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Volume 7, Issue 4
April 2025
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- President’s Musings
- Announcements
- Articles
- Board Highlights
- Support CCAA Purchase a T-Shirt
- Action Station
- News Bites
- Upcoming Events
- Member Meetings
- Volunteers Needed
- Follow Us
- Officers, Committee Chairs, Newsletter Committee
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Submitted by George Lorefice, CCAA President
(loreficegj@gmail.com)
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March came in like a lion with an informative and well received presentation by Ian Shapiro on Heat Pumps. Attendance in person and on Zoom exceeded any of our other presentations!
In other CCAA news:
- We are discussing a website overhaul to better serve our members.
- In April we will be concentrating on Earth Day events with tabling activity.
- May & June meeting presentations and events are in the works with a possible field trip to view the solar panels and willow plot on the Solvay settling basins.
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Image provided by Roseann Lorefice
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The area in Florida where I am writing this piece is like another world regarding environmental matters. Recycling and composting, other than voluntary, is non-existent. The sun seems to always shine here but there are few solar panels. Beach front houses in many cases are now on 16’ supports, yet the words “climate change” are taboo in official documents. Go figure! The State Parks however are well maintained and provide great descriptions of the flora and fauna in the region.
I wake up some nights anxiously thinking about the state of affairs in this country. The list of egregious policy shifts, personnel cuts, insults to our neighbors goes on and on. CCAA’s focus however is on climate change, therefore the cuts to the EPA, NOAA, the Department of Energy and climate targeted programs in the IRA are of particular concern. I am at a loss explaining what is going on. Where are our legislators? What are they doing about it? Why are they in disarray? Where are their morals? It should be clear what needs to be done but there seems to be a total lack of courage out there! And I worry, as never before, of being targeted for retribution for speaking out!
But through it all, the sun rose, the sun set, the moon rose, and the moon set over the Gulf of Mexico every day!
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H.S. STUDENTS: THE SIERRA CLUB WANTS YOU!
Calling all high school students! Celebrate Earth Day with the Sierra Club by meeting other high school students from across the State of New York who care about climate and sustainability, at a summit built just for you! Topics will cover renewable energy, sustainable fashion, and many more. Stay tuned for a full list of speakers and sessions. Sign up HERE to secure your spot as space is limited.
DATE: April 26, 2025
TIME: 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.
George Lorefice and Peter Wirth, president and vice president of CCAA, will be presenting at the next meeting of the Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (www.tccpi.org) on Friday, April 25. They will be talking with the TCCPI group about the work of CCAA and the potential for collaboration between the two organizations. The meeting will be on Zoom from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Contact Peter Bardaglio (pbardaglio@gmail.com), the TCCPI coordinator to obtain the agenda and Zoom link for the meeting.
RECENTLY, two CCAA board members, Sonia Kragh and Van Cleary Hammerstadt, collaborated on a Letter to the Editor to the Syracuse newspapers, highlighting their concern on the staff reduction and obvious dismantling of NOAA. If you missed seeing it, you can read it HERE.
LET’S HAVE SOME FUN WITH RECYCLING! The Manlius Library is sponsoring a Recycling Art Contest and Exhibit. Do you have a passion for art and the earth? Take part in the library’s first ever recycled art contest and exhibit, which will celebrate art using 100% recycled or upcycled materials!
Rules: Create one original piece of art (any medium) using ONLY recycled or upcycled materials. Submissions must be brought into the library by closing time on April 22. Submissions will be judged based on creativity, resourcefulness, and fun.
Submission deadline: Tuesday, April 22 (Earth Day)
Contact Laura at lmajor@manliuslibrary.org with questions.
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Celebrate Earth Day in April
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Image provided by google.com
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So Many Events, So Hard to Choose!!
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Saturday, April 26
9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
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Pompey Earth Day |
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Sunday, April 27
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
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Novelis Party for the Planet at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo |
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Sunday, April 27
11:00 a.m. – 3 p.m.
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Cazenovia Earth Day |
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Sunday, May 18
12:00 p.m. – 3 p.m.
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Town of Manlius Earthfest at Green Lakes State Park |
Volunteers needed at these events to help at the CCAA table. Please contact Kenneth Johnson, Education Committee, to help.
kmjohnson717@msn.com
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UCAN Plans Earth Day Celebrations, All Week Long
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Submitted by Mary Bartlett, UCAN Committee (marycbartlett@gmail.com)
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Mark your calendar:
UCAN EARTH DAY
Date: Sunday, April 27, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Place: American Legion, 26 Chenango St., Cazenovia, NY
Visitors can test drive an EV, learn how to save on energy costs, visit with 26 energy and environmental exhibitors, have lunch at the Vietnamese food truck, enjoy beverages and sweets by H. Grey and more!
The full schedule of Earth Day events includes various community organizations. All events are free and located in the Cazenovia, NY area. There is something for everyone being offered throughout the weekend. For instance, on Saturday, April 26th Cazenovia Artisans has a gently used art supply give-away and Sunday is UCAN’s Earth Day Fair. Scan the QR code for the complete schedule.
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QR code provided by Mary Bartlett
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Every year since 1970, April 22nd marks the anniversary of Earth Day and the birth of the modern environmental movement. Cazenovia celebrates Earth Day with a variety of events during the entire week of April 21st – 27th. As stewards of this beautiful landscape, it’s our collective responsibility to honor and preserve it.
This year, United Climate Action Network (UCAN) is proud to introduce a new feature, a collaboration with local merchants, the Cazenovia Earth Week Promotion. Customers visit participating merchants to identify an action they take to help reduce global warming or protect the environment, then enter their name in a drawing for a prize basket.
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In this way, people identify practical things they can do to be part of the solution for the growing climate crises. Basket winners will be announced at the annual Earth Day Fair scheduled for Sunday, April 27th at the American Legion. For more information, contact UCAN cazrenew@gmail.com. Scan the QR code for the complete schedule of events.
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Image provided by Mary Bartlett
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Submitted by Jan Kublick, Legislative Chairperson (jan.kublick@gmail.com)
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This month we celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd. Over the last half century, ever since Earth Day was started in 1970, almost every environmental and climate legislation and regulation proposed has been enacted. In the last sixty days, every one of those laws and regulations have been suspended or called into question. Staff cuts have occurred at every agency. Research has been defunded, and shamefully, scientific findings have been removed from federal databases. The federal administration has set its sights on erasing most, if not all, of the environmental and climate protections of the last 50 years.
New York State remains in the environmental and climate struggle but needs support from New Yorkers. Moreover, Governor Hochul needs to be encouraged to pass environmental legislation. Notably, she has delayed, for over a year, to release the regulations to implement Cap and Invest, despite a law mandating that she do so. Several pieces of legislation with broad support await passage including the HEAT Act, the Bigger Better Bottle Bill, and the Extended Producer Responsibility and Recycling Act. Each of these bills are important for the environment in New York and for climate in particular.
In the last newsletter, there was a short list of sources of information about climate; it can be found in this edition as well. One of those sources is Yale Climate Communications, which has surveyed American understanding of climate change for more than 15 years. See the link in the Reference Section. Significant polling has been done, and the data is in: Over 70% of Americans know that the climate is changing. The percentage is even higher in New York. However, 62% say they rarely, if ever, discuss climate with family and friends. We need to spread the word, share our concerns, and become proactive. Please find an Earth Day event to attend and vocalize your outrage at the current situation. Please call your legislators to support state level efforts, and perhaps most importantly, talk to your friends and family about climate change.
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New Yorkers Rally to Save HEAT Act
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Hundreds of concerned citizens rallied with state lawmakers at the State Capitol on March 21 to demand the Assembly fight to include the NY HEAT Act in the final budget. Last week, the Senate continued to lead by putting struggling families first and including the full bill in their budget proposal. Now the Assembly must follow their lead and prioritize struggling families too. The NY HEAT Act would save families who need it most an average of $136 every month and curb utility rate hikes happening across NYS.
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Photos provided by Andra Leimanis
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Photo provided by Ken Schles
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Submitted by Andra Leimanis, Program Director for AGREE (andra@agreeny.org)
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AGREE is working from the grassroots in Central New York across the state to the halls of the Capitol to build a green economy in New York!
In our work with the Renewable Heat Now campaign, we’re working with dozens of top organizations across the state to pass legislation and win funding that will make New Yorkers’ lives more affordable and healthy today, and protect the planet we’ll live on tomorrow.
First, there’s the NY HEAT Act, which will bring us cleaner heat and lower bills. By ending outdated laws that force us to pay for and burn expensive and volatile fracked gas, the NY HEAT Act will unlock billions in funding for modern clean heating technology and energy efficiency. It also will cap energy bills at no more than 6% of household income. By lowering our bills and pollution today and tomorrow, it’s a win-win.
Second, the GAP Fund, short for Green Affordable Pre-Electrification. This would provide $200 million to upgrade New Yorkers’ homes by paying to remove toxic substances like mold and lead, and fixing old, hazardous wiring systems. This will also remove the obstacles preventing those homes from upgrading to safer, cleaner, healthier electrical systems.
Winning this kind of life changing legislation and funding will take a lot of work. On March 19th, we held a massive Day of Action in Albany where our grassroots coalition of activists, experts, and legislators rallied, lobbied representatives, and more.
That’s just a little bit of what AGREE is up to this year. We’re also working on preventing utility bill hikes, stopping dangerous nuclear plants, and connecting New Yorkers to clean energy upgrades with our EnergySmartCNY program. If you want to learn more, head to www.agreeny.org and get involved!
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Submitted by Dick Kornbluth (dick@dickkornbluth.com)
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As everyone knows, Micron will be constructing at least one, and possibly two, fabricating facilities (Fabs) in Clay over the next 10 years as part of a 20-year $100 billion project to build four fabs. This project is the largest commercial construction project in New York history and will affect virtually every aspect of CNY life, including water and air quality, employment, transportation, and housing. If all four fabs are constructed, they will use as much water every day as the city of Syracuse and as much electricity as the states of Vermont and New Hampshire combined.
There is a legal process that must take place before a single shovel hits the ground in the construction process. At the federal level, under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) must be submitted for public comment. For the Central New York Micron project, the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is a collaborative effort between Micron and the federal CHIPS office. This document outlines the potential environmental effects of the project and strategies to mitigate them.
There is a parallel process at the state level under the State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQR) which is a collaborative effort between Micron, the Onondaga County Industrial Development Agency (OCIDA), and Empire State Development, the lead state agency for the Micron project.
Both documents, the federal draft EIS (DEIS) and the SEQR EIS will be released simultaneously and the period for public comment will begin on the date the documents become public. We do not know the exact date when the DEIS will be released but we expect it to be within the next month. Under the current NEPA rules, the public has 45 days to make comments. There is no provision for public hearings.
Almost two years ago, in response to the announcement that Micron was coming to CNY, 13 local not for profit environmental and sustainability organizations came together to form a coalition to address the environmental, social, economic and climate justice issues that will arise from the Micron project. CCAA is a member of the coalition, SustainCNY, The focus of the Coalition is based on Greening USA’s 12 Traits of Sustainable Communities (https://greeningusa.org/2023/05/02/12-traits-ofsustainable-communities/), a comprehensive approach to sustainability relevant to the expected impact of Micron’s presence in CNY.
SustainCNY has just sent letters to the US Department of Commerce and OCIDA requesting that the comment period for the DEIS be extended from 45 days to 120 days and that at least 5 public hearings be held as part of the comment period.
CNY Solidarity has prepared a petition to the US Department of Commerce requesting an extension of the comment period from 45 days to 120 days along with a minimum of 5 public hearings to add support to the letters from SustainCNY.
HERE is the link to the petition is:
Please review and sign the petition.
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Oxbow Hill Solar Project Hearing – A Reflection
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Submitted by Peter Wirth, CCAA Vice President (pwirth2@verizon.net)
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Oxbow Hill Solar is a commercial grade, 750-acre solar farm proposed in the Town of Fenner in the existing Fenner Wind Farm footprint. On March 18 a public hearing was held at the Cazenovia Hampton Inn. Two CCAA board members, Van Cleary-Hammerstadt, treasurer, and Peter Wirth, vice president, attended this event.
For commercial grade solar farms, a state agency known as O.R.E.S. (the Office of Renewable Energy Siting and Electric Transmission), is responsible for streamlining and expediting the siting and permitting of major renewable energy facilities and electric transmission facilities. They make the siting decision as opposed to local municipalities.
ORES was created in response to the passage of the C.L.C.P.A. in order to facilitate the build out of renewable energy farms over 25 mega watts. Oxbox Hill Solar is a 140MW project Sixteen individuals spoke against the Oxbox project and five, including representatives from CCAA and the Sierra Club, spoke in favor.
Opposition included statements such as individuals didn’t want to see it and they didn’t want the rural character of Fenner to be altered. They had concerns about loss of farmland and the possible impact on real estate prices etc. Those in favor emphasized the importance of reducing carbon emissions in order to slow down ever-increasing catastrophic weather events – floods, fires, droughts.
Sitting in the audience I had the following thoughts as most of the people speaking opposed the project. There is no easy solution to deal with climate change. Most of us live energy intensive lifestyles that we are reluctant at best to reduce. We all need to take a hard look at how we live. If we don’t continue the build out of renewable energy, the scientific community tells us that this experiment will end poorly with ever increasing catastrophic weather events. It is only a question of time not if.
I’ve spoken at a number of these public hearings and supporters of renewable energy by and large don’t show up. I have no idea if they are afraid or what.
To address climate change requires change and change is hard for all of us. There are few, if any, perfect solutions where someone will not be unhappy, some tress will be cut down, some species impacted etc. Perfect solutions are few and far between. We all need to be willing to make sacrifices. If we can focus on community and common good, we can address the challenge of climate change. I don’t want to be “Pollyannaish”, but I would like to think that if community becomes our focus at the end of the day, we will all be happier.
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Submitted by Mellany Hale, CCAA Member (mellenale@gmail.com)
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In mid-March, the Trump administration hit NOAA with reductions of 10-20% in staffing and 30% in budget. Most of us associate NOAA with weather. But it does vastly more than that—it’s the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration lest we forget. Let’s focus on what it does for one of the core measures of our changing climate: Monitoring global CO2 levels. Ever wonder about how this is done?
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NOAA employees record measurements at over 40 sites, some in guest countries worldwide, from the Antarctic to Nunavut, Canada, which is 20° further north than even the station in Norway.
Beyond NOAA’s familiar hurricane data, the term ‘Oceanographic’ in the department’s title is especially important here too. These sites have been selected for being close to ocean level, either on low islands with strong onshore winds to avoid the high variability that occurs on land or on a few buoys far out to sea.
Solid containers of measured volume are kept under a tight vacuum until the time and place of collection when they are exposed to the ambient air and resealed. Samples are evacuated into lab instruments, which over the years have included gas manometers and two generations of infrared spectrometers.
This data has been compiled and published on a weekly basis since 1958. Should this long-term capability end due to cuts at NOAA, it is possible that some of this data might be covered temporarily from space. Over the past 20 years, NASA has collaborated with France and Japan to position a synergized series of satellites for various monitoring functions. Currently leading this “A Train” of coordinated satellites is the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) which was launched in 2014 to “characterize CO2 sources and sinks on regional scales at monthly intervals for 2 years.” As of March 2025, it is [fortunately] still sending back data.
Let’s hope we do not lose these valuable resources.
Editor’s Note: The author has carefully researched in writing this article. Readers may contact her via email to see her sources.
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AGREE Director Addresses League of Women Voters
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Submitted by Cheryl Matt, Events Director, League of Women Voters (cmattphotos@gmail.com)
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In March, Jessica Azulay, Executive Director of Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE), was the featured speaker at the monthly Lunch and Learn held by the Syracuse Metro League of Women Voters. AGREE works for safe, affordable energy and the development of a green economy in New York State. AGREE promotes a carbon-free and nuclear-free future and educates the public about alternatives that can revitalize the economy and safeguard human health and the environment.
The topic of Ms. Azulay’s presentation was “Clean Energy Opportunities: Legislative Session 2025”. Here is a summary of the presentation given.
Through the Climate Act, New York State has several legally mandated goals:
- 40% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030
- 85% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050
- 100% zero-emission electricity by 2040
- 70% renewable energy by 2030
- 9,000 megawatts (MW) of offshore wind by 2035
- 3,000 MW of energy storage by 2030
- 6,000 MW of solar by 2025
- 185 trillion Btu of end-use energy savings
We can reduce climate and air pollution through energy efficiency and conservation, by electrifying everything, through renewable electricity, and system balancing. Some beneficial electric technologies include electric vehicles, heat pumps, and conduction cooktop. The cost of inaction exceeds the cost of action by $ 115 billion. There are significant investments that are accompanied by even greater benefits.
The following are substantial benefits of the Climate Action Plan:
- Substantial health benefits from improved air quality
- NY will add at least 211,000 new jobs by 2030 in key sectors including construction, professional services, manufacturing, and supply chain
- The buildings sector is expected to account for well over half of all jobs added in growing subsectors through 2030
- We will keep our dollars in state. NY’s annual energy expenditures are about $50 billion and almost $30 billion leaves the state. With electrification, a greater share of energy services is provided by in-state resources, driving economic activity and job creation.
The next legislative steps for implementing the Climate Action Plan are two bills to follow.
This will help homeowners make necessary upgrades to their homes so they can go on to decarbonize and weatherize. These upgrades are not covered by existing programs. The GAP Fund provides $200 M (for the first year) to fill in these “gaps” to homeowners.
Cleaner heat and lower bills. Ends the 100-foot rule gas pipeline subsidy. Ends the gas mandate. Puts a 6% limit on household energy bills.
Help support these bills. Send organizational memos of support, and contact your assemblymember. For more information, contact Jessica Azulay at jessica@agreeny.org
www.agreenewyork.org | www.instagram.com/agree.ny/ | www.facebook.com/AGREENewYork
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Severe Weather Harms Local Crops
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Submitted by Kiran Hubbard, CCAA Intern (khubba03@syr.edu)
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Produce farms throughout New York are feeling the effects of climate change in the form of atypical droughts and freezes. I recently learned about this firsthand in discovering Glad-To-Know-Ya Farm.
A sixth-generation family business currently run by Julie Akins and Randy, Tina, and Steven Dickinson, the farm grows strawberries, apples, asparagus, and specialty cut flowers in the upstate region. Their stall is a staple at the regional market in Syracuse, selling out of produce by 1 p.m. on a Saturday in early February.
In the past three to five years, Akins and her father Randy have noticed dramatic changes in the seasonal climate. Unpredictable warm spurts in the spring have had especially profound impacts on their crops.
“Everything will bud and kind of wake up, like your strawberry blossoms and your apple blossoms, and then we will have a hard freeze, and it’ll kill everything,” Akins said. “We have lost our strawberry crop three years in a row; we have lost most of our apple crop three years in a row.”
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Photos provided by Glad to Know Ya Farm
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The farm has employed various methods to prevent crop loss from freezes, including a sprinkler system, protective coverings, and a combined effort of fire and air blast sprayers. Frequently hotter and drier summers as a result of climate change pose a separate risk to the health of the plants.
“If you don’t have water, [the plants are] gonna die. Your apples are gonna be small if you don’t have water to them, your flowers are gonna burn up in the field, your asparagus is gonna be weak and small if they come up at all. So, it’s very devastating,” Akins said.
Looking forward, the farm is implementing infrastructure like irrigation systems and high tunnels to protect as many crops as possible.
“It’s a big income to us. We’re a small farm, so every crop has to count,” Dickinson said.
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Resources for Climate Concern
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Submitted by Jan Kublick, CCAA Legislative Chairperson (jan.kublick@gmail.com)
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There are some wonderful sources of information about climate and renewable energy out there, and some organizations of special note. All are free, and most importantly all are easily shared and recommended as a great way to spread your concern about climate change.
Here are some of our favorites:
Outrage and Optimism: a weekly podcast that discusses both a selected topic and recent events. Delightful trio of hosts with deep experience in climate, with a worldwide perspective. The title captures the tone. (Outrageandoptimism.org)
Yale Climate Connections: subscribe to receive frequent reports from studies and surveys about attitudes and understanding of climate change. Mostly aimed at understanding American views, it has been surveying these topics for more than a decade. (Climatechange@yale.edu)
Volts: for those of you with an interest in the Energy Transition, David Roberts puts out a weekly deep dive into all aspects of the topic, one interview at a time. It often runs more than an hour, so we would suggest looking to see what the topic is and following your interests. (Www.volts.wtf) that is not a typo.
Bill McKibben, the Crucial Years: Many of you know McKibben as author, climate columnist for the New Yorker, and perhaps America’s most effective climate journalist and activist, the founder of 350.org and Third Act. The Crucial Years is a weekly column of both current climate events and his perspective on them. (Search for McKibben the Crucial Years. He publishes on Substack, but you can subscribe directly.)
Third Act: as noted above is an organization founded by McKibben for people over 60 to get information, take action and organize at a national level. Free membership. (Thirdact.org)
Environmental Voter Project: a wonderful non-partisan not for profit. It uses data to locate nonvoters who would support environmental and climate causes if they did vote. Then contacts them to encourage them to vote in any election, year around. The organization operates in 21 states year around and has 6 million targeted nonvoters. Its goal is to create a political voting block for climate. Well worth investigation and support. Its founder did a wonderful webinar for CCAA several years ago. (Info@environmentalvoter.org )
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- The NYS Charities application is in progress. George will update the Board as approvals are received.
- Member meeting updates:
- February meeting on willow biomass well received.
- Promotion for the March meeting on heat pumps well underway.
- Discussion of future member meetings in May and June.
- Tabling events for Earth Day and solicitation of volunteers.
- T-shirt update. (We have them and will be promoting them.)
- Committee reports. Most notable:
- the impending release of the Environmental Impact Report from Micron
- the decline of membership as tallied by newsletter numbers
- the possibility of coordinating with other local groups
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Support CCAA…Purchase A T-shirt!
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Photo provided by Michael Lorefice
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It’s official!! You can now show your support for CCAA and for renewable energy by ordering your very own CCAA t shirt!. It’s easy.., just CLICK HERE and place your order!
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ORGANIZATION:
EVENT: Symposium on Energy in the 21st Century
WHEN: April 4, 2025
TIME: 8:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
LOCATION: ESF campus, Gateway Building
ORGANIZATION: Beyond Plastics
EVENT: A briefing on the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act
WHEN: April 17, 2025
TIME: 7 p.m.
LOCATION: Zoom meeting
REGISTER HERE>
ORGANIZATION: GreeningUSA
EVENT: Annual Meeting
WHEN: May 16, 2025
TIME: 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
LOCATION: CNY Community Foundation Philanthropy Center Ballroom, 431 E. Fayette St. Syracuse, NY 13202…More Information Coming Soon.
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“Every other Thursday, there is a new episode of WAER’s environmental podcast Deeper Shade of Green. Recent episodes included “Innovative ways to de-carbonize existing buildings without disruption or deconstruction” in which representatives from Hydropod and Hydronic Shell discuss revolutionary ways to decarbonize buildings. They are doing exciting work in Central New York and are excited to share with listeners. The link to that episode can be found here.
The second episode takes a closer look at the clean job boom since passage of the Infrastructure Reduction Act (IRA). Climate Power energy advisor Jesse Lee describes where those jobs are, the kinds of projects stimulated by recent incentives, and political headwinds that could affect that growth. The episode can be streamed here.”
BEYOND PLASTICS is sponsoring a virtual briefing on April 16, 2025, on the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Act, a bill currently under discussion in New York State. This bill will reduce plastic waste, get 17 toxic chemicals out of packaging, reduce taxpayer dollars, make polluters pay for waste and dramatically reduce waste going into landfills and incinerators. Be informed! Register WITH THIS CLICK.
Curious about the most efficient appliance for boiling water? Check out The Curious Energy Show as the testers examine a microwave, electric hot plate, induction stove and electric kettle to find the winner. Discover the surprising results as they measure speed and energy consumption using a smart meter. Learn how small changes in energy usage can lead to significant savings and lead to a greener world. If you want more information on this particular topic click HERE.
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CCAA members are encouraged to attend the monthly member meetings, either in person or via Zoom. Below is a schedule of upcoming presentations. Be sure to mark your calendars and plan to attend!
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APRIL IS EARTH MONTH!
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ATTEND AN EVENT! |
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| April 6, 2025 |
CCAA Board Meeting |
Virtual |
7:00-8:30 p.m.
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| April 26, 2025 |
Earth Day |
Pompey Town Hall
Pompey, NY
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10:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. |
| April 26, 2025 |
Party for the Planet |
Rosamond Gifford Zoo
Syracuse, NY
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10:00 a.m. -3:00 p.m. |
| April 27, 2025 |
Earth Day Celebration
Sponsored by UCAN
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Cazenovia, NY |
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. |
| May 4, 2025 |
CCAA Board Meeting |
Virtual |
7:00-8:30 p.m.
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| May 18, 2025 |
Earth Day Celebration
Sponsored by Town of Manlius
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Green Lakes St. Park |
12:00 -3:00 pm
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Photo provided by Reena Tretler
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On March 11, Dr. Ian Shapiro, Associate Director of Building Science and Community Programs at Syracuse University, addressed the topic of heat pumps. A recognized authority in the field, Dr. Shapiro was able to introduce the topic in basic terms. He focused on the type of heat pumps and trends in marketing. He explained their efficiency and contribution to eliminating fossil fuels. He discussed both home and commercial use. And discussed some of the myths surrounding their use by highlighting appropriate data. If you missed this talk, access it HERE.
PASSWORD: SfR%W%E0
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DURING THE MONTH OF APRIL, we encourage you to attend any of the Earth Day events planned in the area that are listed on our Upcoming Events site and to engage by volunteering to help table at one of the events. Ken Johnson (kmjohnson717@msn), our coordinator, is waiting to hear from you.
DURING MAY and JUNE, we are trying to arrange field trip to view the solar panels and willow plot on the Solvay settling basins and perhaps see the planning involved in building a total non-fossil fuel house.
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NY Renews Youth Committee Opportunity
NY Renews is a coalition of over 300 organizations fighting for climate justice in New York State. Currently, we’re focusing on a budget campaign demanding NY State invest $15 Billion in the budget this year for climate justice.
Within NY Renews, the Youth Committee is a space mostly for high school and college age individuals. We’re moving towards bi-weekly trainings followed by community organizing to support our campaigns. Joining the youth committee is a great opportunity to level up your organizing, learn about campaigning, and get involved in the climate justice movement.
We meet every other week with additional time on projects for those interested. If you are interested, please fill out the sign-up form so we can get more info about your interests and experiences (it’s not competitive). We would love to hear from you!
Here’s the form to sign up!
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We encourage you to follow our social media accounts to support CCAA and stay up to date on other environmental news.
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CCAA OFFICERS
President: George Lorefice (loreficegj@gmail.com)
Vice President: Peter Wirth (pwirth2@verizon.net)
Secretary: Reena Tretler (reena.tretler@gmail.com)
Treasurer: Van Cleary Hammarstedt (vanjonch@gmail.com)
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Carbon Challenge: Yvonne Chu
Education: Ken Johnson and Jim Doherty
Legislative: Jan Kublick
Membership: Ken Johnson
Micron: Jan Kublick and Sonia Kragh
Newsletter: Roseann Lorefice
Sustainability: Sonia Kragh
Newsletter Committee
Publishing and Design: Yvonne Chu and Annalena Davis
Editor: Roseann Lorefice
CCAA Interns: Andrea Hayman and Kiran Hubbard
Technical Advisor: Gavin Landless
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Copyright © 2025 Climate Change Awareness & Action, INC., all rights reserved.
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