ETM specializes in solar energy systems. They install solar electric systems and solar hot water heaters on residences and commercial buildings and repair existing solar energy systems. They also sell small wind turbines. Their prime directive is to bring environmentally friendly solar power to as many people on planet Earth as possible. For more info,…
Words Into Deeds brings cutting edge methods, and resources designed to promote greater youth awareness of and engagement in local and global human rights issues, helping them develop skills and confidence as informed, empowered, active citizens through the use of workshops, seminars, individual consulting, access to global platforms, and classroom activities. Right now, they’re working on Teaching Global Citizenship Skills in Uganda and Teaching Youth About Healthy Consumer Practices. For more info, visit their website.
Looking for more ways to plug into the climate movement from behind your computer? As a social media volunteer for RPCC, you can provide support to their social media and overall outreach efforts. The Rochester People’s Climate Coalition (RPCC) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to inspiring and facilitating large-scale climate solution mobilization in the Greater Rochester Region. Want to know more? Visit their website.
The Butler Town Board is considering a proposal by Tully Environment to build a sewage sludge processing plant to be operated in a gravel pit owned by Riccelli Enterprises. In theory, it would be used to process sewer sludge/waste from NYC, compost it, and turn it into fertilizer that could be used on area farmland or elsewhere. Bottom line – if after reading the info below, you feel it’s not something we want in upstate NY, call either Pam Helming’s office, and/or your local NYS Senator or Assemblyperson, and let them know that.
This hands-on and in-depth training prepares volunteer Energy Navigators to help others in the community understand their energy use and make progress towards reducing energy use and bills, and switching from fossil fuels to renewables. Focus is on helping low- and moderate-income residents (both homeowners and renters) save energy and money.
A “net zero energy residential housing development” may be coming to the Village of Lansing in the near future if approved by the Planning Board. The housing complex would consist of 43 homes powered by solar energy and heat pumps, a project of The Solar Home Factory, a company based in Geneva. The houses would be clustered to preserve green space and minimize encroachment onto wetlands, and would be compliant with CLCPA [New York State Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act]. Read more about this exciting plan here!
Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton’s term ends at the end of 2020, and she has announced she will be retiring after her ninth term representing the 125th district, meaning that several democrats have stepped forward to run and take her place for the upcoming term. It is our responsibility as citizens to be educated on who is running to make an informed voting decision on June 23rd (primary) and November 3rd (general), so a handy guide has put together here! Aspiring candidates can still file to run until April 2nd, so more candidates may step forward, but these are the existing candidates (last updated Feb. 29, 2020):
Protesters took the streets in Ithaca to oppose the Coastal GasLink pipeline construction through Indigenous unceded land in “British Columbia”. Police blockades on both Green Street and Cayuga Street last Wednesday morning caused major delays for travelers, some of which were exiting their vehicles to confront the protestors. To read more about the protest, see Anna Lamb’s Ithaca Voice report. Want to get in on the action? Visit the Wet’suwet’en solidarity coordinating facebook page. For updates from the frontline, see the Unist’ot’en Camp Facebook page and the Wet’suwet’en Access Point on Gidimt’en Territory Facebook page. To donate, and for all the info you could ever need, visit their websites.
30 U.S. senators, including local NY Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer, have signed a letter to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler asking them to implement the 2019 PFAS mitigation plan, made over a year ago. High PFAS are thought to be, at least in part, attributed to firefighting foam used by the town of Romulus for nearly 60 years, which ran off into the water. PFAS have been linked to birth defects, cancer, and other health risks, which raises concern for communities around Seneca Lake. Read more in the Finger Lake Times. Photo credits: Finger Lake Times.
Love the idea of eating locally-grown fruits and veggies? Want to support your local farmers and local economy? Don’t know where to begin? buylocalfoodny.org, a project of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County, is a great place to start. There you’ll find a directory of places to find local food, tips for saving money, and much more. A wonderful resource to take advantage of, for those new to buying local and all you seasoned buyers!
Crow and Owl Farm is a farm startup on White Hawk Ecovillage in Danby. Farm-owner, Steve Woinoski, is currently prepping fields for hazelnuts and berries. He’s also a member of the New York Tree Crops Alliance (NYTCA), which is a small group of tree farmers from Tompkins County and the surrounding areas who helped to make Steve’s dream a reality!
Read more about Steve’s journey and NYTCA here!
Job searching? Consider a green career!
Way2Go brings together people, information, resources and leadership to work towards a more equitable and sustainable transportation system in Tompkins County and beyond. Way2Go partners on numerous transportation projects providing education and outreach on mobility challenges and solutions in Tompkins County and beyond. They also share information in person and online through their Facebook page and the Way2Go website, which houses an online directory of every transportation service in Tompkins County for local and regional travel, how-to videos, tips and tools and ways to get involved in community initiatives. Way2Go is a program of Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County. To learn more about this organization and their partners, read this article.
Check out this article on geothermal heat pumps, written by Sustainable Tompkins’ own, Gay Nicholson!
A new round of training will be starting up in the Spring of 2020–the fifth year! Energy Navigators help Tompkins County residents learn about ways to reduce (and eliminate) their fossil fuel use, and transition to renewable forms of heating and powering their homes and transportation. Navigators go through a ten-session training, and volunteer through public outreach and by sharing information with friends, family, neighbors and others in their networks.