By DEBORAH E. LANS
CHATHAM–It is a truism that the effects of climate change will fall most heavily on the youth of today and tomorrow. Recognizing that there are young leaders “at the forefront of climate action in the Hudson Valley,” Chatham-based Partners for Climate Action (PCA) has just awarded nine grants to youth-led initiatives – four of them in Columbia County – to implement projects that address aspects of climate change.
At the Hawthorne Valley Association (HVA) School in Harlemville, the Ecology Club has been turning over the idea of a Biodiversity Trail for a year or more. The $5,000 grant that PCA has made will allow the group to design and plan a trail on a “retired cow path.” With guidance from HVA farmers and the Farmscape Ecology Program, the students will decide what to clear, where to locate signage and how often to move and change the signage (which is meant to be dynamic). The project will enrich the students’ own ecological knowledge, broadcast key learnings within the larger HVA community and propagate climate change messages more broadly.
At the Oakdale public recreation area and urban forest within the Hudson city limits, the not-for-profit Friends of Hudson Youth will assemble teams of local high school students to work together with the non-profit Greenagers on a four-day project designed to regenerate areas of the Oakdale Forest. PCA’s $5,000 grant will enable the teams to clear out invasive species and plant native ones, provided by the O Zone Nursery in Germantown, itself a sustainability and education center. The project will not only improve the diversity and health of the forest but also grow the knowledge base of the participants. The Oakdale Forest abuts Oakdale Lake.
Even in the relatively wet climate of the Northeast, water conservation is an issue. The City of Hudson charges a flat fee for water usage, rather than basing its charges on metered usage – a practice that does not encourage conservation. In addition, the city’s old sewers often overflow during heavy rains, bringing debris into the system. PCA’s $5,000 grant to the Spark of Hudson for its “Rain Reclaim” project will help the group model a system for rainwater harvesting.
Fifteen to twenty high school students will work with an instructor to design a prototype collection device which will have gutters for rain collection, a body to hold the water, a filter to remove debris and a faucet to allow easy connection to a hose. The system will most likely be used to supply water for the many backyard gardens that are sprinkled throughout the city. Tools will be provided by the Toolshed Exchange, a “lending library” of tools located at Basilica in Hudson, and Toolshed will also provide educational support. Fathema Rahman of the Spark hopes the project will spread the use of devices throughout Hudson as a means to reclaim and reuse rainwater.
Finally, Hudson’s Kite’s Nest was awarded $5,000 to expand its site-wide soil remediation and composting program.
The county’s Climate Smart Task Force has also been hard at work addressing the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Over the past several years, more than $1 million in grant funds have been awarded to the county, that in turn have been used for a series of projects that not only reduce the emission of harmful gases but also save money for the county. These include:
*Installation of a 74-kilowatt rooftop solar system on the Department of Social Services building in Hudson. Since the system went live in April 2024 it has generated enough clean electricity (44 megawatts) to replace 25% of the building’s electric use
*The purchase of 5 electric vehicles, resulting in the saving of nearly 2,000 gallons of fuel annually
*The installation of 16 electric vehicle charging stations for use by the county and the public
*The purchase of clean, electric landscaping equipment to replace gas-powered equipment
*The installation of electric heat pumps in the courthouse.
In the near future, moreover, the county plans to install solar panels at the solid waste facility and to conduct an energy audit and implement upgrades at 401 State Street.
Perhaps of greatest significance, the Board of Supervisors has made a commitment to create a county-wide climate action plan and is applying for grants to offset the costs of the project. Such a plan will look at the sources of GHG emissions and also GHG absorption (such as through forests) throughout the county. After extensive input from an array of stakeholders, the Task Force expects to propose a plan that addresses mitigation of GHG emissions not only through equipment installation and upgrades but also land use measures.
And, on the fun and educational side, Saturday, September 14, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Columbia County Fairgrounds will bring the second ever Climate Carnival. There will be two live bands, food trucks, a wild bird exhibit and electric vehicles (cars and bicycles) to check out, renewable energy vendors to provide education about solar arrays, heat pumps and other “clean” energy sources, green growers to talk with about sustainable gardening, landscaping and farming, and a composting area. The Department of Environmental Conservation and non-profits such as the Columbia Land Conservancy (CLC) will have booths and host activities.
In addition, there will be a Repair Café, so that attendees can bring in items needing repair, a Free Store, providing items without charge that neighbors have donated, and a bicycle recycling stand to receive donated bikes and give them back out to attendees.
PS21 is hosting an artistic solar display and numerous town Climate Smart committees will be on hand to talk about the projects they have implemented and that are on the boards at the local level. Columbia-Greene Community College and the county library association will also be there.
As a result of support from the Columbia Economic Development Corporation, Community Advocates for a Sustainable Environment, CLC and Arthur’s Point Farm, admission to the carnival will be free for all.
For more information about the carnival or the work of the county Climate Smart Task Force, visit climatesmart.columbiacountyny.com. For more about PCA and the programs its supports, visit climateactionhv.org.
To contact reporter Deborah Lans, email deborahlans@icloud.com.
