HospitalityGreen

ATTENTION FACILITY MANAGERS: IT’S MORE THAN CHANGING LIGHT BULBS, IT’S CHANGING PEOPLE’S BEHAVIORS AS WELL

2011-08-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

School districts around the country are notorious wasters of energy. With budgets tighter than ever, many institutions are finding ways to cut back on their excess energy usage.

Holmdel, New Jersey has saved close to $1,000,000 each year though improvements in energy efficiency. With the help of the district’s Energy Manager, William Balicki, the school has made some simple, but effective improvements, to remind students and staff of ways to save energy.

“Anytime we can ask people to physically do it, we do,” he said. “This is pretty much a people-based program. It’s changing behavior.”

Mount Sinai and Yonkers, among other school district, have also found quick, easy, ways to decrease energy spending such as turning off computers overnight and turning off classroom lights when the room is not in use.

For the full article, please visit: http://nyti.ms/pCYy5T

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SAVE YOUR COMPANY MONEY?

HospitalityGreen (HG) will be offering a “Green Facility Managers Training” for managers and operators to learn how to evaluate and implement sustainable practices in two Massachusetts locations, Pittsfield and Holyoke.

"Green Facility Training for Operations and Management" will be offered at Berkshire Community College’s Intermodal Education Center in Pittsfield on Wednesdays, Sept. 7 and 14, from 9am to 5pm. The course, “Green Facilities Training for Managers,” will also be offered at Holyoke Community College on Sept. 8 and 15, from 9am to 5pm.

The workshops will look at practical approaches to comprehensive facility assessments, developing an improvement plan and conducting a site audit. It will cover topics such as source reduction and usage, purchasing and marketing, contractual negotiations and green assessments. Green meeting standards and the LEED EB program will also be discussed.

The courses use the framework of a national certification program to teach participants how to implement water, energy and source reduction programs, lower their use of toxic chemicals, and source local "green" products and services.

HospitalityGreen (HG) offers an extensive tool box equipped with proprietary measurement and calculators tools as well as access to on line references, guide books and on site check lists through a customized class website. All participants are given a 12-month subscription to the HG Tool Box as part of the training fee.

For information and registration, please contact Mimi Fierle at HospitalityGreen,

(845)-436-6173 or Training@HospitalityGreen.com

Drive with a green foot, not a lead foot (Part II)

2011-07-19T17:08:00.000-07:00

With your new, optimized travel route (thanks to the trip planning tips from HospitalityGreen's last week’s post), you are now ready to hit the road. Reducing the number of miles driven certainly reduces fuel consumption, but this week we will provide some helpful hints to save gas while driving.

Here is an interesting misconception. While it is better for mileage to keep the windows down for cool air while driving through town, once you get on the highway (or any road over 45mph) it is actually more fuel efficient to close the windows- to reduce drag- and have the A/C on low.

In addition, traveling between 50-60mph will provide optimal mileage for most vehicles; anything over that will burn fuel more quickly. Keeping a steady pace (hint: cruise control will help with this) instead of rapid acceleration or deceleration will also leave more gas in the tank.

Once you reach your destination, avoid idling the car for more time then you would spend at a traffic light. For any amount of time longer than that, it would use less gas to turn off and restart the car.

Hopefully, these tips will help put you in the driver’s seat of your fuel consumption (pun intended). Next week’s blog will cover green maintenance for your vehicle. In the mean time, check out these awesome Catskill staycation destinations:

Like the outdoors? Try Pepacton Cabins. Located along the East Branch of the Delaware in the Catskill Forest Preserve, this property offers a wide-variety of outdoor activities, including fishing, hiking, bird watching, hunting, snowmobiling, and options for every season.

The spa more your style? Visit Copperhood Inn and Spa in Shandaken, NY. With tons of specialized treatments and programs, it is easy for anyone to feel pampered and at ease. Don’t forget your hiking boots if you would also like to enjoy the natural splendor that surrounds the spa.

Drive with a green foot, not a lead foot

2011-07-05T16:25:00.000-07:00

Excited about a staycation in the Catskills, but apprehensive of high gas prices? While purchasing an electric or hybrid car may be an option, there are certainly cheaper ways to save gas (and money!) during your local travels.

Before even getting into the car, think about the day’s various destinations. Are any of the stops within reasonable walking/biking distance? Can you stop at the market on the way home from Suzie’s soccer practice instead of making an extra trip during your lunch break? Or perhaps there is a more logical way to arrange your errands. Using Google Maps will ensure you choose the shortest route as well as avoid any unnecessary backtracking. Any shortened or eliminated trips add up to significant gas savings, which you can use towards a well-deserved weekend getaway.

So ease up on the gas and get the staycation fund started! The Catskills are awaiting your visit.

Looking for an exciting weekend getaway ? Try the Stone House Bed & Breakfast. Nestled in the mountainous Ulster County, this notable property is the oldest building in New York State that is open for overnight stays to the public. Be sure to ask innkeepers Sam and Nadia for a tour of the property’s remarkable architectural and historic highlights.

Looking to hit the green on your local vacation? Check out Christman’s Windham House in Greene County, New York. In addition to a restful night’s sleep at the House, the property’s two spectacular golf courses bring out the true splendor of the Catskills. We recommend the 18-hole Mountain Course for its spectacular views and over 7,150 yards of play.

Stay tuned to our next post from HospitalityGreen for tips on driving with a green foot while on the road.

FROST VALLEY YMCA GOES GREEN, COMPLETING A RIGOROUS SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS CERTIFICATION PROGRAM

2011-06-28T11:55:00.000-07:00

The First Certification Granted by Green Concierge, a Program that Works to Green Tourism and Lodging Facilities throughout the Catskill Watershed Region

June 27, 2011 – Frost Valley YMCA, a 6,000 acre residential camping, environmental education, and conference center located in the heart of the Catskill Mountain Park is the first to complete the necessary training and assessment to receive Tier 1 – Bronze Certification from the Green Concierge (GC) Project.

Green Concierge, which is conceived of and administered by environmental consulting firm HospitalityGreen, has been working with Frost Valley since December 2010. During that time, 24 members of the Frost Valley staff have participated in an onsite Green Facility Training and the institution has implemented a number of major sustainable practices, including: replacing all light bulbs with energy efficient ones, recycling, composting, disposing of hazardous waste according to state regulations, using non-toxic cleaning products, upgrading sinks, showerheads and toilets to water-conserving models, purchasing recycled-content soft tissues, paper towels and office paper, and sourcing local produce whenever possible. HospitalityGreen’s online Resource Tracking Tool (The RTT) helps them track measurable environmental improvements and target opportunities for reducing costs.

Sustainable living has always been a core value for Frost Valley, and the organization continually strives to be conscientious caretakers of their facilities, natural resources, environment, community and each other. Tom Holsapple, Frost Valley’s Director of Operations, has led the participation in the Green Concierge program. “I’m thrilled at the advances we have made through the Green Concierge Project. Working with GC has formalized our sustainable efforts and presented an opportunity to refresh what was started years ago. Ultimately, it has changed the culture of our organization and our efforts will be passed along to the 40,000 people a year who come to use our facility. Seventy percent of those guests are kids, so we are creating a healthy and sustainable place and environmental awareness for the next generation.”

Evadne Giannini, Principal of HospitalityGreen LLC, says, “Frost Valley is the first of the more than 30 Green Concierge participants to receive certification. It couldn’t go to a more worthy organization. They have infiltrated sustainable practices into every aspect of their operation and really set the bar high for others to follow.”

The GC Certification process is structured in three tiers (Bronze, Silver and Gold) – with each tier providing a realistic benchmark and advancement to subsequent tiers dependent upon a business’ commitment, their ongoing use of the RTT to track resource use, and their dedication to increasingly rigorous sustainable practices. Frost Valley will be working towards receiving the silver certification in 2012.

The GC Certification was recently recognized and ranked by Greenlodge.org as a Silver Tier Program, placing it within an elite group of national and international third party certification programs.

In addition to the certification program, the Green Concierge Project, through funding from the Empire State Development (ESD) and the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC), provides free one-on-one technical assistance to over 150 tourism and lodging facilities in the Catskill Watershed Region to improve their operational economic and environmental sustainability practices.

HospitalityGreen LLC is a New York based consulting firm specializing in environmental and operations consulting services. HospitalityGreen partners with service-based and product-based clients throughout the hospitality, manufacturing and institutional healthcare industries, to implement sustainable business practices.

Established in 1901 as one of the nation's first summer camps, Frost Valley YMCA now provides four seasons of outdoor, experiential and educational opportunities. Frost Valley YMCA is a 6,000 acre residential camping, environmental education, and conference center located in the heart of the “forever wild” Catskill Mountain Preserve and serves over 40,000 visitors per year.

For more information on HospitalityGreen and the Green Concierge Project, visit www.hospitalitygreen.com or call (845) 436-6173.

CONTACT

Samantha Hoover, PR Director

HospitalityGreen

Tel: (917) 337-2979

Email: s.hoover@hospitalitygreen.com

Website: www.hospitalitygreen.com

Denise Owens, Director of Marketing & Communications

Frost Valley YMCA

Tel: (845) 985-2291, ext. 211

Email: dowens@frostvalley.org

Website: www.frostvalley.org

Save the money, save the time, save the planet… staycation.

2011-06-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

School is out and summer is here. It is about time for that well deserved vacation or just a weekend away. But where to? Florida? Bermuda? How about the Catskills? I know what you are saying, “how can you compare Bermuda to the Catskills?” But have you taken the time to explore this stunning getaway located less than a gas tank beyond your backyard?

Local vacations (also known as “staycations”) are a means of escaping the doldrums of daily living without having to leave your local area. Before the days of convenient and accessible airline travel, New York City residents would take the train into the countryside or down to the shore for a summer holiday. With the rising cost of gas, increasing airfare and shorter vacation periods, vacationing locally is returning as a steadily growing trend. Plus, it is much better for the environment and it gives us the opportunity to become more knowledgeable of the region we call home.

HospitalityGreen LLC is a consulting firm specializing in environmental and operations consulting services located in the heart of the Catskills. Over the past two years, HospitalityGreen has been working on the Green Concierge Project. Through funding from the Empire State Development (ESD) and the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC), the Green Concierge Project has enabled HospitalityGreen to provide free operational, economic and environmental assistance to over 150 tourism and lodging facilities throughout the Catskill Watershed Region.

Over the next few months, we here at HospitalityGreen will be providing you with some great tips and suggestions for “staycationing” in the Catskill region. Traveling back and forth to 150 of the regions facilities through the Green Concierge Project has given us a good idea of what the Catskills has to offer and we would love to pass on some of our favorite Catskill destinations, events, and activities to you. We hope that our tips will help you make the most out of this home not-so-far-away from home.

Interested in a staycation in the Catskills? Here are a few links to get you started:

Delaware County Chamber of Commerce
http://www.greatwesterncatskills.com

Greene County Chamber of Commerce
http://www.greenecounty-chamber.com/

Schoharie County Chamber of Commerce
http://www.schohariechamber.com/

Sullivan County Visitor’s Association
http://www.scva.net/

Ulster County Alive!
http://www.ulstertourism.info/

HospitalityGreen's Green Concierge Project Seeks Two Summer Interns

2011-03-31T09:55:00.000-07:00

Immediate opening for Two Summer Interns to work with hospitality businesses throughout the Catskill Watershed

HospitalityGreen LLC (HG) is providing an excellent opportunity for two interns to learn and gain experience working with owners and operators in the hospitality industry, promoting and implementing sustainable business practices. Our interns assume a diversity of responsibilities including: answering and researching questions regarding sustainable hotel operations, serving as an HG representative throughout the business community, developing informational material for blog postings, conducting on site assessments and trouble shooting.
There are also multiple opportunities for the development of special projects and PT and FT work depending upon the interest and qualifications of the chosen candidates.

Qualifications
• Must have an insured car and a valid driver’s license
• Educational background in the natural sciences, the hospitality industry, sustainability management, environmental education, or related field.
• Previous experience working with businesses.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, comfortable speaking with business and facility operators, and a professional appearance
• High level of organizational skills to effectively administer the diverse demands of the job, as well as work independently and keep detailed records and receipts
• Motivated, enthusiastic, creative, and willing to work with large and small businesses and independently travel throughout the Catskill Watershed
• Must be able to execute in depth internet research and be facile in MS Word, excel and ppt.
• Familiarity with the Catskills or map skills a plus and love of mountains and clean streams a MUST!
Position: Green Concierge Summer Interns (2)
Location: 35 Main Street, Mountaindale, NY 12763
Position Dates: late May – late August
Work Schedule: 20-24 hours per week / flexible schedule is acceptable
Compensation: Reimbursement for all travel and client visit expenses, private apartment in Mountaindale, $500 stipend, academic credit, extensive B to B experience, opportunity to attend all HG trainings w/out charge, chance to spend the summer traveling throughout and working in an incredibly beautiful place!
Closing date: April 22, 2011 or until filled
For more information or to apply, please email or mail a resume and a brief letter of inquiry or interest to:
Evadne Giannini, Green Concierge Program Director
HospitalityGreen LLC
PO Box 222, 35 Main Street
Mountaindale, NY 12763
e.giannini@hospitalitygreen.com
www.hospitalitygreen.com

Spring - Spruce up that Recycling Station

2011-03-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

Need Bins?

Great BINS and now SIGNS that you can customize.

Call 1-877-715-1712
Speak to Michele

Make sure you provide her with your Green Concierge ID#.

www.buschsystems.com

Berkshire Community College Offers Green Facilitiy Training

2011-03-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

BCC Again Offers Green Facility Training

In today’s economy, taking advantage of the cost savings associated with being a “green” business is important to a healthy bottom line. Many Berkshire County businesses have undergone energy audits and started recycling programs, but most facility managers and green leaders need help to institutionalize other sustainable practices.

To address that need, Berkshire Community College is again offering an intensive two-part workshop on “Green Facility Training for Operations and Management.” The class will be held on April 19 and 26 at BCC’s Intermodal Education Center in Pittsfield.

This training provides a comprehensive understanding of sustainability. Resources, information, and practical lessons from professionals will guide participants to complete a comprehensive facility assessment, develop an improvement plan, and conduct a site audit. Topics will include: source reduction; quantifying resource usage; green policy, purchasing, and marketing; immediate results; troubleshooting; and compliance, verifications/audits. Learn how to cut resources and not jobs. Green facility certifications, the new Green Meeting Standards and LEED EB Requirements are covered. Course tuition includes a subscription to on-line checklists and measurement tools.

For more information or to register, call 413-236-5251 or email elapierr@berkshirecc.edu. Berkshire Chamber of Commerce members are eligible for a 15% discount.

Green Concierge Project Update

2011-02-07T11:48:00.000-08:00

Many of the 40 Watershed region lodging establishments participating in Phase 1 of the Green Lodging Certification Program attended a January 26 workshop at Belleayre Mountain to meet one another and get information from vendors of environmentally responsible materials. Dory Alport (right) of Aquabella, distributors of water saving plumbing and heating fixtures, described a “twin-flush” toilet mechanism to (l. to r.) Peter Molnar of Margaretville Lodging; Eric Goettsche of the Thompson House, Windham; Ruth Christman of Christman’s Windham Inn and Golf Resort, and Elizabeth Winograd-Iwinski from Copper Hood Inn and Spa, Shandaken. This “Green Concierge” program is funded by the CWC and Empire State Development, and is coordinated by Hospitality Green, a consulting firm based in Sullivan County. Participating businesses are being assisted in implementing environmentally sustainable practices and in promoting themselves to travelers who seek out “green” inns and hotels.
Article Courtesy of the Catskill Watershed Corporation's E Newsletter - February 2011

37 Properties Have Signed up for HospitalityGreen's Green Concierge Certification Program in the Catskill Watershed

2011-01-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Green Cleaning What You Need To Know to Clean or Buy Green - Nov.10th - 9:30-12:30 - SUNY Sullivan

2010-10-26T17:31:00.000-07:00

Rockland County's Business to Business Greening Food Services Forum.

2010-09-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

Rockland Community College, in partnership with SUNY Sullivan and Hospitality Green, invites businesses in the region to participate in Rockland County's Business to Business Greening Food Services Forum.

The event will provide an opportunity to learn about specific actions that can improve a company's bottom line and differentiate it from others while contributing to a healthier environment.

Thursday, Sept. 30, 8:30 – 10:30 a.m.

Greening Food Services Forum

Admission: Free

Faculty Dining Room, Cultural Arts Center

Continental breakfast will be provided

Program:

County Perspectives on Sustainability
SUNY Rockland's Operational and Program Support for Sustainability
NYSERDA's New Financial Incentives for Commercial Kitchens
Marketing Opportunities for Green Restaurants
Local Food Networks and Alternative Distribution Networks
A peek at your peers – case studies from the region
A unique opportunity to learn how to green your business
For more information, contact Richard Syrek, RCC Dean of the Center for Personal & Professional Development, at 845-574-4465, rsyrek@sunyrockland.edu, or The Office of Workforce Development, Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning at SUNY Sullivan at (845) 434-5750 x4398, SCCCWorkforce@sullivan.suny.edu

Funding provided by the state Pollution Prevention Institute through a grant from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

New Addition to List of Charitable Organizations

2010-07-01T13:33:00.000-07:00

HospitalityGreen would like to thank Kathleen Aldinger of Monroe New York for recommending that we donate some of the soft goods we collect to help US soldiers abroad. HospitalityGreen will be working with Kathleen on getting towels, sheets and other necessities to our servicemen through the website www.anysoldier.com.

For the past few years Kathleen has been coordinating the donation of items and raising money for postage to send these goods abroad.

Anysoldier is just the newest addition to the growing list of charities HospitalityGreen has given, or plans to give to.

GC Project Mention in Times Herald-Record

2010-06-28T17:43:00.001-07:00

Thank you to Times Herald-Record reporter Adam Bosch and Times Herald-Record Photo Coordinator Steve Borland for the great article and pictures in the paper this past Sunday.

See Article

HospitalityGreen’s “Green Concierge Project” Extends its Five County “Green” Spring Cleaning for Lodging Facilities.

2010-06-16T09:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to their ongoing participation in The Green Concierge© project this Spring, lodging establishments in the Catskills Watershed Region have kept over four thousand pounds of soft goods out of local landfills.

The hospitality industry routinely disposes of gently used bedding and towels so that customers can rest assured knowing that the soft goods they are using are clean. This year, customers should be happy to hear that Catskill Watershed lodging facilities are “Going Green.” Instead of throwing away these soft goods, many facilities throughout the five counties are donating them to charity by participating in the Green Concierge Project, a Catskills eco-tourism initiative.

Due to an overwhelmingly positive response to The Green Concierge Project’s free door-to-door soft goods collection program, HospitalityGreen LLC has decided to extend the deadline for soft goods pickup until the end of June. HospitalityGreen’s staff has been introducing the Green Concierge project since the first week of May to participating facilities while collecting materials for donation.

Thus far, over 4,000 pounds of soft goods have been collected for donation, with over half the total weight coming from facilities in Ulster County. Soft goods project coordinator and Manager of HospitalityGreen, Leo Pucklis, has been in charge of collecting, weighing and donating the soft goods. “With just the donations from the Kingston Holiday Inn, Sparrow Hawk Affaires in Stone Ridge and Catskill Maison in Windham, Greene County we have had to make seven trips. It’s amazing how much stuff we have helped to divert from the landfill.” All materials have been weighed and donations recorded prior to delivering the donations to the local animal shelters, homeless shelters and textile recyclers.

The Green Concierge project is an exciting new economic development initiative proudly sponsored by and funded through grants from the Empire State Development (ESD) and the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC). Over the next three years, approximately 150 tourism and lodging facilities in the Catskill watershed region will receive free one-on-one technical assistance to improve their operational economic and environmental sustainability practices through pollution prevention, resource conservation, recycling and toxic chemical reduction. In addition to technical assistance, some facilities involved in the Green Concierge project will participate in a green certification program that will document and verify their sustainable improvements. For facilities participating in the certification process, a facility baseline assessment and a customized facility improvement plan will be developed. HospitalityGreen LLC, a Sullivan County environmental consulting firm, developed and is spearheading the Green Concierge project.

Facilities eligible to participate in this project include hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds and rental condominiums located in the Catskill watershed of Delaware, Greene, Schoharie, Sullivan and Ulster counties. Throughout the month of June, eligible facilities can schedule a pick up by email at go.green@hospitalitygreen.com or call Leo Pucklis at 845.436.6173 ext.2.

About Green Concierge’s sponsors and funding:
The ESD is responsible for retaining and creating jobs, and generating billions of dollars for local New York State economies. In addition, the ESD encourages economic investment and prosperity by providing knowledgeable and professional level assistance and service to businesses throughout New York State.
The CWC is a local development corporation established in 1997 whose dual mission is to protect the water resources of the New York City (NYC) Catskill-Delaware Watershed west of the Hudson River, and to preserve and assist the communities within this living Watershed. Covering portions of Ulster, Greene, Delaware, Sullivan and Schoharie Counties, CWC’s economic development programs support environmentally responsible businesses to create and retain jobs in the Catskills.
New York State’s Empire State Development (ESD) and the Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) are proud sponsors of the Green Concierge project.
For more information on HospitalityGreen and the Green Concierge project visit www.hospitalitygreen.com or call (845) 436-6173.

CONTACT
Evadne Giannini, Principal
HospitalityGreen
P.O. Box 222, 35 Main Street
Mountaindale, NY 12763
Tel: (845) 436-6173
Email: go.green@hospitalitygreen.com
Website: www.hospitalitygreen.com

Pictured: Leo Pucklis Manager of HospitalityGreen LLC and Associate Emily Anna Mason

The Catskill Watershed Hospitality Industry - Going Green

2010-02-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

(February 2010) The Catskill Watershed Corporation (CWC) has announced an ambitious three-year project to promote the “greening” of the tourist industry throughout the five-county Watershed region. Over 150 tourist and lodging facilities will receive direct technical assistance from Hospitality Green, LLC to improve pollution prevention, recycling and source reduction practices.

The Green Concierge project is part of New York State’s efforts to promote eco-tourism in the Catskills, as well addressing regional and statewide environmental, economic and industry sector goals. Hospitality Green will provide site visits, assessments, resource tools, and collection assistance for lodging and hospitality facilities in the Catskill watershed in order to institutionalize and quantify “green” practices throughout the region.

One of the unique aspects of the “Green Concierge” project is the use of HG’s proprietary facility assessment and audit tools, which were developed specifically for institutional settings. These tools allow facility managers to track measureable environmental improvements in water and energy usage; solid waste generation, recycling and reuse; purchasing; and chemical usage. Facilities are thus able to create and implement individualized facility improvement plans and track their progress toward source reduction goals.

Because of CWC’s role in maintaining a clean water system for the 9 million residents of New York City metropolitan area, emphasis on water conservation and chemical reduction are particularly important in the Catskills. Ninety percent of the 1.3 billion gallons of water consumed daily by New York City and surrounding communities comes from the six reservoirs in the Catskill Mountain/ Delaware River region of New York state.

Funding for the “Green Concierge” project is coming from a $74,000 grant from New York State’s economic development agency, Empire State Development Corp., along with $50,000 from the CWC’s Catskill Fund for the Future. Facilities eligible to participate in this project include hotels, inns, bed and breakfast establishments, campgrounds and rental condominiums. Interested facility managers in the five county region should contact Hospitality Green at 845.436.6173.

The Catskill Watershed Corporation is a Local Development Corporation established in 1997 to protect the water resources of the New York City (NYC) watershed located west of the Hudson River. Covering portions of Ulster, Green, Delaware, Sullivan and Schoharie Counties, CWC’s mission also extends to preserving and strengthening communities in the region as well as increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the NYC Water System. (For general information about the CWC, please visit http://www.cwconline.org)

Hospitality Green, LLC, is based in Mountaindale, Sullivan County, NY. For more information on Hospitality Green, please visit www.hospitalitygreen.com/Aboutus

Vermont says, "Take It Back!"

2010-01-26T12:50:00.000-08:00

The latest news on Product Stewardship from Resource Recycling

Vermont to dramatically shift costs of recycling

Beverage industry representatives in Vermont have extended a draft proposal which would repeal the Green Mountain State's bottle bill and replace it with an extended producer responsibility program. The Vermont Extended Producer Responsibility Act of 2010 (VEPRA) would use packaging and printed materials as the first products to test out a manufacturer financed and run EPR program, beginning March 1, 2012 (thanks to the Product Stewardship Institute for the link).

Under the proposed initiative firms such as beverage and food producers, as well as newspaper and magazine publishers — the producers of the materials to be managed — would pay for the potential cost of recycling in Vermont.

"VEPRA establishes packaging and printed material as the first designated wastes in Vermont and sets forth a process under which producers of these products must develop plans for recovering these materials and financing the program through fees," according to the summary of the measure. "The Secretary of Natural Resources must approve the plans after which the producers have one year to implement the program."

According to industry sources, paper industry and grocers have not been approached yet, though extensive meetings have been held with local solid waste agencies and waste haulers. One key player suggests this bill will "begin the conversation," and that it may take two sessions to get it passed.

The Latest Recycling News From "Resource Recycling"

2009-11-13T20:06:00.000-08:00

Despite GOP efforts, climate bill moves forward

It appears as if a plan to boycott legislative action on the Climate Bill has backfired for Senate Republicans. The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, also known as Senate Bill 1733, passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee on November 5th, thanks to a procedural loophole employed by Committee Chairman, and bill co-sponsor, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-California). Traditionally, minority party members of committees are required to be present for committee business to proceed.

While primarily focusing on climate change, emissions reductions and renewable energy, the bill also includes funding to promote and improve recycling, a provision of the bill currently being applauded by such industry associations as the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc. Specifically, Section 154 of the current version of the bill authorizes the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a state recycling program that will govern the use of funds distributed to states through the legislation. States would then receive dedicated funds for county and municipal recycling programs, waste and recycling transport equipment, education and job training, funding for research and other state recycling initiatives.

Eleven Democrats voted for the bill — a majority of the 19 seats on the Committee — however SB 1733 is not out of the woods yet. Several groups, including the American Materials Manufacturing Alliance, the American Chemistry Council, the American Iron and Steel Institute and the Aluminum Association, have all expressed their concern over portions of the bill as presently written. Specifically, the groups would like to see more favorable emissions policies in the bill and steps to ensure the competitiveness of American-made products.

Sullivan County - New Article VIII - Establishing a Solid Waste User Fee

2009-11-09T13:15:00.000-08:00

LOCAL LAW NO. ___ OF 2009

COUNTY OF SULLIVAN, NEW YORK

A LOCAL LAW AMENDING LOCAL LAW NO. 1 OF 1992

AND CHAPTER 171 OF THE CODE OF SULLIVAN COUNTY

TO ADD A NEW ARTICLE VIII

ESTABLISHING A SOLID WASTE USER FEE

§ 171-25 Short Title.

Article VIII of Chapter 171 of Part II of the Code of Sullivan County shall be known as the Sullivan County Solid Waste User Fee Article.

§ 171-26 Findings.

The Legislature of Sullivan County finds that:

A. The New York State Solid Waste Management Plan (the “Plan”) and the Solid Waste Management Act of 1988 (the “1988 Act”) mandates that the amount of solid waste generated and disposed in New York State be managed through the establishment of programs to reduce the amount of waste being produced and disposed by recycling and reusing that portion of the waste stream that feasibly can be so recovered.

B. To provide the citizens of the County with effective solid waste management and recycling services, the County has adopted and amended its Waste Management Plan and Rules, and has implemented a number of programs which provide services to all citizens of the County.

Since 1992, the County has provided County-wide solid waste management, including the mandate of source separation of recyclable materials from municipal solid waste, recycling and disposal services at the Sullivan County Landfill and at County owned and operated transfer stations, and the education of our citizens on the mandates of State and local laws and the benefits of recycling.

C. The County Legislature has determined as a matter of public policy that the cost of providing County-wide solid waste management services should be borne by all generators of solid waste and recyclable materials within the County of Sullivan.

D. The County Legislature finds that the County-wide solid waste management system has sufficient capacity to adequately handle all municipal solid waste, recycling and disposal services generated within the County.

E. The County Legislature has determined that substantially all solid waste is generated on improved parcels of real property

F. The County Legislature has determined that funding the entire cost of services and facilities by charging a tipping fee at the County’s solid waste facilities and ad valorem taxes has placed a disproportionate burden on the taxpayers of Sullivan County.

G. The County Legislature has determined that attempting to fund the entire cost of the County’s solid waste services and facilities by a tipping fee alone would be unworkable and unacceptable.

H. Therefore, the Legislature finds that the most equitable method of funding the cost of the County’s solid waste services is to charge a rationally based Solid Waste User Fee to the owners of all parcels of improved property within the County.

§ 171-27 Purposes.

This Article VIII of Chapter 171 of Part II of the Code of Sullivan County is enacted pursuant to the laws of the State of New York, including Municipal Home Rule Law Section 10(1)(ii)(a)(9-a) and County Law Sections 226-b and 266, to institute a plan to charge users of recycling, solid waste management and related services and facilities provided by the County, a fee for the use of such services and facilities, which fee shall cover a portion of the cost of the services being provided, and which fee shall be charged on an equitable basis, related to the level of recycling and solid waste services utilized by each class of users.

§ 171-28 Definitions and General Provisions.

In addition to the definitions set forth in Article II of this Chapter, the following terms shall have the following meanings. In the event of a discrepancy in the definition of a term defined in both Article II and in this Article VIII the definition in this Article VIII shall take precedence.

A. Legislature means the County Legislature of the County of Sullivan.

B. Fees Status Date shall mean November 15th for each succeeding fiscal year (ex: November 15, 2009 for fiscal year 2010).

D. Recyclables or Recyclable Materials means materials that would otherwise be solid waste, and which can be collected, separated, and/or processed, treated, reclaimed, used or reused so that their component materials or substances can be beneficially used or reused.

E. Solid Waste means all putrescible and non-putrescible solid waste materials generated or originated within the County, including, but not limited to, materials or substances discarded or rejected, whether as being spent, useless, worthless, or in excess to the owners at the time of such discard or rejection or for any other reason; or being accumulated, stored, or physically, chemically or biologically treated prior to being discarded or rejected, having served their intended use; or a manufacturing by-product, including, but not limited to, garbage, refuse, waste materials resulting from industrial,, commercial, community, and agricultural activities, sludge from air or water pollution control facilities or water supply treatment facilities, rubbish, ashes, contained gaseous material, incinerator residue, demolition debris and offal; but not including sewage and other highly diluted water-carried materials or substances and those in gaseous form, or hazardous waste as defined in the New York Environmental Conservation Law or its implementing regulations.

F. Billing Unit or Units refers to the number of units assigned to each parcel of real property pursuant to §171-29 below and shall provide the basis for determining the fee charged.

G. Solid Waste User Fee Roll refers to the County Solid Waste Fee Roll which includes the assignment of Billing Units to each parcel.

H. Unit Charge means the dollar amount established by the Legislature pursuant to §171-29 below, as the annual Solid Waste User Fee charged for one Billing Unit.

I. Rate Schedule refers to the schedule adopted by the Legislature pursuant to Section § 171-29 below establishing classes and formulas for determining Billing Units for parcels of improved real property.

J. Solid Waste User Fee or Solid Waste Fee or User Fee means an annual user fee for use of any portion of the County’s Solid Management Facility which fee is to be determined in accordance with the provisions of this Article VIII and which fee is to be billed to and paid by the owners of each and every parcel of improved real property within the County.

K. Solid Waste User Fee Grievance Committee shall mean a committee comprised of the Deputy County Manager/Commissioner of the Division of Management and Budget, Treasurer and Commissioner of the Division of Public Works or their designees.

J. In the event that any date herein falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, then the applicable date shall be the next succeeding date that is not a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.

§ 171-29 Establishment of Annual Solid Waste Fee.

A. The Solid Waste User Fee shall be charged to owners of improved real property located within the County since the owners and users of such property are deemed to generate solid waste or recyclable materials either directly or indirectly and are therefore users of all or a portion of the County’s Solid Waste Management Facility and services.

B. The Solid Waste User Fee shall be an annual fee covering the period from January 1 through December 31 of each calendar year.

C. The Legislature shall establish by resolution a Rate Schedule setting forth classifications or formulas for determining the Billing Units assigned to all parcels of improved property based upon the authorized use of real property.

D. The classification of parcels and the formulas for determining the Billing Units assigned to each class shall be based on the level of services available to such class, which has been or will be determined by the Legislature in its sole discretion.

E. Information regarding the use of each parcel of improved property and measurements of improvements shall be based upon the assessment records for each property together with such other data as may be deemed necessary to properly characterize and classify each parcel of improved parcel and to determine the number of Billing Units.

F. The Legislature may change the Rate Schedule from time to time by resolution.

G. On or before December 1st of each year, the Legislature shall, by resolution, establish the Unit Charge to be applied for the following fiscal year in calculating the annual solid waste fee to be charged.

H. The annual Solid Waste User Fee shall be charged to the owner of each parcel of improved real property based upon the classification of the parcel as of the Fee Status Date, the number of Billing Units assigned to such parcel (as set forth in § 171-30 below) multiplied by the Unit Charge established for the year.

§ 171-30 Preparation of Solid Waste User Fee Roll.

A. Each parcel of improved real property situated in the County shall be assigned to a class of parcels as set forth in the Rate Schedule based upon the use, as recorded by the assessor, of the parcel as of the Fee Status Date.

B. The Director of Real Property Tax, or such other County official or entity as may be designated by the County Manager, shall make a reasonable effort to ascertain the name of the owner, last known owner or reputed owner and the use of the parcel as of the Fee Status Date. The County shall prepare a Solid Waste User Fee Roll listing each parcel in the County, its owner, its property classification code, and the number of Billing Units assigned to it.

C. The Solid Waste User Fee Roll shall be completed on or before November 15. A copy shall be filed in the Office of the County Legislature and the Treasurer’s office. The Clerk of the County Legislature shall forthwith cause a notice of such filing to be published once in the official newspapers of the County. The notice shall state that a tentative Solid Waste User Fee Roll containing solid waste Billing Units established for each parcel has been completed and that a copy has been filed and may be examined by any person during regular business hours at the Office of the County Legislature and the Office of the County Treasurer.

§ 171-31 Billing and Collecting Fees.

A. An invoice for the annual Solid Waste User Fee shall be sent to each owner of real property as a separate line item on the County tax bill.

B. The Solid Waste User Fee shall be due January 1 and payable without interest or penalties by January 31, and payment shall be made to the local tax collector in person or by mail. The Solid Waste User Fee shall be collected by the local collectors at the same time and in the same manner as their collection of local taxes. County Law §§226-b, 266; Real Property Tax Law §1510.

C. All annual Solid Waste User Fees shall constitute a debt and personal obligation of the owner of the parcel of real property.

D. Any portion of a Solid Waste User Fee which shall remain unpaid after January 31st shall bear interest at the same rate and in the same manner as unpaid real property taxes.

§ 171-32 Challenges

Challenges to any Solid Waste User Fee may be made only as follows:

A. Any challenge to the data on the assessment rolls used in compiling the Solid Waste User Fee Roll shall be brought before the assessing authority at the same time and in the same manner as any other challenge with respect to an assessment of real property. In the event of any correction or adjustment resulting from such a challenge the Town and County shall remediate such error in the same manner as the correction of an error with respect to real property taxes.

B. Any challenge to the determination of classification or Billing Units by the County or any challenge to the imposition of the Solid Waste User Fee on a parcel of improved property may only be brought as follows:

i The property owner shall first have paid the subject Solid Waste User Fee.

ii The challenge provided for herein shall constitute to sole and exclusive remedy with respect to any claim that the determination of classification or Billing Units by the County was improper or any claim that the imposition of the Solid Waste User fee on a parcel of improved property was unlawful or improper.

iii The challenge shall be brought within six months of the payment of the Solid Waste User Fee.

iv The Challenge shall be brought before the County’s Solid Waste User Fee Grievance Committee whose determination shall be the final. Such final determination shall be subject to a judicial review provided such petition to commence such judicial review is filed and served within one hundred and twenty (120) days, as provided in Article 78 of the Civil Practice Law and Rules, of the date on which the challenger is served with the determination of the Committee.

iv In the event the Solid Waste User Fee Committee shall grant a challenge or grievance the property owner shall be granted a credit or refund, in the amount determined by said Committee.

§ 171-33 Delinquent Fees.

A. Any portion of a Solid Waste User Fee which shall remain unpaid on October 31st of any year shall constitute a lien on such property.

B. The County shall be entitled to commence a civil action to foreclose upon any lien upon property in the same manner and to the same extent as its ability to foreclose upon a lien for the non-payment of real property taxes, or accordance with any other provision of law or collect any amount due to it.

C. Any unpaid Solid Waste User Fee shall be subject to a two (2) year redemption period which period shall commence on January 1st when such unpaid fee first became a lien on the property.

§ 171-34 Severability.

If any clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part of this Article shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the clause, sentence, paragraph, section or part thereof involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered and that rest and remainder of this Article shall be given the fullest extent possible, consistent with law and consistent with the intent of this Article as determined from the content of the entire Article.

§ 171-35 Effective Date.

The provisions of this Article VIII of this Chapter 171 of the Sullivan County Code and of this Local Law amending Local Law 1 of 1992 shall be effective immediately upon the filing of a copy with the Secretary of State.

GAS DRILLING - NOT IN MY WATER SUPPLY

2009-10-27T16:56:00.000-07:00

GAS DRILLING BULLETIN

THE BIGGEST CASUALTY OF GAS DRILLING WILL BE YOU!

The implementation of gas drilling is being fast tracked. The number of opportunities to impact the outcome is dwindling. If all of us who get our water from as well as live in, and love the Catskills don't stand up now, the results are very likely to be catastrophic.

As Catskill Mountainkeeper has reported, the provisions of the Draft Supplemental Generic Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) governing natural gas drilling issued on September 30, 2009, are woefully inadequate. The proposed regulations simply won't provide enough protection for the Catskills and the New York City water supply.

There is an unacceptable disregard for the potential public health issues that have been documented to be a byproduct of natural gas drilling. In part these come from the toxic chemicals that are used in hydro-fracking (the process by which gas is released from the shale rock formations deep underground). These chemicals are being knowingly injected into our air, drinking water and blood streams without our knowledge or consent. Unless we are able to effectively mobilize ourselves we appear to be setting ourselves up for a host of unparalleled multi-generational diseases and health afflictions.

Consider the following stories from nearby Dimock, PA., reported by Jon Hurdle at Reuters on Friday March 13, 2009:

When her children started missing school because of persistent diarrhea and vomiting, Pat Farnelli began to wonder if she and her family were suffering from more than just a classroom bug. After trying several remedies, she stopped using the water drawn from her well in this rural corner of northeastern Pennsylvania, the forefront of a drilling boom in what may be the biggest U.S. reserve of natural gas. "I was getting excruciating stomach cramps after drinking the water," Farnelli said in an interview at her farmhouse, cluttered as a home with eight children would be, while her husband, a night cook at a truck stop, slept on the couch. "It felt like an appendicitis attack." The family, which is poor enough to qualify for government food stamps, began buying bottled water for drinking and cooking. Their illnesses finally ended, and Farnelli found something to blame: natural gas drilling in the township of 1,400 people.

Ron and Jean Carter suspected there was a leak when the water supply to their trailer home started to taste and smell bad after Cabot started drilling 200 yards (meters) away. Not wanting to risk the health of a new grandchild living with them, the 70-year-old retirees scraped together $6,500 for a water purification system. "It was kind of funny that the water was good in July but after they drilled, it wasn't," said Ron Carter.

Tim and Debbie Maye, a truck driver and post office worker who have three teenage children, have been cooking and drinking only bottled water since their well water turned brown in November after Cabot started drilling. But she can't afford bottled water for her animals. Her cats have been losing fur and projectile vomiting because they lick drips from the spigot that carries water from their well. Her three horses -- one of which is losing its hair -- drink as much as 50 gallons a day. "I tell my husband, 'I'm going out to poison the horses,'" she said.

The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, a Colorado research group, has identified 201 fracking chemicals and found almost 90 percent had the potential to harm skin, eyes, and sensory organs; 50 percent could damage the brain and nervous system, and 29 percent may cause cancer.

Health issues, while critical are not the only concern. In addition to contaminated drinking water and air there will also be:
The tremendous disruption of our daily lives from hundreds of large tractor trailers traversing and damaging our roads
The invasive noise of drill engines that run 24/7 and sound like jet engines
The disruption of banks of klieg lights shining 24/7
The draining of many of our lakes, rivers, streams and aquifers
The destruction of our view shed
The inability of local medical and emergency services to handle the types of chemicals and other accidents associated with gas drilling
And the devaluation of property
Unfortunately this is turning into a war to protect your water, your way of life, your family's health and the value of your property - once gas drilling starts it's too late!

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Insisting that our government is responsive to those who elect them and pay their salaries is a critically important principle of our country - and it works. Due to pressure from Catskill Mountainkeeper and other groups, the DEC has reversed their previous position and is now presenting public hearings where the public can make comments for the record. See the schedule below. Please come, educate yourself and be prepared to make comment for the record.

HEARING SCHEDULE

10/28/2009 - Loch Sheldrake - Sullivan County Community College E Building, Seelig Theatre; 112 College Rd, Loch Sheldrake, NY 12759

11/10/2009 - New York City - Stuyvesant High School High School Auditorium,345 Chambers St, New York, NY 10282

11/12/2009 - Chenango Bridge - Chenango Valley High School High School Auditorium; 221 Chenango Bridge Rd, Chenango Bridge, NY 13901
TBD - Elmira/Corning
Doors will open at 6:00 PM for individual questions and speaker sign up.
Public comments session will start at 7:00 PM.

Catskill Mountainkeeper is not a radical organization nor are we normally given to using such strong language, but this is an incredibly important issue where the public's best interest is not being met. This is not a time when you can stand on the sidelines. The price that you will pay is too high.

Help Mountainkeeper lead the fight. Click here to make a secure online donation.

About Catskill Mountainkeeper
Catskill Mountainkeeper is a member based advocacy organization dedicated to preserving and protecting the long term health of the six counties of the Catskill Region. As a representative face of the Catskills, we strive to be the eyes, ears and voice that look at issues, listen to concerns and speak on behalf of people who live, work, and recreate here. Recognizing strength in numbers, we organize concerned citizens to protect existing jobs and industry, take care of abundant but exceedingly vulnerable natural resources, and help to utilize available and often unclaimed local, state, and national funds to prevent and cushion the impact of natural disasters.

For More Information:
Contact Catskill Mountain Keeper
http://www.catskillmountainkeeper.org

CALLS FOR BAN IN NEW YORK
The New York Times asks for ban
on gas drilling in NYC watershed.
http://www.damascuscitizens. org/nytimes.html

NYC Council hearing for resolution
to ban gas drilling in watershed.
http://www.damascuscitizens. org/reuters.html
-
Sierra Club Atlantic calls for ban
on drilling in New York State.
http://www.damascuscitizens. org/news.html

http://www.damascuscitizens. org

Guess how much trash the average hotel guest throws away every day?

2009-10-08T20:15:00.000-07:00

About two pounds — more than half of that paper, plastic, cardboard and cans that those same guests probably recycle at home. Yet according to a 2008 survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association, just 40 percent of hotels have a recycling program.

While some hotels sort and recycle guests’ trash after it leaves the room, hospitality executives say starting an in-room recycling program is a lot more complicated than simply placing blue bins under the desks.

“It’s challenging,” said Brian McGuinness, a senior vice president at Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which offers in-room recycling at its Element hotels and plans to introduce similar programs at other brands by the end of 2010. “These initiatives sound easy in theory, but in practice it’s quite a different story.”

Housekeeping carts have to be modified to keep recycled materials separate from other trash, workers have to be trained in new procedures that may involve union negotiations and the recyclables often have to be sorted and stored at the hotel before being taken away — but not too far away.

Mr. McGuinness said Starwood required that the recycling center “be within a 50-mile radius of any given property” and noted that some Starwood properties would therefore be exempt from the requirement. “Otherwise, we’re hauling recycling materials in a truck burning fuel for 80 miles.”

Even educating guests about sorting their trash is not a simple matter, since recycling is one of those chores that often falls by the wayside on a trip, much like exercising or making the bed. Still, more hotels are offering recycling options, in part because surveys indicate environmentally friendly practices matter to guests.

“Doing in-room recycling is important because the guest sees that,” said Pat Maher, a former hotel executive now serving as a environmental consultant to the American Hotel and Lodging Association. He said younger guests, in particular, often asked via Twitter or other channels why a hotel did not offer recycling containers.

Besides burnishing their green image, hotels also have the incentive of reducing how much they spend to haul away regular trash. By removing paper, plastic and other recyclables from the garbage, hotels can trim their waste disposal bill by as much as 50 percent, Mr. Maher said — a significant savings in cities where trash removal is expensive.

“In New York City, it’s not unusual to have a $100,000-a-year waste bill, and if you can cut that by $50,000 that’s a big deal to the operator of a hotel,” he said.

But the savings is likely to be more modest at smaller properties in less expensive locations. Mr. McGuinness said Element was currently breaking even on the recycling program at its properties. And Kimpton Hotels, which has offered in-room recycling since 2004, estimates its total savings is about $267,300 a year.

“Just cardboard recycling alone ranges from $12,000 to $20,000 a year in savings,” said Niki Leondakis, chief operating officer for Kimpton, which reduces its trash at its 47 hotels by more than 40 percent through recycling.

“What’s happening in each individual city drives our practice,” Ms. Leondakis said. “In some cities, we’ve had to work with legislators to help get recycling programs started.” One trend that may make the sorting process less of a chore is “single stream” recycling, which refers to municipalities with recycling centers that can automatically separate paper, plastic, aluminum and glass.

Hotels are also focusing on reducing the amount of waste that needs to be recycled, with newspapers among the targets for elimination.

In April, Marriott International announced that it would no longer deliver newspapers to every guestroom in the morning; guests can request a paper or pick one up in the lobby. Although that shift is arguably as much about saving money as it is about saving trees, Marriott estimated it would reduce newspaper distribution at its hotels by about 18 million papers annually.

And Starwood has installed bath-amenity dispensers in the showers at its Element and Aloft hotels, reducing waste from tiny plastic bottles of conditioner and shampoo. But this seemingly simple shift created its own challenges.

“Even the design of the shampoo container was a large initiative for us,” Mr. McGuinness said, explaining that the dispenser had to be lockable (to prevent guests from helping themselves) and the viscosity of the shampoo had to be adjusted so it did not drip.

A bigger challenge seems to be finding an alternative to all the plastic water bottles guests rely on when they travel. Element hotels have a separate tap with filtered water in the bathroom, one of the advantages of building a new hotel with environmentally sensitive design.

But other brands have had mixed results in weaning guests from their bottled-water habit.

“People like their water bottles — they don’t want to give them up,” said Lori Holland, a spokeswoman for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, which has experimented with offering guests carafes of filtered water instead. In some cases, guests have taken the carafes. Other objections include concerns about the cleanliness of the glassware and a preference for having a bottle of water to take to a meeting — one of the conveniences guests expect when they travel.

“I think that’s the conundrum with operating green but operating as a hotel,” Ms. Holland said. “At what point do you deliver your luxury hotel experience, but also balance that with acting responsibly?”

A version of this article appeared in print on October 6, 2009, on page B6 of the New York edition.

President Obama calls for 50 percent diversion rate by 2015

2009-10-08T20:07:00.000-07:00

Ahead of the above proposed legislation, President Obama's Executive Order 13514, "Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance," calls on each U.S. government agency to study its greenhouse gas emissions and set targets to reduce them by 2020. The order includes such environmental targets as a 50-percent recycling and waste diversion by 2015 and using printing and writing paper containing at least 30-percent post-consumer content.

The order further defines that "diversion" mean redirecting materials that might be sent to landfill be redirected to recycling or recovery, "excluding diversion to waste-to-energy facilities."

Each federal agency must, within 90 days of the issuance of the report, establish and report to the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality and the Director of the Office of Management and Budget a percentage reduction target for agency-wide greenhouse gas reductions, with further reductions and plans to follow.

Reported in Resource Recycling, October 2009

October Trainings from HospitalityGreen

2009-09-15T18:46:00.000-07:00

Hudson Valley Educational Consortium

Sustainability Programs for Fall 2009

October Trainings from HospitalityGreen

An Introduction for Leading Sustainability Initiatives

ATTENTION:

Employees, concerned citizens and consultants interested in serving as change managers and facilitators to undertake and participate in environmental sustainability initiatives, and individuals and/or employees looking to reposition themselves as Sustainability Directors or Green Team Facilitators within an organizational structure.

This course will provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to identify, coordinate, implement and direct environmentally sustainable initiatives. Topics to be addressed include: sustainable operations (e.g., waste and chemical management); the built environment and new construction; environmentally preferable purchasing and supply chain management; and resource conservation and community partnerships.

Schedule: Tue, Oct 20 - Nov 17 • 5:30 - 8:30 pm

5 sessions • $380

AND

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) Orientation and Workshop

Objective: To provide participants with the knowledge and skills needed to research, bid, contract and implement an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) program. Any organization that wants to “go green” must pay attention to the products and services that are consumed as part of its daily operations. Participants in this program will learn how to: assess the products and services used in their company; find and evaluate information about green products and services; identify federal, state and other regulations on green purchasing; calculate the costs and benefits of purchasing choices; and design, implement and manage green purchasing processes.

Target audience: Facility managers, cleaning and maintenance managers, purchasing agents, or other individuals responsible for implementing a sustainability or EPP program

Schedule: Mon, Oct 19 - Nov 16 • 5:30 - 8:30 pm

5 sessions • $380

Instructor: Evadne Giannini, principal of HospitalityGreen

See Blog Profile and or www.hospitalitygreen.com

Your tuition includes:

One year of access to Hospitality Green’s website and access to industry e chats.

All course materials are on the web site.

A resource library on environmental sustainability,

Tools needed to undertake an environmental assessment and audit, and to maintain the baseline data

Tools to measure improvement and set goals;

A Sustainability or EPP Green Team Workbook. These customized binders will serve as performance support tools for individuals implementing initiatives after the class.

To register or for more information, contact the SUNY school of your choice:

SUNY Ulster: 845.339.2025

SUNY Orange: 845.341.4890

Sullivan County Community College: (SCCC)845.434.5750 x4398

SUNY Rockland County CC: 845.574.4151

Students will enjoy courses via a video-teleconference system that links classrooms at the four schools via a video- teleconference center at Sullivan County Community College.

A key component of Consortium programming is that students who attend any of the four colleges can remain at their “home” campus yet gain the benefits of programs offered by the other colleges.

The Hudson Valley Educational Consortium is an innovative collaboration amongst SUNY Orange, Rockland, Sullivan and Ulster Community Colleges.

Hospitality Green provides Green Meeting Planning and Certification at CWC's Local Government Day.

2009-09-01T15:46:00.000-07:00

NEWS from the CWC and HospitalityGreen

HospitalityGreen, green meeting consultant for CWC is collaborating with Belleayre management and its food service purveyor, Boston Concessions, to address potential areas of waste and redundancy at Local Government Day.

As well, HospitalityGreen will provide an on site Green Concierge who will verify the intended green meeting standards and provide a 3rd party certification and a data matrix for CWC's sustainability record keeping.

MAKE YOUR NEXT MEETING GREEN!
For further information contact: TheGreenConcierge@gmail.com

We look forward to meeting you at Local Government Day

Registration now open for Local Government Day

MARGARETVILLE, September 1, 2009 – Registration is now open for the Ninth Annual Catskills Local Government Day, to be held Thursday, Oct. 15 at Belleayre Mountain Ski Center.
The Catskill Watershed Corporation will sponsor the event, whose theme this year is “Climate Change Made Local.” To see the agenda and register electronically, go to www.cwconline.org. Registration materials may also be obtained by calling toll free 877-WAT-SHED, or 845-586-1400.
Elected and appointed government officials and employees, economic and environmental planners, and interested community members are welcome to attend. Space is limited; registration deadline is October 9. A $10 fee includes all presentations and workshops, as well as lunch.
The event will feature presentations on the science of climate change along with discussions of its potential impacts on municipal and community infrastructure and on the economy of New York and the Catskills. Examples of area municipalities that have already taken steps to address flooding hazards and insurance costs, reduce energy use and minimize their carbon footprints will be highlighted.
Members of planning and zoning boards may wish to take advantage of a two-hour training session on “Promoting Climate Protection Through Land Use Tools.” A workshop for town board members, highway department heads and other municipal officials will focus on examining the vulnerability of community infrastructure – from buildings and parks to sewer plants, water systems and street lights. “Green Means Business” will look at how businesses can save money using sustainable practices, and the potential for jobs in the renewable energy field.
The featured lunchtime speaker, Mimi Katzenbach, will explain the Transition Movement by which communities work towards locally-based energy, economic and social systems – not unlike the Catskills of the pre-World War II era -- as a strategy for meeting a future of weather extremes, fossil fuel depletion and other challenges.
Local Government Day is being planned with the environment in mind. Promotion, outreach and registration are being handled electronically to reduce paper consumption. Those unable to register online will receive materials printed on 100% recycled paper. To encourage car pooling to the conference, CWC will give bottles of local maple syrup to all those who arrive in vehicles occupied by two or more people.
Belleayre Ski Center, the venue for the event, has been working diligently for the past few years to cut resource and energy consumption and to recycle waste. Attendees will have an opportunity to view plans for the new “green” lower lodge being planned at the state-run facility.
The CWC is a non-profit organization based in Margaretville. It is committed to protecting water resources, encouraging environmentally friendly economic development and supporting watershed education in the five-county New York City Watershed west of the Hudson River.

Sunday, June 28: 'DO IT YOURSELF' CONSERVATION

2009-06-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 15, 2009

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Denise Frangipane at 845-295-2443 or dfrangipane@gerryfoundation.org

Sponsored by the Conservation Education Network

MONTICELLO – A “do it yourself” workshop on energy and resource conservation is being held on Sunday, June 28 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Ted Stroebele Neighborhood Facility in Monticello. The program will feature simple and cost effective ways for homeowners to upgrade their homes to save money and valuable resources.

This is the second in a four-part series of workshops presented by the Sullivan County Conservation Education Network. The program presenters will provide “how-to” resources for families and individuals who want to take specific and practical steps to make their homes and businesses more sustainable, lower their carbon footprint, and save money.

Peter Vargo of Nu-Tech Energy Solutions in Lackawaxen, PA will explain what homeowners can do for energy and water conservation in their existing, new or remodeled homes. A representative of SPECS will outline what can be done to reduce waste at home or in the workplace. Evadne Giannini of HospitalityGreen in Mountaindale, NY, will talk about third party certifications like Green Seal for validating safe, environmentally preferable cleaning products and household chemicals, versus green marketing chatter.

The program is free and open to everyone. Refreshments will be provided. The public is encouraged to pre-register by calling 845-482-5400.

Other programs offered by the Conservation Education Network at the Ted Stroebele Neighborhood Facility will include:

· “Community Power” on Sunday, August 23 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. – Some projects are bigger than an individual or business – wind energy, solar panels on public buildings and hydro-electric dams. Learn the basic steps needed for a community to lower its collective carbon footprint and control its own power.

· “Heating Your Home” on Sunday, October 25 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. – As winter approaches, thoughts turn to cold winds and snow. New technologies allow homes to be heated by using geo and hydro-thermal systems, space heaters and wood. A serious look at staying warm economically.

The Sullivan County Conservation Education Network is an inclusive partnership that uses education to promote a sustainable environment and commerce. Members include: Bashakill Area Association; Catskill Mountainkeeper; Delaware Highland Conservancy; Sullivan Alliance for Sustainable Development; Sullivan County Department of Planning and Environmental Management; Sullivan County Office of Sustainable Energy; SPECS (Special Protection of the Environment for the County of Sullivan); and Sullivan Renaissance.

2009-04-29T18:04:00.000-07:00

YOU ARE INVITED TO
COME CELEBRATE MAY
IN MOUNTAINDALE

The Schedule of Events for May 2 and 3

Saturday and Sunday, May 2 and 3
Stretch the Body and the Mind.
Free Yoga Classes 9 am and Noon with Janet Gula; Refreshments, Talk and Demo with Environmental Consultant Evadne Giannini, 11-Noon: Save Money, Energy, and the Planet, Saturday; and Clean Composting Sunday. Walk the Outdoor Mountaindale Meditation Labyrinth. Donation for Refreshments and Talks $5/day to benefit Sandberg Creek Nature-Trail Renaissance Project. On the Mat in Mountaindale Yoga Studio, 63 Main Street, CR-55, Mountaindale, NY 12763. To register (845) 436-1277.

Saturday, May 2
Move and Groove. Family Zumba!
Free family Zumba Class -- dance/aerobics with a Latin/World beat. 5-6 pm, 62 Main Street, CR-55, Mountaindale, NY 12763. Call (845) 434-4747 to register.

Saturday, May 2
Delicious Music and Desserts.
Coffeehouse. Accoustics with Dennis Newberg and Keith Newman; Folk by Alan Sorensen and special guest, 7-9 pm.Suggested Donation: $5 for coffee and desserts benefits the Sandberg Creek Nature-Trail Renaissance Project. 62 Main Street, CR-55, Mountaindale, NY 12763. Call (845) 434-4747 for information.

Please Contact Janet Gula, 845-434-4747 so that we can plan accordingly.

Hope to see you there and enjoy!!!!

Facility Manager's Green Training

2009-03-06T18:16:00.000-08:00

Facility Manager

“Green”Training and

Implementation

A new, two-part program for facility managers to better understand sustainability and to take advantage of the cost savings associated with becoming a “green” business.

Part I:

Six-week training program to certify facility managers in operating

a “green” business.

Resources, information, practical lessons and applications from field professionals will be provided for participants to complete a comprehensive facility assessment, develop an improvement plan, and conduct a site audit. Topics will include: source reduction, carbon calculations, green policy, green purchasing, marketing green, contractual negotiations, troubleshooting and compliance, green assessments and audits.

Part II:

Sustainability Implementation Workgroup (SIW)

SIW team members will implement the individually tailored sustainability plan for his/her business. The SIW acts as a support network, meeting once a week for six weeks to explore, resolve issues and implement sustainability practices including waste elimination, energy efficiencies, sustainable procurement practices, improvements to company culture and employee training and motivation.

Part I:

Dates: Tuesdays, 3/31 – 5/5/2009

Times: 5:30-7:30 PM
Fees: $400**
Location: B129

Part II:

Dates: Tuesdays, 5/19 – /16/2009

Times: 10:00-11:30
Fees: $800 per company
(Each company/facility can bring up to 3 participants to each session)
Location: B129

** Facility managers from companies/facilities in Sullivan are eligible for scholarships. Sustainability is important to all industry sectors, the Sullivan County Workforce Investment Board has made funding available to all Sullivan County businesses and municipal services.Participants are eligible for a 100% reimbursement of course fees upon successful completion of the two step program.

Space is limited. Please register by Friday, March 20, 2009

For More Information:

The Office of Workforce Development, Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning

Sullivan County Community College

Phone: 845-434-5750 x4398

E-mail: SCCCWorkforce@sullivan.suny.edu

2009-03-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

Did you know?

According to a study by the Zero Waste Alliance of Portland, OR

Statistics showed that hotel waste consisted of the following:

46% food waste
25.3% paper
11.7% cardboard
6.7% plastics
5.6% glass, and
4.5% metals

"When looked at with a zero-waste attitude, these figures show the opportunities for both resource recovery and waste reduction."

Hospitalitygreen can help you attain a goal of zero-waste.