NY Climate Tech: April 24 - May 1
Climate tech, arts, film, and literature, sustainable food in NY, and much more!
Hi friends,
Amazing to see so many people at the meetup last Thursday! What a venue and view.
It’s an artsy, academic lineup this week:
Start off Tuesday at NYU with a panel on Envisioning a Just Transition From the South with Latin American scholars. On Wednesday, get your company to pay for a pass to the Bloomberg Green Summit or join virtually for free. In the evening, head to midtown for the Creative Climate Awards gallery walks and another art exhibit on environmental, social and psychedelic climate action.
On Thursday, head uptown to City College to hear from author Amitav Ghosh talk about his latest book, The Nutmeg's Curse (and if you’re not up for the trek, Alec recommends his books!). If you’re ready for the movies, head to Lincoln Center for a screening of Anne Belle’s 1976 film Baymen—Our Waters are Dying. Ready for another panel? Head back to NYU for a discussion of climate change & human mobility. Finally, if none of those hit the right note, head to NY FinTech Week for a talk on the Adoption of Climate Tech.
On Friday, learn about earthen architecture earthen architecture with Columbia’s GSAPP and the Architectural League at 1014, or head to Village East for the NY premiere of Nuclear Now with Director Oliver Stone and an afterparty. Finally on Saturday, head to Seward Park for a Mural Workshop with the LES Ecology Center.
A few more things on our end:
Our next meetup is already on the books! It’s our 2nd Anniversary and we couldn’t be more excited to celebrate our terrible two’s back at the Citizen M rooftop on Wednesday, May 10th.
We’re planning a pitch night! Apply here.
Looking for investment or a job in climate? Sonam’s Streetlife Ventures is building a local talent and startup database.
Cheers,
Alec, Sonam, and Kathy
As always, scroll down for the full list and upcoming events.
Let’s Taco ‘Bout a Sustainable Food System
The food system, including agriculture, processing, refrigeration, transport, and waste disposal, contributes approximately one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions and significant impacts on land use & biodiversity. The problem is compounded by the too frequent farm-to-garbage pipeline for residents and businesses. The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) estimates that in NYC, two-thirds of food people throw away in their homes was potentially edible!
Given the enormity of this challenge in building more healthy, equitable and sustainable food systems, read on a few of NYC’s local interventions promoting circularity in our food system:
Locally & sustainable sourced
GrowNYC’s New York State Regional Food Hub: Opening in 2023, NYC’s new food hub will connect small and mid-sized farms around NYC to provide fresh produce to the city’s schools, hospitals, and nonprofits.
Hunts Point Energy Resiliency project: Over half of NYC’s produce, meat and fish pass through just a single distribution center in the Bronx. With support from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), NYC is investing over $70M to bolster infrastructure and social resilience in Hunts Point, with renewable energy generation & storage, emergency response infrastructure, and economic opportunities.
GrowNYC School Gardens: Created in 2010, this program helped to create over 900 school gardens in NYC schools to help promote environmental education and healthy eating habits.
GrowNYC Teaching Garden at Governors Island opens to visitors in May! Vegetables, fruits, and herbs here are donated to a food pantry in Brownsville and East New York.
Plant-based
Plant-based meals: Livestock & fisheries account for a significant portion of food emissions. In the latest Food Metric Report, NYC’s Director of the Office of Food Policy highlighted the city’s recent efforts which have “introduced expanded and improved plant-powered options in all public schools; made plant-based meals the default in our public hospitals; reimagined the City’s emergency food distribution program based on community feedback to include fresh produce for the first time in its history.”
Rescuing food
NY State Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law. Passed in 2019, this state law came into effect starting January 1, 2022, and requires large food waste generators to donate excess food and recycle remaining food scraps. In just the first 10 months of 2022, this regulation helped to divert 1.6 million pounds of food, though proximity to organics recycling facilities remains a massive operational constraint limiting recycling.
donateNYC. Along with established nonprofits like City Harvest, donateNYC Food Portal connects businesses and nonprofits with excess food to NYC organizations that can use or redistribute it.
Recycling food scraps
Convenient composting. The city currently operates over 200 food scrap drop-off sites in NYC. The NYC Curbside Composting program, which collects food waste from households and converts it into compost or renewable energy, is already available in parts of the city and slated to expand to all residents by the end of 2024.
Additional deep dive resources:
Food Forward NYC: A 10-Year Food Policy Plan & 2022 Food Metrics Report (NYC Food Policy)
Policy briefs for a healthier, more just, and sustainable food system (CUNY School of Public Health, Hunter College & Columbia University Teachers College)
New York State Food Donation and Food Scraps Recycling Law Impact Report (New York Department of Environmental Conservation)
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!
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!
Events This Week
🍃 Kristina Douglass - Social Memory in an Unpredictable Climate: Mon, Apr 24
⚖️ Envisioning a Just Transition From the South: Tue, Apr 25
🧩 Bloomberg Green Summit 2023: Wed, Apr 26
🎨 Creative Climate Awards 2023 - Gallery Walks: Wed, Apr 26
✨ Environmental, Social and Psychedelic Consciousness for Climate Action: Wed, Apr 26
🌰 Amitav Ghosh: The Nutmeg's Curse: Thu, Apr 27
🎬 What's Happening? Film Series: Our Waters are Dying?: Thu, Apr 27
🌍 Climate Change & Human Mobility: Migration, Politics, and Urbanization: Thu, Apr 27
💸 NY FinTech Week: Accelerating the Adoption of Climate Tech: Thu, Apr 27
🪨 Exhibition and Panel Discussion: Making With Earth: Fri, Apr 28
🎥 Nuclear Now NYC Premiere w/ Director Oliver Stone: Fri, Apr 28
🌎 Earth Celebrations and the Ecological City - Mural Workshop: Sat, Apr 29
Read on for more details about this week’s happenings and upcoming events this month
Upcoming Events
🎲 Climate Fresk and Dinner at Eat Offbeat - May Edition: Wed, May 3
📊 Climate Analytics – Looking Into Our Future: Wed, May 3
🏡 ECOLIBRIUM: Ramp Up, Draw Down: Wed, May 3
🍽️ Climate Tech Roundtable: Thu, May 4
🕺 NYC Fair Trade Coalition Disco Nights Gala & Sustainable Forum: Thu, May 4
🥂 NY Climate Tech First Friday Meetup: Fri, May 5
🦜 Introduction to Biomimicry: Learning From Nature’s Genius: Sat, May 6
🌊 2023 Waterfront Conference: The Implementation Challenge: Mon, May 8
🌏 Earth Networks Spring Forward: Mon, May 8
🌳 Climate Town Town Hall: Mon, May 8
🏢 Climate Mobilization Act: Cutting Carbon in Co-Ops and Condos: Tue, May 9
🔌 DER Taskforce NYC Happy Hour: Wed, May 10
🏥 City of Science: Climate Change and Health: Wed, May 10
❇️ Green Hydrogen Business Summit (GHBS): New York 2023: Thu, May 11
⚡️ Young Professionals in Transportation NYC May Happy Hour: Thu, May 11
⚖️ Environmental Health Justice and Leadership Training: Sat, May 13
🌱 ECOLOGICAL CITY - Procession for Climate Solutions: Sat, May 13
🌿 Shaping Climate Futures: The Social Drivers of Deep Decarb: Tue, May 16
🍽️ Women and Climate Spring Dinner: Tue, May 16
🏢 NYSERDA's Grid-Interactive Building Showcase: Wed, May 17
🌦️ AI Climate Modeling and Full AI Weather Prediction: Thu, May 18
👩🌾 The Vegan Women Summit 2023: Thu, May 18
💨 ClairCon: Fri, May 19
🛣️ BQE 2053: Public Symposium: Sat, May 20
⚡️ Smart Grid Forum (SGF): Wed, May 24
🍻 Green Drinks Brooklyn: Tue, May 17
Events This Week
🍃 Kristina Douglass - Social Memory in an Unpredictable Climate
When: Mon, Apr 24th from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
Where: Fayerweather Hall, Room 513, 1180 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
Kristina Douglass addresses questions about human adaptations to climate change by analyzing an oral history archive from southwest Madagascar, and integrating its evolutionary logic into the development of a model of human niche construction.
⚖️ Envisioning a Just Transition From the South
When: Tue, Apr 25th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Great Room, 19 University Place, 19 University Place New York, NY 10003
This event brings together leading Latin American thinkers to discuss the urgent work of the Ecosocial and Intercultural Pact and its proposals for responding to the climate emergency with a view from the South.
🧩 Bloomberg Green Summit 2023
When: Wed, Apr 26th from 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM
Where: New York & Virtual
A preeminent gathering of climate champions meeting at the crossroads of sustainability, science and culture, the third annual Bloomberg Green Summit will highlight the solutions needed to address the planet's most pressing climate challenges.
🎨 Creative Climate Awards 2023 - Gallery Walks
When: Wed, Apr 26th at 12:00 AM to Fri, May 12th at 11:59 PM
Where: Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, 1 East 42nd Street New York, NY 10017
Join our weekly Gallery Tour in NYC starting Wednesday, the 26th of April. Explore climate-inspired artworks from local & international participants of the annual Creative Climate Awards. These 30 artists raise public awareness and spark action through their creative work.
✨ Environmental, Social and Psychedelic Consciousness for Climate Action
When: Wed, Apr 26th from 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM
Where: The Thought Experience - ChaShaMa, 1155 Avenue of the Americas, Ground Floor, New York, NY 10036
Join an evening at “Thought Experience, a Playground for Your Mind,” an interactive conscious art exhibit by Roger Wu in Bryant Park, made possible by ChaShaMa, hosted by Marissa Feinberg, Triple Bottom Why. Enjoy cocktails and mocktails, and listen to quick talks from leaders at this intersection to inspire climate action.
🌰 Amitav Ghosh: The Nutmeg's Curse
When: Thu, Apr 27th from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM
Where: The City College of New York, 160 Convent Avenue, New York, NY 10031
The Rifkind Center for the Humanities and Arts invites you to join Amitav Ghosh for a reading and discussion from his latest book, The Nutmeg's Curse: Parables for a Planet in Crisis.
🎬 What's Happening? Film Series: Our Waters are Dying?
When: Thu, Apr 27th from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Bruno Walter Auditorium, 111 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY 10023-7498
In recognition of Earth Day, we will screen Anne Belle’s 1976 film Baymen—Our Waters are Dying, which addressed the threat of water pollution to the clam diggers of eastern Long Island, and discuss with marine biologist Kate Rossi-Snook whether conservation efforts implemented since the film’s production have been successful. Kate is the founder of Shelter Island Sustainable Targeted Aquaculture and the Aquaculture Coordinator at Cornell Cooperative Extension Marine Program's Back to the Bays initiative.
🌍 Panel on Climate Change and Human Mobility: Migration, Politics, and Urbanization
When: Thu, Apr 27th from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM
Where: Great Room, 19 University Place New York, New York 10003
Join a joint effort by Wagner and GSAS to discuss the impact of climate change on human mobility. Led by peer experts, discussions will center on climate migrants, the politics and legal implications of migration, and urbanization. Food will be provided for dinner. And, of course, don't forget the (free) drinks.
💸 NY FinTech Week: Accelerating the Adoption of Climate Technologies
When: Thu, Apr 27th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: 75 Greene Street, Floor 2, New York, NY 10012
Join Tenet in celebrating NY FinTech Week for a happy hour networking event and discussion. You'll have the chance to meet with other climate fintech companies and hear from Alex Liegl, CEO of Tenet, and Burr Tweedy of New York Green Bank during a discussion moderated by Auto Finance News' Joey Pizzolato.
🪨 Exhibition and Panel Discussion: Making With Earth
When: Fri, Apr 28th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Where: 1014, 1014 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10028
In the exhibition and subsequent discussion MAKING WITH EARTH, experts, practitioners, and students from Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), explore in-depth research on natural materials and their practical applications. The program stands at the end of a course in collaboration with the Natural Materials Lab at Columbia University.
🎥 Nuclear Now NYC Premiere w/ Director Oliver Stone
When: Fri, Apr 28th from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Where: Village East by Angelika, 181-189 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003
In the thought-provoking documentary NUCLEAR NOW, iconic director Oliver Stone explores the possibility for the global community to overcome challenges like climate change, ensure our continued survival and reach a brighter future through the power of nuclear energy. Join Nuclear New York and friends for drinks, networking, and action towards a prosperous decarbonized future and nature conservation.
🌎 Earth Celebrations and the Ecological City - Memory Mural Workshop
When: Sat, Apr 29th from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Where: Seward Park, Essex Street, New York, NY 10002
Join Lower East Side Ecology Center w/ Earth Celebrations’ artist in residence Katherine Freygang to paint a mural celebrating urban climate solutions, which will be featured in the Ecological City - Procession for Climate Solutions. We will meet at Seward Park, by the amphiteater infront of Seward Park Library.
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!