Documenting our Carbon footprint - ICLEI Software

I spent some time this afternoon with Lorraine exploring the ICLEI software and looking at the level of detail required and pondering where we will get the data. Lorraine called the Building Dept to see if permits are required for wood burning stoves and solar on peoples' homes. They are. We thought to call ConEd and NYSEG to try to get some electric usage data.

Then, Lorraine realized that this data was already compiled and electronically available from the US Census of 2000. We zoomed to the web site and indeed found the details we were looking for. The challenge is to be able to cull out specific information for all of the zip codes (10) and hamlets (5) that comprise the Town of Yorktown.

We felt like we made some significant progress and will report back next week after we have had time to gather some of this data and enter it into the inventory software.

COOL CITIES YORKTOWN MISSION STATEMENT

COOL CITIES YORKTOWN MISSION STATEMENT

Cool Cities Yorktown is a local environmental advocacy organization dedicated to the belief that local actions can and do beget universal reactions. We believe that the time for action to reduce greenhouse gases and slow climate change is immediate.

Cool Cities Yorktown’s mission is to

· Advocate for sound environmental policy in the Town of Yorktown government by following the principles of the Sierra Club’s cool cities campaign to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, thereby reducing our town's carbon footprint. CCY will also act as a watchdog group to help implement town policy.

· Engage with the local business sector to help establish best environmental business practices; promote the “greening” of buildings in commercial centers; and raise awareness about the economic rewards of sound environmental practices.

· Reach out to residents through education and information that encourages greener lifestyles and empowers individuals to help prevent climate change.

Cool Cities Yorktown invites and welcomes participation from residents, local faith communities, commercial entities, schools and governmental groups.

We can be contacted via email at

greenyorktown@aol.com

Or visit our web site at http://coolcities.us (follow the links for City Profiles)

or blog at greenyorktown.blogspot.com

Actions You Can Take Today

1. Turn down your thermostat when away or at night. You could save up to 1% off your heating bill for every degree you lower your thermostat. And, contrary to urban legend, it does NOT use significantly more energy to warm your house back up again.

2. Reduce the temperature of your hot water heater. Reducing your hot water temp from 130 to 120 degrees can save $50-$100 per year and up to 2% of your total household fuel use and carbon dioxide production. If your setting is higher, so are the savings.

3. Open blinds and drapes on the south side of your house to let in sunlight during the day and close them tight each night. Even in the dead of winter, south-facing sunlight can warm your house an extra few degrees. Close the blinds at night , and it will trap the warmth and reduce your heating needs for a few hours.

4. Clean or replace your air filters. This not only cleans out the creepy-crawlies before they get recirculated through your house, but improves the efficiency of your heating system.

Welcome to the Yorktown (NY) Environmental Blog

This Blog is an opportunity for all citizen of Yorktown and beyond to discuss and share our commitment to making changes in our lives, our neighborhoods, our town, our state, our county and the planet to be more responsible inhabitants

A new group has formed in Yorktown under the Sierra Club Cool Cities program to initially make our elected officials accountable for the environmental impact of all municipal decisions by first signing the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement and joining ICLEI to demonstrate that actions must be taken to reduce our collective carbon footprint.

One of our first goals is to explore the community to find out what is currently being done, what programs are in place, what activities need more publicity, what problems we face, etc. We are working with town government to document our emissions footprint to set a baseline that we can then make a commitment to reduce and have a standard to be measured by.

Please join us by contributing your ideas and actions to this blog. We have just started to get organized and have been meeting bi-weekly. Please attend our meetings.

We have started a Google group as another forum for sharing information - http://groups.google.com/group/coolcityyorktown/

Jerry