Saratoga County Community Green

Getting Inspired

2010-06-04T03:04:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I have been wondering what to do with this blog...do I delete it, since I have been so bad about writing here? Or do I keep it around and promise to myself to write a lot more?

I have been doing my Master's research about how UK municipalities can get their town employees to reduce their carbon footprint. A lot of my work is about awareness campaigns, and how to get people to actually do something! It can be a bit frustrating since sometimes it feels like people know what we should be doing, but we don't actually do it. This is called the value-action gap, or knowledge-behaviour gap. What will it take to get across the gap to get societies to actually make enough changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Or to be be more pro-environmental in general?

There are basically two ways to go about encouraging people to do more pro-environmental actions, like conserving energy or reducing how much they use their car. One is to change their values, since people who care about the environment are more likely to do actions that match up with saving the environment. Teaching and inspiring people about nature is one way to reinforce their positive values about the natural world.

The other way to do it is to just get people to change their behaviour, without changing their attitudes. This can be in the form of giving people incentives to get more efficient appliances, or a hybrid car. They might do the action that saves energy, but in general they're doing it to save money or because they think it will make them look good.

Both approaches have their pros and cons, and people respond differently to what motivates them. In my opinion, we need a combination of both to get things done. What do you think motivates people to change? Would you change your actions just because its the right thing to do, or because it would save you money? Or maybe you would like to make those changes but can't afford it, and a financial incentive is the only way to make it feasible for you?

Monkeys and climate change

2009-11-16T13:11:00.000-08:00

My posts on this have been pretty sparse recently. I think I've felt like no one reads this, so I haven't bothered posting. However, the counter is at over 11,000, so obviously some people have at least come across the page! I found a disturbing statistic: Only 57% of Americans believe in climate change. I found this astonishing and pathetic. Maybe since I've been at university studying environmental science for the past 5 years, I tend to think that everyone knows what an INSANE problem climate change is. This is why I want to go into environmental policy: regulations need to be implemented as soon as possible. When I die, I want to be able to know that I've done as much as I could to make the world a better place.

Also, I stumbled across a documentary about people who keep monkeys as pets, but treat them like children. They put makeup on them, make them wear clothes, and take family portraits with them. I think this is really creepy and sad for the monkeys, because they should be with other monkeys. I'm really not an animal rights extremist or anything, but animals have such complicated emotional and physical needs that I really don't think its fair to keep them in the house like a baby human. The documentary is called "My Monkey Baby" if you can find it.
All this craziness in the world! But we can't lose hope. If anything, at least all this madness gives people like me something to be passionate about.

A few links

2009-03-24T12:23:00.000-07:00

Ah, I've been bad about keeping this updated lately, I know. I'm graduating this semester from undergrad, so I've been busy/stressin' over what's next to come. In the meantime, I've finally found some links worth passing on:

Exxon Valdez photos: 20 years on, spilled oil remains from the National Geographic site (which is an awesome place to procrastinate and look at gorgeous photos, among other things)

A compelling plea against climate change from a 12 year old at Rio years ago: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0

Check out parts 9-12 of this mini-documentary...it's about the ginormous island of trash (the size of Texas) in the Pacific Ocean. This is where our plastic garbage ends up.

Make your voice heard about EPA should regulate CO2!

2008-11-25T17:55:00.001-08:00

Friday is the last day to voice your opinion on whether the EPA -- the Environmental Protection Agency -- should regulate carbon dioxide pollution, the primary cause of the climate crisis. This is a big deal.

The EPA is taking public comment, before making a ruling.
Of course, special interests -- like the oil and coal lobbies -- are working overtime to defeat a positive ruling and have already gotten thousands of comments submitted in opposition.
Most people don't know about this opportunity for public comment, so your voice can make a real difference. And with a new president in the White House, it's likely that someone will actually be listening. Submit your public comment to the EPA here:
http://www.RepowerAmerica.org/EPA

In April 2007 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate carbon dioxide if it is harming our health and welfare. After more than a year of delay, the EPA is finally now requesting public comments on whether carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping pollutants are endangering our health and our climate.

Make your voice heard about EPA should regulate CO2!

2008-11-25T17:55:00.000-08:00

Monsanto and pesiticides (and growth hormones, and PCBs)

2008-11-25T17:18:00.000-08:00

I just watched this really interesting documentary called "The World According to Monsanto". It's a very interesting film looking at Monsanto's advertising vs. actual cases of environmental and health hazards. Genetically modified soybeans and corn are affecting not only America, but Mexico and South America because US GM corn is hybridizing with native corn. Bovine growth hormone (rBGH) made by Monsanto increases mastitis (inflammation of mammary glands), increases the amount of pus in milk, and increases the risk of cancer. PCBs (like the ones found at the plant in Glens Falls) in high concentrations can kill small animals and increase the risk of cancer.
Check out some of these links:

Dirt-poor residents seek compensation in Alabama town that was secretly poisoned for decades

Two veteran news reporters for Fox TV in Tampa, Florida have been fired for refusing to water down an investigative report on Monsanto's controversial milk hormone, rBGH

Selling a Revolution: The Monsanto PR Campaign

Intro to Bovine Growth Hormone

An old petition from preventcancer.com speaking out about rBGH

New Study Links Monsanto's Roundup to Cancer

There are many more websites you can find for yourself, but please, think twice before you use pesticides on your lawn or garden (especially if you have kids or pets!!). Pretty much all milk in the US that is labelled otherwise contains Bovine Growth Hormone, so it's my opinion to go organic and rBGH free.

Greening prisons

2008-11-15T17:00:00.000-08:00

A pretty interesting story about how inmates are recycling and growing their own food for their prisons.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081101/ap_on_re_us/green_prisons

Two local events

2008-10-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

350.ORG PRESENTATION
"The Bells are Ringing …
…not for me and my gal, but they will be ringing 350 times at St. George’s Church and at churches and synagogues throughout the area. Why?- to remind parishioners and members of the Clifton Park community of the vital importance of reducing carbon emissions in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million or less. That’s the maximum amount of carbon that scientists tell us we can have in order to maintain the fragile ecosystems that sustain life on earth. Right now those same scientists tell us that carbon emissions into the atmosphere from manufacturing, households, autos, power plants, and all other sources have raised the number to 385 parts per million. And that is causing climate change - global warming, as it is more popularly known.

On Thursday, October 30th at 7:00 pm, join Green Faith members and other concerned citizens at the Clifton Park – Halfmoon Library for an informational presentation on the 350.org movement. Our speaker will be Jeremy Osborn from 350.org, representing author-environmentalist, Bill McKibbon. This program is sponsored by the Saratoga County Interfaith Environmental Coalition in the interest of improving our stewardship of the Earth.

So listen for the bells on Thursday, Oct. 30th at - you guessed it – 3:50pm and think about what action you can take to reduce your “carbon footprint” to a level that will help make our planet sustainable."

GREEN BUILDINGS FOR GOVERNMENT
"Learn how to implement and enhance state and local green building policy andprograms from national experts - right at your own computer!Register today for the U.S. Green Building Council's new "Greening YourGovernment" Webinar Series <http://lists.usgbc.org/t/883097/13111060/902/0/>

* Understand key components and resources for implementing LEED atthe state and local level.
* Explore the development of the STAR Community Index, and thetools and resources it provides for developing sustainable communitiesnationwide.
* Identify sound green building policy and key implementationstrategies through case examples.
Who Should Participate:
This webinar is a valuable educational opportunity for state and localgovernment leadership and staff, policy makers, advocates, and anyone elseinterested developing and enhancing green government building programs. "

Deadline extended to oppose offshore drilling

2008-09-17T10:22:00.000-07:00

"The federal government has extended until September 18 the deadline for commenting on a proposed 5-year plan for offshore energy development. Please act now.
Congress may soon take up unprecedented energy legislation that includes authorization for new offshore drilling. Unfortunately, that’s not the only big threat facing our nation’s precious coastal environments. The Bush administration has launched a new accelerated planning process that could open extensive offshore areas around the country to oil and gas drilling irrespective of how Congress votes. Lining our coasts and shorelines with oil rigs will not lower current gas prices or bring Americans long-term energy security, but it will put at risk some of our nation's most valuable habitats and productive marine areas. " from WWF.

Palin on arctic drilling

2008-09-01T13:19:00.001-07:00

Honestly, I was pretty psyched when Sarah Palin was announced as VP for McCain. After all, she's a fisherman/hunter in Alaska, shouldn't she know the value of pristine environments in her home state? I was shocked to find out she's a big advocate for drilling in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge and offshore drilling.
"McCain hinted in June that he may re-evaluate his position on drilling in ANWR, saying that he would “go back and look at it again,” but he has since continued to cite environmental concerns as his primary reason for opposing drilling in the reserve."-from http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2008/08/29/mccain-and-palin-disagree-on-arctic-drilling/
Let's hope come election time, the candidate with better environmental values wins.

Native Plant Workshop Oct 22nd

2008-08-22T11:05:00.000-07:00

Native Plant Training WorkshopOctober 22, 2008
8:30 am - 5:00pm
At the Cary Institute for Ecosystem StudiesMillbrook, NY
Participants will learn techniques and methods for reintroducing native plants to areas that have been managed for the control of invasive plants and will also learn how to preserve existing native plant habitats.

Who should attend: Land managers including local, state and national parks, land stewards, land trusts and preserves, large land owners such as corporations, religious institutions, historic mansions, colleges and residential schools, DEC foresters, landscape architects, horticulturists, growers, nurseries, soil and water conservation district employees, highway workers, NYS Turf and Landscape , EMC, CAC, and Master Gardeners.

Presented in cooperation with NYSDEC Estuary Training Program of the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve, Cary Institute for Ecosystem Studies, and PRISM.
For more info, For more information contact: Meredith Taylor 845-889-4745 ext. 109 mjtaylor@gw.dec.state.ny.us

Keeping your cat indoors

2008-08-18T10:33:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been thinking about outdoor cats for several reasons. In New Zealand, they have a huge problem with feral cats that prey on native wildlife. There aren't many natural predators in NZ, so cats can easily kill lots of birds that aren't used to be hunted. On continents, feral and outside cats also kill birds and small mammals. I love cats, but I think it's unnecessary for cats to hunt, especially when wildlife also have to contend with natural predators, diseases, cars, and habitat loss. This morning I was woken up at 4 am to the screams of two cats fighting in my backyard- which points out that outside cats have a much shorter lifespan than indoor cats. Even putting a bell on a cat collar doesn't solve the problem, because a study has shown that cat can learn to stalk so quietly that the bell doesn't jingle.
I've found a website that discuss the issues of feral/outdoor cats: http://www.njaudubon.org/Conservation/CatsIndoors/FAQ.html#three
One man in Texas shot a feral cat who was killing endangered shorebirds, and it brings up an interesting ethical question of killing a cat who kills birds: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/02/magazine/02cats-v--birds-t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2

Scaring away cheetahs and elephants (in a good way)

2008-08-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

Well guys, I'm back from Australia/New Zealand, so I'll be updating the blog more. I had an amazing time, learned so much, and met great people. Time for uni to start again and get back to the real world (and figuring out a way to negate the huge carbon footprint I created while travelling...hmmm.).
I went to the zoo in Auckland, New Zealand, and learned how this breed of dog is being used by African farmers to keep the cheetahs out of the farmers' land. Before this program was initiated, farmers would kill the cheetahs, or leave poison for the cheetahs (and whatever else ate the bait) so they wouldn't eat their livestock. The dogs are trained to keep out the cheetahs, keeping the livestock safe and saving the cheetahs. There's more about that program here: http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=46
In a similar story, in Sumatra the WWF has introduced a program for tame elephants to scare off wild elephants. Wild elephants have been entering farms and plantations because their natural habitat is being logged and destroyed. Nine rangers and four trained elephants keep the wild elephants out. Keeps people from killing the wild elephants, and hopefully the wild elephants find better places for food. There's more on it and a video at this website: http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/borneo/item3729.html?enews=enews0808t

Pretty cool, I think- and everyone likes success stories.

Renewables

2008-07-23T01:17:00.000-07:00

Al Gore has called for 100% energy to come from renewable sources within the next ten years. Some don't believe this is possible or even desired. But this is really important, and MoveOn has created a petition to push for this, and around 150,000 people have already signed it.

"Al Gore took a big risk when he called on us to get 100% of our electricity from cheap, clean sources within 10 years. It's an achievable goal, but it's already under attack from the oil and coal companies. They're calling his plan unrealistic, impossible, and crazy.
We're in a crisis. If this is the fate of any new idea to get us out of this crisis alive, we're toast. Gore's challenge will live or die on the reaction of people like us.
We can turn back Big Oil's attack if hundreds of thousands of us personally endorse Gore's challenge to power our country with 100% cheap, clean energy within 10 years—and then we urge Obama, McCain, and Congress to get on board.
Clicking here will add your support to Gore's challenge:
http://pol.moveon.org/gorechallenge/o.pl?id=13302-3613284-qw2OfTx&t=4" (from MoveOn.org)

Urge the Senate to support Climate Security Act!

2008-06-02T21:07:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I think supporting climate change legislation is the most important action each of us can do. We can recycle and reduce all we want as individuals, but to really make a difference, we have to influence politics. The Climate Security Act is currently being debated in the Senate. This bill would reduce the amout of emissions and fund conservation programs for wildlife (which are going to need the money since climate change is seriously going to wreak havoc on habitats). Please call or send an email to Senator Schumer and Senator Clinton to support this!!
Senator Schumer:
Phone: (202) 224-6542
District Phone: (212) 486-4430

Senator Clinton:
Phone: (202) 224-4451
District Phone: (212) 688-6262

Although it seems scary, all you have to do is call to say that you would like them to support the Climate Security Act to reduce global warming pollution and protect America's natural resources.
You can find out more about the bill and some talking points here:
http://online.nwf.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Congress_and_Global_Warming_US_Senate

Miracle-gro recall

2008-05-02T00:05:00.000-07:00

"New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Pete Grannis announced that DEC has suspended the New York State registration of four pesticide products manufactured by the Scotts Company. Any unregistered product may not be sold, offered for sale, distributed, or used in New York State.
The Department’s action immediately followed the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s issuance of a national-level “stop sale, use or removal” order against Scotts Miracle-Gro Company and three affiliates for illegal, unregistered, and misbranded products. The products are: SLS Halts Pro 22-0-8 Plus .28% Halts Pro (EPA Reg. No. 538-304), SLS Halts Pro 14-2-5 Plus .28% Halts Pro (EPA Reg. No. 538-304), SLS Halts Pro 0-0-7 Plus .28% Halts Pro (EPA Reg. No. 538-304) and Shake ‘N Feed All Purpose Plant Food Plus Weed Preventer (EPA Reg. No. 62355-4).
USEPA recommends that if you think you have any of these unregistered products, please look at the invalid EPA number on the label. If you see the numbers 62355-4 or 538-304, you have an unregistered pesticide. USEPA advises to store the product in a cool, dry place, such as a garage or utility shed, and to contact Scotts or your retail outlet. Do not dispose of them down the drain, in the garbage or at a community disposal site.
For more information, visit USEPA’s website at http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/ptb/news/. Consumers with questions about the stop sale may call USEPA toll free at 1-888-838-1304 to speak with a pesticides specialist. The National Pesticide Information Center has a hotline at 1-800-858-7378. If your questions can not be answered on those lines, contact the DEC Bureau of Pesticides Management at 518-402-8768. "
(Makes you wonder about pesticides, eh?)

New Recycling Bins at the Commons!

2008-04-28T08:28:00.000-07:00

Clifton Park has recently launched a new recycling program in the Commons, a community sports center. The introduction of the program coincided with the beginning of the recreational soccer program Saturday morning. Clifton Park councilmen Tom Paolucci and Scott Hughes as well as some of the town's G.R.E.E.N. (Government Re-Thinking Energy and Environmental Needs) committee got the word out by putting up 'Recycle: It's a Common thing' signs, and distributing stickers and pamphlets to the early-morning soccer and little league baseball players and parents. The slogan was submitted as part of a contest by a member of the Shenendehowa High School Recycling club (S.C.A.R.C.E.), and will be posted along with other environmentally-conscious slogans on the announcement board along Visher's Ferry Rd. Please support the town's recycling initiatives by utilizing the new recycling bins and letting your town representatives know that you support the new drive towards becoming more environmentally friendly!

Clifton Park tree givaway for Earth Day!

2008-04-08T06:21:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,
Earth day is coming up on April 23rd! Clifton Park's G.R.E.E.N committee is giving away tree seedlings at Shenendehowa SAGE’s Science Discovery Night Expo at the Gowana Middle School from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM on Wednesday April 23rd. The tree seedlings will be available on a first come first serve basis until the supply is exhausted. The entire press release is below:

"Councilman Paolucci stated, “In an effort to reduce carbon gases in our environment the Town GREEN Committee encourages residents to plant trees to help promote a greener, cleaner Clifton Park”. Trees serve many purposes today and now are our primary tool to help control surface/storm water run-off that backs-up storm drains, causing flooding in basements and low areas. The Committee supports events like the Science Discovery Night Expo because science provides us with the knowledge and means to balance development and nature.
Councilman Hughes reminds residents that, “scientifically and aesthetically trees are a great a means by which we can improve our environment and quality of life. I encourage Clifton Park families to take advantage of this opportunity to plant a tree and watch it grow, together with their children to a full and successful potential here in Clifton Park”."

Also! 18 seconds is a cool website about CLFs and a breakdown of which states are the most "enlightened". It only takes 18 seconds to change your lightbulb into a more efficient CLF.

As far as Saratoga County Green goes, I'm extremely proud to say that it was exactly one year ago that myself and my awesome friend Chris started this little project. I didn't think it would go anywhere at first, and it was tough getting it off the ground. I felt like we got a lot accomplished over the summer considering that we started from scratch. Unfortunately I won't be around this summer (I'll still be in Australia...hey, maybe that's not so unfortunate), but I hope that someone else from the group will pick it up. Even if SCCG doesn't reunite for the summer, I'll keep this blog updated for national news as well as local. I'm really happy that Clifton Park has a new "green" committee that is actually accomplishing things! I'm also really proud of Lisa, who is part of SCCG and is on the committee board. Although I'm moving out to bigger things than good old CP, I still want to do as much as I can to motivate people and get things moving in this town.
Cheers,
Shona

One million strong

2008-03-31T23:21:00.000-07:00

From Al Gore and Climate Alliance:
"We're on the verge of being over one million strong and I'm asking you to join us. Please click here today to become part of the solutions to global warming:
http://wecansolveit.org/alliance
If leaders in business and government are going to make stopping climate change a priority, we need to send a loud message that we want action now. That's why I'm asking you to get involved today:"

Tasmanian Tiger

2008-03-08T03:38:00.000-08:00

I'm in Australia for a university semester, hence the lack of updates. I learned about the now-extinct thylacine (aka tasmanian tiger) in school, and I wanted to share it with all of you. Thylacines were marsupials (like kangaroos and possoms, so it had babies in a pouch), but over time developed characterics similar to the wolves we're used to back in North America. This is called convergent evolution- when totally different organisms end up looking similar through adaptation to their environment. From about 1800-1900 in Tasmania, the thylacines were hunted on a mass scale because they were believed to be threats to farmers' sheep. They had to compete with settlers' domestic dogs for dwindling prey at around the same time that a disease was further destroying the population. The last thylacine was Benjamin, which was captured in 1933 and lived in the Hobart Zoo for three years:

I watched a few films of thylacines at this website and I found it a little sad. Some people believe that thylacines still exist in the deep woods of Tasmania, but this is highly unlikely and unproven. Extinction is forever.

Hawk at exit 10

2008-02-03T18:11:00.000-08:00

In the past few weeks, I've seen on several (8 or more) occasions this pretty big hawk between Jonesville and the Northway, along Carlton and Van Patten Road and the surrounding area. I got a closeup in the binoculars and it appears to be a red-tailed hawk. Though my hawk identification needs improvement, it seems to be a fairly large hawk, so my guess is that it's a female, or a really healthy male. (Female birds of prey are usually larger than males of the same species). I hadn't noticed it before I came home from school in January. Has anyone else seen it?

Contests!

2008-01-22T16:04:00.001-08:00

SCCG will have a booth at the Focus the Nation event at Shen this weekend (see last post for details).

There's an award of about $500 for young people (ages 8-16) who are working on an environmental project. http://www.grantsalert.com/grants.cfm?id=4&gid=9825 I'd strongly encourage someone to apply for that award if they have a project.

The National Wildlife Federation is now accepting entries for their annual photography contest.

There's also an essay contest for ages 8-18 about energy for the future.

Hope to see you at the Focus the Nation event this weekend!

Focus the Nation Event at Shen

2008-01-16T16:53:00.001-08:00

Shenendehowa SCARCE Club will be hosting a national event Focus the Nation” http://www.focusthenation.org/nationalteachin.php on Sunday January 27^th from 12-4 in High School East little theatre. Dr. Steven Leibo from Russell Sage College will be speaking at 1:00 PM on Global Climate Change, what it means to you and how to solve the problem. Several groups (NYSERDA, Pride of New York, Energy Bike etc) will have displays set up on environmental topics. Please announce to your students. Hope you can bring your family and friends.

"What are they waiting for?"

2008-01-14T17:55:00.000-08:00

"The climate crisis will be the biggest challenge facing the next president. But the top Sunday hosts don’t seem to think so. In 2007, they asked 2,275 questions, but only three mentioned global warming." - National Wildlife Federation
You can check out this video about it.

Kids + chemicals

2008-01-13T20:00:00.000-08:00

Babies and young kids are often more susceptible to the effects of their environment because they're developing.
An Environmental Working Group recently did a study of chemicals that kids are exposed to. According to their study, "the EWG found that the average child is exposed to 27 chemicals per day that have not been found to be safe for young people." (from http://www.seventhgeneration.com/making_difference/newsletter_article.php?article=601&issue=107)
The Environmental Working Group does have a parent's buying guide for products that are less toxic for kids. Check it out.

Are Your Efforts Really 'Green'?

2008-01-12T21:24:00.000-08:00

The New York Times recently published an article questioning whether or not companies use the illusion of being 'green' and environmentally friendly to appear hip and attract customers eager to do good, and in fact coined a new term to describe the phenomenon: Greenwashing. In an attempt to alleviate the deception that likely occurs, the Federal Trade Commission is beginning to update its environmental advertising guidelines. One can only wonder if the measure is too late; are consumers beginning to lose their illusion with 'green' businesses that, in reality, do little for the environment, and will this cause a backlash for other businesses that really achieve something?
See 'F.T.C. Asks if Carbon-Offset Money is Winding Up True Green' for the full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/09/business/09offsets.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=federal+trade+commission&oref=slogin

NFL

2007-12-27T09:26:00.000-08:00

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.

The Story of Stuff

2007-12-23T16:19:00.000-08:00

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

Happy holidays!

2007-12-22T13:59:00.000-08:00

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!

2007-12-06T16:00:00.001-08:00

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

Recycling around town

2007-12-01T16:15:00.000-08:00

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!

E-waste

2007-11-18T18:03:00.000-08:00

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?

Coal

2007-11-04T12:28:00.000-08:00

"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.

Step It Up Rally and Climate Change Numbers

2007-11-02T08:07:00.000-07:00

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.

Cool videos and websites

2007-10-06T20:09:00.000-07:00

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

Save the polar bears!

2007-09-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

"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)

Almost the end of summer...

2007-08-07T20:16:00.001-07:00

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.

Live Earth Pledge

2007-07-08T20:04:00.001-07:00

Help reach the goal of getting 50,000 signatures on the Live Earth Plegde!
http://www.liveearthpledge.org/

SCCG sustainability forum!

2007-07-06T19:24:00.001-07:00

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

Senate Energy Bill

2007-07-05T15:16:00.000-07:00

A few days ago, the senate energy bill passed. You can find out what the issues were here.

Booth at the Commons and Live Earth

2007-07-02T19:18:00.000-07:00

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!

2007-07-01T12:04:00.000-07:00

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.

Farm visit!

2007-06-11T16:43:00.000-07:00

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!

Lake Association meeting

2007-06-06T18:34:00.000-07:00

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

2007-06-06T09:42:00.000-07:00

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.

Fundraiser!

2007-06-04T19:26:00.000-07:00

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.

Wilton Hikes and Programs

2007-06-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

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.

Meetings

2007-05-30T09:16:00.000-07:00

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!

Five projects

2007-05-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

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.

Bumper stickers?

2007-05-03T12:29:00.000-07:00

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)!

Battery recycling and some cool websites

2007-05-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

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

Biodiversity, Exxon Mobil, and farmers market

2007-04-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

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

When meetings will start

2007-04-20T11:45:00.000-07:00

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

Project Ideas

2007-04-17T21:09:00.000-07:00

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.

Mission statement

2007-04-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

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!