November 2019

1.    Four students (Nicole Kellan, Ashley Lopez, Annabelle Wadeson, Cara Peddle) and their advisor (Kristin Touw) from the WVHS Environmental Club attended. Discussion of how we can help each other.
2.    Ballots for the Steering Committee election will be emailed out to all members who have renewed their membership for 2019-2020. Still not registered but want to participate? Click here. To learn about the members who are seeking support to be on the Steering Committee, see the end of this email.
3.    Sustainable World Book Club’s next book: On Fire: The (Burning) Case for a Green New Deal, by Naomi Klein. This is a wonderful book. Even if you can’t make it to the book club meeting at Albert Wisner Public Library (12 PM on Tuesday, December 10), be sure to read the book!
4.    Christy Erfer has decorated a display case in the Albert Wisner Public Library on behalf of SW for several years. We would like others within SW to take advantage of this display opportunity. If you or your committee want to manage the display case for a month or a year, please check in with Christy.
5.    Bill Makofske reported that he and several other SW members will be meeting with Town Supervisor Michael Sweeton to discuss starting a Climate Smart Community application for the Town. 
6.    Orange Environment will sponsor a program on Climate Change on Thursday, November 21, 5:45 PM at C. J. Hooker Middle School Auditorium, 41 Lincoln Ave., Goshen, NY. “The Great Reckoning: Understanding and Meeting the Challenge of the Climate Crisis.” All welcome.
7.    Kristin Touw spoke briefly about the Youth Empowerment and Sustainability Summit (YESS!), which students from WVCSD will attend (February 6-8, at the Ashokan Center).
8.    Michael Helme reported that the HeatSmart campaign is winding down, but the need to replace natural gas and other fossil fuels for heating in homes is still ramping up. SW has signed on to a letter to the Public Service Commission to encourage the change over to more efficient homes and heat pumps, and we’ll continue to raise that issue.
9.    We had a long and informative discussion on the question of artificial turf for the athletes at WVHS. [Report below]
10.  Two movies to be screened at Albert Wisner Public Library on January 31, 2019. Hudson River Stories: “Hope on the Hudson”.  
11.  The SW Annual Zero-Waste Party will be held in lieu of the December meeting, most likely at the Warwick Valley Community Center on Wednesday, December 18th. Julia Calderon will organize the dishes. 

Minutes: Michael Helme