sustainability

HPAC and WCS Rockies present NatureCultures and more

What's going on in sustainability news April 15 to 21

Posted 4/14/21

What's going on in sustainability news April 15 to 21

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sustainability

HPAC and WCS Rockies present NatureCultures and more

What's going on in sustainability news April 15 to 21

Posted

HPAC and WCS Rockies present NatureCultures

ONLINE — Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre (HPAC) and the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Rocky Mountain Program (WCS Rockies) have announced their partnership with NatureCultures, a special series opening on Wednesday, April 21, just in time for Earth Day.

NatureCultures is a virtual, mixed-media series created to explore humanity’s relationship with the wild through performance art, conversation and collective action. The program premiered with Isabella Rossellini’s theatrical performance of “Sex and Consequences” at the Arts Centre in March to much acclaim.

The new series, presented by WCS Rockies, will unfold in three distinct phases, each exploring conservation through a different medium. The first installment, titled NatureSpeaks, kicks off on April 21 and will consist of spoken word, poetry and creative nonfiction. This is a unique collaborative effort with Street Poets Inc., a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that works to create transformative experiences through the power of poetry and song and the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA), a premier educational institution for Native arts and cultures.

The virtual opening night event will take place Wednesday, April 21 at 7:30 p.m. NatureSpeaks will run 90 minutes and include readings by guest poets as well as an interactive community dialogue session. The event is free with donations suggested upon registration.

For more information, visit www.hurleyvilleartscentre.org and follow HPAC on Facebook and Instagram @hurleyvilleartscentre.

Volunteers needed for litter sweep

NARROWSBURG, NY — Volunteers are needed for the first-ever Upper Delaware Litter Sweep, which will take place in every Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River corridor community between Saturday, April 17, through Sunday, April 25 in celebration of Earth Day 2021.

Participants will receive a commemorative T-shirt featuring original artwork designed by Dan Nelson of Happy Tattoo in Honesdale, PA; supplies to use including safety equipment, bags and pickers; and disposal information for their collected trash.

The Upper Delaware Council (UDC) is working with designated litter leaders in the Towns of Hancock, Fremont, Delaware, Cochecton, Tusten, Highland, Lumberland and Deerpark (NY); and Buckingham, Manchester, Damascus, Berlin, Lackawaxen, Shohola and Westfall Townships (PA) to coordinate the series of land-based cleanups.

Anyone willing to help provide labor or services should contact Ashley Hall-Bagdonas at 845/252-3022 or ashley@upperdelawarecouncil.org and provide the following information: your name(s), email and a phone number; where in the river valley you would like to focus your efforts; and when you would be available during those dates of April 17 through 25. The appropriate Litter Leader for that community team will then reach out to confirm local pick-up dates, locations, and other arrangements.

The Upper Delaware Litter Sweep is partially supported by a Pennsylvania Department of Community Economic Development (DCED) grant secured for the UDC.

For more information on the UDC and its activities, visit the website at www.upperdelawarecouncil.org, follow www.facebook.com/UpperDelawareCouncil, or Instagram @upperdelawarecouncil.

Catskill Center praises strong commitment to the Catskills in NYS budget

ARKVILLE, NY — The Catskill Center has released a statement praising Sen. Michelle Hinchey’s leadership on Catskill Park funding, along with Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the New York State Assembly and the New York State Senate for passing a budget with a clear commitment to the environment.

The final budget includes a $500 million Clean Water Infrastructure Act, $300 million Environmental Protect Fund and the approval of a $3 billion environmental bond ballot initiative set for the November 2022 ballot.

Under the Environmental Protection Fund, this year’s budget includes $150,000 to help fund operations and programs of the Congressman Maurice D. Hinchey Catskills Visitor Center (CVC), which welcomes thousands of people each year to the region. The CVC’s 60-acre property has accessible nature trails, including a path along the Esopus Creek, and an 80-foot fire tower overlooking the area.

Since 1969, the Catskill Center has protected and fostered the environmental, cultural and economic well-being of the Catskill region. For more information, visit www.catskillcenter.org.

Ribbon cutting for Tusten food waste digester

NARROWSBURG, NY — The Facebook page of the Tusten energy committee (TEC) will livestream the ribbon-cutting ceremony for its food-waste digester on Earth Day, April 22, at 12 noon. TEC Chair Brandi Merolla said there will be brief remarks during the 30-minute ceremony. More than two years in the making, the food-waste digester is only the second of its kind on the East Coast, the other being in Hudson, NY. It also has the distinction of being the only digester in the nation to be powered by a municipal solar array. Initially, the digester will receive food waste from local food vendors. However, it is anticipated that, eventually, it will be available to households unable to compost their own food waste.

For more information and to tune in, visit www.bit.ly/tustenenergy.

Community solar and energy savings

NEW YORK — Residents of New York State’s Central Hudson, Orange & Rockland, NYSEG and the RGE utility territories are eligible for Delaware River Solar’s (DRS) one-year community solar subscriptions. There are no cancellation fees.

The first DRS project, located in Sullivan County, was completed in 2018 and generates clean energy for many New Yorkers while saving them money on their electric bills. From 2018 through 2020, DRS built over 20 more projects and is currently building dozens more throughout the NYSEG and RGE electric service territories.

DRS plans to construct 10 to 20 new solar farms in 2021. Each solar project can serve 300 to 1,000 customers and offsets millions of pounds of carbon emissions annually.

For more information, visit www.delawareriversolar.com or call 845/414-3491.

Hurleyville Performing Arts Centre, NatureCultures, volunteers, Delaware River, litter sweep, Catskill Center, Tusten food waste digester, delaware river solar

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