Offshore Wind Turbines: a Powerful Plan

A report from the University at Buffalo urges New York State to develop a comprehensive plan for production of clean, renewable offshore wind power from wind turbines located in Lakes Erie and Ontario. Doing so would create a demand for wind-power energy, as well as large-scale manufacturing of wind turbines and components, that could bring new jobs to Western New York. The report is the product of UB law professor Robert Berger, director of its Environment and Development Clinic, and Dwight Kanyuck. The full report can be viewed here.

Happy about Wind Power in Bliss, NY

The region’s newest wind farm of 67 turbines just opened in Bliss, NY. Noble Environmental Power built the $260 million Noble Bliss Windpark in Wyoming County. Another 84 towers will be added by the end of 2008 in Eagle and the adjacent town of Wethersfield. And that's not all. Projects in Chautauqua County, Cattaraugus County and Allegany County are being developed. Also an 18-tower expansion of the big 2.5MW turbines at the Steel Winds project in Lackawanna and Hamburg is in the works. For the Buffalo News story by John F. Bonfatti, click here.

'Green' is growing on Business People

The first session of Business Gets Green sponsored by the Green Gold Development Corporation was a huge success, with twenty-two businesses introducing what they do, and four keynote speakers presenting environmentally-friendly talks to an audience of around eighty at the Buffalo Science Museum. Bill Nowak, meeting organizer and Executive Director of Green Gold Development Corp., said:

"I'm very happy with the way the first Business Gets Green session came out and grateful to everyone who helped make it a success - especially the 22 businesses who gave concise, well focused presentations. I look forward to other businesses stepping forward to introduce themselves at future sessions, and urge them to contact me at bill.nowak2@verizon.net. I'm excited to think that we will be broadcasting video from these sessions on LCTV and other venues. It's a good opportunity for businesses to get exposure. I was especially happy to see the networking that went on - some businesses were looking to contract with each other for services already!"

Videos of the presentations:
- Buffalo ReUse, Michael Gainer
- Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper, Julie Barrett O'Neill
- Buffalo's Chief Economic Development Officer, Brian Reilly
- Ecology and Environment Inc., Laurie Shortt Kutina
Video presentations are courtesy of LCTV and videographer Jon Allen.

A list of participating Businesses with contact information is here.

Today's Buffalo News has a brief report by James Heaney on the May 15th meeting: Speakers offer insights into benefits of 'going green'. The next session of Business Gets Green will be held on Thursday, June 19 at 5:30pm in the Science Museum.

Green Cities: lessons from Curitiba Brazil

Innovations in transportation, recycling, affordable housing and other areas have made Curitiba one of the most livable cities in the world. Innovations and ingenuity are themes of a documentary film: A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil

The Western NY Climate Action Coalition is sponsoring a viewing of this informative and inspiring film (runtime: 52 minutes). Open discussion will follow. Admission and refreshments are free.

WHEN: Wednesday, May 21 at 7:00pm (refreshments at 6:30pm)
WHERE: Unitarian Universalist Church, Elmwood & West Ferry, Buffalo

For a poster to view and share with others, click here.
A film trailer is shown in the video below.

ReSOURCE: Reception & Grand Opening

Buffalo ReUse is a not-for-profit organization established to develop deconstruction as a competitive alternative to the demolition of abandoned housing. Today Buffalo ReUse will open a retail store, ReSOURCE, as an outlet for materials it has salvaged from vacant houses.
A reception will be held at the ReSOURCE Store on Friday, May 16, 6-8pm, and a Grand Opening will be held there on Saturday, May 17, throughout the day. For details, click here.

The ReSOURCE store is located at 298 Northampton in Buffalo, a few blocks east of DeltaSonic car wash on Main Street at Northampton. For a Map to the store, click here, and to visit the Web site, click here.

Michael Gainer, founder of Buffalo ReUse, was a speaker at the inaugural session of Business Gets Green and was also featured in the NY Times Magazine.
For more information about ReSOURCE and Buffalo ReUse, read the recent Buffalo News report by Tom Buckham, Buffalo ReUse opens a new door to transforming city neighborhoods. See also the News blog, Making a difference, one house at a time.

NEW SERIES: Business Gets Green

Business Gets Green is a new monthly series, sponsored by Buffalo's Green Gold Development Corporation, where businesses get to talk with each other, showcasing and discovering green products, services and initiatives. Come hear what the leading businesses and thinkers in our region are doing!

Business Gets Green will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at the Buffalo Museum of Science. Sessions will include an opening half hour where the first 20 businesses to register each get a quick minute to introduce themselves and what they do, followed by lively 15 minute presentations by 2 businesses, a local environmental organization, and a public official. The sessions will last no more than 2 hours and will close with the presenters fielding questions. If you want to become part of this emerging sector of our economy, want to network with other businesspeople who are 'getting green', or are curious about how you might fit in, Business Gets Green is the place for you.

If you would like a chance to introduce your business at the beginning of the session, please be sure to pre-register by contacting Bill Nowak, Green Gold Executive Director, at bill.nowak2@verizon.net . The introduction slots will be on a first come, first served basis, and will be cut off at 20.

Admission to this session will be free! Please arrive before 5:30 so we can start on time.

Guest post by Bill Nowak

.........................................................................................................................

The first session of Business Gets Green is set for Thursday, May 15th from 5:30 to 7:30 PM at the Buffalo Museum of Science with the following lineup:

• Michael Gainer, Executive Director, Buffalo ReUse, Inc.
• Julie Barrett O'Neill, Exec. Director, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper
• Earl Aragona, Vice President, Ecology & Environment, Inc.
• Brian Reilly, Buffalo's recently hired Chief Economic Development Officer

For a printable flyer, click here.

Buffalo: Big Potential to go Green

The Partnership for the Public Good, led by UB Law Professor Sam Magavern, has documented thoughtful recommendations for Greening the City of Buffalo. The Partnership acknowledges that Buffalo has big problems, but it foresees an even bigger potential for positive change. Recommendations cover wide-ranging topics including sustainability, economic development, transportation, water, green spaces, buildings, energy, food, recycling, tax incentives, and education. Documents prepared by the group are available on the Web and include an Executive Summary and Recommendations, and the full document, Greening Buffalo: What Local Governments Can Do. Additional documents are available at the group's Wiki Space, Partnership for the Public Good.

The Partnership recommends forming a coalition of interested groups with a unified annual platform for change and a set of sustainability targets and measures to hold the public sector accountable. For further information, e-mail Sam Magavern at the University at Buffalo Law School.

Meeting: Great Lakes Wind Collaborative

1st Annual Meeting

of the

Great Lakes Wind Collaborative

May 6-7, 2008
Hyatt Regency Hotel, Buffalo NY

To go the GLWC Web site, click here.

In the NEWS 4/25

Solar-energy systems exempted from sales tax
by Matthew Spina
NY State and Erie County will not charge sales tax on the purchase and installation of residential solar-energy systems. Other incentives include state energy grants, property tax exemptions for structural improvements, and the ability to sell surplus electricity to local utility companies. To read the report, click here.

Home grown wind power
What are the options for using a small windmill to produce electricity at home? To find out, click here. See also Wind Power for Homes in the Side Panel for links to further information.
Bill Nowak from the Wind Action Group recommends the following local contacts involved in small wind installations:
Richard Meyers at: somersetnrg@adelphia.net
Amherst company, Greennorth: info@greennorth.com
Lake Effect Energy, c/o Dave Bradley: tantalum73@verizon.net

Expanded Metro Rail offers many benefits
by Joseph H. Radder
"Electrified inter-city rail and electric intra-city light-rail rapid transit will take millions of cars off the road and, in time, save billions of gallons of oil, not to mention the dramatic reduction in air pollution." Click here.

We need to act now to save our planet
by Louis DeRosa
"When will we, as a collective, make the decision to save our own lives and the lives of future generations?" Click here.