Clean Energy Calendar

Spring is here! Join SunCommon in celebrating long sunny days, spring flowers, bees, butterflies and solar energy. We invite our you to come beautify one of SunCommon’s solar farm at the Pointe of Praise Family Life Center in Kingston.

Together, we’ll be creating a precious pollinator habitat by planting native wildflowers. There will be music and snacks, a chance to learn about pollinators, photos with the solar panels, and a few hours of playing in the dirt.

Presenters will speak at 1 pm, but please come and go as you like anytime between Noon and 4 PM. 

RVSP here to ensure we have a goody bag ready for you. 

A Community-Centered Sustainability Gathering

Renewable Energy | Community Development | Agriculture | New Economy | Environmentalism | Health | Harmony with the Planet

10AM – 6PM | FREE to attend

Based in the Hudson Valley NY, One Fair brings renewable energy and sustainability businesses together with community-development organizations, for a full-system approach to sustainability.

We believe that caring for the environment and caring for our communities are different means to the same end: a healthy and vibrant Hudson Valley.

–– Exhibition of renewable energy, sustainability, and community support businesses and organizations
–– A stage with talks, panel discussions, and performances
–– Workshops
–– Sustainable food
–– Art
–– Fun for kids

Full schedule to be announced shortly.

We think of it as a modern-day county fair that serves as a platform for groups working for sustainability, community health, and harmony with the planet.

One Fair acknowledges the legacy, past, present, and future, of the indigenous cultures of New York and of the Hudson Valley.

RSVP on Facebook

http://www.theonefair.com

Debuted in 2018, Socrates’ Queens Green Day invites the community to learn and play at the Park while digging in to their relationship with Mother Earth.

Get back to your roots with activities and demos from our partners Hellgate Farm, The Connected Chef, Queens Action Council (QuAC), Big Reuse, and Smiling Hogshead Ranch. Move, dance, and explore the weedy borderlands of Socrates with the Environmental Performance Agency (EPA), share your “seed stories” with Salt Tree Art, and encounter a series of site-specific activations that “walk between the worlds” and illuminate our connection to nature with performance artists: Chris Carlone, Stacy Lynn Smith, Hector Canonge, Mare Hieronimus, and Marina Zelenovic.

On stage, 2019 Socrates Artist Fellow Tecumseh Ceaser (NativeTec) of the Matinecock clan, First Nation of Queens and Long Island, joins his father Chief Reggie Ceaser to share their culture, and Africa Forestdance brings us the music of Africa now, at once ancient and ultra-modern, to move our souls and our feet.

Neighborhood tip: Catch the debut of new street-art murals at the Welling Court Mural Project (30th Ave and 12th St in Astoria, 12-7 PM).

FREE • NO RSVP REQUIRED

Facebook event here

You are invited to the Niagara Frontier Chapter ASHRAE: Advanced Design for Net Zero Buildings

Please read up on the course description and use the link below to complete your registration!!

https://www.ashrae.org/NYSERDA/

In collaboration with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, ASHRAE will present the 3-hour Advanced Designs for Net Zero Energy Buildings training.

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how your projects can take advantage of NYSEDRA incentives for net zero energy!

Description:

The training will focus on the principles needed to achieve net zero energy buildings in the design of low and zero carbon emitting facilities. Learn practical, cost effective means to successfully achieve the goal of net zero energy. Case studies and examples will be presented throughout the training to show how other design professionals have met the zero-energy goal.

Based on the importance of reducing New York State’s energy use and the opportunity for savings through the operation of Net Zero Energy buildings, this training is supported by NYSERDA.

Each participant will receive a complimentary copy of Design Professional’s Guide to Zero Net Energy Buildings, by Charles Eley.

Fee: $100.00

Accredited for 3 Hours of NYS PE, AIA, and UGSBC CEU’s

Instructors:

Peter Simmonds, Ph.D., ASHRAE Fellow

Peter Simmonds is managing director/principal of Building and Systems Analytics LLC. Peter has been involved in the design and operation of tall, supertall and megatall buildings around the world for more than 30 years. Peter has authored or coauthored more than 60 technical papers, articles and books. Most recently, he was the author of the new ASHRAE Design Guide for Tall, Supertall and Megatall Building Systems (2015).

Charles Eley, P.E., AIA, BEMP, CEM, Member ASHRAE, LEED AP

Charles Eley is an architect, mechanical engineer and author with 40 years experience in energy-efficient and sustainable design. During his career, Mr. Eley has made significant contributions to the California energy standards, ASHRAE/IES Standard 90.1, and energy codes in Hong Kong, Hawaii, Guam, America Samoa, and Australia.

Please use the link below to complete your registration!!

https://www.ashrae.org/NYSERDA/

More info here

The NY Residential Existing Homes Program will be holding Training, Tips & How to for Working in the HPwES & EmPower NY Programs regional workshops with participating EmPower New York and Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® contractors. This session will cover use of Program Systems including NYSERDA Portal, NY HP Portal, QACSS and the LMS. Additional insight will be offered on making the most of the tools available in the systems to manage project pipelines, access reporting and more.

This session will also offer training on the proper use of Program forms and understanding the various form requirements. Following the Programmatic training, a general overview of NYS requirements for Home Performance Contractors in areas such as contracts and escrow, as well as best practices in customer service, contractor development and dispute resolution will be offered. Refreshments, check-in and networking will begin at 8:30 a.m. The workshop will end at 4:00 p.m.

These trainings are intended for staff most involved in the day-to-day operations of the programs. Please RSVP using the link below the location that you wish to attend. You must respond no later than June 4, 2019.

We look forward to seeing you at one of these workshops as we continually work together to grow the home performance industry.

Sincerely,

The NY Residential Existing Homes Team

Register here

Have you ever seen a community solar project in action?
Come join us for opening day at the Orange County Citizens Foundation community solar array! There will be tons of activities for the whole family.

• Celebrate with us as we cut the ribbon on our latest community solar project
• Get your hands dirty as we plant seeds to grow a pollinator-friendly garden.
• Applaud the artists as we unveil the latest sculpture on the Citizens Foundation’s grounds.

June 12 | 4 PM | 23-26 White Oak Drive, Sugar Loaf, NY

Curious to learn how you can get your electricity from this community array? There are still a few more spaces for folks interested in saving money and going solar.

RSVP & more info here

WHO & WHAT – FREE EVENT – OPEN TO PUBLIC:
National Grid has just publicly proposed to build a new fracked gas pipeline called “E37 Reliability and Resiliency Pipeline”. It would traverse Bethlehem, East and North Greenbush, NY.

They have not documented this need nor have they analyzed non-pipeline alternatives to meet our twenty-first century energy needs. They are blindly following an old path to planetary ruin by using last century’s technologies.

If we continue to build fossil fuel infrastructure, there is no incentive to find alternatives. Fossil fuels are causing climate change that endangers the future of our planet, so we have to find alternatives quickly.

The NY State mandated goal of 100% clean power by 2040 can not be met if we continue to build fossil fuel infrastructure. New pipelines will last approximately 50 years and will likely become “stranded assets” before then.

By paying for a new pipeline with our rate payer money, there is not enough incentive for National Grid to find alternatives.
Why not use the rate hike money on our electric bill to incentivize the use of geothermal heating and cooling for new growth and also credit entities to not use gas or to use less gas on the few “peak energy” days each year? Such actions are referred to as “demand response”.

Energy users should seek out ways to have a back up energy source and to conserve and become more efficient with their energy consumption to eliminate the worry about “peak energy” periods.

The New York State Public Service Commission (PSC), which is the lead agency herein, needs to pressure National Grid to look at demand-response, no-pipe energy alternatives (not including CNG tractor-trailers or storage).
In Westchester County, NY the PSC did impose a moratorium on new pipelines and told National Grid to use renewables instead. The same should be done with this new proposal.

If our country was at war, we would ask our citizens to make sacrifices for our national interests. We believe it is time to ask people to make creative choices to ensure the continuation of a sustainable environment.

Thursday, June 13, 2019

Register Online

State Bar Center
One Elk Street | Albany, NY 12207

Climate Change:  Dealing with the Challenge through Laws and Lawmaking at the State and Local Level. 

10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.- Legislative Forum Program
12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Lunch

Keynote:
Michael Gerrard, Director
Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
Columbia Law School

We are in an era where many States and even some local governments are trying to effect policy change to deal with climate change. Other states have taken the lead by making meeting climate change goals a part of their state statutory law. In New York, there are several State laws that could be enacted to deal with climate change and would require participation on the local level for implementation.
The Legislative Forum brings together environmental leaders from the New York State Legislature and the Capital District, has an in-depth panel discussion with leading professionals, and includes a keynote speech for the Luncheon.

Detailed information will be available soon.
There is no charge to attend, however, preregistration is required.   

Register online below or email Kathy Plog.

Questions? Contact Lisa Bataille.

The Great Hudson River Revival will return in 2019 at Croton Point Park on June 15th and 16th. We are very excited to return in this very important year celebrating the 50th anniversary of Clearwater setting sail, and Pete Seeger’s 100th anniversary of his birth! This year will be better than ever! Ticketing, lineup, as well as volunteer applications are coming VERY soon so stay tuned!

Register Here