Rochester
Fracking, forum and flora among Group's activities
It was a busy spring and summer for our Rochester Regional Group:
About 200 attended our 13th Annual Environmental Forum, "Sustainable Production: Rochester's Leading Edge," to hear two globally recognized business leaders who call Rochester home.
We've been extremely busy on the hydrofracking issue: We conducted 8 showings of Gasland for over 200 people, are growing our Action Alert list and using it to announce opportunities for action, and we participated in the Chapter's Lobby Day with visits to about eight state legislators.
Our Great Lakes Committee has lobbied Congress and our State legislature to implement elements of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Compact, such as the Water Withdrawal Bill. On a local level, they will be hosting community movies on water quality, scarcity, and privatization.
Our Transportation Committee has been working with local bicycling advocates to add climate change as another reason to make Rochester a more bicycle-friendly community.
Our Wetlands Committee is a driving force behind a community organization that obtained a $20K DEC grant to naturalize a beloved creek that travels through a public school campus; this is exciting because it has engaged students, teachers, residents, small business owners, and more so successfully.
Similarly, we are part of a community organization called Friends of Washington Grove that is removing invasive species and planting native flora in a much beloved city park. Thanks to this project, 27 folks came out on a Saturday for a lesson on plant identification. Thank you to the Chapter for a grant that helped us to purchase native trees for this project!
Finally, our Zero Waste Committee had a big win when Monroe County announced, that as of June 1, it is finally facilitating recycling of plastics numbers 3 to 7, in addition to numbers 1 and 2, in response to significant demand from residents. Congrats, Zero Waste Team! It's on to the next Zero Waste challenge.
We're proud of our successes with these efforts and with engaging concerned members and citizens, and we know that there is a lot more work to be done.
Linda Isaacson Fedele
Susquehanna
Group promotes ways to reduce carbon footprint
Ways to reduce our carbon footprint, exercise more and save money have been our themes in the past year's activities. Our focus is to bring attention to environmental issues through education, community and political activism, outreach, outings and monthly meetings with guest speakers exploring a range of topics. This year's invited speakers delivered presentations on "Environmental Legislation before the NYS Assembly," talks by local entrepreneurs on solar power, geothermal heating and cooling, natural history and environmental travel.
The Susquehanna Group held a public event, linking with the worldwide 350.org and Sierra Club National event, 10-10-10, at the Downtown Binghamton University Center: "Teach-in to Promote Bicycles as Commute Vehicle and Reduce Our Oil Footprint and Enjoy Exercise." A group bike ride along the River Trail followed the teach-in. The group bike ride invitation was extended as an Earth Day activity and to this summer's group bike rides to local farmersí markets.
Members participated in City of Binghamton initiatives encouraged by our progressive mayor, Matt Ryan: a Climate Action Plan, Neighborhood Assemblies, Shade Tree Commission and Community Gardens; we also led efforts to temper logging plans in Broome County and Town of Vestal parks.
Every year we honor someone who excels in his/her service to and for the environment. This year the Annual Lynda Spickard award went to Stacy Merola, former county environmental analyst - a victim of Broome County budgetary cuts - for engaging in real environmental analysis.
Members participated this spring in: in-district lobbying of three state legislators, in-district lobbying of our state senator for NYS Solar Jobs and Development Act, and participated in a press conference with Assemblywoman Donna Lupardo on passage of Complete Streets Act, as well as presenting comments at local DEC and EPA hearings.
The Susquehanna Group tabled at four local Earth Day events this spring, engaging the public in conversation. An exhibit where adults and children voted for their favorite cause (farm and food, zero waste, etc.) proved to be an excellent conversation generator, particularly at the Binghamton elementary school Earth Fest location.
We collaborated with the local public broadcasting station in a community showing of the John Muir documentary made by PBS. This was another outreach event held at the Downtown Binghamton University Center.
Our field trips were, for the most part, explorations of local preserves, educational centers and, twice, in field animal tracking (winter and late spring) at nearby Chenango Valley State Park.
Fiske Hanson
Hudson-Mohawk
Per Moberg, Adirondacks champion, passes away
Per Moberg, 91, has passed away after decades of service to the Chapter, most notably as a champion of the Adirondacks. He established Chapter committees instrumental in creating the Adirondack Park Agency. He appeared on the speaking platform on the first Earth Day, 1970, with Henry Diamond, the first commissioner of the newly formed NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC). As a result of the acquaintance struck up that day, Per joined the DEC. In 1990, the Chapter presented him with the Bob Marshall Award. (For more on Moberg, see here).