Bikeable Beacon

This first Bikeable Beacon planning meeting was held this past week. Members of the CAC, the local business community and the public attended. We discussed safe bicycling routes through Beacon and the need for bicycle racks. If you would like to identify a route or location for a bike rack, please e-mail the CAC, beaconcac@gmail.com. There will be a bike ride through Beacon and other events in the spring to celebrate National Bike Month.

Stormwater Management Workshop

Mon., Oct. 25, 5:00 - 9:00 pm.  GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE SOLUTIONS FOR STORMWATER MANAGEMENT.  Educational workshop for the public, municipal board members, engineers, planners, environmental groups, and volunteers involved in green infrastructure projects.  NYS Parks, HV Regional Council and Univ. of NH Stormwater Center will discuss innovative stormwater systems, regional GI initiatives, with tour of practices at NYS Parks Taconic Regional Office, a LEED-registered green building, 9 Old Post Rd., Staatsburg. Cost: $7 Dinner (optional); 2 PE PDHs available to engineers, $20 additional. To register: www.hrnerr.org/public/training/stormwater/workshop.htm  or call 845-889-4745 x 112. 

Immediate Position Available

Hudson River Watershed Alliance - Project Coordinator
Part time – up to 20 hours per week -- potential for full time employment.  Location flexible within Hudson River Watershed.   Office support in Poughkeepsie and/or Goshen, New York. The HRWA seeks a qualified person to provide project coordination and administrative support.   HRWA includes a Steering Committee (SC) of 11 professionals representing the watershed region.   Specific projects, some with contract professionals and/or interns, include:  assisting SC with membership and promotional events, organizing annual conference and periodic educational seminars and workshops, and monthly watershed breakfasts, general correspondence and record-keeping, coordination and oversight for other contract professionals and interns,  other education, research, and outreach projects.  Applicants should be familiar with HRWA and its mission.  See www.hudsonwatershed.org. Demonstrated interest and background in the environment or water resources is highly preferred. Provide letter of interest with a professional resume to:  Janet Burnet, Steering Committee Chair,janetburnet@aol.com. Questions can be directed to David Church, dchurch@co.orange.ny.us or 845 702-0050.

In-School Recycling!

Do you have a child in a local school? You might be able to recycle a number of things at the school. Local PTO's and PTA's have partnered with companies to recycle everyday items. Terracycle accepts cellphones, ink cartridges, drink pouches,  Elmer's Glue containers and twenty-five other items, www.terracycle.com. There is a financial incentive for schools to recycle items with Terracycle. Aveda will reuse plastic bottle caps, http://bit.ly/a0t4Qs. Ask your child's school for more information.

Electronic Recycling at the DCRRA

The Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Days at the DCRRA INCLUDES electronics recycling. The following items are accepted: computer monitors, CPU's, modems, CRT's, terminals, laptops, keyboards, mouses, fax machines, printers, scanners, copiers, typewriters, TV's, VCR's, DVD players, CD players, tape players, radios, stereo equipment, cables, answering machines, telephones, video game systems, and compact fluorescent lights and fluorescent tubes.

You must pre-register, pre-pay ($5) and schedule an appointment to drop-off electronics and household hazardous waste. Call the DCRRA at 845-463-6020, or visit dcrra.org, for more information.

The next collection day is November 6th, in Poughkeepsie.

HVA Sustainable Development Conference

The Housatonic Valley Association is hosting a conference titled “Stepping up to Sustainability in the Harlem Valley” on October 30^th at Listening Rock Farm. Topics to be presented include: Green Roofs, Protecting Natural Resources from Stormwater Runoff, Water Footprint Management and a Sustainable Development Case Study.  The conference is free and open to anyone interested.

If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, contact Tonia Shoumatoff at toniahva@hotmail.com .

October CAC Meeting

The next meeting is Tuesday, October 26th, 2010. We will meet in the police training room at the Municipal Center at 7pm.

Top 10 Reasons to Recycle

 1. Good For Our Economy 

American companies rely on recycling programs to provide the raw materials they need to make new products.

2. Creates Jobs
Recycling in the U.S. is a $236 billion a year industry. More than 56,000 recycling and reuse enterprises employ 1.1 million workers nationwide.

3. Reduces Waste
The average American discards seven and a half pounds of garbage every day. Most of this garbage goes into to landfills, where it's compacted and buried.

4. Good For The Environment
Recycling requires far less energy, uses fewer natural resources, and keeps waste from piling up in landfills.

5. Saves Energy
Recycling offers significant energy savings over manufacturing with virgin materials. (Manufacturing with recycled aluminum cans uses 95% less energy.)

6. Preserves Landfill Space
No one wants to live next door to a landfill. Recycling preserves existing landfill space.

7. Prevents Global Warming
In 2000, recycling of solid waste prevented the release of 32.9 million metric tons of carbon equivalent (MMTCE, the unit of measure for greenhouse gases) into the air.

8. Reduces Water Pollution
Making goods from recycled materials generates far less water pollution than manufacturing from virgin materials.

9. Protects Wildlife
Using recycled materials reduces the need to damage forests, wetlands, rivers and other places essential to wildlife.

10. Creates New Demand
Recycling and buying recycled products creates demand for more recycled products, decreasing waste and helping our economy.2.5.

Source: National Recycling Coalition

Garden Winterizing Workshop

Join Anna West on Thursday, October 21st, at 7pm, for tips on how to prepare your yard, garden and compost for winter.  Fall is also the time to start planning for next year's garden. Anna is an experienced gardener who will explain how to save money, limit your garbage output and decrease your yard work. The workshop will be held at the School of Jellyfish at 183 Main Street in Beacon. This event is free and open to the public.

Thank you to the School of Jellyfish for lending the space for this event. However, there will be no food service.

Battery Recycling and More!

Advanced Recovery Inc

(845) 858-8809

Monday thru Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm

41 Mechanic Street

Port Jervis, NY 12771

http://www.ariind.com

Aluminum Foil, Automobile Batteries, Automobile Parts, Batteries (Rechargeable), Batteries 

(Single-use), CD's, Cardboard, Clothes Hangers (Metal), Compact Fluorescent Lights,

Computer Disks, Computer Monitor (CRT), Computer Recycling, Computers, 

Electronics, Ferrous Metals (Steel or Iron), Fluorescent Light-Bulbs, Greeting Cards, Inkjet 

Printer Cartridges, Large Household Appliances, Laser Toner Cartridges, Mobile Phones, Ni-

Cad Batteries, Non-ferrous Metal, Office Equipment, Office Paper, Paper (Mixed), Plastic #1 

(PETE), Plastic #2 (Clear HDPE), Plastic #2 (Color HDPE), Plastic #3, Plastic #4 (LDPE),

Plastic #5 (Polypropylene), Plastic #6 (Polystyrene), Plastic #7,Telephones, Televisions and 

VHS Cassette Tapes

Drop off only.

Which size bin do you need?

The garbage bins for curbside pick-up are available in three sizes: 90, 65, or 30 gallons. Shown above are the 90 and 30 gallon bins. If your bin is not meeting your needs, you may call the City of Beacon Building Department to request a different size. You can reach the Building Department at 845-838-5020.

“Train the Trainer” Rain Barrel Building Workshop

On October 26^th, from 4-6pm, Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County and the Dutchess Watershed Coalition will be leading a“Train the Trainer” Rain Barrel Building Workshop. This workshop is for individuals, organizations & municipalities interested in teaching people how to build their own rain barrels. Participants will learn how to lead a Rain Barrel Building workshop in their community, including useful background information, how and where to get materials for the workshop, and how to lead a group of people through the steps of making their own barrels. PowerPoint’s, handouts, and a resource list will be shared with all participants. At the workshop we will also discuss the possibility of working as a collective group to help each other organize workshops in their community (including the possibility of ordering supplies in bulk to take advantage of discounts etc...).

***This workshop is not for individuals wanting to learn how to make rain barrels for their own personal use. We will continue to lead those types of workshops again in the Spring, if not sooner.***

Space is limited and registration for this workshop is required. Also required is a commitment to lead or assist with a Rain Barrel Building Workshop in the next year. There is no fee for participants who live or work in Dutchess County and who plan to organize a workshop within Dutchess County.  For participants outside of Dutchess County there is a $40 registration fee to cover the cost of materials and supplies.

In order to register, please contact Vicky Buono at 845-677-8223, ext. 153. Your space is not guaranteed in the workshop until you have received confirmation from Vicky and have paid your registration fee, if required.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Carolyn at 845-677-8223, ext. 135. The Dutchess Watershed Roundtable will follow this workshop from 6:30-9pm. If you are planning on attending both events please contact Carolyn for dinner arrangements.

--

Carolyn Klocker

Environmental Resource Educator

Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County

2715 Route 44, Millbrook, NY 12545

845-677-8223, ext. 135

cak97@cornell.edu

http://ccedutchess.org

http://dutchesswatersheds.org

Dutchess Watershed Awareness Month July 2010 - Windows on Your Watershed

http://dutchesswam.com

Household Hazardous Waste Disposal -November

The next day to dispose of household hazardous waste is November 6, 2010, at the Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency, 96 Sand Dock Road, Poughkeepsie. Registration and a $5 pre-registration fee are required. For more information, including a complete list of acceptable items, call 845-463-6020 or check www.dcrra.org.

Medication Disposal

The next day to dispose of unused or expired prescription and over-the-counter medication is October 16, 2010,
at the Dutchess County Resource Recovery Agency, 96 Sand Dock Road, Poughkeepsie. Unused or expired prescriptions, over-the-counter medication, pills, ointments, lotions, and liquids are accepted in their original packaging. Pet medication is also accepted. Registration is required. For specific instructions, call 845-463-6020.

How do I compost?

Compost is a dark, crumbly, and earthy-smelling form of decomposing organic matter. Backyard compost can be collected in piles, bins, tumblers, or homemade structures. Composting is a cheap and efficient way of handling kitchen scraps and yard waste. "Finished" compost makes a great addition to gardens, flower beds and trees. It will add essential nutrients to the soil.

What to compost
Nitrogen-rich, green materials: fruit scraps, vegetable scraps, plant trimmings, coffee grounds, rice, pasta, egg shells, tea bags, flowers, hedge clippings and small amounts of grass.

Carbon-rich, brown materials: coffee filters, stale bread, paper napkins and towels, dryer lint, hair, leaves, straw or hay, small twigs/chips, dried grass and weeds.

What not to compost
Meat, fish or bones; dairy products, oils or fats, sauces, ashes, pet waste, diseased plants, mature weeds with seeds.

A Home Composting Handbook is available on the Ulster County Resource Recovery Agency website, uccra.org.

Beacon Composts: Zero Waste Garden Tour

Did you miss this year's Compost Garden Tour? Would you like to participate next year? Please contact jeanbrennan@mac.com.

What can I recycle?

Mixed Paper
Newspapers, glossy inserts, magazines, junk mail, telephone books, mixed office paper, dry food boxes, shoes boxes, paper egg cartons, flattened cardboard (no larger than 3'x3'). MUST BE CLEAN OF FOOD RESIDUE. Stack in bin or place in paper grocery bags. DO NOT PLACE IN PLASTIC BAGS.


Plastic Containers
#'s 1, 2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 only (check bottom of container). NO caps/lids, rinsed and flattened (where possible). NO food particles or liquids. DO NOT PLACE IN PLASTIC BAGS.


Glass Bottles and Jars
Unbroken and clean. NO caps or lids. All colors accepted. DO NOT PLACE IN PLASTIC BAGS.


Metal Food Cans/Aluminum Foil
Must be clean of food residue/rinsed. DO NOT flatten cans. DO NOT PLACE IN PLASTIC BAGS.


Guidelines courtesy of Royal Carting, www.royalcarting.com. Please call 831-4390, if you need additional recycling bins.

Curbside Recycling Guidelines

1. Put all recyclable items (bottles, cans and plastics) together in the recycling bin provided by Royal Carting. All additional recycling containers should be sturdy, reusable receptacles like a plastic crate or a spare "garbage" can. These should be clearly marked with the letter "R". DO NOT USE PLASTIC BAGS.


2. All materials must be empty of food residue. Rinsing is helpful. It is not required to remove labels from cans. Plastic items should be flattened. Glass should not be broken.

3. DO NOT PLACE MIXED PAPER IN PLASTIC BAGS. Stack in recycling bin or place in a brown grocery bag.

Join the CAC!

Membership is open to residents of the City of Beacon. Meetings are held the fourth Tuesday of every month at 7pm, in the police training room. This room is in the lower rear floor of the Municipal Center.

2010 Goals

1. There are five parcels of land in our City that may be suitable for development.  The CAC will follow the progress of development to ensure that environmental protections are in place. Two parcels of land are nearly ready to proceed. 

2. CAC members are working on a point system to use in negotiating with developers.   

3. CAC members continue to attend training sessions to sharpen our skills in obtaining grant funds for projects that reduce energy and foster sustainability. 

4. The CAC is in the process of exploring the feasibility of installing a wind turbine on a portion of the roof of the City Hall.  

5. The CAC will keep pressure on the City to adopt a program that protects trees. 

6. The CAC continue its program to mark storm drains. 

2009 Accomplishments

1. Received a $66,000 grant from Congressman John Hall to install solar panels on the City Hall roof.  Near the end of the year we received a matching grant from NYSERDA.  Construction will begin in 2010. 

2. With the help of the City and the Planning Board, the CAC obtained standing with the Planning Board and was invited to provide input to the Planning Board, if there were environmental issues that were overlooked. 

3. The Environmental Management Council (EMC) launched a student program to put markers on storm water catch basins.  A segment of catch basins have been completed. The seals caution residents to not dump harmful chemicals down storm drains.  We expect to continue this program. 

4. The EMC organized an ad-hoc committee in Beacon that is concerned with care for trees and problems with roots heaving up our concrete sidewalks in numerous areas. One of our CAC members, a landscape architect, working with the committee and with City Council members, has temporarily completed the project. 

5. On March 2, the Beacon City Council approved an increase of our CAC members from 9 to 15.  We also encourage people who are interested in sustainability to form sub-committees with CAC members and take on projects that are of interest to them. 

6. The EMC has drafted a template to follow in running our meetings and we have appointed a CAC member to take minutes and get them out to the members before the next meeting.  We have 9 sub-committees and expect monthly written reports prior to the monthly meeting, including: Water Protection and Conservation, Renewable Energy, Education, Zero Waste, Sustainable Building Codes, Natural Resources, Vehicle Fuel Economy, Transit Oriented Development(TOD), and Liaison with Planning Board. 

What is the CAC?

Beacon's Conservation Advisory Committee was established to advise the city council and planning board on the management and protection of its natural resources. Twenty municipalities in Dutchess County have a CAC or a Conservation Advisory Board (CAB). Dutchess County has more municipal CACs/CABs than most other counties in New York State.

Information courtesy of Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, ccedutchess.org.