Hudson Mohawk Magazine

The pandemic brought an increase in violence and there have already been two teenage fatal shootings in Troy in 2022.

In 2021 DJ Hollyw8d put together a non profit event called More Music Less Violence in hopes of sending a message to the area.

MoreMusicLess Violence featured artist from around the Capital Region and gave them a chance to showcase their music.

HMM Correspondent Dulcinia Diggs sat down with Aarion and Lifnaiyah two artist who have voiced how violence has effected them.

To learn more about this event contact DJ Hollyw8d on Instagram @moremusiclessviolence.

The pandemic brought an increase in violence and there have already been two teenage fatal shootings in Troy in 2022.

In 2021 DJ Hollyw8d put together a non profit event called More Music Less Violence in hopes of sending a message to the area.

MoreMusicLess Violence featured artist from around the Capital Region and gave them a chance to showcase their music.

HMM Correspondent Dulcinia Diggs sat down with Aarion and Lifnaiyah two artist who have voiced how violence has effected them.

To learn more about this event contact DJ Hollyw8d on Instagram @moremusiclessviolence.

Bottle bills, aka beverage container deposits, are the gold standard for recycling plastic, aluminum, and glass single-use containers, and for reducing plastic pollution from bottles. New York has had a $0.05 container deposit law since 1982. Now, a new bill introduced by NYS Assemblymember Cahill would raise that deposit to $0.10 and expand the NYS bottle bill to include more types of containers, such as wine and kombucha bottles. (NY State Assembly Bill A8668 - nysenate.gov)

Bottle Bills have been around for 40 years - yet only 10 states have them on the books. Michigan's $0.10 rate sees an average return of over 90% on containers with a deposit, tied with Oregon for the highest in the US. To reduce plastic pollution, policy groups like the Conservation Law Foundation say the US needs a strong federal bottle bill that prioritizes reuse and refill.

Each year, the beverage industry pumps more than 100 billion plastic bottles into the US market. Yet, the reason more states don't have bottle bills - and also why there is no national bottle bill - is industry interference from companies like Coke, Pepsi, Unilever, and Nestle, who are both the world's biggest beverage producers and biggest plastic polluters.

Conservation Law Foundation recently released a report called “The Big Beverage Playbook for avoiding responsibility,” detailing how the beverage industry has undermined bottle bills. For more, Plastic PSA host Alexis Goldsmith is joined by Kirstie Pecci, director of the Zero Waste Project at CLF.

For more information, visit: https://www.clf.org

Kirstie Pecci is the director of the Zero Waste Project at Conservation Law Foundation. Kirstie is actively engaged in the adoption of Zero Waste programs, like composting and deposit return systems, waste reduction efforts, and opposing the expansion of landfill and incinerator capacity throughout New England. Previously, she was a MASSPIRG Staff Attorney. She started her legal career as an associate in Nixon Peabody’s Real Estate/Environmental Practice Group. A graduate of Tantasqua Regional High School, Harvard University, and Boston College Law School, she lives with her family in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

Photograph: Daniel Msirikale/Tearfund

Bottle bills, aka beverage container deposits, are the gold standard for recycling plastic, aluminum, and glass single-use containers, and for reducing plastic pollution from bottles. New York has had a $0.05 container deposit law since 1982. Now, a new bill introduced by NYS Assemblymember Cahill would raise that deposit to $0.10 and expand the NYS bottle bill to include more types of containers, such as wine and kombucha bottles. (NY State Assembly Bill A8668 - nysenate.gov)

Bottle Bills have been around for 40 years - yet only 10 states have them on the books. Michigan's $0.10 rate sees an average return of over 90% on containers with a deposit, tied with Oregon for the highest in the US. To reduce plastic pollution, policy groups like the Conservation Law Foundation say the US needs a strong federal bottle bill that prioritizes reuse and refill.

Each year, the beverage industry pumps more than 100 billion plastic bottles into the US market. Yet, the reason more states don't have bottle bills - and also why there is no national bottle bill - is industry interference from companies like Coke, Pepsi, Unilever, and Nestle, who are both the world's biggest beverage producers and biggest plastic polluters.

Conservation Law Foundation recently released a report called “The Big Beverage Playbook for avoiding responsibility,” detailing how the beverage industry has undermined bottle bills. For more, Plastic PSA host Alexis Goldsmith is joined by Kirstie Pecci, director of the Zero Waste Project at CLF.

For more information, visit: https://www.clf.org

Kirstie Pecci is the director of the Zero Waste Project at Conservation Law Foundation. Kirstie is actively engaged in the adoption of Zero Waste programs, like composting and deposit return systems, waste reduction efforts, and opposing the expansion of landfill and incinerator capacity throughout New England. Previously, she was a MASSPIRG Staff Attorney. She started her legal career as an associate in Nixon Peabody’s Real Estate/Environmental Practice Group. A graduate of Tantasqua Regional High School, Harvard University, and Boston College Law School, she lives with her family in Sturbridge, Massachusetts.

Photograph: Daniel Msirikale/Tearfund

The City of Albany's Good Neighbor School, an educational program for Albany tenants and landlords, is offering two webinars this week. Aileen Javier spoke with Danni Smith, the Housing Services Advocate for the City of Albany, about upcoming webinars: Tenants' Rights on February 22, and Legal Processes & Protections for Tenants on February 24. Both webinars are virtual and at 5:30 pm.

To register: www.albanyny.gov/1942/Good-Neighbor-School

Or contact Danni Smith at: [email protected]

Interview by Aileen Javier

The City of Albany's Good Neighbor School, an educational program for Albany tenants and landlords, is offering two webinars this week. Aileen Javier spoke with Danni Smith, the Housing Services Advocate for the City of Albany, about upcoming webinars: Tenants' Rights on February 22, and Legal Processes & Protections for Tenants on February 24. Both webinars are virtual and at 5:30 pm.

To register: www.albanyny.gov/1942/Good-Neighbor-School

Or contact Danni Smith at: [email protected]

Interview by Aileen Javier

PFOAs were first identified in the water at the middle school in Poestenkill and several nearby residential wells in January of 2021. The source has yet to be identified. Concerned Citizens for Clean Drinking Water (cccdw.org) is hosting a meeting via Zoom from 7 to 8 pm on Thursday, February 24 to provide an update. Poestenkill Town Councilmember Eric Wohlleber provides an update to Mark Dunlea for the Hudson Mohawk Radio Network.

PFOAs were first identified in the water at the middle school in Poestenkill and several nearby residential wells in January of 2021. The source has yet to be identified. Concerned Citizens for Clean Drinking Water (cccdw.org) is hosting a meeting via Zoom from 7 to 8 pm on Thursday, February 24 to provide an update. Poestenkill Town Councilmember Eric Wohlleber provides an update to Mark Dunlea for the Hudson Mohawk Radio Network.

On March 8, the climate coalition and NY Renews are holding a major rally at the State Capitol. Victor Davila, a community organizer with The Point CDC in the Bronx, talks with Mark Dunlea of the Hudson Mohawk Radio Network about the call for $15 billion in climate funding.

On March 8, the climate coalition and NY Renews are holding a major rally at the State Capitol. Victor Davila, a community organizer with The Point CDC in the Bronx, talks with Mark Dunlea of the Hudson Mohawk Radio Network about the call for $15 billion in climate funding.