September 2020
Sustainable Warwick Minutes
Wednesday September 16, 2020
Still Zooming — Making a difference from right there in your easy chair!
Happening this week: Orange County Audubon Society is having an online presentation of “Birds and Climate Change” sponsored by the Goshen Library at 6:30pm on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Registration is requested through the Goshen Library or click thru the Audubon Society website:
orangecountyaudubonsociety.org/presentations/
Report from Geoff Howard about Community Garden -- after being locked out of the garden early in the season, the Community Garden focused on growing tomatoes and beans that produced plenty for sharing with local food pantries. It was the most successful year ever for the garden, which started in 2010.
Special report from Carolyn Cassata of HeatSmart Orange, about a special opportunity for middle income New Yorkers to get several thousand dollars’ worth of assistance sealing and insulating their homes. NYSERDA is offering a great deal for middle income New Yorkers to help get their homes insulated. Usually the income limit to be eligible for the Home Performance with Energy Star program for a family of four is $76,752. But until the end of the year, that limit has been increased to $101,925. One of the benefits is the state will cover 50% of energy efficiency programs, up to a contribution of $5,000 per single family residence. The energy efficiency programs involved insulating and sealing a home, which makes it more comfortable and much less expensive to heat (or cool). Usually the homeowner foots the entire bill, and this work pays for itself over time in reduced heating and cooling bills. But until the end of the year, New York State will cover half of the upfront costs. This is a great deal. Respond to this email or visit the HeatSmart New York website.
Bill Greene reported on SW’s donations to the Warwick Area Migrant Committee. We received many pictures from community members of locally purchased or home grown foods, which will all eventually be available on our fundraiser webpage. Our pledge was to donate $20 to WAMC for each picture contributed, up to a total of $1,250. In addition, several members made cash donations. So our total donation to the Warwick Area Migrant Committee will be more than $1,400. Thank you to everyone who played a part in this project.
Bill also talked about the Green Screen Committee, which plans to ask the following question of candidates for State Senate and Assembly positions. To suggest further questions to be asked of the candidates, please contact Bill or email the questions to SteeringCommittee@SustainableWarwick.org.
Proposed Questions for Candidates
1) Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (S6599/A8429). What do you think about the CLCPA which puts NYS on the path to reduce statewide greenhouse emissions by 85% by 2050? Please be specific about conservation measures that you support and conservation measures that you cannot support.
2) Zero emission truck standards: What do you think about State Bill S8765A which establishes targets for sales of zero emissions medium and heavy duty vehicles in NYS. Such standards shall contain the same sales targets, fleet percentages and credit calculations for zero emissions medium and heavy duty vehicles as regulations adopted by the State of California.
3) Danskammer Power Plant: What do you think of the letter to Gov. Cuomo signed by over 150 regional elected officials which asks to stop Damskammer , “…A dangerous fracked gas power plant on the Hudson River.” in Newburgh? Please be specific about your views about the proposed plant renovation.
4) In general, what are your views on actions to reduce climate change and increase climate justice?
Gail Buckland spoke about environmentalists and voting, in particular about how in the last election 10,000,000 self-proclaimed environmentalists did not vote in the elections. environmentalvoter.org
Mary Makofske told us about the work of Indivisible:
“Indivisible” was formed after the election of Donald Trump; they support progressive candidates, and don’t always agree with the Democrats, but they believe that besides winning the White House, it’s essential for Democrats to win the US Senate.
They encourage people to write letters to the editor.
If you would like talking points about the presidential candidates for Letters to the Editor, contact Mary for details.
Indivisible supports Jen Metzger, who is particularly strong on environmental issues.
Please reach out to people who don’t usually vote and encourage them to participate in the election.
Civic responsibility doesn’t end with voting. Citizens have to keep watching elected officials and stay on them.
If you can vote in person, do it, whether by early voting or on election day. Absentee ballots are counted 7 days after the election.
What’s Happening in the CLCPA - Michael Helme gave an update on the CLCPA. The Climate Action Council is currently developing the scoping plan for New York State's Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act. While everyone would like to see things happening faster, the goal is to decrease greenhouse gas emissions to 60% of 1990 levels by 2030 and to 15% of 1990 levels by 2050, and the last 15% of emissions must be offset by measures that capture emissions. Learn more about what's being done at this website. climate.ny.gov
WVHS Environmental Club - Lots of clubs at the school are being cut this year, and most likely the Environmental Club will not be meeting. In lieu of a school-sponsored environmental club, SW will have discussions with students about starting a Sustainable Warwick youth group, with the name of the group and so forth all to be decided.
Updates:
Zoom Garden Plot continues to meet on a biweekly basis. Watch videos of past meetings on their webpage. In November, we plan to host a Zoom session on composting by a master gardener from Cornell Cooperative Extension.
The Book Club can always be reached at BookClub@sustainablewarwick.org.
We just read How to be an Anti-Racist, by Ibram X. Kendi
October book: Why We Are Polarized, by Ezra Klein (meeting date: 10/14/20)
Vegetarians & Friends is still meeting monthly; check in at SWVandF@gmail.com to participate.
Infrastructure Committee -- Roger Moss and Bill Greene will be attending a training to learn how to monitor air around the CPV Plant. They will be working with Protect Orange County. The data will be analyzed by a professor at RPI.