2023 Projects

Campaign to reform the NY State Democratic Party and
replace party chair Jay Jacobs

Since MAGA Republicans are climate deniers and fossil fuel boosters, they block the emergency actions needed to respond to the climate crisis. FHGT believes that environmentalists are obliged to get involved in elections at all levels.

In the 2022 midterm elections, several Democratic congressional candidates in New York districts that voted for Biden in 2020 lost to MAGA Republicans, and Governor Hochul won a surprisingly narrow victory over a right-wing extremist. The losses were widely attributed to an incompetent State Democratic Party, led by Jay Jacobs, that largely failed to campaign for its own candidates. The loss of these congressional seats contributed to the MAGA takeover of the House of Representatives. Members of Forest Hills Green Team are involved with efforts to replace Jacobs, and to prepare for the 2024 elections.

"The Democratic Party in New York is a Disaster," New York Times, 2/22/23.
"New York's Democratic Party Needs New Leadership, Not More Money,"
The Nation, 2/24/23
"The State of the NY Democratic Party," The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC, 2/24/23



Forest Hills Green Team
Presentation at Annual Forest Hills Civic Associations Gathering
2/21/2023
Text written by Mark Laster. Excellent extemporaneous version delivered by Matt Salton.

The Forest Hills Green Team was started by Mark Laster and Dan Miner in
January 2018 to organize both on the ground activities and engage in advocacy
dealing with Climate Change. Here are the activities we have now and some
plans for the future.
1. Food Scrap Drop Off Site – Every Sunday, from 10 AM to 1 PM, we run a
food scrap drop off site in conjunction with Commonpoint Queens and
Queens Botanical Gardens. The site is located right by the Central Queens Y
food pantry, 108-13 67th Rd
2. Yellowstone Boulevard Beautification Project – On Yellowstone Boulevard,
between Burns and Austin Street, right by the 112tt precinct, we continue to
clean up this strip and we have planted various items.
3. Climate Change presentations – We have presented to PS 196; the Reform
Temple of Forest Hills; MELS High School and Bronx High School of Science
about what is climate change and what you could do about it.
4. Advocacy – We partner with numerous other climate groups, such as
Climate Can’t Wait; New York Renews; Save Our Compost; in order to
advocate to push back against climate change.

We are also involved in advocating a series of bills in the City Council called the
Zero Waste bills. Among this package includes a bill that would mandate curbside
composting throughout the City. This differs from the voluntary curbside
composting program started by the City in October 2022; paused in December
2022 and will be restarted on March 27, 2023.

Our future plans include:
 Possibly applying for a grant from the Citizens Committee of New York to
do further beatification projects in our neighborhood. If any group is
interested in partnering with us, please reach out to fhgtinc@gmail.com.
 We will be hearing a presentation from the Campaign Finance Board
explaining how the June primary will be working.

If you are interested in getting involved in any of our projects, email
fhgtinc@gmail.com. We meet the third Monday of the month @ 6 PM virtually.