SUNY Adirondack has announced a Climate Hope in Action kick-off event set for Friday, September 20th, to support the global Climate Strike inspired by Greta Thunberg in anticipation of the UN Climate Summit in New York City the following Monday.

A variety of entertaining and educational activities for the students and the general public will be delivered at the Student Center between 11 am and 2 pm to raise awareness about the factual nature of climate change and the need for urgent and cohesive action.

National Grid has partnered with the non-profit Green Energy Consumers Alliance and Whiteman Chevy to bring two electric cars to campus for test driving, a Chevy Bolt and a Chevy Volt. Licensed drivers who fill out the necessary forms and meet insurance requirements can drive the cars as they become available. Drive Green with National Grid offers discounts are in addition to the New York State Drive Clean rebate (up to $2,000) and the federal tax credit (up to $7,500), and representatives will be on hand to explain.

Meanwhile, in the Student Center, representatives from local environmental organizations such as Transitions, Citizens Action, New York Renews, North Country Climate, Stop NY Fracked Gas Pipeline, will staff information tables between 11 and 2.

Downstairs in the cafeteria, Greta Thunberg’s now famous Ted Talk will be screened and Tony Krivitski, bike enthusiast and member of the Warren County Safe and Quality Bicycling Organization, will present a talk on the climate crisis, while Dr. Lale Davidson will talk on the New York State’s new Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, passed in June.

100 Thousand Poets for Change will be supporting the follow-up strike on Friday Sept 27 with poetry and music on the environment, climate change, and sustainability, in the Visual Arts Gallery of Dearlove Hall.

Climate Hope in Action is a yearlong endeavor to encourage students to be more civically engaged around this issue. It also is in compliance with SUNY Central’s Sustainability Plan.

SUNY is one of the state’s largest energy consumers, with a utility and vehicle fuels budget of $250 million. By 2020, SUNY has a goal to reduce system-wide non-renewable energy consumption by 30%.

Other events include: Monday, Sept 30, Nov. 4, Dec 16, 5:30, North Country Climate Reality, Bryan Hall Rm 128, and on October 28th at Crandall Library, SUNY ADK and North Country Climate Reality will host acclaimed ecologist, author, and cancer survivor Sandra Steingraber, Ph. D., who will speak about the documentary, Living Downstream.

For more information or to register, contact Sustainability Coordinator Scott Royael at royaels@sunyacc.edu, (518) 743-2200 and Lale Davidson at davidsol@sunyacc.edu.