP
policy statement about the things parents should do if their children drink
well water. The recommendations call for annual well testing, especially for
nitrate and microorganisms such as coliform bacteria, which can indicate
that sewage has contaminated the well. The recommendations point out
circumstances when additional testing should occur, including testing when
there is a new infant in the house or if the well is subjected to structural
damage. (May 26, 09) EurekAlert! Public News List
<http://www.eurekalert.org/pubnews.php>
* 6/15/09 - It's good ole summertime and the fishing is:, err
problematical. Remember, if you are fishing in New York and eating the
fish, there are advisories by the NYS Department of Health. Of course, if
there were stricter controls on chemical releases into our waters (lakes,
streams, ponds, rivers, etc.) we wouldn't need a litany of restriction on
eating fish. But, there's a lot of stuff in our waters that shouldn't be
there. Chemicals
<http://www.health.state.ny.us/environmental/outdoors/fish/fish.htm> in
Sportfish and Game: 2009-2010 Health Advisories Fish are nutritious and good
to eat. However contaminated fish and game can be the main source of
exposure to some contaminants. New York State issues advisories of eating
sportfish and game because some of these foods contain chemicals at levels
that may be harmful to health. These advisories tell people which fish and
game to avoid and how to reduce exposure to fish they do eat. These
advisories are for sportfish and game that people take and are not for fish
and game sold in markets. -- New York State Department of Health
<http://www.health.state.ny.us/>
_________________________________________________
Events - Rochester <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/calendar.htm>
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:
FrankRe...@RochesterEnvironment.com with (EV event) in the subject line.
* Program on Marcellus Shale Gas Drilling and Water, Mon., June 22, 7
PM, Bath A public forum on the effects of Marcellus Shale gas drilling on
local water sources will be held Monday, June 22 at the Bath Fire Hall, 50
East Morris St., in Bath from 7:00 to 9:00 pm. The forum is for community
members, landowners and local government officials, and is sponsored by the
Steuben County Environmental Management Council, the Finger Lakes Group of
the Sierra Club, the League of Women Voters of Steuben County, the League of
Women Voters of Chemung County and the Bath Peace and Justice Group. The
speakers at the forum will be Steve Penningroth, executive director of the
state-certified water testing laboratory at the Community Science Institute
in Ithaca, Ron Bishop, lecturer in chemistry and biochemistry at SUNY
Oneonta, and Andrew Byers, a farmer/botanist from Newfield who has been
studying gas drilling issues. Ron Bishop will give an overview of natural
gas extraction technology and explain how water contamination can occur
during the gas drilling process. Steve Penningroth will describe how to
test private and municipal water wells so that landowners and municipal
officials can discover problems and have solid scientific baseline water
data that will stand up in court should contamination occur. Andrew Byers
will describe how community members who are knowledgeable about these issues
can take action. The forum is free and open to the public. For more
information, call 607-569-2114. WHAT: Program on Marcellus Shale Gas
Drilling and Water WHEN: Monday, June 22, 2009, 7:00 to 9:00 pm WHERE:
Bath Fire Hall, 50 East Morris St., Bath, NY
* <http://www.coolrochester.org/> Cool Rochester: Save Money, Energy
and the Planet www.CoolRochester.org <http://www.coolrochester.org/> COOL
ROCHESTER PUBLIC MEETING WHEN: June 24, 7-9pm WHERE: Downtown United
Presbyterian Church 121 N. Fitzhugh Street PARKING: Across the street at
the City Hall lot | Cool Rochester is a not-for-profit community group
taking action against climate change. Our goal is to help residents of the
greater-Rochester area reduce their collective carbon footprint by One
billion pounds by 2012. Cool Rochester is looking for volunteers to help
with this effort, as well as participants for a pilot program this summer.
Get the Cool Rochester Program
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/images/ProgramOverview.pdf> Overview.
* Cornell Cooperative Extension And New York Energy $martSM Programs
Present Green Jobs Forum Via Cornell Universities Distance Learning Network
- The Green Jobs Forum will provide basic information to Forum participants
on such issues as: What is meant by the term "green jobs" Where and in
what sectors of the economy do they exist Information on available
training programs What does the future look like for the "green jobs
sector" Information on starting a home performance business will also be
presented - When: June 25, 2009 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 Noon - Where: CCE, Monroe
County 249 Highland Avenue, Rochester 14620 To reserve a seat phone:
585.461.1000 - Who should attend? Building Contractors, Entrepreneurs,
Community Educators, Students, anyone interested in learning about new
opportunities in the Green Jobs Sector. Presenters: Representatives from the
Workforce Development Institute Representatives from New York Energy $martSM
Programs Dr. Joe Laquatra, a professor in the Department of Design and
Environmental Analysis at Cornell University, will facilitate this event Get
the Flyer: http://www.mycce.org/monroe/green-jobs-poster.pdf --from
http://www.mycce.org/monroe
* THE UPS AND DOWNS OF CAYUGA LAKE Thursday June 25 at 7 pm At the
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge 3395 Route 5/20 East Seneca Falls, NY
13148 315-568-5987 Why does the level of Cayuga Lake waters fluctuate
throughout the year? What and who controls the changes in lake level and
why? Bill Kappel, a hydrogeologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, will
answer questions about the seasonal variations in the level of Cayuga Lake.
Bill includes a historical water-level perspective on Cayuga Lake -- its ups
and downs, natural and man-made. Come learn about the hydrology, geology,
and history of Cayuga Lake. This program is jointly sponsored by the
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge http://www.fws.gov/r5mnwr , the Cayuga
Lake Watershed Network http://www.cayugalake.org , and the Cayuga Lake
Watershed Intermunicipal Organization http://www.cayugawatershed.org
<http://www.cayugawatershed.org/>
* The RAMP Garden Teach-In 2009, a fundraiser for Rochesterians
Against the Misuse of Pesticides, is Saturday, June 27, from 10 to 2, and is
dedicated to the memory of Nancy Watson Dean, a RAMP board member who died
May 1. The Teach-In differs from a garden tour in that visitors can absorb
the gardening wisdom of their hosts in a more leisurely way. The event
features two spectacular gardens with quite different styles, although both
approaches make use of native organic plants. The Henrietta garden of Roz
Bliss is well known in the greater Rochester area for its artistry and
variety. Tricia Wright's garden in the city's Cobbs Hill area is a National
Wildlife Federation certified habitat that emits a sense of peacefulness
amid a proliferation of plants and wildlife. Travel between the two gardens
is direct, from Winton Road South in the city to near where it ends in the
Calkins Rd.section of Henrietta. Tickets are available at Abundance Co-op
and Parkleigh in the city, and at Lori's Natural Foods in Henrietta. They
are $10. and include a map guide and a raffle ticket to win quality prizes.
For more information, contact Audrey Newcomb 585-381-6489.
* New York Green Fest 2009 <http://nygreenfest.org/> Share ideas and
skills for sustainable living and Green politics, August 7-9, in Alfred, NY.
Learn how to build your own wind turbine, produce videos for the internet,
make tofu, make poetry, grow nut trees, and build an earth oven. Discuss
economics as a cultural system, sustainable cities, the rights of nature,
local sovereignty, the reality of renewable energy and liberation ecology.
Listen to our plenary speakers: Virginia Rasmussen and Cyril Mychelako on
the Politics of Sustainability, Art Weaver and Dan Miner on Sustainable
Energy, Joel Kovel and Tony Gronowicz on Politics and Nature, Bill Kauffman
and Lyn Gerry on Regionalism and Sustainability, and Steve Welzer and Jason
Nabewaniec on Visioning a Green Future. Green Fest 2009 will be held on the
campus of Alfred University <http://alfred.edu/> in Alfred
<http://alfredny.org/> , NY. Alfred is in rural Allegany
<http://www.discoveralleganycounty.com/> County, 80 miles south of
Rochester. The Short Line <http://www.coachusa.com/shortline/ss.tickets.asp>
Bus runs several buses daily between Alfred, Westchester, New York City and
Long Island. Green Fest will arrange buses from Rochester for attendees.
* <http://www.hb2009.org/home> Healthy Buildings 2009
(http://www.hb2009.org), an international conference and exhibition
showcasing innovations in indoor environmental quality and healthy and
sustainable environmental technology, will be held in US for the first time
in 12 years, September 13-17, 2009. Hosted by the Syracuse Center of
Excellence and Syracuse University, ISIAQ's signature conference will draw
more than 1,000 researchers and professionals from the disciplines of
architecture, building products and services, engineering, indoor
environmental quality, public health, urban planning, and workplace
performance from more than 42 different countries. HB2009 includes
remarkable plenary speakers such as Rick Fedrizzi, Founder of USGBC, as well
as Dr. Eduardo de Oliveira Fernandes of the University of Porto in Portugal,
Dr. Yuguo Li of the University of Hong Kong, and Dr. Shin-ichi Tanabe of
Waseda University in Japan; who have each made immense contributions to the
body of research in indoor air quality and related fields. The exhibition
(http://hb2009.org/exhibition), featuring the latest advancements in green
and clean technologies and innovation, will also showcase "OppEx," an
Opportunity Exchange (http://hb2009.org/opportunity_exchange) that will
include industry-leader keynote speakers; healthy buildings and clean and
green technology product and service demonstrations; technology transfer
ideas from world-class research universities; and many more opportunities
for intellectual collisions among attendees. In today's uncertain economic
climate, the benefit of international exchange and engagement is critical.
HB2009 offers researchers, professionals, and community planners a unique
opportunity to think strategically about the direction of industry and
technology through academic and industry collaboration in a world going
green. For more information about the conference and exhibition please visit
our website at www.hb2009.org, or contact clmat...@syr.edu. Also, in
addition to the rates currently listed on the web site, there is also a $25
one-day exhibition pass for those wishing to be a part of HB2009 on a
limited budget.
* Help Clean Up the World and put your activity on the global
environmental map! Held in partnership with the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP), Clean Up the World is one of the world's largest
community-based environmental campaigns with an estimated 35 million
volunteers from 120 countries participating annually in environmental
activities. Join the campaign and put your group and its activity on the
global environmental map by visiting activities.cleanuptheworld.org
<http://activities.cleanuptheworld.org/index.html?lang_id=en> . Activities
can be conducted year round, however the campaign's flagship event, Clean Up
the World Weekend (18-20 September 2009) is a global celebration of the
environmental actions and achievements of participants. Joining Clean Up
the World is simple: │ Register online:
http//:activities.cleanuptheworld.org
<http://activities.cleanuptheworld.org/index.html?lang_id=en> │ Email:
i...@cleanuptheworld.org │ Visit: www.cleanuptheworld.org
<http://www.cleanuptheworld.org/> │ Call: +61 2 9692 0700 │ Post: 18 Bridge
Road, Glebe NSW 2037, Australia. Clean Up
<http://www.cleanuptheworld.org/en> Clean Up the World partners with the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to inspire and assist
communities to "clean up, fix up and conserve their local environment"
through carrying out initiatives ranging from waste removal and tree
planting to water and energy conservation projects. Clean Up the World and
its participating organisations mobilise an estimated 35 million volunteers
from more than 120 countries annually.
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Action - Take <http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/action.htm> 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.
* Get informed, be involved in Climate and Energy legislation: Repower
America <http://www.repoweramerica.org/page/s/agpartnercall> | Join Al Gore
for an urgent briefing Join Al Gore for an urgent briefing We've never been
closer to breaking the political gridlock in Washington. Find out the latest
on historic climate and energy legislation that's moving through Congress,
and how you can help. Reserve your spot now to listen to a special briefing
by Al Gore on Tuesday, June 23, at 8 p.m. (EDT). On Tuesday, we'll call and
connect you to the briefing at the number you provide below.
* I'm passing on this interesting proposal: Clean Water, Clean Air and
Green Jobs Bond Act. For those of us [the public] who helped the banks who
almost failed save our bailout monies, now it's time for us to consider a
bill that would protect our environment and help create green jobs. So, on
the face of it, this bill seems especially timely: the proposed
<http://www.gbcnys.agc.org/public/GBCnews/09/09.03.19BondAct.pdf> Clean
Water, Clean Air and Green Jobs Bond Act - A writer suggests: "The $5
Billion Clean Water, Clean Air & Green Jobs Bond Act of 2009 as it is
proposed would vastly expand opportunities for conservation beyond state and
federally funded programs and initiatives. Voter-approved bond proceeds
would be utilized for state environmental projects that protect our water,
land and air and create jobs. Funding created through this initiative would
make long-term improvements to our environmental infrastructure and natural
resources, energy efficiency, transit, building weatherization, public
health protection and economic development. The Bond Act would build upon
the federal stimulus and provide a significant investment to further New
York's economic recovery through environmentally friendly capital
investments. It was our intent in the development of this proposal to
have the largest economic benefit as possible and in areas where their were
natural fits - seek to elevate some of the burdens put on local
municipalities - such as wastewater and drinking water infrastructure,
energy efficiency program, brownfields cleanup and environmental remediation
program funding, as well as traditional conservation efforts like the
protection of open space, habitat restoration and parks. As you will see
from the attached draft case statement, there are areas that could have a
significant benefit regions across the state - including the Rochester
area." Here's more Working
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/images/2009.3.19%20WORKING%20DRAF...
S%202009%20Environmental%20Bond%20CASE%20STATEMENT.doc> Daft NYS 2009
Environmental Bond Case Statement | ASSEMBLY
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/images/ASSEMBLY%20STANDING%20COMM...
20ON%20ENVIRONMENTAL%20CONSERVATION.doc> STANDING COMMITTEE ON
ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
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Award - Environmental
<http://www.rochesterenvironment.com/Environmental%20Site%20Award.htm> 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.]
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