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The 10 % ChallengeWe challenge you to cut energy use by at least 10% and get others in your community involved. more...
What We Do
Sustainable Hudson Valley takes on systemic, regional-scale change initiatives that build the capacity of the region’s citizens and agencies to meet their economic needs while restoring the environment and improving quality of life. Our twin goals are to build markets for green industries through local lifestyle campaigns, and to help those industries to establish themselves in the Valley. We do this by forming and supporting community based initiatives with two key resources, expertise and motivation.
Expertise through knowledge sharing: using our collaborative environment and tools to help agencies, governments, industry groups and expert centers with complex, knowledge-intensive collaborations.
Motivation through challenge campaigns: helping communities reduce their carbon footprints by changing the ways they live and work, and build leadership through sustained commitment with incentives for success.
Action 2010
Ten Percent Challenge: The year dawned with a global climate agreement that - if successful - will still result in warming of 4 - 7 degrees F in the coming century. It is clearer than ever that direct positive action at the local and regional level are needed to demonstrate solutions and political will for policy advances. We launched the Ten Percent Challenge campaign with an Earth Day webinar and invitation published in the Poughkeepsie Journal, Journal News, and Times-Herald Record. Red Hook and Warwick have stepped forward as our first committed communities. We’re telling the story in the media, and bringing new resources to the table including a reward for the first community to achieve its 10% goal: a solar thermal system from sponsor EarthKind Energy. A July 2010 best practices symposium will showcase creative strategies we are uncovering. Lessons learned in this pilot phase will build momentum for a regional outreach event October 10, 2010.
Green Industry Clusters: We have built a database of several hundred companies working in energy efficiency, renewable energy, green building and infrastructure, and are now meeting with groups of entrepreneurs to identify support needs, beginning with the sustainable management of water resources as an industry in its own right.
Microeconomies: A key strategy for reduced carbon footprint is self-reliant, small communities with food production and other essentials nearby. We are working on strategies for the city of Kingston (in conjunction with its Climate Smart Community Pledge) and a vision for compact, smart development at the two ends of the Walkway Over the Hudson.
Human Capital:
Expertise through knowledge sharing: using our collaborative environment and tools to help agencies, governments, industry groups and expert centers with complex, knowledge-intensive collaborations.
Motivation through challenge campaigns: helping communities reduce their carbon footprints by changing the ways they live and work, and build leadership through sustained commitment with incentives for success.
Action 2010
Ten Percent Challenge: The year dawned with a global climate agreement that - if successful - will still result in warming of 4 - 7 degrees F in the coming century. It is clearer than ever that direct positive action at the local and regional level are needed to demonstrate solutions and political will for policy advances. We launched the Ten Percent Challenge campaign with an Earth Day webinar and invitation published in the Poughkeepsie Journal, Journal News, and Times-Herald Record. Red Hook and Warwick have stepped forward as our first committed communities. We’re telling the story in the media, and bringing new resources to the table including a reward for the first community to achieve its 10% goal: a solar thermal system from sponsor EarthKind Energy. A July 2010 best practices symposium will showcase creative strategies we are uncovering. Lessons learned in this pilot phase will build momentum for a regional outreach event October 10, 2010.
Green Industry Clusters: We have built a database of several hundred companies working in energy efficiency, renewable energy, green building and infrastructure, and are now meeting with groups of entrepreneurs to identify support needs, beginning with the sustainable management of water resources as an industry in its own right.
Microeconomies: A key strategy for reduced carbon footprint is self-reliant, small communities with food production and other essentials nearby. We are working on strategies for the city of Kingston (in conjunction with its Climate Smart Community Pledge) and a vision for compact, smart development at the two ends of the Walkway Over the Hudson.
Human Capital:
- We have established five resource centers on clean energy career opportunities with the SUNY community colleges of Ulster, Dutchess, Orange, Rockland and Sullivan Counties, as well as maintaining a website and conducting outreach to bring information to under-served communities, about meaningful training opportunities.
- Working with the Quadricentennial Commission’s regional strategy task forces, we helped to frame an approach to retaining and strengthen talent in green industries, and link it to community action through service learning - the Human Capital Initiative.
Platform for Collaboration: Finally, we are helping to create a platform for collaboration and consensus building that can help communities move toward sustainability: the Resource Center for Sustainable Communities. Representing several county planning offices, state agencies, local government alliances, and key planning organizations, the Resource Center’s goals are to:
- enhance the region’s capacity for collaboration to address complex challenges;
- create a culture of innovation and understanding of “smart growth” policies and tools;
- help communities make decisions based on a regional consensus rather than on inter-jurisdictional competition.
The Resource Center is a hub connecting experts in planning, development, technology, finance and above all leadership, with the local elected officials and civic leaders who recognize the need to work together. Inspired by a successful Dutch model serving 36 major cities, the Resource Center for Sustainable Communities is a “nurture center” for local leaders who want to use these difficult times as a catalyst for more courageous, effective work.