Hudson Valley Climate Solutions Week

Leaky faucet? Vampire appliances? Fix it! It’s Hudson Valley Climate Solutions Week

Recent strong thunderstorms left 45,000 residents without power over the weekend, and left local businesses like the popular West Taghkanic Diner in Ancram closed over the weekend for repairs and shuttered The Moviehouse in Millerton for its Friday evening shows.

Weather can impact our worlds in an instant. We can’t control the weather, but how can we mitigate the impacts of the weather and its increasing volatility, in both our business and in our homes?

Could biochar, a material believed to have been used as a soil supplement thousands of years ago in the Amazon basin, where regions of fertile soil called "Terra Preta'" (dark earth) were created by indigenous people, help reverse climate change?

Could more repair cafes keep less waste out of our landfills? What are the benefits of hemp? Composting?

Learn more, and talk with a home energy advisor to see how you can fill the gaps of climate resiliency at home,* with special events taking place throughout the region as part of the third annual Hudson Valley Climate Solutions Week, September 16 - September 24, 2023. See a list of all of the events, here: https://www.hvclimatesolutionsweek.org/events

*Auditing your home and lifestyle for climate change:

Check your electricity use: what kind, how much is used
What temperature is your hot water heater set at? Ideal temperature is 120 degrees
Are your appliances Energy Star-rated? Unplug any appliances not in use.
What do you keep your thermostat on? Ideal is: 68 in the winter, 78 in the summer
Leaky faucets? Running toilets? Fix ‘em!
Check your refrigerator for leaks and seals on the doors. Some seals may just need a good clean
Use LED lightbulbs and turn off all lights when not in use
Maximize number of products made from “post consumer content”
Reduce the use of paper and disposable products
Skip plastic bottles and use filtered water from the tap
Use non-chlorine, biodegradable cleaning products
Home insulation should ideally be fiberglass, in all walls, ceiling and attic with a high R-value
Windows should be double-pane, with storm doors on outside entries.
Use reclaimed runoff and/or processed grey water for watering plants