Hello, and thank you for visiting this page!
I hope it will inspire you with a feeling of agency! We can all do our part to address the climate crisis, and we are stronger together!
Climate change is a major threat to the future of the North Country. But there is nothing Adirondackers cannot do if we are united in our purpose. Let us come together as a community to take decisive action against the climate crisis!
The Issue
Climate change is a major issue everywhere in the world, and the North Country is no exception. Globally, we are facing what could be the greatest threat today to the future of human existence. On a regional level, we stand to suffer economically, environmentally, and culturally as a changing climate and landscape undermine seasonal traditions, activities and employment.
Rising global temperatures are shortening our winter seasons and decreasing snowfall, and are eventually predicted to bring about a “demise of winter” in our region (see recent research by Paul Smith’s College and analysis in the Adirondack Explorer, WCAX and North Country Public Radio). Shorter, warmer winters will threaten winter recreation and tourism to the Adirondacks, a major industry and source of employment throughout the North Country. There will be increasingly fewer opportunities for locals and tourists alike to ski, snowboard, snowmobile, ice fish, and snowshoe.
Climate change also has the potential to increase the severity of extreme weather events in the Adirondacks. Many locals will remember how our region was devastated by Hurricane Irene. Future storms as or more powerful than Irene may hit our region and wipe out homes, businesses and infrastructure, incurring massive physical repair costs as well as taking a personal toll on North Country families and communities who lose their homes and (though we would desperately hope that it is not the case) potentially their loved ones to floods or related accidents. Furthermore, it is conceivable that natural disasters outside of the North Country will impact us as well: those driven out of their homes by extreme weather and rising sea levels in New York City (see attached National Public Radio article), other areas downstate or elsewhere along the East Coast may seek refuge in the Adirondacks, increasing the local demand for shelter and housing, which could further drive up housing prices. This is discussed in a recent Adirondack Almanack article.
There are numerous other problems the North Country will face if decisive climate action is not taken as soon as possible. We are already being infested by invasive species, pests and pathogens invading our region, several of them cold-intolerant and able to survive milder winters here. At the same time, we stand to lose beloved local trees, plants, animals and fish intolerant of increasingly warmer temperatures in our area (as explained in the ‘climate change’ section of this discussion of Adirondack wilderness). Ecosystem changes, hotter temperatures, algal blooms and other effects of climate change will negatively impact fishing, swimming, boating, hiking and other cherished warm-weather activities in the North Country. And the list goes on, with impacts to affect all areas of Adirondack society, communities and commerce, and others to be discovered as we encounter them in new research and everyday observations.
Those who would like to look into climate change and its impacts further are encouraged to consult with any and all of the following trusted resources, among other reputable authorities on climate change online:
-https://www.climatecentral.org/
-https://www.caryinstitute.org/
-https://www.wildcenter.org/our-work/climate-science-2/
Local climate-related research, events, and topics have also been discussed in several local news organizations, including:
-https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/
-https://www.adirondackdailyenterprise.com/
-https://www.adirondackalmanack.com/
-https://www.adirondackexplorer.org/
Image credit: https://unsplash.com/@morishikiq
What We Can Do
Don’t lose hope! There is still so much we can accomplish to slow the onset of climate change and mitigate the effects. There are many individual steps one can take to decrease individual energy consumption and carbon emissions, but one of the most crucial steps each and every person can take is to encourage our elected officials to take DECISIVE ACTION against climate change. Our local, state and national governments can move mountains in legislating climate action and reform in a way that individuals can’t. So I encourage you- make sure your representatives know how you feel! This is an opportunity to reach out to our elected officials and to begin a dialogue about how climate action is and should be in the best interests of the North Country. Constituents and representatives can work hand-in-hand to pursue legislation and investment and policy decisions that will benefit all residents of the North Country.
Adirondack Representatives- Profiles and Contact Information
Please remember: when you reach out to your representatives, be sure to speak civilly and to be polite, and communicate your thoughts as a constituent and citizen of the Adirondack Park, and as one who understands that climate action is the best policy for our region. Also: I apologize if I have failed to include your representative in here-there are areas of the Adirondack Park and North Country which lie in separate districts than those covered here, and which are therefore not represented by the provided state senators and assembly members. You can consult this map and location search software to find your congressional, state senate and assembly representatives. Thank you.
Joe Biden-U.S. President
https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/
White House ‘Comments’ Telephone:
202-456-1111
Address:
The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. , Washington, DC 20500
Kathy Hochul- New York State Governor
https://www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form
Office Telephone:
518-474-8390
Office Address:
The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State, NYS State Capitol Building, Albany, NY 12224
Charles Schumer-New York Senator
https://www.schumer.senate.gov/contact/email-chuck
Washington Office Telephone:
202-224-6542
Washington Address:
322 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
Elise Stefanik-Congressional Representative- New York 21st District
https://stefanik.house.gov/contact
Washington Office Telephone:
202-225-4611
Washington Office Address:
2211 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515
Daniel G. Stec-New York State Senator-45th Senate District
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/daniel-g-stec/contact
District Office Telephone:
518-743-0968
District Office Address:
5 Warren Street, Suite 3, Glens Falls, NY 12801
Billy Jones-New York State Assemblyman-115th District
https://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/Billy-Jones/contact/
District Office Telephone:
518-562-1986
District Office Address:
202 U.S. Oval, Plattsburgh, NY 12903
National Representatives
Kirsten Gillibrand-New York Senator
https://www.gillibrand.senate.gov/contact/email-me
Washington Office Telephone:
202-224-4451
Washington Address:
478 Russell Office Building, Washington, DC 20510
New York State-Governor
New York State-Senators
Mark Walczyk-New York State Senator-49th Senate District
https://www.nysenate.gov/senators/mark-walczyk/contact
Albany Office Telephone:
518-455-3438
Albany Office Address:
Legislative Office Building, Room 302, Albany, NY 12247
Image credit: https://unsplash.com/@kellysikkema
Matt Simpson-New York State Assemblyman-114th District
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Matthew-Simpson/contact/
District Office Telephone:
518-792-4546
District Office Address:
140 Glen St, Suite 101, Glens Falls, NY 12801
Robert Smullen-New York State Assemblyman-118th District
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Robert-Smullen/contact/
Albany Office Telephone:
518-455-5889
Albany Office Address:
LOB 527, Albany, NY 12248
Kenneth Blankenbush-New York State Assemblyman-117th District
https://nyassembly.gov/mem/Ken-Blankenbush/contact/
District Office Telephone:
315-493-3909
District Office Address:
40 Franklin St, Suite 2, Carthage, NY 13619
New York State-Assemblymen
Sample Message
Feel free to reference this sample draft of a message or letter to your representatives. Included are sections in which one provides their name and some contact or address information, or any other information to verify their identity. You may choose to include this information, to reinforce the fact that these are real constituents expressing their concerns and encouraging their representatives to take action. Thank you.
[Date]
[Your name]
[Address, contact or other identity verification]
Dear [Representative],
Hello. I am a constituent of yours from [County, State perhaps] and I am contacting you today to voice some concerns of mine and of my neighbors and fellow citizens, related to the degradation of our region from the unchecked effects of the climate crisis.
Just like our fellow Americans and people across the globe, we here in the North Country find our future and prosperity are put in jeopardy by global climate change. We stand to lose jobs and revenue from shorter, warmer winters disrupting skiing, snowboarding and other winter recreation industries which are economically vital to this area. We stand to be hit hard by increasingly powerful storms and hurricanes which could ruin local infrastructure, sink our houses and threaten our lives. And we face the unmaking of Adirondack tradition and livelihood in an unrecognizable future where our ecology, flora and fauna, hunting and fishing opportunities, seasons, recreation, waters and forests, agriculture, economy, and our very cultural and natural tether to the land are irreparably changed.
We ask that you, our representative, and the champion of our interests and our welfare, exercise your powers to the fulfillment of your duty to your constituents. We need to take strong measures against climate change, before it is too late. The time is now. We need bold action and legislation to slash fossil fuel emissions. We need to invest in a green economy, for our nation and for our region, and in bringing quality jobs and business opportunities in sustainable industries to the North Country. Let us begin a meaningful conversation as a community, and between representatives and their constituents, to seek out legislative solutions and policy initiatives that can be taken for the benefit of the North Country, the United States at large, and the human race.
Thank you.
[Your name]
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