Tag: Policy
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March Forum Recap: Patty Noonan Memorial Policy Forum – Beware The Ides of March: Outlook for Our Sustainable Future
by Thomas Storck This year’s Patty Noonan Memorial Forum on Policy addressed concerns over proposed policy changes made by the current White House administration to undermine ongoing sustainability initiatives. Drawing inspiration from the legacy of founding GreenHomeNYC member Patty Noonan, Andy Padian, President, PadianNYC Consulting, joined Marcia Bystryn, President, NY League of Conservation Voters, and…
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High Times, High Energy Costs: The Energy Impacts of Cannabis Legalization
by Samantha Yost Attitudes toward cannabis are changing rapidly. There are currently 26 states and the District of Columbia that allow cannabis cultivation for medical reasons. Seven more have legalized marijuana for recreational use and even Canada recently announced that it will legalize marijuana for recreational use nationwide by July 2018. These figures could soon be…
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New York City and the Plastic Bag Debate
by Kimberly Stempien New York City’s OneNYC plan includes a commitment to send zero waste to landfills by 2030. It’s an ambitious goal, and to see it achieved, plastics must be greatly reduced in the waste stream. In late 2016, the city council approved a bill to implement a plastic bag fee. Described…
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All the News From the Green Catwalk
by Thomas Storck GreenHomeNYC launched another year of monthly forums with the annual Green Catwalk, featuring seven speakers who discussed the latest “green” news. From Saudi Arabia to New York City, challenges remain. But, in New York, in particular, much is being done to overcome them. The speakers offered insight into what needs to…
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Building Energy NYC: Sustainable Solutions for New York City
by Kimberly Stempien Imagine a city with clean air, solar energy, plenty of pedestrian spaces and no cars. It’s not at all far-off; these are all on the agenda for New York City in coming years. In fact, some of the projects are already in progress. The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association held their annual…
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Striving Towards Zero Waste in New York City Schools
by Megan Nordgrén As New York City’s public school students get back to the classroom on Sept. 8, students in 100 of these schools will see some changes to how they dispose of their waste. Included in a pilot program, these newly-designated Zero Waste Schools are being set up as models for recycling and…
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June Forum Recap: Community Solar Comes to New York State
by Pamela Berns According to Dennis Phayre of EnterSolar, even if we utilized all currently available sources, we’d only have about 100 years of energy left on the planet. But New York State isn’t waiting one more second to embark on innovative partnerships that will not only extend that timeframe but also significantly reduce…
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The Haven Project: A Greener Future for the South Bronx
by Thomas Storck For decades, the South Bronx has served as a dumping ground for highways, waste transfer stations and truck-intensive industry. Its residents breathe some of the worst air in the country, and yet the open space they need to mitigate their health problems is severely lacking, leaving communities feeling like they get…
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Cities of the Future
by Thomas Storck Last year was a big one for the climate. Not only was 2015 the warmest year on record, we also witnessed the first universal agreement on climate change, negotiated at COP21, the global climate change talks held in Paris last December. The agreement includes a global warming limit of “well below 2°C”,…