February 24, 2008 – BROOKLYN – Rising sea levels. Melting ice caps. Searing droughts. Extreme weather. The truth is inconvenient. Our earth hangs in the balance. But there’s no time for despair – we can reverse the trends of global warming, but the time to act is now. On March 6th, the Park Slope Civic Council will present PlanPS2008: How You Can Start Fighting Climate Change Today, a community forum on sustainability that will bring together several experts who present practical strategies for fighting climate change. While New York City has set important long-term goals for reducing emissions, the forum will arm Park Slope residents with the information they need to start making positive change today.

Headlining the forum will be Rohit Aggarwala, director of New York City’s Office of Longterm Planning and Sustainability, and principal architect of PlaNYC, a roadmap for ensuring a sustainable future and higher quality of life, as well as a 30% reduction in global-warming emissions by the year 2030. Anthony Pereira, President and CEO of altPower, Inc., New York City’s leading installer of solar-electric systems, will discuss the benefits of solar energy, and give tips on how to get started on a home installation. And Elizabeth Royte, Park Slope resident and author of Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash, will speak about ways to reduce what we consume, and to re-use and recycle what we can’t. An expert on green roofs is also expected to take part in the panel discussion.

“Many people want to take steps to green their lives, but they’re afraid that the task is too daunting,” said Ken Freeman, President of the Park Slope Civic Council. “Our forum will provide many simple strategies that will collectively have a major impact, and will also give people who want to take bigger steps – like installing solar panels or a green roof – the information they need to get started.”

About the Park Slope Civic Council
The Park Slope Civic Council is a publicly supported, tax-exempt organization comprised of community volunteers who serve as Trustees for the general membership of approximately 700 families. Organized as the South Brooklyn Board of Trade in 1896, the Council is one of the oldest civic associations in Brooklyn. The Civic Council’s mission is to identify and address quality-of-life issues; create and support projects geared to improving and protecting the neighborhood; and assist in the funding of local non-profit organizations.

About the Panelists
Rohit T. Aggarwala is Director of New York City’s Office of Long-term Planning and Sustainability. Dr. Aggarwala’s office is charged with creating a long-term sustainability plan to ensure New York City’s continued prosperity, growth, and health for the year 2030. A native of New York City, Dr. Aggarwala holds a BA, MBA, and PhD from Columbia University, as well as an MA from Queen’s College in Ontario. Prior to joining the City, he was a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where his practice focused on transportation and telecommunications clients. During the Clinton Administration, Dr. Aggarwala worked at the Federal Railroad Administration, and currently chairs a subcommittee at the Transportation Research Board, which is part of the National Academy of Science. He is the author of several articles on transportation policy and on the history of New York City.

Anthony Pereira, President & CEO of altPOWER, Inc., a Manhattan-based Renewable Energy Integrator, has a B.A. in economics, and has worked in construction since his early teens and for the past 13 years on renewable energy projects in the NYC Metro area with leading architectural, engineering and construction management firms. A current board member and past president (2001-2005) of the NY Solar Energy Industries Association, he is also on the Board of the New York Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Elizabeth Royte is the author of Garbage Land: On the Secret Trail of Trash and The Tapir's Morning Bath: Solving the Mysteries of the Tropical Rain Forest, both New York Times Notable Books of the Year. Royte has written for the New York Times Magazine, Harper's, National Geographic, Outside, The New Yorker, and other national magazines. Her forthcoming book, Bottlemania: How Water Went on Sale and Why We Bought It, will be published in May.