From sean at sustainabletransitions.com  Mon Dec  1 07:18:48 2008
From: sean at sustainabletransitions.com (Sean Vormwald)
Date: Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:18:48 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Green Home Certifications Seminar this Tues.
	Dec. 2
Message-ID: <49340058.3020405@sustainabletransitions.com>

The Green Resource Hub of the Finger Lakes will offer a seminar on Green 
Home Certifications this Tuesday, December 2 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the 
Human Service Building located at 320 W. State Street in Ithaca. Special 
guests Scott Reynolds from Ithaca Neighborhood Housing Services, John 
Harrod from Snug Planet, and Kevin Stack from Northeast Green Building 
Consulting will discuss LEED for Homes certification, Energy Star 
qualified homes, and the National Association of Home Builders green 
building program.

There is a $5 suggested donation for this event and light refreshments 
will be served. This is the third in a series of sustainability-related 
seminars. For more information on this topic or to learn about other 
seminars, visit us at www.greenresourcehub.org.

Green Home Certifications
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
6:00-8:00pm
Human Service Building
320 W. State St., Ithaca, NY



From mmccasla at twcny.rr.com  Mon Dec  1 12:59:18 2008
From: mmccasla at twcny.rr.com (Margaret McCasland)
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 15:59:18 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fwd: fixing the economy: Small is Beautiful
	Redux
References: <C559B2F9.60323%efssociety@smallisbeautiful.org>
Message-ID: <275C6289-6648-4347-A89C-4F7B8847B763@twcny.rr.com>

a followup to recent discussions re: the economic meltdown

Begin forwarded message:

> From: "E. F. Schumacher Society" <efssociety at smallisbeautiful.org>
> Date: December 1, 2008 5:45:37 AM EST
> To: <mmccasla at twcny.rr.com>
> Subject: Scale Limitations/Shaping a Future Economy
>
> Dear Margaret McCasland
>
> John Fullerton described the current financial collapse in his May  
> 2008
> essay "The Relevance of E. F. Schumacher in the 21st Century."  It  
> now seems
> prophetic.
>
> In the same article he warned us not to look to the tweaking of  
> current
> economic systems to solve our problems, but rather to reach to the  
> teachings
> of our common wisdom traditions to find new ways of assessing the  
> truth of
> our situation and to collectively build new economic systems that  
> are just,
> ecologically responsible, and permanent.  In fact he names this  
> rebuilding
> as the central task of concerned citizens in the first decades of this
> century.
>
> We have posted his full article at the E. F. Schumacher Society's  
> website
> (http://www.smallisbeautiful.org/publications/fullerton_08.html) and  
> have
> excerpted sections of it below for your reading.
>
> Best wishes,
> Staff of the E. F. Schumacher Society
> 140 Jug End Road
> Great Barrington, MA 01230
> www.smallisbeautiful.org
>
> ********************************
> Excerpts from:
> "The Relevance of E. F. Schumacher in the 21st Century"
> By John Fullerton
> May, 2008
>
> Our global economic system is broken not because of the credit  
> crisis; it is
> broken because it is predicated on perpetual, resource driven growth  
> with no
> recognition of scale limitations.
>
> What we are not hearing, at least in the mainstream media, is a  
> critical
> reframing of the questions that address root causes.  .   .   .   .  
> We are
> not hearing a debate about the sustainability of a perpetually growing
> global economic system nested within our finite biosphere.  We are not
> hearing a debate about the wisdom of allowing financial power (and  
> systemic
> risk) to be increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few financial
> institutions of increasing complexity and scale.  We are not publicly
> questioning the wisdom of the system we have allowed to evolve in  
> response
> to capital's quest for ever increasing financial returns.   Nor are we
> debating where to look for creative responses.
>
> However, nothing could be more important at this critical time.   
> What we
> must grasp is that the financial crisis we are reacting to is but a  
> cyclical
> side show to the bigger issues we face regarding the sustainability  
> of our
> economic system.  We should see the present financial crisis as a  
> wake up
> call to this far greater challenge.  We should search with an open  
> mind for
> the wisdom we need to transition our economic system onto a  
> sustainable
> path, grounded in ecological reality, with a respect for human  
> justice and a
> deep appreciation for all life.
>
> What is needed is nothing less than a new economic myth, which  
> incorporates
> the central issue of scale in order to supplant and transcend the  
> "invisible
> hand" of the free market.  We need a "post-modern (post-materialist)
> economic theory".
>
> At the beginning of the 20th century, scale did not matter.  At  
> start of the
> 21st century, scale redefines our economic challenge.
>
> [ . . .]  deleted by MM*

>
> Transitioning to a sustainable and just economic system is the  
> ultimate
> challenge of the 21st century.  History no doubt will judge our  
> generation
> by how well we acknowledge, embrace and take up this challenge.
>
> ******************************
> John Fullerton is a former Managing Director of JPMorgan where he  
> worked for
> 18 years in New York, London, and Tokyo, and subsequently was CEO of  
> an
> energy focused hedge fund.  He is now seeking to launch an  
> investment fund
> focused on investing in high impact sustainability initiatives, and is
> working on The Purpose of Capital, a book about the role of investment
> capital in sustainable economics.  He is a friend and supporter of  
> the E. F.
> Schumacher Society in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.  John can be  
> reached
> at john at level3cap.com.
>
> *--email Margaret for full text of abridged version OR follow link  
> above to original article

From Cnielsen56 at aol.com  Mon Dec  1 17:21:13 2008
From: Cnielsen56 at aol.com (Cnielsen56 at aol.com)
Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 20:21:13 EST
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Alternative Giving - Dec. 6
Message-ID: <c27.4f4eb5be.3665e789@aol.com>

 
A version of this article appeared  in last week's issue of Tompkins Weekly. 
Alternative Giving 
By Christian  Nielsen-Palacios
We are all aware of the financial  difficulties the world is experiencing, 
and of the efforts being made by various  governments to try to stop the damage. 
It has been said that one of the causes  is the emphasis on consumption and 
materialism in our culture, and that it will  be necessary to tighten our belts 
and adopt a more austere, thrifty lifestyle.   
As you read this, you are preparing  to celebrate Thanksgiving, but the 
stores have already started displaying  holiday season items and playing carols 
weeks ago, encouraging us to start  shopping for our loved ones. The day after 
Thanksgiving, many of us may  participate in the now traditional ?biggest 
shopping day of the year?, so we can  buy the latest, coolest, most prestigious 
gadget, toy or clothing - whether or  not we can really afford it. 
We fret about what to get for our  kids, significant others, friends and 
relatives. We fail to distinguish between  what we (and they) need or want, and 
usually end up regretting spending so much  in December when we get the credit 
card bills in January. It takes many of us  several months to pay off holiday 
bills. 
A national poll taken by the Center  for a New American Dream said 70 percent 
of Americans would prefer the holidays  to be less about gifts and more 
focused on noncommercial pleasures, like  spending time with our relatives and 
friends, many of whom we seldom see, and  especially with our children. 
In 2004, Meaghan Sheehan and Angela  DeFelice, two local students, learned 
about the ?Alternative Gift Fair? concept  developed by the New American Dream 
organization, and decided to have one in  Ithaca. 
Alternative Gift Fairs are held all  over the country, and are a fun way to 
bypass the annual stress of  holiday shopping while honoring friends and 
relatives with donations to causes  that fit their values. Alternative Gift Fairs 
provide critical support for a  diverse collection of local, national and 
international non-profit organizations  with established track records of helping 
people and the environment. Each  organization offers gifts with a specific 
purpose. For each donation, the giver  receives a holiday card with a description 
of the organization and the gift.   
We believe the Ithaca Alternative  Gift Fair may be the best and most 
successful one in the country, and appears to  be the only one within 100 miles of 
us. In five years we have raised over  $90,000 for non-profit organizations, 
starting with $8,000 in 2004, and more  than $50,000 last year. 
These organizations provide  essential services to people in need, and are 
bracing for the drop in donations  likely to come due to the difficult times we 
are going through. Please don?t let  that happen. The IAGF is a great way to 
combine your holiday shopping (in the  true spirit of the season) with en
d-of-year tax deductible  donations. 
The Fair will be held from 11 am to  7 pm, Saturday, December 6, at the First 
Presbyterian Church, 315 North Cayuga  Street, Ithaca. The DeWitt Park 
entrance is wheelchair  accessible. 
All of the money (yes, 100% of it?)  collected at the Fair goes directly to 
the participating organizations. Among  this year?s gift offerings are hot 
meals for the homeless, help for at-risk  youth and special-needs or chronically 
ill children, support for community  talking circles on racism, materials to 
build affordable housing and programs  addressing social justice issues from a 
faith perspective. Many of the gifts are  priced at $5, making them affordable 
to all, including children, to support  their favorite causes. 
The Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair is  organized by a small group of unpaid 
volunteers, and sponsored by CRESP Center  for Transformative Action and Tompkins 
Community Action. We are also thankful  for Alternatives Federal Credit Union?
s help, which will make it easier for us  to accept credit card payments, and 
for assistance from Catholic Charities,  Wegmans, the Shortstop and 
TetraTech, among others. 
For a list of the 30 organizations  participating this year, and a 
description of the more than 150 offerings,  please visit _www.IthacaAltGiftFair.org_ 
(http://www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org/) .  New this year, we expect to offer an  
online shopping option, for those unable to attend the Fair. Details will be  
available at the Fair and on our website. For additional ideas on how to  
simplify the holidays, visit _www.newdream.org_ (http://www.newdream.org/) . 
Happy  shopping! 
And he  puzzled three hours, till his puzzler was sore. 
Then the  Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! 
"Maybe  Christmas," he thought, "doesn't come from a store. 
Maybe  Christmas perhaps means a little bit more!? 
from  How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Seuss 

**************Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW 
AOL.com. 
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000002)

From earthdayithaca at yahoo.com  Wed Dec  3 07:08:46 2008
From: earthdayithaca at yahoo.com (Joey Gates)
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 07:08:46 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] For 3 years, every bite organic
Message-ID: <355420.12540.qm@web56402.mail.re3.yahoo.com>










For Three Years, Every Bite Organic 



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By TARA PARKER-POPE
Published: December 1, 2008 
Fruits, vegetables and animals can be 100 percent organic. What about people?
Skip to next paragraph 
Enlarge This Image

Stuart Bradford
Well

How hard is it to eat organic food all the time? Join the discussion. 
Go to Well ? 
Science Times
This week in Science Times, the early Earth, a health halo effect, doctors behaving badly, carbon sleuths and new ways to defend against esophageal cancer.
Go to Science Times ? 
In a fascinating experiment ? on himself ? Dr. Alan Greene, a pediatrician and author in Danville, Calif., decided to find out. For the last three years, Dr. Greene has eaten nothing but organic foods, whether he?s cooking at home, dining out or snacking on the road. 
He chose three years as a goal because that was the amount of time it took to have a breeding animal certified organic by the Department of Agriculture. While food growers comply with organic regulations every day, Dr. Greene wondered whether a person could meet the same standards.
It hasn?t been easy.
?This isn?t a way of eating I could recommend to anybody else because it?s so far off the beaten food grid,? said Dr. Greene, 49, the founder of a popular Web site about children?s health, drgreene.com. ?It was much more challenging than I thought it would be, and I thought it would be tough. There were definitely days where there was nothing I could find that was organic.?
Other writers have ventured off the traditional food grid, notably Barbara Kingsolver in ?Animal, Vegetable, Mineral? and Michael Pollan in ?The Omnivore?s Dilemma.? But what makes Dr. Greene?s experiment remarkable is the length of time he devoted to it, and his effort to incorporate organic eating into the routines of everyday living. His findings offer new insight into the challenges facing the organic food industry and those of us who want to patronize it. 
Organic farmers don?t use conventional methods to fertilize the soil, control weeds and pests, or prevent disease in livestock. 
Organic methods often lead to higher costs, and consumers can pay twice as much for organic foods as for conventional products. Last week, the financial advice Web site SmartMoney.com reported that to feed eight people an organic meal of traditional Thanksgiving foods, a shopper would pay $295.36 ? a premium of $126.35, or 75 percent, over a nonorganic holiday spread.
To cut back on the cost of an organic diet, Dr. Greene said he had to cut back on meat. ?Whenever you go up the food chain, the costs pile up,? he said. ?If you don?t eat meat at every meal, if meat becomes more of a side dish than a centerpiece, you can fill the plate with healthy organic food for about the same price.?
Questions remain about whether organic foods are really better for you. The data are mixed. This fall, researchers from the University of Copenhagen reported on a two-year experiment in which they grew carrots, kale, peas, potatoes and apples using both organic and conventional growing methods. The researchers found that the growing methods made no difference in the nutrients in the crops or the levels of nutrients retained by rats that ate them, according to the study, published in The Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.
But other research suggests that organic foods do contain more of certain nutrients ? almost twice as many, in the case of organic tomatoes studied for a 2007 report in The Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Dr. Greene said he was inspired to go all-organic after talking to a dairy farmer who noted that livestock got sick less after a switch to organic practices. He wondered if becoming 100 percent organic might improve his own health.
Three years later, he says he has more energy and wakes up earlier. As a pediatrician regularly exposed to sick children, he was accustomed to several illnesses a year. Now, he says, he is rarely ill. His urine is a brighter yellow, a sign that he is ingesting more vitamins and nutrients.
At home, he said, the organic routine was relatively easy. Organic food is widely available, not just at stores like Whole Foods but at traditional supermarkets. He also shopped at farmer?s markets and joined a local community-supported agriculture group, or C.S.A. Because he bought less meat, the costs tended to balance out. And his family (two of his four children still live at home) largely went along with the experiment.
On the road, though, life was more challenging. In corporate cafeterias and convenience stores, he looked for stickers that began with the number 9 to signify organic; stickers on conventionally grown produce begin with 4. 
When dining out, he called ahead; high-end restaurants were willing to accommodate his all-organic request. He also found a few lines of organic backpacking food that he could carry with him.
Dr. Greene reached the three-year milestone in October, but his diet is still organic. He hasn?t decided whether to keep going full tilt or to ease up in the interest of cost and convenience. In his latest book, ?Raising Baby Green: The Earth-Friendly Guide to Pregnancy, Childbirth and Baby Care? (Jossey-Bass), he advocates a ?strategic? approach, urging parents to insist on organic versions of a few main foods, like milk, potatoes, apples and baby food.
The biggest surprise of the whole experience, he says, was that many people still don?t know what ?organic? means.
?It?s surprising to me how few people know that organic means without pesticides, antibiotics or hormones,? he said. ?In stores or restaurants around the country, I would ask, ?Do you have anything organic?? Half the time they would say, ?Do you mean vegetarian????
well at nytimes.com
?


      

From mbrown at ithaca.edu  Wed Dec  3 11:08:37 2008
From: mbrown at ithaca.edu (Marian Brown)
Date: Wed, 03 Dec 2008 14:08:37 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] "Trouble the Water" film to be hosted by
 Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival on 12/6
Message-ID: <4936D935.4070307@ithaca.edu>

TROUBLE THE WATER discussion forum 
Saturday December 6, 
7:00 pm at Cinemapolis  

The Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival sponsors a FLEFF forum for this highly praised documentary portrait of a courageous New Orleans couple who filmed the floodwater of Hurricane Katrina as it rose to the rooftops of their 9th ward home. 

FLEFF co-directors Thomas Shevory and Patricia Zimmermann will lead the post-screening discussion on the aesthetics and politics of this Sundance Grand Jury Award-winning documentary chronicling Hurricane Katrina from the inside. 

TROUBLE THE WATER has been heralded for its groundbreaking documentary aesthetic, its powerful collaboration with its subjects, its innovative use of music, and its laser-sharp probe into poverty in America. 

Shevory is also professor and chair of politics and Zimmermann is professor of cinema, photography and media arts at Ithaca College. 

TROUBLE THE WATER has been short-listed for the Best Documentary Oscar for 2009.  


-------
Patricia R. Zimmermann, Ph.D.
Professor, Cinema, Photography and Media Arts
Roy H. Park School of Communications
Codirector, Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival
Division of Interdisciplinary and International Studies
Ithaca College
Ithaca, New York 14850 USA
Office: +1 (607) 274 3431
FAX: +1 (607) 274 7078
http://faculty.ithaca.edu/patty/
http://www.ithaca.edu/fleff
patty at ithaca.edu


From scd4 at cornell.edu  Wed Dec  3 14:59:45 2008
From: scd4 at cornell.edu (Samantha Castillo-Davis)
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 17:59:45 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Art Event: Temp Space: Four-Day Social Club
In-Reply-To: <355420.12540.qm@web56402.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
References: <355420.12540.qm@web56402.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <100AAA08D4AAAD4CB2FA2EF57BA816E70D2EA448C0@CUEXCHANGEMB01.mail.cornell.edu>

Of potential interest to sustainability folks... sustaining contemporary art in our community.  =)

***************************************************************

Where is the place that art happens?  Is it in the artist, the artist's process, or the studio?  Is it in the art object, its display, or its audience?  This four-day art event invites the community to find out and experience for themselves that place where art happens.

This event of art, interventions and disruptions will be ongoing throughout the weekend to offer unique encounters with art and artists.  Special events and unexpected happenings will be taking place during open hours:

Thursday, December 4, 5-9pm
Friday, December 5, 12-9pm
Saturday, December 6, 12-9pm
Sunday, December 7, 12-5pm

at the former Battery Warehouse on 423 Franklin St., Ithaca, NY (Route 13 at Third Street, next to Franklin Market)

The Temp Space showcases art works in various media by local, regional, national and international artists including work by Karen Brummund, Carrie Chalmers, Kaori Homma, Janna Luttrell, Graham McDougal, Tom Oberg, Heather O'Hara, Barbara Page, Wilka Roig, Matthew Slaats, Vars of Litchi, and others.

The Four-Day Social Club is the third event in The Working Relationship's first season promoting invigorating, unconventional projects that engage the members of the community and artists in the support and creation of contemporary art.  These efforts aim to strengthen the dialog between the local community and the broader art world.

Founded in Ithaca NY by a group of local artists, curators and art historians, The Working Relationship is an amorphous group bound by a commitment to bring people together through experiences with contemporary art.  For more information call email connect at theworkingrelationship.com
or visit www.theworkingrelationship.com


From earthdayithaca at yahoo.com  Wed Dec  3 15:03:00 2008
From: earthdayithaca at yahoo.com (Joey Gates)
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 15:03:00 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] December Earth Day meeting announcement
Message-ID: <19171.34235.qm@web56404.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

The Center for Environmental Sustainability will be holding the next Earth Day planning meeting at the Old Jail House Conference Room at 125 E. Court Street, downtown Ithaca. The meeting will be from 7-9 PM on Monday, December 15th and is open to all.

For more information, contact Joey Gates at 607-351-0664 or earthdayithaca at yahoo.com.


      

From ws at twcny.rr.com  Thu Dec  4 03:05:56 2008
From: ws at twcny.rr.com (Wendy Skinner)
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 06:05:56 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] SewGreen News 12-04-08: Green the Holidays!
Message-ID: <E6C4473A46264ADDB84AE0A4D36CC2AF@wendyvaio>

SewGreen News, Dec 4, 2008
www.sew-green.org
SewGreen, Women's Community Bldg, 100 W Seneca St, Ithaca NY

CONTENTS
**************
~ ReCraft Fair
~ Sewing Machine Sale
~ Sewing Lessons for Children
~ Support SewGreen at the Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair
~ Teen Sewing Club Open to All
~ Preview of Upcoming Classes for Kids, Teens, and the Rest of Us!
~ Become a SewGreen Teacher
~ Shop Local Challenge Kicks Off Holiday Season
~ Kudos to the Finger Lakes ReUse Center
~ SewGreen's Holiday "Wish List"
~ About SewGreen

A HOLIDAY FAIR THAT'S KIND TO THE EARTH
SewGreen is hosting Ithaca's first ** ReCraft Fair ** on Saturday, Dec 13. Every item in the Fair is fashioned from reused, reclaimed, vintage, or earth-friendly materials. Fifteen local artisans, fabric artists, and designers will offer one-of-a-kind fashions for children and adults; lots of hats, mittens, and scarves; gift bags; reusable totes; fabulous designer handbags; and an array of beautiful, whimsical, and practical gifts. Come see how sophisticated - and fun - reuse can be! The Fair runs from 11am to 5pm, at the Women's Community Building, 100 W Seneca St, in downtown Ithaca. P.S.: Taking place at the same time, day, and place is a SewGreen sewing machine sale and the Community Arts Partnership's Holiday Artists' Market!

SEWING MACHINE SALE
SewGreen has rescued another batch of classic sewing machines, which will be offered for sale at affordable prices, Saturday Dec 13, 11am to 5pm in the SewGreen classroom. These older machines were built to last for generations. Each has been cleaned, oiled, and is ready to sew. Sewing machine technician Dianne Black will be on hand to explain each machine's features.

SEWING LESSONS FOR CHILDREN
We heard you, parents! Kids really want to learn to sew. After the New Year, SewGreen will offer private and small-group lessons in beginning machine sewing to children 8 to 12, by appointment. We can also teach a parent and child together. Lessons can be scheduled after school or on Saturday mornings. E-mail Wendy, coord at sew-green.org. Include your child's age and what times/days of the week you prefer. Gift Certificates are available. A limited number of scholarships, based on economic need, are available. 

SUPPORT SEWGREEN AT THE ITHACA ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR
SewGreen will be among 31 not-for-profit organizations represented at Ithaca's 5th annual Alternative Gift Fair, this coming Saturday, Dec 6, 11am to 7pm at the First Presbyterian Church, corner of Court and Cayuga Streets. Shoppers may choose from over a hundred gifts of charitable donations that help the organizations do their work. Each donation comes with a holiday card and an insert that explains what the gift will provide. Gifts range from $5 to as generous as you want. All of the gifts, including SewGreen's, can be seen at www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org. SewGreen gifts will go toward hand-sewing kits for children, allow us to continue to offer class scholarships, provide classroom supplies, or provide general support. ** New this year: Shoppers who can't attend will be able to buy gifts ONLINE for two weeks following the Fair

FASHION UFOs MEETS 6 - 9 PM FRIDAY NIGHTS
Teens who like to sew are invited to attend the Friday night (6 - 9pm) get-togethers of "Fashion UFOs," SewGreen's teen sewing club. The club meets twice more this year. This Friday, Dec 5, reuse designer Heidi Brown will share her experiences in making one-of-a-kind fashions and will show how to reuse pants and t-shirts. For more information, contact club supervisor Katie Sullivan, sull0294 at gmail.com.

PREVIEW: JAN - APRIL CLASSES & EVENTS
The schedule for Winter/Spring is coming together! Beginning Machine Sewing - our most popular class - will be offered multiple times, and we have developed a follow-up class for those who want to learn more. A two-part Scrap Quilting class will show the basics of quilt-making with all reused materials. Rug-making, both braided and crochet, will be offered. We've scheduled some kids' and teen sewing classes on days off from school. A ReFashion Workshop, a class on Mending and Alterations, and a class on putting in zippers will also be offered. Sewing machine knowledge will be shared at Meet Your Machine, and a new class in cleaning and oiling sewing machines. Open Sews will continue, on the first and third Sunday of each month, 1 - 4 pm. The complete schedule will be posted by mid-December! To sign up for class announcements, contact Wendy, coord at sew-green.org. 

BECOME A SEWGREEN TEACHER
SewGreen will hold teacher trainings in January. We are looking for people who know how to sew and would like to teach sewing skills to others. The two-part training will include an orientation to our "fleet" of classic machines, the content of our classes, and our culture of inclusion and sustainability. We'll share what we've learned about teaching kids, teens, and adults and will also be looking for input and creative ideas from you. The training is free. For more information, contact Wendy, coord at sew-green.org.

THINK LOCAL FIRST!
A new initiative in support of a healthy local economy has launched a holiday shopping campaign to keep local dollars local. Visit the  ** Local First Ithaca **  website at www.localfirstithaca.org for "top ten reasons to buy local" and learn how you can win prizes and gift cards as a reward for shopping at any of 49 local and green businesses. Among them is Tuff Soul, SewGreen's retail partner, where sustainable style meets street chic, and where you can browse a selection of virgin fabric rescued for reuse by SewGreen.

TAKING REUSE UP A NOTCH
The ** Finger Lakes ReUse Center ** www.fingerlakesreuse.org is now open in the Triphammer Mall. SewGreen is proud to have a resale display in the center's retail store, which offers a variety of goods and materials at affordable prices. The ReUse Center accepts donations of surplus building materials, furniture, housewares, electronics, art and school supplies, and more. Donations must be clean, complete, and in good working condition. 

SEWGREEN'S HOLIDAY WISH LIST
Just in case you have any of these things hanging around: Good scissors or ones that can be sharpened; rotary cutters and blades; new thread; sewing machines of all vintages and conditions; a serger; metal Class 66 bobbins; a small printer that's Dell-compatible; crochet hooks; thimbles and hand-sewing needles; tape measures; printer paper or cover stock; felt markers and colored pencils; pastels and charcoal; large sketch books. Thank you.

ABOUT SEWGREEN
SewGreen is a not-for-profit project based in Ithaca NY that encourages thrift, reuse, creativity, and a rediscovery of sewing and traditional handcrafts in a welcoming setting. We serve the entire community across an inter-generational demographic that includes many cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds. Donations of fabric, sewing machines, and sewing materials are reused in our classroom, given to other groups that do charity sewing, or resold to gain revenue to support our education and outreach programs. For information on donations, visit our website at www.sew-green.org. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

To be added or subtracted from SewGreen's newsletter distribution list, 
contact Wendy Skinner, SewGreen Coordinator, coord at sew-green.org, 607-277-7611.

From Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu  Thu Dec  4 05:17:02 2008
From: Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu (Rebecca Rodomsky)
Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2008 08:17:02 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Eco-Fabric Holiday Wrapping!
Message-ID: <fc.00757e2a05787a0900757e2a05787a09.5787ad5@antiochne.edu>

Greetings STers,

Interested in learning fun, creative and Eco-Friendly techniques for
wrapping holiday gifts?  

Join Gwen Daniels at home green home on:

Saturday, December 13th 3:30-6pm
AND
Saturday, December 20th 12-3pm

Gwen will be on site wrapping gifts using colorful fabrics, yarns,
trinkets from around the home, etc...anything besides disposable items! 
She has an amazing gift for fabulous wrapping with no waste.  

Feel free to bring your own fabric for wrapping, or come to watch how to
replicate her techniques at home.  This is an event not to be missed!

Shop Locally and Wrap Mindfully this Holiday Season!

Questions?  
Contact home green home c/o Becca Rodomsky-Bish
607-319-4159
becca at homegreenhome.com

Thanks you and hope some of you make it down!


From Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu  Thu Dec  4 06:05:55 2008
From: Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu (Rebecca Rodomsky)
Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2008 09:05:55 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New Roots School: Interested in Volunteering?
Message-ID: <fc.00757e2a057881a800757e2a057881a8.57885f4@antiochne.edu>

New Roots School is an exciting addition to our community and will be
opening on September 9th, 2008.  We are looking for more volunteers to
help us get continue building the foundation of an experiential,
community-based program that is focused on educating for sustainability.

If you are interested in being apart of this ground breaking program
please consider attending our:

New Roots Volunteer Meeting
When: Monday, December 8th 
Time: 6:30pm-8pm
Where: Our New Office, in The Women's Community Building, 100 W. Seneca
Street
Contact: newrootsschool at gmail.com or info at newrootsschool.org

If you cannot make this meeting but are interested in volunteering please
visit our website and send an email to the address above.

Please note:  If you are a parent or student interested in learning more
about New Roots School, we will be offering Information Nights in
Jan/Feb/March for the community to come learn more.  Also, beginning
December 13th we will have some "open office hours" so folks can come down
to our office and ask questions about the school.  Please stay-tuned for
further dates and times.  

Thank you,
Becca Rodomsky-Bish
Volunteer


From rena.grossman at gmail.com  Thu Dec  4 09:34:22 2008
From: rena.grossman at gmail.com (Rena D. Grossman)
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 12:34:22 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New Roots School: Interested in
	Volunteering?
In-Reply-To: <fc.00757e2a057881a800757e2a057881a8.57885f4@antiochne.edu>
References: <fc.00757e2a057881a800757e2a057881a8.57885f4@antiochne.edu>
Message-ID: <fdf6acf0812040934h332763b8p68a972f334ee819e@mail.gmail.com>

I want to volunteer =(
How are you, Rodo-Bish? (that is your new name in my phone)

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 9:05 AM, Rebecca Rodomsky <
Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu> wrote:

> New Roots School is an exciting addition to our community and will be
> opening on September 9th, 2008.  We are looking for more volunteers to
> help us get continue building the foundation of an experiential,
> community-based program that is focused on educating for sustainability.
>
> If you are interested in being apart of this ground breaking program
> please consider attending our:
>
> New Roots Volunteer Meeting
> When: Monday, December 8th
> Time: 6:30pm-8pm
> Where: Our New Office, in The Women's Community Building, 100 W. Seneca
> Street
> Contact: newrootsschool at gmail.com or info at newrootsschool.org
>
> If you cannot make this meeting but are interested in volunteering please
> visit our website and send an email to the address above.
>
> Please note:  If you are a parent or student interested in learning more
> about New Roots School, we will be offering Information Nights in
> Jan/Feb/March for the community to come learn more.  Also, beginning
> December 13th we will have some "open office hours" so folks can come down
> to our office and ask questions about the school.  Please stay-tuned for
> further dates and times.
>
> Thank you,
> Becca Rodomsky-Bish
> Volunteer
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>

From rena.grossman at gmail.com  Thu Dec  4 10:22:24 2008
From: rena.grossman at gmail.com (Rena D. Grossman)
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 13:22:24 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New Roots School: Interested in
	Volunteering?
In-Reply-To: <E2750246-786F-4B4D-85CF-5BEE694205BA@twcny.rr.com>
References: <fc.00757e2a057881a800757e2a057881a8.57885f4@antiochne.edu>
	<fdf6acf0812040934h332763b8p68a972f334ee819e@mail.gmail.com>
	<E2750246-786F-4B4D-85CF-5BEE694205BA@twcny.rr.com>
Message-ID: <fdf6acf0812041022p4a7cc936wf6cc5114d353756d@mail.gmail.com>

>
> sorry for replying to the whole list.


Have a great ST holiday party!

Rena


>
> On Dec 4, 2008, at 12:34 PM, Rena D. Grossman wrote:
>
>  I want to volunteer =(
>> How are you, Rodo-Bish? (that is your new name in my phone)
>>
>> On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 9:05 AM, Rebecca Rodomsky <
>> Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu> wrote:
>>
>>  New Roots School is an exciting addition to our community and will be
>>> opening on September 9th, 2008.  We are looking for more volunteers to
>>> help us get continue building the foundation of an experiential,
>>> community-based program that is focused on educating for sustainability.
>>>
>>> If you are interested in being apart of this ground breaking program
>>> please consider attending our:
>>>
>>> New Roots Volunteer Meeting
>>> When: Monday, December 8th
>>> Time: 6:30pm-8pm
>>> Where: Our New Office, in The Women's Community Building, 100 W. Seneca
>>> Street
>>> Contact: newrootsschool at gmail.com or info at newrootsschool.org
>>>
>>> If you cannot make this meeting but are interested in volunteering please
>>> visit our website and send an email to the address above.
>>>
>>> Please note:  If you are a parent or student interested in learning more
>>> about New Roots School, we will be offering Information Nights in
>>> Jan/Feb/March for the community to come learn more.  Also, beginning
>>> December 13th we will have some "open office hours" so folks can come
>>> down
>>> to our office and ask questions about the school.  Please stay-tuned for
>>> further dates and times.
>>>
>>> Thank you,
>>> Becca Rodomsky-Bish
>>> Volunteer
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
>>> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>>>
>>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>>>
>>>  _______________________________________________
>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
>> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>>
>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>>
>
>

From dnr6 at cornell.edu  Thu Dec  4 11:45:40 2008
From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth)
Date: Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:45:40 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New Book: Sustainable Development Handbook
Message-ID: <49383364.8060400@cornell.edu>



Details on the NEW Sustainable Development Handbook.   

Sustainable development is a concept that incorporates energy, urban management, environmental objectives, policy integration, and the idea that effective solutions can be achieved in a cooperative manner with concerted effort.   

Now gaining momentum on the world stage, sustainable development is beginning to significantly redefine the policies and decision making of both corporations and governmental entities.   

Sustainable development initiatives can vary widely in both scope and application, as well as success.   

This book is intended to clarify critical issues, proven approaches and potential pitfalls associated with such initiatives, covering underlying concepts, renewable energy solutions, environmental issues, green design and LEED programs, sustainable industrial processes, sustainable development policy considerations, local government programs, corporate programs, tracking results, and future trends.   

For a complete index of this report click on:   
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/sustainable_development_handbook   


Title Index:   

1- What Is Sustainable Development?   

2 - Sustainable Development: A New Social Concept   

3 - The Environment & Sustainable Development   

4 - Sustainable Buildings   

5 - Sustainable Energy Solutions   

6 - Corporate Sustainability Programs   

7 - Local Politics for Sustainable Development   

8 - How Sustainable Development Policies Affect Planning   

9 - Tracking Local Sustainable Development   

10 - Learning from Las Vegas   

11 - International Sustainability   

12 - What the Future Holds: Creating a Sustainable World   


Pricing:   

Electronic : EUR 73   


Ordering - Three easy ways to place your order:   


1] Order online at http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/sustainable_development_handbook   


2] Order by fax: Print an Order form from http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/sustainable_development_handbook and Fax to +353 1 4100 980   


3] Order by mail: Print an Order form from http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/sustainable_development_handbook and post to Research and Markets Ltd. Guinness Center, Taylors Lane, Dublin 8. Ireland.   


Related Titles also available from Research and Markets:   

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http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/sustainable_urbanism_urban_design_with_natur   

Environmental Regulatory Calculations Handbook -   
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European Environmental Law (Third Edtion) -   
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/european_environmental_law_third_edtion   

Engineering Services - Industry Profile -   
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/engineering_services_industry_profile   

Contractors Guide to Green Building Construction: Management, Project Delivery, Documentation, and Risk Reduction -   
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/product/4947b1/contractors_guide_to_green_building_construct   



Thank you for your consideration.   

Best Regards,   

Amy Cole   
Senior Manager   
Research and Markets Ltd   
amy.cole at researchandmarkets.com   

Subscribe: Click on http://www.researchandmarkets.com/register.asp You can subscribe free for regular details on new research in your sector.   

Please note you are currently subscribed as dnr6 at cornell.edu   

If you no longer wish to receive our market research updates, please reply to this message with Suppression Request as the subject line, or use the link below   

http://www.researchandmarkets.com/u.asp?f=u&e=dnr6 at cornell.edu   







-- 
Daniel Roth	
Sustainability Coordinator 
Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability 
Cornell University  
www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu

Youth Action Team Co-Chair
US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
www.uspartnership.org

607-254-8077 (office)	
607-280-2312 (cell)
607-255-8461 (fax)

395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230
Ithaca, NY 14850	


From ejwray99 at gmail.com  Thu Dec  4 16:18:54 2008
From: ejwray99 at gmail.com (Evan Wray)
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 19:18:54 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] SewGreen News 12-04-08: Green the
	Holidays!
In-Reply-To: <E6C4473A46264ADDB84AE0A4D36CC2AF@wendyvaio>
References: <E6C4473A46264ADDB84AE0A4D36CC2AF@wendyvaio>
Message-ID: <00fd01c9566f$124d3c60$36e7b520$@com>

Oooooooh, the perfect Solstice gift for my 10 year old... a refurbished
sewing machine... 

It's me, the guy who was behind you in line at wegmans admiring your hand
sewn shopping bag. I think I had my 7 year old daughter with me then.

See you on the 13th.



Evan


-----Original Message-----
From: sustainabletompkins-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org
[mailto:sustainabletompkins-bounces at lists.mutualaid.org] On Behalf Of Wendy
Skinner
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 6:06 AM
To: sustainability at icsun.ithaca.edu; Sustainable Tompkins County listserv;
sustainableithaca at topica.com
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] SewGreen News 12-04-08: Green the Holidays!

SewGreen News, Dec 4, 2008
www.sew-green.org
SewGreen, Women's Community Bldg, 100 W Seneca St, Ithaca NY

CONTENTS
**************
~ ReCraft Fair
~ Sewing Machine Sale
~ Sewing Lessons for Children
~ Support SewGreen at the Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair
~ Teen Sewing Club Open to All
~ Preview of Upcoming Classes for Kids, Teens, and the Rest of Us!
~ Become a SewGreen Teacher
~ Shop Local Challenge Kicks Off Holiday Season
~ Kudos to the Finger Lakes ReUse Center
~ SewGreen's Holiday "Wish List"
~ About SewGreen

A HOLIDAY FAIR THAT'S KIND TO THE EARTH
SewGreen is hosting Ithaca's first ** ReCraft Fair ** on Saturday, Dec 13.
Every item in the Fair is fashioned from reused, reclaimed, vintage, or
earth-friendly materials. Fifteen local artisans, fabric artists, and
designers will offer one-of-a-kind fashions for children and adults; lots of
hats, mittens, and scarves; gift bags; reusable totes; fabulous designer
handbags; and an array of beautiful, whimsical, and practical gifts. Come
see how sophisticated - and fun - reuse can be! The Fair runs from 11am to
5pm, at the Women's Community Building, 100 W Seneca St, in downtown Ithaca.
P.S.: Taking place at the same time, day, and place is a SewGreen sewing
machine sale and the Community Arts Partnership's Holiday Artists' Market!

SEWING MACHINE SALE
SewGreen has rescued another batch of classic sewing machines, which will be
offered for sale at affordable prices, Saturday Dec 13, 11am to 5pm in the
SewGreen classroom. These older machines were built to last for generations.
Each has been cleaned, oiled, and is ready to sew. Sewing machine technician
Dianne Black will be on hand to explain each machine's features.

SEWING LESSONS FOR CHILDREN
We heard you, parents! Kids really want to learn to sew. After the New Year,
SewGreen will offer private and small-group lessons in beginning machine
sewing to children 8 to 12, by appointment. We can also teach a parent and
child together. Lessons can be scheduled after school or on Saturday
mornings. E-mail Wendy, coord at sew-green.org. Include your child's age and
what times/days of the week you prefer. Gift Certificates are available. A
limited number of scholarships, based on economic need, are available. 

SUPPORT SEWGREEN AT THE ITHACA ALTERNATIVE GIFT FAIR
SewGreen will be among 31 not-for-profit organizations represented at
Ithaca's 5th annual Alternative Gift Fair, this coming Saturday, Dec 6, 11am
to 7pm at the First Presbyterian Church, corner of Court and Cayuga Streets.
Shoppers may choose from over a hundred gifts of charitable donations that
help the organizations do their work. Each donation comes with a holiday
card and an insert that explains what the gift will provide. Gifts range
from $5 to as generous as you want. All of the gifts, including SewGreen's,
can be seen at www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org. SewGreen gifts will go toward
hand-sewing kits for children, allow us to continue to offer class
scholarships, provide classroom supplies, or provide general support. ** New
this year: Shoppers who can't attend will be able to buy gifts ONLINE for
two weeks following the Fair

FASHION UFOs MEETS 6 - 9 PM FRIDAY NIGHTS
Teens who like to sew are invited to attend the Friday night (6 - 9pm)
get-togethers of "Fashion UFOs," SewGreen's teen sewing club. The club meets
twice more this year. This Friday, Dec 5, reuse designer Heidi Brown will
share her experiences in making one-of-a-kind fashions and will show how to
reuse pants and t-shirts. For more information, contact club supervisor
Katie Sullivan, sull0294 at gmail.com.

PREVIEW: JAN - APRIL CLASSES & EVENTS
The schedule for Winter/Spring is coming together! Beginning Machine Sewing
- our most popular class - will be offered multiple times, and we have
developed a follow-up class for those who want to learn more. A two-part
Scrap Quilting class will show the basics of quilt-making with all reused
materials. Rug-making, both braided and crochet, will be offered. We've
scheduled some kids' and teen sewing classes on days off from school. A
ReFashion Workshop, a class on Mending and Alterations, and a class on
putting in zippers will also be offered. Sewing machine knowledge will be
shared at Meet Your Machine, and a new class in cleaning and oiling sewing
machines. Open Sews will continue, on the first and third Sunday of each
month, 1 - 4 pm. The complete schedule will be posted by mid-December! To
sign up for class announcements, contact Wendy, coord at sew-green.org. 

BECOME A SEWGREEN TEACHER
SewGreen will hold teacher trainings in January. We are looking for people
who know how to sew and would like to teach sewing skills to others. The
two-part training will include an orientation to our "fleet" of classic
machines, the content of our classes, and our culture of inclusion and
sustainability. We'll share what we've learned about teaching kids, teens,
and adults and will also be looking for input and creative ideas from you.
The training is free. For more information, contact Wendy,
coord at sew-green.org.

THINK LOCAL FIRST!
A new initiative in support of a healthy local economy has launched a
holiday shopping campaign to keep local dollars local. Visit the  ** Local
First Ithaca **  website at www.localfirstithaca.org for "top ten reasons to
buy local" and learn how you can win prizes and gift cards as a reward for
shopping at any of 49 local and green businesses. Among them is Tuff Soul,
SewGreen's retail partner, where sustainable style meets street chic, and
where you can browse a selection of virgin fabric rescued for reuse by
SewGreen.

TAKING REUSE UP A NOTCH
The ** Finger Lakes ReUse Center ** www.fingerlakesreuse.org is now open in
the Triphammer Mall. SewGreen is proud to have a resale display in the
center's retail store, which offers a variety of goods and materials at
affordable prices. The ReUse Center accepts donations of surplus building
materials, furniture, housewares, electronics, art and school supplies, and
more. Donations must be clean, complete, and in good working condition. 

SEWGREEN'S HOLIDAY WISH LIST
Just in case you have any of these things hanging around: Good scissors or
ones that can be sharpened; rotary cutters and blades; new thread; sewing
machines of all vintages and conditions; a serger; metal Class 66 bobbins; a
small printer that's Dell-compatible; crochet hooks; thimbles and
hand-sewing needles; tape measures; printer paper or cover stock; felt
markers and colored pencils; pastels and charcoal; large sketch books. Thank
you.

ABOUT SEWGREEN
SewGreen is a not-for-profit project based in Ithaca NY that encourages
thrift, reuse, creativity, and a rediscovery of sewing and traditional
handcrafts in a welcoming setting. We serve the entire community across an
inter-generational demographic that includes many cultural, ethnic, and
economic backgrounds. Donations of fabric, sewing machines, and sewing
materials are reused in our classroom, given to other groups that do charity
sewing, or resold to gain revenue to support our education and outreach
programs. For information on donations, visit our website at
www.sew-green.org. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

To be added or subtracted from SewGreen's newsletter distribution list, 
contact Wendy Skinner, SewGreen Coordinator, coord at sew-green.org,
607-277-7611.
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org


From lennon_kat at hotmail.com  Thu Dec  4 18:40:44 2008
From: lennon_kat at hotmail.com (Kat McCarthy)
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 02:40:44 +0000
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Chapter House*Friday at 5*Sustainability
	Happy Hour
Message-ID: <BAY139-W539BA6096AF96DD762E389E6FE0@phx.gbl>


December 5! Is there any better day to go to...

Sustainability Happy Hour
Chapter House
Friday at 5

Hope to see you there,
Kat

From bosak at ibiblio.org  Fri Dec  5 03:41:54 2008
From: bosak at ibiblio.org (Jon Bosak)
Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:41:54 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: As More Eat Meat, a Bid to Cut Emissions
Message-ID: <49391382.2090809@ibiblio.org>

Not local, but it relates to a number of local issues.

Jon

==================================================================

The New York Times
December 4, 2008
As More Eat Meat, a Bid to Cut Emissions
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

STERKSEL, the Netherlands -- The cows and pigs dotting these flat
green plains in the southern Netherlands create a bucolic
landscape. But looked at through the lens of greenhouse gas
accounting, they are living smokestacks, spewing methane emissions
into the air.

That is why a group of farmers-turned-environmentalists here at a
smelly but impeccably clean research farm have a new take on
making a silk purse from a sow?s ear: They cook manure from their
3,000 pigs to capture the methane trapped within it, and then use
the gas to make electricity for the local power grid.

Rising in the fields of the environmentally conscious Netherlands,
the Sterksel project is a rare example of fledgling efforts to
mitigate the heavy emissions from livestock. But much more needs
to be done, scientists say, as more and more people are eating
more meat around the world.

What to do about farm emissions is one of the main issues being
discussed this week and next, as the environment ministers from
187 nations gather in Poznan, Poland, for talks on a new treaty to
combat global warming. In releasing its latest figure on emissions
last month, United Nations climate officials cited agriculture and
transportation as the two sectors that remained most
"problematic."

"It?s an area that?s been largely overlooked," said Dr. Rajendra
Pachauri, head of the Nobel Prize-winning United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He says people should
eat less meat to control their carbon footprints. "We haven?t come
to grips with agricultural emissions."

The trillions of farm animals around the world generate 18 percent
of the emissions that are raising global temperatures, according
to United Nations estimates, more even than from cars, buses and
airplanes.

But unlike other industries, like cement making and power, which
are facing enormous political and regulatory pressure to get
greener, large-scale farming is just beginning to come under
scrutiny as policy makers, farmers and scientists cast about for
solutions.

High-tech fixes include those like the project here, called
"methane capture," as well as inventing feed that will make cows
belch less methane, which traps heat with 25 times the efficiency
of carbon dioxide. California is already working on a program to
encourage systems in pig and dairy farms like the one in Sterksel.

Other proposals include everything from persuading consumers to
eat less meat to slapping a "sin tax" on pork and beef. Next year,
Sweden will start labeling food products so that shoppers can look
at how much emission can be attributed to serving steak compared
with, say, chicken or turkey.

"Of course for the environment it?s better to eat beans than beef,
but if you want to eat beef for New Year?s, you?ll know which beef
is best to buy," said Claes Johansson, chief of sustainability at
the Swedish agricultural group Lantmannen.

But such fledgling proposals are part of a daunting game of
catch-up. In large developing countries like China, India and
Brazil, consumption of red meat has risen 33 percent in the last
decade. It is expected to double globally between 2000 and
2050. While the global economic downturn may slow the globe?s
appetite for meat momentarily, it is not likely to reverse a
profound trend.

Of the more than 2,000 projects supported by the United Nations?
"green" financing system intended to curb emissions, only 98 are
in agriculture. There is no standardized green labeling system for
meat, as there is for electric appliances and even fish.

Indeed, scientists are still trying to define the practical,
low-carbon version of a slab of bacon or a hamburger. Every step
of producing meat creates emissions.

Flatus and manure from animals contain not only methane, but also
nitrous oxide, an even more potent warming agent. And meat
requires energy for refrigeration as it moves from farm to market
to home.

Producing meat in this ever-more crowded world requires creating
new pastures and planting more land for imported feeds,
particularly soy, instead of relying on local grazing. That has
contributed to the clearing of rain forests, particularly in South
America, robbing the world of crucial "carbon sinks," the vast
tracts of trees and vegetation that absorb carbon dioxide.

"I?m not sure that the system we have for livestock can be
sustainable," said Dr. Pachauri of the United Nations. A sober
scientist, he suggests that "the most attractive" near-term
solution is for everyone simply to "reduce meat consumption," a
change he says would have more effect than switching to a hybrid
car.

The Lancet medical journal and groups like the Food Ethics Council
in Britain have supported his suggestion to eat less red meat to
control global emissions, noting that Westerners eat more meat
than is healthy anyway.

Producing a pound of beef creates 11 times as much greenhouse gas
emission as a pound of chicken and 100 times more than a pound of
carrots, according to Lantmannen, the Swedish group.

But any suggestion to eat less meat may run into resistance in a
world with more carnivores and a booming global livestock
industry. Meat producers have taken issue with the United Nations?
estimate of livestock-related emissions, saying the figure is
inflated because it includes the deforestation in the Amazon, a
phenomenon that the Brazilian producers say might have occurred
anyway.

United Nations scientists defend their accounting. With so much
demand for meat, "you do slash rain forest," said Pierre Gerber, a
senior official at the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization. Soy cultivation has doubled in Brazil during the
past decade, and more than half is used for animal feed.

Laurence Wrixon, executive director of the International Meat
Secretariat, said that his members were working with the Food and
Agriculture Organization to reduce emissions but that the main
problem was fast-rising consumption in developing countries. "So
whether you like it or not, there?s going to be rising demand for
meat, and our job is to make it as sustainable as possible," he
said.

Estimates of emissions from agriculture as a percentage of all
emissions vary widely from country to country, but they are
clearly over 50 percent in big agricultural and meat-producing
countries like Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

In the United States, agriculture accounted for just 7.4 percent
of greenhouse gas emissions in 2006, according to the
Environmental Protection Agency.

The percentage was lower because the United States produces
extraordinarily high levels of emissions in other areas, like
transportation and landfills, compared with other nations. The
figure also did not include fuel burning and land-use changes.

Wealthy, environmentally conscious countries with large livestock
sectors -- the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and New Zealand --
have started experimenting with solutions.

In Denmark, by law, farmers now inject manure under the soil
instead of laying it on top of the fields, a process that enhances
its fertilizing effect, reduces odors and also prevents emissions
from escaping. By contrast, in many parts of the developing world,
manure is left in open pools and lathered on fields.

Others suggest including agriculture emissions in carbon
cap-and-trade systems, which currently focus on heavy industries
like cement making and power generation. Farms that produce more
than their pre-set limit of emissions would have to buy permits
from greener colleagues to pollute.

New Zealand recently announced that it would include agriculture
in its new emissions trading scheme by 2013. To that end, the
government is spending tens of millions of dollars financing
research and projects like breeding cows that produce less gas and
inventing feed that will make cows belch less methane, said Philip
Gurnsey of the Environment Ministry.

At the electricity-from-manure project here in Sterksel, the
refuse from thousands of pigs is combined with local waste
materials (outdated carrot juice and crumbs from a cookie
factory), and pumped into warmed tanks called digesters. There,
resident bacteria release the natural gas within, which is burned
to generate heat and electricity.

The farm uses 25 percent of the electricity, and the rest is sold
to a local power provider. The leftover mineral slurry is an ideal
fertilizer that reduces the use of chemical fertilizers, whose
production releases a heavy dose of carbon dioxide.

For this farm the scheme has provided a substantial payback: By
reducing its emissions, it has been able to sell carbon credits on
European markets. It makes money by selling electricity. It gets
free fertilizer.

And, in a small country where farmers are required to have manure
trucked away, it saves $190,000 annually in disposal fees. John
Horrevorts, experiment coordinator, whose family has long raised
swine, said that dozens of such farms had been set up in the
Netherlands, though cost still makes it impractical for small
piggeries. Indeed, one question that troubles green farmers is
whether consumers will pay more for their sustainable meat.

"In the U.K., supermarkets are sometimes asking about green, but
there?s no global system yet," said Bent Claudi Lassen, chairman
of the Danish Bacon and Meat Council, which supports green
production. "We?re worried that other countries not producing in a
green way, like Brazil, could undercut us on price."


From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com  Fri Dec  5 04:23:32 2008
From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (Patricia Haines)
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 04:23:32 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] farm animals and Emissions
In-Reply-To: <49391382.2090809@ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <357569.68561.qm@web62101.mail.re1.yahoo.com>

Jon's email this morning reminds me of intriguing new businesses in Canada and in the Raleigh-Durham area in the US that are addressing the issue of pig manure-pollution by capturing methane for bio-energy use - in the US south this pollution is a huge issue -
?
As Jon and Bethany have pointed out in their TCLocal talks, one of upstate New York's blessings for the future is the large amount of farmland that went OUT of production with the coming of corporate agriculture. This land can now be available for micro-farming to feed people in the region, a superb resource for re-localizing food. A new way to look at the 'loss' of family farms as blessing instead of bane -

LEVEL GREEN - fostering sustainable community through collaborative initiatives in hospitality, education and the arts, in the 150 year-old democratic spirit of the Danish Folk School. 1519 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 339-9472

--- On Fri, 12/5/08, Jon Bosak <bosak at ibiblio.org> wrote:

From: Jon Bosak <bosak at ibiblio.org>
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: As More Eat Meat, a Bid to Cut Emissions
To: "Sustainable Tompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Friday, December 5, 2008, 6:41 AM

Not local, but it relates to a number of local issues.

Jon

==================================================================

The New York Times
December 4, 2008
As More Eat Meat, a Bid to Cut Emissions
By ELISABETH ROSENTHAL

STERKSEL, the Netherlands -- The cows and pigs dotting these flat
green plains in the southern Netherlands create a bucolic
landscape. But looked at through the lens of greenhouse gas
accounting, they are living smokestacks, spewing methane emissions
into the air.

That is why a group of farmers-turned-environmentalists here at a
smelly but impeccably clean research farm have a new take on
making a silk purse from a sow?s ear: They cook manure from their
3,000 pigs to capture the methane trapped within it, and then use
the gas to make electricity for the local power grid.

Rising in the fields of the environmentally conscious Netherlands,
the Sterksel project is a rare example of fledgling efforts to
mitigate the heavy emissions from livestock. But much more needs
to be done, scientists say, as more and more people are eating
more meat around the world.

What to do about farm emissions is one of the main issues being
discussed this week and next, as the environment ministers from
187 nations gather in Poznan, Poland, for talks on a new treaty to
combat global warming. In releasing its latest figure on emissions
last month, United Nations climate officials cited agriculture and
transportation as the two sectors that remained most
"problematic."

"It?s an area that?s been largely overlooked," said Dr. Rajendra
Pachauri, head of the Nobel Prize-winning United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. He says people should
eat less meat to control their carbon footprints. "We haven?t come
to grips with agricultural emissions."

The trillions of farm animals around the world generate 18 percent
of the emissions that are raising global temperatures, according
to United Nations estimates, more even than from cars, buses and
airplanes.

But unlike other industries, like cement making and power, which
are facing enormous political and regulatory pressure to get
greener, large-scale farming is just beginning to come under
scrutiny as policy makers, farmers and scientists cast about for
solutions.

High-tech fixes include those like the project here, called
"methane capture," as well as inventing feed that will make cows
belch less methane, which traps heat with 25 times the efficiency
of carbon dioxide. California is already working on a program to
encourage systems in pig and dairy farms like the one in Sterksel.

Other proposals include everything from persuading consumers to
eat less meat to slapping a "sin tax" on pork and beef. Next year,
Sweden will start labeling food products so that shoppers can look
at how much emission can be attributed to serving steak compared
with, say, chicken or turkey.

"Of course for the environment it?s better to eat beans than beef,
but if you want to eat beef for New Year?s, you?ll know which beef
is best to buy," said Claes Johansson, chief of sustainability at
the Swedish agricultural group Lantmannen.

But such fledgling proposals are part of a daunting game of
catch-up. In large developing countries like China, India and
Brazil, consumption of red meat has risen 33 percent in the last
decade. It is expected to double globally between 2000 and
2050. While the global economic downturn may slow the globe?s
appetite for meat momentarily, it is not likely to reverse a
profound trend.

Of the more than 2,000 projects supported by the United Nations?
"green" financing system intended to curb emissions, only 98 are
in agriculture. There is no standardized green labeling system for
meat, as there is for electric appliances and even fish.

Indeed, scientists are still trying to define the practical,
low-carbon version of a slab of bacon or a hamburger. Every step
of producing meat creates emissions.

Flatus and manure from animals contain not only methane, but also
nitrous oxide, an even more potent warming agent. And meat
requires energy for refrigeration as it moves from farm to market
to home.

Producing meat in this ever-more crowded world requires creating
new pastures and planting more land for imported feeds,
particularly soy, instead of relying on local grazing. That has
contributed to the clearing of rain forests, particularly in South
America, robbing the world of crucial "carbon sinks," the vast
tracts of trees and vegetation that absorb carbon dioxide.

"I?m not sure that the system we have for livestock can be
sustainable," said Dr. Pachauri of the United Nations. A sober
scientist, he suggests that "the most attractive" near-term
solution is for everyone simply to "reduce meat consumption," a
change he says would have more effect than switching to a hybrid
car.

The Lancet medical journal and groups like the Food Ethics Council
in Britain have supported his suggestion to eat less red meat to
control global emissions, noting that Westerners eat more meat
than is healthy anyway.

Producing a pound of beef creates 11 times as much greenhouse gas
emission as a pound of chicken and 100 times more than a pound of
carrots, according to Lantmannen, the Swedish group.

But any suggestion to eat less meat may run into resistance in a
world with more carnivores and a booming global livestock
industry. Meat producers have taken issue with the United Nations?
estimate of livestock-related emissions, saying the figure is
inflated because it includes the deforestation in the Amazon, a
phenomenon that the Brazilian producers say might have occurred
anyway.

United Nations scientists defend their accounting. With so much
demand for meat, "you do slash rain forest," said Pierre Gerber, a
senior official at the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization. Soy cultivation has doubled in Brazil during the
past decade, and more than half is used for animal feed.

Laurence Wrixon, executive director of the International Meat
Secretariat, said that his members were working with the Food and
Agriculture Organization to reduce emissions but that the main
problem was fast-rising consumption in developing countries. "So
whether you like it or not, there?s going to be rising demand for
meat, and our job is to make it as sustainable as possible," he
said.

Estimates of emissions from agriculture as a percentage of all
emissions vary widely from country to country, but they are
clearly over 50 percent in big agricultural and meat-producing
countries like Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

In the United States, agriculture accounted for just 7.4 percent
of greenhouse gas emissions in 2006, according to the
Environmental Protection Agency.

The percentage was lower because the United States produces
extraordinarily high levels of emissions in other areas, like
transportation and landfills, compared with other nations. The
figure also did not include fuel burning and land-use changes.

Wealthy, environmentally conscious countries with large livestock
sectors -- the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and New Zealand --
have started experimenting with solutions.

In Denmark, by law, farmers now inject manure under the soil
instead of laying it on top of the fields, a process that enhances
its fertilizing effect, reduces odors and also prevents emissions
from escaping. By contrast, in many parts of the developing world,
manure is left in open pools and lathered on fields.

Others suggest including agriculture emissions in carbon
cap-and-trade systems, which currently focus on heavy industries
like cement making and power generation. Farms that produce more
than their pre-set limit of emissions would have to buy permits
from greener colleagues to pollute.

New Zealand recently announced that it would include agriculture
in its new emissions trading scheme by 2013. To that end, the
government is spending tens of millions of dollars financing
research and projects like breeding cows that produce less gas and
inventing feed that will make cows belch less methane, said Philip
Gurnsey of the Environment Ministry.

At the electricity-from-manure project here in Sterksel, the
refuse from thousands of pigs is combined with local waste
materials (outdated carrot juice and crumbs from a cookie
factory), and pumped into warmed tanks called digesters. There,
resident bacteria release the natural gas within, which is burned
to generate heat and electricity.

The farm uses 25 percent of the electricity, and the rest is sold
to a local power provider. The leftover mineral slurry is an ideal
fertilizer that reduces the use of chemical fertilizers, whose
production releases a heavy dose of carbon dioxide.

For this farm the scheme has provided a substantial payback: By
reducing its emissions, it has been able to sell carbon credits on
European markets. It makes money by selling electricity. It gets
free fertilizer.

And, in a small country where farmers are required to have manure
trucked away, it saves $190,000 annually in disposal fees. John
Horrevorts, experiment coordinator, whose family has long raised
swine, said that dozens of such farms had been set up in the
Netherlands, though cost still makes it impractical for small
piggeries. Indeed, one question that troubles green farmers is
whether consumers will pay more for their sustainable meat.

"In the U.K., supermarkets are sometimes asking about green, but
there?s no global system yet," said Bent Claudi Lassen, chairman
of the Danish Bacon and Meat Council, which supports green
production. "We?re worried that other countries not producing in a
green way, like Brazil, could undercut us on price."

_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org



      

From truthisonepathsaremany at yahoo.com  Thu Dec  4 20:57:55 2008
From: truthisonepathsaremany at yahoo.com (pete meyers)
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 20:57:55 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] LAKESIDE WORKERS AND LOCAL GROUPS STAGE
	INFORMATIONAL PICKET FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Message-ID: <917940.6588.qm@web34804.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE??????????????????????????????? Contact:
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Linda Holzbaur, 607-330-4554
????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? TC Workers' Center, 607-339-1680
???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? 607-269-0409

LAKESIDE WORKERS? AND LOCAL GROUPS STAGE INFORMATIONAL PICKET FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
Tompkins County Workers Center and Families & Friends for Lakeside 
will join the picket line to show support for a fair contract

Lakeside Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center workers
will be joined on the picket line by members of the Tompkins County
Workers Center and Families & Friends for Lakeside on Friday, December 5, 2 pm - 4 pm and on Satuday, December 6, 1 pm - 4 pm. The public is invited to join the picket.

Lakeside workers have had no raise in over three years and are the lowest-paid nursing home employees in the area. Half of the 140 workers make less than living wage as defined by Alternatives Federal Credit Union. Due to low wages, employee turnover
is high; seriously understaffed shifts are regular practice. Workers'
demands include a pay raise to keep experienced staff and to attract
new workers, increased staffing and no more forced overtime.

"Frequently
there are not enough workers scheduled to provide quality care for the
residents: one or two night staff cannot safely care for the 54
residents on my husband's floor ," says Linda Holzbaur,? member of
Families & Friends for Lakeside and workers' rights advocate.
"Lakeside must prove that it is committed to ensuring the safety of
residents by paying their employees the living wage which will keep
experienced workers and attract new ones."

?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? #?? #??? #?? #??? #

For more information:
Tompkins County Workers' Center??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? Families & Friends for Lakeside
607.269-0409??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ?????????????????????
 607.330-4554
TCWorkersCenter.org??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??? ??????????????????? LakesideFamilies at yahoo.com





      

From dnr6 at cornell.edu  Fri Dec  5 09:07:15 2008
From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth)
Date: Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:07:15 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] * Plz Vote Now for a Sustainable America *
Message-ID: <49395FC3.6010201@cornell.edu>

(Please forward to anyone that you think may be interested)

Dear Friends and Associates,

I want to ask for your help. I don?t know if you've heard yet, but there's
a citizens movement that was inspired by the presidential campaign that is
gathering ideas for what they think the Obama Administration should do to
improve America.  It's called "Ideas for Change in America."

A colleague of mine submitted an idea and I want to ask you to vote for it.  The title is:

Develop & Implement a National Strategy for Sustainability.

You can read more and vote for the idea by clicking on the following link:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/develop_implement_a_national_strategy_for_sustainability

The top 10 ideas are going to be presented to the Obama Administration on
Inauguration Day and will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run
by Change.org, MySpace, and more than a dozen leading nonprofits after the
Inauguration. So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy. My
proposal is among the top ones on the Environmental Conservation page; and
there are also many other interesting proposals listed there.

Here is the text of my proposal:

The Obama Administration should adopt Sustainable Change as an Organizing
Principle for the federal government. With only 5% of the world?s
population, the US consumes 1/4 of the natural resources. Meanwhile
humanity uses 30% more of the earth?s bio-capacity than can be sustained.
At this rate, we?ll need two planets to meet everyone's needs by 2030. We
know the catastrophes that could result from global warming. The only
answer, short of total disaster, is to make a rapid transition to full
sustainability.

The US agreed, along with the other UN Member States, to create a National
Strategy for Sustainability - at the Rio Earth Summit Conference in 1992
and World Summit in 2002. The Obama Administration can lead our country in
developing and implementing such a National Strategy Plan by starting with
the reports and recommendations from the President's Council on
Sustainable Development under Clinton.

See: http://clinton5.nara.gov/PCSD

The National Strategy could encourage such things as Green Building
Practices, transitioning to renewable energy, protecting and restoring the
natural environment, limiting toxic chemicals, investing in Green Jobs
throughout the economy, adopting sustainable business practices, educating
for sustainable development, and ensuring that all people?s basic human
needs can be met.

I am also working with a team of sustainability practitioners in
contacting President-elect Obama's top energy and environment advisors.
We've given them more detailed recommendations for how the Obama
Administration can adopt Sustainable Change as an organizing principle and
lead our country to a more sustainable future.

Please vote for this proposal and join us in creating a Sustainable America.

Rob Wheeler
Working Group for Sustainable Change
US Citizens Network for Sustainable Development    www.citnet.org/leadership
US Partnership on Education for Sustainable Development   
www.uspartnership.org

717-264-5036
robineagle at worldcitizen.org

-----------------------------

Again you can vote by clicking on the following link:

http://www.change.org/ideas/view/develop_implement_a_national_strategy_for_sustainability
<http://www.change.org/ideas/view/develop_implement_a_national_strategy_for_sustainability>



-- 
Daniel Roth	
Sustainability Coordinator 
Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability 
Cornell University  
www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu

Youth Action Team Co-Chair
US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
www.uspartnership.org

607-254-8077 (office)	
607-280-2312 (cell)
607-255-8461 (fax)

395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230
Ithaca, NY 14850	


From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Fri Dec  5 11:34:08 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Fri, 5 Dec 2008 14:34:08 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Victory! Bank of America moves away from
	Mountaintop Removal
In-Reply-To: <4c016e0f0812051117l146b51e7x800b403737b37487@mail.gmail.com>
References: <beb.3297d728.366a6a32@aol.com>
	<4c016e0f0812051117l146b51e7x800b403737b37487@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812051134t602052edr75383a383683c095@mail.gmail.com>

Dear TC Sustainers:
Though this issue is somewhat removed from our area, its importance lies in
the power of grassroots political action in moving a powerful institution on
such an important issue.
Tony Del Plato


Subject: Victory! Bank of America moves away from Mountaintop Removal
  [image: Rainforest Action Network]

Dear Gina,

Yesterday, RAN celebrated a great victory! Bank of America posted a new coal
policy<http://environment.bankofamerica.com/articles/Energy/COAL_POLICY.pdf>on
its website announcing that it will phase out financing of mountaintop
removal coal mining!

Here's the commitment in their words:

"Bank of America is particularly concerned about surface mining conducted
through mountain top removal in locations such as central Appalachia. We
therefore will phase out financing of companies whose predominant method of
extracting coal is through mountain top removal. While we acknowledge that
surface mining is economically efficient and creates jobs, it can be
conducted in a way that minimizes environmental impacts in certain
geographies."

This couldn't have happened without your help, and we are thrilled that less
than three weeks after our day of action against coal and coal
finance<http://understory.ran.org/2008/11/14/anti-coal-movement-on-the-rise-national-day-of-action-in-over-50-cities/>,
Bank of America has shown necessary leadership in the finance industry. The
decision to cease involvement in the egregious practice of mountaintop
removal coal mining is the right thing to do and a tremendous validation of
our work. Again, work that you make possible.

Since we launched our "No Coal" campaign against Bank of America and Citi
last October, one of our central demands has been that they stop providing
support for mountaintop removal coal mining. We applaud Bank of America for
taking this important step to reduce its financing of dirty coal. But we
also need to keep the pressure on them -- as well as on Citi and other banks
that finance coal -- to ensure that they continue to curtail financing for
dirty energy and start funding the future through energy efficiency and
renewable energy.

This is a true grassroots win, and we want to all of you who have sent
emails, made phone calls, signed petitions, donated money or time, and taken
action to savor this victory! We also want to acknowledge the tireless work
of our allies and partners who are fighting mountaintop removal and
pressuring banks, including Coal River Mountain Watch, Ohio Valley
Environmental Coalition, Alliance for Appalachia, Kentuckians for the
Commonwealth, Appalachian Voices, Rising Tide, Blue Ridge Earth First,
Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council.

Together we are making a better future possible.

For the planet,

Becky, Scott, Bill, Annie, Ananda and Dana
Global Finance Team
 ------------------------------

This message was sent to shen111 at aol.com. Visit your subscription management
page <http://ga3.org/ran/smp.tcl?nkey=i63nbd32yjnwtd7i&> to modify your
email communication preferences or update your personal profile. To stop ALL
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-- 
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited,
whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving
birth to evolution.
Albert Einstein

-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
  - Nicholas Chamfort

From deerfarm6 at frontiernet.net  Sun Dec  7 11:44:30 2008
From: deerfarm6 at frontiernet.net (goodsell)
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 14:44:30 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: [COMFOOD:] URGENT - Next Secretary of
	Agriculture - Sign-on Letter - ACT NOW!
Message-ID: <002901c958a4$3919e910$6501a8c0@Martha>


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dave Murphy 
To: Comfood 
Sent: Sunday, December 07, 2008 1:42 PM
Subject: [COMFOOD:] URGENT - Next Secretary of Agriculture - Sign-on Letter - ACT NOW!



As many have stated on this listserv:
 
Time is of the essence?

Within the next few days President-Elect Obama will be naming one of the most 
important posts in his cabinet ? our next Secretary of Agriculture. For those of us 
who care about the environment, sustainability, healthy food, animal welfare and 
creating local food systems, NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. 

A groundswell of grassroots support is needed to encourage President-Elect Obama 
to nominate a Secretary who will bring sustainable change to the United States 
Department of Agriculture.

A grassroots effort has taken flight.

We invite you to JOIN US in this grassroots effort by signing this live letter advocating a 
Sustainable Choice for the next Secretary of Agriculture. 

Current signers to this letter include Rick Bayless, Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, 
Marion Nestle, Bill McKibben, Wes Jackson, Catherine Sneed and Alice Waters among 
many others.

Please join them by once again casting your vote for change by supporting a Sustainable 
Choice for our next Secretary of Agriculture. 

Help make this type of change possible by signing this letter. Our work has only begun.

PLEASE SIGN this letter at: http://www.fooddemocracynow.org

And then FORWARD to all your friends.

As you may know that this effort has appeared in numerous blogs, including Grist, Salon and
in the New York Times online:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/foodies-make-a-pitch-to-obama/?hp

We thank you for joining this grassroots effort!

Sincerely,
Dave Murphy
Clear Lake, Iowa



-- 
Dave Murphy
Clear Lake, IA

917 968-7369
dmurphy123 at gmail.com



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUBSCRIBING AND UNSUBSCRIBING TO COMFOOD:

You can subscribe to COMFOOD by going here:      https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/comfood 

You can unsubscribe to COMFOOD by going here :  https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/signoff/comfood 



From deerfarm6 at frontiernet.net  Sun Dec  7 13:43:33 2008
From: deerfarm6 at frontiernet.net (goodsell)
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 16:43:33 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: [COMFOOD:] URGENT - Next Secretary of
	Agriculture - Sign-on Letter - ACT NOW!
Message-ID: <003601c958b4$da8310f0$6501a8c0@Martha>


----- Original Message ----- 
From: Dave Murphy 
To: Comfood 
Sent: Sunday, December 07, 2008 1:42 PM
Subject: [COMFOOD:] URGENT - Next Secretary of Agriculture - Sign-on Letter - ACT NOW!



As many have stated on this listserv:
 
Time is of the essence?

Within the next few days President-Elect Obama will be naming one of the most 
important posts in his cabinet ? our next Secretary of Agriculture. For those of us 
who care about the environment, sustainability, healthy food, animal welfare and 
creating local food systems, NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. 

A groundswell of grassroots support is needed to encourage President-Elect Obama 
to nominate a Secretary who will bring sustainable change to the United States 
Department of Agriculture.

A grassroots effort has taken flight.

We invite you to JOIN US in this grassroots effort by signing this live letter advocating a 
Sustainable Choice for the next Secretary of Agriculture. 

Current signers to this letter include Rick Bayless, Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, 
Marion Nestle, Bill McKibben, Wes Jackson, Catherine Sneed and Alice Waters among 
many others.

Please join them by once again casting your vote for change by supporting a Sustainable 
Choice for our next Secretary of Agriculture. 

Help make this type of change possible by signing this letter. Our work has only begun.

PLEASE SIGN this letter at: http://www.fooddemocracynow.org

And then FORWARD to all your friends.

As you may know that this effort has appeared in numerous blogs, including Grist, Salon and
in the New York Times online:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/foodies-make-a-pitch-to-obama/?hp

We thank you for joining this grassroots effort!

Sincerely,
Dave Murphy
Clear Lake, Iowa



-- 
Dave Murphy
Clear Lake, IA

917 968-7369
dmurphy123 at gmail.com



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


SUBSCRIBING AND UNSUBSCRIBING TO COMFOOD:

You can subscribe to COMFOOD by going here:      https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/subscribe/comfood 

You can unsubscribe to COMFOOD by going here :  https://elist.tufts.edu/wws/signoff/comfood 



From andrejs at ozolins.com  Sun Dec  7 14:01:35 2008
From: andrejs at ozolins.com (Andrejs Ozolins)
Date: Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:01:35 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Tour de Solstice
In-Reply-To: <003601c958b4$da8310f0$6501a8c0@Martha>
References: <003601c958b4$da8310f0$6501a8c0@Martha>
Message-ID: <493C47BF.1050500@ozolins.com>

Two weeks from today is the solstice and, among other observances, we're going to celebrate the shortest day of the year with (probably) the shortest bike ride. 

On Sunday, December 21, we'll meet with bikes for a leisurely cruise through Ithaca from one good place to have coffee to another place to have soup or cookies or even local brews. The details are yet to be worked out -- go ahead and make some suggestions! We'll keep it all within Ithaca, snow or shine. Likely stops will be Gimme!, Commons, Island Cafe, or the like. Cold weather commuters will be out to show newcomers what gear makes it possible for them to laugh at the weather. Come laugh with us for an hour or two. (No bike? Come anyway! We aren't going far.)

For updates on this, try to monitor http://bikeithaca.org
Leave comments and suggestions at http://bikeithaca.org/?page_id=4

Andrejs


From marloco at verizon.net  Sun Dec  7 17:22:21 2008
From: marloco at verizon.net (marlo capoccia)
Date: Sun, 07 Dec 2008 20:22:21 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Tour de Solstice
In-Reply-To: <493C47BF.1050500@ozolins.com>
References: <003601c958b4$da8310f0$6501a8c0@Martha>
	<493C47BF.1050500@ozolins.com>
Message-ID: <92D37C82-C826-40EB-9B03-9899CE355B93@verizon.net>

we're interested- keep us posted!  we have three kids but they can  
probably join us and fit in ok.

thanks,
marlo
On Dec 7, 2008, at 5:01 PM, Andrejs Ozolins wrote:

> Two weeks from today is the solstice and, among other observances,  
> we're going to celebrate the shortest day of the year with  
> (probably) the shortest bike ride.
>
> On Sunday, December 21, we'll meet with bikes for a leisurely cruise  
> through Ithaca from one good place to have coffee to another place  
> to have soup or cookies or even local brews. The details are yet to  
> be worked out -- go ahead and make some suggestions! We'll keep it  
> all within Ithaca, snow or shine. Likely stops will be Gimme!,  
> Commons, Island Cafe, or the like. Cold weather commuters will be  
> out to show newcomers what gear makes it possible for them to laugh  
> at the weather. Come laugh with us for an hour or two. (No bike?  
> Come anyway! We aren't going far.)
>
> For updates on this, try to monitor http://bikeithaca.org
> Leave comments and suggestions at http://bikeithaca.org/?page_id=4
>
> Andrejs
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
> area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org

Marlo Capoccia
Garden Gate
www.gardengatedelivery.com
607 342 6228

?You don?t ever want a crisis to go to waste; it?s an opportunity to  
do important things that you would otherwise avoid.? Rahm Emanuel


From Cnielsen56 at aol.com  Sun Dec  7 18:20:52 2008
From: Cnielsen56 at aol.com (Cnielsen56 at aol.com)
Date: Sun, 7 Dec 2008 21:20:52 EST
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Did you miss the Alternative Gift Fair?
Message-ID: <d28.3ac60d73.366dde84@aol.com>

It was great!  We raised about $42,000 for 30 non-profit agencies, and  had a 
lot of fun.
 
But you can still take part!  This year, for the first time, we have  an 
online version.  For TWO WEEKS only (until Dec. 21), you can go to 
_www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org_ (http://www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org)  and buy an  environmentally 
friendly, non-materialistic present for your loved ones (and  THEY can buy one 
for you, too, if you let them know about the website)!
 
Christian
 
Spread the word!
**************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and 
favorite sites in one place.  Try it now. 
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

From mbrown at ithaca.edu  Mon Dec  8 06:43:02 2008
From: mbrown at ithaca.edu (Marian Brown)
Date: Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:43:02 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Tuesday,
 Dec 9 WSKG call-in program on composting and smart food purchasing
 and prep to feature Master Composter Adam Michaelides
Message-ID: <493D3276.7030205@ithaca.edu>

*From the Earth to Your Table and Back Again *

For some, growing up in a household where your mother was waiting with 
an after school snack was the norm. By five o'clock your family gathered 
around the table to a well balanced, homecooked meal with meat, fresh 
vegetables, desert and usually milk to drink. But with the changing 
times and the advent of pre-packaged meals and fast-food take out, that 
nutritious dinner around the family table has almost become a thing of 
the past.

According to researchers at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 
"increased work-week hours and a doubling of the number of U.S. fast 
food restaurants to about 250,000 in the past 25 years have influenced 
the amount of time people spend on food shopping and meal preparation, 
adding that planning weekly meals and related grocery shopping could 
help resist the fast meal decisions that lead to grabbing a quick bite." 
These quick bites at mealtime are also taking a chunk out of one's 
wallet not to mention the increased risk of health problems. Too add to 
the cycle, the continued consumption of ready to eat meals adds to the 
the amount of solid waste being placed in our landfills.

On *Tuesday, December 9th at 7pm*, Kathleen Cook talks live with *Ellen 
DeFry*, Nutrition Manager and *Michelle Constable*, a nutrition Educator 
from the *Broome County Cooperative Extension's Eat Smart NY* program to 
discuss saving money this winter through smart food purchasing and food 
preparation. This includes reducing waste - by buying things with less 
packaging (i.e. in bulk), and also recycling and composting everything 
possible... less trash to pay for, and compost generated to use instead 
of store-bought garden amendments in the spring. We?ll also talk about 
the why and how of composting over the winter with Master Composter 
*Adam Michaelides* from the *Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County*. 
He'll tell us how composting can reduce the amount of compostable 
materials going into landfills and the additional benefits in terms of 
helping households reduce costs of disposal, reduce expenses or 
gardening amendments, and improve soil and water quality. Join us, 
*Tuesday December 9th at 7 pm for Community Conversation*.

To join our conversation during our live broadcast, call 
*1-888-359-9754* or post a question or comment to* WSKG.Radio at Gmail.com 
<mailto:wskg.radio at gmail.com>.*


From dnr6 at cornell.edu  Tue Dec  9 10:31:01 2008
From: dnr6 at cornell.edu (Daniel Roth)
Date: Tue, 09 Dec 2008 13:31:01 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] URGENT - Next Secretary of Agriculture -
	Sign-on Letter - ACT NOW!
Message-ID: <493EB965.2040503@cornell.edu>

**
Within the next few days President-Elect Obama will be naming one of the 
most
important posts in his cabinet ? our next Secretary of Agriculture. For 
those of us
who care about the environment, sustainability, healthy food, animal 
welfare and
creating local food systems, NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. 
<http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/>

A groundswell of grassroots support is needed to encourage 
President-Elect Obama
to nominate a Secretary who will bring sustainable change to the United 
States
Department of Agriculture.

A grassroots effort has taken flight.

We invite you to JOIN US in this grassroots effort by signing this live 
letter <http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/> advocating a
Sustainable Choice for the next Secretary of Agriculture.

Current signers to this letter  
<http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/signers.html>include Rick Bayless, 
Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry,
Marion Nestle, Bill McKibben, Wes Jackson, Catherine Sneed and Alice 
Waters among
many others.

Please join them by once again casting your vote for change by 
supporting a Sustainable
Choice for our next Secretary of Agriculture.

Help make this type of change possible by signing this letter. Our work 
has only begun.

PLEASE SIGN <http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/> this letter at: 
http://www.fooddemocracynow.org <http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/>

And then FORWARD to all your friends.

As you may know that this effort has appeared in numerous blogs, 
including Grist <http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2008/12/4/145754/222>, 
Salon 
<http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2008/12/05/ag_secretary/index.html> 
and
in the New York Times online 
<http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/foodies-make-a-pitch-to-obama/?hp>:

http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/foodies-make-a-pitch-to-obama/?hp

We thank you for joining this grassroots effort!

Sincerely,
Dave Murphy
Clear Lake, Iowa





-- 
Daniel Roth	
Sustainability Coordinator 
Office of Environmental Compliance and Sustainability 
Cornell University  
www.sustainablecampus.cornell.edu

Youth Action Team Co-Chair
US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development
www.uspartnership.org

607-254-8077 (office)	
607-280-2312 (cell)
607-255-8461 (fax)

395 Pine Tree Road, Suite 230
Ithaca, NY 14850	


From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Tue Dec  9 13:48:06 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 13:48:06 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] (no subject)
Message-ID: <145880.15156.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>




The following comments by Bill McKibben are from an Amercian Society of Landscape Architects newsletter I receive.? I've highlighted his observations regarding the need to densify our communities as part of an overall strategy for reducing our nation's carbon footprint by 80 percent.
?
George Frantz?
Greenbuild: Bill McKibben on Climate ChangeNovember 24, 2008 1:51 PM 


Bill McKibben, author and environmental activist, gave a speech at Greenbuild on the moral implications of climate change. 
?
McKibben explained that the US, with 4 percent?of the world?s population, is creating 25 percent?of the world?s carbon output. If, as a result of climate change, the shore line of Bangladesh were to rise four feet, Americans would be accountable for one foot of that rise. 
?
His?new campaign,?350.org,?focuses on creating a worldwide movement for bringing carbon levels back down to 350 parts per million (ppm), the level which climate scientists have pointed to as the edge of safe carbon levels in the atmosphere. McKibben explained that current levels are around 387 ppm and increase by about 1-2 ppm per year.?He argues?that this small increase over safe levels has kick-started a?natural?process?of climate change, which has already had far-reaching consequences, including melting ice sheets in the Arctic Ocean and upwards of 30 percent?increases in hurricane power and frequency along parts of the east coast of the U.S.
?
McKibben pointed to a statement from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which argued that dramatic change needed to happen by 2012 if the world is going to mount any serious effort to interrupt the ?negative feedback loop? that has been initiated. To achieve this, ?coal would have to be left in the ground.? By 2030, the world would have to stop burning coal, and developed countries would need to stop sooner.?A shift as large as the move from an agricultural economy to the industrial?economy is needed to stop the negative effects of climate change.
?
McKibben outlined a few ways?Americans can help mitigate the effects of climate change: 
-?Americans needs to?move closer together. Americans have been building larger homes, farther apart from each other. Driving around running errands, and going to work creates carbon emissions. The current housing crisis, houses in high-density urban areas are losing their value less quickly than those in suburbs farther away from cities. Markets are valuing high-density areas as more valuable.
?
-?The cost of fossil fuels needs to reflect the damage they do to the environment. A global and U.S. national cap on carbon emissions and a national cap and trade system are needed so that the market can begin to associate costs with carbon emissions. McKibben argues for a rebate system for taxpayers, which would take funds earned by the government by issuing carbon credits and return them to taxpayers to help off-set any increase in energy prices.?He noted that the Obama transition team seems to be moving in this direction.
?
- Participate in www.350.org.?This?new campaign focuses on building worldwide awareness of the need for returning carbon levels in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million.?350.org aims to hold a worldwide set of rallies a few weeks before the?UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)?final negotiations for a new protocol to replace Kyoto. Negotiators meet in Copenhagen in?December 2009.
?
McKibben said the results of his 2007 "Step It Up" campaign were 1,400 rallies in 50 states and revisions to the Obama and Clinton candidate platforms on climate change, with a move towards the more difficult targets ? 80 percent?reduction in carbon emissions by 2050. 


      

From gunnarh at cwo.com  Sun Dec 14 12:23:57 2008
From: gunnarh at cwo.com (Gunnar Henrioulle)
Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 12:23:57 -0800
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] [SustainUS-Discussion] URGENT - Next
	Secretary of Agriculture - Sign-on Letter - ACT NOW!
References: <493EB965.2040503@cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <004f01c95e29$e721ec80$d79dfea9@Default>

I concur.   Please see (peakoil.net) articles 374 & 1037.   Suggest Richard Heinberg for Secretary of Agriculture: who is more qualified to bring energy and sustainability in Ag Policy to the President?

An exceedongly important sourcebook on rural sustainability is "ELECTRIC WATER" by Christopher C. Swan (New Society Press, 2007).   Please share in your respective purviews.


Gunnar Henrioulle  (530-543-1259)



  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Daniel Roth 
  To: Melissa Madden ; Mike Hoffmann ; Dean Koyanagi ; Sustainable Tompkins County listserv ; Sustainus-Discussion at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Tuesday, December 09, 2008 10:31 AM
  Subject: [SustainUS-Discussion] URGENT - Next Secretary of Agriculture - Sign-on Letter - ACT NOW!


   
  __,_._,___ 

From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Tue Dec  9 14:51:45 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Tue, 9 Dec 2008 17:51:45 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] (no subject)
In-Reply-To: <145880.15156.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <145880.15156.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812091451u5e706886l28fe01b7954efbca@mail.gmail.com>

Thanks George. McKibben helps me to maintain a sense of real change we can
believe in or simply that there are things we can do both individually and
as a nation. I'm still skeptical of what the Obama administration will be
able to do, but I'm willing to give it a chance to see if the government
"gets it."
Tony

On Tue, Dec 9, 2008 at 4:48 PM, George Frantz <gjem5760 at yahoo.com> wrote:

>
>
>
> The following comments by Bill McKibben are from an Amercian Society of
> Landscape Architects newsletter I receive.  I've highlighted his
> observations regarding the need to densify our communities as part of an
> overall strategy for reducing our nation's carbon footprint by 80 percent.
>
> George Frantz
> Greenbuild: Bill McKibben on Climate ChangeNovember 24, 2008 1:51 PM
>
>
> Bill McKibben, author and environmental activist, gave a speech at
> Greenbuild on the moral implications of climate change.
>
> McKibben explained that the US, with 4 percent of the world's population,
> is creating 25 percent of the world's carbon output. If, as a result of
> climate change, the shore line of Bangladesh were to rise four feet,
> Americans would be accountable for one foot of that rise.
>
> His new campaign, 350.org, focuses on creating a worldwide movement for
> bringing carbon levels back down to 350 parts per million (ppm), the level
> which climate scientists have pointed to as the edge of safe carbon levels
> in the atmosphere. McKibben explained that current levels are around 387 ppm
> and increase by about 1-2 ppm per year. He argues that this small increase
> over safe levels has kick-started a natural process of climate change, which
> has already had far-reaching consequences, including melting ice sheets in
> the Arctic Ocean and upwards of 30 percent increases in hurricane power and
> frequency along parts of the east coast of the U.S.
>
> McKibben pointed to a statement from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
> Change (IPCC), which argued that dramatic change needed to happen by 2012 if
> the world is going to mount any serious effort to interrupt the "negative
> feedback loop" that has been initiated. To achieve this, "coal would have to
> be left in the ground." By 2030, the world would have to stop burning coal,
> and developed countries would need to stop sooner. A shift as large as the
> move from an agricultural economy to the industrial economy is needed to
> stop the negative effects of climate change.
>
> McKibben outlined a few ways Americans can help mitigate the effects of
> climate change:
> - Americans needs to move closer together. Americans have been building
> larger homes, farther apart from each other. Driving around running errands,
> and going to work creates carbon emissions. The current housing crisis,
> houses in high-density urban areas are losing their value less quickly than
> those in suburbs farther away from cities. Markets are valuing high-density
> areas as more valuable.
>
> - The cost of fossil fuels needs to reflect the damage they do to the
> environment. A global and U.S. national cap on carbon emissions and a
> national cap and trade system are needed so that the market can begin to
> associate costs with carbon emissions. McKibben argues for a rebate system
> for taxpayers, which would take funds earned by the government by issuing
> carbon credits and return them to taxpayers to help off-set any increase in
> energy prices. He noted that the Obama transition team seems to be moving in
> this direction.
>
> - Participate in www.350.org. This new campaign focuses on building
> worldwide awareness of the need for returning carbon levels in the
> atmosphere to 350 parts per million. 350.org aims to hold a worldwide set
> of rallies a few weeks before the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
> (UNFCCC) final negotiations for a new protocol to replace Kyoto. Negotiators
> meet in Copenhagen in December 2009.
>
> McKibben said the results of his 2007 "Step It Up" campaign were 1,400
> rallies in 50 states and revisions to the Obama and Clinton candidate
> platforms on climate change, with a move towards the more difficult targets
> ? 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>



-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
 - Nicholas Chamfort

From Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu  Wed Dec 10 11:54:54 2008
From: Rebecca_Rodomsky at antiochne.edu (Rebecca Rodomsky)
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:54:54 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Reminder: Eco-Friendly Fabric Wrapping this
	Saturday
Message-ID: <fc.00757e2a057e566b00757e2a057e566b.57e5774@antiochne.edu>

Reminder!  Make sure you come down and check-out this event at home green
home, 215 E. State Street, on the Commons in downtown Ithaca!

Interested in learning fun, creative and Eco-Friendly techniques for
wrapping holiday gifts?  

Join Gwen Daniels at home green home on:

Saturday, December 13th 3:30-6pm
AND
Saturday, December 20th 12-3pm

Gwen will be on site wrapping gifts using colorful fabrics, yarns,
trinkets from around the home, etc...anything besides disposable items! 
She has an amazing gift for fabulous wrapping with no waste.  

Feel free to bring your own fabric for wrapping, or come to watch how to
replicate her techniques at home.  This is an event not to be missed!

Shop Locally and Wrap Mindfully this Holiday Season!

Questions?  
Contact home green home c/o Becca Rodomsky-Bish
607-319-4159
becca at homegreenhome.com






From ws at twcny.rr.com  Thu Dec 11 03:11:11 2008
From: ws at twcny.rr.com (Wendy Skinner)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 06:11:11 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] SewGreen Mini-News: Shop Green, Shop Local
Message-ID: <4A100D0C9EE24EFCB17867B119F6DD8E@wendyvaio>

SewGreen Mini-News, Dec 11, 2009
www.sew-green.org

CONTENTS
~ Shop Green at the Holiday ReCraft Fair
~ Classic Sewing Machine Sale
~ Local Lover Campaign
~ A Request to Support SewGreen

RECRAFT FAIR & ARTISTS MARKET, 11am to 5pm, Saturday, Dec 13
Visit the Women's Community Building this Saturday for two festive holiday fairs: The SewGreen **ReCraft Fair** featuring fabulous handmade gifts, one-of-a-kind designer apparel, and other amazing examples of creative reuse and artisanry, AND same time, same place, the **Holiday Artists Market** sponsored by the Community Arts Partnership. Both events represent the some of the best of our area's original art and artful reuse. Women's Community Building, 100 West Seneca Street, downtown Ithaca. Close to TCAT's downtown bus stops. Free parking in the lot and on the street on weekends.

SEWING MACHINE SALE, 11am to 5pm, Saturday, December 13
Same time, same place: A SewGreen sale of classic sewing machine -- each one cleaned, oiled, and ready to sew. Sewing machine technician Dianne Black will be on hand to assist you in making a choice appropriate to your needs. Proceeds support SewGreen programming.

LOCAL LOVER CAMPAIGN REWARDS SHOPPERS
Forty-nine green and locally-owned businesses are participating in a campaign to welcome shoppers. Buying local strengthens the local economy, assures that tax dollars for public services stay local, and builds networks in our community. During this holiday season, you can win Visa gift cards and other prizes. No purchase is necessary to participate in the Local Lover campaign, sponsored by Local First Ithaca. Check out their website at www.localfirstithaca.org. 

A REQUEST TO SUPPORT SEWGREEN
If SewGreen has enriched your life this year, or if you think we're doing something worthwhile in the community, you are invited to donate a charitable gift, through Dec 21, via the online **Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair** website, www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org. SewGreen, a not-for-profit program of Social Ventures, has operated for a full year on a very small budget, with unpaid staff. We are extremely grateful for the remarkable response to our programming. The outpouring of materials has allowed us to furnish the classroom, and many volunteer hours have gone into sharing knowledge about sewing, thrift, and reuse. We have touched the lives of many people, influenced earth-friendly consumer habits, and diverted approximately 2.5 tons from the landfill. Will you help us to continue, please? Thank you to all.

-- from Wendy Skinner, SewGreen Coordinator, and the diverse SewGreen volunteer team, apprentices, and students of all ages

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

From ghadams at gmail.com  Thu Dec 11 04:37:30 2008
From: ghadams at gmail.com (George Adams)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:37:30 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Urbanization inherently unsustainable: one
	more argument to weigh
Message-ID: <a09c54b40812110437o67334c79ge3fd0af86fc9d9b9@mail.gmail.com>

Although he admits to a lack of data to prove his contention, Jeff Vail,
writing in his fourth essay on "Resilient Suburbia" has a pretty interesting
argument.  I note that many who report interesting articles to ST readers do
so by pasting entire articles.  If this is because some have only e-mail
clients but not browsers, let me know and I will follow suit.  But for sake
of not distending today's round-up, I give you just the link to Vail's
article:http://www.theoildrum.com/node/4844?nocomments

I take the liberty of summarizing one of his points because I happen to
agree with it: World class urban centers "work" only because they permit an
organized competition for the resources of the surrounding countryside and,
nowadays, the whole globalized world economy.  They may increase the mean
wealth of their inhabitants but not the median well being of the collection
of "hinterland" residents whose resources they tap.  Because such urban
centers must compete, they are only viable under regimes of economic
expansion and thus inherently unsustainable.

Its an interesting thought and I recommend that people interested in
questions of long term survival of humans and habitats be familiar with
views of this sort.

-George
-- 
freedom is not more important than fairness and much easier to fake.

From globalclimatesolutions at gmail.com  Wed Dec 10 18:17:57 2008
From: globalclimatesolutions at gmail.com (Ryan Hottle)
Date: Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:17:57 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] BREAKTHROUGH! Biochar to Be Considered for
	Kyoto Status
Message-ID: <1515a9290812101817q7d8cb3fl99c1c75712832b73@mail.gmail.com>

Dear Climate Solution Thinkers:
BREAKING NEWS!

Biochar, the carbon-negative soil-improving energy biproduct, has made an
incredible series of breakthroughs at the UN Climate Change Conference in
Poznan, Poland.

The International Biochar Initiative, www.biochar-international.org,
announced today that Biochar is now being examined by the UNFCCC (United
Nations Council on Climate Change) for status as part of the CDM (Clean
Development Mechanism.)

It's verifiable, it produces clean energy, it improves soils, it reverses
desertification, it improves water quality, it could drive millions out of
poverty, and it may be one of humanity's single greatest tools for
mitigating and adapting to climate change.

Read more about "it" on our website: www.GlobalClimateSolutions.org

Respectfully,
Ryan D. Hottle




-- 
GLOBAL CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

www.GlobalClimateSolutions.org
serious, sustainable solutions to climate change including carbon-negative
energy

submit your ideas and articles on-line at:
www.GlobalClimateSolutions.org

From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Thu Dec 11 06:24:50 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:24:50 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>

Hello TC Sustainers:
I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions that need
it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
Tony Del Plato

-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
 - Nicholas Chamfort

From rlm at bluefrog.com  Thu Dec 11 07:22:06 2008
From: rlm at bluefrog.com (Rebecca)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:22:06 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
In-Reply-To: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>
References: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <e233b8740812110722j4a5e6b2crb00cff8a8e06754b@mail.gmail.com>

Tony,
I've found Jim and Kathy Coler of Coler Natural Insulation to be incredibly
knowledgeable and helpful folks.  They are in the Ithaca area a lot and are
happy to share their knowledge.  www.coler.com

~Rebecca

On Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 9:24 AM, Tony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com>wrote:

> Hello TC Sustainers:
> I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions that need
> it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
> Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
> Tony Del Plato
>
> --
> An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
> lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
>  - Nicholas Chamfort
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>

From janq at zoom-dsl.com  Thu Dec 11 07:17:09 2008
From: janq at zoom-dsl.com (Jan Quarles)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 10:17:09 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
References: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <2E5EFAEF82C046E2BD440B48E0F790AC@user>

Tony,

Our farmhouse was built in 1870. We hired Performance Systems in 2005, and 
Jon Harrod was the lead person on the job. I would highly recommend him and 
you can now contact him at his own company, "Snug Planet" in Ithaca. Jon did 
a whole-house assessment, with a before-and-after blower test and a camera 
that can see through your walls to determine which ones need insulating. We 
were surprised and relieved to find that most of our lathe and plaster 
walls, which are very thick, had plenty of insulation. Jon's expert advice 
saved us lots of money. He recommended keeping our old windows that include 
old wood frame storms. The attic insulation of R50 value helped 
tremendously, along with doorsweeps and some weatherstripping. I think the 
insulation was rodent-proof cellulose, but you could ask Jon. Over the past 
3 winters, the work they did helped us reduce heating fuel needs by 33%, 
just as Jon had predicted via the blower test results. It paid for itself, 
and we helped lower CO2 as well as our utility costs.

- Jan Quarles
Sheldrake, NY

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Tony Del Plato" <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:24 AM
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation


> Hello TC Sustainers:
> I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions that need
> it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
> Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
> Tony Del Plato
>
> -- 
> An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
> lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
> - Nicholas Chamfort
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, 
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>
>
> -- 
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG.
> Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.9.16/1843 - Release Date: 
> 12/11/2008 8:36 AM
>
> 


From kristen at historicithaca.org  Thu Dec 11 08:01:48 2008
From: kristen at historicithaca.org (Kristen Olson)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:01:48 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Upcoming sales and events at Significant
	Elements
Message-ID: <001e01c95ba9$c6b4fb40$541ef1c0$@org>

Significant Elements Holiday Sale December 12-24.  Save up to 50% on
everything in the store and find unique holiday gifts.  We have a great
selection of books on art, architecture, home repair, crafts, and
decorating, as well as hardware, tools, restoration supplies, and antique
items.  We also have gift certificates!  Your purchase supports the mission
of Historic Ithaca.

 

Free Class December 13 - "How to Research Your House History" - 10 am and
2pm

This 30-minute course will give you the tools you need to assemble a
complete history of your house, apartment, commercial building, or farm
structure.

 

Free Friday December 19 - You never know what you'll find!  Free Friday is
always the third Friday of each month.

 

Significant Elements architectural salvage warehouse

212 Center Street, downtown Ithaca

(607) 277-3450

www.significantelements.org


From ks47 at cornell.edu  Thu Dec 11 08:31:36 2008
From: ks47 at cornell.edu (Kenneth Schlather)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:31:36 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
In-Reply-To: <2E5EFAEF82C046E2BD440B48E0F790AC@user>
References: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>
	<2E5EFAEF82C046E2BD440B48E0F790AC@user>
Message-ID: <6.2.1.2.2.20081211111831.03f21b20@postoffice7.mail.cornell.edu>

Tony and others,
Now seems like a good time to let you know that Cooperative Extension of 
Tompkins County has developed a website on energy efficiency practices that 
not only tells you how much you can save by implementing different energy 
saving practices in your home from A to Z but also shows you HOW, with 
video clips for most of the things that may not be as clear as us 
weatherizing greenhorns may like (how thin IS a thin bead of caulk 
anyway?!).  The site is designed to help those with little time (with a 
table of some 34 tips that take 10 minutes or less to do), little money (23 
tips that cost nothing, plus many more that cost 20 bucks or less), as well 
as for those who live in apartments or mobile homes. Each of the tips links 
you to the page on the site where you can read or view HOW to do those things.

There is also a nifty house that you can click on any part of it to see 
what you could do to save energy in that part of the house.  (And Tony, 
there is a great section on ventilation and another on insulation with some 
excellent videos, that would be worthwhile looking at whether you hire a 
contractor or do the work yourself.)

You can find the site at this 
link,  http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins/energysavings/  or if you 
would prefer to have a free CD of the website drop me a line off line and 
let me know how  you'll share the information about this site with someone 
else and we'll get you the CD.  If you want more than one CD so that you 
can share it with other people we can arrange that as well.  And if you do 
visit the site and have suggestions for improvements we'd love to have them 
as we intend to continue to improve the site.   ken

At 10:17 AM 12/11/2008, Jan Quarles wrote:
>Tony,
>
>Our farmhouse was built in 1870. We hired Performance Systems in 2005, and
>Jon Harrod was the lead person on the job. I would highly recommend him and
>you can now contact him at his own company, "Snug Planet" in Ithaca. Jon did
>a whole-house assessment, with a before-and-after blower test and a camera
>that can see through your walls to determine which ones need insulating. We
>were surprised and relieved to find that most of our lathe and plaster
>walls, which are very thick, had plenty of insulation. Jon's expert advice
>saved us lots of money. He recommended keeping our old windows that include
>old wood frame storms. The attic insulation of R50 value helped
>tremendously, along with doorsweeps and some weatherstripping. I think the
>insulation was rodent-proof cellulose, but you could ask Jon. Over the past
>3 winters, the work they did helped us reduce heating fuel needs by 33%,
>just as Jon had predicted via the blower test results. It paid for itself,
>and we helped lower CO2 as well as our utility costs.
>
>- Jan Quarles
>Sheldrake, NY
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tony Del Plato" <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
>To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
>Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:24 AM
>Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
>
>
> > Hello TC Sustainers:
> > I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions that need
> > it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
> > Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
> > Tony Del Plato
> >
> > --
> > An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
> > lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
> > - Nicholas Chamfort
> > _______________________________________________
> > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> > please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
> >
> > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
> >
> >
> > --
> > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > Checked by AVG.
> > Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.9.16/1843 - Release Date:
> > 12/11/2008 8:36 AM
> >
> >
>
>_______________________________________________
>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, 
>please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org


From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Thu Dec 11 10:17:22 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:17:22 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
In-Reply-To: <6.2.1.2.2.20081211111831.03f21b20@postoffice7.mail.cornell.edu>
References: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>
	<2E5EFAEF82C046E2BD440B48E0F790AC@user>
	<6.2.1.2.2.20081211111831.03f21b20@postoffice7.mail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812111017w683dcb1dybe4ad671d12a5459@mail.gmail.com>

Dear Rebecca, Jan, Ken & Margaret,
Thank you all for excellent tips, many of which I hadn't considered. Look
forward to tossing some tough questions to contractors on the varieties of
insulation and means for testing/analyzing where my house will need it most.
Please keep those tips coming folks.
Tony

On Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 11:31 AM, Kenneth Schlather <ks47 at cornell.edu>wrote:

> Tony and others,
> Now seems like a good time to let you know that Cooperative Extension of
> Tompkins County has developed a website on energy efficiency practices that
> not only tells you how much you can save by implementing different energy
> saving practices in your home from A to Z but also shows you HOW, with
> video clips for most of the things that may not be as clear as us
> weatherizing greenhorns may like (how thin IS a thin bead of caulk
> anyway?!).  The site is designed to help those with little time (with a
> table of some 34 tips that take 10 minutes or less to do), little money (23
> tips that cost nothing, plus many more that cost 20 bucks or less), as well
> as for those who live in apartments or mobile homes. Each of the tips links
> you to the page on the site where you can read or view HOW to do those
> things.
>
> There is also a nifty house that you can click on any part of it to see
> what you could do to save energy in that part of the house.  (And Tony,
> there is a great section on ventilation and another on insulation with some
> excellent videos, that would be worthwhile looking at whether you hire a
> contractor or do the work yourself.)
>
> You can find the site at this
> link,  http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins/energysavings/  or if you
> would prefer to have a free CD of the website drop me a line off line and
> let me know how  you'll share the information about this site with someone
> else and we'll get you the CD.  If you want more than one CD so that you
> can share it with other people we can arrange that as well.  And if you do
> visit the site and have suggestions for improvements we'd love to have them
> as we intend to continue to improve the site.   ken
>
> At 10:17 AM 12/11/2008, Jan Quarles wrote:
> >Tony,
> >
> >Our farmhouse was built in 1870. We hired Performance Systems in 2005, and
> >Jon Harrod was the lead person on the job. I would highly recommend him
> and
> >you can now contact him at his own company, "Snug Planet" in Ithaca. Jon
> did
> >a whole-house assessment, with a before-and-after blower test and a camera
> >that can see through your walls to determine which ones need insulating.
> We
> >were surprised and relieved to find that most of our lathe and plaster
> >walls, which are very thick, had plenty of insulation. Jon's expert advice
> >saved us lots of money. He recommended keeping our old windows that
> include
> >old wood frame storms. The attic insulation of R50 value helped
> >tremendously, along with doorsweeps and some weatherstripping. I think the
> >insulation was rodent-proof cellulose, but you could ask Jon. Over the
> past
> >3 winters, the work they did helped us reduce heating fuel needs by 33%,
> >just as Jon had predicted via the blower test results. It paid for itself,
> >and we helped lower CO2 as well as our utility costs.
> >
> >- Jan Quarles
> >Sheldrake, NY
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Tony Del Plato" <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
> >To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> >
> >Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:24 AM
> >Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
> >
> >
> > > Hello TC Sustainers:
> > > I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions that
> need
> > > it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
> > > Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
> > > Tony Del Plato
> > >
> > > --
> > > An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
> > > lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
> > > - Nicholas Chamfort
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> > > please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
> > >
> > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> > > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> > > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> > > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
> > >
> > >
> > > --
> > > No virus found in this incoming message.
> > > Checked by AVG.
> > > Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.9.16/1843 - Release Date:
> > > 12/11/2008 8:36 AM
> > >
> > >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> >please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
> >
> >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> >SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>



-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
 - Nicholas Chamfort

From lennon_kat at hotmail.com  Thu Dec 11 10:48:53 2008
From: lennon_kat at hotmail.com (Kat McCarthy)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:48:53 +0000
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Sustainability Happy Hour*Friday 5*Korova
Message-ID: <BAY139-W4681B4C4EF6A18E8BFCD71E6F80@phx.gbl>


It's almost Friday!
 
Sustainability Happy Hour
Friday at 5
Korova

From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Thu Dec 11 11:34:42 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:34:42 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
Message-ID: <980244.31961.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>


Tony,
?
Are the walls of the house a solid plank wall or are they of stud wall construction?? I?ask because during renovations I discovered that the core of my "1930s Arts & Craft" house turned out to be an 1873 last of the plank houses.? Use of the familiar 2x4 stud wall construction was not that commmon before the 1870s.
?
Fear not, however.? I adjusted to the situation by building a new 2x4 stud wall about two inches inside the original solid plank exterior walls, or just enough to give me the depth needed to insulate with R-19 fiberglass batt insulation.? You do not have to remove any of the original plaster.? You just encase it behind the new wall.
?
I finished off with a poly vapor barrier and the conventional sheetrock drywall on the inside.
?
By maintaining a gap between old and new and limiting the number of places where you attach the new wall to the old wall to just a few locations, you can also achieve some substantial sound deadening capability.? The older outer wall will not transmit the vibrations of highway traffic to the new wall, and into the room.?
?
The downside of this approach is that you will lose about six inches of floor space along the outer walls.? 
?
You will also have to trim out affected windows and doors to reflect the thicker wall, which requires a lot of detail work like carefully removing existing trim for re-use and ripping new wood to proper widths, etc.? 
?
If the trim has a natural wood finish it is a real trip custom mixing several types (oak, walnut, cherry) of stains to get?one that matches the old wood.
?
The deeper window sills however make great places for plants.
?
In several locations in our house leaving the old plank walls exposed and finishing them with clear?polyurethane created a great accent to?adjacent plaster or contemporary drywall surfaces.? The key to refinishing though is not to sand the plank but rather lightly wire brush off the oxidized wood on the surface and cleaning with TSP or other non-phosphate cleaner.? This way you can preserve the?dark patina of the old wood.
?
Enjoy the next two decades of the My Old House experience.
?
?
George?Frantz


--- On Thu, 12/11/08, Tony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Tony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 2:24 PM

Hello TC Sustainers:
I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions that need
it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
Tony Del Plato

-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
 - Nicholas Chamfort
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org



      

From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Thu Dec 11 13:21:25 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:21:25 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
In-Reply-To: <980244.31961.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <980244.31961.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812111321i54d44399rb500097a9546b637@mail.gmail.com>

George,
Not sure but inside it looks like stud wall construction and the outside is
covered with vinyl siding (ugh). We closed on the house this past Monday, so
I'm about to embark on a fact finding investigation into my new home, its
structure as well as the history. At the moment, my focus will be on the
house itself, as well as getting up a snow fence (if it's not too late),
INSULATING EVERYTHING, etc.
Thanks for your ideas about the house & what you've done. Seems like old
homes are like onions. I'm going into the deeper layers thru the winter.
Tony

On 12/11/08, George Frantz <gjem5760 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>
> Tony,
>
> Are the walls of the house a solid plank wall or are they of stud wall
> construction?  I ask because during renovations I discovered that the core
> of my "1930s Arts & Craft" house turned out to be an 1873 last of the plank
> houses.  Use of the familiar 2x4 stud wall construction was not that commmon
> before the 1870s.
>
> Fear not, however.  I adjusted to the situation by building a new 2x4 stud
> wall about two inches inside the original solid plank exterior walls, or
> just enough to give me the depth needed to insulate with R-19 fiberglass
> batt insulation.  You do not have to remove any of the original
> plaster.  You just encase it behind the new wall.
>
> I finished off with a poly vapor barrier and the conventional sheetrock
> drywall on the inside.
>
> By maintaining a gap between old and new and limiting the number of places
> where you attach the new wall to the old wall to just a few locations, you
> can also achieve some substantial sound deadening capability.  The older
> outer wall will not transmit the vibrations of highway traffic to the new
> wall, and into the room.
>
> The downside of this approach is that you will lose about six inches of
> floor space along the outer walls.
>
> You will also have to trim out affected windows and doors to reflect the
> thicker wall, which requires a lot of detail work like carefully removing
> existing trim for re-use and ripping new wood to proper widths, etc.
>
> If the trim has a natural wood finish it is a real trip custom mixing
> several types (oak, walnut, cherry) of stains to get one that matches the
> old wood.
>
> The deeper window sills however make great places for plants.
>
> In several locations in our house leaving the old plank walls exposed and
> finishing them with clear polyurethane created a great accent to adjacent
> plaster or contemporary drywall surfaces.  The key to refinishing though is
> not to sand the plank but rather lightly wire brush off the oxidized wood on
> the surface and cleaning with TSP or other non-phosphate cleaner.  This way
> you can preserve the dark patina of the old wood.
>
> Enjoy the next two decades of the My Old House experience.
>
>
> George Frantz
>
>
>
> --- On Thu, 12/11/08, Tony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> From: Tony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
>
> Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
>
> To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
>
> Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 2:24 PM
>
>
> Hello TC Sustainers:
> I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions that need
> it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
> Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
> Tony Del Plato
>
> --
> An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
> lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
>   - Nicholas Chamfort
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please
> visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>



-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
  - Nicholas Chamfort

From mmccasla at twcny.rr.com  Thu Dec 11 13:47:25 2008
From: mmccasla at twcny.rr.com (Margaret McCasland)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:47:25 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
In-Reply-To: <ab9bf9ac0812111321i54d44399rb500097a9546b637@mail.gmail.com>
References: <980244.31961.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<ab9bf9ac0812111321i54d44399rb500097a9546b637@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <5D8B42FF-B3BC-4BF4-888B-A07F16139DEE@twcny.rr.com>

Hi TOny,

George is correct; houses that old don't usually have stud walls; my  
house does have new walls built inside the old ones, but not  
everywhere.  That's why the infrared heat loss tests are so important-- 
different walls may have different histories--even parts of walls may  
vary; TCA found a closed-over door that the blown in insulation hadn't  
gotten--and we found it because I complained about  frost forming on  
the inside wall--the vinyl siding covered up the outside evidence, and  
new wall-board covered up the inside evidence!

One alternative to running a blower door test to find leaks (they can  
be used to locate leaks as well as measure air flow) is to wait for a  
windy day and use something with smoke to see where drafts are--in  
addition to the ones your body tells you about. Window casings often  
hide major leaks.

If you're going to do quick insulation work while waiting to get to  
know the house better (good idea, BTW), you may want to use  
polyethylene on the "worst" windows (the clear plastic is vinyl--AKA  
the toxic plastic). Also, you might ask a contractor if using Great  
Stuff: makes it harder to fix things later--I know I've solved a few  
thorny problem with it, but it gets unsightly over time and is  
probably VERY nasty while off-gassing.  I also use plastic foam  
"beading"--sold at paint stores--to fill gaps around windows, doors,  
where walls meet floors (behind baseboards). Oh, the places that air  
gets into old houses!

This year,  instead of using plastic, I'm experimenting with curtains  
INSIDE windows that stop at the sill so they trap cold air in a dead  
air space.

Now this next advice sounds stupid, BUT If you want to get NYSERDA  
dollars later, you may not want to do too much weatherizing this  
winter, because the improvement in your utility bills (at least in  
some cases) determines how much money you get from NYSERDA. Given that  
many of us with houses that need work keep our bills down with rope  
caulk, plastic over windows, closed off rooms we would LIKE to be able  
to use, etc), thermostats set below a comfort level, ANYTHING to keep  
bills down, this doesn't seem very fair--or ecological or affordable.

Good luck.  Margaret

On Dec 11, 2008, at 4:21 PM, Tony Del Plato wrote:

> George,
> Not sure but inside it looks like stud wall construction and the  
> outside is
> covered with vinyl siding (ugh). We closed on the house this past  
> Monday, so
> I'm about to embark on a fact finding investigation into my new  
> home, its
> structure as well as the history. At the moment, my focus will be on  
> the
> house itself, as well as getting up a snow fence (if it's not too  
> late),
> INSULATING EVERYTHING, etc.
> Thanks for your ideas about the house & what you've done. Seems like  
> old
> homes are like onions. I'm going into the deeper layers thru the  
> winter.
> Tony
>
> On 12/11/08, George Frantz <gjem5760 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> Tony,
>>
>> Are the walls of the house a solid plank wall or are they of stud  
>> wall
>> construction?  I ask because during renovations I discovered that  
>> the core
>> of my "1930s Arts & Craft" house turned out to be an 1873 last of  
>> the plank
>> houses.  Use of the familiar 2x4 stud wall construction was not  
>> that commmon
>> before the 1870s.
>>
>> Fear not, however.  I adjusted to the situation by building a new  
>> 2x4 stud
>> wall about two inches inside the original solid plank exterior  
>> walls, or
>> just enough to give me the depth needed to insulate with R-19  
>> fiberglass
>> batt insulation.  You do not have to remove any of the original
>> plaster.  You just encase it behind the new wall.
>>
>> I finished off with a poly vapor barrier and the conventional  
>> sheetrock
>> drywall on the inside.
>>
>> By maintaining a gap between old and new and limiting the number of  
>> places
>> where you attach the new wall to the old wall to just a few  
>> locations, you
>> can also achieve some substantial sound deadening capability.  The  
>> older
>> outer wall will not transmit the vibrations of highway traffic to  
>> the new
>> wall, and into the room.
>>
>> The downside of this approach is that you will lose about six  
>> inches of
>> floor space along the outer walls.
>>
>> You will also have to trim out affected windows and doors to  
>> reflect the
>> thicker wall, which requires a lot of detail work like carefully  
>> removing
>> existing trim for re-use and ripping new wood to proper widths, etc.
>>
>> If the trim has a natural wood finish it is a real trip custom mixing
>> several types (oak, walnut, cherry) of stains to get one that  
>> matches the
>> old wood.
>>
>> The deeper window sills however make great places for plants.
>>
>> In several locations in our house leaving the old plank walls  
>> exposed and
>> finishing them with clear polyurethane created a great accent to  
>> adjacent
>> plaster or contemporary drywall surfaces.  The key to refinishing  
>> though is
>> not to sand the plank but rather lightly wire brush off the  
>> oxidized wood on
>> the surface and cleaning with TSP or other non-phosphate cleaner.   
>> This way
>> you can preserve the dark patina of the old wood.
>>
>> Enjoy the next two decades of the My Old House experience.
>>
>>
>> George Frantz
>>
>>
>>
>> --- On Thu, 12/11/08, Tony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> From: Tony Del Plato <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
>>
>> Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
>>
>> To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org 
>> >
>>
>> Date: Thursday, December 11, 2008, 2:24 PM
>>
>>
>> Hello TC Sustainers:
>> I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions  
>> that need
>> it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
>> Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
>> Tony Del Plato
>>
>> --
>> An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
>> lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
>>  - Nicholas Chamfort
>> _______________________________________________
>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
>> area,
>> please
>> visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>>
>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
>> area,
>> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>>
>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>>
>
>
>
> -- 
> An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
> lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
>  - Nicholas Chamfort
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
> area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org


From northsheep at juno.com  Thu Dec 11 15:00:39 2008
From: northsheep at juno.com (northsheep at juno.com)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:00:39 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Urbanization inherently unsustainable:
	one more argument to weigh
Message-ID: <20081211.180042.3184.73.northsheep@juno.com>

 
On Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:37:30 -0500 "George Adams" <ghadams at gmail.com>
writes:

"I take the liberty of summarizing one of his [Jeff Vail's] points
because I happen to
agree with it: World class urban centers "work" only because they permit
an
organized competition for the resources of the surrounding countryside
and,
nowadays, the whole globalized world economy.  They may increase the mean
wealth of their inhabitants but not the median well being of the
collection
of "hinterland" residents whose resources they tap.  Because such urban
centers must compete, they are only viable under regimes of economic
expansion and thus inherently unsustainable."

I have found Jeff Vail intriguing and instructive on a number of subjects
of concern to this forum. http://www.jeffvail.net/ Derrick Jensen  makes
the same points that George summarized  more directly in terms of power
relations between urban centers, which characterize civilization as we
know it, and their peripheries. To summarize his argument and conclusions
he draws:

1. Civilization as we know it subsists in the form of urban centers
extracting resources from peripheries. Concentration of resources =
concentration of power, leading to resource wars, leading to more
extraction: a feedback loop of seemingly endless growth. 

2. Traditional (read rural) communities do not give up their resources
except by violence done to them, or its threat. 

3. "Our way of living - industrial civilization - is based upon,
requires, and would collapse very quickly without persistent and
widespread violence." This can never be sustainable (as the history of
civilizations suggests, with over two dozen major civilizations
eventually collapsing since the advent of agriculture, civilization's
enabling event). Civilization's inherent violence to its resource base,
both in people and land, make its downfall inevitable. Patchworks of
small human communities will replace civilization. 

If Jensen sounds radical, he is, but he is also funny and compelling, as
in his video discussions on themes in his two volume work, Endgame 
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8649250863235826256
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6557057252892383895&q=Derrick+Jen
sen&hl=en

What Jensen and Vail both reveal, is that civilization is inherently
hierarchical. Vail proposes a horizontal alternative that might be more
sustainable, a model he bases on the structure of a Tuscan hill town
http://www.jeffvail.net/2006/04/envisioning-hamlet-economy-topology-of.ht
ml

Karl North
Northland Sheep Dairy, Freetown, New York USA
     www.geocities.com/northsheep/
"Mother Nature never farms without animals" - Albert Howard
"Pueblo que canta no morira" - Cuban saying

____________________________________________________________
Save $15 on Flowers and Gifts from FTD!
Shop now at http://offers.juno.com/TGL1141/?u=http://www.ftd.com/17007

From gaynicholson at aol.com  Thu Dec 11 20:19:34 2008
From: gaynicholson at aol.com (Gay Nicholson)
Date: Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:19:34 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
In-Reply-To: <6.2.1.2.2.20081211111831.03f21b20@postoffice7.mail.cornell.edu>
References: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>
	<2E5EFAEF82C046E2BD440B48E0F790AC@user>
	<6.2.1.2.2.20081211111831.03f21b20@postoffice7.mail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <35EF2123-4D90-4C6C-A9E5-70A1EFC7BEA5@aol.com>

Ken,

This website is a wonderful contribution to our community (and the  
rest of the state).  Congratulations to you and your team on a job  
extremely well done!

Gay


On Dec 11, 2008, at 11:31 AM, Kenneth Schlather wrote:

> Tony and others,
> Now seems like a good time to let you know that Cooperative  
> Extension of
> Tompkins County has developed a website on energy efficiency  
> practices that
> not only tells you how much you can save by implementing different  
> energy
> saving practices in your home from A to Z but also shows you HOW, with
> video clips for most of the things that may not be as clear as us
> weatherizing greenhorns may like (how thin IS a thin bead of caulk
> anyway?!).  The site is designed to help those with little time  
> (with a
> table of some 34 tips that take 10 minutes or less to do), little  
> money (23
> tips that cost nothing, plus many more that cost 20 bucks or less),  
> as well
> as for those who live in apartments or mobile homes. Each of the  
> tips links
> you to the page on the site where you can read or view HOW to do  
> those things.
>
> There is also a nifty house that you can click on any part of it to  
> see
> what you could do to save energy in that part of the house.  (And  
> Tony,
> there is a great section on ventilation and another on insulation  
> with some
> excellent videos, that would be worthwhile looking at whether you  
> hire a
> contractor or do the work yourself.)
>
> You can find the site at this
> link,  http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins/energysavings/  or  
> if you
> would prefer to have a free CD of the website drop me a line off  
> line and
> let me know how  you'll share the information about this site with  
> someone
> else and we'll get you the CD.  If you want more than one CD so that  
> you
> can share it with other people we can arrange that as well.  And if  
> you do
> visit the site and have suggestions for improvements we'd love to  
> have them
> as we intend to continue to improve the site.   ken
>
> At 10:17 AM 12/11/2008, Jan Quarles wrote:
>> Tony,
>>
>> Our farmhouse was built in 1870. We hired Performance Systems in  
>> 2005, and
>> Jon Harrod was the lead person on the job. I would highly recommend  
>> him and
>> you can now contact him at his own company, "Snug Planet" in  
>> Ithaca. Jon did
>> a whole-house assessment, with a before-and-after blower test and a  
>> camera
>> that can see through your walls to determine which ones need  
>> insulating. We
>> were surprised and relieved to find that most of our lathe and  
>> plaster
>> walls, which are very thick, had plenty of insulation. Jon's expert  
>> advice
>> saved us lots of money. He recommended keeping our old windows that  
>> include
>> old wood frame storms. The attic insulation of R50 value helped
>> tremendously, along with doorsweeps and some weatherstripping. I  
>> think the
>> insulation was rodent-proof cellulose, but you could ask Jon. Over  
>> the past
>> 3 winters, the work they did helped us reduce heating fuel needs by  
>> 33%,
>> just as Jon had predicted via the blower test results. It paid for  
>> itself,
>> and we helped lower CO2 as well as our utility costs.
>>
>> - Jan Quarles
>> Sheldrake, NY
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Tony Del Plato" <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
>> To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org 
>> >
>> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:24 AM
>> Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
>>
>>
>>> Hello TC Sustainers:
>>> I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions  
>>> that need
>>> it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
>>> Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
>>> Tony Del Plato
>>>
>>> --
>>> An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough- 
>>> edged
>>> lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the  
>>> living.
>>> - Nicholas Chamfort
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
>>> area,
>>> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>>>
>>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>>> Checked by AVG.
>>> Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.9.16/1843 - Release Date:
>>> 12/11/2008 8:36 AM
>>>
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
>> area,
>> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>>
>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
> area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org

----------------------------------------------------
Gay Nicholson, Ph.D.

607-533-7312 (home office)
607-220-8991 (cell)

1 Maple Avenue
Lansing, NY 14882
gaynicholson at aol.com

Sustainable Tompkins
Program Coordinator
www.sustainabletompkins.org


From Cnielsen56 at aol.com  Fri Dec 12 05:18:54 2008
From: Cnielsen56 at aol.com (Cnielsen56 at aol.com)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:18:54 EST
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] sustainable agriculture
Message-ID: <c5b.36e5534a.3673bebe@aol.com>

     
Dear  Friends,  
 
 
 
 
Please consider signing  this petition as soon as you can (time is of the 
essence)  and forwarding it to others in your networks who are concerned about  
sustainable agriculture - _http://www.fooddemocracynow.org_ 
(http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/) .  
This is a letter to  President-elect Obama asking him to appoint someone to 
the position of  Secretary of Agriculture who is committed to protecting and 
promoting  sustainable agriculture.  We need someone who will advocate for  
practices that can restore economic viability to rural America while protecting 
public health and  the environment.
 
The original letter and  signatories, plus a sign-in page, can be found at 
_http://www.fooddemocracynow.org_ (http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/) .  Current 
signers to the  letter include Rick Bayless, Michael Pollan, Wendell Berry, 
Marion  Nestle, Bill McKibben, Wes Jackson, Catherine Sneed, and Alice Waters,  
among  others. 








**************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and 
favorite sites in one place.  Try it now. 
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Fri Dec 12 07:09:56 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:09:56 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
In-Reply-To: <35EF2123-4D90-4C6C-A9E5-70A1EFC7BEA5@aol.com>
References: <ab9bf9ac0812110624u3473c8c9x7283e354f5fdf802@mail.gmail.com>
	<2E5EFAEF82C046E2BD440B48E0F790AC@user>
	<6.2.1.2.2.20081211111831.03f21b20@postoffice7.mail.cornell.edu>
	<35EF2123-4D90-4C6C-A9E5-70A1EFC7BEA5@aol.com>
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812120709g30f095c3re58ff7bf23b1be4c@mail.gmail.com>

Ken,
I've been roaming around the coop extension website. It's very user friendly
and by the time I get through all the tips and develop a strategy for
tightening up my ole house, I'll be well prepared for insulation contractors
with questions on the big things that need to be done. Thanks again for the
terrific work you & others at C.E. have done.
Tony

On Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 11:19 PM, Gay Nicholson <gaynicholson at aol.com>wrote:

> Ken,
>
> This website is a wonderful contribution to our community (and the
> rest of the state).  Congratulations to you and your team on a job
> extremely well done!
>
> Gay
>
>
> On Dec 11, 2008, at 11:31 AM, Kenneth Schlather wrote:
>
> > Tony and others,
> > Now seems like a good time to let you know that Cooperative
> > Extension of
> > Tompkins County has developed a website on energy efficiency
> > practices that
> > not only tells you how much you can save by implementing different
> > energy
> > saving practices in your home from A to Z but also shows you HOW, with
> > video clips for most of the things that may not be as clear as us
> > weatherizing greenhorns may like (how thin IS a thin bead of caulk
> > anyway?!).  The site is designed to help those with little time
> > (with a
> > table of some 34 tips that take 10 minutes or less to do), little
> > money (23
> > tips that cost nothing, plus many more that cost 20 bucks or less),
> > as well
> > as for those who live in apartments or mobile homes. Each of the
> > tips links
> > you to the page on the site where you can read or view HOW to do
> > those things.
> >
> > There is also a nifty house that you can click on any part of it to
> > see
> > what you could do to save energy in that part of the house.  (And
> > Tony,
> > there is a great section on ventilation and another on insulation
> > with some
> > excellent videos, that would be worthwhile looking at whether you
> > hire a
> > contractor or do the work yourself.)
> >
> > You can find the site at this
> > link,  http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins/energysavings/  or
> > if you
> > would prefer to have a free CD of the website drop me a line off
> > line and
> > let me know how  you'll share the information about this site with
> > someone
> > else and we'll get you the CD.  If you want more than one CD so that
> > you
> > can share it with other people we can arrange that as well.  And if
> > you do
> > visit the site and have suggestions for improvements we'd love to
> > have them
> > as we intend to continue to improve the site.   ken
> >
> > At 10:17 AM 12/11/2008, Jan Quarles wrote:
> >> Tony,
> >>
> >> Our farmhouse was built in 1870. We hired Performance Systems in
> >> 2005, and
> >> Jon Harrod was the lead person on the job. I would highly recommend
> >> him and
> >> you can now contact him at his own company, "Snug Planet" in
> >> Ithaca. Jon did
> >> a whole-house assessment, with a before-and-after blower test and a
> >> camera
> >> that can see through your walls to determine which ones need
> >> insulating. We
> >> were surprised and relieved to find that most of our lathe and
> >> plaster
> >> walls, which are very thick, had plenty of insulation. Jon's expert
> >> advice
> >> saved us lots of money. He recommended keeping our old windows that
> >> include
> >> old wood frame storms. The attic insulation of R50 value helped
> >> tremendously, along with doorsweeps and some weatherstripping. I
> >> think the
> >> insulation was rodent-proof cellulose, but you could ask Jon. Over
> >> the past
> >> 3 winters, the work they did helped us reduce heating fuel needs by
> >> 33%,
> >> just as Jon had predicted via the blower test results. It paid for
> >> itself,
> >> and we helped lower CO2 as well as our utility costs.
> >>
> >> - Jan Quarles
> >> Sheldrake, NY
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Tony Del Plato" <tonydelplato at gmail.com>
> >> To: "postingsustainabletompkins" <
> sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> >> >
> >> Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 9:24 AM
> >> Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Insulation
> >>
> >>
> >>> Hello TC Sustainers:
> >>> I just bought a home built in 1850 and want to insulate portions
> >>> that need
> >>> it. Any thoughts or experiences with Airkrete, Cellulose, Icynene or
> >>> Polyurethane as well as contractors would be appreciated.
> >>> Tony Del Plato
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-
> >>> edged
> >>> lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the
> >>> living.
> >>> - Nicholas Chamfort
> >>> _______________________________________________
> >>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County
> >>> area,
> >>> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
> >>>
> >>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> >>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> >>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> >>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> No virus found in this incoming message.
> >>> Checked by AVG.
> >>> Version: 7.5.552 / Virus Database: 270.9.16/1843 - Release Date:
> >>> 12/11/2008 8:36 AM
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County
> >> area,
> >> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
> >>
> >> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> >> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> >> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> >> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County
> > area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
> >
> > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> > SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> > http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> > free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> Gay Nicholson, Ph.D.
>
> 607-533-7312 (home office)
> 607-220-8991 (cell)
>
> 1 Maple Avenue
> Lansing, NY 14882
> gaynicholson at aol.com
>
> Sustainable Tompkins
> Program Coordinator
> www.sustainabletompkins.org
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>



-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
 - Nicholas Chamfort

From ithaca.bob at gmail.com  Fri Dec 12 09:32:51 2008
From: ithaca.bob at gmail.com (Bob Rossi)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:32:51 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] what to do with your happy hour at Korova
	today...
Message-ID: <d88ecb3a0812120932v9b3c51cnd1b4643ef30c5eff@mail.gmail.com>

if you're interested, here's something fun to chat about while sipping your
beer.


http://greenresourcehub.org.s15352.gridserver.com/docs/Flyer_NoDriveDrive.jpg<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fgreenresourcehub.org.s15352.gridserver.com%2Fdocs%2FFlyer_NoDriveDrive.jpg&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEWdqXO7q1VpSBVKfRv5t-EBq8n-g>

my friend Amy will be coming to Korova.  at 6pm, some of us are going to
find a table and plan this event: what items, which stores, what to do about
the weather, etc.  Please join in if you're interested.

See you there!
 ---boB


On Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 1:48 PM, Kat McCarthy <lennon_kat at hotmail.com>wrote:

>  It's almost Friday!
>
> Sustainability Happy Hour
> Friday at 5
> Korova
>

From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Fri Dec 12 12:19:47 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:19:47 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] what to do with your happy hour at Korova
 today...
Message-ID: <200812122021.mBCKLdBD018494@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

Sean--I sent this to you earlier today, as a Cc to a note to Bob 
Rossi, but I used the incorrect address (w/o the "s" at the end) that 
I had copied and pasted from a previous e-mail.  I have the correct 
one in my address book now.  Take care.   Tom

***************  Forwarded message  ***********************

Bob--I couldn't get the link to work to take me to the flyer.  I also 
can't figure out how to get to it from the Hub page, if that's where 
it is.  I think the Hub calendar isn't working as well.  I'm really 
impressed by the number of business that are list with the Hub!  Very 
cool.  Take  care.  Tom  

From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Fri Dec 12 11:49:51 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:49:51 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] what to do with your happy hour at Korova
 today...
In-Reply-To: <d88ecb3a0812120932v9b3c51cnd1b4643ef30c5eff@mail.gmail.com
 >
References: <d88ecb3a0812120932v9b3c51cnd1b4643ef30c5eff@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <200812121951.mBCJph73028268@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

Bob--I couldn't get the link to work to take me to the flyer.  I also 
can't figure out how to get to it from the Hub page, if that's where 
it is.  I think the Hub calendar isn't working as well.  I'm really 
impressed by the number of business that are list with the Hub!  Very 
cool.  Take  care.  Tom 

From andrejs at ozolins.com  Fri Dec 12 12:33:43 2008
From: andrejs at ozolins.com (Andrejs Ozolins)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:33:43 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] what to do with your happy hour at Korova
 today...
In-Reply-To: <200812121951.mBCJph73028268@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
References: <d88ecb3a0812120932v9b3c51cnd1b4643ef30c5eff@mail.gmail.com>
	<200812121951.mBCJph73028268@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <4942CAA7.4050805@ozolins.com>

The info regarding the No Drive Food Drive tomorrow is reproduced at 
http://bikeithaca.org/

A week from Sunday is the Solstice bike ride -- that info will be on 
that same website. (Please feel free to leave suggestions and/or 
comments in "the Commons" area, http://bikeithaca.org/?page_id=4 )

Andrejs

Thomas Shelley wrote:
> Bob--I couldn't get the link to work to take me to the flyer.  


From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Fri Dec 12 18:34:58 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:34:58 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] 2009 The Year of Unsustainability
In-Reply-To: <ab9bf9ac0812121805g614285al7b03b56f6ac21937@mail.gmail.com>
References: <ab9bf9ac0812121805g614285al7b03b56f6ac21937@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812121834m789bc15sd4ed97f333ab660d@mail.gmail.com>

Tony Del Plato (ad322 at cornell.edu) wants you to see this article on
Economist.com.

(Note: the sender's e-mail address above has not been verified.)

THE YEAR OF UNSUSTAINABILITY
Nov 19th 2008

We will see whether business and governments are serious about
sustainability, says Daniel Franklin

For business, the buzzword of 2008 was "sustainability". Never properly
defined, it meant different things to different people, which of course
added to its charm. In part it was a new way of packaging the clumsy
old "corporate social responsibility" (CSR). And it added a virtuous
green dimension: sustainable business would help to save the planet. So
companies appointed chief sustainability officers and printed (or, to
avoid felling more rainforest, electronically distributed)
sustainability reports full of photographs of green fields and blossom.

But that was then. In 2009 sustainability will take on a new meaning in
boardrooms: staying in business. As recession bites and growth slows,
bankruptcies will soar. To sustain profits, companies will slash costs
and cut jobs, while consumers will be even less prepared to pay extra
for organic food or air-travel offsets.

See the full article with graphics and related items at
http://www.economist.com/theworldin/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12494427

-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
  - Nicholas Chamfort

From ithaca.bob at gmail.com  Fri Dec 12 19:11:56 2008
From: ithaca.bob at gmail.com (Bob Rossi)
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2008 22:11:56 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] what to do with your happy hour at Korova
	today...
In-Reply-To: <200812121951.mBCJph73028268@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
References: <d88ecb3a0812120932v9b3c51cnd1b4643ef30c5eff@mail.gmail.com>
	<200812121951.mBCJph73028268@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <d88ecb3a0812121911p1259fc64x29f4a8b51a11f68d@mail.gmail.com>

Did you try copying and pasting?  It's an odd URL for reasons that I don't
feel like getting into, but I think you've discovered that some email
editors fail to parse it correctly.  Try copying and pasting it.
http://greenresourcehub.org.s15352.gridserver.com/docs/Flyer_NoDriveDrive.jpg<http://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fgreenresourcehub.org.s15352.gridserver.com%2Fdocs%2FFlyer_NoDriveDrive.jpg&sa=D&sntz=1&usg=AFQjCNEWdqXO7q1VpSBVKfRv5t-EBq8n-g>

It's not a Hub event.  I just threw the flier onto our server.

As Andrejs pointed out, most of the info is here: http://bikeithaca.org/

Perhaps i'll see some of you in the morning!

 --boB


On Fri, Dec 12, 2008 at 2:49 PM, Thomas Shelley <tjs1 at cornell.edu> wrote:

>  Bob--I couldn't get the link to work to take me to the flyer.  I also
> can't figure out how to get to it from the Hub page, if that's where it is.
> I think the Hub calendar isn't working as well.  I'm really impressed by the
> number of business that are list with the Hub!  Very cool.  Take  care.  Tom
>

From paleocorvus at myrealbox.com  Sat Dec 13 07:51:28 2008
From: paleocorvus at myrealbox.com (Corvia Ballefuocco)
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:51:28 +0000
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] And more ~
Message-ID: <1229183488.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>

Apologies to Ms. McCasland and Mr. Shelley ~ I am *still* getting *all* e-mails at this old e-addy (as well as the new).

Very frustrating.  Timing is such that now there are no good choices, it will be a PITA either way and I need to deal with it now.  Such is life on the net.

Will try unsubbing this again and see what happens.

I've seen these threads come up before.  I *know* I unsubbed @ mutualaid - this really needs to be dealt with.

Ciao~
"We must be the change we want to see in the world"
Mohandas Gandhi

From paleocorvus at myrealbox.com  Sat Dec 13 07:45:19 2008
From: paleocorvus at myrealbox.com (Corvia Ballefuocco)
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 15:45:19 +0000
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] More re: Unsubscribing
Message-ID: <1229183119.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>

{{slipping into asbestos suit}}

Having decided to receive sustainabletompkins e-mail at a different address, I followed the links at the bottom of every e-mail,

(& went through a PITA process 'cause I can never remember what password goes with what and I don't bother writing them down anymore 'cause I can never find them a couple of years later when I need them)

and finally successfully unsubscribed this address (at least according to listserve at mutualaid) and signed up the new addy.

A few weeks later ~ I get all list e-mails at the new addy, and **Some** list e-mails at this old addy.

I suspect it's not mutualaid's problem and probably something arcane having to do with a particular e-mail program and how folks have saved addresses (so far I only get e-mails at this e-addy from Ms. McCasland and Mr. Shelly)

But I don't know.  Apologizing in advance if this was supposed to go to one particular person ~ I followed the path that was "out front & in my face".  If it was the wrong path maybe someone should change the signs.  How do I unsubscribe an e-mail address that I have already unsubscribed and therefore (& presumably 'cause I'm just too busy these next few weeks to go through that PITA process again) mutualaid thinks no longer exists?

Happy Holidays~
fern
"We must be the change we want to see in the world"
Mohandas Gandhi

From simonstl at simonstl.com  Sat Dec 13 08:38:53 2008
From: simonstl at simonstl.com (Simon St.Laurent)
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 11:38:53 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] And more ~
In-Reply-To: <1229183488.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>
References: <1229183488.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>
Message-ID: <4943E51D.8060601@simonstl.com>

I've added a line to the bottom of each message with an email address 
for a list admin.

If you have unsubscription requests that don't work or other basic 
problems, please contact that address, not the entire list.

Thanks,
Simon St.Laurent
list admin

From burns at panix.com  Sat Dec 13 10:40:15 2008
From: burns at panix.com (Michael Burns)
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:40:15 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] And more ~
In-Reply-To: <1229183488.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>
References: <1229183488.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>
Message-ID: <50708.75.222.36.225.1229193615.squirrel@mail.panix.com>

There is a <corvia at lanset.com> listed in the subsscription list. Is this you?
-Michael

> Apologies to Ms. McCasland and Mr. Shelley ~ I am *still* getting *all*
> e-mails at this old e-addy (as well as the new).
>
> Very frustrating.  Timing is such that now there are no good choices, it will
> be a PITA either way and I need to deal with it now.  Such is life on the net.
>
> Will try unsubbing this again and see what happens.
>
> I've seen these threads come up before.  I *know* I unsubbed @ mutualaid -
> this really needs to be dealt with.
>
> Ciao~
> "We must be the change we want to see in the world"
> Mohandas Gandhi
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
> visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Michael Burns
http://www.cayuta.org
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Earn your permaculture design certificate.
The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute
offers affordable local classes.
http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com  Sat Dec 13 13:07:06 2008
From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon)
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:07:06 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] And more ~
In-Reply-To: <4943E51D.8060601@simonstl.com>
References: <1229183488.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>
	<1229183488.1529b11cpaleocorvus@myrealbox.com>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20081213160641.020b35a0@pop.lightlink.com>

Good call.

Joel

At 11:38 AM 12/13/08 -0500, you wrote:
>I've added a line to the bottom of each message with an email address
>for a list admin.
>
>If you have unsubscription requests that don't work or other basic
>problems, please contact that address, not the entire list.
>
>Thanks,
>Simon St.Laurent
>list admin
>_______________________________________________
>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, 
>please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org

From Senecajean at aol.com  Sat Dec 13 13:40:01 2008
From: Senecajean at aol.com (Senecajean at aol.com)
Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:40:01 EST
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Surgery
Message-ID: <c15.2e992ff2.367585b1@aol.com>

I will be leaving for Syracuse for right hip surgery on Tuesday for pre-op  
and Wednesday the 17th fr the surgery.
 
I will be modifying my list susbscription for the interim. I expect to be  
there until around 12/31. I will be at Community General Hospital for 3-5 days  
and then hopefully a rehab facility called Birchwood in Liverpool.
 
I will be home about a month and then I'm having a second surgery--left  
hip--on January 28th.
 
Sorry I had to miss the holiday party.
 
Best to all.
 
Happy and peaceful holidays
 
Jeanne
**************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and 
favorite sites in one place.  Try it now. 
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

From dmummery77 at gmail.com  Sun Dec 14 06:35:15 2008
From: dmummery77 at gmail.com (Donna Mummery)
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:35:15 +1300
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Job Creation in a new clean energy economy
Message-ID: <68a517110812140635l151be8abm1f16ec0c0536e64a@mail.gmail.com>

The Christian Science Monitor

Los Angeles

California's new carbon-emissions rules ? the toughest in the United
States ? come at a propitious time for those anxious to curb global
warming.

The plan is likely to pass muster with an Obama administration, eager
to fight climate change, and could serve as a model for other states.
It also sends a message internationally. The state's effort to reduce
the average Californian's carbon "footprint" ? from 14 tons per year
to around 10 tons by 2020 ? is an ambitious goal that is attracting
foreign attention.

"As world leaders meet in Poland to negotiate an international climate
deal, California regulators set an international and national standard
for how to meet aggressive targets to cut global-warming pollution
that will create a high-wage, clean high-tech economy," said Derek
Walker, director of the California Climate Initiative of the
Environmental Defense Fund (EDF). On Friday, the United Nations' was
nearing the end of its climate negotiations in Poznan, Poland.

The California Air Resources Board ? the body charged with overseeing
the implementation of the state's 2006 Global Warming Solutions Act
(AB32) ? unanimously approved the roadmap of strategies that sets out
the details of how annual emissions will be cut.
Seven Western states (Arizona, California, Montana, New Mexico,
Oregon, Washington, and Utah) and four Canadian provinces (British
Columbia, Manitoba, Quebec and Ontario) have followed California's
lead by pledging to cut greenhouse gas emissions as part of a Western
Climate Initiative.

"Once again, California leads the nation in environmental laws," says
Robert Stern, president of the Center for Governmental Studies, a
political reform and community development group in Los Angeles. "What
is ironic is that it is a Republican governor who is the catalyst for
this action, since past environmental innovations in California have
been opposed by the Bush administration. With a new Democratic
administration about to take over the federal government, it is
unlikely that the federal government will drag its heels and make any
attempt to undercut the California and Western state effort in this
area. In fact, this effort might be the model for federal action."

Some in the business community are critical, saying that the new rules
will sock consumers with billions of dollars in increased electricity
and natural gas prices, new carbon and water fees, high building
costs, rents, and mortgages.

"California consumers and businesses deserve to know what the cost of
AB32 implementation means to them now and into the future," said
Dorothy Rothrock, spokesman for the California Manufacturers and
Technology Association, and cochair of the AB32 Implementation Group,
a statewide coalition of more than 180 businesses. "The AB32 scoping
plan is very ambitious and we need to get it right if we expect other
states, the nation, and the world to align with California's model."

But some political experts say the effort will become a new model for
the Obama administration. They claim it will increase gross state
product by $76 billion, boost household incomes by $48 billion, and
create as many as 403,000 jobs in a new, clean-energy economy.

"California already leads the nation in clean-tech investment," said
James Fine, EDF economist and policy scientist. "The Air Resources
Board's approval of its plan to implement the Global Warming Solutions
Act will reinforce this trend. Our state is well-positioned to make
enacting this law an opportunity, both economically and
environmentally, rather than a burden, as some naysayers suggest. By
approving the action plan, ARB is acknowledging definitively that the
most expensive option for California is inaction in fighting global
warming."

--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "Sustainable Whanganui" group.
To post to this group, send email to sustainable-whanganui at googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to
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From earthdayithaca at yahoo.com  Mon Dec 15 07:22:58 2008
From: earthdayithaca at yahoo.com (Joey Gates)
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 07:22:58 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Reminder Earth Day Mtg. tonight
Message-ID: <452804.69362.qm@web56401.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

There will be an Earth Day planning meeting tonight from 7-9 at the Old Jail House Conference Rm at 125 E. Court St. Downtown Ithaca.??For more information?feel free to ring 351-0664 after 5 or email here before 6:30PM.
?
See you there!


      

From simonstl at simonstl.com  Mon Dec 15 09:01:02 2008
From: simonstl at simonstl.com (Simon St.Laurent)
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:01:02 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New TCLocal article: Local and Urban Small
	Livestock and Poultry
Message-ID: <49468D4E.5030801@simonstl.com>

Humans have lived with animals for thousands of years, but over the past 
few decades the relationship has changed dramatically in this country. 
Domestic animals, apart from pets, are now largely concentrated in the 
hands of relatively few keepers whose primary incentive is converting 
them into cash.  Integrated farms where animals are a key component of a 
broader cycle have become rare, and the very idea of "farming" now 
suggests a large-scale operation.

Angelika St.Laurent challenges those expectations in her latest article, 
which examines how small livestock and poultry could become an ordinary 
part of life in Tompkins County - even in urban and suburban areas:

http://tclocal.org/2008/12/local_and_urban_small_livestoc.html

While keeping chickens or rabbits might seem old-fashioned, they offer 
opportunities for using land where crop farming is difficult, as well as 
the chance to build more complex and sustainable ecosystems than a focus 
on plants alone can provide.

The article includes action items for getting started and for helping 
others get started, for individuals, businesses, and local government. 
It also includes a brief introduction to some specific kinds of small 
livestock and poultry, including rabbits, chickens, ducks, sheeps, and 
goats.

We'd definitely be interested in comments and suggestions on this piece,
and welcome feedback. We'd love to hear questions, criticisms, and
additional ideas.

TCLocal is a group of citizens developing strategies for dealing with
energy descent in Tompkins County.  To that end, we're publishing
periodic articles, examining specific topics in the harsh light of
higher energy prices.  You can find them at:

http://www.tclocal.org/

Previous articles have examined growing fruit and managing roads and
bridges in Tompkins County after the peak, as well as water systems and
land use planning.

Upcoming articles, about one per month, will cover waste disposal, food 
processing, foodsheds, wood heat, and local biofuel production.

The TCLocal web site is specifically designed to get your feedback
on these ideas they are developed. These articles are a starting point
for a conversation we hope will include a wide variety of readers coming
at these issues from different perspectives.  We welcome comments and 
hope to find more good ideas through public discussion.

Thanks,
Simon St.Laurent
Chair, TCLocal
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, 
please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/

From jhogg at mac.com  Mon Dec 15 09:14:40 2008
From: jhogg at mac.com (James Hogg)
Date: Mon, 15 Dec 2008 12:14:40 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New TCLocal article: Local and Urban
 Small Livestock and Poultry
In-Reply-To: <49468D4E.5030801@simonstl.com>
References: <49468D4E.5030801@simonstl.com>
Message-ID: <1E29554D-EE51-4D19-B3F9-A8A0561059A3@mac.com>

Hi Simon,

I live in the Town of Ithaca and in my building zone, medium density  
residential, I am not allowed chickens either. I would love the  
opportunity to raise a few chickens, so I support this effort. Thank  
you very much.

Jim


On Dec 15, 2008, at 12:01 PM, Simon St.Laurent wrote:

> Humans have lived with animals for thousands of years, but over the  
> past
> few decades the relationship has changed dramatically in this country.
> Domestic animals, apart from pets, are now largely concentrated in the
> hands of relatively few keepers whose primary incentive is converting
> them into cash.  Integrated farms where animals are a key component  
> of a
> broader cycle have become rare, and the very idea of "farming" now
> suggests a large-scale operation.
>
> Angelika St.Laurent challenges those expectations in her latest  
> article,
> which examines how small livestock and poultry could become an  
> ordinary
> part of life in Tompkins County - even in urban and suburban areas:
>
> http://tclocal.org/2008/12/local_and_urban_small_livestoc.html
>
> While keeping chickens or rabbits might seem old-fashioned, they offer
> opportunities for using land where crop farming is difficult, as  
> well as
> the chance to build more complex and sustainable ecosystems than a  
> focus
> on plants alone can provide.
>
> The article includes action items for getting started and for helping
> others get started, for individuals, businesses, and local government.
> It also includes a brief introduction to some specific kinds of small
> livestock and poultry, including rabbits, chickens, ducks, sheeps, and
> goats.
>
> We'd definitely be interested in comments and suggestions on this  
> piece,
> and welcome feedback. We'd love to hear questions, criticisms, and
> additional ideas.
>
> TCLocal is a group of citizens developing strategies for dealing with
> energy descent in Tompkins County.  To that end, we're publishing
> periodic articles, examining specific topics in the harsh light of
> higher energy prices.  You can find them at:
>
> http://www.tclocal.org/
>
> Previous articles have examined growing fruit and managing roads and
> bridges in Tompkins County after the peak, as well as water systems  
> and
> land use planning.
>
> Upcoming articles, about one per month, will cover waste disposal,  
> food
> processing, foodsheds, wood heat, and local biofuel production.
>
> The TCLocal web site is specifically designed to get your feedback
> on these ideas they are developed. These articles are a starting point
> for a conversation we hope will include a wide variety of readers  
> coming
> at these issues from different perspectives.  We welcome comments and
> hope to find more good ideas through public discussion.
>
> Thanks,
> Simon St.Laurent
> Chair, TCLocal
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
> area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins- 
> owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org


From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Tue Dec 16 05:19:23 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 05:19:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock, Poultry and Zoning
Message-ID: <434933.36594.qm@web44903.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>











I recommend that everybody interested in?raising small livestock and poultry should check their local zoning regulations, because the ban on such activity tends to be applied across the board in suburban-type zoning districts and developments, including those covering much of Tompkins County.? 
?
I suspect it's not permitted anywhere in the Town of Ithaca?unless you are located in areas?zoned CD-Conservation or AG-Agricultural.
?
Even if the zoning regulations do not?explicitly ban such uses of the property, do not assume you can still do it.??Many municipal zoning regulations in New York state, are written in a manner that if a use is not listed as a permitted use within a particular zoning district, it is prohibited within?that zoning district.
?
I have have no problems with my neighbors here in Ithaca having poultry. ?I'm?in the one percent of?the population that has no problem being awaken up at the crack of dawn by chickens and ducks next door.? The other 99 percent of the neighborhood however probably prefers to sleep in.??Moreover no manure smells as bad as chicken manure.? 
?
So I?don't hold out much hope for chickens and ducks?being let back into Ithaca or the surrounding suburbs.
?
George Frantz??
?


--- On Mon, 12/15/08, Simon St.Laurent <simonstl at simonstl.com> wrote:

From: Simon St.Laurent <simonstl at simonstl.com>
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New TCLocal article: Local and Urban Small Livestock and Poultry
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Monday, December 15, 2008, 5:01 PM

Humans have lived with animals for thousands of years, but over the past 
few decades the relationship has changed dramatically in this country. 
Domestic animals, apart from pets, are now largely concentrated in the 
hands of relatively few keepers whose primary incentive is converting 
them into cash.  Integrated farms where animals are a key component of a 
broader cycle have become rare, and the very idea of "farming" now 
suggests a large-scale operation.






      

From bosak at ibiblio.org  Tue Dec 16 06:03:34 2008
From: bosak at ibiblio.org (Jon Bosak)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:03:34 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock,
	Poultry and Zoning
In-Reply-To: <434933.36594.qm@web44903.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <434933.36594.qm@web44903.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <4947B536.6040209@ibiblio.org>

[George Frantz:]

| I recommend that everybody interested in raising small livestock
| and poultry should check their local zoning regulations, because
| the ban on such activity tends to be applied across the board in
| suburban-type zoning districts and developments, including those
| covering much of Tompkins County.

Good idea!

| I suspect it's not permitted anywhere in the Town of Ithaca unless
| you are located in areas zoned CD-Conservation or AG-Agricultural.

It's also allowed in areas zoned Low Density Residential.

| Even if the zoning regulations do not explicitly ban such uses of
| the property, do not assume you can still do it.  Many municipal
| zoning regulations in New York state, are written in a manner that
| if a use is not listed as a permitted use within a particular
| zoning district, it is prohibited within that zoning district.

More good advice.

| I have have no problems with my neighbors here in Ithaca having
| poultry.  I'm in the one percent of the population that has no
| problem being awaken up at the crack of dawn by chickens and ducks
| next door.  The other 99 percent of the neighborhood however
| probably prefers to sleep in.  Moreover no manure smells as bad as
| chicken manure.

Chickens and ducks don't actually make all that much noise; the
problem is roosters.  Places like Portland (OR) that allow
chickens within city boundaries put a limit on the number (three
is typical) and prohibit keeping roosters.

As pointed out in the TCLocal article, the manure problem is one
aspect of proper maintenance and could be addressed through
education and regular municipal inspection.

| So I don't hold out much hope for chickens and ducks being let
| back into Ithaca or the surrounding suburbs.

Unemployment and food shortages (which could start developing
within the next couple of years due to a collapse in liquid fuel
production) may change the way people feel about this.  The Town
of Ithaca is in the initial stages of revising its 1993
Comprehensive Plan; this might be a good time to revisit the
question.

Jon



From kbhansen at ithaca.edu  Tue Dec 16 07:34:25 2008
From: kbhansen at ithaca.edu (brooke hansen)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:34:25 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock,
	Poultry and Zoning -- plug for chickens
In-Reply-To: <4947B536.6040209@ibiblio.org>
References: <434933.36594.qm@web44903.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<4947B536.6040209@ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <4947CA81.3040504@ithaca.edu>

Let's promote the chickens! I say if the the ordinances are not there 
allowing reasonable numbers of chickens, then let's change that! I keep 
chickens and many a visitor has commented on how the chicken coop and 
yard don't smell -- there are ways to effectively control this. Roosters 
are another story, I don't have any. No food waste from my house, or any 
restaurants we eat at, goes in the trash -- it's all chicken food or 
compost. It's a wonderful recycling system and the eggs are the best 
ever. I think we should get chicken coops on the Ithaca College campus 
and supply our populace here with eggs. They are so low maintenance. 
Natural Home magazine had an article in May 2006 about how 
municipalities in Belgium were giving households three chickens each to 
recycle biodegradable garbage -- which they estimated could save some 
municipalities $600,000 annually in trash management. One chicken can 
consume 9 pounds of chicken garbage a month. The manure I get from it 
(also not really a smell problem for me) is awesome -- it grew 8 foot 
valerian plants in my garden last summer.
-- Brooke Hansen
Department of Anthropology
Ithaca College

Jon Bosak wrote:
> [George Frantz:]
>
> | I recommend that everybody interested in raising small livestock
> | and poultry should check their local zoning regulations, because
> | the ban on such activity tends to be applied across the board in
> | suburban-type zoning districts and developments, including those
> | covering much of Tompkins County.
>
> Good idea!
>
> | I suspect it's not permitted anywhere in the Town of Ithaca unless
> | you are located in areas zoned CD-Conservation or AG-Agricultural.
>
> It's also allowed in areas zoned Low Density Residential.
>
> | Even if the zoning regulations do not explicitly ban such uses of
> | the property, do not assume you can still do it.  Many municipal
> | zoning regulations in New York state, are written in a manner that
> | if a use is not listed as a permitted use within a particular
> | zoning district, it is prohibited within that zoning district.
>
> More good advice.
>
> | I have have no problems with my neighbors here in Ithaca having
> | poultry.  I'm in the one percent of the population that has no
> | problem being awaken up at the crack of dawn by chickens and ducks
> | next door.  The other 99 percent of the neighborhood however
> | probably prefers to sleep in.  Moreover no manure smells as bad as
> | chicken manure.
>
> Chickens and ducks don't actually make all that much noise; the
> problem is roosters.  Places like Portland (OR) that allow
> chickens within city boundaries put a limit on the number (three
> is typical) and prohibit keeping roosters.
>
> As pointed out in the TCLocal article, the manure problem is one
> aspect of proper maintenance and could be addressed through
> education and regular municipal inspection.
>
> | So I don't hold out much hope for chickens and ducks being let
> | back into Ithaca or the surrounding suburbs.
>
> Unemployment and food shortages (which could start developing
> within the next couple of years due to a collapse in liquid fuel
> production) may change the way people feel about this.  The Town
> of Ithaca is in the initial stages of revising its 1993
> Comprehensive Plan; this might be a good time to revisit the
> question.
>
> Jon
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>   

From andy at ithacacarshare.org  Tue Dec 16 07:50:55 2008
From: andy at ithacacarshare.org (Andy Goodell)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:50:55 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock,
	Poultry and Zoning
In-Reply-To: <4947B536.6040209@ibiblio.org>
References: <434933.36594.qm@web44903.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<4947B536.6040209@ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <4947CE5F.1060609@ithacacarshare.org>

If my choices were to concentrate animal operations with poor health OR 
having many people with 3 chickens even if they are noisy and smelly, 
I'd much rather see the latter. It's completely immoral to run CAFOs, 
and we can't just live in a bubble without natural noises and smells.

-Andy



From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com  Tue Dec 16 08:57:05 2008
From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:57:05 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock,
 Poultry and  Zoning
In-Reply-To: <434933.36594.qm@web44903.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20081216113824.020bcb40@pop.lightlink.com>

I can only speak of Danby, but in this town, agriculture, including keeping 
animals, is specifically permitted in all residential zones. Danby clings 
to its agrarian roots, and the bulk of the agricultural activity in the 
town is hobby farming. I have neighbors who keep ducks. Four others keep 
chickens. Fortunately, the one neighbor with the rooster is enough apart to 
not be too disturbing, but that could become an issue real quick if keeping 
roosters became more widespread. For any of you considering keeping small 
animals where they are allowed, I urge you to be sensitive to your 
neighbors. Keeping animals responsibly is the best way to expand support 
for having animals at all, and causing problems for your neighbors the best 
way to curtail a practice that we should be promoting.

"Off-site impacts" is the general term for what we should be careful about. 
Air pollution and noise are big ones. I disagree with George about chicken 
manure. I think swine manure is worse. Neither is a problem, however, if 
managed with a bedding system to absorb ammonia and odors. This is also the 
best way to capture and stabilize the nutrients in the manure.

Joel

At 05:19 AM 12/16/08 -0800, you wrote:










>I recommend that everybody interested in raising small livestock and 
>poultry should check their local zoning regulations, because the ban on 
>such activity tends to be applied across the board in suburban-type zoning 
>districts and developments, including those covering much of Tompkins County.
>
>I suspect it's not permitted anywhere in the Town of Ithaca unless you are 
>located in areas zoned CD-Conservation or AG-Agricultural.
>
>Even if the zoning regulations do not explicitly ban such uses of the 
>property, do not assume you can still do it.  Many municipal zoning 
>regulations in New York state, are written in a manner that if a use is 
>not listed as a permitted use within a particular zoning district, it is 
>prohibited within that zoning district.
>
>I have have no problems with my neighbors here in Ithaca having 
>poultry.  I'm in the one percent of the population that has no problem 
>being awaken up at the crack of dawn by chickens and ducks next door.  The 
>other 99 percent of the neighborhood however probably prefers to sleep 
>in.  Moreover no manure smells as bad as chicken manure.
>
>So I don't hold out much hope for chickens and ducks being let back into 
>Ithaca or the surrounding suburbs.
>
>George Frantz
>
>
>
>--- On Mon, 12/15/08, Simon St.Laurent <simonstl at simonstl.com> wrote:
>
>From: Simon St.Laurent <simonstl at simonstl.com>
>Subject: [SustainableTompkins] New TCLocal article: Local and Urban Small 
>Livestock and Poultry
>To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" 
><sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
>Date: Monday, December 15, 2008, 5:01 PM
>
>Humans have lived with animals for thousands of years, but over the past
>few decades the relationship has changed dramatically in this country.
>Domestic animals, apart from pets, are now largely concentrated in the
>hands of relatively few keepers whose primary incentive is converting
>them into cash.  Integrated farms where animals are a key component of a
>broader cycle have become rare, and the very idea of "farming" now
>suggests a large-scale operation.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, 
>please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org

From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com  Tue Dec 16 09:26:06 2008
From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (Patricia Haines)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:26:06 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock,
	Poultry and Zoning -- plug for chickens
In-Reply-To: <4947CA81.3040504@ithaca.edu>
Message-ID: <463835.76039.qm@web62101.mail.re1.yahoo.com>

My understanding is that downtown Ithacans are allowed to have up to three chickens - has anyone double-checked this? I personally love my chickens - each one has a different personality, and they're very funny and friendly; they follow me around while I'm gardening. charles-the-Rooster does indeed wake up early, but? his is a reassuring voice reminding me that I am increasingly connected to a more natural rhythm of life.
?
The eggs are delicious and far more healthy than those bought in stores. I haven't found the manure smell to be a problem - and it makes great fertilizer.

LEVEL GREEN - fostering sustainable community through collaborative initiatives in hospitality, education and the arts, in the 150 year-old democratic spirit of the Danish Folk School. 1519 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 339-9472

--- On Tue, 12/16/08, brooke hansen <kbhansen at ithaca.edu> wrote:

From: brooke hansen <kbhansen at ithaca.edu>
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock, Poultry and Zoning -- plug for chickens
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 10:34 AM

Let's promote the chickens! I say if the the ordinances are not there 
allowing reasonable numbers of chickens, then let's change that! I keep 
chickens and many a visitor has commented on how the chicken coop and 
yard don't smell -- there are ways to effectively control this. Roosters 
are another story, I don't have any. No food waste from my house, or any 
restaurants we eat at, goes in the trash -- it's all chicken food or 
compost. It's a wonderful recycling system and the eggs are the best 
ever. I think we should get chicken coops on the Ithaca College campus 
and supply our populace here with eggs. They are so low maintenance. 
Natural Home magazine had an article in May 2006 about how 
municipalities in Belgium were giving households three chickens each to 
recycle biodegradable garbage -- which they estimated could save some 
municipalities $600,000 annually in trash management. One chicken can 
consume 9 pounds of chicken garbage a month. The manure I get from it 
(also not really a smell problem for me) is awesome -- it grew 8 foot 
valerian plants in my garden last summer.
-- Brooke Hansen
Department of Anthropology
Ithaca College

Jon Bosak wrote:
> [George Frantz:]
>
> | I recommend that everybody interested in raising small livestock
> | and poultry should check their local zoning regulations, because
> | the ban on such activity tends to be applied across the board in
> | suburban-type zoning districts and developments, including those
> | covering much of Tompkins County.
>
> Good idea!
>
> | I suspect it's not permitted anywhere in the Town of Ithaca unless
> | you are located in areas zoned CD-Conservation or AG-Agricultural.
>
> It's also allowed in areas zoned Low Density Residential.
>
> | Even if the zoning regulations do not explicitly ban such uses of
> | the property, do not assume you can still do it.  Many municipal
> | zoning regulations in New York state, are written in a manner that
> | if a use is not listed as a permitted use within a particular
> | zoning district, it is prohibited within that zoning district.
>
> More good advice.
>
> | I have have no problems with my neighbors here in Ithaca having
> | poultry.  I'm in the one percent of the population that has no
> | problem being awaken up at the crack of dawn by chickens and ducks
> | next door.  The other 99 percent of the neighborhood however
> | probably prefers to sleep in.  Moreover no manure smells as bad as
> | chicken manure.
>
> Chickens and ducks don't actually make all that much noise; the
> problem is roosters.  Places like Portland (OR) that allow
> chickens within city boundaries put a limit on the number (three
> is typical) and prohibit keeping roosters.
>
> As pointed out in the TCLocal article, the manure problem is one
> aspect of proper maintenance and could be addressed through
> education and regular municipal inspection.
>
> | So I don't hold out much hope for chickens and ducks being let
> | back into Ithaca or the surrounding suburbs.
>
> Unemployment and food shortages (which could start developing
> within the next couple of years due to a collapse in liquid fuel
> production) may change the way people feel about this.  The Town
> of Ithaca is in the initial stages of revising its 1993
> Comprehensive Plan; this might be a good time to revisit the
> question.
>
> Jon
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask
sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>   
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org



      

From michael at fingerlakespermaculture.org  Tue Dec 16 09:40:37 2008
From: michael at fingerlakespermaculture.org (Michael Burns)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:40:37 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Small Livestock,
 Poultry and Zoning -- plug for chickens
In-Reply-To: <463835.76039.qm@web62101.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
References: <463835.76039.qm@web62101.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <30106.216.162.28.201.1229449237.squirrel@mail.panix.com>

http://home.centurytel.net/thecitychicken/

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Earn your permaculture design certificate.
The Finger Lakes Permaculture Institute
offers affordable local classes.
http://www.fingerlakespermaculture.org
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com  Tue Dec 16 12:41:35 2008
From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (Patricia Haines)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:41:35 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] "Sustainable Happiness"
Message-ID: <655211.39220.qm@web62106.mail.re1.yahoo.com>

inspiring at any season -
http://www.yesmagazine.org/article.asp?ID=3046&utm_source=15dec08&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=9_dalai
?

In case you want the whole thing up front:







Winter 2009:?Sustainable Happiness









This is Your Brain on Bliss
by Matthieu Ricard

 

var addthis_pub = 'yesmagazine1';


 


After 2,000 years of practice, Buddhist monks know that one secret to happiness is simply to put your mind to it.












Matthieu Ricard, left, quit his career as a cellular geneticist nearly 40 years ago to study Buddhism. He is the French translator for the Dalai Lama, right. 
Photo by Pagoda Phat Hue, phathue.com

What is happiness, and how can we achieve it? 
Happiness can?t be reduced to a few agreeable sensations. Rather, it is a way of being and of experiencing the world?a profound fulfillment that suffuses every moment and endures despite inevitable setbacks. 
The paths we take in search of happiness often lead us to frustration and suffering instead. We try to create outer conditions that we believe will make us happy. But it is the mind itself that translates outer conditions into happiness or suffering. This is why we can be deeply unhappy even though we ?have it all??wealth, power, health, a good family, etc.?and, conversely, we can remain strong and serene in the face of hardship.
Authentic happiness is a way of being and a skill to be cultivated. When we first begin, the mind is vulnerable and untamed, like that of a monkey or a restless child. It takes practice to gain inner peace, inner strength, altruistic love, forbearance, and other qualities that lead to authentic happiness. 
His Holiness the Dalai Lama often teaches that, while there are limitations to how much information one can learn and to our physical performance, compassion can be developed boundlessly. 
Practicing Happiness
It is not difficult to begin. You just have to sit from time to time, turn your mind within, and let your thoughts calm down. Focus your attention on a chosen object. It can be an object in your room, your breath, or your own mind. Inevitably, your mind will wander as you do this. Each time it does, gently bring it back to the object of concentration, like a butterfly that returns again and again to a flower. 
In the freshness of the present moment, past is gone, future is not yet born, and?if one remains in pure mindfulness and freedom?disturbing thoughts arise and go without leaving a trace. That is basic meditation. 









Find out what happens when the meditating mind of a Buddhist monk is examined by magnetic resonance imaging: Matthieu Ricard?s brain. 
Photo by Waisman Brain Imaging Lab, University of Wisconsin


Pure consciousness without content is something all those who meditate regularly and seriously have experienced?it is not just some sort of Buddhist theory. And anyone who takes the trouble to stabilize and clarify his or her mind will be able to experience it, too. It is through this unconditioned aspect of consciousness that we can transform the content of mind through training.
But meditation also means to cultivate basic human qualities, such as attention and compassion, and new ways of experiencing the world. What really matters is that a person gradually changes. Over months and years, we become less impatient, less prone to anger, less torn between hopes and fears. It becomes inconceivable to willingly harm another person. We develop a propensity toward altruistic behavior and the cluster of qualities that give us the resources to deal with the ups and downs of life.
The point here is that you can look at your thoughts, including strong emotions, with a pure mindfulness that is not associated with the contents of the thoughts. 
Take the example of malevolent anger. We usually identify with anger. Anger can fill our mental landscape and project its distorted reality on people and events. When we are overwhelmed by anger, we cannot dissociate from it. We perpetuate a vicious circle of affliction by rekindling anger each time we see or remember the person who makes us angry. We become addicted to the cause of suffering. 
But if we dissociate from anger and look at it with mindfulness, that which is aware of anger is not angry, and we can see that anger is just a bunch of thoughts. Anger doesn?t cut like a knife, burn like a fire, or crush like a rock; it is nothing more than a product of our mind. Instead of ?being? the anger, we understand that we are not the anger, in the same way that clouds are not the sky. 
So, to deal with anger, we avoid letting our mind jump again and again to the trigger for our anger. Then we look at anger itself and keep our attention upon it. If we stop adding wood to a fire and just watch, the fire will die out. Likewise, anger will vanish away, without being forcibly repressed or allowed to explode.
There is no question of not experiencing emotions; it?s a question of not being enslaved by them. Let emotions arise, but let them be freed from their afflictive components: distortion of reality, mental confusion, clinging, and suffering for oneself and others. 
There is great virtue in resting from time to time in pure awareness of the present moment, and being able to refer to this state when afflictive emotions arise so that we do not identify with them and are not swayed by them. 
It is difficult in the beginning, but becomes quite natural as you become increasingly familiar with such an approach. Whenever anger arises, you learn to recognize it right away. If you know someone to be a pickpocket, even if he mingles in a crowd, you will spot him right away and keep a careful eye on him. 
Interdependence
Just as you can learn to deal with afflictive thoughts, you can learn to cultivate and enhance wholesome ones. To be filled with love and kindness brings about an optimal way of being. It is a win-win situation: you will enjoy lasting well-being for yourself, you?ll act in altruistic ways towards others, and you?ll be perceived as a good human being.
If altruistic love is based on an understanding of the interdependence of all beings and of their natural aspiration to happiness, and if this love extends impartially to all beings, then it is a source of genuine happiness. Acts of overflowing love, of pure, disinterested generosity?as when you make a child happy or help someone in need, even if nobody knows what you have done?generate a deep and heartwarming fulfillment. 



























The Habits of Happiness



TED TALK: Listen to Matthieu Ricard answer the questions: What is Happiness, and How Can We All Get Some?

Dalai Lama Renaissance



FILM: Watch the trailer.











Human qualities often come in clusters. Altruism, inner peace, strength, freedom, and genuine happiness thrive together like the parts of a nourishing fruit. Likewise, selfishness, animosity, and fear grow together. So, while helping others may not always be ?pleasant,? it leads the mind to a sense of inner peace, courage, and harmony with the interdependence of all things and beings. 
Afflictive mental states, on the other hand, begin with self-centeredness, with an increase in the gap between self and others. These states are related to excessive self-importance and self-cherishing associated with fear or resentment towards others, and grasping for outer things as part of a hopeless pursuit of selfish happiness. A selfish pursuit of happiness is a lose-lose situation: you make yourself miserable and make others miserable as well.
Inner conflicts are often linked with excessive rumination on the past and anticipation of the future. You are not truly paying attention to the present moment, but are engrossed in your thoughts, going on and on in a vicious circle, feeding your ego and self-centeredness.
This is the opposite of bare attention. To turn your attention inside means to look at pure awareness itself and dwell without distraction, yet effortlessly, in the present moment. 
If you cultivate these mental skills, after a while you won?t need to apply contrived efforts anymore. You can deal with mental perturbations like the eagles I see from the window of my hermitage in the Himalayas deal with crows. The crows often attack them, diving at the eagles from above. But, instead of doing all kinds of acrobatics, the eagle simply retracts one wing at the last moment, lets the diving crow pass, and then extends its wing again. The whole thing requires minimal effort and causes little disturbance. 
Being experienced in dealing with the sudden arising of emotions in the mind works in a similar way. 
I have been exposed to the world of humanitarian activities for a number of years since I decided to dedicate the entire royalties of my books to 30 projects on education and health in Tibet, Nepal, and India, with a group of dedicated volunteers and generous philanthropists. It is easy to see how corruption, clashes of ego, weak empathy, discouragement can plague the humanitarian world. All this stems from a lack of maturity. So the advantages of spending time to develop human altruism and compassionate courage are obvious.

The Fragrance of Peace
The most important time to meditate or do other types of spiritual practices is early in the morning. You set the tone for the day and the ?fragrance? of the meditation will remain and give a particular perfume to the whole day. Another important time is before falling asleep. If you clearly generate a positive state of mind, filled with compassion or altruism, this will give a different quality to the whole night. 
When people experience ?moments of grace?, or ?magical moments? in daily life, while walking in the snow under the stars or spending a beautiful moment with dear friends by the seaside, what is really happening? All of a sudden, they have left their burden of inner conflicts behind. They feel in harmony with others, with themselves, with the world. It is wonderful to fully enjoy such magical moments, but it is also revealing to understand why they feel so good: pacification of inner conflicts; a better sense of interdependence with everything rather than fragmenting reality; and a respite from the mental toxins of aggression and obsession. All these qualities can be cultivated through developing wisdom and inner freedom. This will lead not just to a few moments of grace but to a lasting state of well-being that we may call genuine happiness. 
In this state, feelings of insecurity gradually give way to a deep confidence that you can deal with life?s ups and downs. Your equanimity will spare you from being swayed like mountain grass in the wind by every possible praise and blame, gain and loss, comfort and discomfort. You can always draw on deep inner peace, and the waves at the surface will not appear as threatening. 






Matthieu Ricard wrote this article as part of Sustainable Happiness, the Winter 2009 issue of YES! Magazine. Matthieu has authored seven books, including Happiness: A Guide to Developing Life?s Most Important Skill. He lives at the Shechen monastery in Nepal, travels the world for Karuna-shechen (www.karuna-shechen.org) and does an annual solitary retreat in the Himalayas. 
Interested?

The Habits of Happiness: Listen to Matthieu Ricard address the TED conference.
Dalai Lama Renaissance: The Dalai Lama invited the West?s most innovative thinkers, including YES! Magazine?s Fran Korten, to discuss solutions to the world?s problems. See the trailer for this film, narrated by Harrison Ford.
LEVEL GREEN - fostering sustainable community through collaborative initiatives in hospitality, education and the arts, in the 150 year-old democratic spirit of the Danish Folk School. 1519 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 339-9472


      

From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Tue Dec 16 12:47:30 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:47:30 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Too Late? Why Scientists Say We Should Expect
	the Worst
Message-ID: <200812162047.mBGKlqKx026199@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

Dear Friends--This is not local, but something we must all face and 
know.  From the The Guardian/UK, Dec. 9.  It looks like things are 
worse that some folks think.....    Tom


><http://culturechange.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=264&Itemid=1>http://culturechange.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=264&Itemid=1
>
>As ministers and officials gather in Poznan one year ahead of the
>Copenhagen summit on global warming, the second part of a major series
>looks at the crucial issue of targets.
>
>At a high-level academic conference on global warming at Exeter University
>this summer, climate scientist Kevin Anderson stood before his expert
>audience and contemplated a strange feeling. He wanted to be wrong. Many
>of those in the room who knew what he was about to say felt the same. His
>conclusions had already caused a stir in scientific and political circles.
>Even committed green campaigners said the implications left them
>terrified.

.....rest deleted...  see the above link

******************************************
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
tjs1 at cornell.edu
http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-3-08.)
http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php (Established 12-8-08.)

Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion

Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass bottles.

The percentage of PET recycled is declining.

PET Recycling Rages Graph

Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American 
Plastics Council
Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.   

From earthdayithaca at yahoo.com  Tue Dec 16 13:23:42 2008
From: earthdayithaca at yahoo.com (Joey Gates)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:23:42 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock,
	Poultry and Zoning -- plug for chickens
In-Reply-To: <463835.76039.qm@web62101.mail.re1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <412450.16069.qm@web56403.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

My Czechoslovakian grandmother (step) kept chickens and an amazing vegetable and fruit tree garden.? All?in a tiny backyard plot in Binghamton's first?ward, from the 1930's through the late 90's.? The vast majority of what the family ate came from right out the back door.? And there was no offensive odor either.

--- On Tue, 12/16/08, Patricia Haines <levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Patricia Haines <levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock, Poultry and Zoning -- plug for chickens
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 12:26 PM

My understanding is that downtown Ithacans are allowed to have up to three
chickens - has anyone double-checked this? I personally love my chickens - each
one has a different personality, and they're very funny and friendly; they
follow me around while I'm gardening. charles-the-Rooster does indeed wake
up early, but? his is a reassuring voice reminding me that I am increasingly
connected to a more natural rhythm of life.
?
The eggs are delicious and far more healthy than those bought in stores. I
haven't found the manure smell to be a problem - and it makes great
fertilizer.

LEVEL GREEN - fostering sustainable community through collaborative initiatives
in hospitality, education and the arts, in the 150 year-old democratic spirit of
the Danish Folk School. 1519 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 339-9472

--- On Tue, 12/16/08, brooke hansen <kbhansen at ithaca.edu> wrote:

From: brooke hansen <kbhansen at ithaca.edu>
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock, Poultry and Zoning --
plug for chickens
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv"
<sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 10:34 AM

Let's promote the chickens! I say if the the ordinances are not there 
allowing reasonable numbers of chickens, then let's change that! I keep 
chickens and many a visitor has commented on how the chicken coop and 
yard don't smell -- there are ways to effectively control this. Roosters 
are another story, I don't have any. No food waste from my house, or any 
restaurants we eat at, goes in the trash -- it's all chicken food or 
compost. It's a wonderful recycling system and the eggs are the best 
ever. I think we should get chicken coops on the Ithaca College campus 
and supply our populace here with eggs. They are so low maintenance. 
Natural Home magazine had an article in May 2006 about how 
municipalities in Belgium were giving households three chickens each to 
recycle biodegradable garbage -- which they estimated could save some 
municipalities $600,000 annually in trash management. One chicken can 
consume 9 pounds of chicken garbage a month. The manure I get from it 
(also not really a smell problem for me) is awesome -- it grew 8 foot 
valerian plants in my garden last summer.
-- Brooke Hansen
Department of Anthropology
Ithaca College

Jon Bosak wrote:
> [George Frantz:]
>
> | I recommend that everybody interested in raising small livestock
> | and poultry should check their local zoning regulations, because
> | the ban on such activity tends to be applied across the board in
> | suburban-type zoning districts and developments, including those
> | covering much of Tompkins County.
>
> Good idea!
>
> | I suspect it's not permitted anywhere in the Town of Ithaca unless
> | you are located in areas zoned CD-Conservation or AG-Agricultural.
>
> It's also allowed in areas zoned Low Density Residential.
>
> | Even if the zoning regulations do not explicitly ban such uses of
> | the property, do not assume you can still do it.  Many municipal
> | zoning regulations in New York state, are written in a manner that
> | if a use is not listed as a permitted use within a particular
> | zoning district, it is prohibited within that zoning district.
>
> More good advice.
>
> | I have have no problems with my neighbors here in Ithaca having
> | poultry.  I'm in the one percent of the population that has no
> | problem being awaken up at the crack of dawn by chickens and ducks
> | next door.  The other 99 percent of the neighborhood however
> | probably prefers to sleep in.  Moreover no manure smells as bad as
> | chicken manure.
>
> Chickens and ducks don't actually make all that much noise; the
> problem is roosters.  Places like Portland (OR) that allow
> chickens within city boundaries put a limit on the number (three
> is typical) and prohibit keeping roosters.
>
> As pointed out in the TCLocal article, the manure problem is one
> aspect of proper maintenance and could be addressed through
> education and regular municipal inspection.
>
> | So I don't hold out much hope for chickens and ducks being let
> | back into Ithaca or the surrounding suburbs.
>
> Unemployment and food shortages (which could start developing
> within the next couple of years due to a collapse in liquid fuel
> production) may change the way people feel about this.  The Town
> of Ithaca is in the initial stages of revising its 1993
> Comprehensive Plan; this might be a good time to revisit the
> question.
>
> Jon
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area,
please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask
sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>   
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

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_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

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From levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com  Tue Dec 16 14:02:48 2008
From: levelgreeninstitute at yahoo.com (Patricia Haines)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:02:48 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Too Late? Why Scientists Say We Should
	Expect the Worst
In-Reply-To: <200812162047.mBGKlqKx026199@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <885679.62564.qm@web62104.mail.re1.yahoo.com>

this is an example of why I hope ST won't go entirely Local: the global IS local, in so many areas

LEVEL GREEN - fostering sustainable community through collaborative initiatives in hospitality, education and the arts, in the 150 year-old democratic spirit of the Danish Folk School. 1519 Slaterville Road, Ithaca, NY 14850 (607) 339-9472

--- On Tue, 12/16/08, Thomas Shelley <tjs1 at cornell.edu> wrote:

From: Thomas Shelley <tjs1 at cornell.edu>
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Too Late? Why Scientists Say We Should Expect the Worst
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 3:47 PM

Dear Friends--This is not local, but something we must all face and 
know.  From the The Guardian/UK, Dec. 9.  It looks like things are 
worse that some folks think.....    Tom


><http://culturechange.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=264&Itemid=1>http://culturechange.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=264&Itemid=1
>
>As ministers and officials gather in Poznan one year ahead of the
>Copenhagen summit on global warming, the second part of a major series
>looks at the crucial issue of targets.
>
>At a high-level academic conference on global warming at Exeter University
>this summer, climate scientist Kevin Anderson stood before his expert
>audience and contemplated a strange feeling. He wanted to be wrong. Many
>of those in the room who knew what he was about to say felt the same. His
>conclusions had already caused a stir in scientific and political circles.
>Even committed green campaigners said the implications left them
>terrified.

.....rest deleted...  see the above link

******************************************
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
tjs1 at cornell.edu
http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-3-08.)
http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php (Established 12-8-08.)

Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion

Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass bottles.

The percentage of PET recycled is declining.

PET Recycling Rages Graph

Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American 
Plastics Council
Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.   
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
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From Cnielsen56 at aol.com  Tue Dec 16 17:39:48 2008
From: Cnielsen56 at aol.com (Cnielsen56 at aol.com)
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:39:48 EST
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] The Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair continues!
	(online)
Message-ID: <c6e.3175db5e.3679b264@aol.com>

   
Greetings all,


The Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair, held on December 6th  , was a wonderful 
success. On that Saturday afternoon  $42,000 were raised,  all of which goes 
directly to support the valuable services of area charities  and non profits.


If you weren't here that day, you can still participate by shopping at our  
new on-line gift fair!  Support this unique event, which offers a way to  
combine your holiday gift giving with your deep appreciation for what our local  
non profit organizations provide, by going to:


www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org
 
The on-line fair stays open until December 21.


After your purchases are complete,  choose to "Return to CRESP" in  order to  
download a gift card insert to give to the gift recipient, on  which you 
describe the gift and the organization to which the donation has been  made. 


Thanks for your support!


Anke Wessels








FOR IMMEDIATE  RELEASE
December 2, 2008
Ithaca Alternative Gift  Fair
Contact: Anke Wessels, CRESP  Center for Transformative Action, 607-255-5027, 
akw7 at cornell.edu

Shopping  for Causes at Alternative Gift Fair

The fifth annual Ithaca Alternative  Gift Fair will be held from 11 am to 7 
pm, Saturday, December 6, at the First  Presbyterian Church, 315 North Cayuga 
Street, Ithaca. The Fair offers holiday  shoppers a chance to select gifts in 
support of local charitable  organizations.

The gifts, which start at $5, pay for actual items or  services that will be 
delivered by the organizations. Shoppers may choose from  gifts such as a hot, 
healthy meal for school child who may otherwise go without,  materials for 
affordable housing, support for community discussions on racism,  shelter for 
abandoned pets, and many gifts that support at-risk youth and  families in our 
communities. All of the money earned at the Fair goes to the  participating 
organizations.

Thirty-one organizations will participate in  this year's Fair. Over its 
history, the Fair has earned more than $90,000 and  has reduced the impact on the 
environment of conventional  gift-giving.

This year's Gift Fair organizations are: Cancer Resource  Center of the 
Finger Lakes, Catholic Charities of Tompkins County, Challenge  Industries, 
Community Building Works!, CRESP Center for Transformative Action,  Dispositional 
Alternatives Program of Family and Children's Services, Dream  Factory of Central 
New York, Finger Lakes Independence Center, Foodnet Meals on  Wheels, 
Franziska Racker Centers, Greater Ithaca Activities Center, Human  Service Coalition 
2-1-1 Tompkins, Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair 2009, Ithaca  Public Education 
Initiative, Ithaca Health Alliance, Ithaca Youth Bureau, The  Learning Web, 
Loaves and Fishes, LACS/Akwesasne Freedom School, Multicultural  Resource Center, 
Natural Leaders Initiative, New York Coalition for Health  School Food, 
Opportunities Alternatives and Resources (OAR), Planned Parenthood  of the Southern 
Finger Lakes, SewGreen, SPCA of Tompkins County, Sustainable  Tompkins, 
Southern Tier Advocacy and Mitigation Project (S.T.A.M.P.), Tompkins  Community 
Action, Tompkins County Public Library Foundation, and the Women's  Opportunity 
Center.

For two weeks following the event, shoppers who  cannot attend the Fair can 
still purchase gifts online. For descriptions of the  gifts and organizations, 
visit www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org. The Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair is  
sponsored by the CRESP Center for Transformative Action and Tompkins Community  
Action, with support from Alternatives Federal Credit Union.

- end  -



-- 

Anke Wessels, PhD
Executive Director
The CRESP Center for  Transformative Action
117 Anabel Taylor Hall
Cornell University
Ithaca,  NY 14853

607-255-5027

**************Make your life easier with all your friends, email, and 
favorite sites in one place.  Try it now. 
(http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000010)

From ws at twcny.rr.com  Wed Dec 17 06:53:48 2008
From: ws at twcny.rr.com (Wendy Skinner)
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:53:48 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] SewGreen Year-End Appeal
Message-ID: <C802E901F271454D96B8EBADC71C1706@wendyvaio>

SewGreen Year-End Appeal

SewGreen is a not-for-profit program based in Ithaca NY that promotes reuse of fabric, fiber, and fashion through a rediscovery of sewing as a self-reliant skill, creative use of existing materials, and landfill diversion. Promoting a shift to sustainable, local, and green spending habits is woven into everything we do. 

If SewGreen has enriched your life, or if you think we're doing something of value for the community, please consider a donation to help us continue our programming in 2009. Gifts starting at just $5 can be donated to SewGreen at the Ithaca Alternative Gift Fair website, www.ithacaaltgiftfair.org **now through December 21**. 

Even a small gift is significant, not only for what it will buy, but to show community support for our efforts. Thank you! 

~ ~ ~ For those who want to know more, a short report follows.~ ~ ~

Our First Year: In our first year, we touched the lives of over 2000 individuals of all ages and backgrounds through our low-cost or free sewing classes, after-school programs, outreach events, and reuse activities. We taught a diverse audience of adults, teens, and kids how to sew; started a teen mentoring program and met a request from teens for a sewing club. We established regular open sews to share our classroom space and materials; worked with several teams of college students; gave bags of materials to groups that make items for impoverished or homeless people here and abroad; and adopted Hospicare as our own charity sewing client. We organized a community sew-in to make over 1000 reusable tote bags from all-reused materials. Our reuse and redistribution program diverted about 2.5 tons of materials from the landfill. We sponsored an intensive sewing machine repair course; rescued and restored nearly 100 classic sewing machines; held a fashion show and a gallery show of refashioned apparel and household items; and ended the year with a very successful holiday ReCraft Fair. (See Ithaca Journal Dec 15 article, "Craft Fair Puts Focus on Reusable Materials" http://www.theithacajournal.com/article/20081215/NEWS01/812150317 .) 

Plans for 2009: SewGreen will expand its class offerings and collaborations to serve an even more inclusive audience, train more sewing teachers, develop its sewing machine repair services and training opportunities, work more closely with the schools and colleges, and continue to listen to the community's requests and feedback. We will keep our programming flexible and responsive, accessible and affordable. We hope to have a facility for our reuse program so that materials can be processed and redistributed more efficiently, and which will allow us to increase resale revenue.

Why Help? SewGreen's philosophy of thrift and generosity extends to its budget. We do a lot with a little. SewGreen's accomplishments this past year relied on a vast amount of volunteer time and talent, self-generated revenue, and start-up help from local funders. We paid the rent -- hooray! -- but not ourselves. We would like to sustain what we've started. Even a small donation from you will indicate community approval and will help us as we seek grant and institutional funding.

Thank you for a great first year for SewGreen! www.sew-green.org .

Wendy Skinner
SewGreen Coordinator
coord at sew-green.org


From aozolins at ithaca.edu  Wed Dec 17 13:39:03 2008
From: aozolins at ithaca.edu (Andrejs Ozolins)
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:39:03 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Tour de Solstice -- Short Ride/Short Day
Message-ID: <49497177.5080504@ithaca.edu>

This Sunday, December 21, is the solstice and the occasion of the Tour 
de Solstice -- the year's shortest ride on the year's shortest day. Just 
because we can, let's get on our bikes and pedal through Ithaca just 
long enough to enjoy some hot beverages at CTB. It's our way of 
affirming that "bikes belong" all year long and showing our fellow 
Ithacans that bikes are a great way to have fun and get around, no 
matter the season.

The ride will start at 10:00 am in front of Ithaca High School. If you 
can't ride to the start, there will be plenty of space to leave your car 
in the parking lot.

The first Rest Stop will be after three-quarters of a mile of riding, at 
Gimme! Coffee on Cayuga St. We'll stop to regroup, maybe get a quick 
shot of espresso, and then be on our way.

The second leg of the ride will take us to College Town Bagels  (CTB) on 
the corner of Seneca and Aurora, where we can recover from the effort 
with warm beverages, soup, and friendly chatter -- total ride: 1.5 mi.

We especially invite people who don't usually bike in winter to give it 
a try and perhaps get some tips from the experienced winter-bikers who 
will be on the ride. There will be bikes (and, maybe, riders) set up to 
ride through anything, if you want to see what that's like.

For a map and any updates, go to http://bikeithaca.org/ and check the 
"Commons" bulletin board. You can also leave comments and suggestions 
there.

Andrejs
"I shan't be gone long, you come too."


From earthdayithaca at yahoo.com  Thu Dec 18 06:12:08 2008
From: earthdayithaca at yahoo.com (Joey Gates)
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:12:08 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Heat the #1 Killer
Message-ID: <498914.40054.qm@web56404.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

Sobering to think about as the mass of humanity continues to ignore global warming:
?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081217/hl_nm/us_death_usa
?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Heat is more likely to kill an American than an earthquake, and thunderstorms kill more than hurricanes do, according to a "death map" published on Tuesday....


      

From andrejs at ozolins.com  Thu Dec 18 06:27:27 2008
From: andrejs at ozolins.com (Andrejs Ozolins)
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:27:27 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Heat the #1 Killer
In-Reply-To: <498914.40054.qm@web56404.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
References: <498914.40054.qm@web56404.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <494A5DCF.4090002@ozolins.com>

This article also illustrates the general muddle-headedness that our 
society cultivates. They discuss "the myths about what the biggest 
threats to life and limb are," without mentioning that more people are 
killed in auto crashes than by all the listed scourges -- and terrorism 
to boot.
Andrejs

Joey Gates wrote:
> Sobering to think about as the mass of humanity continues to ignore global warming:
>  
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081217/hl_nm/us_death_usa
>  
> WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Heat is more likely to kill an American than an earthquake, and thunderstorms kill more than hurricanes do, according to a "death map" published on Tuesday....
>
>
>   


From mmccasla at twcny.rr.com  Thu Dec 18 06:51:53 2008
From: mmccasla at twcny.rr.com (Margaret McCasland)
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:51:53 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Heat the #1 Killer
In-Reply-To: <494A5DCF.4090002@ozolins.com>
References: <498914.40054.qm@web56404.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
	<494A5DCF.4090002@ozolins.com>
Message-ID: <DDE262BB-132D-4189-856F-81A81D0F0ED3@twcny.rr.com>

Climate in the Northeast has already changed so that we are having  
more days in the 90s and even over 100 than ever before.

My step-father died of dehydration in a Massachusetts nursing home  
during a heat wave in 1999.  He had dementia, and his children decided  
not to put him on an IV (he would have had to be sedated to keep the  
tubes in).  Nursing homes in NY and New England never used to need to  
be air conditioned--yet another positive feedback loop: we need more  
AC because we have more very hot days, but the increased burning of  
coal to power the AC increases global warming. . . and so on.

Yes, less cars--but also less electricity. Conservation is more  
important than paying for green electricity (which is giving capital  
to the power companies to build new wind capacity).

While any way of building more renewable energy sources is still  
generally a good idea, I would rather have my money going to build  
publicly-owned power generation. Anyone know of any options like that  
out there?

In any case, paying for new wind, etc, doesn't help reduce GHG  
emissions unless the overall use of electricity drops enough to CLOSE  
COAL PLANTS.  The grid as a whole is still mostly coal, and usage is  
still going UP.

Margaret


On Dec 18, 2008, at 9:27 AM, Andrejs Ozolins wrote:

> This article also illustrates the general muddle-headedness that our
> society cultivates. They discuss "the myths about what the biggest
> threats to life and limb are," without mentioning that more people are
> killed in auto crashes than by all the listed scourges -- and  
> terrorism
> to boot.
> Andrejs
>
> Joey Gates wrote:
>> Sobering to think about as the mass of humanity continues to ignore  
>> global warming:
>>
>> http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081217/hl_nm/us_death_usa
>>
>> WASHINGTON (Reuters) ? Heat is more likely to kill an American than  
>> an earthquake, and thunderstorms kill more than hurricanes do,  
>> according to a "death map" published on Tuesday....
>>
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
> area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org


From sjr37 at cornell.edu  Thu Dec 18 12:34:54 2008
From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp)
Date: Thu, 18 Dec 2008 15:34:54 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Primitive Pursuits Adult Apprenticeship
Message-ID: <6.2.1.2.2.20081218113305.01e83fe0@postoffice9.mail.cornell.edu>

Primitive Pursuits Adult Apprenticeship
(20 Fridays, March 13-June 19, 9:00 am-3:00 pm)
Primitive Pursuits is a youth nature education program offered through 
Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County.  This spring, Primitive 
Pursuits will offer an intensive 20 session program for adults who are 
interested in learning naturalist skills and mentoring youth (including 
their own children!).  Participants will work with the program's seasoned 
instructors to gain real life experience in wilderness survival skills, 
nature awareness, aidless navigation, primitive tools and crafts, plant ID 
and wild crafting, primitive cooking, tracking and wildlife study, 
storytelling, scout games, wilderness hazards, mentoring principles, and 
community building.  Tuition: $950.  For information or to register, go to 
www.primitivepursuits.net, call 272-2292 X 195, or email 
primitivepursuits at hotmail.com.

For those who wish to give an Adult Apprenticeship as a holiday gift, 
Melissa Mueller  <mjm463 at cornell.edu> will be in the Primitive Pursuits 
office on Tuesday, 12/23 and can prepare a gift certificate for you!  She 
can be reached at 272-2292 X 195. 

From lennon_kat at hotmail.com  Fri Dec 19 05:03:39 2008
From: lennon_kat at hotmail.com (Kat McCarthy)
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:03:39 +0000
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Today at 5*Chapter House*Sustainability Happy
	Hour
Message-ID: <BAY139-W833B298D5CBB10FA3B4BAE6F00@phx.gbl>


Is it the last sustainability happy hour of 2008? Stop by to find out....
 
Sustainability Happy Hour
Friday at 5
Chapter House
 
Don't miss it!
Kat

From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Fri Dec 19 05:48:24 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 05:48:24 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Public Power
In-Reply-To: <DDE262BB-132D-4189-856F-81A81D0F0ED3@twcny.rr.com>
Message-ID: <350889.73966.qm@web44906.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

Margaret,
?
There are plenty of examples of public power out there.? It was actually quite common 100 years ago.? The Village of Groton still has a municipal-owned ?electric system.? They do not produce their own power, but rather purchase it from the NYS Power Authority which operates the hydroelectirc plants at Niagara?and?at the St. Lawrence Seaway dams.? (and unfortunately at one or two nukes)
?
It would probably not be an insurmountable leap for them to develop an environmentally responsible home-grown source.
?
Less than 100 miles away in the mountains of PA are two of the rural electric cooperatives established under the Rossevelt New Deal.? There are dozens of such cooperatives scattered throughout the Cumberalnd Plateau in southeastern Kentucky.? Most RECs that I know of are?organized to operate within a specific county - Jackson County REC, Sullivan County REC.
?
Southeastern Kentucky is also home to the Peoples Rural Telephone Cooperative, probably another child of the New Deal.? PRTC not only supplies telephone service into the remotest of Cumberland Plateau hollows and ridges, they supply high-speed internet as well.
?
Best regards.
?
George


?


      

From sean at sustainabletransitions.com  Fri Dec 19 10:52:24 2008
From: sean at sustainabletransitions.com (Sean Vormwald)
Date: Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:52:24 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Gathering on Home Food Preservation Jan. 8
Message-ID: <494BED68.6050404@sustainabletransitions.com>

Sustainable Tompkins and its community partners will be hosting a 
workshop on home food preservation from 6:00-8:30 PM on Thursday, 
January 8, 2009 at Cornell Cooperative Extension located at 615 Willow 
Ave. in Ithaca.

Home food processing is an important part of making our local food 
available to everyone year round. Join experienced IthaCan food 
preservers for an evening mini-workshop featuring five different food 
saving techniques. Hands-on activities in canning, cellaring, drying, 
pickling and freezing will be offered.

6:00: DINNER provided and dishes-to-pass encouraged
6:30: SLIDESHOW about how and why to preserve food
7:00: WORKSHOPS on canning, cellaring, drying, pickling and freezing

This event is free and open to all. Sponsored by Sustainable Tompkins, 
IthaCan, Prepared Tompkins, and Cornell Cooperative Extension?s Healthy 
Food for All program.

Food Preserving Skills for Community Self-Reliance
Thursday, January 8, 2009
6:00-8:30 PM
Cornell Cooperative Extension
615 Willow Ave.
Ithaca, NY



From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Sat Dec 20 08:26:32 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:26:32 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Auto Bailout: Ecological Sustainability
	Before Economic Viability
In-Reply-To: <494BE9D5.7040808@essential.org>
References: <494BE9D5.7040808@essential.org>
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812200826m79ce0dbet35239be3d316f8f1@mail.gmail.com>

Auto Bailout: Ecological Sustainability Before Economic Viability
By Robert Weissman
December 19, 2008

Thank you, George Bush. The federal government is finally acting to protect
the auto industry from failure.

The $17.4 billion in loans for GM and Chrysler is not going to be enough to
rescue the industry -- but it will keep these companies going until the next
administration takes office.

The Big Three will be back for more money soon, and Congress and the Obama
administration will have an opportunity to structure an appropriate bailout
package.

A very unfortunate consequence of the Congressional debate over the bailout,
and the subsequent Bush administration handling of the issue, has been to
raise the near-term viability and short-term profitability of the industry
as the overriding objective of any bailout.

That's an unrealistic and undesirable goal. Much better would be to focus on
long-term ecological sustainability.

A quick return to profitability is unrealistic, because whatever the deep
structural problems of the industry (and they are legion), the proximate
cause of its revenue shortfall is the collapse of auto sales and the
deepening recession. U.S. auto sales are down by more than a third over the
last year, crushing U.S. and Japanese automakers alike. As long as the
recession persists, the automakers are going to struggle.

The emphasis on rapid return to viability is undesirable on at least two
counts.

First, from Democrats and Republicans alike, it is associated with unfair
demands for new rounds of concessions from auto workers. These demands
ignore three decades of steady concessions from auto workers, including
terms in the 2007 contract that start many new workers at $14 an hour. These
demands imply the abrogation of promises made to retired workers, including
by slashing existing health insurance benefits and possibly pension
payments.

And the demands suggest -- explicitly from President Bush and Congressional
Republicans -- that unionized workers reduce their wage levels to those of
non-unionized workers in Japanese company-owned plants in the United States.
Not only does this aim to destroy the benefits of unionization, it pushes
down the wage structure of working families at a time when economic recovery
depends on increasing the buying power especially of debt-burdened low- and
middle-income consumers.

The emphasis on viability also threatens what must be the highest priority
regarding the auto industry, which is to transform it into providing modes
of transportation that do not imperil planetary well-being.

It is true that the long-term viability of the companies certainly rests on
their ability to transform their product mix, sell much more fuel efficient
cars at a reasonable cost, and undertake major investments in transformative
technologies. Ultimately -- and in the not-so-distant future -- this must
mean abandoning the internal combustion engine.

But current market realities are different. In the short term, gas prices
are low, and the consumer love affair with hybrids is over (or at least
suspended). The Big Three aren't good at making fuel efficient cars that
make them money, and it will take work, time and money for them to learn.
And transformative technologies will require major new investments in R&D,
and then physical plant; companies being pushed to turn around their balance
sheets in a matter of months are in no position to do this.

The United States needs its auto industry. The economic cost of failure to
the industrial Midwest and the entire country would be overwhelming. The
direct costs to the government (health insurance, unemployment benefits,
lost tax revenues) would by far outweigh the costs of bailout. A collapse of
the industry would transform the recession into depression. It would vastly
worsen the situation on Wall Street. It would worsen the U.S. trade deficit,
which is a major source of long-term concern for well-being and even
functioning of the global economy.

And the country needs an auto industry for positive reasons: It needs to be
able to manage its own transportation needs on an ecologically sustainable
basis.

The country, and the world, needs a revolutionized transportation sector.
This crisis is the opportunity to achieve that transformation. But it will
be an opportunity lost if success is measured by short-term "economic
viability" of the Big Three.

When they come back to Washington, the primary demand on the auto companies
should not be to show their plan for viability. It should be to work with
the government (or under the government, or for the government) to develop a
plan to change their product mix and for steady and long-term investments in
new technology. Implementing such a plan will take time and large-scale
investments, and much of money inevitably will have to come from the public.
The government should impose very strict fuel efficiency performance
standards, to be followed by medium-term requirements to sell zero-carbon
emission cars. The government should have an ongoing role in monitoring and
directing auto company investments to ensure these objectives are met. To
level the playing field, these contractual arrangements should be
accompanied by new fuel efficiency and carbon-free regulatory standards
applying to all carmakers.

The financial crisis, the deepening recession and the climate crisis each in
their own way require abandoning a belief that unregulated markets can best
measure (and reward or punish) economic success. Detroit does need to find a
way to be economically viable over time, but the preeminent need is to
ensure that auto manufacturing is viable for the planet.

Robert Weissman is editor of the Washington, D.C.-based Multinational
Monitor, <http://www.multinationalmonitor.org> and director of Essential
Action <http://www.essentialaction.org>.

(c) Robert Weissman

This article is posted at: <
http://lists.essential.org/pipermail/corp-focus/2008/000308.html>.
_______________________________________________

Focus on the Corporation is a regular column by Robert Weissman. Please feel
free to forward the column to friends, repost it on other lists or
non-commercial, non-profit websites, or publish it in non-profit print
outlets. (For-profit outlets, please contact rob at essential.org).

Focus on the Corporation is distributed to individuals on the listserve
corp-focus at lists.essential.org. To subscribe, unsubscribe or change your
address to corp-focus, go to: <
http://lists.essential.org/mailman/listinfo/corp-focus> or send an e-mail
message to corp-focus-admin at lists.essential.org with your request.

Focus on the Corporation columns are posted at: <
www.multinationalmonitor.org/editorsblog> and <
http://www.corporatepredators.org>.

Postings on corp-focus are limited to the columns. If you would like to
comment on a columns, go to: <www.multinationalmonitor.org/editorsblog> or
send a message to rob at essential.org.


-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
  - Nicholas Chamfort

From andrejs at ozolins.com  Sun Dec 21 12:56:56 2008
From: andrejs at ozolins.com (Andrejs Ozolins)
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:56:56 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Tour de Solstice
Message-ID: <494EAD98.40407@ozolins.com>

The Tour de Solstice came off with what has to be considered flying 
colors -- 18 or so riders braved the still-snowy streets of Ithaca to 
take the shortest ride on the shortest day of the year. A mile and a 
half, stopping for coffee at the half-way point, and hearty lunch at the 
end. It was great to be out on bikes and get a chance to chat with 
friends we haven't seen since more balmy days. There were pictures taken 
by many; Juan Salazar's are posted on the website 
(http://bikeithaca.org). Have a look and leave comments and suggestions.

While thinking about cycling-related events -- could someone give a 
report on the "No Drive" Food Drive from a week ago? I wasn't able to go 
but would really like to hear how it went and post some information on 
the website. I hope it's an event that will be repeated?

Andrejs

From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us  Mon Dec 22 03:32:24 2008
From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro)
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2008 06:32:24 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] eat the suburbs!
Message-ID: <p062408b1c57527454a52@[192.168.242.17]>

A fun, community building , suburban/urban food self-sufficiency  phenomenon

http://www.eatthesuburbs.org/2008/10/permablitz-update/
http://www.energybulletin.net/node/20945
http://www.permablitz.net/
-- 
Elan Shapiro
Sustainable Tompkins Community Partnership Coordinator
Sustainable Living Associates, Principal
Frog's Way B&B
211 Rachel Carson Way
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-275-0249    607-592-8402 Cell

"We must be the change we want to see in the world"
	          Mohandas Gandhi

From sjr37 at cornell.edu  Tue Dec 23 08:31:19 2008
From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra J. Repp)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:31:19 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>
References: <mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>
Message-ID: <1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>

Here's an interesting piece in the NY Times about a gentleman in Mass. who
used his Prius to power his home during a power outage.

http://greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/23/prius-its-not-just-a-car-its-an-emergency-generator/?hp


From andrejs at ozolins.com  Tue Dec 23 08:53:16 2008
From: andrejs at ozolins.com (Andrejs Ozolins)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:53:16 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] followup on No-Drive Food Drive
In-Reply-To: <1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>
References: <mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>
	<1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <4951177C.2060006@ozolins.com>

FYI, One of the participants has submitted a quick writeup on the event 
at http://bikeithaca.org/?p=9
I wasn't able to participate in this one, but I hope it will become (at 
least) annual so I can give it a go in future.
Andrejs

From andy at ithacacarshare.org  Tue Dec 23 09:10:03 2008
From: andy at ithacacarshare.org (Andy Goodell)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:10:03 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>
References: <mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>
	<1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <49511B6B.2050509@ithacacarshare.org>

Interesting story, although any car is capable of doing this. The funny 
part is that during an ice storm when they lost power, he burnt gas to 
keep his food cold. When I lived in NH and the power would go out, we'd 
pack coolers and leave them outside. No gas burnt! Sometimes a little 
common sense gets us further than using new technology to solve problems 
that we created.

-Andy



From simonstl at simonstl.com  Tue Dec 23 09:40:03 2008
From: simonstl at simonstl.com (Simon St.Laurent)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 12:40:03 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <49511B6B.2050509@ithacacarshare.org>
References: <mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>	<1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>
	<49511B6B.2050509@ithacacarshare.org>
Message-ID: <49512273.30202@simonstl.com>

Andy Goodell wrote:
> Interesting story, although any car is capable of doing this. The funny 
> part is that during an ice storm when they lost power, he burnt gas to 
> keep his food cold. When I lived in NH and the power would go out, we'd 
> pack coolers and leave them outside. No gas burnt! Sometimes a little 
> common sense gets us further than using new technology to solve problems 
> that we created.

This is true, but there are other potentially more useful tricks here.

For an off-grid house, using the car as a generator could be a useful 
backup in case of, say, solar panels covered in snow and a windmill that 
isn't doing much.

Even better, the house could charge its "backup generator", sending 
extra energy to the car and reducing the need for gasoline.

You're right that this combination of the two systems is fairly 
irrational.  At the same time, though, it points to much more 
interesting prospects.

(And I'd be a lot more interested in a Prius or similar car if it had 
220V inputs and outputs...)

Thanks,
Simon St.Laurent

From andy at ithacacarshare.org  Tue Dec 23 11:30:47 2008
From: andy at ithacacarshare.org (Andy Goodell)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 14:30:47 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <49512273.30202@simonstl.com>
References: <mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>	<1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>	<49511B6B.2050509@ithacacarshare.org>
	<49512273.30202@simonstl.com>
Message-ID: <49513C67.4040905@ithacacarshare.org>

Simon et al,

I think this is an expensive way to do that however. For a few hundred 
you can get some deep cycle batteries, a charger, and an inverter. I'm 
guessing that attempting to connect a car to your home is a a good way 
to not only void your warranty but if you make the news you could 
probably get a friendly call from your insurance company dropping you 
from their policy.

 From hearing what my parents went through recently with 6 days without 
power, and from growing up there and losing power for up to a week every 
few years, I can tell that technology is what got us to this perceived 
problem. Houses in that area with oil furnaces are much more appealing 
to most than wood stoves, yet when power goes out those who opted for 
the convenience of oil also opted out of the convenience of staying warm 
without electricity. Those who wanted the convenience of living in the 
suburbs also opted out of getting their power restored quicker.

We could have spent our time and resources trying to find ways to 
improve our systems, but instead we now have hybrid cars, big oil 
furnaces, and energy star refrigerators. Oops! I haven't seen any bikes 
with MPG ratings, or iceboxes with energy star labels though. How come 
the real solutions are always hiding under our "solutions" for invented 
problems?

Simon St.Laurent wrote:
> This is true, but there are other potentially more useful tricks here.
> 
> For an off-grid house, using the car as a generator could be a useful 
> backup in case of, say, solar panels covered in snow and a windmill that 
> isn't doing much.
> 
> Even better, the house could charge its "backup generator", sending 
> extra energy to the car and reducing the need for gasoline.
> 
> You're right that this combination of the two systems is fairly 
> irrational.  At the same time, though, it points to much more 
> interesting prospects.
> 
> (And I'd be a lot more interested in a Prius or similar car if it had 
> 220V inputs and outputs...)
> 
> Thanks,
> Simon St.Laurent
> __________



From simonstl at simonstl.com  Tue Dec 23 12:14:01 2008
From: simonstl at simonstl.com (Simon St.Laurent)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 15:14:01 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <49513C67.4040905@ithacacarshare.org>
References: <mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>	<1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>	<49511B6B.2050509@ithacacarshare.org>	<49512273.30202@simonstl.com>
	<49513C67.4040905@ithacacarshare.org>
Message-ID: <49514689.2010002@simonstl.com>

Andy Goodell wrote:
> I think this is an expensive way to do that however. For a few hundred 
> you can get some deep cycle batteries, a charger, and an inverter. I'm 
> guessing that attempting to connect a car to your home is a a good way 
> to not only void your warranty but if you make the news you could 
> probably get a friendly call from your insurance company dropping you 
> from their policy.

Done as a hack job, yes - this is difficult and dangerous.  Done at the 
factory, with 220 in and 220 out, it would be easy and sane.  Similarly, 
connecting 220 from the car to your house's power is no different than 
what you'd do with a generator.  Plus, you get transportation at much 
lower cost, with a lot less gasoline.

I also think you're underestimating the cost of battery backup, both 
financially and environmentally.

>  From hearing what my parents went through recently with 6 days without 
> power, and from growing up there and losing power for up to a week every 
> few years, I can tell that technology is what got us to this perceived 
> problem. Houses in that area with oil furnaces are much more appealing 
> to most than wood stoves, yet when power goes out those who opted for 
> the convenience of oil also opted out of the convenience of staying warm 
> without electricity. Those who wanted the convenience of living in the 
> suburbs also opted out of getting their power restored quicker.

I agree that this wasn't considered a problem in 1890.  If you lived in 
the sticks, you simply managed your own heat.  Electricity wasn't an 
option.  Today, when we expect electricity to be available, it's a problem.

Of course, there's another simple if expensive answer to keeping the 
power on despite the weather, and that's buried lines and/or redundancy.

> We could have spent our time and resources trying to find ways to 
> improve our systems, but instead we now have hybrid cars, big oil 
> furnaces, and energy star refrigerators. Oops! I haven't seen any bikes 
> with MPG ratings, or iceboxes with energy star labels though. How come 
> the real solutions are always hiding under our "solutions" for invented 
> problems?

Probably because the people who keep talking about "real solutions" do 
an incredibly lousy job of selling them to people who they treat as if 
they're in a perverse alien culture...

Bridging that is a tougher problem than claiming that there is a better 
simpler answer.

Thanks,
Simon St.Laurent

From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Tue Dec 23 13:02:12 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:02:12 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Municipal Electric Power
Message-ID: <172041.29923.qm@web44916.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

See article below...
Recently there was a thread about possibilities for local energy generation..? Freeland PA is a small former coal town in the mountains about 30 miles south of Wilkes-Barre.? 
Maybe they are looking?at the wind farms being developed?around them by the Spanish multi-national corporations?Gamesa and Iberdrola, and asking themselves "Hey, why can't we do this too?"
George Frantz
?
Freeland officials eye wind energy

Published: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 4:12 AM EST
Freeland Borough Council and the Freeland Municipal Authority are thinking about getting into the wind business.

?It?s just an idea,? Freeland Councilman Dave Mahon said recently. ?We have 300 acres in Upper Lehigh, and we are looking for ways to raise revenue. We haven?t done anything.?

Mahon said council members have not formally discussed the idea with anyone else but plan to do so during a joint meeting that council will hold with the borough?s water and sewer authority at 10 a.m. Dec. 31.

Freeland borough solicitor Don Karpowich said researchers at Penn State University have been asked to study whether such a wind project could work.


?We don?t want to make any mistakes,? he said.

No formal discussions have yet been held with officials from Foster Township, where the borough?s 300-acre parcel is located, Karpowich said.

Several local municipalities, including Foster, are considering and adopting ordinances regulating windmills, due to interest in large, commercial turbines and smaller, household windmills.

? Jim Dino




      

From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Tue Dec 23 21:42:48 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 00:42:48 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] [GreenYes] As You Sow--Coke update
In-Reply-To: <8CB3370AE6AA62B-E0C-197D@WEBMAIL-MY39.sysops.aol.com>
References: <8CB3370AE6AA62B-E0C-197D@WEBMAIL-MY39.sysops.aol.com>
Message-ID: <200812240547.mBO5lXlr014802@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

Dear Friends--Not local, but of general interest 
and concern.  The startling statistic to me is, 
"More than 200 billion beverage containers are 
sold in the U.S. each year, but over 130 billion of those are still sent to
landfills and incinerated...."  This really falls 
into the "oughta be a law category".   See sig file below.  Tom

>Coke Adds Recycling Life
>
>12/17/2008
>
>
>Coca-Cola has received the highest grade in a beverage container
>recycling report released by As You Sow, a San Francisco-based group
>that identifies itself as a "corporate responsibility watchdog.???
>
>As you Sow says it evaluated the recycling practices of 23 large
>beverage companies in the U.S. The highest grade assigned to any of
>them was the ???C??? received by Coca-Cola, followed by Anheuser Busch,
>Pepsi Co. and Nestle Waters, companies that received C minuses.
>
>The study, entitled ???Waste and Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container
>Recycling Scorecard and Report,??? is based on original research that
>evaluated the beverage companies based on four criteria:
>
>Source Reduction (reducing the use of virgin packaging materials)
>Use of Recycled Content
>Beverage Container Recycling (supporting and investing in legislative
>policies that increase beverage container recovery and recycling)
>Transparency (compiling and offering information on goals and
>commitments made on container recycling, including making such
>information accessible through company Web sites).
>The 23 companies evaluated in the report represent 74 percent of the
>U.S. carbonated soft drink market, more than 60 percent of the U.S.
>bottled water market and nearly half of the U.S. beer industry,
>according to As You Sow.
>
>The companies evaluated (and the grades they received) were: Coca-Cola
>(C), Anheuser Busch20(C minus), Pepsi Co. (C minus), Nestle Waters NA (C
>minus), Red Bull (D plus), Fiji Water (D), Honest Tea (D minus); and
>the following companies that all received failing grades by As You
>Sow???s criteria: Dr. Pepper/Snapple, Miller Brewing Co., Coors Brewing
>Co., Starbucks, Cott, National Beverage, Hansens, Crystal Geyser,
>Adirondack, Arizona, Boston Beer, DS Waters, Jones Soda, Monarch
>Beverage, New Belgium Beer and Polar Beverage. (Please see detailed
>list of grades below.)
>
>???Despite some impressive progress, most beverage companies continue to
>fail basic criteria for dealing with the environmental implications of
>their packaging,??? says Amy Galland, research director at As You Sow and
>author of the study. More than 200 billion beverage containers are sold
>in the U.S. each year, but over 130 billion of those are still sent to
>landfills and incinerated, representing a huge waste of natural
>resources, says Galland.
>
>Those wishing to read the report can find it on the Web at
>www.asyousow.org.
>
>Wednesday, December 17, 2008

******************************************
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
tjs1 at cornell.edu
http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-16-08.)
http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php (Just updated 12-16-08.)

Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion

Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass bottles.

The percentage of PET recycled is declining.

PET Recycling Rages Graph

Source: National Association for PET Container 
Resources, American Plastics Council
Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.   

From earthdayithaca at yahoo.com  Wed Dec 24 07:54:52 2008
From: earthdayithaca at yahoo.com (Joey Gates)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 07:54:52 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] [GreenYes] As You Sow--Coke update
In-Reply-To: <200812240547.mBO5lXlr014802@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <157934.859.qm@web56401.mail.re3.yahoo.com>

Not surprising Tom.? Atlanta, home of World of Coca Cola and my Coke drinking brother, does not have a proper recycling program.? Every time I go down there, I cringe at the amount of recyclable?by-products I see, and often bring a bunch back with me.

--- On Wed, 12/24/08, Thomas Shelley <tjs1 at cornell.edu> wrote:

From: Thomas Shelley <tjs1 at cornell.edu>
Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] [GreenYes] As You Sow--Coke update
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Wednesday, December 24, 2008, 12:42 AM

Dear Friends--Not local, but of general interest 
and concern.  The startling statistic to me is, 
"More than 200 billion beverage containers are 
sold in the U.S. each year, but over 130 billion of those are still sent to
landfills and incinerated...."  This really falls 
into the "oughta be a law category".   See sig file below.  Tom

>Coke Adds Recycling Life
>
>12/17/2008
>
>
>Coca-Cola has received the highest grade in a beverage container
>recycling report released by As You Sow, a San Francisco-based group
>that identifies itself as a "corporate responsibility watchdog.?
>
>As you Sow says it evaluated the recycling practices of 23 large
>beverage companies in the U.S. The highest grade assigned to any of
>them was the ?C? received by Coca-Cola, followed by Anheuser Busch,
>Pepsi Co. and Nestle Waters, companies that received C minuses.
>
>The study, entitled ?Waste and Opportunity: U.S. Beverage Container
>Recycling Scorecard and Report,? is based on original research that
>evaluated the beverage companies based on four criteria:
>
>Source Reduction (reducing the use of virgin packaging materials)
>Use of Recycled Content
>Beverage Container Recycling (supporting and investing in legislative
>policies that increase beverage container recovery and recycling)
>Transparency (compiling and offering information on goals and
>commitments made on container recycling, including making such
>information accessible through company Web sites).
>The 23 companies evaluated in the report represent 74 percent of the
>U.S. carbonated soft drink market, more than 60 percent of the U.S.
>bottled water market and nearly half of the U.S. beer industry,
>according to As You Sow.
>
>The companies evaluated (and the grades they received) were: Coca-Cola
>(C), Anheuser Busch20(C minus), Pepsi Co. (C minus), Nestle Waters NA (C
>minus), Red Bull (D plus), Fiji Water (D), Honest Tea (D minus); and
>the following companies that all received failing grades by As You
>Sow?s criteria: Dr. Pepper/Snapple, Miller Brewing Co., Coors Brewing
>Co., Starbucks, Cott, National Beverage, Hansens, Crystal Geyser,
>Adirondack, Arizona, Boston Beer, DS Waters, Jones Soda, Monarch
>Beverage, New Belgium Beer and Polar Beverage. (Please see detailed
>list of grades below.)
>
>?Despite some impressive progress, most beverage companies continue to
>fail basic criteria for dealing with the environmental implications of
>their packaging,? says Amy Galland, research director at As You Sow and
>author of the study. More than 200 billion beverage containers are sold
>in the U.S. each year, but over 130 billion of those are still sent to
>landfills and incinerated, representing a huge waste of natural
>resources, says Galland.
>
>Those wishing to read the report can find it on the Web at
>www.asyousow.org.
>
>Wednesday, December 17, 2008

******************************************
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
tjs1 at cornell.edu
http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-16-08.)
http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php (Just updated 12-16-08.)

Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion

Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass bottles.

The percentage of PET recycled is declining.

PET Recycling Rages Graph

Source: National Association for PET Container 
Resources, American Plastics Council
Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.   
_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
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From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com  Wed Dec 24 09:50:28 2008
From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 12:50:28 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <49514689.2010002@simonstl.com>
References: <49513C67.4040905@ithacacarshare.org>
	<mailman.1.1229633778.35725.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>
	<1194.67.241.5.100.1230049879.squirrel@webmail.cornell.edu>
	<49511B6B.2050509@ithacacarshare.org> <49512273.30202@simonstl.com>
	<49513C67.4040905@ithacacarshare.org>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20081224121919.020b6910@pop.lightlink.com>

Simon wrote:


>I agree that this wasn't considered a problem in 1890.  If you lived in
>the sticks, you simply managed your own heat.  Electricity wasn't an
>option.  Today, when we expect electricity to be available, it's a problem.

I agree with Simon. In 1890 the residents of this house canned, pickled, 
and cold-stored their produce. We can fruits and cold-store root 
vegetables, but we freeze quite a bit of fruit as well, and most of the 
vegetables. Consequently, we have over 35 cubic feet of frozen food, a 
large and expensive hoard. It would be a lot of schlepping to take it all 
outside to keep it frozen during a power outage -- assuming the weather 
cooperated and it remained below freezing. The last time we had a multi-day 
power outage, it was in July. That had us scrambling to locate a generator 
that could run at least one of our freezers (we have 2) and refrigerators 
(2 of those also, only one in use except in peak demand times -- like 
July). We ran one device for a hour or two and then switched to another in 
a rotation that lasted a tiresome several days. It would be nice to avoid 
having to do that, but we have resisted investing in a generator, both 
because of the capital cost and the maintenance required. We went 30 years 
without a major power outage, and who knows if it might not be another 30 
before it happens again? So, as Simon, said, we have come to rely on the 
electricity being there. In its absence, the contents of the freezers would 
be mostly canned, with a cost paid in quality and nutritional value.

So, I am looking forward to the prospect of a hybrid vehicle that would 
feature an all-electric drive train and an on-board back-up generator. 
Using that generator instead of having one just for the house makes sense 
to me, as does using the batteries in the vehicle to back up the grid.

Joel 

From andrejs at ozolins.com  Wed Dec 24 11:02:11 2008
From: andrejs at ozolins.com (andrejs at ozolins.com)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 19:02:11 +0000
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
Message-ID: <296171305-1230145329-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1545931067-@bxe295.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>

Years ago I read about Amory Lovins setting up his fridge so it would vent heat outdoors in summer and, in winter, using outdoor air for cooling whenever the temp diff was propitious. Anybody doing that?  Should be done by architects in designing a house. 
Andrejs
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

From simonstl at simonstl.com  Wed Dec 24 11:21:11 2008
From: simonstl at simonstl.com (Simon St.Laurent)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:21:11 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <296171305-1230145329-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1545931067-@bxe295.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
References: <296171305-1230145329-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1545931067-@bxe295.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
Message-ID: <49528BA7.7000008@simonstl.com>

andrejs at ozolins.com wrote:
> Years ago I read about Amory Lovins setting up his fridge so it would vent
 > heat outdoors in summer and, in winter, using outdoor air for cooling
 > whenever the temp diff was propitious. Anybody doing that?
 > Should be done by architects in designing a house.

This was common in higher-end housing through the 1920s.  Some complex 
kitchens even had different ventilation (and drainage) systems for 
different kinds of storage.  If you find an old house with mysterious 
levers in the kitchen, this might be why.

Many of those ventilation and drainage systems have disappeared with 
renovation, and changing ideas about sealing up and insulating houses.

It's a hard thing to retrofit - you're right about that!  My parents do 
regularly use their screened-in porch as overnight storage for holiday 
food, though.

Thanks,
Simon St.Laurent




From andy at ithacacarshare.org  Wed Dec 24 11:22:31 2008
From: andy at ithacacarshare.org (Andy Goodell)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:22:31 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <296171305-1230145329-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1545931067-@bxe295.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
References: <296171305-1230145329-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1545931067-@bxe295.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
Message-ID: <49528BF7.6090907@ithacacarshare.org>

I reuse 2-liter bottles and fill them with water and leave them outside 
to freeze. Then I rotate those with melting ones left in the fridge for 
2-3 days. While doing this last year, I unplugged the fridge for 2 weeks 
and it stayed between 42-46F. I'm not the kind of person to leave food 
in a fridge for more than a week anyway, although most fridges I see are 
filled with bottles and containers of stuff to be used over weeks or 
months, which this technique would not be great for (if you were 
unplugging.) If I had the opportunity to have my fridge outside in the 
winter, and inside in the summer, I would try that. I heard that once 
upon a time people had fridges that only used ice and no electricity - 
imagine that! :D

-Andy

andrejs at ozolins.com wrote:
> Years ago I read about Amory Lovins setting up his fridge so it would vent heat outdoors in summer and, in winter, using outdoor air for cooling whenever the temp diff was propitious. Anybody doing that?  Should be done by architects in designing a house. 
> Andrejs
>   



From bosak at ibiblio.org  Wed Dec 24 12:10:35 2008
From: bosak at ibiblio.org (Jon Bosak)
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:10:35 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Ice (was: Prius as an emergency generator)
In-Reply-To: <49528BF7.6090907@ithacacarshare.org>
References: <296171305-1230145329-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-1545931067-@bxe295.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
	<49528BF7.6090907@ithacacarshare.org>
Message-ID: <4952973B.5030008@ibiblio.org>

[Andy Goodell:]

| I heard that once upon a time people had fridges that only used
| ice and no electricity

Ice used to be one of this area's major export products.  Homer (I
seem to recall) was the ice production capital of New York State.
Most of this ice was destined for ice boxes in the big cities, of
course, but a hundred years ago, every dairy farm around here had
a cooling room and an ice house for storage.  Ice harvesting was
an important winter farming activity.

Climate change has eliminated commercial ice export as a viable
local post-carbon business, but is there still enough dependable
pond ice around here in the winter to harvest for local summer
cooling?  I'm not clear on what thickness can still be counted on.

(Ice houses relied on a lot of sawdust, and that might actually be
the limiting factor now.)

Jon


From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com  Thu Dec 25 08:04:33 2008
From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 11:04:33 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
In-Reply-To: <296171305-1230145329-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.
	net-1545931067-@bxe295.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20081225103324.020a3d20@pop.lightlink.com>

At 07:02 PM 12/24/08 +0000, you wrote:
>Years ago I read about Amory Lovins setting up his fridge so it would vent 
>heat outdoors in summer and, in winter, using outdoor air for cooling 
>whenever the temp diff was propitious. Anybody doing that?  Should be done 
>by architects in designing a house.
>Andrejs

I remember reading that too, and it makes a lot of sense. To pull it off, 
though, you need not only to integrate it into the design of the house, you 
also have to design the refrigeration device for it as well. I know of no 
"off the shelf" product that is designed to take advantage of exterior cold 
air in the winter.

In the summer, a ground source heat pump (operated to dump, rather than 
pump!) would be more efficient than trying to dump heat into already hot 
ambient air. It should be possible to use the same equipment that heats the 
house in the winter to cool refrigeration units in the summer.

When we first moved to this house, the refrigerator that came with it 
needed a new door gasket. It was some weeks before I got it on. In the 
meantime, it being January, we used the coldest room in the house as a big 
refrigerator. It was plenty cold (the rest of the uninsulated house wasn't 
much warmer). I know folks who keep refrigerators in unheated porches to 
minimize run times. Unfortunately, this does not work very well. You may 
have noticed that you have to adjust the thermostat in your fridge with 
changing ambient temperatures. Perversely, the warmer the ambient 
temperature, the colder the refrigerator gets at a given setting. The 
freezer compartment is even harder to regulate. The controls are designed 
for a relatively constant temperature environment. Better controls 
(including separate thermostats for freezer and refrigerator compartments 
and the needed ability to self-adjust the cooling to each compartment) 
would cost more, of course, and so far manufacturers don't see much of a 
market for high-end efficiency. The low-hanging fruit of energy efficiency 
has already been picked, with better insulation and more efficient 
compressors. Since the currently-produced products are not designed for the 
longevity of their predecessors, further improvement in efficiency could be 
rapidly introduced. I'd like to see a return to durability along with 
improved efficiency.

Joel


From ejwray99 at gmail.com  Thu Dec 25 08:25:57 2008
From: ejwray99 at gmail.com (Evan Wray)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 11:25:57 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Merry Christmas!
In-Reply-To: <980244.31961.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <980244.31961.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <00ad01c966ad$783c6890$68b539b0$@com>

Merry Christmas!

EJW



From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Thu Dec 25 10:37:40 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 10:37:40 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Why not just dump the 'fridge altogether?
Message-ID: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>


Why is the discussion even about a better, more energy efficient?refridgerator?? Let's discuss life without the refridgerator.?
?
Although you won't read about it in the New York Times, the refridgerator is as much an engine of sprawl and unsustainable growth as the automobile.?? It is the one appliance that has permitted us to eliminate the daily trip to the market and the need to live close to our food retailers.? ?
?
Moreover it's an appliance that the vast majority of people outside the U.S.. get along just fine without.? They just treat and package their food sources in a manner that eliminates the need for refridgeration.? 
?
Take milk for example.??Much of the rest of the world uses aseptic packaging technology for packaging milk.? As a result milk can sit on the shelf in a tropical environment for up to six months without refridgeration.? It is also available in small enough packaging that it can be consumed in a day or less, thus elimination the need for home refridgeration after the package is opened.? 
?
Been there, done that.
?
Imagine how much our demand for energy and our generation of greehouse gases would drop if we just accepted room temperature milk and other beverages.?
?
It's not just the Third World that does nicely without refridgerators.? A substantial number of the new homes built over the past decade?in Seneca County just to our north have been built not just off the grid but without electric service entirely.? 
?
They are owned by Plain Sect Mennonite farm?families.
?
George Frantz
?
???

--- On Thu, 12/25/08, Joel and Sarah Gagnon <Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com> wrote:

From: Joel and Sarah Gagnon <Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com>
Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator
To: andrejs at ozolins.com, "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Thursday, December 25, 2008, 4:04 PM

At 07:02 PM 12/24/08 +0000, you wrote:
>Years ago I read about Amory Lovins setting up his fridge so it would vent 
>heat outdoors in summer and, in winter, using outdoor air for cooling 
>whenever the temp diff was propitious. Anybody doing that?  Should be done 
>by architects in designing a house.
>Andrejs

I remember reading that too, and it makes a lot of sense. To pull it off, 
though, you need not only to integrate it into the design of the house, you 
also have to design the refrigeration device for it as well. I know of no 
"off the shelf" product that is designed to take advantage of
exterior cold 
air in the winter.

In the summer, a ground source heat pump (operated to dump, rather than 
pump!) would be more efficient than trying to dump heat into already hot 
ambient air. It should be possible to use the same equipment that heats the 
house in the winter to cool refrigeration units in the summer.

When we first moved to this house, the refrigerator that came with it 
needed a new door gasket. It was some weeks before I got it on. In the 
meantime, it being January, we used the coldest room in the house as a big 
refrigerator. It was plenty cold (the rest of the uninsulated house wasn't 
much warmer). I know folks who keep refrigerators in unheated porches to 
minimize run times. Unfortunately, this does not work very well. You may 
have noticed that you have to adjust the thermostat in your fridge with 
changing ambient temperatures. Perversely, the warmer the ambient 
temperature, the colder the refrigerator gets at a given setting. The 
freezer compartment is even harder to regulate. The controls are designed 
for a relatively constant temperature environment. Better controls 
(including separate thermostats for freezer and refrigerator compartments 
and the needed ability to self-adjust the cooling to each compartment) 
would cost more, of course, and so far manufacturers don't see much of a 
market for high-end efficiency. The low-hanging fruit of energy efficiency 
has already been picked, with better insulation and more efficient 
compressors. Since the currently-produced products are not designed for the 
longevity of their predecessors, further improvement in efficiency could be 
rapidly introduced. I'd like to see a return to durability along with 
improved efficiency.

Joel

_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org



      

From fpegi at hotmail.com  Thu Dec 25 12:18:18 2008
From: fpegi at hotmail.com (Pegi Ficken)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 14:18:18 -0600
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Why not just dump the 'fridge altogether?
In-Reply-To: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <COL101-W1677BA1FB2B7A5C79103FCB2EA0@phx.gbl>


Doing without refrigeration would be an excellent means of effecting population control. Spoiled food is a superb disease vector. Concerning aseptically processed milk, I wouldn't touch it. What is the energy comparison for aseptic milk in single-serve packages versus refrigeration?
The Amish and Mennonites do not do without electricity. They are not connected to the grid, but they use generators and propane refrigerators.
Pegi> Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 10:37:40 -0800> From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com> To: sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Why not just dump the 'fridge altogether?> > > Why is the discussion even about a better, more energy efficient refridgerator?  Let's discuss life without the refridgerator. >  > Although you won't read about it in the New York Times, the refridgerator is as much an engine of sprawl and unsustainable growth as the automobile.   It is the one appliance that has permitted us to eliminate the daily trip to the market and the need to live close to our food retailers.   >  > Moreover it's an appliance that the vast majority of people outside the U.S.. get along just fine without.  They just treat and package their food sources in a manner that eliminates the need for refridgeration.  >  > Take milk for example.  Much of the rest of the world uses aseptic packaging technology for packaging milk.  As a result milk can sit on the shelf in a tropical environment for up to six months without refridgeration.  It is also available in small enough packaging that it can be consumed in a day or less, thus elimination the need for home refridgeration after the package is opened.  >  > Been there, done that.>  > Imagine how much our demand for energy and our generation of greehouse gases would drop if we just accepted room temperature milk and other beverages. >  > It's not just the Third World that does nicely without refridgerators.  A substantial number of the new homes built over the past decade in Seneca County just to our north have been built not just off the grid but without electric service entirely.  >  > They are owned by Plain Sect Mennonite farm families.>  > George Frantz>  >    > > --- On Thu, 12/25/08, Joel and Sarah Gagnon <Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com> wrote:> > From: Joel and Sarah Gagnon <Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com>> Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Prius as an emergency generator> To: andrejs at ozolins.com, "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>> Date: Thursday, December 25, 2008, 4:04 PM> > At 07:02 PM 12/24/08 +0000, you wrote:> >Years ago I read about Amory Lovins setting up his fridge so it would vent > >heat outdoors in summer and, in winter, using outdoor air for cooling > >whenever the temp diff was propitious. Anybody doing that? Should be done > >by architects in designing a house.> >Andrejs> > I remember reading that too, and it makes a lot of sense. To pull it off, > though, you need not only to integrate it into the design of the house, you > also have to design the refrigeration device for it as well. I know of no > "off the shelf" product that is designed to take advantage of> exterior cold > air in the winter.> > In the summer, a ground source heat pump (operated to dump, rather than > pump!) would be more efficient than trying to dump heat into already hot > ambient air. It should be possible to use the same equipment that heats the > house in the winter to cool refrigeration units in the summer.> > When we first moved to this house, the refrigerator that came with it > needed a new door gasket. It was some weeks before I got it on. In the > meantime, it being January, we used the coldest room in the house as a big > refrigerator. It was plenty cold (the rest of the uninsulated house wasn't > much warmer). I know folks who keep refrigerators in unheated porches to > minimize run times. Unfortunately, this does not work very well. You may > have noticed that you have to adjust the thermostat in your fridge with > changing ambient temperatures. Perversely, the warmer the ambient > temperature, the colder the refrigerator gets at a given setting. The > freezer compartment is even harder to regulate. The controls are designed > for a relatively constant temperature environment. Better controls > (including separate thermostats for freezer and refrigerator compartments > and the needed ability to self-adjust the cooling to each compartment) > would cost more, of course, and so far manufacturers don't see much of a > market for high-end efficiency. The low-hanging fruit of energy efficiency > has already been picked, with better insulation and more efficient > compressors. Since the currently-produced products are not designed for the > longevity of their predecessors, further improvement in efficiency could be > rapidly introduced. I'd like to see a return to durability along with > improved efficiency.> > Joel> > _______________________________________________> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please> visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org> > > > > _______________________________________________> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
_________________________________________________________________
Life on your PC is safer, easier, and more enjoyable with Windows Vista?. 
http://clk.atdmt.com/MRT/go/127032870/direct/01/

From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Thu Dec 25 14:30:22 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 17:30:22 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Thread change: aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <200812252231.mBPMVTWh000450@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

At 01:37 PM 12/25/2008, you wrote, in part:
>Take milk for example.  Much of the rest of the world uses aseptic 
>packaging technology for packaging milk.  As a result milk can sit 
>on the shelf in a tropical environment for up to six months without 
>refridgeration.  It is also available in small enough packaging that 
>it can be consumed in a day or less, thus elimination the need for 
>home refridgeration after the package is opened.

Dear George and Friends--Yes, this is a good thing in a way in terms 
of many populations receiving a higher nutrient level, and especially 
a blessing in many underdeveloped countries.  However, there is a 
serious problem with Tetra, the patent holder and manufacturer of the 
world's aseptic packaging, and recycling in some areas.  Aseptic 
packages can be completely recycled into fiber (paper), aluminum 
(foil) and plastic (the coatings, caps), less the adhesives, but in 
many (most?) areas of the world these packages go to the landfill 
instead.  This represents a tremendous quantity of resources and 
embodied energy going down the tubes. In some states, like Brazil, 
the governments threatened to ban Tetra products unless Tetra agreed 
to recycle their products.  So they did.  Maybe they are doing a lot 
more now globally, but I suspect that most still go to the landfill 
or, even worse, the incinerator.  I haven't seen any lifecycle cost 
analysises, but I suspect that it is less expensive, less energy 
intensive and less GHG producing to supply refrigeration, with 
adequate product life as Joel pointed out, than is to supply the 
needed quantity of Teta packs on a global basis.  Jus' my $.02.   Tom

P.S.:  If almond milk, rice milk, dairy products, etc., came in 
reusable glass containers we would be waaayyy ahead in terms of 
energy, GHG emissions and resources, even with the cost of 
transporting and cleaning the glass containers.  It's the "throw 
away" mentality that promotes wastage and abuse of resources, energy 
and the rapidly deteriorating environment.

******************************************
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
tjs1 at cornell.edu
http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-22-08.)
http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php  (Last updated 12-16-08.)

Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion

Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass bottles.

The percentage of PET recycled is declining.

PET Recycling Rages Graph

Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American 
Plastics Council
Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.   

From mmccasla at twcny.rr.com  Thu Dec 25 16:34:21 2008
From: mmccasla at twcny.rr.com (Margaret McCasland)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 19:34:21 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] : aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <200812252231.mBPMVTWh000450@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<200812252231.mBPMVTWh000450@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
Message-ID: <106F09B9-88C6-4034-9447-574C11D25C36@twcny.rr.com>

I just made my own cashew milk from cashew butter which came in glass  
jars (quick, easy, and already consumed). However I worry about  
whether there are chemically active plasticizers in the soft ring of  
the metal cap on the nut butters. But even more I wonder about whether  
there are chemicals in the plastic liners of aseptic packing which  
migrate into the food. If so, the danger may increase with long term  
storage and/or in hot places.

I have long avoided Tetra packs, since they are probably energy- 
intensive to recycle and because I wondered about the safety of the  
plastic lining. More recently, I have stopped buying almost all canned  
goods since I learned most "tin" cans are coated with plastic  
containing BPA, an endocrine disruptor with MANY serious effects on  
humans and the ecosystem. Some brands of stretchy food wrap also  
contains BPA (especially if its vinyl). "Clear" shrink tight window  
plastic is also vinyl, so it's off-gassing BPA while it's reducing  
your fuel bill.

Too bad we are asked to make trade-offs between energy efficiency and  
personal and ecological health.

(Unfortunately glass takes almost as much energy to recycle as it does  
to make in the first place, and I don't think that even includes  
transportation--so REUSING glass seems the best way to go. Remember  
local bottling plants with refillable bottles?)

Margaret

On Dec 25, 2008, at 5:30 PM, Thomas Shelley wrote:

> At 01:37 PM 12/25/2008, you wrote, in part:
>> Take milk for example.  Much of the rest of the world uses aseptic
>> packaging technology for packaging milk.  As a result milk can sit
>> on the shelf in a tropical environment for up to six months without
>> refridgeration.  It is also available in small enough packaging that
>> it can be consumed in a day or less, thus elimination the need for
>> home refridgeration after the package is opened.
>
> Dear George and Friends--Yes, this is a good thing in a way in terms
> of many populations receiving a higher nutrient level, and especially
> a blessing in many underdeveloped countries.  However, there is a
> serious problem with Tetra, the patent holder and manufacturer of the
> world's aseptic packaging, and recycling in some areas.  Aseptic
> packages can be completely recycled into fiber (paper), aluminum
> (foil) and plastic (the coatings, caps), less the adhesives, but in
> many (most?) areas of the world these packages go to the landfill
> instead.  This represents a tremendous quantity of resources and
> embodied energy going down the tubes. In some states, like Brazil,
> the governments threatened to ban Tetra products unless Tetra agreed
> to recycle their products.  So they did.  Maybe they are doing a lot
> more now globally, but I suspect that most still go to the landfill
> or, even worse, the incinerator.  I haven't seen any lifecycle cost
> analysises, but I suspect that it is less expensive, less energy
> intensive and less GHG producing to supply refrigeration, with
> adequate product life as Joel pointed out, than is to supply the
> needed quantity of Teta packs on a global basis.  Jus' my $.02.   Tom
>
> P.S.:  If almond milk, rice milk, dairy products, etc., came in
> reusable glass containers we would be waaayyy ahead in terms of
> energy, GHG emissions and resources, even with the cost of
> transporting and cleaning the glass containers.  It's the "throw
> away" mentality that promotes wastage and abuse of resources, energy
> and the rapidly deteriorating environment.
>
> ******************************************
> Tom Shelley
> 118 E. Court St.
> Ithaca, NY 14850
> 607 342-0864
> tjs1 at cornell.edu
> http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-22-08.)
> http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php  (Last updated 12-16-08.)
>
> Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion
>
> Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass  
> bottles.
>
> The percentage of PET recycled is declining.
>
> PET Recycling Rages Graph
>
> Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American
> Plastics Council
> Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County  
> area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org


From andy at ithacacarshare.org  Thu Dec 25 17:31:58 2008
From: andy at ithacacarshare.org (Andy Goodell)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 20:31:58 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] : aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <106F09B9-88C6-4034-9447-574C11D25C36@twcny.rr.com>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>	<200812252231.mBPMVTWh000450@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
	<106F09B9-88C6-4034-9447-574C11D25C36@twcny.rr.com>
Message-ID: <4954340E.4050305@ithacacarshare.org>

But didn't our trustworthy EPA tell us that BPA is safe for infants?

I agree, reusable glass is the way to go. I have no idea how to change 
consumer habits to get there though. I traveled through Madagascar a few 
years ago, and over there a 1.5 liter glass bottle of soda costs 75 
cents (equivalent) but if you wanted to leave the building with the 
bottle it was $1.50. A 75 cent deposit in a 3rd world country is 
basically a guarantee that every bottle possible will be reused. All I 
know is that the big soda companies here fought long enough just to 
oppose a nickel deposit, who knows what 75 cents would take!

-Andy

Margaret McCasland wrote:
> I just made my own cashew milk from cashew butter which came in glass  
> jars (quick, easy, and already consumed). However I worry about  
> whether there are chemically active plasticizers in the soft ring of  
> the metal cap on the nut butters. But even more I wonder about whether  
> there are chemicals in the plastic liners of aseptic packing which  
> migrate into the food. If so, the danger may increase with long term  
> storage and/or in hot places.
>
> I have long avoided Tetra packs, since they are probably energy- 
> intensive to recycle and because I wondered about the safety of the  
> plastic lining. More recently, I have stopped buying almost all canned  
> goods since I learned most "tin" cans are coated with plastic  
> containing BPA, an endocrine disruptor with MANY serious effects on  
> humans and the ecosystem. Some brands of stretchy food wrap also  
> contains BPA (especially if its vinyl). "Clear" shrink tight window  
> plastic is also vinyl, so it's off-gassing BPA while it's reducing  
> your fuel bill.
>
> Too bad we are asked to make trade-offs between energy efficiency and  
> personal and ecological health.
>
> (Unfortunately glass takes almost as much energy to recycle as it does  
> to make in the first place, and I don't think that even includes  
> transportation--so REUSING glass seems the best way to go. Remember  
> local bottling plants with refillable bottles?)
>
> Margaret
>   




From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Thu Dec 25 20:46:21 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 2008 23:46:21 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] : aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <4954340E.4050305@ithacacarshare.org>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<200812252231.mBPMVTWh000450@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
	<106F09B9-88C6-4034-9447-574C11D25C36@twcny.rr.com>
	<4954340E.4050305@ithacacarshare.org>
Message-ID: <200812260447.mBQ4lfec017970@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

At 08:31 PM 12/25/2008, you wrote:
>But didn't our trustworthy EPA tell us that BPA is safe for infants?

Hi, Margaret, Andy and All.  I realize we are heading even more off 
topic, but, referring back to Margaret's comment on vinyl plastics, 
the BPA hazards are, from my professional view point, trivial 
relative to the off-gassing of vinyl chloride monomer--that nice "new 
car" smell.  Vinyl chloride is a known human carcinogen, teratogen 
and mutagen and it is used to such a large extent as an industrial 
compound that there is a separate OSHA standard governing its use, as 
there is for formaldehyde.   I think the vinyl chloride will get you 
long before the BPA can do much, although we don't want the infants 
to get much of either.   Have a wonderful day.   Tom

******************************************
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
tjs1 at cornell.edu
http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-22-08.)
http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php  (Last updated 12-16-08.)

Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion*

What Does Zero Waste Mean?
"If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, 
refinished, resold, recycled, or composted, then it should be 
restricted, redesigned, or removed from production."
Berkeley Zero Waste Resolution
See  http://www.cityofberkeley.info/council8/newsletter.pdf

*noun:  a shoot or bud of a plant, esp. one for planting or grafting

From tonydelplato at gmail.com  Fri Dec 26 06:54:21 2008
From: tonydelplato at gmail.com (Tony Del Plato)
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 09:54:21 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Winter Cold Puts a Chill on Green Energy
Message-ID: <ab9bf9ac0812260654j4c0b4ad4oa95b3fe81952c84d@mail.gmail.com>

       [image: The New York Times] <http://www.nytimes.com/> [image: E-mail
This] <http://www.nytimes.com/adx/bin/adx_click.html?type=goto&page=www.nytimes.com/yr/mo/day/business&pos=TopRight-EmailThis&sn2=fbf225e8/e97c738b&sn1=4105ba30/def8a09&camp=foxsearch2008_emailtools_810910b_nyt5&ad=slumdog_a_88x31_12-17&goto=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efoxsearchlight%2Ecom%2Fslumdogmillionaire%20>
*This page was sent to you by: * Tony <ad322 at cornell.edu> Del Plato

*BUSINESS *  | December 26, 2008
*Winter Cold Puts a Chill on Green Energy
<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/26/business/26winter.html?emc=eta1>*
By KATE GALBRAITH
Many alternative energy sources like wind turbines and solar panels
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Exercise<http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/25/health/nutrition/25best.html?em&emc=eta1>

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-- 
An economist is a surgeon with an excellent scalpel and a rough-edged
lancet, who operates beautifully on the dead and tortures the living.
  - Nicholas Chamfort

From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com  Fri Dec 26 08:21:03 2008
From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon)
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:21:03 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Winter Cold Puts a Chill on Green Energy
In-Reply-To: <ab9bf9ac0812260654j4c0b4ad4oa95b3fe81952c84d@mail.gmail.co
 m>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20081226111957.0209bc90@pop.lightlink.com>

We rely heavily on stored solar (cord wood) in the winter. Very reliable.

Joel

From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com  Fri Dec 26 08:43:59 2008
From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon)
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:43:59 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Thread change: aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <200812252231.mBPMVTWh000450@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>

I have pondering this issue for years. For most of the last 30 years, we 
have bought dry milk and mixed it as needed, using old glass half-gallon 
juice bottles (remember when juices came in glass bottles?). I'm down to 
only 3 left, and they seem to be irreplaceable. The other problem is the 
caps, which wear out eventually and can't be replaced either. So we have 
supplemented the supply with plastic bottles that resemble the glass ones, 
but are harder to get clean. Dry milk tastes better if mixed a day or more 
ahead and refrigerated. When traveling, something we do once or twice a 
year, we mix it up just before use, mixing only what we will immediately 
consume. It works, but isn't as good.

Lately we have been purchasing fluid milk when we are in town. In the last 
year dry milk prices rose to match, and now exceed, fluid milk prices. I 
don't like generating the plastic bottles, even if they are recyclable. 
Doesn't Byrne Dairy still use reusable glass bottles?

Our refrigerator is used primarily for fresh food storage. It supplements 
the cold storage room in the winter and substitutes for it once the weather 
is too warm for cold storage (generally April through October). While we 
process most of our fresh vegetables for year-round consumption, the 
refrigerator gives us a place to accumulate enough to make the processing 
efficient. Asparagus, beans, summer squash, and cucumbers are all kept in 
the fridge to retain quality and retard spoilage. Ditto for fruit for fresh 
consumption. You can't store raspberries at room temperature for more than 
a few hours. While all these products could be processed in small batches 
as they are picked, that isn't very efficient in time or energy, and it 
doesn't work for the products that are only consumed fresh (like cucumbers 
and summer squash). So, while we could probably make do if necessary, for 
reasons of convenience and nutritional superiority, we refrigerate.

Joel

At 05:30 PM 12/25/08 -0500, you wrote:
>At 01:37 PM 12/25/2008, you wrote, in part:
> >Take milk for example.  Much of the rest of the world uses aseptic
> >packaging technology for packaging milk.  As a result milk can sit
> >on the shelf in a tropical environment for up to six months without
> >refridgeration.  It is also available in small enough packaging that
> >it can be consumed in a day or less, thus elimination the need for
> >home refridgeration after the package is opened.
>
>Dear George and Friends--Yes, this is a good thing in a way in terms
>of many populations receiving a higher nutrient level, and especially
>a blessing in many underdeveloped countries.  However, there is a
>serious problem with Tetra, the patent holder and manufacturer of the
>world's aseptic packaging, and recycling in some areas.  Aseptic
>packages can be completely recycled into fiber (paper), aluminum
>(foil) and plastic (the coatings, caps), less the adhesives, but in
>many (most?) areas of the world these packages go to the landfill
>instead.  This represents a tremendous quantity of resources and
>embodied energy going down the tubes. In some states, like Brazil,
>the governments threatened to ban Tetra products unless Tetra agreed
>to recycle their products.  So they did.  Maybe they are doing a lot
>more now globally, but I suspect that most still go to the landfill
>or, even worse, the incinerator.  I haven't seen any lifecycle cost
>analysises, but I suspect that it is less expensive, less energy
>intensive and less GHG producing to supply refrigeration, with
>adequate product life as Joel pointed out, than is to supply the
>needed quantity of Teta packs on a global basis.  Jus' my $.02.   Tom
>
>P.S.:  If almond milk, rice milk, dairy products, etc., came in
>reusable glass containers we would be waaayyy ahead in terms of
>energy, GHG emissions and resources, even with the cost of
>transporting and cleaning the glass containers.  It's the "throw
>away" mentality that promotes wastage and abuse of resources, energy
>and the rapidly deteriorating environment.
>
>******************************************
>Tom Shelley
>118 E. Court St.
>Ithaca, NY 14850
>607 342-0864
>tjs1 at cornell.edu
>http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-22-08.)
>http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php  (Last updated 12-16-08.)
>
>Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion
>
>Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass bottles.
>
>The percentage of PET recycled is declining.
>
>PET Recycling Rages Graph
>
>Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American
>Plastics Council
>Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.
>_______________________________________________
>For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, 
>please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>
>RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
>free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org

From andy at ithacacarshare.org  Fri Dec 26 09:41:18 2008
From: andy at ithacacarshare.org (Andy Goodell)
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:41:18 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] my favorite refrigerators
In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>	<552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>
Message-ID: <4955173E.3030501@ithacacarshare.org>

I have seen reusable glass containers at Greenstar for 2% milk and 
orange juice. I don't care much for milk other than whole milk, and 
orange juice in Ithaca just doesn't seem right, even if the glass is 
reused. There's a coop in Brattleboro VT that I've stopped by a few 
times, and they had a nice selection of milks in reusable containers 
with about a $1 deposit.

At last year's winter NOFA conference in Saratoga, I heard the greatest 
food storage idea yet. The concept was to have an underground root 
cellar with an ice storage shed above. That way your cold air around the 
ice sinks and keeps your root cellar cooler than just ground insulation, 
and you wouldn't need an electric refrigerator. I hope someday to use 
some really neat concepts like that.

My favorite "refrigerator" was 3000ft up, near Wildcat (D) Mountain in 
the Whites of New Hampshire. Two peaks had collapsed long ago and left 
enormous boulders in the area between, which in the winter fill with now 
and ice. Some of these little caves go about 15ft down also. In the 
summer, the snow/ice remains for quite a while since it's basically 
below ground, and doesn't receive light under the boulders. If your 
familiar with the AMC, this is right next to the Carter Notch huts.

-Andy

Joel and Sarah Gagnon wrote:
> I have pondering this issue for years. For most of the last 30 years, we 
> have bought dry milk and mixed it as needed, using old glass half-gallon 
> juice bottles (remember when juices came in glass bottles?). I'm down to 
> only 3 left, and they seem to be irreplaceable. The other problem is the 
> caps, which wear out eventually and can't be replaced either. So we have 
> supplemented the supply with plastic bottles that resemble the glass ones, 
> but are harder to get clean. Dry milk tastes better if mixed a day or more 
> ahead and refrigerated. When traveling, something we do once or twice a 
> year, we mix it up just before use, mixing only what we will immediately 
> consume. It works, but isn't as good.
> 
> Lately we have been purchasing fluid milk when we are in town. In the last 
> year dry milk prices rose to match, and now exceed, fluid milk prices. I 
> don't like generating the plastic bottles, even if they are recyclable. 
> Doesn't Byrne Dairy still use reusable glass bottles?
> 
> Our refrigerator is used primarily for fresh food storage. It supplements 
> the cold storage room in the winter and substitutes for it once the weather 
> is too warm for cold storage (generally April through October). While we 
> process most of our fresh vegetables for year-round consumption, the 
> refrigerator gives us a place to accumulate enough to make the processing 
> efficient. Asparagus, beans, summer squash, and cucumbers are all kept in 
> the fridge to retain quality and retard spoilage. Ditto for fruit for fresh 
> consumption. You can't store raspberries at room temperature for more than 
> a few hours. While all these products could be processed in small batches 
> as they are picked, that isn't very efficient in time or energy, and it 
> doesn't work for the products that are only consumed fresh (like cucumbers 
> and summer squash). So, while we could probably make do if necessary, for 
> reasons of convenience and nutritional superiority, we refrigerate.
> 
> Joel
> 
> At 05:30 PM 12/25/08 -0500, you wrote:
>> At 01:37 PM 12/25/2008, you wrote, in part:
>>> Take milk for example.  Much of the rest of the world uses aseptic
>>> packaging technology for packaging milk.  As a result milk can sit
>>> on the shelf in a tropical environment for up to six months without
>>> refridgeration.  It is also available in small enough packaging that
>>> it can be consumed in a day or less, thus elimination the need for
>>> home refridgeration after the package is opened.
>> Dear George and Friends--Yes, this is a good thing in a way in terms
>> of many populations receiving a higher nutrient level, and especially
>> a blessing in many underdeveloped countries.  However, there is a
>> serious problem with Tetra, the patent holder and manufacturer of the
>> world's aseptic packaging, and recycling in some areas.  Aseptic
>> packages can be completely recycled into fiber (paper), aluminum
>> (foil) and plastic (the coatings, caps), less the adhesives, but in
>> many (most?) areas of the world these packages go to the landfill
>> instead.  This represents a tremendous quantity of resources and
>> embodied energy going down the tubes. In some states, like Brazil,
>> the governments threatened to ban Tetra products unless Tetra agreed
>> to recycle their products.  So they did.  Maybe they are doing a lot
>> more now globally, but I suspect that most still go to the landfill
>> or, even worse, the incinerator.  I haven't seen any lifecycle cost
>> analysises, but I suspect that it is less expensive, less energy
>> intensive and less GHG producing to supply refrigeration, with
>> adequate product life as Joel pointed out, than is to supply the
>> needed quantity of Teta packs on a global basis.  Jus' my $.02.   Tom
>>
>> P.S.:  If almond milk, rice milk, dairy products, etc., came in
>> reusable glass containers we would be waaayyy ahead in terms of
>> energy, GHG emissions and resources, even with the cost of
>> transporting and cleaning the glass containers.  It's the "throw
>> away" mentality that promotes wastage and abuse of resources, energy
>> and the rapidly deteriorating environment.
>>
>> ******************************************
>> Tom Shelley
>> 118 E. Court St.
>> Ithaca, NY 14850
>> 607 342-0864
>> tjs1 at cornell.edu
>> http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-22-08.)
>> http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php  (Last updated 12-16-08.)
>>
>> Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion
>>
>> Buy products in glass, not plastic!  Recycle all of your glass bottles.
>>
>> The percentage of PET recycled is declining.
>>
>> PET Recycling Rages Graph
>>
>> Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American
>> Plastics Council
>> Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.
>> _______________________________________________
>> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, 
>> please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/
>>
>> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
>> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
>> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
>> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
>> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 
> 
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
> 
> 
> 

-- 
Andy Goodell
Assistant Director
www.IthacaCarshare.org
607.277.3210



From fpegi at hotmail.com  Fri Dec 26 09:42:51 2008
From: fpegi at hotmail.com (Pegi Ficken)
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:42:51 -0600
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Thread change: aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>
References: <552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com> 
	<5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>
Message-ID: <COL101-W6771B5C692B45F12A87EECB2EB0@phx.gbl>


It's still possible to buy half-gallon glass canning jars. I've bought them online, and I think that I saw some at AC Moore in the craft department. I miss my gallon glass pickle jars.
Pegi> Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:43:59 -0500> To: sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com> Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Thread change: aseptic packaging> > I have pondering this issue for years. For most of the last 30 years, we > have bought dry milk and mixed it as needed, using old glass half-gallon > juice bottles (remember when juices came in glass bottles?). I'm down to > only 3 left, and they seem to be irreplaceable. The other problem is the > caps, which wear out eventually and can't be replaced either. So we have > supplemented the supply with plastic bottles that resemble the glass ones, > but are harder to get clean. Dry milk tastes better if mixed a day or more > ahead and refrigerated. When traveling, something we do once or twice a > year, we mix it up just before use, mixing only what we will immediately > consume. It works, but isn't as good.> > Lately we have been purchasing fluid milk when we are in town. In the last > year dry milk prices rose to match, and now exceed, fluid milk prices. I > don't like generating the plastic bottles, even if they are recyclable. > Doesn't Byrne Dairy still use reusable glass bottles?> > Our refrigerator is used primarily for fresh food storage. It supplements > the cold storage room in the winter and substitutes for it once the weather > is too warm for cold storage (generally April through October). While we > process most of our fresh vegetables for year-round consumption, the > refrigerator gives us a place to accumulate enough to make the processing > efficient. Asparagus, beans, summer squash, and cucumbers are all kept in > the fridge to retain quality and retard spoilage. Ditto for fruit for fresh > consumption. You can't store raspberries at room temperature for more than > a few hours. While all these products could be processed in small batches > as they are picked, that isn't very efficient in time or energy, and it > doesn't work for the products that are only consumed fresh (like cucumbers > and summer squash). So, while we could probably make do if necessary, for > reasons of convenience and nutritional superiority, we refrigerate.> > Joel> > At 05:30 PM 12/25/08 -0500, you wrote:> >At 01:37 PM 12/25/2008, you wrote, in part:> > >Take milk for example. Much of the rest of the world uses aseptic> > >packaging technology for packaging milk. As a result milk can sit> > >on the shelf in a tropical environment for up to six months without> > >refridgeration. It is also available in small enough packaging that> > >it can be consumed in a day or less, thus elimination the need for> > >home refridgeration after the package is opened.> >> >Dear George and Friends--Yes, this is a good thing in a way in terms> >of many populations receiving a higher nutrient level, and especially> >a blessing in many underdeveloped countries. However, there is a> >serious problem with Tetra, the patent holder and manufacturer of the> >world's aseptic packaging, and recycling in some areas. Aseptic> >packages can be completely recycled into fiber (paper), aluminum> >(foil) and plastic (the coatings, caps), less the adhesives, but in> >many (most?) areas of the world these packages go to the landfill> >instead. This represents a tremendous quantity of resources and> >embodied energy going down the tubes. In some states, like Brazil,> >the governments threatened to ban Tetra products unless Tetra agreed> >to recycle their products. So they did. Maybe they are doing a lot> >more now globally, but I suspect that most still go to the landfill> >or, even worse, the incinerator. I haven't seen any lifecycle cost> >analysises, but I suspect that it is less expensive, less energy> >intensive and less GHG producing to supply refrigeration, with> >adequate product life as Joel pointed out, than is to supply the> >needed quantity of Teta packs on a global basis. Jus' my $.02. Tom> >> >P.S.: If almond milk, rice milk, dairy products, etc., came in> >reusable glass containers we would be waaayyy ahead in terms of> >energy, GHG emissions and resources, even with the cost of> >transporting and cleaning the glass containers. It's the "throw> >away" mentality that promotes wastage and abuse of resources, energy> >and the rapidly deteriorating environment.> >> >******************************************> >Tom Shelley> >118 E. Court St.> >Ithaca, NY 14850> >607 342-0864> >tjs1 at cornell.edu> >http://www.myspace.com/99319958 (Just updated 12-22-08.)> >http://www.facebook.com/129295929#/home.php (Last updated 12-16-08.)> >> >Compost Educator and Sustainability Scion> >> >Buy products in glass, not plastic! Recycle all of your glass bottles.> >> >The percentage of PET recycled is declining.> >> >PET Recycling Rages Graph> >> >Source: National Association for PET Container Resources, American> >Plastics Council> >Note: 39% of plastic recycled in 2003 was PET.> >_______________________________________________> >For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, > >please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/> >> >RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:> >SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> >http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins> >Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org> >free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org> _______________________________________________> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
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From kqj at quinn-jacobs.org  Fri Dec 26 16:04:46 2008
From: kqj at quinn-jacobs.org (Katie Quinn-Jacobs)
Date: Fri, 26 Dec 2008 19:04:46 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Raid on Organic Food Coop
Message-ID: <4955711E.5050705@quinn-jacobs.org>

More pressure from a state agency, not unlike that being applied to our 
local Meadowsweet Farm, occurred earlier this month in Ohio.  (See 
article and video below.) In this case the licensing dispute ended in a 
raid of the home-based organic food cooperative where the family 
(including eight children) were herded at gunpoint into a back room for 
hours while law enforcement seized their food, computers and searched 
the home, undoubtedly hoping to find other violations.  I'm afraid we 
can only expect more of this sort of gov't intervention as people search 
for innovative ways to cooperate outside the big Ag police state.

-- Katie Q-J

YouTube Video:  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdLxMKuxyr4&eurl=http://www.buckeyeinstitute.org/&feature=player_embedded

Friday, December 19, 2008
*Organic food co-op raid sparks court case against health department, ODA*
by Andrea Zippay

SALEM, Ohio --- Legal action has been taken on behalf of a Lorain County 
farm family that says a raid on their property earlier this month 
violated their constitutional rights.

The Buckeye Institute's 1851 Center for Constitutional Law and the 
Farm-to-Consumer Legal Defense Fund filed a lawsuit Dec. 17 in Lorain 
County Common Pleas Court against the Ohio Department of Agriculture and 
the Lorain County Health Department.

The suit was filed on behalf of John and Jacqueline Stowers of LaGrange, 
Ohio.

It's alleged that on the morning of Dec. 1, ODA and Lorain County Health 
Department agents raided the Stowers' home and in-house organic food 
cooperative, Manna Storehouse, and unlawfully seized their personal food 
supply, cell phones and computers.

The county says the Stowers need proper licenses to operate their retail 
store in accordance with state food safety rules.

"They brag on the Internet they don't have anything to do with the 
government, but they're selling perishable products to people, and that 
means they need a license," said Scott Serazin, an assistant county 
prosecutor.

The Buckeye Institute argues the right to buy food directly from local 
farmers, distribute locally grown food to neighbors, and pool resources 
to purchase food in bulk are rights that do not require a license.

Chain of events

According to the court, search warrant and affidavits, county health 
department officials and an ODA enforcement agent said they believed the 
Stowerses were operating a retail food establishment without a license, 
which is a violation of Ohio Revised Code.

Dorothy Kloos, a registered sanitarian with Lorain County's health 
department, and two other inspectors visited Manna Storehouse in 
November 2007 and "were told to leave the property before the inspectors 
could make observations of the operation."

During that visit, Kloos left information on state licensing 
requirements. In December 2007, the Stowerses responded to the health 
department in a letter saying they didn't need a license to operate 
their private cooperative.

In September 2008, the health department referred the matter to the 
Lorain County Prosecutor's office and requested assistance from the 
department of agriculture and health department to "gather evidence 
regarding the Manna Storehouse operation."

There has never been a complaint filed against Manna Storehouse or the 
Stowerses related to the quality or healthfulness of the food 
distributed through the co-op, according to the Buckeye Institute.

The Stowerses could not be reached by phone for comment. The health 
department referred all calls to the prosecutor's office.
Raid

The court filing says police raided Manna Storehouse and the Stowers' 
home Dec. 1, 2008.

It is alleged that "during the raid, at least one if not several police 
entered the home with guns drawn" and that the family's home was also 
surrounded by police with guns drawn, according to the court filing.

At least eight children were in the home during the raid.

In a video posted on YouTube by the Buckeye Institute, Jacqueline 
Stowers described the raid as "violent, belligerent and forceful," and 
described being held by armed guards for six to seven hours in the 
living room.

She called the event "extremely traumatic" for the family.

According to Kaleigh Frazier, spokesperson for the department of 
agriculture, an enforcement agent and a representative of the 
department's food safety division were present for the visit "in a 
supportive role" and to answer any license questions that arose.

Frazier said department of agriculture agents do not carry firearms.

The Plain Dealer previously reported the search was conducted over three 
to four hours, that one agent carried a shotgun, and no semiautomatic 
weapons were present during the raid.
Taken

During the raid, officers seized computers, cell phones, and a 
"significant food supply," much of which was from the Stowers' own 
personal pantry, according to the court filing. The filing lists the 
value of the food as more than $10,000, including a year's supply of 
meat for the family.

The Stowers family includes eight children, seven of whom live in the 
home. The family's oldest son's wife and three children also live there; 
the son is serving in the military in the Middle East.

The taking of the family's computers also prevents the children, who are 
home-schooled, from completing their lessons, John Stowers said in the 
video.
Reasons

The lawsuit says the Manna Storehouse "cannot reasonably be classified 
as a retail food establishment because it does not store, process, 
prepare, manufacture or otherwise handle food for retail sale" and that 
the co-op is exempt from licensing requirements.

The Stowers describe the storehouse's activity as buying local foods 
from farmers; growing their own food; consuming the food they have grown 
or purchased; and distributing excess of that grown or purchased to 
members of their co-op in prearranged amounts.

Serazin said because the Stowers are selling food they purchased, they 
need a retail license.

Stowers also said the only exception to the section of Ohio Revised Code 
the Stowerses are pointing to for their independence is meant for 
farmers producing a product on their own property and selling it from 
the property.

For instance, a farmer with a flock of hens may sell a certain number of 
eggs per year from the farm with no need for a license. If that farmer 
sells the eggs to someone else, who sells them to others, then the 
exception is voided.
Protection

"Ohioans do not need a government permission slip to run a family farm 
and co-op, and should not be subjected to raids when they do not have 
one," said Buckeye Institute 1851 Center of Constitutional Law Director 
Maurice Thompson.

Thompson also said forceful raids and searches and seizures exceed the 
authority granted to ODA and county health departments.
-- 

From bosak at ibiblio.org  Sat Dec 27 06:03:03 2008
From: bosak at ibiblio.org (Jon Bosak)
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:03:03 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Raid on Organic Food Coop
In-Reply-To: <4955711E.5050705@quinn-jacobs.org>
References: <4955711E.5050705@quinn-jacobs.org>
Message-ID: <49563597.6030600@ibiblio.org>

[From the article:]

| The Buckeye Institute argues the right to buy food directly from
| local farmers, distribute locally grown food to neighbors, and
| pool resources to purchase food in bulk are rights that do not
| require a license.

The natural rights argument is an interesting one.  Many years ago
I read a great book called The Forgotten Ninth Amendment that goes
into this in detail.  I see now that a recent reprint is available
on Amazon, but at 70 bucks for just over 200 pages, I'd recommend
looking around for a library copy.

The ninth amendment (part of the Bill of Rights) consists of just
one sentence:

"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not
be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

There's been a lot of argument over what this means; you can find
out more than you want to know by googling "ninth amendment."  But
it's always seemed to me that if there are any natural rights,
then growing what you want and distributing it as you like must be
among them.

Jon



From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Sat Dec 27 07:40:16 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 07:40:16 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Raid on Organic Food Coop and the 9th
	Amendment
In-Reply-To: <49563597.6030600@ibiblio.org>
Message-ID: <137107.673.qm@web44910.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

On Sat, 12/27/08, Jon Bosak <bosak at ibiblio.org> wrote:

The natural rights argument is an interesting one.? Many years ago I read a great book called The Forgotten Ninth Amendment that goes into this in detail.
?
****************
Jon,
?
Another book worth that may be reading would be "The Amish and the State."?It lays out a half-century of conflict between the Amish and?federal, state and local governments over the power of the government to regulate, versus First Amendment fredom of religion rights.? Although they have the First Amendment on their side it has still been an almost continuous struggle for them to live their lives as their religious beliefs dictate.? 
?
They have not made the headlines or the history books, but?a lot of their experiences are actually similar to those of the Buckeye Institute and other such groups today, including police raids, confiscation of property and jail time for Amish resisters.
?
I think the?core issues?here are the concept of "police power" and the definition of "public health safety and welfare."? The Constitution still grants government?very broad authority in exercising its police powers to create and enforce laws that are intended to protect the public health, safety and welfare.? 
?
This is the basis of just about every regulation we know, from air pollution control automobile CAFE mileage requirements to wetland protection to local zoning and building codes to seatbelt laws. You name the law, and somewhere you will find a tie to the public health, safety and welfare.
?
As long as a law steers clear of any violation of the Constitution or its amendments there is little to be done.
?
The Ninth Amendment may not give us much support in the face of the "police powers" and the "public health, safety and welfare" arguments.? We do have a lot of natural rights, however growing what you want (e.g. cannabis, etc., etc., ) and distributing it as you like (e.g. to the general public) have to date not been recognized by the Supreme Court.
?
The concept of government as regulator, particularly in the United States,?is pretty much an invention of the 20th Century.? It really took off in the 1960s and 1970s as a result of the Civil Rights, the awakening of environmental consciousness and consumer protection movements, to name a few.? Unfortunately?regulations invariably turn out to be a double edge sword.
?
The challenge is to figure out where to stop the regulation and?how.
?
George Frantz
?
?
--- 
From: Jon Bosak <bosak at ibiblio.org>
Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Raid on Organic Food Coop
To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
Date: Saturday, December 27, 2008, 2:03 PM

[From the article:]

| The Buckeye Institute argues the right to buy food directly from
| local farmers, distribute locally grown food to neighbors, and
| pool resources to purchase food in bulk are rights that do not
| require a license.

  I see now that a recent reprint is available
on Amazon, but at 70 bucks for just over 200 pages, I'd recommend
looking around for a library copy.

The ninth amendment (part of the Bill of Rights) consists of just
one sentence:

"The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not
be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."

There's been a lot of argument over what this means; you can find
out more than you want to know by googling "ninth amendment."  But
it's always seemed to me that if there are any natural rights,
then growing what you want and distributing it as you like must be
among them.

Jon


_______________________________________________
For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 

RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org



      

From Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com  Sat Dec 27 08:19:53 2008
From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com (Joel and Sarah Gagnon)
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:19:53 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Thread change: aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <COL101-W6771B5C692B45F12A87EECB2EB0@phx.gbl>
References: <5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>
	<552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>
Message-ID: <5.2.1.1.2.20081227111828.0209e9c0@pop.lightlink.com>

I hadn't thought of that, and it is an excellent suggestion. The only 
downside is that they are hard to grasp one-handed.

Joel

At 11:42 AM 12/26/08 -0600, you wrote:

>It's still possible to buy half-gallon glass canning jars. I've bought 
>them online, and I think that I saw some at AC Moore in the craft 
>department. I miss my gallon glass pickle jars.
>Pegi>

From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Sat Dec 27 09:20:47 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:20:47 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Why not just dump the 'fridge altogether?
Message-ID: <182978.80624.qm@web44912.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>









--- On Thu, 12/25/08, Pegi Ficken <fpegi at hotmail.com> wrote:




#yiv2094951935 #yiv1384092099 #yiv611281138 .hmmessage P
{
margin:0px;padding:0px;}
#yiv2094951935 #yiv1384092099 #yiv611281138 {
font-size:10pt;font-family:Verdana;}

Doing without refrigeration would be an excellent means of effecting population control. Spoiled food is a superb disease vector. 
?
Really?? If so why has the world's population, concentrated primarily in the Third World where refridgeration is practically non-existent, increase by 1.5 billion people since 1990?? In the Third World country that I am most intimately familiar?with, Viet Nam, population has?grown by another 16 million residents in the past 15 years, an increase of 24%.
?
The fact is that in the Third World residents rely on many low-tech, non-energy intensive practices to protect themselves from food poisoning that we here in the "advanced" United States have forgotten about or don't even know about.? Moreover thanks to their constant exposure to many pathogens, and our constant exposure to innoculations, antiseptics and antibiotics,?their digestive systems appear to be?far more robust than ours when it comes to fighting disease.? 
?
That's why I have to drink my beer and soda warm while my friends and relatives get to drink theirs with ice,?and why we can't even brush our teeth with tap water there, and why we have to carry around environmentally?damaging bottled water everywhere we go.
?
"What is the energy comparison for aseptic milk in single-serve packages versus refrigeration?"
?
I never saw any single-serve aseptic packaging on my journeys in the Third World.? That's another American aberration.? 
?
The smallest aseptic packaging I encountered was?the one-liter box.? Also, because milk is not a regular part of traditional diets after the age of 2 or 3 in Viet Nam, the milk sold in aseptic packaging?also represented a very tiny component of any store stock I saw.? Generally?it was limited to?few boxes for sale to westerners.
?
Fruit juices, sodas and beer are not refridgerated.? People generally drink them warm or sometimes with ice in the glass.
?
I agree?with all the concerns raised regarding the environmental implications of aseptic packaging and the questions regarding its potential to be recycled.? But given the enormous amount of energy that is consumed by refridgeration in this country, from the factory, to the shipping, to the supermarket shelf, to the home refridgerator,?I would not be so fast to dismiss the idea that Aseptic may be the better router in terms of?energy efficiency and environmental costs.
?
Over the past two decades we have developed a substantial infrastructure for recycling in this country that with tweaking may be able to accommodate aseptic containers.?
?
George Frantz
?
?

?



      

From fpegi at hotmail.com  Sat Dec 27 10:18:17 2008
From: fpegi at hotmail.com (Pegi Ficken)
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 12:18:17 -0600
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Thread change: aseptic packaging
In-Reply-To: <5.2.1.1.2.20081227111828.0209e9c0@pop.lightlink.com>
References: <5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com>
	<552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<552039.22197.qm@web44904.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
	<5.2.1.1.2.20081226112147.0209ba20@pop.lightlink.com> 
	<5.2.1.1.2.20081227111828.0209e9c0@pop.lightlink.com>
Message-ID: <COL101-W246FB16ECD3B0E3A5F88E7B2E80@phx.gbl>


Somewhere--and I can't remember exactly where--I saw a harness-like handle that goes on a half-gallon jar. Personally, I drink raw milk and store it in a one-gallon glass iced tea jug. Milk comes out of the spigot and cream off the top.
Pegi> Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 11:19:53 -0500> To: sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> From: Joel.and.Sarah.Gagnon at lightlink.com> Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Thread change: aseptic packaging> > I hadn't thought of that, and it is an excellent suggestion. The only > downside is that they are hard to grasp one-handed.> > Joel> > At 11:42 AM 12/26/08 -0600, you wrote:> > >It's still possible to buy half-gallon glass canning jars. I've bought > >them online, and I think that I saw some at AC Moore in the craft > >department. I miss my gallon glass pickle jars.> >Pegi>> _______________________________________________> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit: http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ > > RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
_________________________________________________________________
It?s the same Hotmail?. If by ?same? you mean up to 70% faster.
http://windowslive.com/online/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_broad1_122008

From fpegi at hotmail.com  Sat Dec 27 11:24:31 2008
From: fpegi at hotmail.com (Pegi Ficken)
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:24:31 -0600
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Why not just dump the 'fridge altogether?
In-Reply-To: <519481.34701.qm@web44913.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <519481.34701.qm@web44913.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <COL101-W714E98AF31D7F679E02799B2E80@phx.gbl>


I would agree that there are many low-tech solutions to refrigeration. One of my pet projects that I may be able to get to some day would be a microhydroturbine from one of my springs, with the water flowing through a springhouse after the turbine, and going from there to the cows' water trough. 
Just out of curiosity, what percentage of Vietnamese have refrigeration today? How does the increase in life expectancy correlate to rise in available refrigeration? 
I would do without night lighting before a refrigerator. 
We use very little ice. I don't drink beer or soda, and Black Bush is just fine served with--a glass. Roots are stored on the cellar steps. I have a book somewhere that details how to build a larder, which is cooled by air pipes running underground. I'm afraid, however, that many people no longer cook. They reheat. 
I'm a little curious about how aseptically-processed milk would fit into your philosophy. It is my contention--and I could be wrong!--that one of the reasons that people are so susceptible to digestive diseases is lack of exposure to small amounts of bacteria and killing off beneficial bacteria by pasteurization.
Pegi



Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 09:00:46 -0800From: gjem5760 at yahoo.comSubject: RE: Why not just dump the 'fridge altogether?To: fpegi at hotmail.com




--- On Thu, 12/25/08, Pegi Ficken <fpegi at hotmail.com> wrote:



Doing without refrigeration would be an excellent means of effecting population control. Spoiled food is a superb disease vector. 
 
Really?  If so why has the world's population, concentrated primarily in the Third World where refridgeration is practically non-existent, increase by 1.5 billion people since 1990?  In the Third World country that I am most intimately familiar with, Viet Nam, population has grown by another 16 million residents in the past 15 years, an increase of 24%.
 
The fact is that in the Third World residents rely on many low-tech, non-energy intensive practices to protect themselves from food poisoning that we here in the "advanced" United States have forgotten about or don't even know about.  Moreover thanks to their constant exposure to many pathogens, and our constant exposure to innoculations, antiseptics and antibiotics, their digestive systems appear to be far more robust than ours when it comes to fighting disease.  
 
That's why I have to drink my beer and soda warm while my friends and relatives get to drink theirs with ice, and why we can't even brush our teeth with tap water there, and why we have to carry around environmentally damaging bottled water everywhere we go.
 
"What is the energy comparison for aseptic milk in single-serve packages versus refrigeration?"
 
I never saw any single-serve aseptic packaging on my journeys in the Third World.  That's another American aberration.  
 
The smallest aseptic packaging I encountered was the one-liter box.  Also, because milk is not a regular part of traditional diets after the age of 2 or 3 in Viet Nam, the milk sold in aseptic packaging also represented a very tiny component of any store stock I saw.  Generally it was limited to few boxes for sale to westerners.
 
Fruit juices, sodas and beer are not refridgerated.  People generally drink them warm or sometimes with ice in the glass.
 
I agree with all the concerns raised regarding the environmental implications of aseptic packaging and the questions regarding its potential to be recycled.  But given the enormous amount of energy that is consumed by refridgeration in this country, from the factory, to the shipping, to the supermarket shelf, to the home refridgerator, I would not be so fast to dismiss the idea that Aseptic may be the better router in terms of energy efficiency and environmental costs.
 
Over the past two decades we have developed a substantial infrastructure for recycling in this country that with tweaking may be able to accommodate aseptic containers. 
 
George Frantz
 
 
 
_________________________________________________________________
Send e-mail anywhere. No map, no compass.
http://windowslive.com/oneline/hotmail?ocid=TXT_TAGLM_WL_hotmail_acq_anywhere_122008

From siki at frontiernet.net  Sat Dec 27 17:06:10 2008
From: siki at frontiernet.net (Kristie)
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2008 20:06:10 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] glass containers
References: <mailman.1.1230424865.89991.sustainabletompkins@lists.mutualaid.org>
Message-ID: <B8B7B15EF06845AEADCBA6ABC677222A@Main>

Agway in Ithaca carries the 1/2 gallon canning jars, with regular and wide 
mouths. They can be slippery (especially when wet with condensation, in 
summer), but they're great for holding drinks in the fridge and multitudes 
of other uses.
-Kristie


From kqj at quinn-jacobs.org  Sun Dec 28 07:25:42 2008
From: kqj at quinn-jacobs.org (Katie Quinn-Jacobs)
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:25:42 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Raid on Organic Food Coop and the
	9th	Amendment
In-Reply-To: <137107.673.qm@web44910.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
References: <137107.673.qm@web44910.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>
Message-ID: <49579A76.2030301@quinn-jacobs.org>

On Sat, 12/27/08, George Franz wrote:

As long as a law steers clear of any violation of the Constitution or its amendments there is little to be done.

 
****************

During the St. Pat's Four trial in Binghamton Federal Court, Clare Grady 
asked, "Are we here to serve the law or is the law here to serve us?" 

Gov't regulations are not constructed in an ideological or political 
vacuum.  And regulators don't operate in an ego-neutral zone, where the 
public good is served above self-interest and power lust.  To the 
contrary, it seems the power of the state is often applied in a punitive 
rather than protective manner.  Attempting to infiltrate, entrap and 
raid a food cooperative as though it were a drug ring and confiscating a 
family's personal supply of food at gunpoint is clearly an abuse of 
power.  There had to have been a better way to settle this dispute.  But 
after years of violently storming  homes overseas and sending women and 
children cowering into corners, perhaps we've become immune to these 
tactics?

Unfortunately in recent decades, "the people" have been extremely 
passive as corporate interests author laws and fill regulatory posts 
with cronies at the expense of individual freedoms and small-scale 
enterprises.  As cases like the Stowers food coop and Meadowsweet Dairy 
LLC illustrate, where neighbors look for cooperative and innovative 
alternatives in this transitional time, we will find ourselves 
increasingly at odds with the law and crippled by regulations designed 
for a society that does not serve the public good in the long or short 
term. The NAIS program is another example of gov't overreach that 
disproportionately burdens small farmers while providing a steady income 
for chip manufacturers and their colleagues who occupy Ag dept 
regulatory seats. 

Myself, I think there is much to be done to update laws to protect the 
public interest:  change 'em.  Supporting those who challenge unfair or 
nonsensical regulations is a place to start.

-- Katie Q-J

Thanks for the tips on the two books, Jon and George.


George Frantz wrote:
> On Sat, 12/27/08, Jon Bosak <bosak at ibiblio.org> wrote:
>
> The natural rights argument is an interesting one.  Many years ago I read a great book called The Forgotten Ninth Amendment that goes into this in detail.
>  
> ****************
> Jon,
>  
> Another book worth that may be reading would be "The Amish and the State." It lays out a half-century of conflict between the Amish and federal, state and local governments over the power of the government to regulate, versus First Amendment fredom of religion rights.  Although they have the First Amendment on their side it has still been an almost continuous struggle for them to live their lives as their religious beliefs dictate.  
>  
> They have not made the headlines or the history books, but a lot of their experiences are actually similar to those of the Buckeye Institute and other such groups today, including police raids, confiscation of property and jail time for Amish resisters.
>  
> I think the core issues here are the concept of "police power" and the definition of "public health safety and welfare."  The Constitution still grants government very broad authority in exercising its police powers to create and enforce laws that are intended to protect the public health, safety and welfare.  
>  
> This is the basis of just about every regulation we know, from air pollution control automobile CAFE mileage requirements to wetland protection to local zoning and building codes to seatbelt laws. You name the law, and somewhere you will find a tie to the public health, safety and welfare.
>  
> As long as a law steers clear of any violation of the Constitution or its amendments there is little to be done.
>  
> The Ninth Amendment may not give us much support in the face of the "police powers" and the "public health, safety and welfare" arguments.  We do have a lot of natural rights, however growing what you want (e.g. cannabis, etc., etc., ) and distributing it as you like (e.g. to the general public) have to date not been recognized by the Supreme Court.
>  
> The concept of government as regulator, particularly in the United States, is pretty much an invention of the 20th Century.  It really took off in the 1960s and 1970s as a result of the Civil Rights, the awakening of environmental consciousness and consumer protection movements, to name a few.  Unfortunately regulations invariably turn out to be a double edge sword.
>  
> The challenge is to figure out where to stop the regulation and how.
>  
> George Frantz
>  
>  
> --- 
> From: Jon Bosak <bosak at ibiblio.org>
> Subject: Re: [SustainableTompkins] Raid on Organic Food Coop
> To: "Sustainable Tompkins County listserv" <sustainabletompkins at lists.mutualaid.org>
> Date: Saturday, December 27, 2008, 2:03 PM
>
> [From the article:]
>
> | The Buckeye Institute argues the right to buy food directly from
> | local farmers, distribute locally grown food to neighbors, and
> | pool resources to purchase food in bulk are rights that do not
> | require a license.
>
>   I see now that a recent reprint is available
> on Amazon, but at 70 bucks for just over 200 pages, I'd recommend
> looking around for a library copy.
>
> The ninth amendment (part of the Bill of Rights) consists of just
> one sentence:
>
> "The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not
> be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people."
>
> There's been a lot of argument over what this means; you can find
> out more than you want to know by googling "ninth amendment."  But
> it's always seemed to me that if there are any natural rights,
> then growing what you want and distributing it as you like must be
> among them.
>
> Jon
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please
> visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>
>
>
>       
> _______________________________________________
> For more information about sustainability in the Tompkins County area, please visit:  http://www.sustainabletompkins.org/ 
>
> RSS, archives, subscription & listserv information for:
> SustainableTompkins at lists.mutualaid.org
> http://lists.mutualaid.org/mailman/listinfo/sustainabletompkins
> Questions about the list? ask sustainabletompkins-owner at lists.mutualaid.org
> free hosting by http://www.mutualaid.org
>
>   

-- 

From sjr37 at cornell.edu  Mon Dec 29 06:42:11 2008
From: sjr37 at cornell.edu (Sandra Repp)
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 09:42:11 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Upcoming Workshops & Opportunities @ CCE
Message-ID: <6.2.1.2.2.20081229091856.03e83cd8@postoffice9.mail.cornell.edu>

I thought that the following events from our calendar at 
www.ccetompkins.org might be of particular interest to Sustainable Tompkins 
subscribers.
Happy New Year!  Sandy Repp, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Tompkins County


Local Foods Preservation Workshop
Thursday, January 8, 6:00-8:30 pm
CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca NY
Join experienced IthaCan food preservers for a mini-workshop featuring five 
different food saving techniques. 6:00: DINNER provided and dishes-to-pass 
encouraged; 6:30: SLIDESHOW about how and why to preserve food; 7:00: 
WORKSHOPS on canning, cellaring, drying, pickling and freezing. The event 
is sponsored by CCE and the Healthy Food for All program, IthaCan, Prepared 
Tompkins and Sustainable Tompkins. Free and open to the public.

Save Energy, Save Dollars
Wednesday, January 14, 6:30-8:30 pm
CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca NY
Learn about low-cost and no-cost ways to reduce your home energy usage and 
programs that can help you afford energy-efficiency improvements to your 
home. Each participating household will receive a free kit of energy-saving 
items worth $15. This workshop is free, but pre-registration is required. 
Call 272-2292 to reserve a seat and an energy kit, or email Carole Fisher 
at <mailto:crf11 at cornell.edu>crf11 at cornell.edu. Offered again on: Tuesday 
1/27 at 12 Noon, Wednesday 2/4 at 6:30 pm, Thursday 2/12 at 12 Noon, and 
Thursday 2/26 at 6:30 pm.

Beginner Maple Producer Workshop
Wednesday, January 28, 6:30-8:30 pm
Ontario County Cooperative Extension Center, 480 N. Main Street, Canandaigua NY
Stephen Childs, NYS Maple Extension Specialist at Cornell University; will 
present a workshop covering a variety of aspects of maple syrup production 
including: why make maple syrup, tree identification, tree health, tapping, 
sap collection and handling, boiling, energy efficiency, finishing and 
grading syrup, canning, marketing and regulations. This workshop is aimed 
at the small or beginning maple producer and would be useful to the 
homeowner looking to tap a few trees in the backyard. Fee: $10.00 per 
family. To register or for additional information, contact Ontario County 
Cooperative Extension at 585-394-3977 x 427 or x436 or email: 
<mailto:nea8 at cornell.edu>nea8 at cornell.edu.  This workshop also will be 
offered in Tioga County on February 28 at Hamley's Maple, 1242 Oak Hill Rd, 
Barton, NY (See below)

2009 Master Composter Volunteer Training
Application Deadline: Friday, January 30
Wednesday evenings, February 11 - April 29 (no class Mar. 18), 6:30-8:30 pm
Master Composters are an enthusiastic group committed to promoting 
responsible composting in Tompkins County. Training involves 20-hours of 
class-time covering composting in depth, and 20-hours of 
learning-through-doing (a ?practical internship?). Following completion of 
the training program, Master Composters give time back to the community in 
a wide variety of outreach activities. Consider joining in our efforts to 
reduce waste, protect the environment and improve gardens! For more 
information or an application, call the ?Rotline? (272-2292 x 124) or visit 
us on the web at 
<http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins/events/www.ccetompkins.org/compost>www.ccetompkins.org/compost 


Green Building Seminar Series
Tuesdays, February 24-March 31 (no seminar 3/17), 7:00-9:00 pm
Locations to be announced; dates subject to change.
Topics will include "Green Options for Renovating and Maintaining Your 
Home", with a focus on older homes; "Site Planning", including home design 
and landscaping; "Wastewater Treatment Systems", including issues around 
gray-water reuse and practical alternative waste treatment; "Building with 
Local Materials", covering local options for building, finish, and 
reclaimed materials; and "Green Heating Options", with a focus on 
high-efficiency heaters and masonry stoves. Seminars are presented by 
Tompkins County Cooperative Extension in partnership with the Ithaca Green 
Building Alliance. Fee: $5/seminar or $25/series, Ithaca Hours accepted and 
scholarships are available. For more information, contact Guillermo Metz at 
<mailto:gm52 at cornell.edu>gm52 at cornell.edu or 272-2292, x.185, or visit 
<http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/tompkins/events/www.ccetompkins.org>www.ccetompkins.org.

Getting Started with Vegetable Gardening
Thursday, February 26, 6:30-8:30 pm
CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca NY
This class for beginning vegetable gardeners was so popular last year, that 
we are repeating it this spring! Learn where to site your garden, how to 
prepare the soil, how to start seeds, how to plant, when to mulch, which 
easy  veggies to try first, and so on. Pre-registration is recommended. 
Fee: $5. For information, call 272-2292 or email Pat Curran at 
<mailto:pc21 at cornell.edu>pc21 at cornell.edu

Winter Worm Composting Class
Saturday, February 28, 10:00 am?12 Noon
CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca NY
More and more people are choosing to compost indoors with a worm bin. Learn 
all about the worms you will need and how to set up and maintain your bin. 
Everyone who completes this workshop will leave with a starter bin and 
worms. Children welcome with accompanying adult. Fee: $10 per household. 
Register early at 272-2292. Space is limited.

Beginner Maple Producer Workshop
Saturday, February 28, Time t.b.a.
Hamley's Maple, 1242 Oak Hill Rd, Barton, NY
Stephen Childs, NYS Maple Extension Specialist at Cornell University; will 
present a workshop covering a variety of aspects of maple syrup production 
including: why make maple syrup, tree identification, tree health, tapping, 
sap collection and handling, boiling, energy efficiency, finishing and 
grading syrup, canning, marketing and regulations. This workshop is aimed 
at the small or beginning maple producer and would be useful to the 
homeowner looking to tap a few trees in the backyard. Fee: $10.00 per 
family. To register or for additional information, contact Brett Chedzoy at 
Schuyler County Cornell Cooperative Extension, 
<mailto:bjc226 at cornell.edu>bjc226 at cornell.edu, or 607-535-7161.

Food Gardening Panel Discussion
Monday, March 9, 6:30-8:30 pm
CCE-Tompkins Education Center, 615 Willow Avenue, Ithaca NY
Don?t miss this panel discussion by several experienced food gardeners! 
Master Gardeners and others with years of food growing experience will 
highlight some advanced ways to maximize your crop and extend the growing 
season. This workshop will assume that attendees have had some growing 
experience. For a more basic discussion of how to get started, see the 
February 26 class described above. Pre-registration recommended. Fee: $5. 
For more information about gardening classes, contact Pat Curran, 
Horticulture Program Manager, at 607-272-2292, or 
<mailto:pc21 at cornell.edu>pc21 at cornell.edu.


From gjem5760 at yahoo.com  Mon Dec 29 13:42:23 2008
From: gjem5760 at yahoo.com (George Frantz)
Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2008 13:42:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Solar photovoltaic costs projected to plummet
	in 2009
Message-ID: <534212.38814.qm@web44902.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>










FYI:? Something from the PA Department of Environmetal Protection daily news digest for today, 1/29/08:
?
?
Report: Solar PV Costs to Plummet in 2009
?
LONDON, UK (Dec. 29) The cost of photovoltaic electricity is due to plummet in 2009, according to leading clean energy analysts at New Energy Finance.
?
The analysts? Silicon and Wafer Price Index shows average silicon contract prices falling by over 30 percent in 2009, compared with 2008. With thin-film PV module manufacturing costs approaching the $1/Watt mark, crystalline silicon-based PV will come under severe competition for larger projects, resulting in margins shrinking throughout the silicon value chain. 
?
??We are about to see the convergence of two powerful forces in solar photovoltaics: the price premium accruing to silicon refining is about to unwind, at the same time as thin-film manufacturing is really starting to get to scale,? said Michael Liebreich, chairman and CEO of New Energy Finance. ?We expect to see significant drops in the price of modules next year ? with prices starting to track real underlying costs much more closely. Any manufacturer who does not have access to cheap silicon and who has not focused on manufacturing costs is going to be in trouble. The big shake-out is about to begin. The next two years will change the economics of PV electricity out of recognition.?
?
New Energy?s Silicon and Wafer Price Index shows an average perceived spot market price of solar-grade silicon during October and November of $332/kg. The weighted average price for polysilicon for delivery in 2009 under contracts signed in 2007 and 2008 was $113/kg, compared with $165/kg for silicon for delivery in 2008, a reduction of 31.5 percent. 
?
At the 2008 contracted silicon price of $165/kg, silicon contributes an estimated $1.52/W to the current crystalline silicon module price of around $4/Watt ? or just under 40 percent. A silicon cost reduction to $113/kg in 2009 would therefore lower module prices for the majority of the market volume that uses contracted silicon by 12 percent.
?
The silicon purchased on the spot market, though currently at much higher prices, could see even more precipitous falls: among respondents to the New Energy Finance Silicon and Wafer Price Index, 73 percent anticipate lower spot prices for polysilicon in 2009. 
?
Although the decrease in silicon prices will be good news for silicon-based cell and module-makers, another threat is now looming larger. New Energy Finance forecasts that production of thin-film photovoltaic modules will more than quadruple to 1.9GW in 2009, and thin-film technology will be competitive with crystalline silicon photovoltaic in larger space-constrained applications, such as commercial rooftops and smaller on-grid projects. 
?
Thin-film PV is less efficient at converting solar energy to electricity, with efficiencies of 6-11 percent rather than the 13-18 percent displayed by commercial crystalline silicon technology. Thin-film therefore sells at a per-Watt discount to crystalline silicon as it takes up more space and requires more ancillary equipment to produce the same power. However, with manufacturing costs approaching $1/Watt, it is an attractive option for larger space-constrained applications . 

This may pressure crystalline silicon module manufacturers to reduce their selling prices by more than the reduction in costs in order to retain their edge in the market. New Energy Finance analysis, based on the historic cost experience curve, suggests that current silicon-based solar module prices of $4/Watt could drop to $2.60/Watt by the end of 2009, a reduction of 35 percent, before leading manufacturers started making losses on marginal sales. 
?
For a ground-mounted plant in a region with good insolation, and based on a 6 percent real cost of capital, this could translate into an unsubsidised generation cost of $0.17/kWh for crystalline ? competitive with daytime peak electricity prices in many parts of the world. Meanwhile, thin-film manufacturers can achieve unsubsidised costs of $0.13/kWh for the same large project by 2010.
?
There will also be a third factor at work, helping to bring this about. The credit crunch will impact the ability of some solar project developers to find debt finance. This will slow the build-out of solar projects, intensifying downward pressure on prices and potentially shifting the market from value-based to cost-based pricing. 
?
For more information, visit www.newenergymatters.com.













Daily Update Home? || News by Subject?|| Week in Review?|| DEP Home
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Environmental Protection
DEP Press Office Contact: Susan Rickens, Editor
P.O. Box 2063, Harrisburg, PA 17105-2063
(717) 787-1323
All Rights Reserved


      

From elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us  Mon Dec 29 21:40:47 2008
From: elansla at ecovillage.ithaca.ny.us (Elan Shapiro)
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 00:40:47 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] inspiring green housing trend
Message-ID: <p06240809c57f631ff122@[10.0.1.11]>

No Furnaces but Heat Aplenty in 'Passive Houses'

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/world/europe/27house.html?th&emc=th

beginning of article:
DARMSTADT, Germany - From the outside, there is nothing unusual about 
the stylish new gray and orange row houses in the Kranichstein 
District, with wreaths on the doors and Christmas lights twinkling 
through a freezing drizzle. But these houses are part of a revolution 
in building design: There are no drafts, no cold tile floors, no 
snuggling under blankets until the furnace kicks in. There is, in 
fact, no furnace.

In Berthold Kaufmann's home, there is, to be fair, one radiator for 
emergency backup in the living room - but it is not in use. Even on 
the coldest nights in central Germany, Mr. Kaufmann's new "passive 
house" and others of this design get all the heat and hot water they 
need from the amount of energy that would be needed to run a hair 
dryer.

"You don't think about temperature - the house just adjusts," said 
Mr. Kaufmann, watching his 2-year-old daughter, dressed in a T-shirt, 
tuck into her sausage in the spacious living room, whose glass doors 
open to a patio. His new home uses about one-twentieth the heating 
energy of his parents' home of roughly the same size, he said.

Architects in many countries, in attempts to meet new energy 
efficiency standards like the Leadership in Energy and Environmental 
Design standard in the United States, are designing homes with better 
insulation and high-efficiency appliances, as well as tapping into 
alternative sources of power, like solar panels and wind turbines.

The concept of the passive house, pioneered in this city of 140,000 
outside Frankfurt, approaches the challenge from a different angle. 
Using ultrathick insulation and complex doors and windows, the 
architect engineers a home encased in an airtight shell, so that 
barely any heat escapes and barely any cold seeps in. That means a 
passive house can be warmed not only by the sun, but also by the heat 
from appliances and even from occupants' bodies.

And in Germany, passive houses cost only about 5 to 7 percent more to 
build than conventional houses.

Decades ago, attempts at creating sealed solar-heated homes failed, 
because of stagnant air and mold. But new passive houses use an 
ingenious central ventilation system. The warm air going out passes 
side by side with clean, cold air coming in, exchanging heat with 90 
percent efficiency.

"The myth before was that to be warm you had to have heating. Our 
goal is to create a warm house without energy demand," said Wolfgang 
Hasper, an engineer at the Passivhaus Institut in Darmstadt. "This is 
not about wearing thick pullovers, turning the thermostat down and 
putting up with drafts. It's about being comfortable with less energy 
input, and we do this by recycling heating......
-- 
Elan Shapiro
Sustainable Tompkins Community Partnership Coordinator
Sustainable Living Associates, Principal
Frog's Way B&B
211 Rachel Carson Way
Ithaca, NY 14850
607-275-0249    607-592-8402 Cell

"We must be the change we want to see in the world"
	          Mohandas Gandhi

From ks47 at cornell.edu  Tue Dec 30 06:20:09 2008
From: ks47 at cornell.edu (ks47 at cornell.edu)
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 09:20:09 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] NYTimes.com: Focus on Weatherization Is Shift
	on Energy Costs
Message-ID: <20081230142020.28132E0596@catfur.mutualaid.org>

This page was sent to you by: ks47 at cornell.edu.

This shift in energy policy, if actually put in place, could become the cornerstone of a larger effort in Tompkins County to bring ALL housing in Tompkins County up to acceptable weatherization standards. Such an effort would reduce the total annual residential fuel bill in Tompkins County by well over $10 Million, and would set the stage for more efficient use of renewable energy heat sources like grass and wood, as well as help make passive heating more feasible.


US | December 30, 2008
Focus on Weatherization Is Shift on Energy Costs
By MATTHEW L. WALD
Weatherizing more homes with public help would mark a shift in government energy assistance: cutting poor people's energy bills instead of helping pay them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/us/30weatherize.html?emc=eta1




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From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Tue Dec 30 19:15:50 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:15:50 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Earth Day planning meeting January 12th
Message-ID: <200812310318.mBV3I0ZO000797@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

Dear Cayuga Sustainability Council Friends--The Center for 
Environmental Sustainability will be holding an Earth Day planning 
meeting on Monday, January 12, at the Tompkins County Solid Waste 
Division office, 122 Commercial Ave., from 6-8 PM.  Attendance is 
free and all are welcome. For more information, contact Joey at (607) 
351-0664 or earthdayithaca at yahoo.com.  Thanks!  Tom Shelley, for Joey 
Gates and the rest of the Earth Day team  

From tjs1 at cornell.edu  Tue Dec 30 19:17:27 2008
From: tjs1 at cornell.edu (Thomas Shelley)
Date: Tue, 30 Dec 2008 22:17:27 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Earth Day planning meeting January
	12th...ooops!
Message-ID: <200812310319.mBV3JbCn001058@authusersmtp.mail.cornell.edu>

Dear Sustainable Tompkins Friends--The Center for Environmental 
Sustainability will be holding an Earth Day planning meeting on 
Monday, January 12, at the Tompkins County Solid Waste Division 
office, 122 Commercial Ave., from 6-8 PM.  Attendance is free and all 
are welcome. For more information, contact Joey at (607) 351-0664 or 
earthdayithaca at yahoo.com.  Thanks!  Tom Shelley, for Joey Gates and 
the rest of the Earth Day team  

From lennon_kat at hotmail.com  Wed Dec 31 08:54:12 2008
From: lennon_kat at hotmail.com (Kat McCarthy)
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:54:12 +0000
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Position available at the Solid Waste
	Management Division
Message-ID: <BAY139-W146E4DA4CAE3EC9EFF9685E6E40@phx.gbl>



Hello,
 
The Solid Waste Management Division currently has a position opening for a part time Project Assistant. This individual will primarily work on the ReBusiness Partners program, providing waste reduction and recycling assistance to businesses and schools, in addition to assisting with some other waste reduction and recycling initiatives. For more information, please see the attached.
 
If interested, please email your resume to kmccarthy at tompkins-co.org. Please also feel free to circulate to others who you think may be interested.
 
Thanks and happy New Year,
Kat
www.recycletompkins.org

From bosak at ibiblio.org  Wed Dec 31 17:25:30 2008
From: bosak at ibiblio.org (Jon Bosak)
Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2008 20:25:30 -0500
Subject: [SustainableTompkins] Fw: Re: Small Livestock,
	Poultry and Zoning -- plug for chickens
Message-ID: <495C1B8A.7060308@ibiblio.org>

Sorry it's taken me a while to catch up with this.  The question
was:

| My understanding is that downtown Ithacans are allowed to have up
| to three chickens - has anyone double-checked this?

Chickens are not allowed anywhere in the City of Ithaca.  From the
City Code:

    ? 164-2 Keeping of animals restricted.

    A. Prohibition. No person shall keep, pasture, breed, raise,
    harbor, stable or maintain any bees, poultry, chickens, turkeys,
    ducks, geese or any other fowl or reptiles or any swine, horses,
    cows, mules, sheep, goats or any other animals, except
    domesticated pets, within the City.

    B. Exception. This section shall not apply to any educational,
    scientific or research institution maintaining, with adequate
    safeguards as to public health, safety, comfort and convenience,
    any animals or other creatures for scientific, medical or other
    research purposes.

If I lived in the City instead of the Town, I'd be talking to my
Councilperson about changing this.

Jon