If you live in the Town of Manlius, including the villages of Fayetteville, Minoa and Manlius, you may have heard about two proposed solar projects in your area. One is an 11 Megawatt project off Duguid Rd, and the other is a 5 Megawatt project off Salt Springs Road. Both have met with significant opposition and an unfortunate cloud of misinformation. A number of vocal residents have voiced concerns that the installations will negatively harm property prices, destroy the pastoral view and leach harmful chemicals into the groundwater, among other complaints. The likely result is a moratorium of at least six months which would put a stop on all solar array development in the town until more information is gathered.
This newsletter is not the place to rebut the claims that were raised. That is best left to the specialists with expert knowledge in solar installations, but it is worth considering what we are fighting for or against. Residents who are concerned about their environment changing absolutely must be respected. Are rows of solar panels a curse on the rolling pastoral hills or are they a welcome sign that Manlius is proudly taking a leading role to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Is green energy something to be delayed and chased away or something to be celebrated and welcomed? Change is coming either way, but the longer we wait and the more we choose to push responsibility off to somewhere else, the less effective our eventual contribution will be, and the greater the negative climate impacts regionally, nationally and globally.
Let’s take a step back. In 2019, New York State, in recognition of the crisis facing us all, signed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) into law. This legislation achieves two significant things. First, it commits New York to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (85% reduced, 15% offset). The greenhouse gas reduction is to be achieved through both the development of renewable energy sources and efficiency gains. The CLCPA mandates that 70% of electricity generation must come from renewable sources by 2030. We are at about 27% today. As part of that goal, the law states that 6,000 Megawatts of solar energy capacity must be online and serving New Yorkers by 2025. That is just three and a half years from now!
Solar installations of this size undergo significant scrutiny. There’s no fast-tracking or pushing them through, which is precisely why several smaller projects in the area have yet to break ground. It is normal that these things take significant time. They are vetted at both the town and state level, by the local Planning Board, and rightfully scrutinized by the local residents. Then the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) weigh in. Breaking ground takes years, not months. Permits are needed, funding and tax implications must be worked out, and the process of getting the power from the solar array to the power grid is another regulatory hurdle. So it hard to understand how a forced delay at the beginning of the process to stop all community solar development for six months or more is anything other than an attempt to force the projects to go away and find some other neighborhood to bother.
A Call to Action!
For residents in the Town of Manlius, which includes the villages of Fayetteville, Minoa and Manlius, the public hearing on the proposed moratorium will be on Wednesday July 28th at 6:30 p.m., in the Town Board Room: 301 Brooklea Drive, Fayetteville.
You may also join the meeting virtually at https://townofmanlius.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=457.
It is advisable to arrive early to register and get a seat, particularly if you plan to speak. CCAA would love to see about ten people willing to speak in favor of the local solar projects.
Residents may also write statements to be read on their behalf, or multiple people can sign a statement so that it is read on behalf of a group of people. This is an excellent way to make sure that a significant number of individuals are recorded in the public record while being conscious of repetition and respectful of time constraints.
Finally, if you wish to bring a sign and stand outside before the meeting starts that would also be welcomed—particularly younger residents, looking ahead to a long future of climate impact.
If you live in the Town of Manlius, please do your part and take a stand!
If you live elsewhere, be conscious of similar proposals around your own community. Solar development is vital in the journey away from fossil fuels!
The end of June brought about the most intense heat wave on record in the Pacific Northwest, and is on track to be one of the deadliest as well. In Vancouver, British Columbia, there were over 486 deaths linked to heat stroke recorded in just under one week. Temperatures in this area hit an all time high in Canada of 121 degrees Fahrenheit, sparking wildfires that led to evacuations. The nearly 500 deaths recorded is a 195% increase in the 165 deaths that would be normally expected over the week-long period.
On the United States side of the border, over 1300 people were placed in hospitals across Washington due to complications from heat exhaustion, dehydration, dizziness, and even loss of consciousness. In Oregon there were 63 deaths attributed to the heat wave with more expected to come. Heat warnings went into effect for parts of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, and California. These warnings even reached as far to the east as New York City. Unfortunately this type of devastating heat is projected to become the new normal, with an analysis recently published by the National Bureau of Economic Research suggesting that if left unchecked the number of heat related deaths could match or surpass the number of deaths from all infectious diseases by the end of the century.
From 1998 to 2017, the World Health Organization has attributed 166,000 deaths worldwide to increases in extreme heat on a global scale. Studies conducted in 2020 discovered that periods of extreme heat have become increasingly frequent, longer lasting, and hotter since the 1950’s. Some of these observed heat waves have even exceeded climate projections made 20 years ago. Jonathan Overpeck, a climate researcher at the University of Michigan, urges the importance for people to realize that these extreme heat waves are increasing in frequency and intensity because of human caused global warming. An example of this is the 2003 heat wave in Europe that was attributed with 70,000 deaths. Research confirmed that the summer’s extreme heat that year was twice as likely to occur due to climate change effects. Accommodations need to be made in both working and living conditions to ensure that the death toll from this current heat wave stays as low as possible.
The major concern is that people in the Pacific Northwest are not as accustomed to heat as someone who may live further down south. “What could sicken or kill people in Seattle might feel like a nice fall day in the Southeast,” said Samatha Scarneao-Miller, a health scientist from West Virginia University School of Medicine who specializes in heat stroke. Athletes are especially at risk in these areas with seasons beginning for the first time since the COVID-19 lockdowns. Samatha worries that overzealous athletes will be eager to push themselves after being unable to for such a long time, leading to disregard of safety precautions during practices that could end in serious injury or even death.
Working conditions also need to be adjusted to ensure that people stay safe during this extreme heat. Employers need to ensure that their employees receive adequate rest and water breaks to prevent heat related illnesses from happening. Prioritizing safety may even require employers to shift working hours away from the hottest points in the day. Individuals also need to practice cooling techniques such as drinking and chilling their forearms with cold water before exerting themselves outside.
With extreme heat waves such as the one seen recently in the Pacific Northwest becoming more and more commonplace, it is important for us to change our daily habits in order to protect ourselves. Extreme heat can be extremely dangerous, especially to individuals not used to the heat, making it imperative for people to take precautions when heat advisories are announced. Avoid the midday heat if possible, and ensure you are hydrating, resting, and cooling yourself off regularly throughout the day to minimize your risk of heat related illnesses. However, the best actions to take are preventative measures by reducing the use of greenhouse gases on a global scale. If we can begin to slow the effects of climate change, then these dangerous heat waves may not have to become a commonplace event we need to prepare for each year.
Sustainable and Climate-Friendly Garden Tour
An invitation from Paula Uche, DACC and the DeWitt Tree Committee:
Tour Paula’s amazing climate-friendly garden!
Wednesday, July 21st. Tours start at 3:00 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
801 Nottingham Rd, on the corner of Waldorf Pkwy, with parking available across street at Drumlins.
A model for sustainable suburban land use
Sanctuary and native species garden with diverse trees and shrubs for pollinators, bees and butterflies
Organic soil enrichment: pesticide-free and herbicide-free lawn, friendly to wildlife
Rain garden for improved storm water runoff
Organic suburban farm with 12 raised beds: vegetables, flowers, berries and fruit trees
Composting of all vegetation and food scraps
National Wildlife Association Backyard Habitat Certified; Monarch Watch Certified
Open to your neighbors and friends—invite them to come!
Legal Experts Worldwide Draw up ‘Historic’ Definition of Ecocide
Ecocide, being pushed for adoption by the International Criminal Court so that the most serious offences against the environment can be prosecuted under international law, now has a legal definition: “unlawful or wanton acts committed with knowledge that there is a substantial likelihood of severe and widespread or long-term damage to the environment being caused by those acts.” If adopted, ecocide would be the fifth offence that the ICC prosecutes, alongside war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression.
Every little patch of green counts in the health of our environment, but maybe not in a way you would first think of. In a recent study it was shown that urban spaces right down to the humble green verge are home to a highly diverse range of microbes—bacteria, fungi and more—which play a critical role in soil fertility, plant health, decomposition, and therefore the carbon lifecycle. The paper argues that a better understanding of these microbiomes will allow better management and sustainable development of urban greenspaces.
Rise in Forest Clearance Increasing Greenhouse Gases
While Brazil is often in the news for egregious forest clearance, recent findings from a research team show that forests in Southeast Asia are also being cut down at ever-higher altitudes and on steeper slopes to make way for new plantations. The result is a huge and increasing annual release of carbon into the atmosphere and significant pressure on many of the area’s at-risk species.
Can Seaweed Farming Reduce Emissions?
By Jacob Stewart
Scientists are now looking into a new and more natural way to battle climate change through the farming of seaweed. Seaweed has been around for 500 million years, and scientists have found that wild seaweed is capturing 173 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. Just one square kilometer of seaweed is able to capture over one thousand metric tons of CO2. Now, some companies, such as Main-based Running Tide, are looking into seaweed farming as a way to combat climate change.
This farming would work by growing kelp spores in a lab for several weeks and then transporting them to the ocean when the spores begin to grow fuzzy. The mature seaweed would be wrapped around ropes placed in the ocean and left untouched for six to eight months. Once this six to eight months is up the kelp would be sunk. This is because to ensure that the carbon captured by the kelp does not return to the carbon cycle the seaweed needs to be sunk. By sinking the kelp to a depth of at least 1,000 meters it ensures that the carbon released by the kelp when it decays stays at the bottom of the ocean and does not return to the atmosphere. Scientists are hopeful that this method of farming could be somewhat impactful on the current global emission scale, which is 50 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases released a year. With a thousand metric tons per year with each square mile of seaweed, it is possible for seaweed farming to offset enough carbon to match the aquaculture industry that produces 300,000 metric tons per year of CO2. However, offsetting one small fraction of the contributors to the global emission crisis is not going to solve the problem, and may have unforeseen effects on the environment.
One concern is that this type of large-scale farming and sinking of seaweed has never been done before, and therefore it is unclear what could go wrong. The biggest concern is that the buoys and ropes that would be used in the large-scale farming could damage aquatic wildlife, and pose a threat to both shipping and fishing industries. Seaweed farming could also have positive effects, though, with some speculating that these seaweed farms would provide habitat for ocean wildlife and lessen the effects of ocean acidification in local areas.
While the focus on new methods and technologies to combat climate change is a fantastic change, the best method is to simply not emit greenhouse gases at all. Bottom trawling, a fishing method that involves dragging a net across the ocean floor, was found to release as much CO2 as the entire aviation industry combined. This accounts for roughly one billion metric tons of CO2 per year, and is a prime example of why focusing on reducing carbon emissions would help much more than focusing on ways to recapture carbon. With seaweed farming projected to potentially offset 300,000 metric tons of CO2, a global ban on bottom trawling would reduce three times the amount of CO2 overnight than the theoretical peak of this new proposed method. So while it is still important to look into these new methods of recapturing carbon, it is just as important to continue to advocate for the reduction of carbon emissions all together.
CCAA Member Spotlight: Jacob Stewart
By Jacob Stewart
My name is Jacob Stewart and I am one of the faces behind the CCAA newsletter each month! I am originally from Keene, New Hampshire and I have always been amazed by the outdoors and the natural world. What began as fun excursions on hiking or camping trips with my family when I was a kid soon developed into a passion for environmentalism as I became older. I wanted to help protect the things that brought me so much joy and wonder for future generations to experience the same way. This led me to pursue a bachelors degree in environmental science at Le Moyne College right here in Syracuse.
I am currently about to enter my final year at Le Moyne before receiving my degree, and have been blessed with so many opportunities that have furthered my involvement in environmentalism. I started getting involved with environmentalism on campus during my freshman year through the Le Moyne FORCES club. This stands for “Friends of Recreation, Conservation, and Environmental Stewardship.” Through this club I participated in numerous trash clean ups and helped advocate for more sustainable practices by on campus facilities. The next big step in my involvement with environmentalism came the following summer of my first year at school. That summer I joined an AmeriCorps Conservation Corps in Colorado where I helped build and maintain recreational hiking trails throughout the state. This was an amazing experience that only deepened my appreciation for the natural world. Spending the summer living outdoors in such an amazing environment affirmed to me that a career in environmental protection is what I wanted to achieve.
From there I continued to be involved with the Environmental Club at my school, acting as its president this past year. This past year is also when I learned about CCAA. I received an email from my advisor around January of 2021 talking about internship opportunities with Climate Change Awareness & Action, with an email of someone to contact if we were interested. I jumped at the opportunity and immediately inquired about the type of internship they were offering. This is when I met Peter Wirth over the phone and signed on to write for the newsletter. Since then I have loved working with the members at CCAA and am excited to continue to help spread awareness about environmental issues with them for a long time to come!
Editor’s note: Thank you for your excellent articles every month, Jacob. It is a pleasure working with you!
And finally…
A special thanks to Stuart and Cecila Blackwood for their help in building CCAA into what it is today. We wish them the very best of luck in their move to Massachusetts. We will miss them.
CCAA Membership Update
By Yvonne Chu
Get Involved! Take Action! CCAA is upgrading how we connect with our audience and members. In the near future, we will be moving to a new newsletter and membership platform. Help us out by taking an early sneak peek at https://www.climatechange-action.com/volunteer/, and fill out your membership level. Are you at Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3?
We also invite you to join our monthly member meetings which will be hybrid in-person and virtual. The next meeting is on August 17th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. with social time from 6:00 p.m. Join us by registering online now:
If you are interested in working with CCAA, please contact us at cc.awareness.action@gmail.com or call 315-308-0846. Don’t worry about your skill level. We are all learning.
We need people who can:
Post to our Facebook Page
Update our website using WordPress
Help with our newsletter
Organize events
Work on legislative campaigns
Create Mailchimp campaigns
NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE
Chief Correspondent: Jacob Stewart
Publisher: Yvonne Chu
Editor: Gavin Landless
We encourage you to look at and follow our social media accounts to support CCAA and stay up-to-date on other environmental news. CCAA has recently partnered with Hill Communications to create social media content for environmentalists like you!
