I’m in a classroom giving a lesson on the ecology of the Hudson River. As I always do, I start the class by asking the students: “How many of you have been down to the River?” And as usual, only about half the students raise their hands. I don’t probe …
Kingston, New York, like many other cities across the country (and across the world), is facing a housing crisis of ever-increasing proportions. This year, a Housing Action Plan generated by Ulster County, the NY county in which Kingston is located, revealed that nearly one-third of the County’s homeowners and half …
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 …
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 …
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 …
“Seeds are living things…intimately connected and intertwined with story, and lineage and place and people” – Rowan White, Sierra Seeds Can you remember the last time you held a seed? We all have ancestors who carried seeds, yet today we have little relationship with the food we eat and the …
The Hudson Valley—home to the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, some of New York State’s most beautiful views, and your dear author—is a changing region in 2021. The Valley is seeing an influx of new residents from New York City and other urban centers around the Northeastern U.S. People are …
As a graduate student and a young professional, I’ve debated at what scale I should focus my environmental efforts. Global climate change and environmental degradation threaten individuals and have forced a global reckoning. I’ve oscillated between believing in sweeping international movements and finding hope in making changes I can see …
I’m interning with the Town and Village of Rhinebeck and analyzing their environmental policies—at a critical time in an uncertain COVID-19 world.
Everyone can feel that the days are getting warmer. Everyone can see that the rains are falling faster and the ocean is rising higher. We all see that the climate is changing, but we don’t all know how to prepare. Even if you had the motivation to do so, where …
