Global Warming and Lake Ice Cover in Upstate New York
Mount Morris Agrivoltaic Study – Co-locating Solar and Agriculture
Hope for our Climate – Project Drawdown
Clean Communities of CNY
New Laws Tackle NY Waste Problem
Action Station
News Bites
Upcoming Events
Spotlight – Barry Carr
Happy New Year from CCAA!
By Peter Wirth, Co-Founder of CCAA
I recently received an e-mail from a developer who helped turn a building on Salina Street, Syracuse, into the first mixed use commercial and residential building in the city, powered with no fossil fuels. It is all electric, from heating and cooling to hot water and cooking. Planned but not installed yet is a large photovoltaic solar system for the roof. In the coming weeks we hope to generate publicity in the media on this exciting new development which can be a model for all of Syracuse.
However, in a recent note I received from this forward-thinking building owner, he was not filled with his usual optimism for the New Year. There was a tinge of anger and pessimism. He noted this is the first time he has not skied before Christmas since 1966. He recently saw the climate change documentary, Earth Emergency,and was aware of the fires in Colorado that burned almost a thousand homes. He is making a local connection in his life to global climate change.
I came to Syracuse in 1967 from New York City, and I share his sense of concern, as the climate here seems to have changed radically during my lifetime. As I write this it seems more like April than January. It will snow at some point and we will have winter but the climate has changed and seems to be changing at a greater speed every decade.
This is an exciting and challenging year for CCAA!
We are busy formalizing our structures and meeting to pick committee chairs. We realize climate change is a long-haul issue and need to make arrangements so that CCAA can continue its work to protect our climate even while our active members change over time.
Most of all we need your help! We are a relatively small group of dedicated activists—some retired, others with full time jobs and families. There are about 1,700 people on our newsletter list. We need to hear from you, and are looking for ways to make that easier.
Please fill out our membership involvement form, reach out to us on Facebook, or send us an e-mail and tell us you want to get involved. It can be as little as an hour a month. We are always looking for volunteers to help on a committee, work on a project, or share valuable knowledge. We also welcome your ideas for projects to help transition off fossil fuels. We do not have all the answers and will be enriched by your input.
Thanks in advance for your consideration and I am looking forward to hearing from you!
Pete
Updates from the Editor
By Gavin Landless
Pete and other active members of Climate Change Awareness & Action have been talking, and the consensus is that while we live up to the “Awareness” part of our name quite effectively, the “Action” part is the more important piece. Pete highlighted the need for community involvement above, so how can this newsletter better facilitate that?
You will see a few changes as we kick off 2022. Some tweaks to our layout may help you see the contents of each newsletter at a glance, making it easier for you to get to sections of interest to you. We will also be testing out a brand new section—Action Station—where we provide an idea or two each month on things you can do. Let us know what you think, especially if you have any ideas for actions you’d like to see. And we will be paying more attention to our Upcoming Events section too. Suggest an event for us to include.
We’re also going to try a mini contest. Within 14 days of publication, can you find and answer the quiz question somewhere in the newsletter? If so, you’ll be entered into a random drawing for a chance to win a small prize. No purchase necessary, because this newsletter is free! Of course, donations through the security of The Action Network are always hugely appreciated too.
But we’re still working on awareness too, particularly items with local interest. As such, I am most excited to introduce the work of Jaden Duggal, a senior at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, who recently conducted two original studies that he has kindly shared with us. Thank you Jaden.
On behalf of the Newsletter Committee, I wish you all a healthy and successful 2022.
Gavin
Global Warming and Lake Ice Cover in Upstate New York – a 100 Year Historical Review
By Jaden Duggal
Frozen Lake George
A region’s climate history can be told by examining changes in lake ice cover. The formation of ice cover on lakes in the winter and its disappearance the following spring depends directly on climate related factors. If lakes remain frozen for longer periods over time, it can signify that the climate is cooling. Alternatively, shorter periods of ice cover over time suggest a warming climate. Ice formation and breakup dates may be thought of as key indicators of how climate change is affecting local regions and environments.
Since the last ice age, around 11,000 years ago, the Earth’s climate has remained relatively stable, with global temperatures averaging at around 14 degrees Celsius. However, climate has started to change rapidly as the Earth’s temperature has increased by approximately 1.1 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times (1850). There are many factors that can cause a warming of our climate. There is however overwhelming evidence that most of this warming seen is due to increased amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane, occur naturally, but human activities through the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and coal, and changes in land use such as clearing of forests for cattle grazing have directly increased the atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and other greenhouse gases.
Utilizing the information in publicly available information, we set out to examine how climate change may be directly affecting the lakes of upstate New York. The National Snow and Ice Data Center maintains a public database with freeze and thaw observations from more than 700 lakes and rivers throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Centers for Environmental Information maintains a public record of the nation’s climate and historical weather data and information. Utilizing these resources, data for dates of lake freeze, lake thaw, annual land and ocean surface temperature anomalies for the time period 1908-2008 were analyzed for Lake George, Mirror Lake and Otsego Lake.
Similar to findings of other researchers, we found a trend suggesting a decreasing duration of ice cover throughout the northern hemisphere. Our upstate New York analysis demonstrated that a reduction of days of ice cover for all three lakes examined was primarily due to a later onset of lake freezing. The lakes covered by this study are freezing later than they did in the past. Freeze dates have shifted later at a rate of roughly one and a half days per decade.
Lake ice cover on Lake George, 1908-2008
Winter is the fastest warming season across much of the US, but particularly the Northeast. Warming may be difficult to perceive during the cold months, since it can contribute to more lake effect snow in some areas. The impacts of reduced ice coverage on lake ecosystems include warmer waters and increased sunlight penetration, which can influence water quality and the survival of native fish populations. Lakes with increased exposure to additional sunlight and oxygen as a result of early ice departure may also be more prone to an increase of cyanobacterial blooms, a growing problem for lakes in Upstate New York.
While climate change has affected snow cover, changes in snow cover also have the ability to affect climate. Less ice means more open water and moisture that can be picked up and turned into lake effect precipitation. It also means more water evaporates from the surface of lakes leading to lower lake levels.
Impacts related to climate change are evident across many regions in the United States. In upstate New York, we have recently experienced heat waves and heavy precipitation in the summer months and increased snowfall during our winters. Although these climate changes may be felt by some as evidence of climate change impacting us now, the historical lake ice cover record tells us that climate change has been impacting our region for longer than most people realize.
Photo courtesy of American Solar Grazing Association
In 2019 as part of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), New York State pledged to source 70% of its energy from renewables by 2030. That same year, the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) awarded a contract to EDF Renewables North America for the construction of its proposed 177 MW Morris Ridge Solar Energy Center project.
Agriculture is the principal industry in the Town of Mount Morris. Most of the Morris Ridge Solar Energy project will be installed on farmland that has historically been cultivated for alfalfa, corn, soybeans, and wheat. As with other facilities across North America, EDF Renewables plans to co-locate agricultural activities within the Morris Ridge Solar Energy sites, including sheep grazing to control vegetation under and around the solar panels, and beekeeping for honey production, sustained by pollinator-friendly plant life. Solar sites across Europe and North America have already effectively integrated agricultural and solar land use.
The Town of Mount Morris commissioned this research to answer questions about the nascent solar-agricultural industry, assess opportunities to attract farmers to the EDF Renewables Morris Ridge Solar Energy Center, and identify viable markets for solar-raised products. The report addresses the current interest of local farmers, summarizes surveys employed to discover regional demand for lamb and honey, and analyzes market opportunities for these and related products.
Want to know more? Check out the webinar in our Upcoming Events section below.
Hope for our Climate – Project Drawdown
By George Lorifice
We have all heard gloom and doom scenarios about the warming climate, from melting ice caps to wildfires. While these are all true and are the accepted science, the bright spot is that science and technology available today can solve this crisis.
A 2017 publication, Drawdown – The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, edited by Paul Hawken offers 80 solutions that can be expanded and implemented today to reduce our carbon footprint by 2050, and another 20 potential solutions. These solutions are not just pie-in-the-sky, but grounded in research and analysis. The scientists, engineers and other experts analyzed the pros and cons of each and took a conservative approach on judging their contribution to reducing atmospheric carbon. Societal impacts were also included in the analysis.
Examples included solar and wind to generate electricity, modified agricultural practices, better forest management, and women empowerment and education. The book offered many rays of hope to solving a true crisis. The Town of Dewitt is a local example of progress with their declaration on reducing their carbon footprint and following up their words with the construction of a solar array.
In addition to the book, Project Drawdown operates a major climate solutions website, with a ton of resources and frequent events. Another helpful source is Project Regeneration, which offers a similar array of solutions.
I personally see further hope based on mankind’s past successful endeavors such as the ban on dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) which saved the eagles, and the ban on chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that is allowing the protective ozone layer to heal.
Let’s not get stuck in the negative but look to the hope of available solutions. Climate warming has already happened, is happening and will continue to happen, but we must implement ways to slow and stop it. Hope is in taking action now.
Clean Communities of CNY
By Barry Carr
Center of Excellence at Syracuse University
For the past 20 years I have volunteered as Executive Director of Clean Communities of CNY (CC of CNY), which is housed in Syracuse University’s Center of Excellence. We are an education, outreach and project management firm that is a part of the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Coalition Network. This network was launched in 1993 to provide education and funding to commercial transportation fleets on the benefits of alternative fuels. Alternative fuels include electricity, biodiesel, renewable diesel, ethanol, natural gas, renewable natural gas, propane and hydrogen. There are currently over 90 coalitions serving the US, including six in New York State.
Moving forward, the Clean Cities Coalition Network is being used to provide guidance on the transition of commercial fleets from using fossil fuels to electric operation. This is accomplished by supporting battery electric vehicles, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. New York State has offered many incentives to support clean, alternative fuels, and is about to be the beneficiary of federal funding to support the necessary infrastructure: electric vehicle charging and hydrogen fueling stations. It is our hope that Central New York can quickly transition to the use of electric vehicles by taking advantage of this funding.
Our organization works with local auto dealers to educate them on the New York State’s Drive Clean Rebate for Electric Cars Program and the New York State tax credit on EV chargers. We also work with our local utility companies (National Grid and Avangrid) to assist our stakeholders in taking advantage of Make-Ready programs that will upgrade the electrical service and assist in the installation of charging stations for school districts, transit agencies, municipal, and private fleets who agree to replace older fossil fueled vehicles with new, zero emission EVs and renewably fueled vehicles.
The soon to be released Federal Infrastructure Program (“Build Back Better”) will financially assist fleets to switch to EVs, and will pay to install fast charge EV stations adjacent to our major traffic corridors. Already there have been a number of DC Fast Charge stations installed at rest areas and convenience stores near I-81 and the New York State Thruway. These stations can add 100+ miles of range to vehicles in just 15 minutes, and will be located every 50 miles along our alternative fuel corridors. This funding will be available to local government through the New York State Department of Transportation (NYS DOT) and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).
For additional information, please feel free to reach out directly to Coordinator@ccofcny.com, or by phone at (315) 278-2061. Through these efforts, Clean Communities of CNY already displaces over two million gallons of fossil fuel annually, but the transition is just getting started.
New Laws Tackle NY Waste Problem
By Jacob Stewart
As of January 1, 2022, the New York State Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law was put into effect. This law requires any business or institution that generates an average of two tons of food waste per week or more to donate the excess edible food, as well as recycle all remaining food scraps if they are within a 25 mile range of an organics recycler. On June 1, 2021, the DEC published a list of institutions that meet the criteria for designated food scrap generators under the law. These identified institutions are now required to comply with this new law as of January 1st. This law does not, however, apply to:
New York City
Hospitals
Nursing Homes
Adult Care Facilities
K-12 Schools
Farms
New York State also enacted a Styrofoam ban alongside the Food Donation and Food Scrap Recycling Law. The Expanded Polystyrene Foam Container and Polystyrene Loose Fill Packaging Ban, effective as of January 1, 2022, mandates that no covered food service provider or store will be able to sell or distribute disposable food service containers that contain expanded polystyrene foam in New York State. This also applies to the sale or distribution of polystyrene loose fill packaging, or packing peanuts as they are commonly known, in the state. Like the Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law, there are exceptions. This law does not apply to:
Raw meat of fish sold for the purpose of cooking off-premises by the customer.
Prepackaged food sealed prior to receipt at a covered food service provider.
Food service containers made from rigid polystyrene resin.
A city with a population of one million or more that has a local polystyrene ban in place.
Any county that enacts a polystyrene ban by local law that provides environmental protection equal to or greater than the state law and the county files a written declaration with DEC.
These new laws will hopefully help lessen the waste problem of both food and plastics in New York, and will be steps that lead New York State towards a more sustainable future.
Contact Your Congressman If you live in New York State’s 24th Congressional District, submit this quick survey to tell John Katko that you think the climate crisis is a top priority for Central New York. There is an “Energy and Environment” option, but if you select “Other” you can type anything you like in the box below.
January Quiz Question! Data on Lake George, Otsego Lake and which other lake in Upstate New York were examined in the historical ice cover study? *See the “Follow Us” section below for details on how to enter.
Upstate residents skittish on building utility-scale solar Source: Cornell Chronicle https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2022/01/upstate-residents-skittish-building-utility-scale-solar A recent study from Cornell University’s Department of Natural Resources and the Environment found that New York State residents tend to view small solar projects such as rooftop installations far more favorably than utility-scale solar farms. This may complicate the state’s goal to bring an additional 3 gigawatts of solar energy online by 2025 to stay on target with the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA).
Project Drawdown Course – Climate Solutions 101 Source: Project Drawdown https://www.drawdown.org/climate-solutions-101 Building on George Lorifice’s hopeful article this month, it is worth mentioning a publicly accessible video series from Project Drawdown, focusing on climate solutions. These six videos are around 15 minutes in length and are jam-packed with easily understandable solutions from a host of experts. The companion conversations with those PhD scientists are worth a watch too.
World’s largest fish breeding area discovered in Antarctica Source: Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research https://www.awi.de/en/about-us/service/press/single-view/weltweit-groesstes-fischbrutgebiet-in-der-antarktis-entdeckt.html Dragging an underwater camera around the Weddell Sea near the Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica, a research team was amazed to find the world’s largest fish-breeding area known to date. The seabed was speckled with nests of a species of icefish called Neopagetopsis ionah. The team estimated 60 million of them! This may help in creating a case to establish a Marine Protected Area in the region.
Attend the next Monthly CCAA Meeting When: Tuesday, February 8th, 6:00 p.m. Each month, CCAA invites you to join us, in-person or over Zoom. Come meet people who are committed to working towards fossil-free communities. The meetings are held on the second Tuesday of every month, 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The room opens at 5:45 p.m. for socializing. Register here.
GreeningUSA Newsletter To subscribe to a comprehensive list of climate change and sustainability events, and to publicize an event you are organizing, email GreeningUSA: info@GreeningUSA.org.
United Solar Energy Supporters Webinar When: Thursday, February 10th, 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Solar Grazing on Utility Scale Solar Facilities in Western NY Part 1: Sheep Grazing Presenters: Julie Shiflett, PhD., Juniper Economic Consulting; Dave DiSalvo, Deputy Town Supervisor of Mount Morris; Kevin Campbell, Senior Manager, Development, EDF Renewables. Register here. And look out for Part 2 on pollinators and honey production next month.
HeatSmart CNY Webinar: New Year, New Incentives! When: Monday, January 24th at 7 p.m. Lindsay Speer (HeatSmart CNY Campaign Director with Alliance for a Green Economy) and Barb Henza (Community Energy Advisor with Cornell Cooperative Extension) will host a webinar to share the latest on grants, rebates, and other incentives to help people of all income levels increase the insulation in their homes or upgrade their heating system to clean, efficient heat pumps. It’s an excellent opportunity to ask questions! Register here.
HeatSmart CNY: Heat Pumps Homeowner Happy Hour! When: Friday, January 28th, 5 p.m. – 6 p.m. Come brag about your system, ask questions about best operating practices, and generally enjoy the company of other heat pump homeowners. You are part of the climate solution! Homeowners considering heat pumps are also welcome to attend. Register here. Facebook page.
Feel like saving the world? Why not donate a few dollars to CCAA? Maybe it won’t be quite enough to save the whole planet, but it will help keep us going, and that’s the next best thing, right? We appreciate your support!
Barry Carr has spent his career in the advanced transportation world. He has worked with major utilities and fleets to develop alternative fuel infrastructure, including electric vehicle (EV) Level 2 charging stations, natural gas, renewable natural gas, hydrogen and DC fast charge systems.
For the last 15 years, Barry has volunteered as the Executive Director for Clean Communities of CNY (CC of CNY), part of the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Coalition Network, hosted by Syracuse University. Barry currently serves on both the Federal and State Government Advocacy Committees for NGV America, the Avangrid Community Advisory Board, the CenterState CEO Government Relations Committee, and is the co-chair of the Northeast Gas Association. Barry received a lifetime achievement award from NGV America in 2015, and in 2017 was awarded the Benjamin Watson Service award, along with a Hall of Fame Award by the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program.
Barry is part of a multi-state group that has been awarded a Department of Energy grant to develop EV, natural gas, and hydrogen infrastructure along the I-80 Corridor from Iowa to New York, teaming up with six Clean Cities Coalition members, a truck stop company (Loves), five State Departments of Transportation, and Argonne National Laboratory. Barry is located at the Syracuse University Center of Excellence in Syracuse, NY.
CCAA Internships and Other Volunteering Opportunities If you are interested in volunteering with CCAA in any capacity, 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:
Within NY Renews, the Youth Committee is a space mostly for high school and college age individuals. We’re moving towards bi-weekly trainings followed by community organizing to support our campaigns. Joining the youth committee is a great opportunity to level up your organizing, learn about campaigning, and get involved in the climate justice movement.
We meet every other week with additional time on projects for those interested. If you are interested, please fill out the sign-up form so we can get more info about your interests and experiences (it’s not competitive). We would love to hear from you!
We encourage you to follow our social media accounts to support CCAA and stay up to date on other environmental news.
*Monthly Quiz Please email your answer to cc.awareness.action@gmail.com within 14 days of this newsletter’s publication date to be entered into a random drawing for a small prize (typically under $5 value). For fairness, no more than one entry per reader, please. CCAA will respond to the randomly selected winners by reply email in order to send out prizes. CCAA may recognize winners by first name only in the next newsletter, so please let us know if you do not want a mention. Strictly no other personal information will ever be shared or used for any other reason. CCAA reserves the right to not select winners or distribute prizes in the event of any difficulties, or if the quiz stops being fun. CCAA’s only goals are to encourage readership, build the community and hear directly from like-minded individuals. No purchase necessary because this newsletter is free. Thank you!
Newsletter Committee Staff Writer: Jacob Stewart Publishing and Design: Yvonne Chu, Annalena Davis Editor: Gavin Landless
