Welcome to the second edition of the Climate Change Awareness and Action Newsletter
We named the newsletter “The Next Generation” because how we live today will determine environmental conditions for our children and generations that follow us. If we care we have to examine how we live and make changes.
Climate change is the most serious environmental crisis we face. Man-made climate change is moving us out of a stable climate at a pace never seen in geologic history. It was a stable climate for the last 11,000 years that enabled civilization to flourish.
We are leaving that stable climate and entering an era of climate instability: stronger storms, more intense weather extremes of droughts and floods, more forest fires, heat waves, melting glaciers and ice caps, toxic algal blooms, death of coral reefs, rising sea levels, acidification of the oceans….. How these environmental stressors will change civilization is anybody’s guess.
We must transition away from fossil fuels or run the risk that climate change will cause civilization as we know it to break down.
In CNY we are starting to see more toxic algal blooms due to such factors as warmer weather and increased rain which carries more agricultural nutrients into lakes. Milder winters are contributing to an increase in tick-borne diseases. The Post Standard, in a April 2 front page article, reported that warmer weather is affecting the production of maple syrup in CNY and that sugar maple trees are under stress.
How severely climate change will damage lakeside communities and the quality of life in CNY is yet to be determined.
CCAA was started three years ago by individuals from different environmental organizations in CNY to focus on climate change issues. We have 1,400 people on our e-mail list and plan to publish our newsletter four times per year.
Sincerely, Peter Wirth
Chair of the CCAA Newsletter
CCAA Promotes Climate and Community Protection Act
By Jane Tretler
CCAA continues to promote the N.Y. state legislation CCPA (Climate and Community Protection Act). Members of CCAA and CNY Solidarity Climate Justice attended the regional hearing on the CCPA hosted by N.Y. Senator Rachel May on February 21st in Syracuse. Senator May (SD-53) is a co- sponsor of the CCPA and is also a member of the Environmental Conservation Committee.
Senator May feels strongly that we must have an opportunity to weigh in on this important bill. The comprehensive act intends to tackle the effects of climate change by drastically reducing greenhouse gases, diverting the State’s energy reliance to renewable resources, and creating green jobs in an effort to promote environmental justice across New York State. To experience the hearings go to https://www.nysenate.gov/newsroom/video/rachel-may/senator-rachel-may-sd-53-hosts-regional-hearing-syracuse-climate-and
It is also important to call the TWO SPEAKERS and urge them to bring the CCPA bill to the floor so it can pass. The speakers are
Senate Majority Leader: Andrea Stewart-Cousins (518-455-2585)
Assembly Speaker: Carl Heastie (518-455-3791)
CCAA will also promote the bill with CCPA fact sheet handouts at our spring tabling events which include the Renewable Energy Fair in Cazenovia, Reinventing Power at LeMoyne College, Party for the Planet at Rosamond Gifford Zoo and the Ride and Drive in Skaneateles.
Jane Tretler
jtretler@verizon.net
Sierra Club 100% Clean Energy Campaign -Update
By Dr. Sonia Kragh, MD
Sierra Club and Climate Change Awareness & Action members have been busy continuing to connect with Town of Dewitt officials who can make
it happen.
At the direction of the Board, Sam Gordon, Director of Planning and Zoning, is currently drafting a resolution for the town to commit to 100% renewable energy. Sam recently gave a presentation at a GreeningUSA luncheon updating the community
The solar array is set to begin construction this spring and the plan is to review/update the Sustainability Plan (http://www.townofdewitt.com/documents/1346.pdf) in 2020 to incorporate the array, projecting 100% electric by 2021. Sam recently gave a presentation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRYJ4tgi9NM) at a GreeningUSA luncheon on Dewitt’s Sustainability Plan.
The town purchased 2 Chevy Bolt vehicles to add to the fleet, and has information to take advantage of the Volkswagen mitigation settlement to begin to electrify the heavy equipment. SC has suggested that the board look at adopting language to allow savings from its Sustainability Plan to be reinvested in ongoing Sustainability ventures.
If you would like to be involved in the Ready for 100% Clean Energy Campaign, please contact Sierra Club volunteer Sonia Kragh sykragh@yahoo.com or CCAA Pete Wirth, pwirth2@verizon.net
The Town has entered into a power purchase agreement with RER Energy Group, LLC to develop a 2.6 megawatt Solar Photovoltaic Array on the closed Town of DeWitt Landfill. This project involves the installation of a grid-connected ballasted solar array atop a portion of the closed landfill. The installation requires the use of non-penetrating ballast foundations to preserve the integrity of the membrane cap, which resides below the existing grade as a component of an engineered landfill-closure solution. The project footprint will cover an overall area of 11.15 acres, occurring in a repeating-row formation, alternating with 24 feet between each row. Solar panels will occupy 3.3 acres within the 11.15 acre footprint.
Photosimulation aerial photo of Town of Dewitt Solar Farm.
The energy produced by the Solar Farm will significantly offset the Town’s municipal energy consumption; we anticipate saving approximately $2 million in energy costs over the life of the project, with a carbon savings of 2605 metric tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent). This equates to taking 510 automobiles off the road per year. Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.
In the Fall of 2011, the Town of DeWitt installed a 55 KW solar array to the roof of the DeWitt Town Hall. To date it has produced 236,494.80 kWh of power and avoided over 364,967.23 lbs of carbon dioxide.
Historic Noble House Becomes a Geothermal Landmark
By William Sunderlin
The Noble House in Fayetteville, New York, was built in 1825 and was lived in by abolitionist Linnaeus P. Noble, founder of The National Era (anti-slavery newspaper) and first publisher of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. I bought the house so it could serve for civic education about a key moral issue in our past (abolitionism) and in our present and future (climate change), knowing it had room enough for a geothermal loop field and that its unencumbered south-facing roofs were perfect for solar photovoltaic energy.
William Sunderlin in his basement standing by part of his geothermal heat pump system
Shawn Hodge, lead geothermal installer for Halco (the company that did the geothermal work) had a tall challenge: how to install 21st century technology in a 19th century home. The house was drafty (little insulation and floor-to-ceiling windows), overly moist (flood-prone basement), and made a conventional design (condensers and air handler in one place) impossible. These hurdles were surmounted with the application of sound HVAC principles and ingenuity: closed-cell foam insulation was applied in the attics, crawl-spaces, and basement; the basement was deepened and water-proofed; and four basement heat pumps were installed to serve four different zones, with two pumps linked to attic-level air handlers. Three 420-foot vertical wells were drilled to create the geothermal loop field, which serves a 12-ton Geostar Aston system.
The hard work and perseverance of Hodge and his Halco colleagues paid off. Not only do I have a carbon-free home (I got rid of the natural gas furnace and gas stove) with excellent heating and cooling, but my house won 2019 Top Job at the annual conference of the New York State Geothermal Organization. It is the second home in New York State to receive a Platinum Pearl Certification.
The technical challenge of putting a geothermal system in this ancient home meant the cost of installation was about two and a half times higher than in a less complex comparable-sized home. It is unlikely that the far more efficient heating and cooling system in my home will ever pay off the cost of installation. But for me, that is not the point. The point is that we are in the midst of a dire climate emergency and we must do all we can to dramatically lower our carbon footprint even if it means added expense for people who can afford it (like me). I intend to push forward in reducing my consumption of fossil fuels in all ways possible. I now have an electric vehicle, and I hope to have a solar photovoltaic roof within the next year so that I can achieve net zero status (i.e. house producing as much energy as it consumes).
Sunderlin is Senior Research Associate with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) in Indonesia, Adjunct Professor at SUNY-ESF, a Fellow of the Rights and Resources Initiative in Washington DC, and a member of the steering committee of HeatSmart CNY. He can be reached at <william.sunderlin@gmail.com>
Climate Change Speaker Available
By James A. D’Aloisio
ARE YOU OVERWHELMED at the daunting prospects of a warming world? Or perhaps wondering whether we should even be worried at all about all this talk? This powerful presentation by veteran speaker Jim D’Aloisio will tell you – YES we should be worried, but don’t despair: there’s lots that can be done, there’s hope for our future and YOU can make a difference in bringing about the change we need.
The Presentation:Climate Change: Reality, Action, and Hope
Part 1 – Where We Are – An objective look at the verifiable facts of anthropogenic climate change (ACC), including recent data and trends. We’ll also put the variety of public opinions in perspective.
Part 2 – What to Do – Breaking down the various options for action into personal, professional and political, focusing on actions that may be most effective in addressing ACC.
Part 3 – Reason for Hope – An overview of some of the encouraging developments, both technological and institutional, that suggest that solutions to ACC are within our reach.
Jim D’Aloisio, P.E. is a professional engineer, a trained Climate Reality Leader, and chair of the SEI (Structural Engineering Institute) Climate Action Team. He has presented over 200 times.
James A. D’Aloisio, P.E., SECB, LEED A Allow 90 minutes for this talk/discussion.
(Time can be tailored for your group.)
To arrange for a presentation to your group, contact Peter Michel at Climate Change Awareness & Action315-632-4780 peter@petermichel.com www.climatechange-action.com
The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act
By Kyle Thomas
Support this national legislation. Economists say it can have the greatest impact of anything we can currently do.
The most impactful climate change legislation in the past 10 years and perhaps ever has been introduced in Congress! House Bill 763, The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, follows a similar bill that was introduced on a bipartisan basis in both houses of Congress in late 2018. The bill puts a gradually rising fee on fossil fuels, the revenues from which are returned to households in the form of a monthly dividend check. A border adjustment will protect our domestic industries from competition from foreign countries that have not implemented an equivalent policy. Implementation of this policy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40% in 12 years, create 2.1 million new jobs in the U.S., and protect low and middle income households from increased energy costs.
The original co-sponsors of this bill, which as of this writing has 30 co-sponsors, are committed to achieving bipartisan support for this bill as a means of bettering its prospects for passage and durability. So it will need the support of more moderate Republicans who are willing to work with their Democratic colleagues in Congress. This means that voters in districts like ours (NY-24) have a uniquely important role in the fate of this crucial legislation.
Please contact Rep. John Katko by telephone (202-225-3701) or email and ask him to co-sponsor H.R. 763, The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act!
Kyle Thomas
Citizens Climate Lobby
kthomas@naturalsystemsengineering.com
Sunrise Movement Comes to CNY
By Liam McMonagle
My name is Liam McMonagle, and I am one of the coordinators of the Central New York Hub of the Sunrise Movement. If you haven’t heard of Sunrise, it’s a growing national movement to make climate justice a TOP priority in local, state, and national politics. With significant progress being made towards climate legislation, it is now MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER that we double down on our environmental efforts and create a coalition of activist support.
The Sunrise CNY Hub’s first launch / general interest meeting will take place at ArtRage Gallery in Syracuse (505 Hawley Ave) at 7PM on Tuesday May 7th. The link for the facebook event (which we hope you’ll RSVP and share out) is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/327806751260425/.
At the meeting, we’ll discuss the goals of The Sunrise Movement, local momentum for the Green New Deal and hosting a GND Town Hall this September, our No Fossil Fuel Pledge targeting elected officials, and more! Most importantly, we want to hear from you! It’s so important we begin orchestrating coordinated action and support each others’ activism!
We hope to see you there! Please feel free to reach out with questions, comments, or concerns. Also, follow us on social media @SunriseCNY (facebook, instagram, and twitter). We hope you will join us and encourage other members of the community to do so as well!
Liam McMonagle
Sunrise CNY <sunrisecny@gmail.com>
ABOUT CCAA
Climate Change Awareness & Action (CCAA) was formed for the purpose of educating others and actively working towards reversing the anthropogenic climate disruption that threatens the earth.
It is imperative that we increase awareness and spur action on climate change:
to support fair and just public policies and legislation
to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
to support regenerative agriculture and conservation
CCAA seeks to create a community of people working together in CNY to bring about the changes we need to avoid an environmental crisis.
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Editor: Jane Woodman Publisher: Yvonne Chu Chair: Peter Wirth
UPCOMING EVENTS
May 7, 2019 7:00 PM
Art Rage Gallery
505 Hawley Ave.
The Sunrise CNY Hub’s first launch / general interest meeting will take
place More Info
May 9, 2019, 4:00 to 5:30 PM
Free Public Workshop with emphasis on energy efficiency and heat pumps
Jacobus Lounge, SUNY Cortland
35 Graham Avenue, Cortland, NY More Info & RSVP
May 26, 2019, 2:00 to 4:30 PM
Air source heat pump open house
Dennis Residence
3996 Crestwood Court, Cortland NY More Info & RSVP
June 5, 2019, 6:30 to 8:00 PM
Free Public Workshop with emphasis on energy efficiency and heat pumps
Center for the Arts of Homer
72 S Main St, Homer, NY More Info & RSVP
June 15, 2019
Bike Ride Fundraiser visiting two homes with geothermal and solar
installations
Riders leave ArtRage at 9 AM, Tours at 11 AM
ArtRage Gallery
505 Hawley Ave, Syracuse, NY More Info & RSVP
June 30, 2019, 2:00 – 4:30 PM
Preble Geothermal Open House
McClure Residence
1981 Preble Road, Preble, New York 13141
Geothermal HVAC, Heat Pump Water Heater, and solar PV More Info & RSVP
July 8, 2019, 5:30 to 7:00 PM
Free Public presentation with emphasis on energy efficiency and heat pumps
Tully Free Library
12 State Street, Tully, NY More Info & RSVP
For an even more comprehensive list of events pertaining to sustainability and climate change, contact Diane Brandli with GreeningUSA to subscribe to the GreeningUSA listserve or to publicize an event you are organizing. dbdesigninteriors@verizon.net
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
If you are interested in working on the issue of climate change, please contact us at cc.awareness.action@gmail.com or call at 315-308-0846. Don’t worry about your skill level. We are all learning. We need people who can
ARE YOU OVERWHELMED at the daunting prospects of a warming world? Or perhaps wondering whether we should even be worried at all about all this talk? This powerful presentation by veteran speaker Jim D’Aloisio will tell you – YES we should be worried, but don’t despair: there’s lots that can be done, there’s hope for our future and YOU can make a difference in bringing about the change we need.
