RENewsletter October 21, 2012

RENewsletter | October 21, 2012

The Free environmental newsletter from RochesterEnvironment.com

“Our Environment is changing: Keep up with the Change.”

[10/14/2012 – 10/21/2012]

Opening Salvo: “The great 2012 non-accomplishment for Rochester, NY area media - Fracking”

Every year Rochester City Newspaper puts out its Best of Rochester Series attempting to highlight some incredible local accomplishments. It’s a good idea to pause once a year and see what amazing things a community so gifted with universities, technology, and artists can do. However, somewhat buried in this report is the acknowledgement of the most important, but ignored, story of 2012: Local News Story Ignored in 2012 - Fracking. This incredible non-accomplishment is worth contemplating for a moment.

Try to suspend for a moment your awareness of the controversies surrounding Fracking (slang for hydraulic fracturing) and focus on its newsworthiness. Try channeling Walter Cronkite -- consider what should be editorial objectivity on an issue as contentious as Fracking—not your opinion.

Note: I’m not going to pummel you with my opinion on Fracking—at least right now. Although I do beg your patience on this one caveat: If your opinion on Fracking in New York State is that you just don’t care, then you are either too ignorant of the subject to know what you are saying, or just too craven. If for example, you had called up an airline company and tried to book a flight out of an American city on the evening of September 11, 2001 and started crabbing at the attendant because she said there were no flights, we can forgive the attendant for hanging up on you. Sometimes some opinions are just too ridiculous to consider. We’ll put aside sheer lunacy for the moment.

To be for or against Fracking in New York State based on your beliefs or your sense of priorities is one thing; to be uninformed about this issue because the Rochester region’s local media has ignored it is quite another. No objective position on the imminent lifting of the moratorium on Fracking in New York State would rationally conclude that it wasn’t important, wasn’t worth adequately informing all our state’s communities, including Monroe County. You might like the idea of Fracking, you might not, but you wouldn’t say that it doesn’t concern us and that we shouldn’t pay attention to it.

Objectively then, without pandering to either side on the Fracking issue in our region, here are some of the reasons why Fracking should garner continual front-page attention in our local media (as it often does in the southern tier of our state, the purported ‘sacrifice zone’), complete with comprehensive investigations, not tomorrow, but now, immediately. Waiting for the consequences of Fracking to play themselves out in our county will be too late. Every reasonable person in Monroe County should want the answers to these questions before any Fracking begins:

· In Monroe County we need to know how much gas Fracking companies might possibly drill for in our area. Our county lies above the Utica Shale, which is one of the shales included in the Revised Draft SGEIS on the Oil, Gas and Solution Mining Regulatory Program that will shape the legal framework for Fracking in our state. As this report--Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources of the Ordovician Utica Shale of the Appalachian Basin Province, 2012--recently completed by the U.S. Geological Survey suggests there are “38 trillion cubic feet of gas, and 208 million barrels of natural gas liquids” in parts of the Utica Shale but no word of gas amounts directly under our region. “We don’t know because we haven’t test-drilled.” Is not an adequate answer.

· Even if it becomes certain that our region won’t be Fracked, it is uncertain if our county will engage in ancillary Fracking activities (Fracking waste disposal in our waste water treatment plants, landfills, or along county roads and properties). Because the Fracking industry enjoys special exemptions, including the so-called "Halliburton Loophole" sidestepping the Clean Water Act and other restrictions, our region’s public needs to know what environmental and public health risks might be on our horizon.

· Whether we Frack in this region or just engage in ancillary Fracking activities, we need to know how our public roads and bridges might be impacted by the high-volume, heavy trucking this industry requires. Will our tax burden on our local infrastructure increase as a result of New York State’s decision to Frack?

· We need to know if there is any possibility that Hemlock Lake, which exists in the Marcellus Shale and provides our region with much of our clean fresh drinking water, might be threatened.

· In the light of studies on Climate Change and how that will affect our water cycle, including an increase in late summer and early fall droughts, we need to know how much of our fresh water might eventually be required—even if Fracking or its ancillary activities is not practiced in our region.

· We need to know, given reports about the massive release of methane gas in the Fracking process, Fracking’s relationship to Climate Change.

· In order to make a responsible decision on whether to Frack in New York State, our region, along with all the other regions of our state, needs to know the chemical composition of fluids used in the Fracking process.

· We need to know what potential jobs will become available and what possible effect Fracking will have on our local economy, both short and long term.

· We need to know what the exact state of our water quality—in our rivers, streams, and near-by lakes--before Fracking begins to establish a water-quality baseline so we can adequately assess the damage and assign responsibility when an accident occurs.

I can think of many more important questions concerning Fracking and our region—including insurance related issues—but the above list alone reveals how much we don’t know about an industry that will change our state forevermore. Our local media has been dismissive at best and misleading at worst on an issue that will affect our region if Fracking is adopted in New York State.

Granted, there is a media crisis out there. Don’t take my word for it; look around, the media has indeed changed. This week’s story about Newsweek’s move to drop print and go totally digital to save its investigative reporters highlights the crisis.

In short, there are fewer investigative stories (a news reporter surfing over to the NYS DEC site to find out what the DEC chief says about Fracking doesn’t count) being spread by more and more aggregative news-collecting web sites and applications and no money left for print media—because advertisers are giving up on that. But consider this; one of the most frightening things that the present media collapse portends are the nearly insurmountable hurdles, the almost impenetrable walls, our particular online news sources have created. The new news environment has become an insularity of self-absorbed silos. You can now live your life completely involved in sports or movies and not have a clue about Climate Change, Fracking, or who’s running for president. Walter Cronkite is gone. We’re on our own.

Even so, the whole point for the existence of local news, news pertaining to your community, should include stuff you need to know about. You need to know if your government is solvent, whether your leaders are committing crimes and betraying your trust. Despite the local fascination with sports, construction delays, dog love and the innumerable festivals that engage our city, you need to know if there is a rash of diseases coming our way. You need to know if your water is clean, if your air is breathable, and whether or not your environment is sustainable—able to be there for your kids. Some stuff is just interesting, some other stuff is critical to know. There’s a difference.

If our local media has failed to adequately report on Fracking, one of the most important stories that will affect every single one of us in the Rochester, NY region, we have to question the reason for their continued existence. If our local media editors are lying low on Fracking because they think they’re being ‘objective’, we must ask: in what sense they are using the word? Going mum just as a major change comes to our region is not objectivity in any useful sense. Why continue the delusion that watching local news is actually informing us of things we need to know if they are not actually doing that? Why put yourself through all that reading and tube-gazing when at the end of the day you cannot drink the water? What reasons can local media editors provide to explain this incredible dearth of information on Fracking? Are they being paid by the fossil fuel industry to shut up? Or are they merely afraid of boring the bejesus out of their paid subscribers and potential ad consumers?

A very dangerous argument has crept into the Fracking issue in NYS, and the blame can be put squarely on local media. The Fracking people believe that they have waited long enough for Governor Cuomo to decide on Fracking. They really want the money promised them by Fracking leases on their land. In fact, no they really haven’t waited all that long. We are missing a lot of important information about our environment as it relates to Fracking and we as rational folks just as soon we get all the info we need. We the people really don’t need to be hasty on this matter, and we really need to take the time to look before we jump.

We the people should be able to depend on news that informs us of important stuff. Distracted news gathering, with the media desperate for funding, is going to be a great challenge for an industry that used to compete with each other for real news, investigative journalism. Throughout this media transformation, we still have to keep our eye on the ball. We cannot depend on media the way we used to. If you are only attending to a media that blinds you on critical issues, you, ultimately, are responsible. If your local media is blinding you on important matters, stop consuming it, go find out what you need to know, even if the answer is not what you want to hear.

The acceptance of Fracking in New York State would have a tremendous impact on our future. The local media’s failure to cover this issue in full is an outrage. I view this failure of local media on the issue of Fracking in New York State, and possibly our county, as a tragic microcosm of how our local media has failed to adequately inform us on most environmental issues, especially their failure to connect the dots between Climate Change and probable consequences of Climate Change in our region. Also, the failure of local media to even mention a Fracking rally and a petition delivery to Monroe County legislature questions our media’s competency and integrity on a matter so critical to our region’s environment and public health: Are our local media editors pandering to the fossil fuel industry, their subscribers, or both?

Finally, some would say if you are ‘pro’ Fracking or ‘anti’ Fracking you cannot be objective on Fracking. I say that is the wrong heuristic because the focus of our attention should be on the health of our environment, not on the health of a particular industry. Our media needs to change their notion of ‘objectivity’ when it comes to environmental issues, especially as Climate Change becomes the lens through which we should view all environmental issues. Fracking, because it involves drilling for natural gas, will impact Climate Change. We are supposed to be informed about important issues by our media, not blinded by them. If our local media is avoiding and failing to inform us on something as important as Fracking, do they deserve our trust?

FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com (Click on my email for feedback)

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* Got news? | Go to my blog: Environmental Thoughts - Rochester, NY or Tweet me @ http://twitter.com/#!/FrankRrrr On Twitter and Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RochesterEnvironment and Examiner/RochesterEnvironment, I post local environmental events, news, and commentary as soon as it happens. If you think this newsletter, which continually informs our community on our local environmental news, events, actions, is worthwhile, please encourage others to sign up. We who care about our environment and future need to ‘Occupy’ the Rochester media to change how the public views environmental news.

The great conundrum of our times is that in a time of rapidly occurring Climate Change and a rapid disintegration of the environment that we need to thrive and survive, mainstream media still marginalizes environmental concerns. [Check often for this continually updated list on the possible consequences of Climate Change in our region--supported by facts.] If there isn’t a quick and substantial change in how environmental concerns are reported, edited, and chosen in mainstream media, the public will continue to believe that environmental concerns are merely special interest matters, issues they can avoid if they choose. How can we inform the public and monitor our environment without abridging our Freedoms--in enough time to safe ourselves?

Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet. -- Carl Sagan

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NewsLinks – Environmental NewsLinks – [Highlights of major environmental stories concerning our area from the past week]

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Updates – Daily Updates – [Connecting the dots on Rochester’s environment. Find out what’s going on environmentally in our area—and why you should care? Clicking on -DISCUSSION – will take you to my blog “Environmental Thoughts, NY, where you can add your comments.]

10/20/2012 - Nice little slide show about how Climate Change; a very tasteful and elegant portrayal of how our denial is transforming our planet—but not in a good way. 8 Ways Global Warming Is Already Changing the World Over the last 100 years, global temperatures have warmed by about 1.33 degrees Fahrenheit (0.74 degrees Celsius) on average. The change may seem minor, but it's happening very quickly — more than half of it since 1979, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Though it can still be difficult to tease out how much climate change plays in any given weather event, changes are occurring. In the spirit of Earth day, here's a look at our marvelous blue marble and the ways people and other living things are responding to global warming. [50 Amazing Facts About Earth] - from Live Science
10/20/2012 - ACTION: It is amazing that the US Public allows a presidential debate to go on without a Climate Change discussion. Are we a herd of cows? Don’t be a herd of cows, be Earth’s stewards and demand that our presidential candidate debate what will be our warming future: 'Tell Presidential Debate Moderator Bob Schieffer to Break the Silence on Climate Change The American People Need to Know How Candidates Will Address Climate Change if Elected The final debate on October 22 will focus on foreign policy. And U.S. military planners’ have warned that climate change poses massive threats to global security. Thus far, both moderators and the candidates have avoided the serious domestic implications of our changing climate pattern. But climate change is a global issue with significant geopolitical impacts. Sign the petition urging debate moderator Bob Schieffer to ask the presidential candidates to tell us their plans to address climate change.' --from Public Citizen
10/20/2012 - On November 8th noon to 1PM learn about how Climate Change will impact our area via a webinar. Learn about it here and sign up. It’s free: Up Next:Communicating with the Public about Climate Change 8NOV12:00 - 1:00 ET Teresa Myers Public Policy, Education This webinar will present research from an ongoing program conducted by George Mason University and Yale University analyzing Americans’ interpretations of and responses to climate change. The research segments the American public into six audiences along a spectrum of concern and issue engagement: from the Alarmed, who are convinced of the reality and danger of climate change, and who are highly supportive of personal and political actions to mitigate the threat, to the Dismissive, who are equally convinced that climate change is not occurring and that no response should be made. The Six Americas are not very different demographically, but are dramatically different in their beliefs and actions, as well as their basic values and political orientations. This webinar will provide information about: -from ChangingClimate
10/19/2012 - Happy birthday Clean Water Act. Hope you can survive Fracking and the "Halliburton Loophole" Clean Water Act turns 40 The Clean Water Act turns four decades old today, and that anniversary is ensuring this piece of legislation which is administered by the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is receiving a fair bit of attention. Here's a roundup of some of the editorial comment that anniversary has generated. (October 18, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Water Quality in our area]
10/19/2012 - Some Fracking/Brownfield questions before New York State takes the plunge Doesn’t the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have enough to do cleaning up Brownfields without the specter of Fracking? Shouldn’t these basic questions be considered before New York State even considers Fracking:more...
10/19/2012 - Freeing up our election process from corruption will help our environment by stopping those who are preventing meaningful Fracking legislation and more. On Tuesday, October 23rd at 1:30PM at the Liberty Pole hook up with theCaravan of Corruption - Contact: Colin O’Malley, 716.400.6287,colin.metroj@gmail.com : "Our democracy is drowning in special interest money and we see legislative inaction for critical public policy year after year because of the wealthy few. In particular, millions in oil and gas lobbying and PAC dollars are preventing meaningful fracking legislation from advancing at the state level and candidates that support the people's business are not getting into office. The Sierra Club is a proud sponsor of the Fair Elections Campaign (October 23, 24). I am asking you to show support as the Caravan of Corruption makes it's way from Long Island and Buffalo to Albany, highlighting the past 10 years of incredible corruption and ways we can end this shameful legacy. Visit the Caravan of Corruption Website to find the locations and times for the Caravan stops. BRING ANTI-FRACKING SIGNS and your friends to highlight what we are up against. " Fair Elections for New York
10/18/2012 - Think how much better off jobs and our environment would be for us (not the fossil fuel industry) if battery storage power were encouraged instead of Fracking in New York State. NY battery developers get boost, but sector remains financially volatile Eight companies around New York state will receive $250,000 each from the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), to develop working prototypes of energy storage technologies. All of the chosen companies are a part of the NY Battery and Energy Storage (NY-BEST) consortium. The funding boost is aimed at bringing a wide range of storage solutions a step closer to commercialization. (October 17, 2012) Innovation Trail [more on Energy in our area]
10/18/2012 - ACTION: When you think of how mad/crazy folks are for Fracking in NYS and that the fossil fuel industry gets billions each year in tax subsidies, taking away the tax credit for renewable energy is horrific. Take action on this critical issue: SAVE USA WIND JOBS "Don’t let wind and solar and other renewable energy die so the fossil fuel industry can thrive and warm the planet. SAVE USA WIND JOBS Congress is currently in recess and will reconvene for a “lame duck” session following the November 6th elections. We need to keep reminding our legislators of the urgency of extending the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) as soon as they return to session throughout this recess period. We urge you to write to your legislators today." from Power of Wind
10/18/2012 - Do we know the true cost of coal? Or do we assume that our light switches are magical devices that bring energy to us out of thin air? Find out about the true cost of coal: The Cost of Coal: When mining companies level West Virginia mountains to get at the coal beneath, towns disappear. When a Michigan power plant burns coal to make electricity, it triggers asthma in children nearby. When coal ash blows onto a Paiute reservation in Nevada, elders die. Sierra traveled to those three states to ask people how their lives have been affected by the world's dirtiest energy source--and what they're doing to stop it. Sierra Club
10/18/2012 -Who is your pick for top environmental leader in our region? Make a nomination and get heroes for our environment recognition. "The Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI) plans to present several Environmental Excellence Awards at its 39th Annual Community Salute to the Environment on December 3, 2012. Please help us recognize our region’s environmental leaders by making a nomination now. The process is easy, just use the forms provided on our website. Nominations are due by October 26, 2012, so please do not delay."
10/18/2012 - Rochester media at its worst: It is an outrage that the New York State Fracking issue has not been thoroughly investigated in our Rochester local media. Some might say that Fracking (slang for hydraulic fracturing) is so controversial that our local media is afraid to upset their subscribers and potential ad consumers. But what’s the point of being a news agency if you don’t investigate controversial issues? Some would say if you are ‘pro’ Fracking or ‘anti’ Fracking you cannot be objective on Fracking. I say that is the wrong heuristic because the focus of our attention should be on the health of our environment, not on the health of a particular industry. Our media needs to change their notion of ‘objectivity’ when it comes to environmental issues, especially as Climate Change becomes the lens from which we should view all environmental issues. We are supposed to be informed about important issues by our media, not blinded by them. See Best of Rochester 2012: Media (October 17, 2012)Rochester City Newspaaper
10/17/2012 - Two Fracking talks coming up. "HydroFracking: A Landowner's Perspective Tuesday, October 23 at 7pm St. Thomas Episcopal Church 122 Liberty Street, Bath 14810 AND: Wednesday, October 24 at 7pm Avoca Fire Hall 7 Chase Street, Avoca 14809 Craig L. Stevens, Featured Speaker * Marcellus Patriots for Land Rights * Tea Party Republican * Highly honored NRA recruiter * Sixth-generation landowner in Susquehanna County, PA Learn from a landowner with leased mineral rights & a pipeline on his property. Please invite a friend or neighbor to come with you. Craig Stevens has been dealing with the gas companies in PA for a few years, and his first-hand experience is compelling. As a conservative, he can speak to the hearts and minds of many in Steuben County. Please, please share the invite below with those you know (family members, merchants, co-workers) who are still on the fence or mildly pro-fracking. Here's a link to one of Stevens' talks earlier this year. It's really worth a view here ~ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcDPVrNdSIw. "
10/16/2012 - All the king’s horses and all the king’s men will not put NYS back together again if we Frack. But you can remove a wind turbine if that’s not working out for you. Pro Frackers Come to the Capitol The State Capitol has been the scene of numerous noisy demonstrations on hydro fracking. But on Monday it was supporters of gas drilling, not opponents, who were protesting. A crowd of several hundred, chanting “no more delays” gathered for a march and rally outside the State Capitol. They include land owners in the Marcellus Shale region with gas drilling leases and workers who live in New York but have jobs that are dependent on gas drilling elsewhere. (October 15, 2012) WXXI News
10/16/2012 - We wait and we wait for the NYS Health Department to discuss Climate Change, but haven’t heard from them on it since 2008. Kind of weird when they know and we know public health will be challenged by extreme heat and increased frequency of vector-driven diseases like West Nile Virus because of Climate Change. Manystudies show that public health and Climate Change must be addressed in New York State in the coming years, but still there is silence from those who should we warning and informing us. Wonder why mainstream media doesn't chase this crucial issue down?
10/16/2012 - Mostly likely scenario for business- as-usual strategy on Climate Change: Screwed up and irresponsible geoengineering schemes. We are so out of our element trying to run the planet. Wouldn’t it be wiser to rethink our energy use rather than think we can just let everything go until it gets so bad we have to fix it—when we haven’t a clue as to how to do that. Sounds like something an adolescent species just full of itself would do. (This also begs the question: Why are businesses trying to fix a problem they don’t believe is happening? Hmmmm…) World's biggest geoengineering experiment 'violates' UN rules Controversial US businessman's iron fertilisation off west coast of Canada contravenes two UN conventions A controversial American businessman dumped around 100 tonnes of iron sulphate into the Pacific Ocean as part of a geoengineering scheme off the west coast of Canada in July, a Guardian investigation can reveal. Lawyers, environmentalists and civil society groups are calling it a "blatant violation" of two international moratoria and the news is likely to spark outrage at a United Nations environmental summit taking place in India this week. (October 15, 2012) The Guardian [more on Climate Change in our area]
10/16/2012 - Let it be noted that despite all evidence of its importance Climate Change was avoided in 2012 presidential debates. Future historians will want to note important junctures where Climate Change might have been slowed and adaptations made. This point in time, where a full-throated debate on the world-wide crisis of Climate Change that could have been aired and was not, will be a major hallmark in the continuum of warming that will result in major disruptions to our planet’s climate. It’s an amazing feat of denial that won’t impress future generations at all. Obama, Romney asked to debate climate change Experts have appealed to President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney to address climate change when they debate in Florida, saying the coastal state is already hit by rising water levels. (October 12, 2012) Times Live [more onClimate Change in our area]
10/16/2012 - Find out about why bottled water is not a good idea for our environment:Bottled Water is Wasteful "The environmental cost of the massive consumption of bottled water has led some U.S. and Canadian local governments to consider a ban its sale. While this seems an extreme response, the scientific concerns are well-founded, and the facts may surprise you. " The Water Project
10/15/2012) - If US public doesn’t get Sen. Sanders (VT) point on fossil fuel subsidies this election, we are so going to cook. Sure jumping out of a plane at a very high attitude is thrilling, but the US public needs to focus on something important. How we get energy is absolutely critical during this election year. Mitt Romney’s winners and losers The Big Energy industries (oil, coal and gas) along with their political allies like Mitt Romney are waging war against sustainable energy and efforts to transform our energy system and reverse global warming. In many instances, they are aided and abetted by the very powerful nuclear power industry. One of their main lines of attack (used repeatedly by Romney in his first debate with President Obama) is that the federal government is picking energy “winners and losers.” Romney says he will not invest in “chasing fads and picking winners and losers” among energy technologies and will instead allow the free market to determine energy development. (October 14, 2012) Grist [more on Climate Change in our area]
10/15/2012 - This social media page highlights how public can go beyond dysfunctional media and report on Climate Change locally. Climate Change in the Great Lakes Basin"Observations of Climate and Ecology of the Great Lakes Basin -- Feel free to post your data and observations on the phenology of our ecosystem here in the 21st century....This is a "crowd-sourcing" data collection effort open to all. "
10/15/2012 - Important talk on Climate Change in our region. Check it out: "CLIMATE CHANGE: What Can and Should We Do Now? 7:30 p.m., Monday, October 15 Daemen College 4380 Main Street, Amherst Room 336, Duns Scotus Hall Free and Open to the Public Keynote speaker Ross Gould, Energy & Air Program Director, Environmental Advocates of New York (www.eany.org) "
10/15/2012 - ESSAY: Cuomo ‘in a very lonely place” on Fracking A candidate for New York State Senate accused ‘celebrity’ opposition to Fracking in New York State that puts Governor Cuomo “in a very lonely place”. I think Cuomo is “in a very lonely place” because he is truly agonizing whether or not Fracking is a responsible thing to do. He’s agonizing because the fossil fuel industry is hounding him about the leases they’ve already bought up and want a return on their money—despite what this might do to NYS’s environment. He’s agonizing because our state, the Empire State, and a leader since Teddy Roosevelt and FDR in environmental stewardship and does not want NYS to devolve to a resource curse. more...

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Events – Rochester Environmental Events Calendar – [The most complete listing of all environmental events around the Rochester, New York area.] If you don’t see your event, or know of a local environmental event, please send me the info: FrankRegan@RochesterEnvironment.com with (EV event) in the subject line. Also, be sure to check other calendars and environmental series for multi-day events.

October 2012

Sunday, October 21, 2012, 2:00 PM | The Thousand Acre Swamp Nature Preserve 1581 Jackson Rd - between Atlantic Ave & Plank Rd, opposite Penfield Center Rd Penfield, NY 14526
- Alien Pods Hike at Thousand Acre Swamp Sunday, October 21, 2012, 2:00 PM Join our leaders, Carl Herrgesell and Carol Southby, on a search for alien pods - the interesting fall seed heads of non-native and native wildflowers. Pods look very different from blooming flowers and can make great additions to dried flower arrangements. While none will be collected at our protected site, we will prepare participants to find pods elsewhere. This event is free & open to the public. The Thousand Acre Swamp Nature Preserve 1581 Jackson Rd - between Atlantic Ave & Plank Rd, opposite Penfield Center Rd Penfield, NY 14526 Parking is available in our lot at the end of the access road. For more information contact Marie Heerkens at 585-773-8911. The Thousand Acre Swamp Sanctuary is a property of the Central & Western New York Chapter of the Nature Conservancy Susan Pixley, Chair Thousand Acre Swamp Preservation Committee
October 23, 2012Frontline’s “Climate of Doubt” 10/23/2012.
- FRONTLINE | "A Climate of Doubt" Preview | PBS Four years ago, climate change was hot. Politicians from both parties, pressed by an anxious public, seemed poised to act. But that was then. Today, public opinion about the climate issue has cooled, and politicians either ignore the issue or loudly proclaim their skepticism of scientific evidence that human activity is imperiling the planet. What's behind this reversal? FRONTLINE correspondent John Hockenberry of PRI's The Takeaway goes inside the organizations that fought the scientific establishment, environmental groups, and lawmakers to shift the direction of debate on climate issues and redefined the politics of global warming. Watch on air and online beginning October 23 at 10 pm ET on PBS. Climate of Doubt - from Frontline
On Tuesday, October 23rd at 1:30PM at the Liberty Pole hook up with the Caravan of Corruption - Contact: Colin O’Malley, 716.400.6287
- Freeing up our election process from corruption will help our environment by stopping those who are preventing meaningful Fracking legislation and more. On Tuesday, October 23rd at 1:30PM at the Liberty Pole hook up with theCaravan of Corruption - Contact: Colin O’Malley, 716.400.6287,colin.metroj@gmail.com : "Our democracy is drowning in special interest money and we see legislative inaction for critical public policy year after year because of the wealthy few. In particular, millions in oil and gas lobbying and PAC dollars are preventing meaningful fracking legislation from advancing at the state level and candidates that support the people's business are not getting into office. The Sierra Club is a proud sponsor of the Fair Elections Campaign (October 23, 24). I am asking you to show support as the Caravan of Corruption makes it's way from Long Island and Buffalo to Albany, highlighting the past 10 years of incredible corruption and ways we can end this shameful legacy. Visit the Caravan of Corruption Website to find the locations and times for the Caravan stops. BRING ANTI-FRACKING SIGNS and your friends to highlight what we are up against. " Fair Elections for New York
October 28, 2012 at 3pm Chemung River Boat Launch Grove Street, Elmira NY
- A CELEBRATION OF WATER October 28, 2012 at 3pm Chemung River Boat Launch Grove Street, Elmira NY Water is Life! Everyone is invited to participate in this gathering to honor, preserve and protect the gift of water that sustains life on this beautiful Earth we call home. This interfaith celebration at the Chemung River will feature prayer, poetry, music, movement, blessing and opportunities for action on behalf of our precious water. Join us, and representatives of our faith communities, as we reflect on and celebrate the life-giving waters ! Sponsors: People for a Healthy Environment, Inc. pheinc1@gmail.com The Committee to Preserve the Finger Lakes www.preservethefingerlakes.org Southern Tier Interfaith Coalitionwww.st-interfaith.org This gathering is free and open to the public. Join us as we tap into major faith traditions to honor the precious gift of water. Join us as we expand our understanding of the harmful effects of human interventions. All are welcome – rain or shine!

November 2012

Wednesday November 7: Tompkins County Public Library, Borg Warner Room (101 E. Green St., Ithaca NY 14850). 6:30 pm:
- Thanking our volunteers! A reception precedes the public meeting to thank Hydrilla Hunters and others who have been on alert for hydrilla all summer and who helped “spread the word, not the plant.” Come for refreshments and a brief talk by John Abel, West Shore Homeowners Association. No charge. Stay for the public meeting at 7 pm. 7:00 pm: Hydrilla Public Information Meeting: Sharing information on the herbicide treatment, plant and water monitoring in 2012. No charge. Roxy Johnston and others will speak. Sponsored by the Hydrilla Task Force of the Cayuga Lake Watershed. www.StopHydrilla.orgContact: steward@cayugalake.org
November 8th noon to 1PM learn about how Climate Change will impact our area via a webinar. Learn about it here and sign up. It’s free:
- Up Next: Communicating with the Public about Climate Change 8NOV12:00 - 1:00 ET Teresa Myers Public Policy, Education This webinar will present research from an ongoing program conducted by George Mason University and Yale University analyzing Americans’ interpretations of and responses to climate change. The research segments the American public into six audiences along a spectrum of concern and issue engagement: from the Alarmed, who are convinced of the reality and danger of climate change, and who are highly supportive of personal and political actions to mitigate the threat, to the Dismissive, who are equally convinced that climate change is not occurring and that no response should be made. The Six Americas are not very different demographically, but are dramatically different in their beliefs and actions, as well as their basic values and political orientations. This webinar will provide information about: -from ChangingClimate
Thursday November 8: Seneca Falls Public Library, Littlejohn Community Meeting Room (47 Cayuga St., Seneca Falls NY 13148).
- 6:00 – 8 pm: Hydrilla Hunters Thank You & Public Information Meeting:Take part in a reception and thank-you event for all the folks who have been helping keep an eye out for hydrilla this past summer. We will also have speakers to update us: Roxy Johnston, City of Ithaca, will report on the hydrilla situation in Cayuga Lake during 2012. Bob Natale, City of Auburn, will speak about Asian clams and other invasives. Speakers may be added. No charge. Refreshments served. Co-sponsored by the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network and the Hydrilla Task Force of the Cayuga Lake Watershed.www.cayugalake.org Contact: steward@cayugalake.org
November 14, 24 Hours of Reality http://climaterealityproject.org/
- Major online Climate Change event with former Vice-President Al Gore: The Time Is Now | On November 14, It’s time to talk Dirty Dirty fossil fuels have created a world of Dirty Weather. Together we can stop the climate crisis. Join us for the 24-hour global live-streaming event when the world stands up for reality. The Climate Reality Project
Friday, November 30, 5-9 PM; Saturday, December 1, 10 AM-2 PM Place: First Unitarian Church of Rochester 220 South Winton Road Rochester NY 14610
- METRO JUSTICE’S 31st ANNUAL ALTERNATIVE FAIR Date/Time: Friday, November 30, 5-9 PM; Saturday, December 1, 10 AM-2 PM Place: First Unitarian Church of Rochester 220 South Winton Road Rochester NY 14610 Cost: $3 suggested donation for ages 12+. Children under 12 free. FREE CHILD CARE. DOOR PRIZES. Description: FAMILY HOLIDAY SHOPPING with a conscience – at Metro Justice’s 31st annual Alternative Fair, featuring thousands of fair trade, earth friendly, and locally produced goods that support a just and sustainable world. Holiday shopping for the whole family, including clothing, toys, non-competitive games, pottery, and jewelry hand crafted by local artists, fair trade imports, and more, at prices the whole family can afford. Door prizes, food, music, and information tables by local progressive organizations will be available. The Alternative Fair is an annual fund-raising event for Metro Justice (www.metrojustice.org) , an independent, grass-roots, progressive membership organization that works for human rights, equality and economic and environmental justice by raising community awareness and engaging in non-violent action. Accessibility: The building is handicap accessible

December 2012

December 3, 2012 | 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Louise Slaughter Hall (formerly the CIMS Building) on the RIT campus REGISTER HERE
- "Economic Development and Environmental Protection CEI’s Community Salute 2012 | December 3, 2012 | 5:30 PM – 9:00 PM | Louise Slaughter Hall (formerly the CIMS Building) on the RIT campus REGISTER HERE The Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI) invites you to our 39th Annual Community Salute to the Environment. Join us for this very special evening focused on environmental issues and policy, a lively discussion on Economic Development and Environmental Protection, a tour of the newly built Golisano Institute for Sustainability green building, awards for leadership and excellence, and more. Keynote speaker: Leecia Eve, JD, Deputy Secretary to the Governor for Economic Development, New York State, will discuss Economic Development and Environmental Protection. Tour: Take a tour of the newly constructed green building that will house the Golisano Institute for Sustainability at RIT Agenda includes: Exhibits from local environmental service and product vendors Dinner Community environmental leadership / excellence awards Keynote speaker Golisano Institute for Sustainability new green building tour For Registration and Information: www.ceinfo.org Awards: Elizabeth Thorndike Environmental Leadership Award CEI Awards for Environmental ExcellenceAward Nomination Information Sponsorship Opportunities and Exhibitor:Registration Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI) is working for environmental protection and enhanced quality of life in the Greater Rochester and Finger Lakes region through education, collaboration and informed action. "

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Action – Take Action - Often, I receive request to pass on alerts, petitions, Public Comments on local developments, and environmental items needing action by the Rochester Community and around the world. I’ll keep Actions posted until their due date.

ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Sign this online petition against Fracking in Monroe County: Prohibit All Fracking Related Activities on Monroe County Properties, NY Last Tuesday, over 4, 000 petition signatures to ban all Fracking and related activities were delivered to Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and members of the Monroe County Legislature. But presumably that wasn’t enough because the press didn’t even show up. Here’s the news that the local news media couldn’t bother themselves to print: Thousands Sign Petition to Ban Fracking and Related Activities On Monroe County Properties. Don't let New York State become a Resource Curse. It would be great if we could march into the Monroe County Legislature next time and fork over 20,000 signatures. Maybe that will wake our local government up to the fact that Fracking must be stopped here and in New York State. Find out more about this petition and download hard copies for your church group or other organization here. Numbers count. Don't be sorry after the fact, act now.
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- When you think of how mad/crazy folks are for Fracking in NYS and that the fossil fuel industry gets billions each year in tax subsidies, taking away the tax credit for renewable energy is horrific. Take action on this critical issue: SAVE USA WIND JOBS "Don’t let wind and solar and other renewable energy die so the fossil fuel industry can thrive and warm the planet. SAVE USA WIND JOBS Congress is currently in recess and will reconvene for a “lame duck” session following the November 6th elections. We need to keep reminding our legislators of the urgency of extending the renewable energy production tax credit (PTC) as soon as they return to session throughout this recess period. We urge you to write to your legislators today." from Power of Wind
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Help get the word out about Climate Change, from a local perspective: When you consider that so many people are uninformed about Climate Change because of the media that won’t connect the dots between the recent rise in extreme events Climate Change and some spectacularly popular media which outright dissembles (Read: Fox News Climate Coverage 93% Wrong, Report Finds ) on the science of Climate Change, we need other outlets to inform the public in this planetary crisis. To help understand Climate Change from a local perspective, help out this local film get off the ground and into the public arena. COMFORT ZONE A Film about Climate -- and Change COMFORT ZONE is almost ready for distribution, but we need your help! The film has been almost six years in the making, and now we are weeks away from being able to release it. But we need YOUR help to make it over the line. Comfort Zone makes a global crisis into a personal issue. The film strikes a nerve whether or not you accept that climate change is real, whether or not you believe that human beings are responsible. The filmmakers, once the documenters, became the documented. The film is grappling with powerful questions that we ourselves could not skirt, and that all of us will need to confront. The filming is complete. The editing is complete. People are asking us for the film. But we can't take the final steps without you. And your donation will be tax-deductible, because Comfort Zone is fiscally sponsored by New York Women in Film and Television (NYWIFT), a 501(c)(3) organization.
ACTION:- Due Date: Now.
- ACTION: SIGN OUR PETITION TO ASK OBAMA AND ROMNEY AT THE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: "HOW DO YOU PLAN TO ADDRESS THE CLIMATE CRISIS?" Put Climate Change on the Agenda in the First Presidential Debate Dear Debate Moderator Jim Lehrer, In your role as moderator of the first presidential debate, you have the opportunity to ask questions about the most pressing issues facing our country. We urge you to ask President Obama and Governor Romney how they will confront the greatest challenge of our generation -- climate change. This summer, the climate crisis has fallen right into America's front yards--in some cases literally. With trees crashing through their windows, fires burning through their neighborhoods, water flooding under their doorsteps, and droughts destroying their crops, Americans have been hurting from the effects of weather extremes that climate scientists have predicted would happen as a result of global warming. " - League of Conservation Voters
ACTION: Due Date: Now.
- Feel like you’re stuck in an energy rut? You crave energy but almost everything out there warms the planet. How about Clean Energy Victory Bonds? There’s no getting around it: If you give the fossil fuel billions in tax subsidies they will take it and not give it back; and when they melt the Arctic with their greenhouse gases, they see opportunity with the pristine Arctic environment and start drilling. So what are you going to do? Why not launch a public effort to fund renewable energy, energy that won’t pollute the planet and warm it up beyond our sustainability level, with the collective might our own monies like we did back in World War Two? Victory Bonds. Help push this bill to put renewable energy out in front: Clean Energy Victory Bonds On August 2, Representative Bob Filner and 10 cosponsors introduced the Clean Energy Victory Bonds Act of 2012, H.R. 6275 in the House of Representatives. The bill, officially entitled “To promote the domestic development and deployment of clean energy technologies required for the 21st century,” will allow all Americans to invest in Treasury Bonds for as little as $25 each that will fund a clean energy future. The $50 billion raised from the bonds will fund clean energy programs that support wind, solar, energy efficiency, and electric vehicles in the United States.
ACTION: Due Date: soon as project needs to be completed by Oct. 31st.
- Are you an expert bicyclist? You can help update local bicycling map and help increase active transportation in our area and decrease greenhouse gas emissions from transportation. Help Update the Greater Rochester Area Bicycling Map Several years ago, members of the Rochester Bicycling Club (RBC) helped to rate selected roads in the City of Rochester, surrounding Monroe County, and nearby towns in Wayne, Ontario, and Livingston Counties. These road ratings were used by the Genesee Transportation Council (GTC) to develop the 2009 Edition of the Greater Rochester Area Bicycling Map. 20,000 copies of the map were printed by the GTC and distributed throughout the bicycling community by members of the RBC and others. It is time to update the map and we need the help of experienced road cyclists Rochester Cycling Allinace
ACTION: Call Governor Cuomo Today.
- Stopping Fracking in New York State may be the most important thing you do today. Tell Governor Cuomo that Fracking is not a good idea for New York; don’t give into despair that this cannot be stopped; and, make sure your children can’t blame you for not trying stopping this disaster that will befall them. "Despite a record-breaking 74,000 public comments, we still need your help to make Governor Cuomo hear that fracking has yet to be proven safe. It will only take you a couple of minutes. Please tell Governor Cuomo not to put New Yorkers' health at risk. Call 1-866-584-6799 and leave a simple message like, "Protect New York's water, land and air by not permitting fracking in New York. Instead, support renewable energy that will bring good, long-term jobs to New Yorkers!" This phone number goes through Food & Water Watch who is keeping track of the number of calls, and is directed to a recording from the Governor's office asking for your name, address and comments. This is part of a state-wide initiative to get a record number of calls in to Governor Cuomo this August. PLEASE MAKE THAT CALL THIS WEEK!!! "
ACTION: Due date: Now
- Let’s stop assuming that our Great Lakes is a toilet for industry and our sewer systems. Help Keep Sewage Out of the Great Lakes Billions of gallons of combined raw sewage and storm runoff are dumped into the Great Lakes each year. Raw sewage, trash and personal hygiene products — along with industrial wastewater, household chemicals, urban runoff, herbicides and pesticides — often flow into the lakes after heavy rains. Bacteria, viruses and other pathogens in untreated sewage pose a significant health risk and are one of the causes of Great Lakes beach closings and swimming advisories. Trash can float in the water and pollute shorelines for miles. Swimmers at many beaches face multiple closings a year, and boaters can find themselves traversing waters littered with an offensive blend of garbage and sewage. Help Us Reach 5,000 Signatures Sign the Petition and Share It with Your Friends --fromAlliance for the Great Lakes
ACTION: Due Date now
- Learn about Plan Bv7 – a new approach to regulation of water levels and flows on the Great Lakes from Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River | The Nature Conservancy and Restore Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River - Citizens Campaign for the Environment and sign the petition online. Save the River - Water Levels Petition "Support a Healthy Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River! The International Joint Commission (IJC) recently released water levels management plan – called Plan BV7 – for the St. Lawrence River and Lake Ontario. The new plan will make significant progress in protecting the health of the River and Lake, while providing greater economic opportunities for industry and continuing to provide protection for shoreline property owners from erosion and flooding. "--from Save the River - Riverkeeper of the Upper St. Lawrence River
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Environment Petition: Prohibit All Fracking Related Activities on Monroe County Properties, NY | Change.org "The magnitude of New York State’s upcoming decision to permit and regulate high-volume, slick-water, horizontal hydraulic fracturing (fracking) demands immediate attention and action by our County Legislature to ensure self-determination and the health and safety of our community. "
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Tired of meteorologists failing to connect the dots between Climate Change and our daily weather? Do something about it. Take action: Forecast the Facts WE NEED OUR TV METEOROLOGISTS TO REPORT THE FACTS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE. According to a recent national survey, more than half of TV weather reporters don’t believe in human-induced climate change. Meanwhile, their viewers are facing unprecedented climate-change induced heat waves, droughts, and flooding.
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- Tell the NRC: Expand emergency evacuation zones Today, NIRS and 37 other organizations submitted a formal Petition for Rulemaking to the NRC to expand emergency evacuation zones around U.S. nuclear reactors and make other improvements in emergency preparedness. We're calling this the Nuclear 911 campaign. You can join us as a co-petitioner below! The widespread radioactive contamination caused by the Fukushima nuclear disaster (and Chernobyl before it) makes clear that the current 10 mile Emergency Planning Zones in the U.S. are woefully inadequate to protect the American people. "Nuclear Information and Resource Service - NIRS
ACTION: Due Date: Now
- What to do something concrete about solving Climate Change? Go here: "Are you passionate about changing the conversation about the climate crisis? Are you interested in leading the climate movement? What if I said you have the chance to be personally trained by Al Gore to educate others about climate change? This summer, you could have that chance. I'd like to invite you to apply to be one of our esteemed Climate Reality Presenters -- impassioned volunteer leaders who bring the reality of climate change to people around the world. We call our grassroots network of Presenters the heart of our Climate Leadership Corps. Learn more: "Climate Reality "To reveal the complete truth about the climate crisis in a way that ignites the moral courage in each of us. "Climate Reality | Climate Reality Training Application
ACTION: Due date: Now
- Take action for our Great Lakes "Speak Out Now to Set the U.S.-Canada Strategy for Protecting our Great Lakes The health of our Great Lakes is threatened by new challenges — including invasive species, climate change, habitat loss and emerging contaminants. The United States and Canada are now completing negotiations on an updated version of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, a binational agreemet to address Great Lakes threats. " from Alliance for the Great Lakes

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Award – Environmental Site of the Month Award – [On the last Sunday of each month, we present an environmental award for the Rochester-area environmental web site or blog that best promotes the need to protect and offers solutions for our area's environmental issues.]