Revamping the NY Power Grid

"Smart Grid" Is Focus of First Workshop in UB's "Business of Energy" Series
New York State Smart Grid Chair is keynote speaker of workshop, co-hosted by Hodgson Russ LLP

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University at Buffalo's clean energy business incubator program, Directed Energy, will host "Smart Grid Opportunities," a half-day workshop designed to help businesses and researchers better comprehend technical advancements and business opportunities related to efforts to revamp the electrical grid.

It will take place on April 21 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Buffalo/Niagara Marriott, 1340 Millersport Hwy., Amherst, N.Y. The program will be co-hosted by Hodgson Russ LLP.

The keynote speaker will be Robert B. Catell, chair of the New York State Smart Grid Consortium, the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center at Stony Brook University. He also chairs Alberta Northeast Gas Ltd., and is a member of the board of directors of KEYERA Energy Management Ltd.

Catell will discuss "The New York State Smart Grid Consortium: Mission, Roadmap, Challenges and Opportunities."

The workshop is the first in a series of four to be held in 2010, part of Directed Energy's effort to support a clean-energy technical and business cluster in Western New York. The series is supported and sponsored by several organizations led by UB and Hodgson Russ LLP.

"The Business of Energy series has several objectives," says Martin Casstevens, Directed Energy's director, and business-formation and commercialization manager for UB's Office of Science, Technology and Economic Outreach (STOR). "Technical businesses will have an opportunity to learn about and explore new business opportunities. Academics will hear prominent speakers identify ongoing technical challenges requiring additional research. The series also provides businesspeople and academics with a valuable networking session. We've included subject matter that will also be of interest to Canadian businesses."

Read more about the "Smart Grid Opportunities" Workshop here, and about the "Business of Energy" Series here.

Fun Friday: Shamrockin' Rap

VIDEO: Shamrockin' Rap

Goin' Green for St. Patrick's Day - "Do One Thing" (DOT) for the Environment.

5 Ways to Take Action for Clean Air

This week is full of opportunities to fight for a clean environment and healthier community. We hope you'll be involved in at least one action this week!

1. Vote at our Member Meeting! This month's member meeting might be the most important all year. After months of brainstorming and research we're voting to decide on our Clean Air Agenda for the year. The three initiatives with the greatest number of votes will be the focus of our work in 2010. We're meeting at the Sheridan Parkside Community Center, 169 Sheridan Parkside Drive at 7:00 PM on Monday, March 15. 2. Learn about Coke Ever wondered what coke is? How they make it? What is released in the air when it's produced? What it looks like inside Tonawanda Coke? If so, this presentation is for you! Join us on Wednesday, March 17th at 7:00PM to hear from Nellie Brown about what happens inside a coke facility. As usual, we'll be at the Sheridan Parkside Community Center at 169 Sheridan Parkside Drive. Nellie Brown is a biologist, and chemist and certified industrial hygienist, specializing in occupational safety and health, and a former Tonawanda Coke worker. 3. Sign our petition to save air monitoring Air monitoring has been essential to identifying polluters in Tonawanda and ensuring regulatory action is taken to protect human health. Funding for the air monitoring runs out in April. The NYS DEC intends to continue the monitoring but is uncertain how long they can support the initiative. Sign our petition asking Commissioner Grannis to fund the monitors through 2012 by clicking here. 4. Buy your tickets to our Annual Dinner with Lois Gibbs On April 30th we're coming together to celebrate all we've accomplished and recharge for the upcoming year. We'll recognize our community's most outstanding advocates and hear from our keynote speaker Lois Gibbs. Click here for more details and to order your tickets. 5. Tell Erie County Legislator Kevin Hardwick your story This week, Legislator Kevin Hardwick & members of his staff will meet with residents through an outreach program to discuss local issues. We want him to know how air pollution has affected you, your family and your neighborhood. Hardwick's outreach meeting, for Town of Tonawanda residents, will be held from 9am to noon Tuesday March 16th at the Kenmore Municpal Building, 2219 Delaware Ave, Kenmore. We're looking for a few folks to share their stories with Kevin and thank him for writing a letter to Commissioner Grannis asking for funding for the air monitoring.

Hope to see you this week! Erin Heaney Clean Air Coalition of Western New York

Donate Food Scraps for Compost

Drop Off small amounts or arrange for Pick Up of large amounts
at the
Community Action Organization (CAO)
[Click image to enlarge]

Buffalo Niagara Green Expo - April 17

The Buffalo Niagara Green Expo will be held on Saturday, April 17th at the Galleria Mall. The Expo is a chance for businesses and organizations who have green products, services, or concepts, to set up a table and show their ideas to the community www.bnge.org. Senator Antoine Thompson, Chair of the Senate Environmental Conservation Committee, initiated the Buffalo Niagara Green Expo because of his strong desire to support local green businesses and organizations that are a key part of WNY's 21st century economy.

We could use you help! We are currently taking posters out to stores and community centers throughout WNY. We like to do this with 2 person teams – one person to drive and another to talk with store owners. We’d like to see a poster in every barbershop, beauty salon, bowling alley and store in WNY.

Volunteers will also be needed on April 16th and 17th to assist the exhibitors, either to set up the Friday evening before the Green Expo, or during the day of the Expo. They may be asked to greet the public, help exhibitors, or even walk around the mall directing the public’s attention to the exhibits.

Anyone wanting to add his or her efforts to promoting environmental activities in WNY through the Green EXPO is encouraged to send an email with your name, telephone number, and email address to mfisher@environmentaleducation.com, or janetmg@verizon.net.

Environmental Information Fair - April 20

Buffalo State College will be hosting the 3rd annual Environmental Information Fair on Tuesday, April 20 from 11:30am-1:30pm. This event will serve to create awareness among the campus and surrounding community, and will promote a cleaner Western New York as we inform the community about going green!

They are looking for interested organizations to host tables for this event and provide the community with information about the services that they offer. They are also looking for donations for raffle prizes. In appreciation of your support we will acknowledge your gift at the event.

The fair location is outdoors under tents in the Perry Quad on campus – rain or shine [Campus Map].

They will supply tables, covers, chairs, and organization signs. “Hands-on” displays are encouraged.

If interested, or if you have any questions please feel free to Email Lauren Bostaph or call her at 716-878-6835 .

Fun Friday: Canvas, Not Plastic

VIDEO - "Canvas Bags": Tim Minchin, comedian, actor and musician, is a self-proclaimed rock star in this satirical music video, imploring us (more than once) to bring eco-friendly canvas bags to the supermarket and reject those disposable plastic ones which are not bio-degradable and can harm wildlife.



Cutting back on disposable plastic bags will also reduce our need for oil, the source of chemicals used to make plastic bags.