The Bard CEP Eco Reader

Re-wilding the Hudson Valley

I’ve been teaching in the outdoor space since I was a teenager. I decided after being a student teacher for a year that classroom teaching was not my path. There was something about being constrained by the walls. Justin Wexler created Wild Hudson Valley in 2013 after completing his Master …

Learning to Advocate for Farmers and Farmworkers Through Storytelling

I interned with National Young Farmers Coalition (NYFC) as their communications intern for five months this year. NYFC advocates for all young and beginning farmers by providing business services, policy advocacy, and opportunities to join a network of young farmers and farmer-led chapters throughout the United States. NYFC has 48 …

Q&A with NYSDEC Commissioner, Basil Seggos: On Leading NYS’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act

Passed with a majority vote in both the State Senate and Assembly, Governor Cuomo signed the historic Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (The Climate Act) into law in July of 2019.   As perhaps our country’s most comprehensive and aggressive state-level response to the climate crisis, the Climate Act requires …

Attitude and Aptitude: the intersection of leadership and learning in a rapidly changing world

Our ability to address climate change depends on a convergence of multiple disciplines and actors. Effective collaboration on an interdisciplinary level requires leadership. But what makes an influential leader? On the topic of what makes a great leader in the environmental sector, Trey Taylor of Verdant Power shared a series …

The Murky Ethics and Complicated Environmental Claims of Big Hydro

As ongoing global reliance on fossil fuels continues to accelerate climate change, urgency and interest in transitioning to renewable energy sources is  increasing. A 2019 survey from the Pew Research Center found that most Americans believe the United States should prioritize expanding renewable energy sources over the continued use of …

Green Jobs Growth in New York State

by Elise Ferguson, Hannah Lyons-Cavazos, and Tara McElhinney The Green Jobs Landscape Through its adoption of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) in 2019, the state of New York has crystallized its commitment to renewable energy and climate justice into law. As a state with enormous energy requirements, …

The Opportunities and Difficulties of Offshore Wind in 2021

The Opportunities and Challenges of Offshore Wind in 2021 By: Ibrahim Mohamed, Howard Pollard, and Eli Goldstein We recently had the pleasure of interview of interviewing three professionals, each with different perspectives on the expeditious implementation of offshore wind. Joe Martens is Director of the NY Offshore Wind Alliance. He …

Sustainability: Communicating Within Your Priorities, with Jeffrey Domanski

Sustainability isn’t about the science – it’s about communication.  Or at least that’s what Jeffrey Domanski, Executive Director of the Center for Environmental and Economic Partnership, Director of Hudson Valley Energy, and organizer of Hudson Valley Green Drinks, tells me. Domanski’s beginning in the field of sustainability is one I’ve …

In Defense of Tree-Planting Programs

We are now in a state of emergency over climate change due to excessive CO2 in the atmosphere. Trees absorb CO2 and have countless ecological benefits for humans and for biodiversity, so we should plant more. Planting trees leads to substantial carbon sequestration, support of biodiversity, soil preservation, and tree …

Igniting a Love for Outdoor Cooking with Kids

Some of my most vivid outdoor memories revolve around the campfire. Whether I was sitting in the laps of my parents with a steaming mug of hot cocoa or wielding sticks with marshmallows, through all these memories there is always one constant: food. As your kids grow up, you might …