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September 2021 Newsletter
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Would you like to join us?
We meet on the 4th Wednesday every month from 7-8:30pm by zoom to discuss project updates and what's going on in the town and the region.
If interested, email colorpenfieldgreen@gmail.com. Hope to hear from you soon!
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Penfield's Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) Program
Monthly Update
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Penfield Names Constellation NewEnergy as CCA Energy Supplier
PENFIELD, N.Y., AUGUST 25, 2021 - PRESS RELEASE– The Town of Penfield and its CCA Program Administrator Good Energy have completed the CCA supplier bidding process. After reviewing submissions, the Town Board authorized Supervisor Tony LaFountain to enter into a 24-month Aggregation Program Agreement with Constellation NewEnergy, Inc. to provide eligible Penfield residents with an electricity product that is 50% green at the price of 5.733 cents/kWh.
With this milestone, as the Town’s CCA Program Administrator, Good Energy will begin a comprehensive public outreach program for Penfield residents in the coming weeks that will include details about the CCA program and the ability to opt up or opt out. Good Energy will provide all resident education and communications through a dedicated website, telephone hotline, and direct mail. They will also host public information sessions to address all the nuances of CCA, who is considered eligible, how to opt out, opt up, or opt in, and other related topics. More details will follow. The electricity supply program will begin early December 2021 following community outreach and run for two years.
Read the rest of this very important press release HERE
- Learn more about Good Energy's current CCA communities in NYS - HERE.
- Browse Good Energy's PenfieldCCA.com Website - HERE.
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Color Penfield Green and the EEAC Offer Classes Through Penfield Recreation:
-Electric Cars 101: Your Guide to EVs
-Are You Ready for ALL-ELECTRIC Home Heating & Cooling?
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Electric Cars 101 - Your Guide to EVs
Registration Closed. Will be offered again in 2022.
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In a fabulous collaboration between the town of Penfield's Energy and Environmental Advisory Committee (EEAC) and Color Penfield Green, the first of two adult education courses are underway at the Penfield Community Center. 36 people signed up to learn more about Electric Cars from local experts and EV owners. This is also a "community campaign" for NYSERDA's Clean Energy Communities Program and could earn $5,000 in grant money for future town sustainability projects as well as points toward the town's designation as a Clean Energy Community. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the EEAC's Sarah Waterman, Mark Valentine, and Bob Kanauer and look forward to the next partnership!
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 Are You Ready for ALL-ELECTRIC Home Heating & Cooling?  Instructors: Allen Hibner and Igor Orlovich
One 90 minute class
10/5 at 3pm OR at 7pm
Is your home’s old fossil fuel burning gas furnace or hot water heater ready for replacement? Is your old inefficient central A/C unit running up high electricity bills each month? Want much better alternatives? If so, sign up for this class to learn lots more about the many great options now available for going ALL-ELECTRIC with your home’s heating, cooling and hot water production needs by installing super high efficiency air-source and ground-source (geothermal) electric heat pump solutions that are available right now.
This course will be presented using case studies from Penfield residents who have already installed air and ground source heat pumps for heating and cooling their own homes. Learn about their experiences, different types of equipment on the market and the many financial incentives and rebates that are available currently when purchasing these systems. You’ll also find out how to obtain a no-cost energy assessment of your home’s heating and cooling needs.
The future of cleaner, greener and more cost-effective home heating and cooling systems is here now, and it’s ALL-ELECTRIC!
Sign up through the Penfield Recreation Brochure. Course is listed on page 20.
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Reconnecting to Nature by Creating a Healthy Yard: Lessons from Braiding Sweetgrass and Other Wisdom Keepers
Wednesday, October 6th, 7-8:30p
For adults, in-person
Penfield Public Library
Registration opens Wednesday, 9/22
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“Come with me on a journey – a story of gardens that move from purely decorative to ones that now serve important ecological functions. When we tune in to our many wisdom keepers of the day, we are energized and understand that we can make changes in our own backyards that enhance the lives of not only ourselves and our families but also our pollinators and birds.”
Megan Meyer, Master Gardener and Co-Lead of Color Penfield Green, will be offering this program. Paul Hawken, Richard Louv, Doug Tallamy, and stories from Robin Wall Kimmerer in Braiding Sweetgrass have touched this gardener deeply. The science and heart of the matter point toward a better way of caring for our yards. Come join her on this journey and take it home to start your own reconnections one plant at a time. Registration here.
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Color Penfield Green joins other towns in Healthy Yards Monroe County to encourage residents to participate in a fun effort in their own yards which will help restore our community’s biodiversity, ecological health, and beauty. Stop by Healthy Yards Monroe County's table at the Brighton Eco-Fair on Sunday 9/26, 9am-1pm.
Yard by yard we can help restore the ecosystem health that we urgently need. Read more here.
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It's an Election Year!
Get to Know the Candidates' Positions on Sustainability for Penfield
Town Supervisor: Marie Cinti, unopposed
County Legislator, District 9: Mel Callan and Paul Dondorfer
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Color Penfield Green asked the candidates for Town Supervisor and County Legislature, district 9 a set of questions about their vision for sustainability for Penfield and Monroe County. Their responses are now on our blog. You can read them here.
Don't forget to vote on November 2nd!
Check your voter information here.
Register to vote here by October 8th.
Apply for your absentee ballot here on or before October 18th (Board of Elections must receive the application by 10/18).
There are also 5 statewide ballot proposals, including The Right to Clean Air, Clean Water, and a Healthful Environment and two that increase voter accessibility. Read about all of them here.
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Color Penfield Green Tabled at TWO Penfield Events on September 11th:
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PARA's Black Kids Matter Rally
The Penfield Anti-Racist Alliance (PARA) hosted a fun-filled and empowering Black Kids Matter Rally at Harris Whalen Park on September 11th. Color Penfield Green joined area vendors and ran two activities: grow your own native Coneflowers at home and sorting the (clean) garbage game to learn about different waste streams.
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Tastin' The Blues
As the Black Kids Matter Rally was winding down, Megan Meyer and Al Hibner were busy setting up their table at the Tastin' the Blues event at the amphitheater. They talked about our various projects - Healthy Yards, CCA, Electric School Buses, and Clean Home Heating and Cooling - as well as encouraged folks to join Color Penfield Green!
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Color Penfield Green Signs On to a Request for Moratorium on Proof-of-Work Cryptocurrency Mining in NY
Cryptocurrency is a genuine threat to our environment: already, the proof-of-Work (PoW) system uses more energy in the computing process than all of Argentina.
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Companies are eyeing moth-balled power plants here in NY, planning to convert them to gas burning plants, and use the energy to mine bitcoin. This has already happened on Seneca Lake and there are 4 possible plants here in Monroe County. Read our blog article from April on the topic here. There is a state-wide coalition of environmental groups working to stop the expansion of PoW Cryptocurrency Mining and we have signed this letter, supporting the effort.
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Igor Orlovich continues to follow the news about Electric Vehicles and has curated items for fans and those thinking about going electric for their next car, SUV, or truck.
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News from the Automakers:
- The first Rivian R1T, the first modern all-electric pick-up (pictured above), rolls off the production line for delivery to a customer.
- Mazda launches its first electric car in the US: MX-30 EV. It retails for $33,470 and has a 100mi range.
- Ford's fully electric F-150 Lightning reservations have now crossed the 130,000 mark.
- Governor Hochul has signed a bill banning the sale of gasoline powered cars in NY starting in 2035. We join CA as the 2nd state to make such a commitment. MA looks to follow suit in the near future.
EV News in the Region
- Salvatore's Pizzeria is now using electric cars - Chevrolet Bolts - to deliver their pizzas!
- Join the official launch of AMPED! on 9/23 from 9:30-11:30am at the Imaginarium at I-Square in Irondequoit. AMPED is a community campaign to help businesses and organizations learn about beneficial electrification and how to transition to electric buildings and electric vehicle fleets.
See earlier EV news here.
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The Biblical Sabbatical Year:
Universal Lessons in Environmental and Social Justice Webinar
Sunday, September 19th, 4-5pm
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Every seven years the Bible commands the Children of Israel to celebrate the Sabbatical Year (Shmitta) by allowing their fields to lie fallow, allowing their slaves to go free and forgive debt. Could these Biblical commands inform our environmental and social justice practices today? Join Rochester Area Interfaith Climate Action (RAICA) to explore this question. More information and RSVP can be found here.
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Heat Smart Monroe Open Discussions
Thursday, September 23rd, 3-5pm
Online, free
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 Interested in clean heating and cooling for your home but don't know where to start? Have you started exploring your options and now have questions? Join Heat Smart Monroe in an online, informal meeting from 3-5pm on Thursday, 9/23 to have local experts answer your questions. Learn more here.
Learn more about Sustainable Homes Rochester and Heat Smart Monroe at www.cityofrochester.gov/shr and www.heatsmartmonroe.org
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RIT Hosts EV Car Show
for Drive Electric Week
Saturday, September 25th, 10am-2pm
1 Lomb Memorial Dr, Lot T, Rochester
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National Drive Electric Week, Sep 25-Oct 3, 2021, is a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles, and more. Are you considering going electric? Attend this event to learn from owners who have done so! Register here.
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Join Assemblymember Jen Lunsford for her...
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"Come out with your comments, questions, and concerns for Assemblymember Lunsford and her office." As a member of the Environmental Conservation Committee, she is particularly well placed to do something about your sustainability concerns.
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Color Brighton Green Eco-Fair
Sunday, September 26th, 9am-1pm
Brighton High School Parking Lot
Every year since 2008, the Eco-Fair (formerly known as the Green Energy Fair) takes place together with the Brighton Farmers’ Market. In 2015, they transitioned the name to Eco-Fair to acknowledge the broader environmental themes represented at the fair. The fair features the following and more:
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- A wide variety of businesses offering energy-saving and green initiatives, products, and services.
- Tables with information and resources about energy- and resource-saving technologies and lifestyle choices.
- Displays of current alternative technologies.
- Student projects related to alternative energy and energy conservation.
- Activities for children.
- A silent auction featuring energy-saving products and services, to benefit future educational programs of ColorBrightonGreen.org.
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Daniel Prude Memorial Garden Dedication Ceremony
Sunday, September 26th, 12pm
Abundant Life Faith Center, 427 Jefferson Ave, Rochester
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In Nov. 2020, Pastor Arthur Dilbert, Jr. and Abundant Life Faith Center collaborated with the RAICA to plant a lilac tree and 41 flower bulbs in honor of Daniel Prude. Members of the community and friends in support of peace and social justice are invited to dedicate this garden as the "Daniel Prude Peace Garden". Refreshments will be provided and potted plants distributed. This event is funded by church and community donations and the Common Ground Health Grant. Learn more and RSVP here.
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Introduction to Community Land Trusts
Tuesday, September 28th, 6-8p
Gift Economy Pricing: $0-$30-$60
Online
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This session will explore the history of the Community Land Trust (CLT) movement, how CLTs fight gentrification and displacement, the ways different communities have used CLTs in creative, powerful ways, and share the work of Rochester's own CLT, City Roots. Learn more and register here.
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RYCL to host Rally in Downtown Rochester for
Divesting the Teachers' Retirement Fund
Friday, October 1st, 4:00pm
Meeting location: 30 Union St, Rochester
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 Bring your signs and voices and join the Rochester Youth Climate Leaders and Color Your School Green in asking that the NY State Teachers' Retirement System INVEST in students' futures by DIVESTING from fossil fuels. Meet at the Rochester Teachers' Association/NYSUT Headquarters at 30 Union St, Rochester to ask them to support divestment.
You can support the RYCL from home: sign this petition as a community member asking the NYSTRS to divest.
Last December, NY State decided to divest state government employees' pensions within five years. You can divest your own retirement plans as well! Ask a financial advisor or look into ESG funds.
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Mason Bee Presentations
3 times: Thurs Oct 21st - 6pm; Sat Oct 23 - 3pm; or Sun Oct 24th - 4pm
Online, $2 with optional donation greatly appreciated
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 Color Penfield Green member, Lynne Perry will be presenting an online workshop on raising gentle mason bees for back yard gardeners through the Historic Valentown Museum. The presentation will include lecture, slides, videos, nesting material displays, Q&A, and a demonstration of harvesting bees. Limited unharvested bee cocoons will also be available for purchase (local pickup only). A few CPG members attended these workshops last spring and raised mason bees in our own yards this summer. It was a delightful experience and one we could share with the family.
You must register to attend. Availability is limited and open to adults and children 12 and older. More information & registration can be found here.
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Climate News Around the Country
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In late August, US District Court Judge Sharon Gleason revoked permits for an expansion of oil drilling on Alaska's North Slope, stating that they did not properly consider the environmental impacts. ConocoPhillips obtained approval initially by the Trump administration and Biden's team has defended the project which could produce 160,000 barrels of oil each day and 590 million barrels over 30 years.
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 Citizens' Climate Lobby is in the middle of a big push to get a carbon price in the reconciliation package being negotiated in Washington right now.
We just wrapped up a two month effort to call & email our Members of Congress. |
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21,000+ people contacted Senators and 11,000+ reached out to their Representatives across the country! Through the end of September, we're shifting focus to the Executive branch and we'll be emailing President Biden, urging him to support carbon pricing in the reconciliation package.
Please consider going to https://citizensclimatelobby.org/white-house/ and sending a pre-filled/editable email to President Biden. After that, it will prompt you to send pre-filled, editable emails to our Senators. The whole thing shouldn't take you longer than 2 minutes.
For additional motivation, watch this award winning video (4min 17s).
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The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has released their 6th report, synthesizing 14,000 studies. It is nearly 4,000 pages long but the headlines are stark: The Climate Crisis is absolutely human-made, it is upon us already, and it will get much worse. How much worse depends on what we do in the next few critical years. We must completely transform our world.
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Community Solar...
Good for the Planet and Your Wallet
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Color Penfield Green's Brandon Maharaj explains what Community Solar is and what the benefits are:
- bring down the cost of your electricity while reducing your carbon footprint
- drive new solar array construction &
- put New Yorkers to work in good paying, green jobs
To learn more, click here.
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Color Your Community Green
September Newsletter
Did you know that Color Penfield Green is part of a regional network of volunteers called Color Your Community Green (CYCG), all supported by the Climate Solutions Accelerator?
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We have sister teams in Irondequoit, Henrietta, Fairport, South Wedge, Pittsford, Chili, Spencerport, Webster and elsewhere in the region. We collaborate with each other, learn together, and cheer each other on. You can read about all the great projects going on in these other communities in the September newsletter. Subscribe here.
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ColorPenfieldGreen is an organization of residents of the Town of Penfield, NY who are concerned about the environment. Our goals are to:
- inform fellow residents about all the incredible ways that our community is “Going Green” with a focus on climate
- educate people as to how they can reduce their carbon footprints - at individual, family, neighborhood, municipal, state, and federal levels
- organize local volunteers to participate in high impact campaigns, and
- support and empower Penfield residents to become community leaders in addressing climate change.
We are respectful, inclusive, nonpartisan, solutions-focused, collaborative, scientifically-informed, and committed to social, racial, environmental, and intergenerational justice.
We are proud of all that Penfield has accomplished and are excited to help lead the way in protecting our environment in the future. Please check out our new and still evolving website ColorPenfieldGreen.org and join us in our current and future campaigns! If interested, send an email to ColorPenfieldGreen@gmail.com.
We'd love to grow our Penfield audience! Share this link with your friends and neighbors so they can sign up to receive this newsletter too:
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