WHITE DEATH RETURNS

Every winter state and local
government dump tons of road salt
on streets and highways.

Shopping centers also apply
tons of road salt to parking lots.

Schools , health care providers do
the same.

Homeowners and small businesses
participate in this practice as well.

Today I took a walk around the
neighborhood. Evidence of
excessive road salt deposition and
it's adverse effects were everywhere.
The air was stale and heavy with
airborne salt.

When is the public going to say
Enough?

This annual dumping of excessive
amounts of salt is:

* destroying roads, sidewalks, parking
lots, bridges and every aspect of our
transportation infrastructure

* killing urban street trees

* polluting groundwaters and surface
waters

* destroying our expensive vehicles

* adding to air pollution, damaging
our homes, public buildings, monuments
and more

* contributing to health problems
including lung and respiratory ailments
high blood pressure, and more

State , local governments , schools
complain that they are broke.

Road salt is big business and costly
in more ways than most realize.

Search this blog for similar entries
every year.

When will you say enough?

                             Joe Sullivan

THE WOLF MOON

The moon is full tonight.

The midwinter January
full moon is known as
the Wolf Moon.

Listen and you may hear
the howls of hungry wolves
in the cold, snowy landscape
beneath the bright light of
the moon.


                    Joe Sullivan

YOU ARE INVITED

Residents of the Buckingham Pond
Crestwood Neighborhood Association
particularly new homeoners, are invited
to participate in various activities of
our neighborhood association.

BPCNA boundaries are: Western Ave
(N), Rte 85 and NYS Thruway (W) and
(S), South Manning Blvd (E)

Here are some ways in which you
may participate:

1. Neighborhood Watch/Security

2. Street Tree/Shrub Evaluation/
    Care/Planting

3. Traffic/Pedestrian Safety

4. Preparation of a Woodland Mgt
    Plan for Buckingham Pond Park

5. Planting vegetables, berries and
    fruit trees and composting in your
    yard.

6. Emergency/Disaster preparation
    by households, churches, synagogues
    schools, healthcare providers and
    businesses in the neighborhood.

7. Preparation of plan for the Daniel
    P O'Connell Pocket Park, corner
    of Whitehall Rd at New Scotland
    Ave. To include a rolling berm
    tree and shrub plantings, benches
    a flag pole and granite marker.

8. Preparation of  a neighborhood
    green space plan for the 10 acre
    5 acre and 7 acre parcels bordered
    by Crescent Dr , Krum Kill Rd
    and  NYSTW/Rte 85.

Contact me if you wish to become
involved in any of the above activities.

                                  Joe Sullivan

 STREET TREES

Can you imagine residential
neighborhoods devoid of
street trees?

We are on the verge of this
happening.

Street trees in urban places
like Albany, have shorter life
spans because of a number of
factors, including: sidewalk
and curb repacements which
damage tree roots, vehicle
emissions, excessive amounts
of road salt applied to city streets
and sidewalks, being struck by
vehicles and lack of proper
care by adjacent homeowners.

Trees beautify our properties
and neighborhood, adding to
property values. Trees combat
growing air pollution from
increased numbers of vehicles.
Trees absorb carbon dioxide
and emit oxygen. Trees provide
shade in summer and serve as
windbreaks in winter. They
provide a measure of safety
protecting pedestrians from
speeding vehicles on many
neighborhood streets which
have become major commuter
routeways.

Take a good look at the street
trees in front of your property
and along the street where you
live. Talk with your neighbors
about the condition of street
trees.

Do you have one or more
street trees in front of you
home? What kind? What
condition are they in? Do
they need pruning? Do you
fertilize and water them?
Do they have visible damage
resulting from being hit by
vehicles?  Are they young
healthy trees or  old, with
rotting branches and nearing
the end of their lifespan?
Are all the trees the same
species?

Maybe, you have no street
trees at all?

Consider planting young
street trees to fill empty
spaces,  to establish them
before nearby older trees
are in declining health and
likely to be removed in the
near future.

Select trees that are urban
hardy. Check with utility
companies regarding location
of buried gas, water, sewer
and telephone lines before
you dig. Do not plant large
trees where overhead wires
exist.

Where to obtain trees? When
and how to plant?

Albany County and neighboring
County Soil and Water Conservation
districts have tree/shrub sales each
Spring. Young stock can be obtained
at a reasonable price in quantities of
5 or 10 which can be shared among
neighbors and friends.

The City of Albany has a street tree
planting program where homeowners
pay a nominal fee for larger young
trees, which are planted by the City.
Homeowners are responsible for
watering and caring for these trees.

Trees can also be obtained from
nurseries and garden centers.

Trees planted on front lawns
survive better and longer than
street trees planted on curb
islands, for aforementioned
reasons.

Buckingham Pond Park is
in need of a woodland management
plan to remove vines, prune or
remove trees that pose a hazard
to joggers, walkers and their pets
to plant a variety of suitable trees
and shrubs to replace aging trees
and to provide habitat for wildlife.

So, all residents of the Buckingham
Pond/Crestwood Neighborhood can
do their part to improve the quality
of life here, by evaluating the
condition of street trees, notifying
the City of Albany of trees in need
of pruning/care/removal of trees and
participating in  selecting and planting
the next generation of street trees in
our neighborhood.

Get to it. Thank you.

                                 Joe Sullivan

Look at other neighborhood open
spaces that may require trees care
or removal, or planting of trees
and shrubs.

Greenway,  New Scotland Avenue
at S. Manning, Krum Kill and
Whitehall Road.

DO NOT ABUSE
THE PRIVILEGE.
DON'T POOP ON US!

A lovely day at Albany Muni
Golf Course.

It is a privilege to be able to
enjoy the outdoors at Albany
Muni with our canine pals
and other responsible dog
owners.

Paddy and Mick had a grand
time playing in the snow with
other canine pals.

Children and parents enjoyed
sledding down hills nearby.

Met lots of responsible dog
owners.

One thing we all deplored
was the unusually large number
and amounts of dog droppings
particularly along the path from
the first tee to hole.

Irresponsible dog owners who
do not pick up after their dogs
will ruin it for  responsible dog
owners and their pets.

Keep it up and the dog police
will appear. Check points will
be set up to confirm that dogs
have up to date rabies shots
and are duly licensed residents
of the City.

Hefty 250 dollar fines will be
levied against offending humans.

There will be calls for more dog
control laws. Just as with the calls
for more gun control laws are now
in vogue.

Various breeds will be barred from
the course. Dog owners will be
limited to one pet.

A central registry will be set up.
Names of dog owners, and their
pets entered. Photo ID's required.

The Albany Muni golf course
will be designated a pet/poop free
zone.


Instead of dealing with offenders
in both cases, law abiding, responsible
dog (and gun owners) are penalized.

If the abuse continues, do not be
suprised if the privilege we all
now enjoy is revoked by the City.

The coyotes, coy dogs and other
wildlife that inhabit the golf course
will not continue to roam about, not
obeying any of the laws/restrictions.

So, offending humans - clean up
your act and pick up after your
dogs. Do not litter the landscape
with plastic bags. Deposit them in
the waste cans set out around the
driving range/parking lot area and
at various locations elsewhere on
the course.

Responsible dog owners and
golf course workers will keep
a sharp eye out for offenders.

The punishment  for abuse of
privilege will be loss of that
privilege - by offenders. Not
the rest of us!

Perhaps, public service sentences
picking up poop for a week or two.

                      Joe Sullivan
                      on behalf of all
                      dog patriots.

2013

2012 is now history.

Today is the first day of
a new year and the rest
of our lives.

Do your best to help make
our neighborhood and city
a better place.

                 Joe Sullivan