Climate Week NYC offers up to 8 events a day. And many of them relate to green building in unexpected ways.
What better time of the year to let your green out? Climate Week NYC offers such a wide variety of events at varying locations and times to fit everyone’s interests and schedules. For a complete listing of events up until next Tuesday the 27th, click here http://www.climateweeknyc2011.org/events. However, I have compiled a list of events that are especially relevant to those interested in Green Contracting. I’ve included events related to materials in green contracting, green roofs, energy efficiency, sustainable events in Brooklyn, and a sustainable lifestyle in general. The events that I have included are all free and open to the public, but some do require reservations (check the website for details).
FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2011
- The Bottom Line on Climate Change: Transitioning To Renewable Energy. 8:30 am-6:30 pm. Wollman Hall, The New School, Eugene Lang Building, 65 West 11th st, 5th floor. FRIDAY AND SATURDAY. Reservations required.
Energy reduction, and using alternative energy sources are a large part of green contracting. This event includes government officials, scientists, politicians, business leaders, and professors. This mix of people should result in a very practical and unbiased discussion that will be focused on real-world ways of implementing clean energy into everyday life.
- The Albedo Effect. 6-6:30 pm. Cubana Social. 70 N 6th street between Wythe and Kent, Brooklyn.
This very short event will fit even the busiest of schedules. This event is a performance of dance and film representing an urban heat island. The performance includes ways to reduce this heat island that are relevant to green contracting.
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SATURDAY 24, 2011
- Reflecting the Stars. All day, pier 29, Hudson River Park, West 11th and Bank Street.
This event uses steel pipes with LED light bulbs inside of them to recreate the night sky in Manhattan. These steel pipes were chosen to juxtapose the lightbulbs because the steel pipes will turn rusty quickly while the lightbulbs will continue to look new. The type of material to use is an important choice in green contracting. This event showcases one of the ways to juxtapose materials.
- Cooling a roof. 9-3 pm. Henry Street Settlement, 466 Grand Street.
This event is perfect for those of you who want to know more about green roofs and how to install them. This event is hosted by NYC CoolRoofs, which is an NYC government collaboration between the department of service and building.
- Moving Planet- Sustainable Flatbush. 11am-3pm. Church Avenue Communal Garden at the Flatbush Reformed Church, 890 Flatbush Ave, Brooklyn.
This event is perfect for getting to more about sustainable efforts in Brooklyn. Sustainable Flatbush is also doing some really interesting things, such as setting up their own off-grid solar system, called SunBike. The rest of the event will focus on the use of plants in urban spaces, from urban gardens to green roofs.
- Moving Planet NYC. 11:30am-4pm. Dag Hammarskjold Plaza, East 47th at 1st ave,
This event is being included not really because of its direct relevance to green contracting, but because of its sheer size and importance. Moving planet is being organized by several NYC groups as well as 350.org, an organization committed to reducing C02. For more information, check out their website, http://movingplanetnyc.blogspot.com/, http://www.twitter.com/Moving_Planet, http://www.twitter.com/350
- 2011 Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) Annual Meeting. 5-9pm. CUNY Institute for Sustainable cities, Hunter College. 695 Park Ave. Registration required.
This event is hosted by NESEA and GreenHomeNYC, which is the local chapter of NESEA. This event is unparallelled among climate week events for its networking opportunities.
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SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2011
- NYC Sustainable Lighting Tour. 7pm, Central Park. download a special tour map.
Although this event goes on everyday, it is an especially good event for a relaxing Sunday, especially after a busy week of attending climate week events. This event is hosted by the NYC DOT LED Pilot Project. Although this project is mainly concerned with installing LED lights on streets, LED lights can be used in green contracting as well.
Other events on Sunday are repeats, such as Reflecting the Stars, and Cooling a Roof.
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MONDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2011
- Meditations on a Warming Planet: An Audience Participation Performance. 6-8pm. Sheep Meadow, Central Park. West Side, between 66th and 69th.
Unfortunately some of the most interesting events today are out of budget for the average person (upwards of $600 per event). But there is this nice free event to connect you to nature, while allowing for some audience participation as well. Although this event is climate themed, and therefore not directly related to green contracting, the overarching goal of the environmental movement is to prevent climate change (as well as some other things). So sit back in Central Park and enjoy the big picture.
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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2011
Unfortunately the last day of climate week events has no free events. But, in case you are willing to pay I’ll include some interesting events anyway.
- Transportation Transformation. 8-10:30am. $10 for members, $20 for non-members. ConEd Headquarters, 4 Irving place.
While transportation is not explicably linked to green contracting, green transportation is a part of a sustainable lifestyle. Explore three different green transportation firms that are starting to make an impact on how we drive, park, and bike in New York City.