.jpg)
I heard on NPR yesterday that there's someone who is in charge of reducing the carbon footprint of the superbowl this year. They calculated that the event alone (not including flights and hotels for spectators), 500 tonnes of CO2 is released. They're trying to reduce this amount by reusing a lot of the administrative materials and the decorations by giving them to charities, which I think is pretty cool.
This article is also interesting: "Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), chemicals used as fire retardants, can be found in numerous items in the home, such as the television, computer, toaster and the sofa. Now, they are being found in alarming concentrations, in human blood and breast milk - a potentially major concern for human health. In addition, these industrial chemicals have been associated with cases of feline hyperthyroidism, a potentially fatal condition in cats... In the United States, 80-90 percent of industrial chemicals destined for use in commercial products are sold without any legally required premarket testing." (from http://www.enn.com/top_stories/article/28141)
And although people tend to dislike carnivores, a recent paper published states that "large carnivores frequently shape the number, distribution and behaviour of their prey. Large herbivores function as ecological engineers by changing the structure and species composition of surrounding vegetation. " So both herbivores and carnivores are important in maintaining an ecosystem's balance, and a decrease in carnivores can mess up the system. The paper found the numbers of large mammals have been decreased on almost 80% of the Earth.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
The Story of Stuff
This is a cool 20 minute video about the production of the stuff we buy. It shows the links between exploitation, production, distribution, consumption, and disposal of goods in our consumerism society. It's pretty relevant to Christmas, when we get pretty into buying.
www.storyofstuff.com
www.storyofstuff.com
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Happy holidays!
Happy holidays from all of us at SCCG!
And good news- the Senate and House passed the Energy Bill. This includes:
- increased fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for new cars and trucks.
-a new commitment to homegrown biofuels and updates the program to achieve strong greenhouse gas performance standards and includes significant protections for wildlife and biodiversity.
-a plug-in/electric vehicle tax credit for individuals and encourages the domestic development and production of advanced technology vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
-requirements for more energy efficient appliances
-creates an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program to train a quality workforce for "green" collar jobs--such as solar panel manufacturer and green building construction worker--created by federal renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. Major investments in renewable energy could create 3 million green jobs over 10 years.
-an initiative that takes aggressive steps on carbon capture and sequestration to take the carbon out of coal--authorizing a nationwide assessment of geological formations capable of sequestering carbon dioxide underground and expansive research and development, including large-volume sequestration tests in a variety of different geological formations. First time ever the incentives for more efficient coal use include a requirement for carbon sequestration.
(Text taken from the National Federation for Wildlife Blog)
Hopefully SCCG will have an event or two in January!
And good news- the Senate and House passed the Energy Bill. This includes:
- increased fuel economy standards to 35 miles per gallon by 2020 for new cars and trucks.
-a new commitment to homegrown biofuels and updates the program to achieve strong greenhouse gas performance standards and includes significant protections for wildlife and biodiversity.
-a plug-in/electric vehicle tax credit for individuals and encourages the domestic development and production of advanced technology vehicles and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
-requirements for more energy efficient appliances
-creates an Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program to train a quality workforce for "green" collar jobs--such as solar panel manufacturer and green building construction worker--created by federal renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives. Major investments in renewable energy could create 3 million green jobs over 10 years.
-an initiative that takes aggressive steps on carbon capture and sequestration to take the carbon out of coal--authorizing a nationwide assessment of geological formations capable of sequestering carbon dioxide underground and expansive research and development, including large-volume sequestration tests in a variety of different geological formations. First time ever the incentives for more efficient coal use include a requirement for carbon sequestration.
(Text taken from the National Federation for Wildlife Blog)
Hopefully SCCG will have an event or two in January!
Thursday, December 6, 2007
My job as a student environmentalist is pretty depressing sometimes. Okay, lots of times. It amazes me that since I started college three years ago, global warming went from a "hoax" to the explanation that this is the seventh warmest year on record in Canada, polar bears are drowning, droughts and severe weather are getting worse, and people in Greenland can now grow broccoli- a crop that didn't used to be able to grow there because it was so cold. Read
"Global warming wreaks havoc with nature" for some examples of what's already happening.
Reality IS disheartening, but we need to act now more than ever. Well, actually, we could have used more action two or five or ten years ago, but now is the only time we have.
Everyone is busy, but there are so many things we can each do to support positive actions. I thought I was as green as I could be, but a friend recently inspired me to started buying biodegradable dish and laundry detergent, and air-drying my clothes instead of sticking them in the dryer. And now I save a buck fifty a week, which isn't much but hey, I'm a college student. Certain actions are easier than others depending on what kind of lifestyle you lead, and some people need bigger cars or can't afford to spend the money on more expensive products.
These days there are so many more opportunities to choose the greener option, whether it's a low-flow showerhead, compact florescent lights, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, organic cotton clothing, canvas bags, or carbon offsets. There are lots of choices people already know about, but even I'm constantly surprised at a small change I never realized before, like detergent. We have to go beyond recycling.
Al Gore is going to the big conference in Bali to talk about (what else?) climate change. He's created a petition to show his audience that people do want a change. Not in climate, of course, but in the politics surrounding this whole mess. You can sign it.
You can also find one of about eight million campaigns by environmental organizations like the Sierra Club. Usually all you have to do is call or email your representative.
Also, the House of Representatives just passed the Energy Bill! It's a good one: "A national renewable electricity standard means consumers across the country would save more than $13 billion on their energy bills by 2020. Raising fuel economy standards will save American consumers $25 billion at the pump, create 170,800 new jobs in America, and cut U.S. global warming pollution from passenger vehicles 21 percent by 2030." (from Sierraclub.org).
Now we have to make sure it goes through the Senate. You can call our senators to tell them that you'd like to see this go through. The website offers talking points, which makes calling significantly less scary.
This weekend, December 8th, is the International Day for Climate Action. There are no activities in our area that I've found so far, but that shouldn't stop you from finding one, or making your own.
-Shona
"Global warming wreaks havoc with nature" for some examples of what's already happening.
Reality IS disheartening, but we need to act now more than ever. Well, actually, we could have used more action two or five or ten years ago, but now is the only time we have.
Everyone is busy, but there are so many things we can each do to support positive actions. I thought I was as green as I could be, but a friend recently inspired me to started buying biodegradable dish and laundry detergent, and air-drying my clothes instead of sticking them in the dryer. And now I save a buck fifty a week, which isn't much but hey, I'm a college student. Certain actions are easier than others depending on what kind of lifestyle you lead, and some people need bigger cars or can't afford to spend the money on more expensive products.
These days there are so many more opportunities to choose the greener option, whether it's a low-flow showerhead, compact florescent lights, eco-friendly cleaning supplies, organic cotton clothing, canvas bags, or carbon offsets. There are lots of choices people already know about, but even I'm constantly surprised at a small change I never realized before, like detergent. We have to go beyond recycling.
Al Gore is going to the big conference in Bali to talk about (what else?) climate change. He's created a petition to show his audience that people do want a change. Not in climate, of course, but in the politics surrounding this whole mess. You can sign it.
You can also find one of about eight million campaigns by environmental organizations like the Sierra Club. Usually all you have to do is call or email your representative.
Also, the House of Representatives just passed the Energy Bill! It's a good one: "A national renewable electricity standard means consumers across the country would save more than $13 billion on their energy bills by 2020. Raising fuel economy standards will save American consumers $25 billion at the pump, create 170,800 new jobs in America, and cut U.S. global warming pollution from passenger vehicles 21 percent by 2030." (from Sierraclub.org).
Now we have to make sure it goes through the Senate. You can call our senators to tell them that you'd like to see this go through. The website offers talking points, which makes calling significantly less scary.
This weekend, December 8th, is the International Day for Climate Action. There are no activities in our area that I've found so far, but that shouldn't stop you from finding one, or making your own.
-Shona
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Recycling around town
This animation won Alliance for Climate Protection and Current TV's video about climate change contest. Check it out: http://current.com/items/87610321_ecospot_grand_prize_winner_sky_is_falling
SCCG still exists, and we're still working on projects! While the college students are extremely busy with exams, Lisa Hartman, our awesome new leader, is a representative of Clifton Park's town alternative energy committee. Although alternative energy in Clifton Park will be (extremely) slow-coming, there are lots of things that can be done around town, like calculating the carbon footprint, increasing efficiency, and making recycling more widespread.
Our current goals are to:
1) get the recycling bins at the Clifton Commons labelled so that less garbage and more cans and bottles will go in them
2) start a recycling program in the middle schools, much like the one SCARCE operates at the high school.
We need a teacher at the middle school to be the leader of this recycling program, so please let us know if you know anyone that would be interested!
SCCG still exists, and we're still working on projects! While the college students are extremely busy with exams, Lisa Hartman, our awesome new leader, is a representative of Clifton Park's town alternative energy committee. Although alternative energy in Clifton Park will be (extremely) slow-coming, there are lots of things that can be done around town, like calculating the carbon footprint, increasing efficiency, and making recycling more widespread.
Our current goals are to:
1) get the recycling bins at the Clifton Commons labelled so that less garbage and more cans and bottles will go in them
2) start a recycling program in the middle schools, much like the one SCARCE operates at the high school.
We need a teacher at the middle school to be the leader of this recycling program, so please let us know if you know anyone that would be interested!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
E-waste
About 70% of the world's electronic waste gets shipped to China because it's cheaper (up to 10 times cheaper) than dismantling and recycling it here. Unfortunately, this is mostly done by poor immigrants that aren't protected by health and environmental standards.
"Many houses double as smelter and home. Gas burners shaped like blacksmith's forges squat beside the front doors, their flues rising several stories to try to dissipate the toxic smoke... The groundwater has long been too polluted for human consumption. The amount of lead in the river sediment is double European safety levels, according to the Basel Action Network, an environmental group...'Of course, recycling is more environmentally sound,' said Wu Song, a former local university student who has studied the area. "But I wouldn't really call what's happening here recycling.' "
- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071119/ap_on_re_as/china_toxic_electronics
Any ideas on how to promote or ensure that what we're "recycling" is actually better for the environment?
"Many houses double as smelter and home. Gas burners shaped like blacksmith's forges squat beside the front doors, their flues rising several stories to try to dissipate the toxic smoke... The groundwater has long been too polluted for human consumption. The amount of lead in the river sediment is double European safety levels, according to the Basel Action Network, an environmental group...'Of course, recycling is more environmentally sound,' said Wu Song, a former local university student who has studied the area. "But I wouldn't really call what's happening here recycling.' "
- http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071119/ap_on_re_as/china_toxic_electronics
Any ideas on how to promote or ensure that what we're "recycling" is actually better for the environment?
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Coal
"It takes five to 10 days for the pollution from China's coal-fired plants to make its way to the United States, like a slow-moving storm.
It shows up as mercury in the bass and trout caught in Oregon's Willamette River. It increases cloud cover and raises ozone levels. And along the way, it contributes to acid rain in Japan and South Korea and health problems everywhere from Taiyuan to the United States.
[...] The growth of coal-burning is also contributing to global warming, and is linked to environmental and health issues including acid rain and asthma. Air pollution kills more than 2 million people prematurely, according to the World Health Organization"
From"World's coal dependency hits environment" from Yahoo News.
It shows up as mercury in the bass and trout caught in Oregon's Willamette River. It increases cloud cover and raises ozone levels. And along the way, it contributes to acid rain in Japan and South Korea and health problems everywhere from Taiyuan to the United States.
[...] The growth of coal-burning is also contributing to global warming, and is linked to environmental and health issues including acid rain and asthma. Air pollution kills more than 2 million people prematurely, according to the World Health Organization"
From"World's coal dependency hits environment" from Yahoo News.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Step It Up Rally and Climate Change Numbers
Step It Up 2007 is a campaign organized by people all around the country, calling for leadership on global warming. There will be a rally at City Hall in Schenectady on November 3 from 11:00AM to 12:00PM. (here for more info)
Global Warming by the Numbers- from Environmentaldefense.org
1. Rank of 2006 as hottest year on record in the continental United States.
1. Rank of America as top global warming polluter in the world.
20%. Percent increase of America's carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels since 1990.
15%. Percent increase of America's carbon dioxide emissions forecasted by 2020 if we do not cap pollution.
80%. Percent decrease in U.S. global warming pollution required by 2050 to prevent the worst consequences of global warming.
78. Number of days by which the US fire season has increased over the past 20 years - tied closely to increased temperatures and earlier snowmelt.
200 million. Number of people around the world who could be displaced by more intense droughts, sea level rise and flooding by 2080.
358. Number of U.S. mayors (representing 55 million Americans) who have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement pledging to meet or beat Kyoto goals in their communities.
0. Number of federal bills passed to cap America's global warming pollution.
Global Warming by the Numbers- from Environmentaldefense.org
1. Rank of 2006 as hottest year on record in the continental United States.
1. Rank of America as top global warming polluter in the world.
20%. Percent increase of America's carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels since 1990.
15%. Percent increase of America's carbon dioxide emissions forecasted by 2020 if we do not cap pollution.
80%. Percent decrease in U.S. global warming pollution required by 2050 to prevent the worst consequences of global warming.
78. Number of days by which the US fire season has increased over the past 20 years - tied closely to increased temperatures and earlier snowmelt.
200 million. Number of people around the world who could be displaced by more intense droughts, sea level rise and flooding by 2080.
358. Number of U.S. mayors (representing 55 million Americans) who have signed the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement pledging to meet or beat Kyoto goals in their communities.
0. Number of federal bills passed to cap America's global warming pollution.
Saturday, October 6, 2007
Cool videos and websites
This is a cool video that makes the concept of greenhouse gasses more comprehensible.
http://www.climateprotect.org/ah12
Alicia, Amanda, and I went to ChangeIt07, which is a great week long summer program created Greenpeace and Seventh Generation to train and inspire college students to make a difference on their campus. We all learned a lot and had a great time! This is a great video that really sums up ChangeIt and the passion and dedication of 200 students.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zow--J5e4sw&eurl=
You can calculate your carbon footprint!
http://www.earthlab.com/carbonProfile/LiveEarth.htm?ver=14
I calculated mine, and unfortunately, even with all my recycling, canvas bag toting, and public transportation, I still create at least 16 tons of CO2 per year. That's insane.
Let us know if you have anything to share with us on the blog, whether its a video, news clip, or a good idea!
-Shona
http://www.climateprotect.org/ah12
Alicia, Amanda, and I went to ChangeIt07, which is a great week long summer program created Greenpeace and Seventh Generation to train and inspire college students to make a difference on their campus. We all learned a lot and had a great time! This is a great video that really sums up ChangeIt and the passion and dedication of 200 students.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zow--J5e4sw&eurl=
You can calculate your carbon footprint!
http://www.earthlab.com/carbonProfile/LiveEarth.htm?ver=14
I calculated mine, and unfortunately, even with all my recycling, canvas bag toting, and public transportation, I still create at least 16 tons of CO2 per year. That's insane.
Let us know if you have anything to share with us on the blog, whether its a video, news clip, or a good idea!
-Shona
Monday, September 10, 2007
Save the polar bears!
"Two-thirds of the world's polar bears will be gone by the middle of the century, says a US government agency... Scientists believe Arctic ice will hit a record low this year." -BBC News
(photo from www.climateprogress.org)
(photo from www.climateprogress.org)Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Almost the end of summer...
Well, our Sustainability Forum went extremely well, and SCCG is very happy and proud of what we have accomplished in such a short time period. The organization will continue in the future through the hard work of high school and college students.
Our last meeting (until further notice) will be this Thursday, the 9th. As always, it will be at 7:30 in the Public Safety Building.
Feel free to send us links of relevant news stories and good resources. We'd love to help create a larger environmental network in our area.
Our last meeting (until further notice) will be this Thursday, the 9th. As always, it will be at 7:30 in the Public Safety Building.
Feel free to send us links of relevant news stories and good resources. We'd love to help create a larger environmental network in our area.
Sunday, July 8, 2007
Live Earth Pledge
Help reach the goal of getting 50,000 signatures on the Live Earth Plegde!
http://www.liveearthpledge.org/
http://www.liveearthpledge.org/
Friday, July 6, 2007
SCCG sustainability forum!
SARATOGA COUNTY COMMUNITY GREEN PRESENTS
SUSTAINABILITY:
How to keep our planet and
our families healthy
[a public forum]
Saturday, July 28th
Clifton Park Halfmoon Public Library
1:00 – 3:30 PM
- What is sustainable development?
- Which alternative energy options are viable for the future?
- How will global warming change our lives?
- Why support local and organic food?
- How are industrial chemicals affecting our bodies?
- What can we do NOW?
Listen to experts
Ask questions
Change our community
greenercp@gmail.com
www.greenercp.blogspot.com
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Senate Energy Bill
A few days ago, the senate energy bill passed. You can find out what the issues were here.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Booth at the Commons and Live Earth
On Wednesday, July 4th, SCCG will have a booth at the Clifton Commons from about two to five. We'll be selling small paper windmills for kids and maple syrup as a fundraiser, and will be taking cans to recycle. We'll have our business cards out and a few flyers out about some of the issues we're focused on.
This Saturday, there will be the Live Earth Concert. Tons of bands will be playing all over the globe to raise awareness about climate change. The Clifton Park Democrats will be hosting a showing at Mocha Lisa's at the Clifton Park Center at 7:45, and it should last an hour. Check it out http://www.liveearth.org/event.php for more info about Live Earth!
This Saturday, there will be the Live Earth Concert. Tons of bands will be playing all over the globe to raise awareness about climate change. The Clifton Park Democrats will be hosting a showing at Mocha Lisa's at the Clifton Park Center at 7:45, and it should last an hour. Check it out http://www.liveearth.org/event.php for more info about Live Earth!
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Alright guys, we're looking to expand local agriculture for Clifton Park and surrounding areas. What we need is to raise awareness of local farms in the area and connect them in order to create a farmers' market that not only advocates the use of local, organic, and sustainable produce, but one that also is readily available at least 5 days a week. In order to achieve this, we will need volunteers to collect our share of the produce (after we've purchased shares of course), but more importantly we are seeking people to help work on the farms. Call (518)396-7832 to discuss what farms/where and how you can help. I'm available M-F 9AM-12pm, Sat. After 5pm or before noon, and all day SUnday.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Farm visit!
We've arranged a visit to Serendipity Farm, which is at 234 Sugarhill road in Clifton Park (near Grooms Corners). Look for the mailbox, because there's no sign. Some of the core leaders visited him last week and it was really cool- he's a really nice guy and has chickens, a greenhouse, and a big field that he plants heirloom vegetables on. His chickens are free range and he doesn't use genetically modified (GM) crops or pesticides. We'll be going at 3:00 this Saturday (June 16th), and EVERYONE is welcome! Bring your family and friends. You'll get to see a working farm, talk to him about organic/sustainable farming, and then if you want you can stick around to help him out with the farm (like planting/weeding/building something). See you there!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Lake Association meeting
On June 12th at 7:30, in the Ballston Lake Fire House, there will be a micro-vertebrate biology professor from ACC. Her presentation will be on how they tracked pollutants in Lake Luzurne.
coal to liquid
In order to move away from our dependence on foreign oil, there might be new legislation that encourages use of coal as our new energy source by granting companies subsidiaries and tax breaks.
"A new study has concluded that turning coal into liquid fuel yields 125% more carbon dioxide than producing diesel fuel and 66% more than gasoline." (article from LATimes) Shouldn't we focus on cleaner and more sustainable energy instead of regressing into even less efficient practices? Even if we can sequester the CO2 emissions from the coal to liquid process, it still pollutes more CO2 than oil, and coal mining is incredibly toxic to humans and the environment (nrdc.org).
Please make your voice heard.
"A new study has concluded that turning coal into liquid fuel yields 125% more carbon dioxide than producing diesel fuel and 66% more than gasoline." (article from LATimes) Shouldn't we focus on cleaner and more sustainable energy instead of regressing into even less efficient practices? Even if we can sequester the CO2 emissions from the coal to liquid process, it still pollutes more CO2 than oil, and coal mining is incredibly toxic to humans and the environment (nrdc.org).
Please make your voice heard.
Monday, June 4, 2007
Fundraiser!
EDIT: our garage sale fundraiser will be postponed due to lack of members! We'll be having another fundraiser soon though.
Please bring refundable bottles or cans to the meeting, and a mug if you want some tea!
We will be creating a summary of notable eco-friendly business practices in our area (such as donating grease as biodiesel), so if you have any ideas, please post them here!
If you haven't already heard the commercials, eLot Recycling in Watervliet recycles all kinds of electronics.
Please bring refundable bottles or cans to the meeting, and a mug if you want some tea!
We will be creating a summary of notable eco-friendly business practices in our area (such as donating grease as biodiesel), so if you have any ideas, please post them here!
If you haven't already heard the commercials, eLot Recycling in Watervliet recycles all kinds of electronics.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Wilton Hikes and Programs
Here are some upcoming events that Wilton Wildlife Preserve and Park is putting on! You can check the rest out at http://www.wiltonpreserve.org/
Wildflower Walk
Saturday, June 2nd, 10am; Camp Saratoga on Scout Road.Late spring is a perfect time to explore the diverse color and form of local wildflowers. From familiar back-yard beauties to curious woodland denizens, let's walk through Camp Saratoga's southern trails to find and identify our wildflowers. We'll discuss interesting attributes of many species, and use guides to identify the unknown.
Insect Night at the Old Gick Farm!
Friday, June 8th, 8pm; Old Gick Farm on Route 50.Join Tim McCabe, New York State's entomologist, to observe and learn about insects that appear in the hours after sunset. An attractant will ensure a great turnout of critters. Will it attract you? Wear comfortable shoes and bring water and a flashlight. Please register by calling Sarah at 518-587-1939 ext. 220.
Karner Blue Butterfly Walk
Saturday, June 9th; 10am; location TBA. Join Preserve & Park Director Sarah Clarkin in the field as she talks about the state and federally endangered Karner blue butterfly and some of the other interesting species that depend upon this geological area, the Saratoga Sandplains. Participants will take a short walk along a trail and spend time in a Karner blue butterfly habitat restoration area looking for this special butterfly. While in the field Sarah will talk about the butterfly's habitat, life cycle, the threats confronting its survival, and the actions underway to save it. Please register by calling Sarah at 518-587-1939 ext. 220.
Wildflower Walk
Saturday, June 2nd, 10am; Camp Saratoga on Scout Road.Late spring is a perfect time to explore the diverse color and form of local wildflowers. From familiar back-yard beauties to curious woodland denizens, let's walk through Camp Saratoga's southern trails to find and identify our wildflowers. We'll discuss interesting attributes of many species, and use guides to identify the unknown.
Insect Night at the Old Gick Farm!
Friday, June 8th, 8pm; Old Gick Farm on Route 50.Join Tim McCabe, New York State's entomologist, to observe and learn about insects that appear in the hours after sunset. An attractant will ensure a great turnout of critters. Will it attract you? Wear comfortable shoes and bring water and a flashlight. Please register by calling Sarah at 518-587-1939 ext. 220.
Karner Blue Butterfly Walk
Saturday, June 9th; 10am; location TBA. Join Preserve & Park Director Sarah Clarkin in the field as she talks about the state and federally endangered Karner blue butterfly and some of the other interesting species that depend upon this geological area, the Saratoga Sandplains. Participants will take a short walk along a trail and spend time in a Karner blue butterfly habitat restoration area looking for this special butterfly. While in the field Sarah will talk about the butterfly's habitat, life cycle, the threats confronting its survival, and the actions underway to save it. Please register by calling Sarah at 518-587-1939 ext. 220.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Meetings
Our meetings have started! They are open to all students, and will happen every Thursday night at 7:30 in the Public Safety Building on 146 in Clifton Park. Come to hear great ideas and good discussion, find out how you can get involved, and most deliciously of all, eat snacks.
Events such as a tour on a sustainable farm and having a fundraising garage sale will be starting in just a few weekends, so make sure you check the blog!
Events such as a tour on a sustainable farm and having a fundraising garage sale will be starting in just a few weekends, so make sure you check the blog!
Friday, May 4, 2007
Five projects
We've decided to focus on five projects: two large ones and three smaller ones.
The two main projects will be education in our community and raising awareness about the farmers' market and eating local food. The three smaller projects, which will require hands-on work, will be invasive species removal days, clean-up days, and making posters/brochures for you, our members, to display at things like garage sales. If you're interested in another project, let us know and we can try to work on it with you. These five projects seemed to be the most effective, low-cost way of keeping Clifton Park green.
1) Education can include teaching kids/families how to garden (or trying to work with http://www.cdcg.org/, a community garden group), getting forums, educating the public, and having speakers. We have a couple different places we could teach kids: girl scout/boy scout troops, day camps, and school (if it's before they get out, obviously). Our goal is to have at least one speaker a month- so we have to get started on our first one asap. Any ideas on who could be our first speaker? They can cover any relevant topic: green building, consumer choices, town policies, ways to save money, etc.
2) Farmers' markets are already in the area, but it would be great if we could get people to realize that buying locally is important by helping the region's value and economy. http://www.saratogafarms.com/ is a cool place to check out. There's a farmers' market at the St George's Church (across from Shen) starting around July. We can help publicize that one and help it out.
3) Garage sales are starting up, and it would be cool if we could set up material to display. You guys can make a poster about what environmental issues you're interested in and show people a list of what they can do to improve the area. Theoretically we could encourage people to plant native trees this way (instead of my original idea of having members go door-to-door). Any other ideas on what we can do in this way?
4) Clean up day- need to contact landowners first/town, but since other groups have done this before, I don't think it's too hard.
5) Invasive species removal day- this seems harder than the clean-up day, but it's more substantial. The Nature Conservancy deals with invasive species, and I've contacted them about us helping them. It seems like it should work out, especially if the Nature Conservancy already has resources for us to use (tools, seeds, permission for those areas). Ideally our group would continue after we leave Clifton Park, and this can be come a regular thing.
We're still having issues trying to figure out where to have weekly meetings. We're trying to get it set up at the library, but it hasn't been settled yet. Regardless, we will have a meeting- somewhere- May 24th (time still unknown). I think getting bumper stickers is an awesome idea, so let me know if you're interested in one so I can start ordering.
Also! Both Price Chopper and Hannaford offer paper towels and toilet paper used from recycled paper, not trees. Price Chopper will credit you 3 cents per bag you bring back instead of a new bag, and Hannaford will credit you 5 cents per cloth bag and 2 cents per plastic bag.
The two main projects will be education in our community and raising awareness about the farmers' market and eating local food. The three smaller projects, which will require hands-on work, will be invasive species removal days, clean-up days, and making posters/brochures for you, our members, to display at things like garage sales. If you're interested in another project, let us know and we can try to work on it with you. These five projects seemed to be the most effective, low-cost way of keeping Clifton Park green.
1) Education can include teaching kids/families how to garden (or trying to work with http://www.cdcg.org/, a community garden group), getting forums, educating the public, and having speakers. We have a couple different places we could teach kids: girl scout/boy scout troops, day camps, and school (if it's before they get out, obviously). Our goal is to have at least one speaker a month- so we have to get started on our first one asap. Any ideas on who could be our first speaker? They can cover any relevant topic: green building, consumer choices, town policies, ways to save money, etc.
2) Farmers' markets are already in the area, but it would be great if we could get people to realize that buying locally is important by helping the region's value and economy. http://www.saratogafarms.com/ is a cool place to check out. There's a farmers' market at the St George's Church (across from Shen) starting around July. We can help publicize that one and help it out.
3) Garage sales are starting up, and it would be cool if we could set up material to display. You guys can make a poster about what environmental issues you're interested in and show people a list of what they can do to improve the area. Theoretically we could encourage people to plant native trees this way (instead of my original idea of having members go door-to-door). Any other ideas on what we can do in this way?
4) Clean up day- need to contact landowners first/town, but since other groups have done this before, I don't think it's too hard.
5) Invasive species removal day- this seems harder than the clean-up day, but it's more substantial. The Nature Conservancy deals with invasive species, and I've contacted them about us helping them. It seems like it should work out, especially if the Nature Conservancy already has resources for us to use (tools, seeds, permission for those areas). Ideally our group would continue after we leave Clifton Park, and this can be come a regular thing.
We're still having issues trying to figure out where to have weekly meetings. We're trying to get it set up at the library, but it hasn't been settled yet. Regardless, we will have a meeting- somewhere- May 24th (time still unknown). I think getting bumper stickers is an awesome idea, so let me know if you're interested in one so I can start ordering.
Also! Both Price Chopper and Hannaford offer paper towels and toilet paper used from recycled paper, not trees. Price Chopper will credit you 3 cents per bag you bring back instead of a new bag, and Hannaford will credit you 5 cents per cloth bag and 2 cents per plastic bag.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Bumper stickers?
How cool would it be if we got Help Keep Clifton Park Green bumper stickers? We could even use it as a fundraiser if we buy 50 (they're about $70 for 50 including shipping) and charge four or five bucks for each one. Before I end up with 49 excess stickers, I'd like to find out who's interested in getting one. I think it's a cool way to advertise, and if you don't have a car, you can put them on your guitar case, computer... basically anything. If I can get at least 20 people interested, I'll get some stickers. Post a comment if you'd be interested in buying one (selling either at 3 bucks for no fundraising, or 5 for fundraising)!
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Battery recycling and some cool websites
I learned today that Staples (office supply store) accepts pretty much any kind of electronics that can be recycled, and both rechargeable and single-use batteries. Why are thrown-out batteries bad for the environment? http://newyork.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a=electronics/bat_env.asp
Unfortunately there aren't any Staples in Clifton Park, but there are locations in Latham, Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, etc. Radio Shack (there's one in the CP mall that is no longer a mall) accepts rechargeable batteries (lithium, Ni-Cd, etc) but not single use ones (alkaline).
The site I posted about 100 ways to save the earth seemed to suddenly disappear- I swear, it was a real website a couple days ago! It appears to be back up again, and hopefully this time will stay: http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm. Thanks to Liz for posting it! http://www.earth911.org/ is also pretty cool and has a lot of information on recycling household products.
I thought this was an amusing advertisement for Energy Star: http://www.getenergysmart.org/Files/Videos/pony60.mov
NYSERDA (NY State Energy Research and Development Authority) put out this list of how you can save energy: http://www.getenergysmart.org/WhereYouLive/EnergySmartWinter/EnergySmartWinter.asp#TipsVideo
It's not winter anymore, but there will probably be one again soon, and there are some non-winter related tips there too.
The Clifton Park - Halfmoon Public Library is pretty green- they used a lot of recycled materials, used the architectural design to use reduce the amount of artificial light needed, and 20% of all masonry was sourced regionally. http://www.cphlibrary.org/documents/about/environmental-flyer.pdf
I hope to see everyone at the climate change panel this Sunday there!
-Shona
Unfortunately there aren't any Staples in Clifton Park, but there are locations in Latham, Albany, Schenectady, Saratoga, etc. Radio Shack (there's one in the CP mall that is no longer a mall) accepts rechargeable batteries (lithium, Ni-Cd, etc) but not single use ones (alkaline).
The site I posted about 100 ways to save the earth seemed to suddenly disappear- I swear, it was a real website a couple days ago! It appears to be back up again, and hopefully this time will stay: http://www.seql.org/100ways.cfm. Thanks to Liz for posting it! http://www.earth911.org/ is also pretty cool and has a lot of information on recycling household products.
I thought this was an amusing advertisement for Energy Star: http://www.getenergysmart.org/Files/Videos/pony60.mov
NYSERDA (NY State Energy Research and Development Authority) put out this list of how you can save energy: http://www.getenergysmart.org/WhereYouLive/EnergySmartWinter/EnergySmartWinter.asp#TipsVideo
It's not winter anymore, but there will probably be one again soon, and there are some non-winter related tips there too.
The Clifton Park - Halfmoon Public Library is pretty green- they used a lot of recycled materials, used the architectural design to use reduce the amount of artificial light needed, and 20% of all masonry was sourced regionally. http://www.cphlibrary.org/documents/about/environmental-flyer.pdf
I hope to see everyone at the climate change panel this Sunday there!
-Shona
Friday, April 27, 2007
Biodiversity, Exxon Mobil, and farmers market
Today, Chris and I did a presentation about biodiversity for Shen's Earth Day. I think it went really well, and we hopefully inspired some people to help. I want to extend a welcome to our new high school members!
I'd been searching a while for a newspaper article to prove what I'd heard numerous times before: Exxon Mobil has been funding climate change skepticism (at least $16 million). Surprise! I came across one today: http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/02/news/companies/exxon_science/index.htm
We're working on figuring out how to get a farmer's market going around here. Apparently there already is a small one in the summer at St. George' s Episcopal Church at 912 Rt 146, so we'll see what we can do to raise awareness.
-Shona
I'd been searching a while for a newspaper article to prove what I'd heard numerous times before: Exxon Mobil has been funding climate change skepticism (at least $16 million). Surprise! I came across one today: http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/02/news/companies/exxon_science/index.htm
We're working on figuring out how to get a farmer's market going around here. Apparently there already is a small one in the summer at St. George' s Episcopal Church at 912 Rt 146, so we'll see what we can do to raise awareness.
-Shona
Friday, April 20, 2007
When meetings will start
Tentatively, our first open meeting will be Thursday, May 24th. We're still looking for a public place to have meetings, so please let us know (comment or email) if you have any ideas of where we could have it. I'm going to try to contact as many organizations and community members as possible around here to gather support. During this time we'll also figure out in what order we can work on the projects, and have a meeting with our core members.
Thursdays from about 8-10 seem to be the best time to have weekly meetings. I'm extremely flexible about this so it's really up to when everyone else is available! Let me know if you'd like to help out but can't make it to the meeting.
-Shona
Thursdays from about 8-10 seem to be the best time to have weekly meetings. I'm extremely flexible about this so it's really up to when everyone else is available! Let me know if you'd like to help out but can't make it to the meeting.
-Shona
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Project Ideas
So what we need are suggestions as to what kinds of thing we want to change in CP. It would wise to start posting any ideas for projects we have now so that when summer hits we can organize, prioritize, and make a difference!
Feel free to list anything from local compost sites to town legislature proposals. We'll use this platform to work out the steps to make 'em happen.
Feel free to list anything from local compost sites to town legislature proposals. We'll use this platform to work out the steps to make 'em happen.
Mission statement
This summer is a perfect time to get our friends, family, and neighbors together to make Clifton Park a better environment to live in. There are a lot of ways a dedicated group of people can change this town for the better.
We are young, optimistic, and full of ideas. A lot of students see Clifton Park as a suburban wasteland full of clone houses and chain restaurants. However, I know we can organize effectively to inspire others in our town so not just the grass is green.
We are serious about this. This won't be another project that disappears in a couple weeks. Here we will post meeting dates, initiatives, and progress. Check back for updates!
We are young, optimistic, and full of ideas. A lot of students see Clifton Park as a suburban wasteland full of clone houses and chain restaurants. However, I know we can organize effectively to inspire others in our town so not just the grass is green.
We are serious about this. This won't be another project that disappears in a couple weeks. Here we will post meeting dates, initiatives, and progress. Check back for updates!
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