Clean Energy Calendar

Temporary Tattoo Design Contest

Submissions due by April 13, 2020!

There’s no restrictions on the type of media you use (such as paint, crayon, digital illustrations, etc.) for your tattoo design, but make sure it will look good on a 2”x2” tattoo on skin.

Your design must be your own work! The idea, design, and execution should all be original to you. Please make sure your design is respectful and contains no obscenities. Designs may not incorporate any copyrighted characters (such as comic or television characters) or other non-original artwork or photographs.

How to Submit a Design

Anyone is welcome to participate in this contest! We have two divisions you may enter:

1. Youth or Student
2. Young at Heart (AKA Adult)

When you submit your tattoo design, please include your full name, division, and mailing address. Make sure we will receive it by noon on Monday, April 13.

Please submit your artwork digitally to maggie@suncommon.com. Files types can be vector (.AI, .EPS) or bitmap (.PSD, .JPG). If bitmap, they must be 300dpi.

The winning designs will be announced on our Facebook & Instagram on Earth Day—April 22nd! 

The winning art and all submissions, as well as any photos, videos or media resulting from this contest will be the property of SunCommon, the Student Climate Coalition and the Vermont Youth Lobby. 

RSVP HERE

Join us for NY-BEST’s 10^th Annual Capture the Energy Conference & Expo as we celebrate 10 years of success & hard work in the energy storage market in NYS.

Join us at the Albany Capital Center
Wednesday, April 1 to Thursday, April 2, 2020

The New York Battery and Energy Storage Technology (NY-BEST) Consortium is hosting its 10th Annual Capture the Energy Conference & Expo April 1-2, 2020 at the Albany Capital Center in Albany, New York.

2020 marks the 10^th Anniversary of the founding of NY-BEST. This year, NY-BEST Board Vice Chair M. Stanley Whittingham was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. This year’s conference will also celebrate and honor these two great achievements.
About the Conference

Conference Overview:

NY-BEST’s 10th Annual Capture the Energy Conference & Expo is the premier event for companies seeking opportunities in New York’s rapidly growing energy storage markets.

New York State has enacted the most ambitious climate protection legislation in the nation, including a mandate to achieve 70% renewable energy and deploy 3 GW of energy storage on the electric grid by 2030 and advance bold, new clean transportation initiatives. Join NY-BEST for this content-rich, 2-day conference, featuring the following topics:

• The path to deploying 3 GW of energy storage on the New York electric grid by 2030
• Achieving a carbon-free economy and the role for energy storage
• Designing wholesale electricity markets for a high renewable electric grid and Peaker Plant replacement with storage
• Current and future opportunities for large-scale and behind-the-meter energy storage
• Transportation climate initiatives: expanding electrified transportation
• Maximizing the benefits for Solar + Storage projects
• Business Models and Project Financing
• Innovations in energy storage technologies
• Growing domestic manufacturing and supply chain for energy storage

Conference Format:

The Conference agenda will include informative keynotes, featured presentations, panels and roundtable discussions featuring experts in the storage field.  Keynotes and featured presentations are typically 15-20 minutes. Panel sessions typically include 4-5 speakers presenting for approximately 10 minutes each. Roundtable discussions will include a moderated Q&A among 4-5 speakers.

Each session will have a Q&A with the audience after presentations have concluded. The Conference will also feature a company exhibition area with over 40 companies and organizations.

Information for Selected Speakers:

• Selected speakers will receive complimentary admission to the Conference, which includes all meals, but will be responsible for travel and hotel accommodations.
• Speakers will be required to attend a pre-conference coordinating phone call with NY-BEST meeting organizers and/or the appointed panel moderator if applicable.
• Speakers planning to use Power Point presentations will be required to submit them for review by March 20, 2020.
• Speakers are encouraged to attend the full conference. Speakers are required to arrive one (1) hour before the start of their session at the Conference and must check-in with NY-BEST staff.
• Speakers slides will be shared as a pdf file with Conference attendees unless the speaker requests that they are not shared.

BOOK YOUR STAY
Renaissance Albany Hotel
144 State St.
Albany, NY 12207
Click here to book at the group rate of $199 – $219 per night!
Must book before March 1, 2020

Hampton Inn & Suites Albany-Downtown
25 Chapel St
Albany, NY 12210
Click here to book at the group rate of $172 per night
Must book before March 2, 2020

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
NY-BEST is always happy to customize any sponsorship to meet your needs.
Please contact Caitlin (info@ny-best.org) with questions.

Click here to view the sponsorship guide

Click here to view the reception and exhibit hall floor plan

Saratoga Sustainability Fair

April 4, 2020

10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Skidmore College

Sustainable Saratoga and Skidmore College invite you to participate in the second annual Saratoga Sustainability Fair to be held on April 4, 2020 at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The mission of the sustainability fair is to support the three interconnected pillars of sustainability— environmental responsibility, social equity, economic development—by connecting people to community resources and organizations that contribute to making our community a more sustainable place to live for current and future generations.

The fair will bring exhibitors, presenters, and the community together to advocate for and improve awareness about sustainability activities and opportunities. The fair will include tours focusing on Skidmore’s sustainability efforts, exhibitor booths, workshop presentations, a keynote speaker, and more.

More info coming soon

During the design of a Passive House project, the architect and design team painstakingly detail the building’s air and thermal barriers, mechanical systems, and controls needed to achieve their energy targets. Making sure the general contractor and the subcontractors understand what is being shown in the drawings and specifications is crucial in reaching those goals. This session outlines the differences between what is shown in typical construction documents and that shown in Passive House documents and covers methods for ensuring the trades understand what they are bidding. The following topics will be addressed:

• Differences in specifications and drawings for Passive House buildings
• Writing specifications for Net Zero buildings
• Where have past change orders originated from? Lessons learned from past projects
• Organizing bid buy meetings for state construction projects; best practices from the private sector
• Providing Passive House training for general contractor, site supers and subconsultants
• Differences in construction methods
• QA/QC strategies

Length of workshop: 4 hours – Coffee begins at 8 AM, workshop begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 12:30 PM.

Intended Disciplines: Architecture and Construction Management, but all are welcome

When you register, you may choose to attend this workshop in person at SUNY New Paltz or online/via webinar.

RSVP HERE

Deep energy retrofits can be vastly more complicated than new high performance construction projects. Repairs and remediation far beyond energy improvements are often needed. The need to perform retrofits on occupied buildings is often the case or, for universities in particular, vacancy periods may be very short. Façade improvements can be hindered due to historic considerations, lot line issues and space constraints. This session will provide a variety of deep energy strategies that can be employed on existing buildings along with cost implications of taking a phased approach vs. a gut rehab. The session will cover:

• Evaluating energy conservation measures
• Strategies for staged vs. one-time comprehensive upgrades
• Phasing considerations & occupant health & comfort
• Evaluating cost-effectiveness
• Comparing to business as usual

Length of Workshop: 8 hours – Coffee begins at 8 AM, workshop begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 5 PM with a lunch break from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM. Please note that lunch is on your own.

Intended Disciplines: All

When you register, you may choose to attend this workshop in person at SUNY New Paltz or online/via webinar.

RSVP HERE

On Tuesday evening April 7, the Center for Environmental Policy at Bard College is coordinating 55 university-hosted webinars, one in almost every state and internationally, focused on ambitious but feasible state and local solutions to help solve climate by 2030. See which university is hosting your state webinar at: solveclimateby2030.org. At colleges, universities and high schools, teachers can #MakeClimateaClass (on-line) and help refocus the nation and the world on climate change.

http://www.solveclimateby2030.org/

From Nebraska to New Jersey, from Idaho to Alabama, and from Bangladesh to Brazil, find out what we can all do right at home to smooth the path for clean energy, and to bring energy justice to our communities. After watching your state webinar, have a virtual class discussion about what students and others can do to make these solutions real.

This opportunity is not just for environmental studies classes. The challenges posed by solving climate change necessarily range across history, science, business, culture, economics, psychology, religion, government, media, journalism and the arts. Solve Climate has teachers guides for all these subjects for a one-hour follow-up discussion to the state-level, solutions-focused webinars.

SIGN UP NOW TO #MakeClimateaClass!

Students: Ask your teachers to #MakeClimateaClass by assigning your April 7 state webinar as Homework, and talking about it in class.

Teachers: #MakeClimateaClass by assigning your April 7 state webinar as Homework, and talking about it in class. (Register your class here)

Everyone: Everyone knows a teacher or a student. Forward this post and tell them what they can do to #MakeClimateaClass.

NOTE: The webinars will all be recorded, so you can view and discuss them in class ANYTIME DURING APRIL AND MAY. Register at your state site to stay informed.

Covid-19 has shown how fragile our health and economic systems are to extreme events. Our scientists have also told us clearly that, unchecked, climate change will turn our lives into a series of unending extreme events: floods, droughts, rising seas, pests and disease, more extreme storms and hurricanes, leaving hundreds of millions of people homeless and on the move.

There is still time to change that future. And now, this spring– not next year– is the time to focus our students on feasible, ambitious, local climate solutions.  Thank you for joining this critical dialog, and sign up here to #MakeClimateaClass.

p.s.: Help #MakeClimateaClass go viral. FOLLOW and PROMOTE us on twitter @solveby2030, and Instagram/Tiktok/Facebook/LinkedIn @solveclimateby2030. Tell all your friends to do it too!

Refrigerants that are currently used in most heat pump technology are considered serious greenhouse gases and can contribute to global warming if leaked into the atmosphere. Management of these gases are therefore crucial when designing and operating a net zero building. This module focuses on refrigerant management and the considerations that need to be made during design, commissioning, and day to day operation.

• Reasons for switching to all electric buildings: cleaning of the grid
• Refrigerant based high-performance systems, packaged and field-piped
• History of refrigerant management (solving the ozone problem, just to cause GHG emissions problems)
• GWP of common refrigerants, specifically HFCs
• Refrigerant management considerations in design
• Refrigerant management considerations during installation and Cx
• Refrigerant management considerations in operations
• Where the industry is going; advantages and disadvantages of refrigerants on the horizon

Length of workshop: 4 hours – Coffee begins at 8 AM, workshop begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 12:30 PM.

Intended disciplines: all

When you register, you may choose to attend this workshop in person at SUNY New Paltz or online/via webinar.

REGISTER HERE

Deep energy retrofits can be vastly more complicated than new high performance construction projects. Repairs and remediation far beyond energy improvements are often needed. The need to perform retrofits on occupied buildings is often the case or, for universities in particular, vacancy periods may be very short. Façade improvements can be hindered due to historic considerations, lot line issues and space constraints. This session will provide a variety of deep energy strategies that can be employed on existing buildings along with cost implications of taking a phased approach vs. a gut rehab. The session will cover:

• Evaluating energy conservation measures
• Strategies for staged vs. one-time comprehensive upgrades
• Phasing considerations & occupant health & comfort
• Evaluating cost-effectiveness
• Comparing to business as usual

Length of Workshop: 8 hours – Coffee begins at 8 AM, workshop begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 5 PM with a lunch break from 12:30 PM to 1:00 PM. Please note that lunch is on your own.

Intended Disciplines: All

When you register, you may choose to attend this workshop in person at SUNY New Paltz or online/via webinar.

RSVP HERE

On the Road to 100% Renewable Energy: Challenges and Opportunities

Program details here

April 17, 2020

Registration is OPEN! Register Here

Did you know everyone who registers for WE ACT’s Earth Day 5K Fun Run will receive both a free t-shirt and a 1-year WE ACT membership?

As an added bonus, early bird tickets are still on sale for a limited time only! I encourage you to register today to take advantage of all that this exciting event has to offer. Help us to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day and raise funds for WE ACT’s work while you run or walk for a healthier, greener community!

This exciting event is open to runners and walkers of all ages and experience, and will feature:

• WE ACT membership included for all registrants!
• WE ACT Earth Day t-shirt
• Scenic, traffic-free 5K race course in Riverside Park
• Post-Race food
• Awards for 1st Place finisher, as well as top fundraising individual and team

Register today to secure your spot – and special early bird pricing! All proceeds from the Earth Day 5K support WE ACT. If you can’t join us, please consider making a donation to support our work.

Be a part of the most important effort of our time.

It is critical we all do our part to address the climate crisis over the next 10 years.
Join over 1,000 neighbors, experts, policymakers, and activists in this earthshot effort and commit to local climate action!

Policy

Important policy updates and information on how individuals can make a difference from advocacy to voting to investing

Student Engagement

Student expo showcasing Greenlight Award participants who have been engaged in creative projects to impact an environmental problem plus the Greenlight Award finals!

Subscribe to email updates

Follow us on Facebook

Save the Date: Sunday, April 19, 2020

Registration opens March 1st

MORE INFO HERE

Refrigerants that are currently used in most heat pump technology are considered serious greenhouse gases and can contribute to global warming if leaked into the atmosphere. Management of these gases are therefore crucial when designing and operating a net zero building. This module focuses on refrigerant management and the considerations that need to be made during design, commissioning, and day to day operation.

• Reasons for switching to all electric buildings: cleaning of the grid
• Refrigerant based high-performance systems, packaged and field-piped
• History of refrigerant management (solving the ozone problem, just to cause GHG emissions problems)
• GWP of common refrigerants, specifically HFCs
• Refrigerant management considerations in design
• Refrigerant management considerations during installation and Cx
• Refrigerant management considerations in operations
• Where the industry is going; advantages and disadvantages of refrigerants on the horizon

Length of workshop: 4 hours – Coffee begins at 8 AM, workshop begins at 8:30 AM and ends at 12:30 PM.

Intended disciplines: all

When you register, you may choose to attend this workshop in person at SUNY New Paltz or online/via webinar.

REGISTER HERE

Learn how to reduce your home or building’s contribution to climate change, improve your comfort, and even reduce heating bills!

RSVP HERE

Time & Location

Learn how to reduce your home or building’s contribution to climate change, improve your comfort, and even reduce heating bills!

RSVP HERE

Calling all youth! Join us for a youth climate summit in April presented by This is Zero Hour. This summit seeks to bring together students as well as adult allies from the Northeast region for a two-day series of workshops and presentations that will strengthen climate advocacy skills and provide insight into the youth climate movement. The summit will cater to every interest and need: we will host workshops on different aspects of the climate movement and climate change itself, bring keynote speakers, have art and music, participate in cleanups and other hands-on environmental conservation projects, and more. We’ll have representatives from all the climate organizations, and it will be a great opportunity to network, meet other activists, and decide how you want to be involved! (More information about guests/workshops/panels coming soon!)

More info here

Repair Cafe is a neighborhood initiative that promotes repair as an alternative to tossing things out. At a Repair Cafe, community members can bring their broken but cherished items to be fixed on the spot, for free, with the help of volunteers. Limit of 2 items per household please. A goal of our Repair Coaches is to impart skills to our customers so they can repair items on their own in the future.

RSVP HERE

This is America’s premier Renewable Heating & Cooling conference, so don’t miss it! The conference date has been moved up by 2 weeks this year so that more installers are able to attend.

Whether you’re interested in heat pumps for your home, your business or as a career, this is the place for you! NY-GEO has been named to the City & State’s Energy & Environment Power 50 List as among the organizations that are “true power players in New York.”

At this conference you’ll meet all the top players: manufacturers, distributors, installers, trainers, renewable energy consultants and policymakers.

Learn about: Heat Pumps 101, the Future of NYSERDA’s Clean Heating & Cooling programs, Electrification, Navigating Codes, Standards and Practical Experience, Heat Pumps for Low and Middle Income Households and many other topics.

Sponsors and exhibitors are welcome!

Registration is open now, https://ny-geo.regfox.com/2020 Scholarships are available.
Early bird discounts of 10% start sunsetting January 20th

Stay-tuned for more information

Last year’s conference details here.