'What Can I Do?'

1 view
Skip to first unread message

Jason West

unread,
Apr 30, 2026, 8:20:45 AMApr 30
to albanysust...@googlegroups.com
Hi all, 

I want to make a new flyer for Tulip Fest with the top ten everyday things people can do to be more sustainable and could use some help coming up with the best ones.

So what's one thing a person or family can do to be more sustainable?  I'm specifically looking for the higher impact, lower effort things.  Installing solar panels is great but expensive, for instance.

My favorite is to move your money to a local credit union - credit unions are democratic and recirculate money in the regional economy, making us more resilient for a start.  And unlike banks they rarely if ever invest in large fossil fuel projects.

Anyone got a particularly good one?

Jason


Jason West
Director of Sustainability

City of Albany
Department of Engineering
628 Delaware Avenue
Albany, NY 12209



Confidentiality Notice: This fax/e-mail transmission, with accompanying records, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged information belonging to the sender, including individually identifiable health information subject to the privacy and security provisions of HIPAA. This information may be protected by pertinent privilege(s), e.g., attorney-client, doctor-patient, HIPAA etc., which will be enforced to the fullest extent of the law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any examination, analysis, disclosure, copying, dissemination, distribution, sharing, or use of the information in this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message and associated documents in error, please notify the sender immediately for instructions. If this message was received by e-mail, please delete the original message

Catherine Cantone

unread,
Apr 30, 2026, 9:05:05 AMApr 30
to albanysust...@googlegroups.com
Composting! The City of Albany and DGS makes it super easy. 

Other ideas that come to mind are:
  • Buy in bulk / refill items (like personal care products or beans, pasta, nuts, etc.) - Honest Weight has a great bulk section
  • Need a new item? Thrift first - our local Salvation Army, Habitat ReStore, or check out online shopping platforms like Depop, ThredUp, Poshmark or FB Marketplace
  • Take shorter showers
  • Go vegetarian (or just do meatless Mondays)
  • Use your own water bottle!

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Albany Sustainability Commission" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to albanysustainabi...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/albanysustainability/PH8PR09MB9865676153DD229B2ADF4D10DB352%40PH8PR09MB9865.namprd09.prod.outlook.com.


--
Catherine Cantone Dolan

Daniel Kirk-Davidoff

unread,
Apr 30, 2026, 10:26:16 AMApr 30
to albanysust...@googlegroups.com
Hi Jason, 

I disagree that installing solar panels is expensive - for most people it would be a money saver, since NYSERDA will give you a loan to cover the up-front costs, and you can pay down the loan off your electric bill:  https://www.nyserda.ny.gov/All-Programs/NY-Sun/On-site-Solar/Homes/Paying-for-Solar.  It's just work making phone calls and arranging things.   

The top choices:
* Advocate for a low-carbon economy
* Live in a city, not in a suburb.  
* If you own a roof that gets sunlight, put solar panels on it. 
* Don't buy a new gas-powered car  (either use alternative modes of transportation, or go electric).   
* Don't buy a new gas boiler or water heater or clothes-dryer,  get a heat pump instead.  
* Don't buy a new gas stove, go electric   
* Make red meat an occasional treat, not a daily or weekly staple (much higher impact than chicken, both much higher than pulses for protein).  Likewise lean towards dairy substitutes.     
* Fly as little as you can, and if you do fly, fly coach, and minimize stops. If you're taking up twice as much room, you're burning twice as much fuel.  

Cheers, 
Dan 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Kirk-Davidoff
35 Dove St.
Albany, NY 12210


On Thu, Apr 30, 2026 at 8:20 AM 'Jason West' via Albany Sustainability Commission <albanysust...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
--

gabri...@me.com

unread,
Apr 30, 2026, 9:32:57 PMApr 30
to albanysust...@googlegroups.com


Create community. Get to know your neighbors. Create local action from trading no longer needed items, to collaborating on community gardens, to supporting renewable energy. 
Working together a community can help foster resilient, sustainable, equitable actions with an easy first step of getting to know your neighbors.

Gaby


<Outlook-pzae1g0z.png>
Confidentiality Notice: This fax/e-mail transmission, with accompanying records, is intended only for the use of the individual or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged information belonging to the sender, including individually identifiable health information subject to the privacy and security provisions of HIPAA. This information may be protected by pertinent privilege(s), e.g., attorney-client, doctor-patient, HIPAA etc., which will be enforced to the fullest extent of the law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any examination, analysis, disclosure, copying, dissemination, distribution, sharing, or use of the information in this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message and associated documents in error, please notify the sender immediately for instructions. If this message was received by e-mail, please delete the original message

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Albany Sustainability Commission" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to albanysustainabi...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/albanysustainability/PH8PR09MB9865676153DD229B2ADF4D10DB352%40PH8PR09MB9865.namprd09.prod.outlook.com.

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Albany Sustainability Commission" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to albanysustainabi...@googlegroups.com.

Daniel Kirk-Davidoff

unread,
May 1, 2026, 8:56:57 AMMay 1
to albanysust...@googlegroups.com
Austerlitz has a decent website on this... https://austerlitzclimateaction.org/do-something/ 

Cheers, 
Dan 
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Kirk-Davidoff
35 Dove St.
Albany, NY 12210

On Thu, Apr 30, 2026 at 8:20 AM 'Jason West' via Albany Sustainability Commission <albanysust...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
--

Jason West

unread,
May 1, 2026, 10:36:33 AMMay 1
to albanysust...@googlegroups.com
I started a list.  As I have time, maybe I'll add a sentence or two about why the more impactful ones are important.  Maybe make a flyer for each category.  


Jason




Jason West
Director of Sustainability

City of Albany
Department of Engineering
628 Delaware Avenue
Albany, NY 12209



From: albanysust...@googlegroups.com <albanysust...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Daniel Kirk-Davidoff <dkirkd...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, May 1, 2026 8:56 AM
To: albanysust...@googlegroups.com <albanysust...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [ASC] 'What Can I Do?'
 
ATTENTION: This email came from an external source. Please do not open attachments or click on links from unknown senders or unexpected emails.

tina Lieberman

unread,
May 5, 2026, 1:26:42 AMMay 5
to albanysust...@googlegroups.com
The flier looks good Jason.

I would add (unless I missed it) - the next time you need a new water heater get a heat pump water heater (more energy efficient than gas).  It would be good if people started educating themselves on hybrids and heat pumps before they need a new car, heating system or water heater.

Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages