We’re excited to celebrate this next chapter of our community bike shop with you. Since opening in 2023, our bike shop has served thousands of neighbors with free bike repairs, low-to-no-cost used bikes, and dozens of mechanic classes. After three years, we felt it was time to give the shop a name that felt like home: Swamp City Community Cycles.

Our shop will continue to be powered by the staff and volunteers of Bike Walk Tompkins, now with a name that more fully captures the shop’s unique, community-driven spirit and joyful commitment to keeping Ithaca rolling.

The Swamp City name is inspired by the land we live and ride on, and the great swamp that shapes the Ithaca and Finger Lakes region. And to further celebrate our shop’s name, we have organized several collaborative events with our friends at OJI:SDA’, Sciencenter, The History Center of Tompkins County, and Ithaca Piercing & Tattoo to highlight Ithaca's diverse local history, Indigenous knowledge, and ecosystem.

Below are the upcoming events descriptions and relevant registration (if required). We invite you to explore our website to learn more about our bike shop services and see our new membership opportunity.

The 2026 edition of FLEFF runs from March 27 – April 12. This year's special theme is Migrations. Events and screenings will be held on Ithaca College's campus and downtown at Cinemapolis. Website.
FLEFF 2026 Films and Events: A-to-M, N-to-Z

Enjoy fun, family-friendly activities, resources, food and music as we celebrate how together we are protecting our planet and communities. Learn about actionable climate solutions that are both possible and attainable. Explore sustainable ways to reduce waste, lower energy costs, grow and cook food, and more. Together, we can take action to create a livable and vibrant tomorrow! Learn more. Contact: Chris Skawskijun, family-friendly activities, resources, food, and music as we celebrate how together we are protecting our planet a
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Climate Reality Flagship US Training
May 1-2, 2026, Nashville, TN (20th Anniversary)

For 20 years, Climate Reality and former Vice President Al Gore have been training leaders from all walks of life to stand up and make a difference on climate. Now it’s your turn. Become part of the Climate Reality Leadership Corps by joining us in Nashville, TN this May for a special 20th anniversary Flagship US Training – a powerful next step for leaders ready to meet this moment. You see the climate changing. You’re ready to do something about it. Now, learn how. More information and application.

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HGCNY Homeowner Native Plant Garden Grant

Start your native garden—with a little seed money and support
Thinking about creating a native plant garden? Wild Ones HGCNY is offering Central NY homeowners up to $200 in “seed money” to help bring their garden plans to life - using plants and seeds from our Native Plant Shopping Guide.
Along with funding, each grant applicant can be paired with volunteer mentors - someone experienced in native gardening who can share advice and encouragement from planning through planting.
Eligibility: Homeowners in Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, Oswego, or Tompkins counties.
Deadline: Applications are due by March 31, 2026.
Note: A limited number of grants are available.
> Learn more, explore the Shopping Guide, and find out how to apply here:
https://hgcny.wildones.org/hgcny-homeowner-native-plant-garden-grant/
Let’s grow something beautiful together.

(shared by Finger Lakes Native Plant Society and Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners)

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This fall, the City of Ithaca is launching its Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) program! The program enables the city to bulk purchase energy on behalf of residents, prioritizing renewable energy sources and prices that “meet or beat” NYSEG. For most utility users, this is an opt-out program, meaning that you will be automatically enrolled.  
To learn more, come to a virtual informational meeting on Thursday, March 19th at 6PM. You can register for the zoom link here. The meeting will be hosted by Local Power LLC, the CCA program administrator for Ithaca. Curious to learn more ahead of the meeting? Check out the City’s new webpage explaining all you need to know about the CCA program. 

Immediately following the CCA meeting, there will be an informational session about its sister program, Own Your Power. The program is designed to help residents and businesses own and/or use local renewable energy projects. The possibilities are wide ranging—you could invest in a neighbor’s solar panels, cooperatively own a heat pump with your landlord, share an EV and charging station with friends across town, and more!  
This is a completely voluntary program available to all residents and businesses, including renters. The goal is to reduce project costs and create pathways for community-owned renewable projects.  
Have questions? Interested in learning more? Join us online at 7PM on Thursday, March 19th! You can register here to receive the zoom link. 
If you have any questions regarding either meeting, please reach out to Siobhan Hull, Sustainability Planner, at[email protected] 

For questions related to the T-GEN, CCA, and DER programs, please reach out directly to Local Power, the City’s Administrator, at [email protected]. 

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Amanda Lefton announced today that the 2026 I BIRD NY Challenge for birders of all ages and abilities will start on March 1. The challenge encourages New Yorkers and visitors to identify birds and learn about birdlife, and finishers are awarded a commemorative I BIRD NY Challenge patch and certificate—plus the opportunity to win birding-related prizes.

NYS Senate, 52nd District - Lea Webb

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NYS Assembly, 125th District - Dr. Anna R. Kelles
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A bill introduced by Assemblymember Anna Kelles aims to harness home batteries, electric vehicles, and other clean tech to meet reliability needs.

A NEW YORK STATE lawmaker wants to accelerate the state’s transition to a more flexible electric grid. 

Assemblymember Anna Kelles, of Ithaca, introduced legislation last week that would require the state’s major electric utilities to create “virtual power plants” — networks of home batteries, smart thermostats, electric vehicles, and other devices that companies can draw on to keep the lights on at peak times. It aims to rapidly scale up the programs by creating new incentives for customers to participate.

The idea behind the bill is gaining traction among energy experts as states contend with rising electricity demand and soaring energy bills, as New York Focus recently reported.

The legislation also tasks state energy regulators at the Public Service Commission, which would be in charge of overseeing the programs, with setting 10-year targets for their scale, calculated as a share of peak electricity demand. Utilities would be required to file detailed annual reports on their progress, and they’d earn rewards for meeting or exceeding the targets — or face penalties for falling short.

Kelles’s bill was crafted in collaboration with the New York chapter of the national advocacy group Citizens’ Climate Lobby. Leon Porter, co-leader of the state’s all-volunteer chapter, said virtual power plants “are one of the best ways” to fill an emerging gap in the state’s electricity supply as it moves away from fossil fuels.

Porter said the legislation was written to ruffle as few feathers as possible among utilities and regulators by building carefully on existing structures. 

“The utilities are not being punished by this program,” he said. “It shouldn’t be reducing their profits. It should just be adjusting what they’re motivated to do financially.”

At least one longtime utility insider is skeptical. Richard Miller, a former top lawyer for Con Edison, said the bill is an example of the legislature attempting to “micro-manage” regulators on a highly technical issue and could create double standards.

For example, he noted, power plants that currently get paid to remain on standby for demand peaks face penalties if they don’t deliver the power they promised. By contrast, Kelles’s bill stipulates that utilities can’t penalize customers for failing to deliver when called on, although they could eventually be disenrolled. 

“If you want to call yourself a virtual power plant, for the most part, you have to be willing to be subject to the same rules and regulations as a power plant,” Miller said.

More broadly, Miller said, the state’s Public Service Commission and other agencies have already gone a long way in promoting flexible grid solutions, and the new bill could throw off the balance.

Kelles said that if those efforts had been working as intended, utilities wouldn’t be getting such large rate increases year after year to build new infrastructure. One of the main goals of virtual power plants is to reduce the need for costly grid upgrades.

Her bill draws on model legislation drafted by the national group Solar United Neighbors, which advocates for wider adoption of rooftop solar and batteries. Virginia and Illinois passed similar legislation last year; Pennsylvania, Michigan, and West Virginia have their own versions pending.

Shannon Anderson, virtual power plant policy director at Solar United Neighbors, said the New York bill was tailored to build on the state’s ongoing efforts — and accelerate them. 

“We know that these resources are available, they’re ready to go,” she said. “They just need to be enabled through legislation like this.”

Kelles’s bill does not yet have a Senate sponsor, but she said it should soon. She is optimistic that, given the current attention to energy affordability, it could pass this year.

“I think that we need to have a hard look at how we regulate and manage our energy system and utility system as a whole,” she said. “But in the meantime, this is something that could be put in place relatively quickly. [We’re] building out on a scaffolding that already exists.”

The Guardian | by Ajit Niranjan | March 6, 2026 

Researchers identify sharp rise to about 0.35C every decade, after excluding natural fluctuations such as El Niño

Humanity is heating the planet faster than ever before, a study has found.

Climate breakdown is occurring more rapidly with the heating rate almost doubling, according to research that excludes the effect of natural factors behind the latest scorching temperatures.

It found global heating accelerated from a steady rate of less than 0.2C per decade between 1970 and 2015 to about 0.35C per decade over the past 10 years. The rate is higher than scientists have seen since they started systematically taking the Earth’s temperature in 1880.

“If the warming rate of the past 10 years continues, it would lead to a long-term exceedance of the 1.5C (2.7F) limit of the Paris agreement before 2030,” said Stefan Rahmstorf, a scientist at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and co-author of the study.

Extreme heat in recent years has been pushed higher by natural fluctuations – such as solar cycles, volcanic eruptions, and the weather pattern El Niño – that have led scientists to question whether startling temperature readings are outliers or the result of an increase in global heating.

The researchers applied a noise-reduction method to filter out the estimated effect of nonhuman factors in five major datasets that scientists have compiled to gauge the Earth’s temperature. In each of them, they found an acceleration in global heating emerged in 2013 or 2014.

“There is now pretty widespread – if not quite universal – agreement that there has been a detectable acceleration in warming in recent years,” said Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at Berkeley Earth, who was not involved in the study. “However, it remains unclear how much of the additional warming over the past decade in particular is a forced response versus unforced variability.”

The blanket of carbon pollution smothering the Earth has heated the planet by about 1.4C since preindustrial levels, compounded by a recent drop in cooling sulphur pollutants that had provided temporary relief. A studyHausfather co-authored last year also found climate breakdown has speeded up, but had the rate slightly slower than the new study, at 0.27C a decade.

“Either way, this represents a significant increase in the rate of warming,” said Hausfather. “[This] should be worrying as the world hurtles toward crossing 1.5C later this decade.”

The researchers said the acceleration fell within the scope of climate models. Based on temperatures from one of the datasets analysed, supplied by the EU’s Copernicus service, the world will cross the 1.5C threshold for long-term warming this year if the rate of warming does not slow. Analysis of the other four datasets showed a breach in 2028 or 2029.

Claudie Beaulieu, a climate scientist at the University of California Santa Cruz, said the findings imply that the window for limiting warming even to 2C above preindustrial levels would “narrow substantially” if faster warming persists.

“An important caveat, however, is that the acceleration may prove temporary,” said Beaulieu, who has published on the topic but was not involved in the new study. She added that the strong El Niño of 1998 also produced a period of apparent anomalous warming.

“The relative slowdown that followed was interpreted as evidence of a pause in global warming,” she said. “Continued monitoring over the next several years will be essential to determine whether the accelerated warming rate identified here represents a lasting shift or a transient feature of natural variability.”

Climate scientists suspect global heating of 1.5C-2C may be enough to trigger near-apocalyptic “tipping points” that play out over decades and centuries, with the chances of catastrophe increasing at higher levels of warming. They are more confident about the damage climate breakdown will do in the short-term, such as making heatwaves hotter and allowing storms to unleash more rain.

The past three years have been the hottest three-year period on record, the World Meteorological Organization confirmed in January. Scientists have continued to log record-breaking levels of planet-heating pollution while raising fears that the planet’s carbon sinks – natural systems that remove CO₂from the atmosphere – may be starting to fail.

“How quickly the Earth continues to warm ultimately depends on how rapidly we reduce global CO₂ emissions from fossil fuels to zero,” said Rahmstorf.

The Cayuga Lake Watershed Internship Program (WIP) is a collaboration of local watershed-based organizations offering internship opportunities for young adults. It gives interns insight into working in the fields of watershed protection, management, access, and education from a variety of perspectives. Interns are hosted by partner organizations in line with their interests and skills, where they are paid to work on program-specific projects. They also participate in weekly activities that enhance and enrich their collective learning experiences. Eligible participants are age 18-25 who are interested in exploring the concept of a 'sustainable watershed', in increasing their professional skills, and/or enhancing their college experience. 

The program runs from early June to mid-August, and the application period is now open. The early deadline to apply is March 9th.

More information and the application form can be found here: https://discovercayugalake.org/watershed-internship/
Questions can be directed to Astrid Jirka at [email protected]

Job postings

This training is designed to support individuals entering the green jobs economy - no prior training is necessary!

Earn up to $2,500 while you complete an Environmental Literacy Pre-Apprenticeship and earn key industry certifications such as OSHA 10, Building Science Principles certification, and Boot Camp for Weatherization Installers. Following the 12 weeks, interested trainees may be able to pursue advanced industry certifications (e.g. heat pump installation) at no cost.

Training takes place in the City of Ithaca from 8:30 am - 12:30 pm, Monday - Friday. Applications are now open and will be accepted until March 13. Applicants will be interviewed on a rolling basis. Spaces are limited, so apply now! 

To learn more about the Energy Warriors program, visit www.energy-warriors.org. If you need support with transportation or childcare to attend this training, please reach out to us at [email protected].

Energy Warriors Spring 2026 Training Outline

Norma Gutierrez (she/her)

Communications Coordinator, Energy & Climate Change Team

Cornell Cooperative Extension Tompkins County

615 Willow Ave. Ithaca, NY 14850  |  ccetompkins.org

(607) 272.2292 Ext. 162  |  [email protected] 

Sustainable Finger Lakes is seeking its next leader for our 22 year-old nonprofit based in Ithaca, NY in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region. We are looking for a motivated and responsible sustainability leader ready to commit to supporting the regional movement and build upon our legacy of education, engagement, and direct action toward a more resilient and just shared future. We foresee a one-year ‘apprenticeship’ as Deputy Director that can evolve into taking over as Executive Director from our founder. 

The Deputy Director will provide leadership to the organization in the areas of fundraising, outreach and marketing, financial management, recordkeeping, administration and office management. In this role, the deputy director will work collaboratively with the President/CEO and any staff, contractors, and board members connected to these work areas. 

Outreach & Marketing (40%)
Provide leadership in sharing our stories and vision for the regional sustainability movement by creating, organizing, and deploying outreach and marketing materials, including:
- Publicize the activities, programs, and goals of the organization.
- Develop content for social media and listserv presence and maintain regular postings on our programs, events, and movement news.
- Develop materials for tabling at events (posters, brochures, displays).
- Maintain and update our websites and apps.
- Create new outreach materials for fundraising and new campaigns.
- Seek out new venues to promote our programs in regional media.
- Compose quarterly newsletters for the Climate Fund, MiniGrants, and general audience.
- Compose and distribute press releases for programs and campaigns.
- Coordinate publicity with program managers and the President.
- Supervise interns, and promote active and broad participation of volunteers.
- Establish sound working relationships and cooperative arrangements with community groups and organizations.

Development & Fundraising (50%)
Working closely with the President, the Board of Directors, and the rest of the SFLX team, develop and execute fundraising strategies and activities, including:
- Research and cultivate prospective corporate sponsors to support the Neighborhood Mini-Grant and Finger Lakes Climate Fund Programs.
- Build relationships with prospective donors to support General Operations and new initiatives.
- Supervise our LGL donor database and Quickbooks for accurate tracking of donations and thanking of donors.
- Apply for local and regional grants: research feasibility of matching funders’ mission with SFLX’s; write, assemble and submit the applications as well as required supporting documents.  
- Host SFLX Fundraising Committee meetings, organize and execute the Annual Appeal.
- Organize fundraising events, online campaigns and major donor gatherings.
- Oversee “Donate” section on the web site; provide up-to-date text to solicit donations.

Office Management (10%)
In coordination with the President, office assistant, and bookkeeper, manage financial and organizational needs, including:
- Work with the President to develop annual and grant program budgets.
- Over-see office upkeep, equipment, supplies, and relations with landlady.
- Supervise biweekly timesheets for payroll.
 - Inform the bookkeeper of bills to be paid.

Position Requirements:
The successful candidate for this position will have proven skills in communications and fundraising, as well as:
- 5 or more years in nonprofit management in leadership roles.
- Exceptional communication and relationship-building skills.
- Proven project management skills and familiarity with online tools.
- Familiarity with WordPress, Canva, and other marketing platforms.
- Portfolio of previous marketing campaign materials.
- Proven and measured track record securing donor or sponsor funds.
- History of leadership in the sustainability arena.

Compensation:
The deputy director position is a fulltime position with a salary range of $68,000-$73,000 depending on experience. Fringe benefits include health and retirement benefits, paid sick leave, three weeks paid vacation, and 11 paid holidays.

Please submit a cover letter and resume to Dr. Gay Nicholson ([email protected]) by April 15.

Finger Lakes Reuse - ReSET Tech now accepting applications for March 2026.

ReSET Technology is designed to jumpstart you on your career path into the growing and lucrative IT field. The program consists of an unpaid 10-week entry level program, 16 hours per week, with scholarships available based on financial need. Those who successfully complete the 10 week training are invited to apply for a competitive 15-week full time paid apprenticeship. Training is offered repeatedly throughout the year. ReSET collaborates with Cornell Cooperative Extension’s Energy Warriors & Roots of Success program to connect interested participants to green career paths.

Tompkins County: Tompkins Workforce NY Career Center Tompkins County: Tompkins Workforce NY Career Center

DEC Environmental Notice Bulletins for NYS can be found here. 

2/25/2026 - Village of Spencer - Spencer Pits #1 and #2 MLR Permit Modification

New York State discharge alerts can be found here.

Nothing currently in our area.