A Program to Finance Energy Efficiency Improvements in your Home

ELIGIBILITY
Green Jobs - Green New York Residential Loans are available to participants
in the Home Performance with ENERGY STAR® Program to finance the installation of recommended energy efficiency improvements that may be repaid through energy savings.

How to Participate: visit NYSERDA

Happy 40th, EPA

Taken from Resource Recycling Electronic Newsletter

On Dec. 2, 1970 President Richard Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency with the stroke of a pen. To celebrate its birthday, Green for All, a social justice and environmental organization, has launched thankyouepa.com. The website touts the accomplishments of the agency, and allows visitors to share them with others through social media.
The EPA itself also launched a website highlighting its 40 years, and has announced that it has commissioned a National Research Council study that will help the agency focus more on sustainability, rather than just reducing pollution. Called the "Green Book", the report is aimed at assisting the EPA in finding links among its various existing functions, while shifting its focus toward a sustainable use of resources and its connection to human health.

From Law of the Land

NY Appeals Court Upholds Approval of Motorcycle Track on Farm Agreeing with Board’s Interpretation of Recreational Use
The Wilzigs purchased a 250-acre farm in the Town of Tafhkanic in order to build a motorcycle track on the premises. However, as the track was being completed, Callahan, Tachkanic’s Code Enforcement Officer and Building Inspector, contended that the track was in violation of the Tachkanic’s Use Regulations and, therefore, issued an “Order to Remedy Violation.” In response, the Wilzigs appealed, maintaining that the track was an accessory use of their property and that, therefore, a permit was not required for its construction. The Zoning Board of Appeals for the Town disagreed with this interpretation, and the Wilzigs brought a combined CPLR article 78 proceeding and declaratory judgment action. The trial court dismissed the claim....the article continues here

Facilitator Workshop Project Learning Tree

Saturday December 4th, 2010 from 8:30am to 5:00pm (1/2 hour for lunch) Facilitator Workshop Project Learning Tree- Pre-K through 8. Held at the Montezuma Audubon Center in Savannah 2295 State Route 89, Savannah, NY; (315) 365-3580. Montezuma Audubon Center. Cost is free please bring your own lunch.Environmental To register, call or email: Mary Jeanne Packer or Pam Bianco-Dennis 607-535-9790. Education trainers and PLT facilitators will:

• Expand their options for offering professional development to environmental educators, classroom teachers, and home school instructors;
• Engage in hands-on activities;
• Investigate environmental topics through indoor and outdoor lessons—please dress for the weather;
• Receive PLT’s PreK-8 Environmental Education Activity Guide, correlated to national and state academic standards;
• Obtain a copy of NY-PLT Facilitators Handbook with resource CD.

Christmas Lights Recycling Program

Send your old incandescent Christmas lights to HolidayLEDs.com for recycling and receive a coupon good for 25 percent off any purchase.

What happens to the lights you send?

They are taken to a recycling facility located in Jackson, MI, where they are put through a commercial shredder, which chops them into little pieces. The pieces are further processed and sorted by the various components that make up the lights (pvc, glass, copper). These materials are then separated and transported to a regional cnter for still more processing.

Send holiday lights for recycling to:
HolidayLEDs.com
Attn: Recycling Program
118 Rosehill Dr.
Suite 1
Jackson, MI 49202

Include your name and e-mail address (clearly printed). All coupons are e-mailed (about once a month), which is why your e-mail address is required.

How to pack lights for shipping
Please follow these instructions for sending your old lights to be recycled:

*Coordinate with family, friends, neighbors, co-workers and other groups to collect and send lights in a bulk shipment. This helps reduce shipping has on the environment.

*Make all lights sets as compact as possible so that they fit into the smallest packaging feasible.

*Use cardboard boxes or other packaging that can easily be recycled.

Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities

Many rural communities are facing challenges, including rapid growth at metropolitan edges, declining rural populations, and loss of working lands. This report focuses on smart growth strategies that can help guide growth in rural areas while protecting natural and working lands and preserving the rural character of existing communities. These strategies are based around three central goals: 1) support the rural landscape by creating an economic climate that enhances the viability of working lands and conserves natural lands; 2) help existing places to thrive by taking care of assets and investments such as downtowns, Main Streets, existing infrastructure, and places that the community values; and 3) create great new places by building vibrant, enduring neighborhoods and communities that people, especially young people, don’t want to leave.

Download: Putting Smart Growth to Work in Rural Communities

Hard copies of the report are available by emailing nscep@bps-lmit.com or calling (800) 490-9198 and requesting EPA 231-K-10-003.

Schuyler County Annual Meeting

The Annual Meeting of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Schuyler County Association, scheduled for Thursday, December 2, 7:30-9 a.m., will feature Dr. Jennifer Wilkins, Sr. Extension Associate with Cornell University’s Division of Nutritional Sciences, who will speak on “Local Food for Healthy People and Strong Communities.” CCE Annual Meeting Flyer.

The Annual Meeting is open to the public and will include a full breakfast, short business meeting with election of members to the Board of Directors, and our featured speaker. Cost is $10 per person. Reservations with payment are required by November 30, 2010. Call 607-535-7161 or email to schuyler@cornell.edu for information. We hope to see you there!