Reduce the Town’s carbon footprint, encourage climate change adaptation measures, minimize energy demand and promote the use of alternative energy

Goal 25. Reduce the Town’s carbon footprint, encourage climate change adaptation measures, minimize energy demand and promote the use of alternative energy

Local munic­i­pal­i­ties are sus­cep­ti­ble to cli­mate change, but also have a unique oppor­tu­ni­ty to both mit­i­gate and adapt to its effects. Mit­i­ga­tion mea­sures are those that decrease a community’s green­house gas emis­sions and car­bon foot­print. These mea­sures, which span from smart land use to ener­gy effi­cien­cy tech­niques to renew­able ener­gy instal­la­tions, will decrease long term spend­ing, enhance the resilien­cy of all infra­struc­ture and have a net pos­i­tive impact on the envi­ron­ment. The Town should update its Cli­mate Action Plan, set new green­house gas (GHG) emis­sion reduc­tion goals, and con­sid­er invest­ments in renew­able ener­gy instal­la­tions, ener­gy effi­cien­cy retro­fits, and oth­er alter­ations in Town oper­a­tions to reduce GHG pol­lu­tion. The Town should con­sid­er pur­su­ing cer­ti­fi­ca­tion as a Cli­mate Smart Com­mu­ni­ty through the DEC to become eli­gi­ble for fund­ing to aid in these endeavors.

Related Principle: Harmony with Nature