May 2020
Sustainable Warwick Minutes
Wednesday May 20, 2020
Still Zooming — Making a difference from right there in your easy chair!
Mary Makofske suggested an action team to contact legislators and agencies on urgent issues. She and anyone else interested could submit brief information/scripts and contact info so people could call or email. Doing this is easy, effective, and doesn’t require much time. More details to follow in a separate SW email. Please email us if you want to be involved.
The Food Pantry Support Fund done in conjunction with Community2gether was a big success. We matched more than $5,000 in donations from 46 community members for a total of $10,508 that was distributed to five local food pantries. Check out details on the SW website.
Chad Pilieri reported on the Zoom Garden Plot, a well-attended event every Monday night, hosted by SW and Grow Local Greenwood Lake. This is a great platform for beginning gardeners to have their questions answered, for advanced gardeners to share their knowledge, and for everyone in between to enjoy the crossfire! Check out recordings of the Zoom Garden Plot on the SW website, and send an email to GrowLocalGWL@gmail.com to find out how to participate.
Geoff Howard reported the Community Garden will re-open -- probably this weekend -- for the first time since mid-March! If you want to be added to the Community Garden membership list, email SustainableWarwick5@gmail.com.
Vegetarians & Friends continues to meet via Zoom. As always, the mission of V&F is to promote a plant-based diet, whether that means someone is dabbling with meatless Mondays or is a vociferous vegan. Especially in these times when meat factories are closed because of the pandemic.
SW is considering two new programs -- If you are interested in promoting either of these programs, please email SustainableWarwick5@gmail.com.
Gardener sign-up service - To help people with skills who are looking for a place to garden find people with garden space but need assistance with making the garden successful.
Surplus garden donation campaign - In this campaign, gardeners with surplus produce would download an explanation sheet from SW, and put the produce at the end of their driveway with a sign saying “If you or your family need this food, just take it. If your family would like the food and can afford to put some money in the box, we’ll donate it to the Food Pantry Support Fund.”
Bill Greene, Orion Blake, Chad Pilieri, Christy Erfer, and Roger Moss have been compiling the Warwick Locavores map, a list of 80+ local farms and farm stands, with each located on a digital map. The goal is to connect and foster a permanent local network that benefits growers and consumers. This project needs assistance from EVERYONE to keep it up to date. If you see a farm stand or other local farm merchant that is not on the list, let the Committee know via the SW website.
The Sustainable World Book Club continues to meet via Zoom, but borrowing books is challenging with the library closed. On Tuesday, June 9th, at noon we’ll discuss “Planet of the Humans,” by Michael Moore. Watch ahead of time and be ready to discuss it. Learn more about our book club on the SW website.
Green Screen Committee report: Warwick Valley Central School District Board of Education election will be held exclusively by absentee ballot on June 9, 2020. There will be four candidates for three open seats. SW’s Green Screen committee met via Zoom and came up with four questions on sustainability issues that have been submitted to all candidates. Watch for emails from SW about the answers they received to these questions.
SW signed on to two letters to the New York Public Service Commission: One opposed a suggestion by Multiple Intervenors to reduce spending on energy efficiency measures and NYSERDA, and the other supports transparent natural gas policies as New York plans for getting off fossil fools.
Kathleen Georgalis is retiring from Albert Wisner Public Library, and she thanks Sustainable Warwick for working with the library on numerous programs throughout the years. Sustainable Warwick is grateful to Kathleen for her fine service to the Warwick community.
SW thanks Kelly Collins for serving as our representative on the OC Climate Smart Community Task Force. Going forward, Michael Helme will fill that role.
Bill Makofske gave details on changes to the energy audit program run by NYSERDA. A summary will be put on the SW website in the near future.