NY Climate Tech: June 5 - June 12
Green beach summer, art, design, games, film, farming, energy, finance, and more events this week
Hi friends,
We’re in a summer mood, so here are some of the more fun meetups this week:
On Thursday at Newlab, learn about indoor ag at 🥬 FoodHack NYC
Also on Thursday, head to Brooklyn for 📽️ Climate Cinema: How to Blow Up a Pipeline with Sixth Festival and Climate Cafe
🎲 Climate Fresk – a game about climate change! Thursday at Eat Offbeat in Chelsea and Saturday at Caveat on the LES.
On Saturday, talk farming, art, and design, with 🧑🌾 Climate Designers NYC x Brooklyn Grange Farm Tour and an 🌾 Oko Farms Tour for MoMA members.
If you have the time, there are also climate conferences this week on Energy, Finance, and Education, and NYC. As always, scroll on down for the full list of all events!
Also: the NY Climate Tech meetup is this week, and we’re sad to say it’s sold out! If you didn’t RSVP – we’ll see you next month! And if you did RSVP and can’t make it, please let us know so we can free up tickets on the waitlist.
Cheers,
The NY Climate Tech Team
P.S. Sonam and Alec are heading to The Next Web conference next week to speak about climate ecosystems and launch Climate Tech Amsterdam! Know anyone we should meet? Drop us a line!
Carbon Sea-questration
— By Tamar Honig
What provides wildlife habitat, livelihoods to more than 50 million people, vital sustenance to humans and animals alike, an expressway for global commerce, and linkages between world cultures, all at once?
Our oceans do – that sprawling and largely ungoverned expanse that covers two-thirds of planet Earth. In honor of World Oceans Day on June 8th, we’ll be exploring the murky depths of symptoms borne and opportunities represented by the seas in our battle against climate change.
Among its many identities, the ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink, holding 50 times more CO2 than is currently in the atmosphere. Couple this with the scientific consensus that we must remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere in addition to reducing how much carbon we emit, and the ocean becomes an attractive storage option. Attractive enough to spur on a host of innovators seeking to harness the ocean’s natural powers and accelerate its absorption of CO2.
In Long Island, New Yorkers have more to celebrate than a beach getaway this summer, as the region is emerging as a leader in the burgeoning field of ocean-based carbon dioxide removal (CDR). With an extensive coastline, maritime industrial base, and growing renewable energy resources, Long Island is poised to play a key role in leveraging its surrounding seas to help New York draw down “legacy” CO2. This is no small task: the most recent IPCC Assessment Report emphasizes that CDR will be required at gigaton scale to counteract hard-to-abate emissions. In New York, this means removing ~61.5 MT of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050 (15% of the 1990 emissions baseline established by the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act).
Next time you hop on the LIRR to beat the heat of a New York City summer day, think of these exciting approaches to ocean-based CDR that may soon be joining you in the water:
SEA MATE: A novel electrochemical process developed at Stony Brook University, SEA MATE uses renewable electricity to pump acid out of the ocean. This not only deacidifies the ocean - benefitting local fisheries and other aquatic life - but also accelerates the ocean’s natural ability to sequester atmospheric CO2 by converting it into bicarbonate, the ocean’s most abundant form of carbon storage. The innovators behind SEA MATE have commercialized the process as Ebb Carbon – one of the companies in Stripe’s carbon removal purchasing program. Potential deployment sites for the technology include Long Island.
Running Tide: This Portland, Maine-based startup uses automated aquaculture systems to seed kelp on biodegradable floats, then uses ocean currents to sink the resulting biomass into the deep ocean for durable carbon sequestration. As the company scales, it has set its eyes on the NYC metropolitan area and Long Island as a proximate and potentially highly suitable point of expansion.
Project Vesta: This nonprofit’s secret sauce is olivine-based “carbon negative sand”. Through a method known as beach nourishment that deploys the sand along eroding coastlines, the olivine accelerates the natural carbonate cycle to draw down atmospheric CO2 and durably sequester it in the ocean. After over two years of foundational research, Project Vesta conducted one of its first demonstration pilots at North Sea Beach, a community located on Long Island’s North Shore.
Ocean-based CDR wouldn’t be a nascent, promising field without several accompanying challenges: to name a few, measuring the efficacy and durability of carbon removal, surmounting regulatory and technical obstacles, and addressing equity concerns. Robust policy support will be crucial in overcoming the current gaps and helping this fledgling industry thrive by establishing governance and regulatory frameworks; expanding the existing knowledge base; advancing monitoring, reporting, and verification (MRV); and assessing and prioritizing public benefits. Hallmarks of a supportive policy environment for ocean-based CDR will include:
Clear permitting and oversight processes that allow field tests of various ocean carbon removal methods to occur and help identify those with the lowest ecological impacts.
Governance structures to ensure research projects are conducted safely and responsibly.
A focus on economic opportunities and other benefits for coastal communities.
Improved public awareness and perception of ocean carbon removal.
Appropriate MRV tools and protocols to keep developers accountable and measure how much carbon is being sequestered as well as ecological impacts.
The ocean has long been a source of mystery and intrigue, with centuries of literature painting vibrant pictures of an untamed and limitless wilderness, an opportunity for reinvention, a refuge from life on land. The uncertainties swirling around ocean carbon removal – in terms of effectiveness, community and ecosystem impacts, and other risks – are a new chapter in this age-old canon. Implementing MRV standards, channels for knowledge transfer, and robust regulatory policies can help the story unfold in time to meet the climate change crisis head-on.
Community Shoutouts
Dream Climate Tech Launchpad by Village Capital
This is a non-dilutive, four-month, milestone-based fellowship program supporting 8-10 Black and LatinX-led startups building solutions in the climate tech space. A pool of $30K will be split evenly among the cohort and the top two peer-selected companies will receive an additional $10K each. Applications due June 12th.
NY Green Bank announced over $2B in funding commitments
New York’s Green Bank announced this week that it’s surpassed $2 billion in cumulative financial commitments, catalyzing another $5.5B+ in funding for the green transition. The NY Green Bank is one of the anchors of New York’s climate policy, and it’s incredible to see the impact they’ve had in just 10 years.
Events This Week
🥗 Vegan Night Market: Tue, Jun 6
🔌 Global Energy Transition 2023: Wed, Jun 7
💸 ACORE Finance Forum: Wed, Jun 7
🍎 Sustainability Education Forum 2023: Thu, Jun 8
🌇 Urban Green – NYC Next: Trends for a Changing City: Thu, Jun 8
💸 NYSERDA Programs Available through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application: Thu, Jun 8
🗽 NY Climate Tech + MCJ June Meetup: Thu, Jun 8
🌍 Climate Fresk and Dinner at Eat Offbeat: Thu, Jun 8
🎨 Alexis Rockman: Oceanus with Christina Brophy: Thu, Jun 8
🥬 FoodHack NYC Meet Up: Advances in Agriculture: Thu, Jun 8
📽️ Climate Cinema: How to Blow Up a Pipeline: Thu, Jun 8
🧩 Climate Fresk Workshop: Sat, Jun 10
🧑🌾 Climate Designers NYC x Brooklyn Grange Farm Tour: Sat, Jun 10
🌾 Member Sustainability Series: Oko Farms Tour and Workshop: Sat, Jun 10
Read on for more details about this week’s happenings and upcoming events this month
Events This Month
🚀 5th Summit for Space Sustainability: Tue, Jun 13
🏳️🌈 Out in Climate - NYC Pride Month Mixer: Tue, Jun 13
🎬 Biosphere: Tue, Jun 13
👷♀️ Clean Energy Workforce Prep for an Inclusive Green Economy: Wed, Jun 14
🔌 Make It in Brooklyn: Clean Energy Diversity &Access: Wed, Jun 14
💩 DSNY Organics: A Master Composter Workshop: Wed, Jun 14
🌊 Eating from the Ocean: Wed, Jun 14
🍻 YPE NYC June Happy Hour + Trivia: Wed, Jun 14
👩⚖️ Environmental Risk and PFAS Litigation Conference: Thu, Jun 15
🏢 Accelerating Decarbonization: Window and Façade Solutions: Thu, Jun 15
🇬🇧 Innovate UK Global Incubator Programme Climatetech Showcase: Thu, Jun 15
🏡 The Largest Market-Rate Net Zero Complex in the US: Fri, Jun 16
🧜♀️ Science Rebels at the Coney Island Mermaid Parade: Sat, Jun 17
⚡️ New York Energy Week: Tue, Jun 20
☀️ NYC Solar + Storage Summit: Tue, Jun 20
⚡️ Renewable Energy Conference: Tue, Jun 20
⚖️ Scaling Justice: Wed, Jun 21
👖 Sustainable Apparel and Textiles Conference USA: Wed, Jun 21
🍻 Green Drinks Brooklyn: Wed, Jun 21
🚙 Climate is the New Economy: Clean Transit Access Program: Wed, Jun 21
💡 2023 Energy Summit & Expo: Thu, Jun 22
🇬🇱 Billy Fleming, “Fire, Ice, and Ore”: Thu, Jun 22
💧 Bringing Water to Light: An Artist Workshop Series : Sun, Jun 25
🌱 How to Start a Sustainable Life? by Closiist: Mon, Jun 26
🏗️ Future-Proofing New Construction: Thu, Jun 29
🍻 Green Drinks Brooklyn: Tue, May 17
Events This Week
🥗 Vegan Night Market
When: Tue, Jun 6th from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Where: Wollman Rink, 830 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10065
Get ready to taste the best of plant-based cuisine at NYC's first-ever vegan night market! On June 6th, Wollman Rink in Central Park will host a weekly event featuring the city's top vegan vendors, live music, and rotating food and product tastings until October 10th.
🔌 Global Energy Transition 2023
When: Wed, Jun 7th at 8:00 AM to Thu, Jun 8th at 5:00 PM
Where: New York, NY
Join 750+ executive decision-makers to re-construct the energy transition at Reuters Events: Global Energy Transition 2023. Together, we will unite energy, industrial, and government world leaders to redefine intersectoral net-zero discourse and confront the most business-critical industry challenges, collectively.
💸 ACORE Finance Forum
When: Wed, Jun 7th at 8:00 AM to Thu, Jun 8th at 5:00 PM
Where: Convene, 117 W. 46th Street, New York, NY
The American Council on Renewable Energy Finance Forum returns to New York City on June 7-8, 2023. This year, leaders from across the renewable transaction landscape will assess risk mitigation amidst uncertainties regarding IRA implementation, inflation, permitting challenges and transmission constraints. With a great deal of capital ready to flow into the renewable sector, don’t miss this opportunity to learn how experts are navigating the possibilities and growth-driven challenges.
🍎 Sustainability Education Forum 2023
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM
Where: Online
Let’s come together, share our expertise and co-create our emerging future. After years of global disruption, what are the challenges and opportunities for sustainability education as we progress in a post-pandemic world? What and how do we teach students given the urgency of the times? How do we “fall-forward” on issues related to sustainability teaching and learning in higher education? It is time for us to share, listen and speak about the issues that matter to interdisciplinary sustainability educators.
🌇 Urban Green – NYC Next: Trends for a Changing City
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM
Where: NYU Kimmel Center, 60 Washington Square S, New York, NY 10012
In our 2023 conference, NYC Next: Trends for a Changing City, we’re bringing together experts to explain three key trends that will shape the city: getting to net zero, converting offices to apartments, and centering resiliency in NYC’s buildings of the future. We’ll talk to the individuals who have an inside look at these trends and are doing the work to make NYC’s climate targets a reality.
💸 NYSERDA Programs Available through the New York State Consolidated Funding Application
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Where: Online
This Live Webinar will be held to review NYSERDA's Carbon Neutral Community Economic Development program and the Commercial Industrial Carbon Challenge program. Attendees will learn about the incentives available, eligibility, application requirements, and scoring criteria, of each of these programs. Attendees will also have the opportunity to ask questions, live with NYSERDA staff.
🗽 NY Climate Tech + MCJ June Meetup
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: citizenM New York Bowery Hotel, 189 Bowery, New York, NY 10002
Join NY Climate Tech and MCJ for our May meetup and celebrate our 2nd Anniversary! This month we're jointly hosting the meetup with MCJ Collective. If you don't know them, they're a community, podcast, and venture fund dedicated to climate action. Their whole team will be in town, so come give them a big NY welcome!
🌍 Climate Fresk and Dinner at Eat Offbeat (Chelsea Market) - June Edition
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 5:30 PM to 9:00 PM
Where: Chelsea Market, 75 9th Ave, New York, NY 10011
Play a 3h Climate Change Game and have dinner discovering the best home cooking from around the world made with love by refugee chefs in NY
🎨 Alexis Rockman: Oceanus with Christina Brophy
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Where: Rizzoli Bookstore, 1133 Broadway, New York, NY 10010
On World Oceans Day, artist Alexis Rockman presents his monumental new series Oceanus depicting an ominous and complex vision of ocean life affected by humankind. Fueled by an abiding concern with environmental crisis for more than three decades, contemporary artist Alexis Rockman (b. 1962) depicts an ominous and complex vision of ocean life affected by humankind in a monumental new series titled Oceanus. In conversation with Christina Brophy.
🥬 FoodHack NYC Meet Up: Advances in Agriculture
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Where: Newlab, 19 Morris Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Join us for our next FoodHack NYC meetup in collaboration with Newlab! Hear a panel of experts discuss advances in agriculture and how new technologies are reframing our food system. This event will feature speakers from AeroFarms, Re-Nuble, Farmshelf and more!
📽️ Climate Cinema: How to Blow Up a Pipeline
When: Thu, Jun 8th from 7:00 PM to 9:30 PM
Where: Mayday Space, 176 St. Nicholas Avenue, Brooklyn, New York
Join Climate Cafe in partnership with The Sixth Fest for an activist-oriented screening of How to Blow Up a Pipeline!
🧩 Climate Fresk Workshop
When: Sat, Jun 10th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Where: Caveat, 21 A Clinton Street, New York, NY 10002
Want to help tackle climate change but don’t have the time to become a climate scientist? Join us for this fun and informative workshop that has already been played by >1M people worldwide! In just 3 hours, the collaborative Climate Fresk workshop will teach you the fundamental science behind climate change and empower you to take action.
🧑🌾 Climate Designers NYC x Brooklyn Grange Farm Tour
When: Sat, Jun 10th from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Where: Brooklyn Grange @ Brooklyn Navy Yard, 63 Flushing Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205
Climate Designers NYC is celebrating summer Chapters' Week with an urban farm tour, followed by a social and networking hangout. Join us to connect with other local sustainability-minded designers, share ideas, find collaborators, and get inspired! We'll be starting the event with a 1-hour tour of the rooftop farm at Brooklyn Grange Navy Yard. After the tour, we'll move on to Transmitter Brewing for a social and networking gathering.
🌾 Member Sustainability Series: Oko Farms Tour and Workshop
When: Sat, Jun 10th from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM
Where: Oko Farms, 105 River St, Brooklyn, NY
What is the connection between NYC residents and the environment? Take a trip to Oko Farms, NYC's largest and only outdoor aquaponics farm. During a members-only tour, learn how aquaponics farming mitigates climate change and food insecurity. Following the tour, join us for hands-on activities that may include seeding, transplanting, harvesting, feeding fish, or supporting with composting. Participants are encouraged to ask questions during the tour and the workshop.
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!
 | A guest post by
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Hey Climate Tech team- how do i submit an event to you all? We are running this NYC Energetic Game night next week! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/june-energy-climate-game-night-tickets-651311860307
Absolutely love 💯💚