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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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Opt-Out Letter for CCA Program Now Arriving as Early as Nov. 10th
**IMPORTANT OPT-OUT PROGRAM LETTER UPDATE FROM GOOD ENERGY**
An official letter (click link below to view) sent on behalf of the Town of Penfield by Constellation NewEnergy, the supplier for the program, is delayed and should now reach your mailbox as early as November 10th. Please keep an eye out for them as these letters provide important details about the program.
The letter should NOT be considered a solicitation or junk mail. It is marked clearly as, OFFICIAL TOWN BUSINESS.
Renewable electricity for Penfield’s CCA program is being provided to us from low-impact hydro-electric facilities in NY State. Color Penfield Green members urge you to consider opting into the Penfield 100 product for your homes and businesses! You will be able to go 100% Renewable at a fixed rate/kWh for the next two years. We looked at a resident's October electricity bill to see what Penfield Green and Penfield 100 would mean for him. The default Penfield Green would have saved him ~$2. Opting up to 100% renewable would have cost less than $5 more. Check out the full analysis here.
RATES EFFECTIVE:
December 2021 - December 2023 |
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PENFIELD GREEN
(default product)
5.733¢/kWh
50% Renewable Electricity |
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PENFIELD 100
(opt-in HERE for this product)
6.443¢/kWh
100% Renewable Electricity |
- NOTE: As reported by Good Energy on their website, RG&E's most recent variable supply monthly rate for electricity was 6.180 ¢/kWh. This is higher than Penfield GREEN's two-year fixed rate of 5.733 ¢/kWh.
- Watch video of the Second CCA INFO Meeting (Nov. 8th, 2021) with Good Energy & Town staff members HERE
- Browse Good Energy's PenfieldCCA.com Website - HERE
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Penfield Central School District's Sustainability Committee Takes Shape
The PHS Environmental Club, school administrators, and community members will be meeting roughly twice a month to develop a sustainability plan for the district.
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The goal is to release the plan for Earth Day 2022. In their first November meeting, the committee invited a presenter from Waste Management to learn more about the district's use of zero sort recycling and how the district can reduce their waste.
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Electric School Buses Are Coming to Penfield!*
*but first voters need to approve the project
in a town vote 12/14
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 The Penfield Central School District needs residents' approval to move forward with the capital projects that will improve all of the schools in the district as well as pay for the new transportation facilities project. The school district has committed to building this facility with infrastructure needed for Electric School Buses. The public vote will be at the Penfield High School gym Tuesday, Dec 14th from 6am to 9pm. Masks are required.
Residents can learn more about the scope of the project and ask questions at a Public Information Meeting at 7 pm Monday, Nov. 29th in the PHS Commons. More details about the project are also available here: Proposed 2021 Transportation Facilities Project.
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We Celebrate Rochester's First Solar House of Worship - Here in Penfield!
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Most faith communities believe that the natural world is a gift from God that humans should appreciate and nurture. Few, however, are willing to make the commitment of time and money to significantly reduce their impact on the earth’s resources. Penfield’s Rochester Christian Reformed Church is living out its commitment to care for the gift of creation by installing a solar rooftop array to power its facilities. Although nonprofits are unable to benefit from available tax credits, a NYSERDA grant brought the cost of the project down to the point where it should pay for itself within 14 years. Read the full article on RAICA's blog.
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Color Penfield Green Signs Letter to Gov. Hochul:
End Nonessential Fossil Fuel Subsidies in NY
World leaders at the November COP 26 climate talks in Glasgow agreed to scale down fossil fuel subsidies.
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How big is this problem? In this country, we spend more on fossil fuel subsidies (~$650 Billion/year) than we do on the whole of the Department of Defense spending (~$600 Billion/year) and about 10 times as much as we spend on education.
Here in NY, the Fossil Fuels Subsidies Coalition has written a letter to Governor Hochul, respectfully asking her to eliminate over $330 Million in nonessential subsidies to the fossil fuel industry in her executive budget. More than 95 organizations across the state have signed onto this letter including Color Penfield Green. Read the full letter on our blog.
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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:
- Toyota announces specs for its first EV called BZ4X
- VW announced a new member of ID family: ID.5 (pictured above)
- Subaru revealed its Solterra electric SUV in a global livestream. Watch the event here. The official US specs will be released at an auto show in Los Angeles later this month. Details here.
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EV News in NY State
- NY State Lawmakers introduced a bill that would dramatically expand future EV infrastructure to help meet transportation-sector climate goals. New residential and commercial construction and some larger retrofits would be required to install the infrastructure needed for charging stations.
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- Two bills introduced in Albany would bring a carrot (rebates) and a stick (bans) to the electrification of lawn equipment:
- S7453 - Establishes the electric landscaping equipment rebate program
- S7462A - Provides that 100% of in-state sales of new lawn care devices shall be zero-emissions by 2027
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Rally for Climate, Jobs, and Justice
Downtown Rochester last Saturday: A Huge Success!
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The cold, wet weather couldn't keep the climate and social justice activists home. We had people from Mothers Out Front, Rochester Area Interfaith Alliance, NY Youth Climate Leaders, Citizens' Climate Lobby, Sunrise, Extinction Rebellion, and many unoffiliated, concerned citizens showing up to voice their support for a just transition to a clean energy NY. Inspiring speakers included Rochester Councilmember Kim Smith, Assembly Member Sarah Clark, the Accelerator's Abby McHugh Grifa, NY2CL leader Anna Cerosaletti, and others.
The CCIA puts a price on pollution in NY which would pay for the construction of utility scale renewable projects (creating thousands of good jobs), rebates for low to moderate income residents and small businesses, and community programs in underserved populations.
 Please call Governor Hochul and ask her to include the Climate and Communities Investment Act (CCIA) in her executive budget. (518) 474-8390.
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Mark Your Calendars for These
Upcoming Events
Hope to see you there!
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Amped Presents: The Role of Local Utilities in Vehicle Electrification and Charging Station Development
Thursday, November 18th, 12-12:45pm
Online, free
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 Do you own a business or know someone who does? Would you like to learn how you can support your employees and your customers with installing charging stations? Are you a town official looking to make the town more sustainable? This webinar will answer many of your questions.
- Learn how local utilities can assist in vehicle and charging station electrification development.
- Learn about the New York State programs available through electric utility providers to aid in electrification efforts.
- Learn about the strategies available to manage the cost of electricity for charging.
Register here.
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Heat Smart Monroe Open Discussions
Tuesday, November 23rd, 4:30-5:30pm
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 4:30-5:30pm on Tuesday, 11/23 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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Bring Monroe Back Public Feedback Sessions
Monday, Dec 1st, 6-7:30pm
Grand View Lodge - Powder Mills Park
154 Park Rd. 14534
OR Online Monday, Dec 8th 12-1:30pm
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Monroe County has received federal funds through the American Rescue Act and would like your input as to how to best spend it. They are hosting two more public feedback sessions early next month. 12/1 is in person, 12/8 is online, email BringMonroeBack@monroecounty.gov for the zoom link. If you can, please attend and consider asking them to prioritize a transition to clean energy here in Monroe County. Some ideas include:
- citing and building renewable energy projects
- green jobs trainings
- building an anaerobic digester or a municipal composting facility
- funding to support public transportation and alternative transportation (biking, walking)
- transforming county park land to support native pollinators and birds
- building out more EV charging infrastructure
- create a plan for bringing the county's major buildings (Seneca Park Zoo, Frontier Field, MCC, etc) to net zero
If you cannot make it to one of these sessions, you can also submit comments here.
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Assembly Member Lunsford's Winter Town Hall
Wednesday, Dec 8th, 6-7pm
Online, free
Share your concerns and discuss local issues with our Assembly Member at her virtual Town Hall on 12/8 from 6-7pm. Register here.
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Introduction to Gentrification
Saturday, December 18th, 11am-1pm
Free and donation based
Online
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In this virtual class, attendees will explore gentrification while reflecting on how we can promote inner city development without the displacement of our most vulnerable community neighbors. Gentrification will be considered with an emphasis on the role race and class play in it. Discussions will center around the positive and negative forces at play in community development. Learn more and register here.
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Climate News Around the World
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Biden Signs the Bipartisan
Infrastructure Bill Into Law
Climate advocates hope for more in the Reconciliation Package, but the Infrastructure Bill invests more in mitigation and adaptation than any bill in US history. Here's what's in it for climate:
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- $89.9 billion for public transit over the next five years
- $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers in the US. The President’s goal is building 500,000 EV chargers
- $65 billion in clean energy transmission. It will upgrade our power infrastructure by building thousands of miles of new, resilient transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewables and clean energy, while lowering costs. And it will fund new programs to support the development, demonstration, and deployment of cutting-edge clean energy technologies to accelerate our transition to a zero-emission economy
- $50 billion to protect against droughts, heat, floods and wildfires, in addition to a major investment in weatherization
- $21 billion clean up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land and cap orphaned oil and gas wells.
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Key Takeaways from the UN Climate Conference, COP 26
The UN Climate Conference, COP 26 in Glasgow has come to an end and the full agreement can be read here.
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The important victories are:
- Counties recommitted to a cap of 1.5 degrees C warming (we're at 1.1 degrees above preindustrial levels and currently on track to warm more than 2 degrees C. This would result in catastrophic changes to our planet).
- Developed countries (and historically heavy polluters) should double their financial contributions to developing countries to help them to adapt to climate change. There is a need for a just transition to a clean future
- Countries should rapidly phase down fossil fuel subsidies and burning coal.
- Other Green House Gases must be controlled and reduced, specifically citing methane.
- Natural carbon sinks (forests) must be protected.
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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
October 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 November 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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