NY Climate Tech: June 17 - June 24
GO VOTE! Also: green buildings in NYC, state of solar, food forests, and more upcoming events.
Hi friends,
Keeping it short and sweet this week: GO VOTE!
Here are our picks for the week:
Today decarbonize the city at the 🏙️ LL97 Compliance: Service Provider Expo and the 🌆 2025 Rebuilding New York Summit
Tomorrow get the ☀️The State of Solar Power with Young Professionals in Energy
Thursday learn about food, community, and more at the 🌳 Juneteenth Food Forest Tour
— Alec, Sonam, and the Climate Tech Cities team
P.S. We’re bringing NYC to London for Climate Action Week next week! Will you be there? Email us for a party on Tuesday (invite only) or find us:
Thu, June 26: 🎬 Himalayan Glaciers Screening w/ CFF and Earth Flick & Chill
Fri, June 27: 🍰 Shakes & Cakes with Streetlife Ventures & Climate Tech Cities
This Week's Events
⚖️ Perrin Conferences Environmental Risk and PFAS Litigation Conference: Tue, Jun 17
🏙️ LL97 Compliance: Service Provider Expo: Tue, Jun 17
🌆 2025 Rebuilding New York Summit: Tue, Jun 17
💡 Daylight Hour @ CSI: Tue, Jun 17
🌞 Enact Solar Summit - New York: Tue, Jun 17
🏝️ Out in Climate - Tour of Governors Island: Tue, Jun 17
🌿 Greenhouse Gang: Tue, Jun 17
🌱 Climate Fresk workshop: Tue, Jun 17
🌱 Manhattan Climate Changemakers Hour of Action: Tue, Jun 17
🍻 NEW - SJC SpeakEASY Salon Series: Tue, Jun 17
🌾 Farm Community Volunteer Days 2025: Wed, Jun 18
📚 BOOK CLUB: "Consumed" 6/18/25: Wed, Jun 18
☀️ YPE Presents: The State of Solar Power: Wed, Jun 18
🌳 Juneteenth Food Forest Tour: Thu, Jun 19
🥕 Private Sunset Tour @ Brooklyn Grange, World's Largest Soil Rooftop Farm: Fri, Jun 20
🌊 13th Annual River Day: Sat, Jun 21
🎤 Porch Stomp with Climate Cafe NYC: Sat, Jun 21
🎶 Alaka'i 1777: Immersive Simulations of Extinct Birdsongs: Sat, Jun 21
☕️ Climate Cafe at The Brooklyn Public Library: Sat, Jun 21
🌱 Plant Humanities: Mon, Jun 23
🌎 Climate Tech Cities and Streetlife Ventures Startup and Talent Platforms
Climate Tech Cities 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. We can’t wait to hear from you!
Bring a Bard MBA in Sustainability Consulting Team to Your Organization
Got a big sustainability or impact challenge? Bard College’s top-ranked MBA in Sustainability is offering free consulting teams to mission-driven businesses, nonprofits, and public agencies through its year-long NYCLab program. Submit your proposal by July 11th and let our MBA students help move your work forward. Learn how we've supported organizations ranging from Nasdaq to Etsy to Queens Community House and apply here.
Opportunities
🧶 The Mills Fabrica Innovation Challenge Due Jun. 30
The Mills Fabrica is partnering with a renowned American retail corporation to explore innovative uses for cellulose-based textile waste obtained from upcycling cotton-polyester blended garments. We welcome early-stage ideas from around the world that can leverage cellulosic powder for applications beyond the textile sector. The winning idea will be awarded USD $20,000 by the American retail corporation to advance their solution.
⚡️ Google AI for Energy Due Jun. 30
This program focuses on grid optimization, demand flexibility and energy solutions for customers, including utilities and commercial entities. By supporting advancements in areas such as interconnection queues and carbon-aware infrastructure, the Accelerator aims to drive innovation, sustainability, and reliability in the energy landscape.
🌐 Lloyd’s of London Foundation Grant Programme Due Jul. 25
If you’re working on innovative research in risk management or climate adaptation, you can now apply for funding through the Lloyd’s of London Foundation’s new grant programme. We are offering financial support to researchers and organisations dedicated to advancing the understanding of risk and future recovery – driving positive action for a safer, more resilient world. Support from the Lloyd’s of London Foundation offers: Significant funding: An annual grant of up to £100,000 for a one-year project or £50,000 per year for a two-year project. Visibility and collaboration: Join a network of experts working on projects that drive meaningful change
🧩 NY Climate Exchange Climate Tech Fellowship Due Jul. 8
Innovations emerging from university labs and on-campus entrepreneurship programs are a growing source of climate solutions. Once they leave the university, however, many innovators lose access to the resources and support system needed to progress solutions, creating an early “valley of death”. To address this gap, we are launching The Exchange’s Climate Tech Fellowship to help promising technologies and teams from our university partner network start their early-stage commercialization journey. $10k for fellows. Must be affiliated with a Climate Exchange member university
🏙️ Building Cleaner Communities Competition Due Jul. 31
NYSERDA’s Building Cleaner Communities Competition supports the design and construction of carbon neutral or net zero energy performance in two categories. Category A provides funding at the facility level, supporting building-specific measures for efficiency, all-electric heating and cooling, renewable energy, storage and electric vehicle charging infrastructure. Category B provides funding at the community and campus level supporting planning, energy modeling, design, technical analysis needed for carbon neutral or net zero performance of the large-scale project. The program is open to existing and new construction buildings to achieve carbon neutral or net zero energy performance.
Upcoming Events
🎭 6th Fest Patrons Performance - The Last Days of Judas Iscariot: Tue, Jun 24
🎶 Climate Cafe: Songs of Connection at Pete's Candy Store: Wed, Jun 25
💪 Building Climate-Labor Alliances for a Just Transition: Wed, Jun 25
🌈 NYC Pride Month Happy Hour: Wed, Jun 25
⚡ 2025 Energy Summit & Expo: Thu, Jun 26
⚗️ LEAP ML Journal Club: "CLIMATE IN A BOTTLE ....": Thu, Jun 26
🌱 Sustainability Unconference: Thu, Jun 26
☕ The First Sip: A CoSee Community Preview: Thu, Jun 26
💰 Financing the Future: How NYC is Investing in Climate Progress: Thu, Jun 26
✍️ Climate Writing Club: Sat, Jun 28
🧪 Intro to Bioplastics: Sun, Jun 29
🎶 Unheard-of + The Gowanus Dredgers Present: Travelogue: 2nd St. Sound Paddle: Sun, Jun 29
🌱 July Compost Workshop: Tue, Jul 1
🌍 Manhattan Climate Changemakers Hour of Action: Tue, Jul 1
🌍 Summer 2025 Lecture in Climate Data Science: MARTÍN BASCOPÉ: Thu, Jul 3
📦 47th Global Conference on Supply Chain Management (GCSCM): Fri, Jul 4
🍻 4WARD NYC Climate & Sustainability Networking Meetup: Thu, Jul 10
🤝 Volunteering Untapped NYC: City Relief (July Event): Sat, Jul 12
🌍 Manhattan Climate Changemakers Hour of Action: Tue, Jul 15
🌱 ✨💛 NYC Governors Island Excursion: Fri, Jul 18
🌳 NYC Community Picnic ☀️: Sat, Jul 26
🍻 Stanford Alumni in Sustainability — Panel and Mixer: Mon, Jul 28
💵 Wallet Max Presents Planet Positive Pitch Competition: Thu, Jul 31
This Week's Events in Detail
⚖️ Perrin Conferences Environmental Risk and PFAS Litigation Conference
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 42 W 44th Street, New York
The Perrin Conferences Environmental Risk and PFAS Litigation Conference will take place on June 17-18, 2025, at the New York City Bar Association. Targeted at in-house counsel and insurance claims professionals, this conference addresses legal and environmental issues surrounding PFAS litigation and environmental risk management. Complimentary registration is available for in-house counsel, while continuing education credits are sought for attendees, enhancing its value for legal and claims professionals.
🏙️ LL97 Compliance: Service Provider Expo
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 299 Sands Street, Brooklyn
The "LL97 Compliance: Service Provider Expo" takes place on June 17, 2025, at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and aims to assist building owners and property professionals in New York City with compliance to Local Law 97 (LL97). This full-day event features expert panels, breakout sessions, and opportunities to connect with vetted service providers focused on decarbonization, energy efficiency, and relevant incentives. Attendees will gain invaluable insights and resources to reduce and report building emissions effectively.
🌆 2025 Rebuilding New York Summit
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM (EDT)
Where: 36 Battery Place, New York
The 2025 Rebuilding New York Summit is a full-day conference targeting industry leaders, public officials, and academics, focusing on the modernization and upgrading of New York's infrastructure. Key discussions will address major infrastructure challenges such as funding repairs, policy recommendations, and leveraging minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs). This summit aims to provide insights into the city's successes and shortcomings in its infrastructure efforts.
💡 Daylight Hour @ CSI
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 2800 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island
Daylight Hour at the College of Staten Island invites participants from around the globe to switch off their lights for one hour while sharing their experiences on social media. Scheduled for June 17, 2025, this event promotes sustainability and energy conservation as part of the #DaylightHour campaign, which raises awareness about energy efficiency in office environments. It's a unique opportunity for community engagement and environmental activism through social media.
🌞 Enact Solar Summit - New York
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 538 West 58th Street, New York
The Enact Solar Summit in New York will feature a half-day workshop on June 17th, focusing on the emerging trends in the Northeast solar and energy storage sector. Participants will have the opportunity to hear from leading experts in solar installation, asset management, and renewable energy policy. Additionally, attendees can explore Enact’s innovative Solar Design and Asset Management tool and engage in discussions on recent policy changes impacting the market.
🏝️ Out in Climate - Tour of Governors Island
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM (EDT)
Where: 10 South St, New York
Join Out in Climate for an exclusive tour of Governors Island, focusing on climate initiatives. This event, which limits participation to 20 attendees to enhance engagement, includes a welcome overview by Lauren Wang, Director of Climate Programs, and a journey through the island's sustainability projects. Attendees will also have the option to unwind at local eateries post-tour, fostering community among LGBTQ+ professionals in sustainability.
🌿 Greenhouse Gang
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 520 Kingsland Avenue, Brooklyn
Greenhouse Gang invites volunteers to help expand a native nursery at Kingsland Wildflowers, focusing on local ecological restoration and hands-on horticultural activities. The event will occur every third Tuesday throughout the growing season, promoting community involvement in climate and nature initiatives.
🌱 Climate Fresk workshop
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 5:45 PM to 9:00 PM (EDT)
Where: York Street Project, Jersey City
The Climate Fresk workshop is set to be held in Jersey City, marking its first-ever event in this location, engaging participants in an interactive and gamified exploration of climate science and action. With a global participation of over 2 million individuals, it aims to connect scientific knowledge with practical steps towards sustainability. Attendees will engage in discussions regarding the causes and consequences of climate change, stimulating community action in the climate tech realm.
🌱 Manhattan Climate Changemakers Hour of Action
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM (EDT)
Where: Pier 57, New York
The Manhattan Climate Changemakers Hour of Action at Pier 57 is a bi-weekly event focused on engaging the community in climate activism. The event begins with socializing and food, followed by structured activities aimed at promoting science-based, equitable climate solutions through letter writing and collaboration with local governments. Open to all skill levels, this free event encourages participants to bring their laptops and friends to join in impactful climate action.
🍻 NEW - SJC SpeakEASY Salon Series
When: Tue, Jun. 17 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM (EDT)
Where: 472 Jersey Avenue, Jersey City
The SJC SpeakEASY Salon Series is a new community discussion platform aimed at engaging local stakeholders in critical conversations about transportation and climate change implications for Jersey City. The April meeting will specifically address how Jersey City's transportation infrastructure needs to adapt to climate change challenges.
🌾 Farm Community Volunteer Days 2025
When: Wed, Jun. 18 from 9:30 AM to 12:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 43-50 Main St, Flushing
The Farm Community Volunteer Day at Queens Botanical Garden invites participants to engage in sustainable agriculture by helping to prepare a farm that provides fresh produce for local food pantries. Volunteers will learn gardening basics while taking part in hands-on activities such as planting, weeding, and harvesting. This community-oriented event promotes environmental stewardship through gardening and food relief, creating an opportunity for individuals to connect with nature and each other in a collaborative setting.
📚 BOOK CLUB: "Consumed" 6/18/25
When: Wed, Jun. 18 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 140 58th Street, Brooklyn NY 11220, Brooklyn
This book club discussion focuses on 'Consumed: The Need for Collective Change' by Aja Barber, exploring the intersections of fashion, consumerism, environmental sustainability, and social justice. Attendees will engage in conversations about the negative impacts of fast fashion and discuss actionable steps toward more ethical consumption. The event aims to foster community, encourage meaningful dialogue, and promote systemic change in the fashion industry within a New York context.
☀️ YPE Presents: The State of Solar Power
When: Wed, Jun. 18 from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 875 3rd Avenue, New York
The State of Solar Power event, hosted by Young Professionals in Energy NYC at Troutman Pepper Locke, will delve into critical issues surrounding solar energy, including supply chain challenges, legal frameworks, and funding environments. Featuring a distinguished panel of experts, the event promises an engaging discussion on the current landscape and future of solar power. Networking opportunities will precede the panel discussion, allowing attendees to connect over shared interests in the energy sector.
🌳 Juneteenth Food Forest Tour
When: Thu, Jun. 19 from 12:00 PM to 2:30 PM (EDT)
Where: Prospect Place, Brooklyn
The Juneteenth Food Forest Tour at Brower Park in Brooklyn invites participants to explore the community's efforts towards food sovereignty and climate resilience through an edible canopy and pollinator garden. This event is part of a city-wide initiative to highlight NYC's Edible Food Forests, emphasizing sustainable practices that combat food insecurity and enhance local ecosystems. Participants will engage with local practitioners and learn how these green spaces offer viable solutions to climate challenges.
🥕 Private Sunset Tour @ Brooklyn Grange, World's Largest Soil Rooftop Farm
When: Fri, Jun. 20 from 6:45 PM to 8:15 PM (EDT)
Where: 141 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn
Experience the world's largest rooftop soil farm at Brooklyn Grange during a private sunset tour. This unique event offers insights into sustainable urban agriculture, showcasing daily operations, environmental benefits, and the lush variety of produce grown on-site. Participants will enjoy a guided walk with stunning views of the NYC skyline, learning about innovative farming practices right in the heart of Brooklyn.
🌊 13th Annual River Day
When: Sat, Jun. 21 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 727 Raymond Boulevard, Newark
The 13th Annual River Day is a free, family-friendly event taking place at Newark Riverfront Park, celebrating environmental awareness and cultural expression. Featuring performances, food, and wellness activities from local partners, this event aims to engage the community in sustainability education. Highlights include performances by local artists, creative activities, and wellness programming, making it a unique gathering focused on both cultural and environmental initiatives.
🎤 Porch Stomp with Climate Cafe NYC
When: Sat, Jun. 21 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (EDT)
Where: The Climate Imaginarium, New York
Porch Stomp with Climate Cafe NYC is part of a vibrant celebration on Governors Island, where attendees can enjoy an afternoon of music while exploring climate emotions. Hosted at The Climate Imaginarium, this free event features traditional folk music genres performed by various artists and offers unique educational opportunities in a community atmosphere. Participants are encouraged to bring musical instruments and participate in workshops and open jams amidst the scenic porches of Nolan Park.
🎶 Alaka'i 1777: Immersive Simulations of Extinct Birdsongs
When: Sat, Jun. 21 from 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM (EDT)
Where: Reforesters Laboratory, Kings County
Alaka'i 1777 is an immersive sound installation by Mason Youngblood that reconstructs the lost songs of the Kauaʻi ʻōʻō, an extinct Hawaiian bird. Utilizing archival recordings and artificial agents, the event offers a unique auditory experience that reflects on the complexity of avian vocalizations before their decline. Hosted at the Reforesters Laboratory in Kings County, New York, this installation not only marries art and science but also aims to deepen empathy for wildlife and inspire conservation efforts.
☕️ Climate Cafe at The Brooklyn Public Library
When: Sat, Jun. 21 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM (EDT)
Where: 10 Grand Army Plaza, Brooklyn
The Climate Cafe at Brooklyn Public Library is a community-oriented event aimed at addressing climate anxiety among New Yorkers. Taking place on June 21, 2025, it will foster open discussions about the climate crisis and promote local actions focused on sustainability and environmental innovation. This session will specifically explore the environmental implications of food waste and the role of community initiatives such as gardening and composting, providing attendees with tools for emotional resilience and actionable insights.
🌱 Plant Humanities
When: Mon, Jun. 23 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM (EDT)
Where: 360 Court Street, Brooklyn
Plant Humanities is a public talk featuring artist Debora Hirsch and Lucas Mertehikian, Director of the Humanities Institute at the New York Botanical Garden, focusing on the emerging field of plant humanities. The discussion explores the intersection of biodiversity, technology, and cultural narratives surrounding endangered plant species, as well as methodologies to rethink extinction and regeneration through artistic and academic perspectives. Taking place at Residency Unlimited in Brooklyn, New York, the event emphasizes the interconnections between art, science, and culture.