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NEXT MEETING: Monday, July 13, 7:30 pm @ Tarrytown Village Hall
We need you! The Tarrytown Environmental Advisory Council (TEAC) relies on volunteers to keep things moving. We're a fun and engaging group of like-minded folks working to make Tarrytown's air, land, and water healthier and cleaner. Joining is EASY: just come to a meeting or email Tarrytownenviro@gmail.com.
Monthly meetings. Our meetings are open to the public! Join us the second Monday of the month (unless otherwise noted) at 7:30 pm at Village Hall, 1 Depot Plaza, Tarrytown. Or join via Zoom.
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Take The “Plastic Free July” Challenge
______________________ Rachel Tieger, Co-Chair TEAC
Every July, there is a global effort to reduce single-use plastics. The official Plastic Free July challenges everyone to eliminate one type of single-use plastic item from your life for the whole month. Examples include plastic straws, to-go coffee cups, yogurt containers, plastic water bottles, and more. You can create your own challenge by giving up one item the first week and adding an additional item every week for the month, so you end up eliminating four items, or any configuration you choose. Once the month is over, you may find that you can live without that/those particular item(s) or can find a suitable substitute with more sustainable packaging.
One year, I attempted to bring zero new plastic into my house, with absolutely no single-use plastic. It was shocking to realize how ubiquitous single-use plastic is in everyday life, and how difficult the task was. Just stop by any grocery store, drugstore, or department store, or even your own pantry, and look around. I adopted some permanent lifestyle changes that month, although there is still much room for improvement in my everyday choices.
Observations Most bread is packed in plastic bags Almost everything in the frozen section and snack aisle come in plastic bags Items like rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar are almost always sold in plastic bottles Some cereal and boxed pasta have an inner plastic pouch Tea bags are often individually wrapped Commercial doggie poop bags are single use Online orders typically have excessive, unnecessary inner packaging
Recommendations Shop the bulk bins at Whole Foods, Mom's Organic, or the Refill Room at Rivertown General, and bring reusable bags Dr. Bronner's Bars for dishes, general cleaning, and personal use Buy whole bread loaves at the farmers market in paper to slice at home Refill stations at Mom’s Organic and the Refill Room for shampoo, dish soap, and cleaning supplies Bring containers for leftovers at restaurants or for takeout Refuse utensils when getting takeout Travel with a utensil kit for meals on the run and picnics Reuse newspaper bags for dog poop bags, wet bathing suits, or shoes Shop local and avoid ordering online whenever possible Choose items with the most sustainable packaging
Ready to take the challenge? View this inspirational video along with other resources to get started. We recommend you engage a few friends, neighbors, colleagues, or family members to take the challenge with you, to help keep you motivated and make it more fun. Please email us at tarrytownenviro@org to share your experiences and helpful suggestions. Good luck! 👍 |
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| | Help Your Garden Beat the Heat
______________________ By Mai Mai Margules
 The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has confirmed that 2025 was one of the three warmest years on record, continuing the streak of extraordinary global temperatures. The past 11 years have been the 11 warmest on record, and ocean heating continues unabated.
It’s becoming clear that extreme temps and abnormally dry conditions are unfortunately becoming the new summer “normal” for our region. Just as we find ways to protect ourselves from extreme heat there are steps that we can take to help our gardens and wildlife survive these scorching times.
 1) Water for Wildlife All living things need water. Please put out shallow containers such as a large plant saucer or fill your birdbath for birds and small animals. Putting small rocks in a water dish allows pollinators to safely visit without drowning. Changing water every three to five days prevents mosquitos from breeding.
2) Watering Gardens and Trees Although native plants are highly adept at surviving drought, new plantings, perennials, shrubs, and trees need supplemental watering for one to two years in order for roots to become well established. The general rule is to water new plantings an inch a week. Test the soil; if the top inch is dry, water your plant deeply so that water reaches the roots. If you are using a sprinkler system this would translate to 30+ minutes per zone. In times of drought we water our established native gardens as needed if plants are showing signs of stress such as wilting. Water in the early morning or early evening so that moisture doesn’t evaporate in the intense sun.
3) Green Mulch / Plants Protect Plants Planting densely is a great way to help gardens survive drought. Dense plantings shade the soil and prevent it from drying out during heatwaves. This natural approach creates a healthy environment that keeps weeds at bay and provides habitat for beneficial insects and birds. For a newly planted garden apply 2” max of undyed mulch to help retain water until plants establish. Do not deeply mulch or mulch near plant stems, as this can cause rot and prevent water from reaching roots.
4) Create Shade Even full sun gardens benefit from a little shade on scorching summer days. Taller plants, shrubs, and trees can shield plants and help the soil retain moisture longer. Pokeweed, a much maligned native forb, has been an unexpected hero, functioning as a “sunbrella” in several of our native gardens. Planted by birds who enjoy its berries all winter, it has created a great “instant” canopy (grows 4 to 10 feet in one season, then dies back) for other perennials. Native shrubs such as winterberry, viburnums, and beach plums are now filling in to add height diversity and shade in the public gardens. Container plants should be moved to shaded areas to minimize watering in times of extreme heat. The smaller the pot the more frequently it will need to be watered.
5) Choose Drought Tolerant Plants Many natives have exceptionally deep roots that can withstand drought without supplemental watering once established. For full sun /part sun conditions some of our top drought tolerant perennials are: butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa), goldenrods, asters, echinacea, wild petunia, winecups (Callirhoe involucrata), native grasses such as little blue stem, switchgrass, prairie dropseed, liatris, and common milkweed (frisky). (Here is a good list of drought tolerant plants from Penn State.) For shady dry areas: white wood asters, wild columbine, Christmas fern, zig zag goldenrod, native sedges, and white snakeroot (aggressive) have survived without supplemental watering once established. |
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Volts, Solar and Other Stuff
______________________ By Dean Gallea, Energy and Conservation Committee
Mysteries explained: It’s amazing to me how little some people understand basic physics, and electricity in particular. It’s just not taught in the standard school curriculum except as an elective, as if it’s something that will benefit only a few people. A basic understanding of things like the simple interrelationship of potential (volts), current (amps), power (watts) and resistance (ohms) goes a long way.
There are intuitive analogies in water flow through a hose for each of those electrical concepts: volts ⇔ pressure (pounds per square inch), amps ⇔ flow speed (feet per second), watts ⇔ volume rate (gallons per minute), and ohms ⇔ flow restriction (orifice size). Energy (kWh) is then the total gallons of water transferred. 
Credit: Ahmad Khan, Quanta Technology - Dec 2025
There are many simple online “lessons” to help one understand how electricity works. Here’s one that’s very visual, which is a good way to start. If you’d like some more in-depth, informative discussions on topics I wish everyone knew more about—like the power grid, renewable energy, and HVAC—check out this guide from Volts.wtf.
Data center controversies: Consumer Reports (my old job) has this great visually-interactive explainer as to why there is such societal discord regarding the proliferation of new data centers, mostly serving the rapid increase in the use of artificial intelligence by both businesses and consumers.
Too funny not to share: At Cortlandt Town’s recent Repair Cafe, I was challenged with repairing a “Woody” doll with a broken pull-ring voice box, which I was able to accomplish by reattaching a broken coil spring. While I was working, someone was reminded of a nearly-identical scene in the movie “Toy Story 2,” and snapped my photo. I had forgotten the scene entirely, but was amazed when I compared them: Both older, balding guys wearing lighted magnifier goggles intently working on Woody next to an open toolbox. Fun! I’ll be at the next local Repair Cafe in Irvington on July 25th, 11-3, at the Eileen Fisher offices, 2 Bridge St.
More on “Balcony Solar”: Back in the May 2024 issue of this Newsletter, we covered a new non-carbon electricity idea that was popping up legally in Europe, dubbed “balcony solar,” aimed at homes where rooftop solar is impractical. They are small solar-panel systems that fit wherever you have sunny space and simply plug into any nearby electric outlet. A balcony solar system offsets your electric usage to the extent of around 1000 watts, an amount that can make a big dent in your utility bill. We concluded, “While you can get the components for a balcony-solar system by mail-order, they’re not sold as a system in the U.S., largely because of our archaic safety regulations, and reluctance of utilities to allow such ad-hoc power generators.” Well, some U.S. states are now okaying balcony solar, including New York, where a bill has passed both legislative houses and awaits Gov. Hochul’s signature, which we expect any day now. The provisions will do away with the usual permitting and utility-approval requirements, for plug-in systems of 1,200 watts or less.
Anticipating that, I am experimenting with a home-brew, two-panel balcony solar system using off-the-shelf mail-order components with monitoring through a phone app. Once the law is signed, I’ll share my experience and give some ideas on how you can obtain and set up your own. There is also likely to be a rush of pre-packaged systems for sale at big-box and department stores.
Solar to the rescue - slowly: Of the $14.3 billion the federal government earmarked for the reconstruction of Puerto Rico’s grid, 75% of the funding remains unspent [according to a GAO report]… One bright spot for Puerto Ricans has been the success of residential solar panels batteries in supplying power during frequent outages. But the report notes that the U.S. Energy Department canceled up to $350 million in grants for installing solar panels on the homes of disabled and low-income Puerto Ricans. - Heatmap.news
Conservation history: From Heather Cox Richardson’s collection of short video clips on America’s 250th, this one is on the Civilian Conservation Corps - narrated by Harrison Ford. The beautiful trail along the Hudson north from Nyack is one example of the Corps’ great work.
Regulatory news: On Thursday, the Dept of Energy proposed a new rule that will weaken money-saving standards for appliances nationwide. “While the agency portrayed the move as bringing an end to appliance standards writ large, that is not, in fact, what it is doing,” Heatmap’s Emily Pontecorvo wrote last week. [According to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy] the proposal would… make it much more difficult to make any changes at all… require the Energy Department to show deference to industry-established standards, and force regulators to carry out extra analyses and rulemaking processes before enacting new rules. - 7/6/26 Heatmap News |
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Heat, Hot Water, and Healthy Bass
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By David Gutschmit, TEAC member
 Despite the recent heat and discoloration of the water, the Tarrytown Lakes continue to produce good bass, crappie, and bluegill. However, higher water temperatures and detritus from decaying aquatic plants can deplete oxygen levels and stress the fish populations. Tarrytown fishermen should take extra care when landing and releasing their catch in order to reduce mortality rates:
Reduce fighting time: Use heavier gear than usual to land your fish more quickly to avoid exhausting them. Handle the fish as little as possible: Use a net to land your fish; avoid contact with the gill area. Minimize time out of water: Using needle-nose pliers, remove hooks as quickly as possible. The goal is to get the fish back in the water within 30 seconds. Save the selfies for cooler weather. Fish in the morning and evening: cooler times of day are better for you and the fish.
And remember to remove used fishing gear from your fishing site. Discarded fishing line, hooks, and lures are a hazard to fish and other wildlife around the lakes.
David Gutschmit is an avid Tarrytown Lakes fisherman. Are you a Tarrytown fishing permit holder interested in swapping fish stories or concerns? Reach out to David at dvdag@icloud.com. |
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Local Leaf Blower Regs: An Update
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By Dean Gallea, TEAC Co-Chair
Our neighbor Sleepy Hollow’s board of trustees approved new gas-powered leaf blower (GPLB) regulations in June. Following a phase-in period, the village will fully ban GPLBs as of January of 2029. Here’s the breakdown: 2026: Gas-powered leaf blowers or internal combustion leaf blowers are permitted only after Labor Day through January 1, 2027, between 8am and 5pm, Monday through Friday (they are banned on weekends).
2027-2028: GPLB use will only be permitted November 1 through December 21. Properties of 90+ acres held in common ownership for common purpose may not use a GPLB within 100 feet of any residential property line (still banned on weekends).
TEAC proposed updates to Tarrytown’s GPLB regulations in May, and the trustees are looking at Sleepy Hollow’s initiative, but so far leaving the current seasonal ban and other provisions in place. We’ll report any new regulatory ordinances. Westchester County has decided not to create a county-wide regulation for GPLB use, deferring to individual municipalities. Some landscapers have already switched to electric blowers to be in compliance with the village of Irvington, which, like several other communities in the county, has a full GPLB ban. This trend benefits villages that don’t yet have their own bans. |
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Save the Dates: Upcoming TEAC Events
Every Saturday 8:30am-1:30pm through Thanksgiving weekend: Shop Local at The TaSH
Saturday September 19, 10am-1pm: TEAC Eco Fair @ The TaSH Farmers Market in Patriots Park. (Rain date Sept 26, 10am-1pm) Sunday September 20, 8am-11am: “Kayak to Nyack and Back” - Group paddle across the Hudson, from Tarrytown to Nyack (Rain date Sept 27th 8am-11am) |
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VOLUNTEER WITH TEAC
GET INVOLVED
______________________  TEAC offers lots of ways for you to join our projects and events, for fun, for a sense of accomplishment being an environmental steward, or for community service credit. Click HERE to learn more! And read about our Committees below.
Community Outreach
Year-round event planning to engage the community and help our neighbors reduce their carbon footprint. Head: Jenny O'Connor.
Tarrytown Lakes Committee
Trails, water quality, recreation, and plant and animal life of the Tarrytown Lakes Park area, including Wilson Park, plus "Vine Squad" initiative to control invasive vines to preserve native trees in the area. Head: Catherine Ruhland.
TEAC Landscaping Committee
Planting and maintaining public pollinator gardens through the Village to create pollinator habitats, educate the community, and beautify our public spaces. Head: Mai Mai Margules.
Zero Waste Committee
Advises and assists the Village on waste reduction and recycling, including "Waste Warriors" initiative at the TaSH farmer's market, food scraps recycling, swaps, and repair cafes. Heads: Catherine Ruhland, Rachel Tieger.
Energy and Conservation Committee
Advises on best practices to reduce energy use and losses in municipal and residential buildings, including renewable energy and electrification initiatives. Head: Dean Gallea.
Council Members
Rachel Tieger, Co-Chair
Dean Gallea, Co-Chair
Suzy Allman
Kerstin Erdbrink
David Gutschmit
Mai Mai Margules
Jenny O'Connor
Catherine Ruhland
Rohit Sareen
Effie Phillips-Staley, Trustee Liaison |
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NEWS OF THE MONTH FROM THE TARRYTOWN ENVIRONMENTAL ADVISORY COUNCIL |
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