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MCC Daily Tribune

Green Tip: Be Climate Smart

Climate Smart Communities (CSC) is a New York State program that helps local governments take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate. The program offers free technical assistance, grants, and rebates for electric vehicles.

The town of Pittsford in Monroe County and the town of Geneva in Ontario County recently became bronze-certified Climate Smart Communities. Communities register by passing the CSC pledge. A community can become certified Climate Smart by completing and documenting actions that mitigate and adapt to climate change at the local level. Points are awarded for completed actions. In Monroe County, the town of Brighton and the city of Rochester are bronze-certified. These towns took actions such as converting lights to LED, installing solar panels, hosting composting programs, installing electric vehicle charging stations for public use, making investments in improving walking and biking infrastructure, and hosting swap days for exchange of lightly used goods to earn their certifications.

According to NYS Climate Smart Communities, there are 100 certified Climate Smart Communities in New York State, including nine silver certified communities. Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner and Climate Action Council Co-Chair Basil Seggos said "This significant milestone of the Climate Smart Communities program demonstrates the commitment of New York’s local governments to enhancing the resilience of their communities and reducing risk and vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.”

Ann Penwarden
Sustainability Steering Committee
11/08/2022