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Let me preface this column by saying that I have always been committed to getting term- limits legislation enacted for ALL legislators (federal, state and city/local). I go back many years fighting on this issue. I have written and spoken extensively on this issue: in media, in academia, in public and in private; on radio, on television, in newspapers, magaz […]

If you had asked me about four months ago, what were Michele Adolphe’s chances of defeating 32-year incumbent Rhoda Jacobs in the upcoming primary, I would have told you she had two chances: very slim and none. In fact, I had spoken to Mr. Very Slim quite early in this contest, and he told me that he was going on vacation: so go figure. Of course this was ba […]

I am doing these columns now, in order to set the record straight and clear up some misconceptions out there. I want to believe that most of those who are seriously involved in NYC politics, know that I am an insurgent to the core. I hardly ever endorse electeds. There have been one or two exceptions over the years, but for the most part I feel strongly that […]

Sustainable Flatbush has posted a rehash of the Neighborhood Energy Forum held in March.  You can see the highlights and download the presentations here. […]

New York City has over 960,000 buildings. Only 9,000 of them (less than 1%) use the dirtiest heating oil (grades #4 and #6). But those 9,000 buildings are responsible for over 86% of the soot and ozone pollution in the air. These particulates contribute to the failure of New York City’s air to meet the National Ambient Air […]

Catherine Mohr in her TED talk explains how to get down to brass tacks in deciding how to build your house.  The basis of her decisions is how much energy is embodied in the extraction, manufacture, transportation and installation of all the elements that go into a new building. She’s right but I wish she talked more […]

At this year’s Friends of Greenwood Playground Spring Flea Market, the Toeprint Project will kick off our Green Brooklyn Energy Audit Campaign to make the buildings in our neighboring communities of Kensington, Windsor Terrace, Flatbush, Ditmas Park Sunset Park and Park Slope more energy efficient!  Come see us at our vendor table. If you own a 1-4 […]

  Thanks to 3Rblog for this. If you are like me and can’t remember which plastics go where, Real Simple published an easy-to- read guide about how to recycle everything.   Many of these links are national and concern specific products. If you live in NYC, check the Don’t Throw It Away page from the Department of Sanitation. For books, […]

Healthy indoor air is arguably the most important benefit from green building. I lived in an apartment for 4 years that had mold hiding somewhere.  Turns out I’m allergic to mold. I coughed basically the entire time I lived there.  It was miserable but I know from where I speak! When I give a talk about the […]

I was sad when my favorite eco-friendly store 3R Living closed in Park Slope due to the recent economic downturn (downturn? it feels more like a relentless chokehold…but I digress). The Owners, husband and wife team Samantha Delman-Caserta and Mark Caserta and Samantha’s sister Tracy Ferdinand set up a lovely little shop in Montclair, NJ. I guess […]

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We weatherized our house last year.  You can read all about it here. So far, in the 11 months since we completed the work, we have saved approximately $900 on our annual heating bill.  Assuming energy prices remain constant (which they won’t – all projections indicate rising energy prices), we will payback the insulation and air […]

We have some exciting news! Ellen Honigstock Architect has teamed up with The Chartier Group to provide energy audits for existing buildings large and small! Is your building overheated in the winter?  Does the air feel too dry?  Is there a lot of dust on the surfaces of your living space?  These could be signs […]

clouds, ditmas park, brooklyn, originally uploaded by flatbushnelson. […]

Borough Park Councilman David Greenfield’s office emails that he and other Jewish leaders and groups are helping to raise awareness and to collect food and money for the floods in Pakistan, with a press conference tomorrow at noon at the headquarters of the Pakistani-American group COPO at 1081 Coney: “I represent part of the largest Pakistani community in A […]

Our house photographer and a film editor in real life, Nelson Ryland, emails with some news about an interesting project: The film version of the best-selling book Freakonomics: Nelson edited (among others) one of its four sections, by Loki Films about paying underachieving kids to perform in school. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, but in wa […]

Our fantastic market manager, Allison Whaley, has moved on up in greenmarket-land to run the EBT program for the whole system. We’re sad to see her go, but the new manager, Chelsea Whittaker, has arrived with great enthusiasm — and a new Twitter feed besides. Chelsea emails: This week the market is holding its infamous Farmer Tan Competition! Stop by the ten […]