In the NEWS 11/29

West Valley cleanup could take 30 years - 11/27/2008
Phased shutdown is one of four alternatives unveiled in Department of Energy report
WASHINGTON — State and federal agencies are recommending a phased shutdown of the West Valley Nuclear Demonstration Project, a process that will take 30 more years.
Their report leaves many crucial issues unsettled, including which level of government is ultimately responsible for cleaning up the site and where radioactive waste would be shipped.
The full article by Douglas Turner is here.

Insulating your windows - 11/28/2008
Your Utility Bills by James Dulley
The savings from installing insulating shades and/or curtains often provides a much faster payback than expensive replacement windows.
The additional insulating value from indoor window coverings can range from R-1 to R-5, but the insulation is only part of the story. Insulating shades which have the edges trapped in vertical side tracks are most effective. This reduces the room air flow around the shade and across the cold glass. Read more here.

Pedestrians and bicyclists get place in road plans - 11/28/2008
Nondrivers vital to green road mind-set
Bicyclists, walkers and people pushing baby strollers have a right to the road, some green-minded people say, as they urge Erie County and City of Buffalo officials to see streets as paths for people, not just vehicles.
“The whole idea is to make sure that if people are walking and cycling, they are provided with a safe place to do so, and that we think about people before thinking about moving automobiles from Point A to Point B,” said Justin S. Booth, director of Green Options Buffalo.
The full article by Matthew Spina is here.

Everybody's Column - 11/29/2008
Devise a plan to repair tattered infrastructure
"How about a “big idea” plan to bring our electrical grid into the 21st century? And include in the plan the requirement that all materials, parts and machinery be produced in the United States and that one must be a U. S. citizen to be employed by this massive endeavor." The full letter is here.
~Art Borgeson

Timing traffic lights will help fuel efficiency
"It is increasingly frustrating to do everything I can to practice fuel-efficient driving and still have to stop at nearly every single light. It’s time for better design so we can eliminate part of our dependence on oil." The full letter is here.
~Leslie Latham

Business Gets Green V: Videos

The fifth session of Business Gets Green was held on October 16 at the Buffalo Museum of Science. Links to Videos of the presentations are listed below.

Featured Presentations:

• Paul Vargovich, Jr., National Solar Technologies

• Kerri Bentkowski, Buffalo Niagara Riverkeeper

• Andy McLellan and David Scott, UNYS / Environmental Education Associates, Inc.

Three Presentations are included in one Video below:

• Judy Einach, Exec. Director, NY Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (Part 1 - 0:00-7:40 min.)

• Erwin Rakoczy, Maker of Fine Hard Ciders, Farmers' Market Aficionado (Part 2 - 7:41-13:15 min.)

• Christa Glennie Seychew, Founder of Feed Your Soul (Part 3 - 13:16-26:18 min.)

Videos are courtesy of LCTV and videographer Jon Allen.

For more information on Business Gets Green, e-mail Bill Nowak

Green Jobs Conference

NY State Assemblyman Sam Hoyt

will host a

GREEN JOBS CONFERENCE

• WHEN: Saturday, November 22, 8am to Noon

• WHERE: Erie Community College, 121 Ellicott St, Buffalo
  

• MAP: Click here
  

• RSVP: Click here

The Green Jobs Conference will be an in-depth discussion of how we can overcome existing obstacles, including lack of training and a need to recruit new employers, to create new jobs at all skill and wage levels. Economic growth based on careers for “green” industries has the potential to create both long-term fiscal stability for the region and a healthier, more environmentally-conscious community. Topics will include community revitalization, manufacturing, transportation, energy, creating opportunities and industries, training programs, waste management and recycling, public awareness and education, public health and food. The conference is open to the public.

For more information on how Green Jobs benefit the economy, Click Here.
.

Regional Conference on Building ReUse

Buffalo ReUse and the Building Materials Reuse Association are co-sponsoring the Great Lakes Building ReUse Conference in Buffalo, NY. This will be the first regional conference on developing and implementing building deconstruction and other creative solutions to address problems and solutions surrounding vacant and abandoned structures.

The purpose of the conference is to share creative strategies that foster community, develop job opportunities, and strengthen the local economy for all residents. Participants include community activists, students, policymakers, architects, city planners, grant makers, funders, contractors, building owners and other people eager to initiate and expand programs that employ building reuse and vacant property stabilization in "rust belt" cities surrounding the Great Lakes and throughout the country.

WHEN: Sunday, November 16 to Tuesday, November 18

WHERE: Hyatt Regency Buffalo, Two Fountain Plaza [ Map is HERE ]

SCHEDULE: Click HERE

FEATURED PRESENTATIONS: click HERE
Monday, Nov. 17: Tyree Guyton & Jenenne Whitfield of The Heidelberg Project
Tuesday, Nov. 18: Mayor Jay Williams of Youngstown, Ohio

WORKSHOPS: Six on Monday, Nov. 17, and three on Tuesday, Nov. 18 [ Click HERE ]

FREE TO THE PUBLIC: Tuesday, Nov. 18: 5–7pm
Local Vacant Property Summit. Buffalo residents and local policymakers strongly encouraged to attend. Moderated by Michael Groman of Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and Anthony Armstrong of LISC Buffalo.
[Note added on 11/15: A story about Michael Groman's work on greening Philadelphia appears in today's Buffalo News]

REGISTER at www.greatlakesreuse.org.
Several registration levels - including nonprofit and student rates - are available.
For more information, send E-mail or call 716.885.4131

Help Him Change the World

"We can choose hope over fear, unity over division; the promise of change over the power of the status quo. I’m Barack Obama. If you give me your vote on Tuesday, we won’t just win this election – together, we will change this country and Change the World." -- Senator Obama, Democratic Radio Address, Nov. 1, 2008

The Buffalo News will cover the election live on the Web. Following the election on Tuesday, Nov. 4, Barack Obama will appear in Chicago's Grant Park to deliver a speech. Hopes are high among many Americans, including me, that election day will end with a victory speech in Grant Park and a real celebration. If we want it, we can make it happen by getting out the Vote for Obama!

The possibility of an election day celebration in Chicago's Grant Park reminds me of a song from the early 70's, "Saturday in the Park", by the rock group that bears the city's name, Chicago. It's an upbeat song mixed with some politically-charged phrases of the day, like "listen children, all is not lost", and "will you help him change the world". I hope that the celebratory feeling of the song will reflect the election outcome. Check out the song and video here.

Help him change the world...vote for Barack Obama on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

The Buffalo News has endorsed Obama. The News has a Web page for voters that provides a convenient comparison of Obama's and McCain's stands on a variety of policy issues. The Web page is here. It also shows the News endorsements for local election contests including Congress, State Senate and Assembly, District Attorney and State Supreme Court. Check it out, and get out and vote on Tuesday!

Polling Place Finder and Map: click here
=

Great Lakes: Restore the GREATness

The Great Lakes basin contains 90% of the surface fresh water in North America, and 20% of the world's supply. Unfortunately, the Great Lakes aren't doing so great these days. Sewage from surrounding cites, toxic sediments, and invasive species are diminishing the quality of the water. The pollution and environmental destruction have raised cries from many who advocate that a major cleanup of our precious waterways is long overdue. Promises were made by President Bush in his 2004 re-election campaign, but little money to actually perform the cleanup has been provided by the federal government.

The Great Lakes basin in the U.S. includes New York, Illinois, Michigan as well as five other states that are crucial in the current presidentional race: Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. Senator McCain is said to be for a cleanup, but has yet to put forward a plan. Senator Obama is a co-sponsor of legislation to implement the restoration of the Great Lakes, a part of his environmental plan. Heather Zichal, Obama's energy and environmental policy director, has said that Obama, hailing from a Great Lakes state, understands the lake's dire situation and would give them top billing. For the full story in the Buffalo News, click here.

The Great Lakes are a vital part of our environment. The lakes are the source of fresh water for millions of people, and they support regional agriculture, recreation, tourism and a muti-billion dollar fishing industry. The waterways are also economically important for hydropower, shipping and manufacturing. Restoring a healthy environment by cleaning up the Great Lakes needs to be strongly supported by our next president. The League of Conservation Voters gave Senator McCain a very low lifetime rating based on important environmental legislation, while Barack Obama was given the highest lifetime rating. McCain has no environmental plan on his website, while Obama does. To read Obama's environmental plan, including a section on "Restore the Great Lakes", click here. Obama has also proposed a trust fund towards implementing the full restoration of the Great Lakes.

Political Candidates discuss Sustainability

Candidates confirmed to attend are Jerry Schad , Sam Hoyt,
Alice Kryzan and Joe Mesi.

MAP to Allen Hall is HERE.

This event is sponsored by the student-led
UB Environmental Network

For more on Sustainability, and an informative and clever video, click here.

Buffalo News: Obama for President

Buffalo News -- EDITORIAL -- Sunday, Oct.19, 2008

Obama for President
Voters should seize the chance to elect a transformative leader

The only thing we have to fear, a great president once said, is fear itself. Barack Obama is not afraid. Concerned. Alert. Maybe even a little alarmed. But the Democratic candidate for president of the United States is not afraid and, of perhaps even more importance, he does not seek to be elected by making us afraid.

If Americans want a future where our leaders respond to challenges with judgment and principle, rather than panic and rashness, they will elect Barack Obama president. We recommend they do so.

For the full endorsement, visit BuffaloNews.com.

Many Americans agree with the endorsement. Yesterday, a record crowd of 100,000 people turned out in St. Louis, MO, to hear Senator Obama speak!
A picture is below, and the full text of the speech is HERE.

[click to enlarge]

Local Candidates endorsed by NYLCV

The New York League of Conservation Voters, the political voice for New York's environmental community, has announced its "green" slate of candidates for the Nov. 4, 2008 general election.

"Now more than ever, we need innovative elected officials who will lead the fight against climate change, end our dependence on foreign oil and create a new ‘green' economy," said Marcia Bystryn, president of the New York League of Conservation Voters. "Members of our 2008 slate understand these challenges and will help lead New York State toward a cleaner, greener future."

Local candidates endorsed by NYLCV include, Alice Kryzan for Congress, Antoine Thompson and William Stachowski for State Senate, as well as Sam Hoyt and Mark Schroeder for State Assembly. Click on the candidate's name for links that include district maps and information about each candidate's eco-accomplishments and agenda to combat climate change and other environmental issues. To see a list of all the endorsed candidates from Western and Central NY, with links to their district maps and additional information, click here.

For additional information on the local election races reported in the Buffalo News, click here.