RED HOOK - The Town and Village of Red Hook have become the first communities to adopt a new energy-saving campaign, the Ten Percent Challenge. The campaign, endorsed by the town and village boards, challenges communities, businesses, institutions and households to reduce their fossil fuel use by 10 percent. It is also aimed at motivating 10 percent of their residents, employees, or social contacts to become involved. The project was spearheaded by Sustainable Hudson Valley and supported by Central Hudson Gas and Electric Corporation, Mid-Hudson Energy $mart Communities, the Student Conservation Association's AmeriCorps team, and the local coalition Red Hook Together. "Public attitudes are changing in a good way," said Melissa Everett, Sustainable Hudson Valley's executive director. People need to look at ways they waste energy, she said. "Have them make the choices to line dry their clothes instead of putting them in the dryer all the time, ride their bikes locally on a nice day rather than driving around the block," she said. "The other pathway that a community can take is to look at single actions that can make a huge difference." For example, changing out all of the lighting in a community from incandescent to LEDs, Everett said. Making a real serious push toward ride sharing would also help, she said. Everett said the pilot project is designed to be a model that to be replicated in other Hudson Valley communities.