New York State has a program to encourage communities to engage in local climate action.  The Climate Smart Communities program starts with communities taking a pledge, followed by completing selected action items.  When a certain number of actions are completed, a community becomes certified and thus eligible to receive monetary grants. 

 

At least 17 of our clubs are in Villages, Towns or Cities that are registered as a Climate Smart Community and another 15 clubs are in a county that is registered as a Climate Smart Community - all these communities have taken the pledge.

 

The pledge communities take includes these 10 items;  

1. Build a climate-smart community.

2. Inventory emissions, set goals, and plan for climate action.

3. Decrease energy use.

4. Shift to clean, renewable energy.

5. Use climate-smart materials management.

6. Implement climate-smart land use.

7. Enhance community resilience to climate change.

8. Support a green innovation economy.

9. Inform and inspire the public.

10. Engage in an evolving process of climate action.