vol. xliii number 9 september 2015 - ecosny.org · ecos newsecos news 3333 bud & sally halsey...
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ECOS: The Environmental ClearinghouseECOS: The Environmental ClearinghouseECOS: The Environmental ClearinghouseECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse
Celebrating Our 43rd Year in Environmental Education
Vol. XLIII Number 9 September 2015
ECOS NEWS
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“Drawing Teaches Us To See”
Learn to portray plants with botanical accuracy using pencil, pen and ink, and wa-tercolor.
Local botanical artist Anne Jaster will teach this 5 week course beginning Friday, September 4 through October 2. Classes will be held at the ECOS office in the Niskayuna Community Center from 9:00 am to Noon. Class size is limited to 10. Course fee is $50. Contact ECOS to register.
Volunteers needed!!!
American Littoral Society
Shoreline Clean-up
Saturday, September 19 9:00 am
Gateway Landing Park
(behind SCCC)
Contact Beach Captain Maryde King 374-7287
ECOS Canoe & Kayak
Collins Lake Outing
Wednesday, September 30 10 - 12
Join ECOS for this easy and educa-tional paddle around Collins Lake in Scotia. Meet at the boat launch in Collins Park at 10:00am.
Save the Date
ECOS Rachel Carson Celebration Monday, October 19
Details in next ECOS News
ECOS NEWSECOS NEWSECOS NEWSECOS NEWS
ECOS NEWS
published ten times annually by
ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc.
P.O. Box 9118, Niskayuna, NY 12309
Office Phone: (518) 370-4125
E-mail: [email protected]
www.ecosny.org
Executive Director: Patrick Clear
Office Assistant: Judy Smith
Fiscal Clerk: JoAnn Clear
Editor: Pauline Bono
Webmaster: Cliff Rhodes
Office Hours: Mon., Wed. & Thurs.
10 am — 3 pm and by appointment.
Board of Directors
President
Will Seyse
Vice President for Programs
Barbara Walton
Vice President for Outreach
Arden Rauch
Secretary
Kyle Lanzit
Treasurer
Bruce Bonacquist
Art Clayman Patricia Doyle
Holly Hawkes Margaret Litwin
Juliana Post-Good Rick Robinson
Darwin Roosa William Shapiro
Dee Strnisa Peter Tobiessen
Jean Walters ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse
is a non-political, not-for-profit organization.
Our mission is to provide environmental
information and educational opportunities that
enhance appreciation of the natural world,
to build a community that is aware and
knowledgeable about environmental issues,
and to advocate informed action to preserve
our natural resources. ECOS is funded through
the support of our members and the community.
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eBay Giving Works
Did you receive a holiday gift you don’t want or need? Sell it on eBay and support ECOS. eBay Giving Works is the dedicated pro-gram for charity listings where you can buy or sell items to support nonprofit organizations. eBay Giving Works is the dedicated pro-gram for charity listings on eBay, enabling you to list items on eBay and donate part or all of the final sale price to your favorite non-profit organizations. Since 2000, more than $81 million has been raised for charity from listings sold on eBay worldwide. To learn how the program works visit ebay.com and click on Giving Works. ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse is participating in this program.
iGive.com
Shopping online this Holiday Season? If you are then you can sup-port your favorite charity, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, by visiting www.iGive.com. Over 800 of you favorite stores and cata-logs participate in this program in which the retailer donates a por-tion of your purchase to your favorite charity. In addition, there are special discounts and sales available through iGive.com. ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse has raised over $200 through this program so far.
ECOS NEWSECOS NEWSECOS NEWSECOS NEWS
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Bud & Sally Halsey 518-393-5711
Rowing Shells
Rentals Lessons Repairs
2855 Aqueduct Rd. Schenectady, N.Y. 12309
(off Balltown Rd. at Rexford Bridge)
PETE FRISONI
Owner
BARK EATER TREE SERVICE Technical Removals & Stump Grinding
Quality Pruning
(518) 381-4325 Fully Insured for Your Protection
Fernfeather Designs Jewelry Touched by Nature
Jewelry Designs by Request
At: The Katbird ShopThe Katbird ShopThe Katbird ShopThe Katbird Shop
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Watervliet, NY 12189-2340
518.713.4860 [email protected]
www.fernfeatherdesigns.com
Shade Tree Meteorology LLCShade Tree Meteorology LLCShade Tree Meteorology LLCShade Tree Meteorology LLC http://www.shadetreemeteorology.com
Severe Weather Event Reconstruction
Dick Westergard Certified Consulting Meteorologist
Tel 518-831-9374 Toll Free 888-580-0747 Fax 518-374-7743 Email: [email protected]
COME WALK WITH US,
FOR FUN, FITNESS
AND FRIENDSHIP
EMPIRE STATE
CAPITAL VOLKSSPORTERS
WALKING FOR A GREEN PLANET!
For more information, to read our newsletters
and see our walk schedule,
go to: www.walkescv.org
ECOS NEWSECOS NEWSECOS NEWSECOS NEWS
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ECOS Membership ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse, Inc.
P.O. Box 9118, Niskayuna, NY 12309 (518) 370-4125
Please check your membership contribution level. ____ $30. Individual ____ $55. Donor ____ $250. + Benefactor ____ $40. Family ____ $125. Sustainer $____ Additional Donation Please make your check payable to: ECOS Name________________________________________________ Phone__________________________ Address______________________________________________________________________________ Email:______________________________________________
____ As a GE employee (or retiree) my contribution is eligible for GE Foundation Matching Funds. I have registered with GE for the matching gift by computer at www.gefoundation.com. (If you do not have computer access, call customer service at 1-800-305-0669.) ____ My employer will match my contribution. I’ve enclosed my matching gift form. ____ I would like to be a volunteer. Please send me more information.
Executive Director’s Report
Back to school sales have started so it must almost be time for the ECOS Fall walks to begin. This year’s schedule has a great mix of annual favorites and new areas to explore.
ECOS will have a few new programs this fall too including Mosses and Lichens with Nancy Slack and a canoe and kayak paddle around Collins Lake.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar for Monday, October 19. Our annual Rachel Carson Celebration will have a great presen-tation on one of the hot button topics of this year: oil trains.
Patrick Clear
President’s Letter
I’m hoping you were able to enjoy this summer with all the im-portant things (perhaps a wedding or an opera or some time away from home) and the unimportant (perhaps a hot dog on a stick or a walk in a meadow) filling up your days as they start to have less daylight and we slowly move towards winter again. If you had to complain would you say summer was “too hot”, “too wet”, “too humid”, or “too short”? I’d say “too short” my-self.
Your ECOS office stays busy and our plans for next season con-tinue. Members provide a great source of referrals for new membership and we appreciate it. Pass this newsletter along to anyone that you feel should be joining us in any or all of our endeavors. (These include school programs, organized nature walks, and efforts to raise awareness on environmental issues.) You can always give a gift membership to someone as well. Every month is “new member” month as far as I’m concerned.
Thanks for thinking of ECOS well enough to share with your friends and family. We need and appreciate your contin-ued support and any effort to expand our membership base. I look forward to seeing you on a trail somewhere soon.
Will Seyse
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Heynay Helps ECOS Members Reduce
Unnecessary Consumption and Earn Money
Heynay, as in, “Hey Neighbor,” is a new online service that helps people reduce unnecessary consumption. Heynay helps neighbors participate in the so-called “sharing economy” which creates value out of underused belongings.
On Heynay, users list their personal items that they would rent to their neighbors and friends. Listings are visible to nearby neighbors who can send messages back and forth with the own-ers and can send “Rental Requests” to them. The owner’s pri-vacy is protected because Heynay hides personal information until the owner chooses to share it with a renter. Heynay holds on to a security deposit to protect the owner against damage or theft. Owners set the daily rate and security deposits. Heynay collects payment from the renter up-front and sends 90% of the rental fee to the owner.
People who use Heynay help the environment in several key ways. First, they avoid consuming something that they won’t use much which saves all of the energy and carbon pollution associated with the manufacturing process and distribution sys-tem. Second, they avoid a drive to the Big Box store, saving gasoline and avoiding putting CO2 in the atmosphere. Third, they avoid contributing to the landfill because they never have to dispose of something that wasn’t purchased. ECOS benefits when its members use Heynay as well because members can send some portion or the entire rental fee to the organization.
What do you own that you would be willing to rent out? Wil-liam Noto, who founded Heynay in Niskayuna, rents his neighbor’s lawnmower every other Saturday. In fact, Noto had the idea for Heynay when his lawnmower broke at the end of last summer and he wondered “Why do I even own a lawn-mower? Actually why does everyone on my block need to own a lawnmower that they only use every other weekend. Actually, they don’t!” he realized. Joseph Christian, also of Niskayuna and another Heynay co-founder, recently rented his car-top stor-age box to his neighbor who used it for an upstate weekend get-away.
So what makes a great Heynay item? The best Heynay items cost more than $100 to buy and are not used often. Some Home and Garden examples include rototillers, edgers, and weed whackers. High technology is also a compelling category be-cause often people want to try new technology before they buy it. In that vein, one can find a GoPro, Oculus Rift and the Apple Watch on Heynay as well.
Heynay is available as a website on the Internet at www.heynay.com for desktop and mobile browsers. An iPhone app is also available at appstore.com/heynay. Heynay has a Facebook page at www.facebook.com/heynay1. Give Heynay a try today and let us know what you’ve made available to your community.
AMC’s Annual Fall Gathering
The local chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club is hosting the full AMC’s annual Fall Gathering at Lake George from Fri-day October 16 through Sunday October 18. Come enjoy the fall foliage and beautiful autumn scenery.
We will be staying in cabins at Camp Chingachook, nestled along the shore of gorgeous Lake George in the Adirondacks. All meals will be provided. Activities will include hikes to the numerous peaks that surround Lake George, cycling, and pad-dling (bring your own kayak). Friday and Saturday evenings feature pre-dinner social hours, live Irish music (Triskele), a barn dance with Homespun Occasions, and campfires.
For more details and information about the weekend, please visit the Fall Gathering website: www.outdoors.org/fallgathering. If questions contact Sharon Bonk, 674-0042 [email protected]
Fall Festival at Thacher Park Saturday, September 26 10:00 AM
A fun, family festival with live music, games, hay rides, live birds of prey presentations, face painting and tattoos, pony rides, old fashioned games, make your own cider on the Cyder Cycle. Take pictures with Helderberg Hildie and Buzzard Bill. Skillet toss contest, fortune teller, crafts, vendors with quality hand-crafted items and original artwork, food and refreshments, and much more. Entrance fee: $5 per vehicle (518) 872-1237
Blenheim Gilboa Visitor Center Wildlife Festival Saturday, September 26 10pm - 5pm
For more information on this event please call us at 800-724-0309. Visit NYPAEnergy on Facebook for events, pics and more! Blenheim-Gilboa Visitors Center: 1378 State Route 30 North Blenheim, NY 12131 www.nypa.gov/vc/bgvccalendar.asp
Landis Arboretum Signature Fall Plant,
Book, and Bake Sale
Saturday & Sunday, September 19 & 20
10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Out of the ordinary trees, shrubs, and perennials are the hall-mark of this annual event. After selecting your plants and bake goods, stop into our book shop for a huge selection of reading material on many different topics, including, of course, garden-ing. And don't miss the opportunity for a free tour and mini-workshops on both days. Admission and parking are free. Vol-unteers are needed and welcome. For information, email: [email protected]. To sign up to help, email: [email protected].
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ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse is located in the Niskayuna Community Center,
2682 Aqueduct Road, Niskayuna, NY.
ECOS: The Environmental Clearinghouse P.O. Box 9118
Niskayuna, NY 12309
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Niskayuna/Schenectady Critical Mass Group Bike Ride
Meets the last Friday of each month at ShopRite Square 2321 Nott St. in Niskayuna Meet at 5:15 Ride at 5:30
Rides are for all ages and ability levels. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. We ride at a moderate pace for about an hour from Niskayuna to Schenectady and back using a combination of local streets and the bike path. Afterward, we gather for refreshments on the patio of LT's Grill.
Niskayuna/Schenectady Critical Mass is a leaderless, peaceful group of cyclists who come together for many different reasons: to assert cyclists right to share the road; to promote bikes as a fun, healthy and viable alternative to cars; to build a greater sense of community; to get more folks on bikes and simply to have fun!