First hour: Discussing "good cause eviction" protections, part 2
Second hour: The cotton tote dilemmaWe continue an ongoing conversation about good cause eviction protections. Albany recently passed legislation, and activists in Rochester want to see a similar law here. Meanwhile, during her inaugural speech on Tuesday, Governor Kathy Hochul said that tenants experiencing financial hardship during the pandemic can apply for rent relief. Those who are eligible will be protected from eviction for one year. Last week, we spoke with housing activists and a landlord about tenant protections. Now, we turn to local lawmakers and a property owner:
- Jose Peo, member of Rochester City Council
- Kim Smith, winner of the Democratic primary for Rochester City Council
- Alex White, housing provider
Then in our second hour, how many cotton tote bags do you have? The bags have been touted as eco-friendly alternatives to plastic bags. In some cases, they've become brand-boosting fashion statements. But as Grace Cook recently wrote for the New York Times, the ubiquity of the totes may have led to a new environmental problem: the bags are water intensive and associated with forced labor. According to a 2018 study in Denmark, Cook writes, "an organic cotton tote needs to be used 20,000 times to offset its overall impact of production." Disposing of or recycling the bags also poses a problem. So what should customers do? Our guests this hour weigh in on possible solutions, sustainability, and the future of packaging. Our guests:
- Kimie Romeo, Irondequoit Town Councilwoman, adjunct professor at RIT, local business owner, mom and grammie, and environmental advocate
- Enid Cardinal, senior advisor to the president for strategic planning and sustainability at RIT
