NY Climate Tech: April 17 - April 23
NY Climate Tech: April 17 - April 23
Our NYCT happy hour, sustainability in fashion, and a whopping 27 events to celebrate Earth Day!
Hi friends,
Join us this Thursday the April NY Climate Tech Meetup! This month we’ll be on the rooftop of Citizen M Hotel on the Bowery – they’ve reserved space for us and the weather should be perfect spring.
It’s Earth Day on Saturday, so naturally there’s a ton going on: scroll down for the full list of all 27 events this week! Here are a few of our picks:
Tuesday: dig into 🏙 Decarb for Office Buildings with Building Energy Exchange
Wednesday: head to 🍻 Green Drinks Brooklyn for networking and speakers
Thursday: join us for the first rooftop 🗽 NY Climate Tech Meetup of 2023
Friday: support the incredible students in the 🌍 Carbon Removal Challenge.
Sunday: dance your heart out at an 🎉 Earth Love block party by House of Yes
In other exciting news, Earth month has gotten us energized to create new event formats to best support the climate startup community in NYC. As such, we’re launching a new Climate Tech Pitch Night! We want to provide a platform for local entrepreneurs to practice pitching and receive feedback from a curated panel of experts. We know how important selling a story can be - and we want to help! Stay tuned for a final date and location in May, but if you’re interested in pitching your great idea, apply here!
To add to the magic, we’re also launching a few new platforms to support climate founders, funders, and career transitioners! There is no shortage of great companies raising money for their groundbreaking ideas, great investors looking to support with capital, and great talent living the mantra that every job is a climate job. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Cheers,
Alec, Sonam, and Kathy
Sustainability: Making the hottest fashion trend timeless
The resource-intensive fashion industry accounts for up to 10% of global carbon emissions annually, a trend which has been fueled by fast fashion–known for its affordability, cheap materials, and short production-to-landfill lifecycle.
To help achieve the ambitious global target of net-zero emissions by 2050, UN Climate Change launched the Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action in 2018–a set of voluntary commitments with over 100+ signatories, including the world’s largest fashion retailers such as Adidas, H&M, and Gap Inc.
With more and more brands rushing to slap on a sustainable label or start an eco line, what does sustainable fashion actually mean? Complemented by broader climate action and policy (e.g. The “Fashion Act” introduced in NY State Senate), some of the main industrial levers of sustainability and circularity in fashion include:
Design & materials. Techniques include zero-waste design, using recycled materials, and using sustainable materials which require less water & energy in manufacturing.
Reselling & take-back programs. More clothing companies are offering consumers ways to recycle, sell, or exchange their old clothing, from REI to Balenciaga.
Innovation & knowledge hubs. Brands from Eileen Fisher to Gucci are investing in hubs to accelerate sustainable practices via investments, mentorships, knowledge sharing and/or and industry partnerships.
Sustainability reporting. Greater transparency around supply chain and social/environmental impacts are increasingly standard via voluntary reporting (e.g. H&M Group’s Sustainability Disclosure)
New Yorkers throw out about 200,000 tons of clothes and textiles each year, but there are a number of local initiatives to help make sustainable fashion more accessible to local designers and consumers alike:
NYC Clothing and Textile drop off. GrowNYC operates weekly clothing collections at greenmarkets throughout New York City, where residents can drop off clothing, shoes, and textiles for recycling or donation.
Thrift stores. Salvation Army, Goodwill, and Housing Works are just some of the many thrift stores around the city accepting clothing donations (more options here), though end-of-life impacts can be inconsistent.
Gem. Founded by NYC technologists, this app enables you to search dozens of second hand & vintage online stores all at once, with granular filters to find your perfect fit!
NYC Fair Trade Coalition. Grassroots organization in East Harlem hosting regular clothing swaps.
Fabscrap. Brooklyn-based non-profit helping to recycle excess materials from regional designers and brands.
ReFashion Week. NYC Sanitation’s event series showcasing upcycled fashion.
Additional resources about sustainable fashion in practice:
Community Shoutouts
The NY Climate Film Festival is looking for founding volunteers. Interested in Climate and the Arts? The CFF will launch its programming with several smaller events in late Fall 2023, leading up to a full festival slate in late Spring 2024, and volunteers will be an integral part of the festival’s creative founding team.
The Urban Future Prize Competition seeks entrepreneurs who are building startups that contribute to a more resilient and sustainable planet. Two prizes of $50K each will be awarded to two companies who embody the drive and mission needed to address the greatest challenge of our time.
NY Climate Tech and Streetlife Ventures are launching new platforms to support climate founders, funders, and career transitioners! There is no shortage of great companies raising money for their groundbreaking ideas, great investors looking to support with capital, and great talent living the mantra that every job is a climate job. Streetlife Ventures, co-founded by NY Climate Tech’s very own Sonam Velani, is excited to support these efforts across our community. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Events This Week
🏙 Turning Data into Action: Decarb for Office Buildings: Tue, Apr 18
🇺🇳 Signature Speakers Series: Ambassador Ertharin Cousin: Tue, Apr 18
🌆 Infrastructure for Climate Resilience: Tue, Apr 18
🌳 The Vanishing, Invisible Forest: Telling Climate Stories: Tue, Apr 18
🥗 Building a Food Startup: Tue, Apr 18
☔️ Extreme Weather and Urban Mobility: Tue, Apr 18
🔌 Energy Efficiency: Unlocking Climate Action in Schools: Wed, Apr 19
⚡️ AEG Net-Zero Building Summit: Wed, Apr 19
🌊 Toward a Rainproof NYC with Johanna Lawton: Wed, Apr 19
🥗 Earth Week: Free Dinner & Discussion with Activist Seb Alex: Wed, Apr 19
🌎 Boozy Climate Change Group! A Celebration of Earth Month: Wed, Apr 19
🌱 Achieving Effective Control over Sustainability Reporting: Wed, Apr 19
🧠 Thought Experience: Wed, Apr 19
🍻 Green Drinks Brooklyn: Wed, Apr 19
🏆 Creative Climate Awards - Opening Night 2023: Wed, Apr 19
🍽 Just Food Futures: the Nexus of Climate and Racial Justice: Thu, Apr 20
🧬 The Bio-Inspired Green (BIG) Science & Technology Symposium: Thu, Apr 20
🦾 Sustainable Engineering Summit: Thu, Apr 20
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman: Thu, Apr 20
🗽 NY Climate Tech Meetup: Thu, Apr 20
🌱 Sustainability Symposium: Fri, Apr 21
🌍 Carbon Removal Challenge Finalist Showcase: Fri, Apr 21
🌿 Horticulture Walk: Climate Resilience in Brooklyn Bridge Park: Fri, Apr 21
🦜 Introduction to Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius: Sat, Apr 22
🎨 Climate Arts Festival 2023: Sat, Apr 22
📽 Creative Climate Awards Art Projection on the Manhattan Bridge: Sat, Apr 22
🎉 EARTH LOVE FEST: Block Party **Free All Day!**: Sun, Apr 23
Read on for more details about this week’s happenings and upcoming events this month
Events This Month
✨ Environmental, Social, & Psychedelic Consciousness for Climate Action: Wed, Apr 26
🌱 Bloomberg Green Summit: Wed, Apr 26
📈 Earning Green by Investing Green: Thu, Apr 27
🌰 Amitav Ghosh: The Nutmeg's Curse: Thu, Apr 27
🪨 Exhibition and Panel Discussion: Making With Earth: Fri, Apr 28
🌎 Earth Celebrations and the Ecological City Mural Workshop: Sat, Apr 29
🌊 2023 Waterfront Conference: Mon, May 8
Events This Week
🏙 Turning Data into Action: Decarbonization Pathways for Office Buildings
When: Tue, Apr 18th from 9:00 AM to 10:30 AM
Where: Building Energy Exchange
This event marks the release of Building Energy Exchange’s report, Turning Data into Action: Office Buildings, designed to help building decision-makers achieve emissions savings and provide viable pathways to LL97 compliance. The strategic retrofit guide sifts through NYC benchmarking data and energy audits to identify the most impactful and cost-effective efficiency measure for commercial office buildings. Four tear sheets, organized by common heating and cooling systems, place these measures within the regulatory bounds of Local Law 97, offering proven decarbonization pathways for buildings at nearly any level of baseline performance. Join this program to get first access to the resource.
🇺🇳 Signature Speakers Series: Ambassador Ertharin Cousin
When: Tue, Apr 18th from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Where: Faculty House, 64 Morningside Dr., New York, NY 10027 Garden Room 2
Ertharin Cousin currently serves as the CEO and Managing Director of Food Systems for the Future, a nutrition impact investment fund; a Distinguished Fellow at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs; a Bosch Academy, Robert Weizsäcker Fellow; and as a Visiting Scholar at the Stanford University, Center on Food Security and Environment. From 2012 until 2017, Cousin led the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
🌆 Infrastructure for Climate Resilience
When: Tue, Apr 18th from 5:45 PM to 7:00 PM
Where: Fayerweather Hall, 1180 Amsterdam Ave., New York, NY 10027 513
George Deodatis addresses the threat posed by the combination of sea level rise and storm-induced flooding to interdependent infrastructure, including its above- and below-ground components. The ultimate objective is to establish optimal adaptation/mitigation strategies within a prescribed budget.
🌳 The Vanishing, Invisible Forest: Telling Climate Stories
When: Tue, Apr 18th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Roosevelt House, 47-49 East 65th Street, New York, NY 10065
Join the Pulitzer Center and Hunter College for a conversation with multimedia production team Dominic Smith and Andrew Robinson on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, on the making of their Pulitzer Center-supported project The Vanishing, Invisible Forest. The journalists will visit classrooms during the day, followed by a presentation and reception at New York City's Roosevelt House.
☔️ Extreme Weather and Urban Mobility
When: Tue, Apr 18th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: NYU Silver Center: Hemmerdinger Hall, 40 West 4th Street, New York, NY 10012
Extreme weather events, from blizzards to hurricanes, are presenting massive challenges to the U.S. transportation system on an increasingly frequent basis. Please join the NYU Rudin Center for Transportation for a panel discussion on this topic. You'll learn what cities are doing to build resilient infrastructure, ensure residents' health and safety, and quickly recover the flow of people and goods.
🥗 Building a Food Startup
When: Tue, Apr 18th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Betaworks Studios, 29 Little W 12th St, New York, NY 10014
Join Stacklist's Founder Insight Series on April 18th @ Betaworks. We'll speak with the founders of 3 of NYC's most exciting food startups about the opportunities and challenges they're facing and the advice they have for fellow food entrepreneurs. Stick around after the panel for Q&A, networking and 🍷🍻.
🔌 Energy Efficiency: Unlocking Climate Action in Schools
When: Wed, Apr 19th from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Where: NYCDOE Division of School Facilities, 44-36 Vernon Blvd 5th Floor Training Room, Long Island City, NY 11101
Join the DOE Office of Sustainability and Solar One for a day of standards-aligned, hands-on activities. Explore ways to take climate action by reducing carbon emissions in schools and at home. You'll leave with a toolkit to bring energy efficiency to life in your classroom.
⚡️ AEG Net-Zero Building Summit
When: Wed, Apr 19th at 10:00 AM to Thu, Apr 20th at 5:00 PM
Where: WSP, 1 Pennsylvania Plaza, New York, NY 10119
Hosted by WSP USA and Con Edison, the AEG Net-Zero Building Summit convenes cross sectional stakeholders to present critical obstacles that require collaboration and a near term solution regarding building decarbonization and electrification. Includes: Commitments Panel Discussion, Owner/Operator/Solution Provider Speaker Challenges, A Pathway to Decarbonization Panel, and Greening the Clean Energy Workforce Panel.
🌊 Toward a Rainproof NYC with Johanna Lawton
When: Wed, Apr 19th from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Where: NYU Wagner, 295 Lafayette Street, The Rudin Family Forum for Civic Dialogue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10012
New York City's more than 100 year-old sewer system is not nearly enough to confront climate change. In order to address increasing extreme rainstorm events, storm surge, and sea level rise, the City will need to systematically change its approach at the individual and citywide scale to transform the City into one that can absorb extreme rainfall when we need it the most. The City's existing infrastructure, built environment, and competing needs makes adapting to climate change challenging and expensive. .
🥗 Earth Week: Free Dinner & Discussion with International Activist Seb Alex
When: Wed, Apr 19th from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Where: Bhakti Center, 25 1st Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Join Vegan Activist Alliance this Earth Week with international activist Seb Alex in exploring different moral theories such as utilitarianism, Kantianism, and contractarianism. Learn what philosophers have shared about animal rights throughout history and how our understanding of ethics impacts our views of every Being on this planet and their liberation.
🌎 Boozy Climate Change Group Talk! A Celebration of Earth Month
When: Wed, Apr 19th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Farm to People - 1100 Flushing Ave, Brooklyn
We’re hosting a happy hour and incorporating a speed dating style group talk activity so you can get real with other like-minded, passionate individuals who also want to make a change. Each table will explore topics like renewable energy, sustainable fashion, and regenerative agriculture and will have interesting articles and sample questions. Plus, there will be representatives from local and national organizations at each table to help you get involved.
🌱 Achieving Effective Internal Control over Sustainability Reporting
When: Wed, Apr 19th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: 1271 6th Ave, New York, NY 10020
With sustainable business and ESG reporting now a priority, CEOs, senior management, Boards, investors, and regulators are increasing their consideration, development, and implementation of controls and governance processes over the collection, review, and reporting of sustainability information. Regardless of the specific ESG framework or standard that an organization applies, the globally accepted COSO Internal Control Integrated Framework, with its five components and 17 principles, can help an organization articulate its purpose, carry out its objectives and strategy, and grow on a sustained basis with confidence and integrity based on quality information – including sustainable business information.
🧠 Thought Experience
When: Wed, Apr 19th at 6:00 PM to Sat, May 20th at 6:00 PM
Where: 1155 Avenue of the Americas (@ 44th / 45th) Ground Floor
An immersive interactive art experience located at the heart of Times Square, Thought Experience combines today’s pressing topics with conceptual art. Some of the exhibits ask the following: What really is a hamburger? What happens when sea levels rise? Are animals good "investments"? How do everyday things change if we do not solve the plastic crisis? and more!
🍻 Green Drinks Brooklyn
When: Wed, Apr 19th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Where: Estuary Brasserie & Bar, 159 Bridge Park Drive, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Is your work related to the environment or sustainability? Are you interested in sustainability or environmental issues. Do you want to meet some like minded folks and share your thoughts and passion. Come down to Estuary at ONE15 Brooklyn Marina for Happy Hour drinks. We'll have a few folks introduce themselves and their work.
🏆 Creative Climate Awards - Opening Night 2023
When: Wed, Apr 19th from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Where: Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), 1 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017
Join us in celebrating the Opening Night of the Human Impacts Institute's annual Creative Climate Awards (CCA). It will be an evening of live performances and mingling with participating artists of our 2023 CCA.
🍽 Just Food Futures: the Nexus of Climate and Racial Justice
When: Thu, Apr 20th from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Where: Kimmel Center for University Life, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012
Catskills Agrarian Alliance is excited to partner with NYU’s Environmental and Racial Justice Network to present Just Food Futures: the Nexus of Climate and Racial Justice. This event will explicitly draw out the connection between racial and environmental justice, how these lenses intersect with our food systems, and ultimately the role of food justice and sovereignty in the New York City food shed. We hope to invite students, food systems practitioners, and other members of the NYU community to interrogate and reflect on the systemic, institutional, and personal relationships we have with food and better align them towards the goal of racial and environmental justice.
🧬 The Bio-Inspired Green (BIG) Science & Technology Symposium
When: Thu, Apr 20th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Where: CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, 85 Saint Nicholas Terrace, New York, NY 10031
The annual Bio-Inspired Green (BIG) Science & Technology symposium will highlight advances in science, engineering, and policy that push us closer to sustainable living. This year's symposium will focus on 4 major themes around Bio-Inspired Green technologies.
🦾 Sustainable Engineering Summit
When: Thu, Apr 20th from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Where: Pfizer Auditorium, MetroTech Center, Brooklyn, NY 11245
At NYU Tandon, we believe sustainability is not a spectator sport and are working hard to advance engineering solutions for climate change and environmental pollution. To celebrate these efforts, we invite you to join us in the first Sustainable Engineering Summit on April 20th, at 3 PM. The event will feature a series of talks, panel discussions, poster demonstrations, and a networking reception bringing together the sustainable engineering community at NYU and beyond.
🎨 Artist Spotlight: Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman
When: Thu, Apr 20th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: SVA Theatre, 333 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011
This program is presented in conjunction with the AFA's upcoming exhibition, Mark Dion and Alexis Rockman: Journey to Nature's Underworld. Featuring works addressing themes as invasive and endangered species, beleaguered aquatic environments, and future scenarios evincing effects of climate change and waning biodiversity, the first two-person exhibition of these celebrated artists will debut at The Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT on June 24, 2023
🗽 NY Climate Tech Meetup
When: Thu, Apr 20th from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: citizenM Bowery Hotel, 189 Bowery New York, NY 10002
This monthly meetup is a casual and accessible way to connect with others in the climate community. Whether you're a seasoned climate expert or just starting to explore your interest in this vital issue, you'll find a welcoming and supportive community at NY Climate Tech.
🌱 Sustainability Symposium
When: Fri, Apr 21st from 8:30 AM to 7:00 PM
Where: The Forum at Columbia University, 601 W. 125th St., New York, NY 10027
Join us for the 12th annual sustainability symposium hosted by the Sustainability Management Student Association at Columbia University. The event will feature a diverse range of speakers, covering topics such as sustainable cities and urban ecology, supply chain and climate justice, carbon market, circular economy, and more.
🌍 Carbon Removal Challenge Finalist Showcase
When: Fri, Apr 21st from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: NYU
The 2023 OpenAir Carbon Removal Challenge is a worldwide challenge for students to create new processes, approaches and prototypes to remove carbon from the land, waters, or air. With guidance from researchers and industry experts, student teams developed creative solutions to the carbon pollution problem. The very best approaches from around the world were selected as finlalists and will present at this in-person showcase at New York University on April 21st. Following the presentations, there will be a reception for the teams with the sponsors, partners, and the audience. Light apps and drinks will be provided.
🌿 Horticulture Walk: Climate Resilience in the Design of Brooklyn Bridge Park
When: Fri, Apr 21st from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Where: Brooklyn Bridge Par - Pier 1, 2 Furman Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
Many of the design choices that went into the creation of Brooklyn Bridge Park have taken climate change and climate resilience in mind. These ranging from plant selection, planting strategies, and infrastructure design. Join Horticulturist Evelyn Manlove on a walk through the park to take a closer look at some of these elements and talk about how they prepare Brooklyn Bridge Park for the future.
🦜 Introduction to Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius
When: Sat, Apr 22nd at 10:00 AM to Sun, Apr 23rd at 1:00 PM
Where: Genspace, 132 32nd Street Suite 108, Brooklyn, NY 11232
You’ll discover the power of nature’s genius and how principles found in nature can be used to solve the most pressing challenges of our time. Learn how to think, design, and innovate like nature does, and unearth 3.8 billion years of Earth’s evolutionary intelligence.
🎨 Climate Arts Festival 2023
When: Sat, Apr 22nd from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Where: Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St. New York, NY 11355
Join us for an empowering day as we reflect on our international climate crisis and explore ways to help our planet thrive. Bring the whole family for fun, hands-on activities, art exhibits, music, interactive performances, special tours, demonstrations and more! And be sure to check out our Sustainable Vendor Fair to support local businesses!
Creative Climate Awards 2023 - Art Projection onto the Manhattan Bridge
When: Sat, Apr 22nd from 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Where: Pearl Street Triangle (Dumbo Improvement District), Water Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201
The Human Impacts Institute invites you to celebrate our annual Creative Climate Awards (CCA) with an Art Projection onto the Manhattan Bridge at the Pearl Street Triangle in partnership with the DUMBO Business Improvement District. Enjoy a Saturday night out by the Manhattan Bridge and get inspired by international artists around the world. The Projection showcases artists creating climate-inspired work that raises public awareness and sparks climate action.
🎉 EARTH LOVE FEST: Block Party **Free All Day!**
When: Sun, Apr 23rd from 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Where: House of Yes, 2 Wyckoff Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11237
EARTH LOVE FEST brings together creators, artists, performers, speakers, climate experts, ocean conservationists, sustainable designers and more to share knowledge, open hearts and inspire action to save our environment. Green your life. Move to the grooves for sustainability. Get inspired & fall in love with our planet all over again.
Join the Fun!
Submit Events
We know all of you are cooking up great events across that highlight the latest and greatest in our collective effort to save our city - and our planet! 🌍 We would love to spread the word. Please share any event details and we'll add them to the list!
Climate Tech Cities
We are expanding! We started as an 8-person dinner and now have over 4,000 members in our community. We’ve had people across the world reach out to us to start their own chapters - so we’re launching a new Climate Tech Cities organization this year! If you have friends who are interested in becoming chapter leads, please share the word. Here’s to a global network of local communities making a positive impact!