In the News

via WXXI The Monroe County budget passed 29-0 earlier this month, but not all lawmakers thought the process was a healthy one.

via WXXI Monroe County Legislator Susan Hughes-Smith recently returned from the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Azerbaijan. During the event, representatives from different parts of the world shared new climate accomplishments, their current work, and their future goals.

via Democrat & Chronicle As a mother of five, a county legislator and an environmental studies professor, I’ve watched with growing alarm as our climate crisis has accelerated over the past two decades. When my first child was born, atmospheric carbon levels were at 368 parts per million. Today, they’ve soared past 410 ppm, with devastating consequences already unfolding across …

via WHAM Monroe County’s efforts to reduce its carbon foot print advanced on Wednesday as officials signed the second phase of the Climate Action Plan.

via WXXI Temperatures are breaking records around the world, including in Greece, where 113F temperatures are contributing to catastrophic wildfires on the island of Rhodes. As scientist Bill McKibben writes, human history has always contended with heat waves, but we are now in uncharted territory, beyond what is typical or normal.

via WHEC The Town of Pittsford is partnering with Monroe county to launch a pilot food composting program aimed at turning food waste into energy.

via WHAM Monroe County will begin working with Pittsford residents to get a little greener by collecting food scraps.

via WXXI Republican candidate for Monroe County Executive, Mark Assini, recently said on Connections that we can’t rush too quickly into a green energy future. That’s because, Assini said, there is no plan to scale up energies that serve as cleaner options than fossil fuels.

via WXXI Do you think Monroe County is walkable and bikeable? The County is looking for public feedback on its proposed Active Transportation Plan, which will provide equity-focused changes to non-motorized transportation networks. What kinds of policies and infrastructure would you like to see?

via WXXI Have you considered geothermal energy sources for your home? Some people think it’s out of reach, but state leaders and local climate activists say that’s not the case. We preview a workshop highlighting geothermal energy, tax credits, and more.