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Tuesday, March 24th Community Church of NY 40 East 35th St. 6:30pm Join the Sierra Club's Beyond Coal NY State effort to put pressure on Cuomo this year to close the remaining coal plants in NY State while making sure the people who live in those towns are taken care of, and putting in place the first offshore wind turbines off Long Island.

New York stands at a crossroads; this is our moment to decide the course of history. Come to the New York Crossroads : Rally to Stop Fracking and Demand Renewable Energy in Albany. When : Monday, June 17th, 12pm-3pm Where : Rally and March in East Capitol Lawn, Albany, NY Transportation : Busses are leaving from Manhattan ( sign up here ) and Brooklyn ( sign up here ) at 8am. Car Pool : If you would like to set up a car pool please email Corinne Rosen at crosen@fwwatch.org Hope to see you there!

The risk to the clean water and produce we enjoy from upstate New York, not to mention the beautiful land itself is at risk from hydrofracking. The time to comment on the latest plans from the NYC DEC is now— the deadline is January 11, 2013 . Please don't put it off—every comment helps. The easy-to-use form at the New Yorkers Against Fracking site will help you quickly construct a few comments and send them. Otherwise, New York State may look like this: Learn more about how hydro-fracking affects the food and water supply , as well as air quality and global warming. Farms in upstate New York: Photo by Keturah Stickann/John Menier Fracking image by J. Henry Fair

This chart, published by Cornucopia Institute, contains interesting information.  One can quickly recognize the logos of familiar companies which supported or fought Proposition 37, a California proposition to label GMO-containing foods.  This proposition was voted down in the recent election. We may choose to buy foods from companies who support truth in labeling about GMOs in foods and to make note of which companies were in favor of hiding GMO ingredients. The Coop has been encouraging us to recognize GMO-containing foods for some time now. To view the larger version of this chart, click on the image above or download the PDF . For information on the PSFC GMO Shelf Labeling Committee, please scroll down to Other PSFC Committees on the right and click on their committee name, or click here:  GMO Shelf Labeling.

From Earth911.org : Smoothie chain Jamba Juice announced last month that it plans to phase out its use of polystyrene cups by 2013, a decision that may have been influenced by the efforts of a 10-year-old girl. When Carlsbad, Calif. fifth-grader Mia Hansen stopped by Jamba Juice for summertime refreshment, she noticed that every smoothie was being delivered to customers in a polystyrene cup. With 752 locations throughout the U.S., Canada, Philippines, South Korea and the Bahamas and sales totaling $263 million in 2010, that’s a whole lot of polystyrene entering the waste cycle every day. So she decided to do something about it. Hansen went to Change.org and started a petition to end Jamba Juice’s use of polystyrene in all aspects of the business. “I'm 10 years old and when I was at Jamba Juice a couple of weeks ago, I ordered a smoothie and they gave it to me in a Styrofoam cup! The person behind me ordered yogurt and they gave her yogurt in a Styrofoam container, too,” Hansen ...

From Earth911.com : Here's an idea NYC students, parents and teachers might want to try: Earlier this year, elementary school students and thousands of online supporters petitioned Crayola to start a 'take back' program to recycle the company's markers . Last month, rival art supply manufacturer Dixon Ticonderoga answered the call and started a marker recycling program of its own. It's an unexpected result of a campaign that started in May at San Rafael, Calif.'s Sun Valley Elementary School. As they worked with school art supplies, students at the school noticed that, as markers run dry, they’re simply tossed into the garbage bin. The students, along with the help of school volunteer and award-winning children’s book author Land Wilson, decided to launch a Change.org petition to ask Crayola to start a “take back” recycling program, since markers can’t simply be tossed in the recycling bin as-is. So far, over 82,000 people have signed the online petition. W...

Where is the plastic-free gardener who can help us with gardening, as The Plastic-free Chef  does with cooking?  That person has not yet stepped forward.  Instead a bunch of people are tinkering, and sharing their experiences. Shreveport, 1950's:  my Aunt Grace lets me "help" harvest produce in her lovely and productive backyard garden.  We feast on beans, tomatoes, boysenberries, figs.  No petroleum products, no  plastic. NYC, 2012:  plastics have become deeply embedded in the gardening mindset and in supply sources.  Even organic gardeners often choose plastic pots, petroleum-based weed cloth and row covers, and buy organic fertilizers, composts, and manures in plastic bags. However, along with all the plastic window boxes and plastic mulch, hints and help with alternatives do exist.  For instance: Beth Terry of My Plastic-free Life  , entertaining and informative as usual, shares her plastic-free gardening adventure, parts 1 ...

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature&#8212 the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.” &#8212 Rachel Carson Rachel Carson was born May 27, 1907 and died on April 14, 1964&#8212 at age 57&#8212 of breast cancer. She wrote Silent Spring , credited with starting the current environmental movement. Ms. Carson was alarmed by the hundreds of new chemicals, particularly synthetic pesticides, that were being introduced into the environment each year. The effects of these chemicals on human health and the environment was not known, but even in the course of her lifetime, Ms. Carson observed the "silencing" of spring&#8212fewer birds, bees, butterflies and other life. She was villified by chemical manufacturers, not accustomed to being challenged, especially by a woman. She continued to ...

A a group of elementary school children in California are campaigning to get Crayola to take back used markers and recycle the components. Inspired by their teacher, the fifth graders set up an online petition called Crayola: Make Your Mark . So far they have gathered over 60,000 signatures. The petition states: "Every year, Crayola makes about half a billion markers — enough markers to wrap around the earth more than three times! — and sells them all around the world. Millions of kids use and love Crayola products — including the students at Sun Valley School, where I volunteer. That's why we're asking Crayola to make sure these markers don't end up in our landfills, incinerators and oceans." Sometimes the environmental problems we face seem overwhelmming and solutions unobtainable. Yet tackling the issues one bit at a time, as these students are doing, can make a real difference.

Sunday, April 22 9am-3pm Union St., in front of the Park Slope Food Coop Chat with members of various coop committees: - Environmental, - Safe Food, - GMO Shelf Labeling, - Recycling and - Animal Welfare See Grow NYC’s Rainwater Harvesting Exhibit Learn about worm bin composting Handouts, raffles & more!

Many people are taking action to  reduce or eliminate use of disposable plastic.  One of these is Mary Kat. "I try to live a plastic-free life for environmental reasons and health reasons.  I have a passion for food and a passion for cooking and baking.  At the beginning, the hardest part of living plastic-free was cooking.  I thought that I would have to give up all my favorite foods and eat only cabbage and eggs for the rest of my life, but it turned out that I was  very wrong," says The Plastic Free Chef , 17-year-old Mary Kat. From that starting point, Mary Kat proceeded to figure out how to use much less plastic in buying, storing, and preparing foods, and to write an engaging and informative blog on the subject.  She offers tips on shopping for and storing food without plastic , and also posts well-illustrated plastic-free recipes such as ones for homemade goldfish , various breakfast foods ,   roasted asparagus , ricotta cheese , and many more. She's refreshing an...

A study by the EPA estimated that Americans generate roughly 30 million tons of food waste each year, which is about 12 percent of the total waste stream. All but about 2 percent of that food waste ends up in landfills. By increasing the availability of locations for Brooklyn residents to drop off food waste for composting, we could increase the amount turned into rich soil for gardens, parks, homes and trees. Councilman Brad Lander has set aside 1 million dollars for community projects and is asking Brooklyn residents to vote on how it should be spent. One of the projects would be increasing drop off sides for food waste and would cost only $165,000. If Brad Lander is your Congressman, you can vote for this project (and/or other projects ). Just bring proof of residency to one of the following voting locations: Tues., March 27 - Thurs, March 29 Councilmember Lander’s District Office 456 5th Avenue, 3rd Fl 7:30am - 8:00pm Saturday, March 31 Windsor Terrace Library 160 East 5t...

Many people are taking action to reduce usage of disposable plastic, or to document or begin to rectify the damage already done by our overuse and careless disposal of plastics.  Beth Terry of   My Plastic Free Life , Captain Charles Moore, discoverer of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch , and the people at 5 Gyres  come to mind.  Numerous others have joined the ranks.  They have a lot to share with us. Annie Leonard, best known for "The Story of Stuff," recently began doing podcasts.  In her first, " Take THAT, Plastic Bags ," she interviews two people.  They are Andy Keller, the founder of Chico Bags, and Rose Timmer, the activist who spearheaded the multi-year efforts leading to the Brownsille, Texas, ban on plastic bags.  Annie also shares her own thoughts on plastic and activism.  It's a fascinating and inspiring listen. Listen to it here . Do you know of someone taking action on plastic issues in a creative, inspiring, or unusual way?  Please share with us. ...

NY City Council Hearing: Fracking-induced Earthquakes Open to the Public When: February 17, 2012 at 1:00 PM Where: 16th Floor Committee Room, 250 Broadway, New York, NY New York City Councils Hearing Committee on Environmental Protection public hearing re: "Geophysical Evaluation of Infrastructure Risks of Natural Gas Production on New York City". In other words, this is about how underground faults and fracking-induced earthquakes pose catastrophic risk to New York City residents.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." — Margaret Mead image of NYS Adirondacks courtesy of Marcy Hall Haislip

We are holding three last workshops to create effective letters commenting on the problems in the DEC's proposed hydrofracking regulations under which hydrofracking could occur in New York State, as early as next year. The workshops are: Friday, December 16 from 5-7 pm Saturday, December 17 , from 3-5 pm Tuesday, January 3 from 3-5 pm Please help publicize these last workshops by forwarding this information to others on your squad, friends, neighbors, etc. The workshops are open to everyone: coop members and non-members alike. You don't have to stay for the whole time—just stop by for awhile and write an effective letter to the DEC. It will be mailed for you (no procrastination!) Governor Cuomo and the DEC seem unmoved by the facts about hydrofracking. See the recent news articles " EPA Sounds Alarm on Fracking in Wyoming " and E.P.A. Links Tainted Water in Wyoming to Hydraulic Fracturing for Natural Gas and Some Blame Hydraulic Fracturing for EarthQuake Epidem...

If you are concerned about the potential health and environmental threats of hydraulic fracture gas drilling want to tell Governor Cuomo not to allow hydrofracking in New York State, here is a chance to speak up. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will be a public hearing in New York City on Wednesday, November 30, 2011 at the Tribeca Performing Arts Center , 199 Chambers St., New York, NY. There will be two sessions of the hearing: 1pm and 6 p.m. You can attend just to listen and support others, or write out a statement of your own to read. If you want to read your own statement, there will be a sign up list when you get to the hearing. You can also submit your comments about the latest proposed regulations (SGEIS) by mail or email to the DEC until December 12. For some tips on writing an effective letter about these regulations, see this valuable resource suggesting the different topics you might want to comment on. If you can, please write to the DEC now and/or ...

There's still time, though not much, to write a letter to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) about the proposed hydrofracking regulations. The deadline is December 12. If you're at the coop this weekend, why not stop at the workshop to help you write an effective letter to the DEC commenting on their proposed fracking regulations: Saturday, November 26: 1-3 pm Individual letters make a difference--the DEC is required to read every one, whereas form letters are merely counted. You can stop by any part of the workshop. Handouts will be available if you want to do your writing at home or share the information with others. Bring friends—coop members and non-members are all welcome!

Write to the DEC before the December 12 deadline . For pointers on composing an effective letter to the DEC, see this resource from the Sierra Club and/or this resource from Sourcewatch . It needn't be perfect; it needn't be long Use the linked resources to make your words strong We all tend to wait, but please don't delay If you care for clean water, please write today!

Slowing Down the DEC on the Fast Track to Frack New York State Governor Cuomo and the Department of Environmental Conservation are putting the Energy Industry on a fast track to frack New York State. Why the hurry ? The NYS DEC recently issued a Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) which, if accepted, will allow hydro-fracking to begin. We have until December 12 to send comments to the DEC. The Environmental Committee is organizing a series of workshops to provide guidance for writing an effective letter to The DEC commenting on their regulations. Individual letters make a difference--the DEC is required to read every one, whereas form letters are merely counted. We will help you complete a letter at the workshop and mail it for you. Stop by at any point during one of the workshop sessions: Sunday, 11/06: 12-2 pm Saturday, 11/19: 2-4 pm Bring friends—coop members and non-members are welcome!