Dinner with Save the Pine Bush

John Cryan, entomologist and co-founder of the Long Island Pine Barrens Society, will speak about how we have battled preservation to a standoff; we have a preserve, but it’s in pieces and fragments, and still too small.  Development continues. John will describe an optimistic change of approach to work to protect our Pine Bush.

The planet is in ecological crisis: we are in the midst of the sixth mass extinction event this planet has experienced. Scientists believe we may have entered a period of abrupt climate breakdown. This is an emergency. In this talk, climate speakers from Extinction Rebellion will share the latest climate science on where our planet is heading, discuss some of the current psychology around climate change, and offer solutions through the study of social movements.

Tina and Paul talk about the poisons coming our way from the proposed tire burning by Lafarge in Ravena. This $27 billion multi-national company plans to burn tires from around NYS and other states as well making us the tire burning capital of the northeast. Tina and Paul discuss the hazardous chemicals that will be released into our air, water and soil that will have literally ‘sickening’ effects on people and animals. Tina and Paul tell us about the outstanding work activists have been doing and will continue to do to try to get the county legislature to “ban the burn,” and why this critical issue affects us all.

Hugh Johnson Retired National Weather Service Meteorologist speaks about How Trump could ruin our National Weather Service and trump our chances to reverse climate change for good Hurricane Dorian was a monster. Trump took it upon himself to modify a National Weather Service forecast, apparently given an old forecast briefing. Instead of apologizing over the confusion he continued to insist his forecast was correct throwing the NWS forecasters from Birmingham under the bus. However there is a much more grave concern here, how Trump is undermining our chances to reverse climate change. Hugh will address those concerns and how we need to combat them.

Merton is a street activist and community organizer. He is also an Albany County legislator. He is best known for his work with SHARE, the Sheridan Hollow Alliance for Renewable Energy that he co-chairs with Ruth Foster. SHARE’s hard work has borne tangible fruit, but there is still a long way to go. Merton is also a Prime Sponsor of a bill to ban the sale of flavors, including menthol, from e-cigarettes and cigarettes. Menthol is a racial justice issue.