Sustainable Hudson Valley Inc

SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY'S MISSION IS TO SPEED UP, SCALE UP, JAZZ UP AND LEVERAGE PROGRESS AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE, CREATING COMMUNITIES WHERE PEOPLE AND NATURE THRIVE.

REGIONAL CLIMATE LEADERSHIP: FROM STRATEGY TO ACTIONTO MAKE THE TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGES IN OUR ENERGY SYSTEM AND ENTIRE BUILT ENVIRONMENT THAT THE CLIMATE CRISIS CALLS FOR, PEOPLE NEED TO UNDERSTAND THE NATURE OF THE SOLUTIONS AT HAND, AND HAVE A COMMON ROAD MAP FOR TAKING ACTION. THIS DOES NOT MEAN ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACHES. IN FACT, IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO RE-IMAGINE THE WAYS WE WANT TO LIVE AND WORK IN OUR COMMUNITIES. BUT THE FIRST STEP TOWARD EFFECTIVE ACTION IS A SHARED UNDERSTANDING OF THE SPECIFIC PATHS OF CHANGE THAT WILL REACH THE CLIMATE GOALS SET BY NEW YORK (AND BY MOTHER NATURE).IN 2021, SUSTAINABLE HUDSON VALLEY BROUGHT OVER 90 EXPERTS AND ADVOCATES TOGETHER AND CREATED A REGIONAL CLIMATE ACTION STRATEGY TO SERVE THIS NEED. IN 2022, WE ARE EXPANDING THE PARTNERSHIP SUBSTANTIALLY AND STARTING IMPLEMENTATION.

RESILIENT COMMUNITIES: CLIMATE CHANGE IS A "THREAT MULTIPLIER," BRINGING THE WORST RISKS TO THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY UNDER STRESS. AS SEAS RISE, STORMS BECOME MORE VIOLENT, FLOOD RISKS GROW, AND HEAT WAVES WORSEN, RESILIENCE DEPENDS ON THE POWER AND PREPARATION OF COMMUNITIES.WE'RE HELPING COMMUNITIES REDEFINE AND REDESIGN PUBLIC SPACES FOR SAFETY IN EXTREME WEATHER AND IMPROVED QUALITY OF LIFE EVERY DAY WITH CITIZEN-LED PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECTS AND IMPLEMENTATION ASSISTANCE USING THE NEW GUIDE RESILIENT PLACES: PUTTING COMMUNITY FIRST BY MELISSA EVERETT AND CYNTHIA NIKITIN (2022)IN MAY 2022, WE WILL INVITE COMMUNITIES TO APPLY FOR INTEGRATED PACKAGE OF SERVICES TO BE DELIVERED IN THE SPRING THROUGH FALL.

RENEWABLE REGION: CLEARING THE PATH FOR RAPID, EQUITABLE SCALE-UP OF RENEWABLE ENERGYNEW YORK HAS MADE A MAJOR FINANCIAL COMMITMENT TO RENEWABLE ENERGY THROUGH FINANCIAL INCENTIVES FOR DEVELOPERS, UPGRADING THE ELECTRIC GRID AND OTHER MAJOR INVESTMENTS. FORTY PERCENT OF STATE INVESTMENTS ARE DEDICATED TO THE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN MOST IMPACTED BY ENVIRONMENTAL INJUSTICES. SHV'S PROGRAM TACKLES BARRIERS TO RENEWABLE ENERGY AND CLEAN TRANSPORTATION, AND EXPANDING THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE BENEFITS SO THAT COMMUNITIES NOT ONLY HAVE ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGIES, BUT TO INVESTMENT AND OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.WE HAVE HELPED MARBLETOWN TO CRAFT THE FIRST ACTION PLAN FOR THE TRANSITION TO 100% RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR HOMES, BUSINESSES, TRANSPORTATION AND INDUSTRY. OUR GOAL IS TO HELP AT LEAST SIX MORE COMMUNITIES TO CREATE THEIR ACTION PLANS AND BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION.COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: WE ARE BUILDING A BRIDGE BETWEEN COMMUNITIES, STATE RESOURCES AND PRIVATE FUNDING SOURCES SO THAT CLEAN ENERGY AND CLIMATE BENEFITS ARE COMMUNITY CONTROLLED AND LOCAL BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND JOBS ARE DEVELOPED. IN 2021, WE HIRED A CLIMATE JUSTICE FELLOW UNDER NYSERDA'S NEWLY ANNOUNCED FUNDING PROGRAM. WE HELD COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS ON COMMUNITY PRIORITIES FOR USING THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES AVAILABLE THROUGH THE CLIMATE ACTCLEAN ENERGY MARKETPLACE:- WE PUBLISH AND DISTRIBUTE THE ANNUAL CLEAN POWER GUIDE WITH CHRONOGRAM MEDIA- WE OFFER A GROUP PURCHASE DISCOUNT PROGRAM TO MAKE RENEWABLE ENERGY MORE AFFORDABLE- WE WORK WITH CAR DEALERSHIPS TO SECURE LOW-COST LEASE OPTIONS AND USED ELECTRIC VEHICLES TO IMPROVE ACCESS- WE'RE REACHING OUT TO LOCAL BUSINESSES TO INSTALL PUBLIC EV CHARGING TO ELIMINATE "CHARGING DESERTS"- AND WE'RE HELPING JOB-SEEKERS AND ENTREPRENEURS LEARN ABOUT OPPORTUNITIES IN THE 'GREENING OF EVERYTHING"