Transition...Back to a Carbon Neutral Future
Waterways Reskilling Anchors
the Vision for a New Story
by Pamela Boyce Simms
Imagine waking up tomorrow
in a future, post-carbon, environmentally sustainable and transitioned Mid-Hudson Valley. What in your surroundings on the
banks of the Hudson River, the Esopus, Sawkill, Fishkill or Rondout creeks has
changed as you open your eyes to greet the new morning? What sights, scents and
sounds fill your senses upon rising? Take a long, slow breath. Is the texture
of the air entering your lungs differently? How will you travel, to what type
of work environment? What transformations will have occurred in New York
waterways, and in your relationship to them in a transitioned future?
Once upon a time, commerce,
power generation, and the stunning beauty of New York rivers, tributaries and
estuaries breathed life into our towns. As we put the brakes on environmental
degradation, we are called to create new
stories and prioritize: slower, lower-tech, smaller-scale, relationship-driven
ways of living in harmony with the magnificent waterways that have supported
generations of New Yorkers. What kind of sustainable waterways culture do we
want to foster?
A Waterways
Reskilling Anchors the Vision of a New Story
Envisioning
a transitioned future is key to its
manifestation. Consider what slower, lower-tech, smaller-scale use of New York
waterways would look like and how we might reshuffle our priorities to usher
that vision into reality. Rest your mind on a fresh, healthy, simpler, vibrant
quality of life lived on pristine waterways teaming with nutritious fish,
carrying carbon neutral commercial
transport vessels, powering homes and hamlets with renewable energy. Whatever
we can clearly see in our mind’s eye we are empowered to create.
A reskilling facilitates visioning by bringing us “back to the
future.” Reskillings turn back the
clock to offer hands-on experiential engagement with heirloom skills and
technologies that we can reactivate and refine in order to protect the environment
in the future.
A Mid-Atlantic Transition
Hub (MATH) Waterways Reskilling on
November 23 will showcase the vast renewable energy generation and carbon
neutral commercial transport potential of New York waterways, and the work of
those who safeguard them. The Reskilling will anchor the vision of revitalized sail-freight, the use of wooden sailing
barges for the transport of goods along the inland waters of river valleys, and
micro-hydropower generation that
exemplify ecologically sound, micro-scale technologies. We know these methods
work. The deeper challenge the Reskilling
takes on is empowering our neighbors to embrace lifestyle changes needed
for these powered-down approaches to be viable.
To that end the Waterways Reskilling will feature the
work of way showers who walk the talk. Hudson Riverkeeper Paul Gallay will
propose ecologically sustainable “fisheries of the future” operated with
river-protecting technologies of the past. Erik Andrus—founder of the Vermont
Sail Freight Project, whose 39.5-foot sailing barge, the Ceres, graced ports along the Hudson River this October and delivered
15 tons of shelf-stable farm goods—will inspire us with his vision of
reconnecting family farms to sail transport. Master woodworker and boat-builder
Jim Kricker, owner of Rondout Woodworking, will demonstrate his artistry.
Micro-hydropower projects will be front and center.
Homesteader and Neighborhood Micro-hydropower
The
Transition movement fans sparks of passion into flame under local homesteaders
and groups of neighbors who are fired up about personal off-grid autonomy in
environmentally resilient communities. It is therefore at the homestead and
community level that the Reskilling
will explore micro-hydropower.
Catch
the vision. Hold nearby creeks, steams, estuaries and rivers in your mind’s
eye.
Consider that micro-hydro
systems:
• are
set up on waterways capable of producing up to 100 kilowatts of electricity;
enough to power your home or a small business facility.
• can
generate direct current, charge batteries for peak use times and emergencies,
and fill in for solar power in the winter months.
• do not involve dams or reservoirs, rely on
minimal water flow and civil construction work, and can maintain enough water
in the power source for aquatic life to thrive. This translates into a
relatively low environmental impact.
Inspired
by the legacy and potential of our noble waterways, let’s vision and
pragmatically usher in the new story
of a resilient future now.
The Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub
(MATH) &
the SUNY New Paltz
Environmental Task Force
November 23, 10am-5pm:
Waterways Reskilling at SUNY New Paltz Lecture Center
features sail freight, hydropower,
boat-building, and sustainable fisheries. There will also be demonstrations,
film, music, and food. The Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub (MATH), in collaboration
with the SUNY New Paltz Environmental Task Force, brings together those
concerned with the quality—and carbon-neutral use—of waterways.
Speakers include: Hudson Riverkeeper Paul Gallay; Clearwater
Environmental Director Manna Jo Green; NY/NJ Baykeeper Andrew Willner; and
Radix Center Executive Director Scott Kellog.
Neighbors, waterkeepers, environmentalists, watershed activists, boat
builders, students, hydropower resource persons, woodworkers, and concerned
citizens are invited to—Get inspired! Raise
public awareness about your work. Exhibit your projects. Share your materials
and passion for protecting and safely using our majestic waterways with
colleagues and the public. Enjoy learning heirloom skills, music, films,
engaging conversations and information sessions about micro-hydropower, sail
freight, woodworking and boat-building. Educate, advertise, exhibit,
participate and consider Transitioning...to
a superb-quality, carbon-neutral future among friends. transitionmidatlantic.org
• 646-241-8386
"You can
never awaken using the same system that put you to sleep in the first
place."
–Gurdjief
Pamela Boyce Simms is a
Certified Transition Trainer
Mid-Atlantic Transition Hub
(MATH), of Transition US
Posted by Chris Hewitt
on 11:18 AM.
Filed under
Feature,
Transition Field Notes
.
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