SUNY Orange Earth Day
- When:
- April 21, 2017: 10:00AM to 2:00PM
- Where:
- SUNY Orange, Kaplan Hall, 1 Washington Center, Newburgh map
Riverkeeper Water Quality Program Director Dan Shapley speaks at noon during a SUNY Orange Earth Day celebration. The day will include an herb sale, electronic waste collection and free ice-cream from Blueberry Mountain. Other organizations taking part are Stewart Park & Reserve Coalition, Ride Share, Orange RAPP, Ask a Master Gardner – Cornell Extension, Hudson Valley Earth First, Career Services- Green Jobs, Community Compost and New York State Department of Health.
Speakers will be in the Great Room at Kaplan Hall:
12:00 p.m. – 12:25 p.m.
Dan Shapley, Water Quality Program Director, Riverkeeper
Since even before Newburgh residents learned their primary reservoir had been contaminated with a toxic chemical associate with firefighting foam, Riverkeeper has been advocating for protection and restoration of the streams that feed the city’s source of drinking water. Riverkeeper advocates for a comprehensive health response and elimination of the source of contamination, and for long term action to protect Newburgh’s drinking water at its source. Water Quality Program Director Dan Shapley will discuss Newburgh’s water crisis, with an emphasis on the elimination of the source of contamination, long term restoration of the water supply, and how the situation in Newburgh has influenced state policy.
12:30 p.m. – 12:55 p.m.
Eileen Banyra, Co-Founder of Community Compost Co. and Hudson Soil Co.
Eileen Banyra, a lifelong environmentalist and city planner by profession, will provide an overview of how Community Compost Co. and Hudson Soil Co. support food resiliency and soil enhancement by composting food scraps. Eileen will discuss the environmental benefits of composting food scraps, applications of finished compost and how you can start composting today!
1:00 p.m. – 1:25 p.m.
Christine Westerman, MPH, Regional Environmental Health Director, NYS Department of Health
Christine Westerman will focus her discussion on the Newburgh water contamination, how it occurred, prevention and treatment, with a short section on PFOS blood testing.
1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Jordan, activist and musician, Hudson Valley Earth First
Resist Pilgrim Pipelines: building a movement to win. The Pilgrim Pipeline is proposed to run along the NYS Thruway and cut through New Windsor & Newburgh to the Global Oil facilities on the river, putting water, land and life at risk. Jordan will present on details of the project, current opposition to it and thoughts on growing a movement that respects a diversity of tactics and prioritizes indigenous solidarity.
Parking: Visitors may use Kaplan Hall underground parking garage on 73 1st Street. Please check in with security. Directions: http://www.sunyorange.edu/directions/nec/index.shtml
