Schenectady County residents should breathe easy knowing the air quality has improved and isn’t a concern of the Schenectady County Environmental Advisory Council.
Looking at the energy sources used and the prevalence of industrial facilities can help determine air quality in a given area. The Environmental Protection Agency’s Toxic Release Inventory, a public database on the release of toxic chemicals and waste management, shows what and how much chemicals are being released into the environment. Mary Werner, chair of SCEAC, credits the TRI data for allowing companies to understand what they are putting into the environment. According to the most recent data, emissions have not exceeded regulations, she said.
“The [fugitive emissions] have gone down significantly because I think they realize things are getting out into the air,” said Werner.
This is the third story in a four-part series examining the Schenectady County Environmental Advisory Council’s impact over the past four decades and looks at what still needs to be done to preserve the county’s natural resources.
First story Click here.
Second story Click here.
She described fugitive emissions as air pollutants not coming out of the familiar sight of a smoke stack. The main concern for air pollution in the county though is from automobiles, which the recent SCEAC report cites as the source of the most hazardous air pollutants.
“The only thing we are not in compliance with is an occasional exceedance for ozone,” said Werner.
Daily Air Quality Index data for the county from 1998 and 2008 show air mostly falling into the “good” rating in 2008, with an improvement from 1998. There were a couple instances during the summer months where air quality was unhealthy for sensitive groups.
Specific ozone measurements in a given municipality are a little unclear, she said. A majority of the emissions affecting the ozone, she said, get pushed out of the county and passed on to other cities.
“There aren’t that many ozone monitors to be able to distinguish one area from the next within the county,” she said. “Because we are to the west of [Albany and Troy], we are upwind and therefore those substances and chemical get pushed down towards Albany and Troy.”
Werner did credit the County Legislature with taking an active role in pursuing energy initiatives, such as the 2009 signing on to the Climate Smart Community pledge. Any village, town or county can join the commitment, which includes pledging to combat climate change by becoming a climate smart community; set goals, inventory emissions and move to action; decrease energy demand for local government operations; encourage renewable energy for local government operations; realize benefits of recycling and other climate smart solid waste management practices.
Besides government focusing on sustainable energy in the county, the SCEAC report focuses on Union College’s commitment to green initiatives.
Union College leading green practices
Going back to the early 1990s, Union College was a test site for the EPA’s “Green Lights” program, which was a national campaign to replace wasteful lighting sources with more efficient ones. Stepping forward to this year, Union completed construction of a new 35,000-square-foot building, The Peter Irving Wold Center, designed to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
“[Union College is] really setting a good example for reducing their energy usage and renewable energy,” said Werner. “The energy conservation program has been successful.”
Assistant Director of Utilities Management at Union Frederick F. Puliafico said the college has taken steps over time to be greener, and it isn’t a new effort.
“It is not something that just happened overnight. We have been doing this for a long time,” said Puliafico. “When we decided to build the new building, we decided it was going to be as sustainable as it could.”
There is a lot of extra effort that goes into developing a building designed with LEED Gold certification in mind, he said. The waste materials have to be traced to make sure they are recycled properly, and supplies used must come from fewer than 500 miles away.
“We are trying to help the planet and reduce our carbon footprint,” said Puliafico. “So far the building has proved to be quite energy efficient.”
The Princeton Review also dubbed Union as one of the country’s green colleges, which in most recent edition included 311 across the nation and in Canada. Princeton notes Union was a signatory of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, which has the college developing a long-term plan to reduce its carbon footprint.
New sustainable ideas are constantly developed at the campus through the Presidential Green Grant program, which is open to students, staff, and faculty. The grant awards $2,000 to pursue a project that will make the campus more sustainable or research projects making specific contributions to sustainability on a regional or national level.
One of the popular features of the campus is the Octopus Garden, he said, which has students doing organic farming used at the campus and donated to community benefit programs.
The idea of being able to introduce students to sustainable ideas and practices is one of the most important elements of various green endeavors, he said, whether it is installing solar panels, wind turbines, or just learning agricultural practices.
The Wold building will also allow students to view detailed information on an accessible touch screen in the building. Over time, he said, students will be able to learn what is working and what could be improved at the building.
“Prospective students want to know about green and sustainability,” he said.