Howie Hawkins spoke at NY Green Fest 2011, held in Alfred, NY, August 5 - 7, 2011.
Howie is a Teamster and Green Party activist in Syracuse, NY. He has been an organizer in movements for peace, justice, labor, the environment, and independent politics since 1967. Howie currently serves as co-chair of the Green Party of New York State. In 2010, he was the Green Party candidate for Governor of New York, receiving nearly 60,000 votes and securing a ballot line for the Green Party for the next four years. Howie is the editor of Independent Politics: The Green Party Strategy Debate (Haymarket, 2006).
Most of the folks showing concern about gas drilling are also interested in living more sustainably – but how do we prove it? How can we demonstrate that we “walk our talk” when it comes to opposing drilling for natural gas? This presentation showcases Sustainable Tompkin's Finger Lakes Energy Challenge, an online platform to demonstrate your commitment to reducing fossil fuel consumption (and give you the tools to do so).
Once you've reduced your fossil carbon consumption, you can offset the rest via the Finger Lakes Climate Fund. Your carbon offset donation will be given out as a grant to low-income households to help them make energy efficiency improvements and renewable energy investments. If you want to avoid charges of hypocrisy and NIMBYism, you'll want to take the Energy Challenge and join the ranks of those who are weaning themselves off natural gas and other fossil fuels.
Gay Nicholson has led Sustainable Tompkins in designing and implementing an integrated program to advance the creation of a more sustainable regional community since 2004. She has also been instrumental in the founding and development of the Green Resource Hub of the Finger Lakes, which focuses on expanding the regional marketplace for sustainable living. Gay serves as chair of the Finger Lakes Bioneers Steering Committee. She served as executive director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust before leading the creation of Sustainable Tompkins. She lives in Ithaca, NY.
Thanks to Claudia Flanagan for videotaping this talk.
