My wife and I want to minimize both our energy use and our fossil fuel use. Because of our modest income, we qualified for a subsidy through this exact fund to get a hybrid electric water heater last year. It uses an air source heat pump, which chills the basement, as well as the standard much-less-energy-efficient electric resistance heating as a backup. After we got this water heater, a representative of Halco, who bought out the smaller local company which installed the water heater, told us that all appliances these days are not built to last, and urged us to buy a maintenance package with a yearly fee which would have eaten up our monetary savings on energy. This morning we are having Halco come look at the water heater, because the air source heat pump part, which was surprisingly noisy, has quit working. A previous electric water heater, which came with the old house we bought, had worked for an additional 20 years before it had any problems.
We thought we were doing something good for the environment, and maybe we were, but some wealthier people who burn a lot of fossil fuel for a more extravagant lifestyle and realize their impact but want to clear their conscience, those folks are also taking the credit. Carbon offsets are neither simple nor clear in the way they work, if they work at all. IMO, there’s no substitute for actually reducing personal energy use in general and fossil fuel use in particular. - - Dave Nutter > On Dec 9, 2021, at 10:34 PM, Hurf Sheldon <hurf...@gmail.com> wrote: > > This is a very good option for carbon offsetting: > https://www.fingerlakesclimatefund.org/ > cheers, > hurf > >> On Thu, Dec 9, 2021 at 11:24 AM Regi Teasley <rltcay...@gmail.com> wrote: >> Totally agree. I have always thought that birders are a “sleeping giant” >> that can make a big difference. >> Regi >> >> ____________ >> “If we surrendered to the earth’s intelligence, we could rise up rooted, >> like trees.” Rainer Maria Rilke >> >> >>> On Dec 9, 2021, at 8:50 AM, Donna Lee Scott <d...@cornell.edu> wrote: >>> >>> I like this idea, Bob. >>> >>> Re SPCA, they do more than any other group to neuter/spay feral cats, & >>> also cats of low-income people, with their free feral program & their >>> low-cost program for pets of those with limited means. I sometimes trap >>> ferals here & take them to SPCA. >>> All animals adopted from SPCA go home neutered. >>> >>> And to repeat what I have recently posted at various online places: >>> The Finger Lakes Land Trust really needs donations NOW for the purchase of >>> the Bell Station land from NYSEG. >>> for more info see www.fllt.org/savebellstation >>> This explains the way this deal works. >>> >>> NYS didn’t buy BS from NYSEG; nys just convinced NYSEG & Public Service >>> Commission to let FLLT buy Bell Station for later transfer to NYS DEC as a >>> Wildlife Mgt. Area, ensuring public access to this wonderful >>> lakeshore-woods. >>> >>> Non-profit FLLT does a masterful job at saving land from development in >>> various ways & they always emphasize that what they do creates, improves & >>> saves habitat for birds & wildlife! >>> >>> Donna Scott >>> Lansing >>> Sent from my iPhone >>> >>>> On Dec 9, 2021, at 8:31 AM, Stephanie P. Herrick <s...@cornell.edu> wrote: >>>> >>>> >>>> I like this idea Bob, for two reasons: >>>> >>>> 1. It benefits two worthy and appropriate local groups >>>> 2. The very act of making a mindful contribution encourages us to reflect >>>> on why we are doing it >>>> >>>> Thanks for suggesting! Looking forward to others thoughts! >>>> >>>> - S >>>> From: bounce-126137445-82496...@list.cornell.edu >>>> <bounce-126137445-82496...@list.cornell.edu> on behalf of bob mcguire >>>> <bmcgu...@clarityconnect.com> >>>> Sent: Thursday, December 9, 2021 8:20:11 AM >>>> To: Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@me.com> >>>> Cc: linda orkin <wingmagi...@gmail.com>; John Gregoire >>>> <johnandsuegrego...@gmail.com>; CAYUGABIRDS-L >>>> <cayugabird...@list.cornell.edu> >>>> Subject: Re: [cayugabirds-l] A great read for birders to consider by Bryan >>>> Pfeiffer >>>> >>>> Me too (a movement here?). >>>> >>>> And I have one small idea on how to deal with it. Bird clubs organize >>>> field trips, and participation is free. What if each participant was >>>> encouraged (not required, just encouraged) to donate - say - $10 to either >>>> the Land Trust or the SPCA? The Land Trust because they are a major player >>>> in habitat conservation, and the SPCA because they (and I’d have to check >>>> this out) play a role in reducing the number of feral/outdoor cats. Local >>>> organizations, local impact. >>>> >>>> Could something like this fly? >>>> >>>> Bob McGuire >>>> >>>>> On Dec 8, 2021, at 4:11 PM, Dave Nutter <nutter.d...@me.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Better said than I could have, though such concerns have been brewing for >>>>> me a long time. So, how do we deal with it? As individuals, as >>>>> organizations, as unorganized groups? Thoughts welcome. >>>>> >>>>> - - Dave Nutter >>>>> >>>>> On Dec 8, 2021, at 11:02 AM, Linda Orkin <wingmagi...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Thanks John. >>>>>> >>>>>> Yes I had also read that, with great interest. Lots to think about. I >>>>>> embrace these thoughts fully. >>>>>> >>>>>> Linda Orkin >>>>>> Ithaca, NY >>>>>> >>>>>>> On Dec 8, 2021, at 10:21 AM, John Gregoire >>>>>>> <johnandsuegrego...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Birdwatching’s Carbon Problem | Bryan Pfeiffer >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>>>>> Welcome and Basics >>>>>>> Rules and Information >>>>>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>>>>> Archives: >>>>>>> The Mail Archive >>>>>>> Surfbirds >>>>>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>>>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>>>>> -- >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>>>> Welcome and Basics >>>>>> Rules and Information >>>>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>>>> Archives: >>>>>> The Mail Archive >>>>>> Surfbirds >>>>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>>>> -- >>>>> -- >>>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>>> Welcome and Basics >>>>> Rules and Information >>>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>>> Archives: >>>>> The Mail Archive >>>>> Surfbirds >>>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>>> -- >>>> >>>> -- >>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>> Welcome and Basics >>>> Rules and Information >>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>> Archives: >>>> The Mail Archive >>>> Surfbirds >>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>> -- >>>> -- >>>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>>> Welcome and Basics >>>> Rules and Information >>>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>>> Archives: >>>> The Mail Archive >>>> Surfbirds >>>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>>> -- >>> >>> -- >>> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >>> Welcome and Basics >>> Rules and Information >>> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >>> Archives: >>> The Mail Archive >>> Surfbirds >>> BirdingOnThe.Net >>> Please submit your observations to eBird! >>> -- >> >> -- >> Cayugabirds-L List Info: >> Welcome and Basics >> Rules and Information >> Subscribe, Configuration and Leave >> Archives: >> The Mail Archive >> Surfbirds >> BirdingOnThe.Net >> Please submit your observations to eBird! >> -- > > -- > Cayugabirds-L List Info: > Welcome and Basics > Rules and Information > Subscribe, Configuration and Leave > Archives: > The Mail Archive > Surfbirds > BirdingOnThe.Net > Please submit your observations to eBird! > -- -- Cayugabirds-L List Info: http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsWELCOME http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsRULES http://www.NortheastBirding.com/CayugabirdsSubscribeConfigurationLeave.htm ARCHIVES: 1) http://www.mail-archive.com/cayugabirds-l@cornell.edu/maillist.html 2) http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Group/Cayugabirds 3) http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/CAYU.html Please submit your observations to eBird: http://ebird.org/content/ebird/ --
