ITS ALWAYS GREENER...

It's always greener on the other side of the fence. For Ulster County Republican Legislators; the classic metaphor is correct.

With all that we could be debating to make life better for Ulster residents, the body decided to dive into what is green and what standard to use when deciding the level of greenness. Yes, I really did type that.


The Republicans, after two months of committee discussions on the green Products Legislation, came out during caucus with the sudden worry that there might be a slight increase in the cost of purchasing "Green" cleansers and non-VOC paints and solvents. 


I just shake my head in dismay when I hear about the sudden care about costs when the same group overspent millions during the Jail Construction Project. Facing a 0% increase in the 2011 budget and having no other issues to hype up, our possible "green products" legislation will linger in committee until who knows when. This could be a signal of what's to come during the budget process.

Meanwhile, almost half of the products the County departments use are "green" according to Green Seal standards, the largest environmental certifier in the country.


It was well established prior to the meeting by Rob Parete, D-Stone Ridge, that the cost impact would be very minimal. When compared to using paints and coatings without chemical compounds that can affect the environment and human health, I'd jump on the chance to dictate a purchasing change. Understand that we would still permit the departments to deplete their current stock of what they had rather than replace it.

I thank Michael Novinson for his report in the Record.

http://www.greenseal.org/

HEAVY BROW LEGISLATION

On Monday night, Madsen said some other parts of the resolution were also “heavy brow.” Did you like that quote? Admit it, you did laugh when you read it.

Wheras: “The effects of climate change will significantly impact our infrastructure, economy, livelihoods, disrupt our ecological community, spread invasive species and exotic diseases, negatively impact our drinking water supplies and sewer treatment infrastructure and pose health threats to our citizens.”

Initially the issue that bothered me was the "matter of fact" nature of the paragraph. I agree with the importance of stemming the affects of climate change where ever we can, but we represent a vast number of viewpoints as elected officials here in Kingston. No one City Council is going to convince the world to change their behavior.

I know my friends in Woodstock voted several times to end the war in Iraq during the Bush presidency. Terrific idea, but you are the Woodstock Town Board for Pete's sake! This proposition felt equally neutered in influencing the national behavior.

Our goal in presenting a Green Jobs Pledge is to attract and embrace the new technologies that are emerging, giving them the incentive to locate in Kingston or close by. Publicly, there is a general sense that the review council will scare off those companies that may not fit the criteria set forth by the Green Jobs mission.

President James Noble said in the paper, that the city Corporation Counsel’s Office decided some language in the legislation appeared to make the initiatives mandatory, rather than voluntary.

To steal the quote right from the Freeman: “The Aldermen wanted it more like recommendations,” Noble said. I was not alone in these concerns and I'm glad it will get further review.

The City of Kingston is haemorrhaging jobs and population. Our dual tax structure and the business unfriendly atmosphere in New York State aren't helping the situation. Coupling that with a restrictive sounding business review board may prove fatal.

I fully understand the need to diminish our "carbon footprint" as citizens of this planet, but right now the only footprints I see are those of business and population leaving Kingston.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not advocating for classic smokestacks and PCBs in the river, but Carbon neutral manufacturing would be welcomed in my back yard too.

MAKE A DIFFERENCE DAY 2009

Announcing the fourth annual Make A Difference Day celebration this Saturday June 13th. For those of you who don't know, the community gets together on Franklin Street each year to bring people and programs together in a fun filled atmosphere.

The event, dubbed the Healthy Living and Community Awareness Street Festival will be from 10am to 4pm and will occur right on Franklin St like a block party.

Some 40 plus community based organizations will be on hand sharing information on "Keeping it Green, Keeping it Clean & Keeping it Healthy".

The main sponsors: Kingston Library, Kingston CARES, UC Office of the Aging and the Boys & Girls Club (pictured right) have really prepared a full day of education and entertainment. Including a DJ and live music and dance performances. Featuring our own local rising R&B star SHALEAH, right off her tour with Jagged Edge. You know the afternoon wouldnt be complete without our impressive drum troup POOK and the dazzling ENERGIZERS dancers.

This electric day of fun starts with a greeting by Ward 4 Alderwoman Shirley Whitlock (pictured with Bill Reynolds) at City Hall around 8am where the Victory Garden on the west lawn is to be reviewed by Rebecca Martin, followed by a Historical Walking Tour with Jennifer Swartz back to the street festival. Establish your parking plans early if you are joining the walking tour.

If you plan your day correctly, you can witness Assemblyman Kevin Cahill reading to the children at 1pm at the newly designated Lena Maultrie reading corner at the Hodge Centre.

There is a bike rack located at the Centre for those who wish to ride to the event.

For more info; contact Sandy Thompson-Hopgood at 331-9683

FLOURESCENT BULBS: PROS & CONS

There has been a tremendous push by environmental groups to urge residents to replace incandescent light bulbs with the miniature fluorescent bulbs. The energy savings and diminished demand at the power plant are the main drive for the national campaign.

However, these new bulbs have mercury in them as a conduit for the bright chemical reaction in these bulbs. Although the bulbs have just a slight amount of mercury in them, the manufacturer urges the consumer to avoid vacuuming the broken glass should you break one.
Why? Because the substance will be dispersed throughout your home, that’s why. A professor, Robert Hurt of Brown University has created a product that absorbs mercury 70 times better than the best available technology. This is where the green industry is heading.

I like the new terminology they use: Nanomaterial. It’s making the big promises about collecting the mercury vapours using [get this]: selenium nanoparticles.

If I didn’t read this in a report, I wouldn’t believe it either.

The report says: By covering the breakage with the selenium lined paper for two days, you can stop almost all of the release; they think it forms mercury selenide, which is a very stable compound. They think!

Without the paper, the mercury slowly evaporates from the broken bulb over several days.

Why do I want to shift over to these new lights? Where’s the up-side?

Despite the minor hazard in the home, CFLs use less mercury than incandescent bulbs running on electricity from coal, which releases mercury when burned. So you’re releasing less mercury into the general atmosphere by using less energy in the home.

What I want to know is where are we supposed to deposit these condensed and tube fluorescent commercial bulbs? I see them in household and commercial trash cans but I know of no provisions to collect and recycle them. The issue has never come up in any meetings at City Hall and the folks at UCRRA have no answers.

Perhaps we can designate a special truck on Fridays like the metal collection crew we have now and they can carefully place bulbs in the padded compartment, avoiding all potholes in the street and cruising out to some recycling facility based in New Paltz or Woodstock.

GREEN YOUR WAY BACK to where you came from!

Common Fire Foundation is looking in the wrong neighborhood. Let me add to that, they’re looking in the wrong county.

If this “Group Home” style of Not-for-Profit housing works in Tivoli, buy another home in Tivoli. Have you compared the taxes in Tivoli to Kingston? Its like Woodstock and New Paltz. They need all the commune living they can get to provide affordable housing over there.

If you’re looking for towns to drain Property Taxes from, look somewhere else. Kingston has provided enough. This community has already demonstrated the financial fortitude of helping the most needy, but enough is enough.

Stuyvesant Street is not a co-op street. This historic district has had attacks in the past, successfully beat them back and continues to thrive, regardless of the city Reval catastrophe. Now this?

I don’t care how GREEN they want to be, Jeff Golden and company should be looking somewhere else.

Quoted in the Freeman: Golden said “This type of housing is beneficial for communities because it allows professional people who are not highly paid to keep their expenses low while performing social services, environmental work and community-based projects.” Horsefeathers!

I have an idea, The condos on Barman Ave have suffered financial setbacks. What a prime location for Common Fire to develop their green co-op living experiment.

Just keep it on the tax rolls.

All four buildings could be modified to suit their shared expenses.

Alderman Robert Senor is correct when he points out the Not-for-profit status of the organization. This GREEN theme is a nice twist to the proposal, but it isn’t working.

The Council would have to approve a zoning change for this to happen at this location.

You can Count me out.

BURY ME GREEN

Everyone has a personal idea of our final destination after we die, But what about the carcass we leave behind? The lifeless body that used to be our friend or relative is buried or cremated. I certainly dont need mine at this point.

When I'm dead, I don't think I'm going to care what happens with my body. However, I realize my family might not feel the same, so perhaps the idea of being dissolved with lye as opposed to a more traditional burial or cremation, would be problematic for them.

If you're new to the idea of alkaline hydrolysis, here's how it works; A 300°F solution of a concentrated lye (sodium hydroxide), is sprayed on a body at 60 pounds of pressure per square inch in what looks sort of like a body-shaped stainless steel pressure cooker. Sound appetizing?

The base hydrolyzes the tissues, leaving a syrupy brown liquid and some bone residue.
We do this with animal carcasses today and the solution is washed down the drain.

Searching the AP, I found there are two medical centers using the equipment for research cadavers (University of Florida and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN). They flush the remains, too. Although the solution has a strong odor, it is sterile and does not pose a threat to the water supply. The equipment is a little more expensive than what you need for cremation, but the process may be more environmental friendly than cremation, which releases carbon dioxide and mercury from dental amalgams.

Minnesota and New Hampshire are the only two states that have considered this process and when offered in the NY State legislature, it was called Hannibal Lecter’s Bill because NY State Senator Kemp Hannon’s (R-Nassau) similar name.

Kemp chairs the Senate Health Committee. (pictured left)

It’s too bad we don’t have this option, it’s the most GREEN friendly method of disposing of bodies, and for those of us who live every waking hour working to diminish our carbon footprint, we would want all options available, even in death.

With all the State Senate races this year, maybe we could get a few candidates to opine on this issue.

Alkaline Hydrolysis - Cremation Alternative Clipmarks

Discovery News : Discovery Channel