APRIL: EARTH DAY, ADVOCACY & NY RENEWS

A message from Basilica Hudson Co-Founder and Director, Melissa Auf der Maur: 

“I trust that the spring budding greens are bringing fresh air and new visions into your world. We are together coming out of a long winter, but we are also hopeful for the unexpected and wonderful fruits that this new season will bear.  

Basilica has been in deep hibernation and contemplation around the transformation that is coming to our organization in direct response to the many tragedies and revelations of the last year. Our small but committed team is organizing to reimagine our future post-pandemic, and what role we can play here in Hudson in a just recovery.”

– Melissa Auf der Maur, Basilica Hudson Co-Founder and Director

In honor of Earth Day and our usual in-person BASILICA GREEN gathering, we are excited to be online this month supporting the work of others devoted to building solutions and policies to ensure a more just and liveable future.

Basilica Hudson has joined NY Renews, a coalition of over 200 environmental, justice, faith, labor, and community groups fighting for good jobs and climate justice. Members hail from across the state and across constituencies, finding inspiration in our diversity of perspectives, and strength in our breadth of expertise.

Placing climate action at the top of our mission, Basilica Hudson seeks to engage with our community and support the City of Hudson in becoming a leader in climate action and its effect on social equity and sustainable local economies. Check out these events happening this April (and more coming soon!)

  • TUNE INTO NY RENEWS STATEWIDE WEEK OF ACTION Culminating with Town Hall with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer
    Friday, April 9 | 6:30 PM
    NY Renews and One NY Indivisible are hosting a town hall with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, as well as other legislators, to answer questions about the Climate and Community Investment Act, the THRIVE Agenda, and the fight for a just, green recovery. RSVP now, and join us on April 9th from 6:30 – 8pm. The CCIA offers solutions for the most “JUST TRANSITION” act in the USA, and is NOW being reviewed by NY State. Get involved and learn more!
  • GREEN RADIO HOUR WITH JON BOWERMASTER ON RADIO KINGSTON
    Sunday, April 11 | 3:00 PM
    Basilica Co-Founder/Director Melissa Auf der Maur discusses green workforce development and BASILICA GREEN’s expanded mission and upcoming campus transformation. The Green Radio Hour with Jon Bowermaster takes a look at local environmental issues impacting the Hudson Valley, with an emphasis on the Hudson River. LISTEN HERE.
  • HUDSON WATERFRONT: PUBLIC SPACE IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE
    Wednesday, April 21 | 6PM
    Join us for a public conversation on Zoom featuring waterfront and urban proposals developed during the past year by advanced students from Pratt Institute’s School of Architecture and Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. Proposals address topics such as net zero energy, landfills and ecologic regeneration, affordable housing and more.  LEARN MORE.
  • OUR PODCAST LAUNCH
    April 22, 2021 (Earth Day)
    Becky Foon and Jesse Paris Smith are both musicians, activists, and co-founders of Pathway to Paris, a non-profit organization dedicated to turning the Paris Agreement into reality. They bring together musicians, artists, activists, academics, mayors and innovators, to raise consciousness surrounding the urgency of climate. 

    Becky Foon also is a member of the Basilica Hudson Board of Directors, and based in Montreal. Jesse Smith is based in NYC.

    Streaming everywhere you get podcasts. LEARN MORE.
  • SUSTAINABLE FUTURES CONFERENCE
    April 27 – April 30
    We are proud to be a sponsor of this year’s Sustainable Futures Conference, a four-day event that will mainstream public discourse around the concept of sustainable practice, hosted by The Future of Small Cities Institute. Basilica Hudson Co-Founder/Director Melissa Auf der Maur and City of Hudson First Ward Alderperson Rebecca Wolff will lead this breakout session on Day 1:

    “Climate Change & the Cultural Sector”  
    DAY 1: Tuesday, April 27 AT 1:00 PM
    How can arts and cultural leaders in our region leverage their economic development impacts to effect meaningful change for climate action, and support our municipalities to become more equitable, climate-smart communities? LEARN MORE & GET TICKETS.

 ** CITY OF HUDSON GOING GREEN **
– LOCAL RESOURCES – 

HUDSON FLOOD PREPAREDNESS
Thanks to Hudson Mayor Kamal Johnson’s Climate Smart Task Force, The City of Hudson recently completed a flood preparedness guide. The document provides a checklist for residents to prepare for floods as well as what to do during and after a flood. The guide also includes a 100-year flood map and links to additional resources. VIEW THE GUIDE.

“Climate change will have devastating impacts and the City of Hudson must reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” says Mayor Kamal Johnson. “We must prepare for a changing climate by identifying and deploying adaptation strategies. It’s an added benefit that many of these climate strategies will save money over the long-term.”

FINANCING ENERGY UPGRADES IN HUDSON!
Commercial and non-profit building owners can now apply for financing to make energy upgrades to their buildings. The City of Hudson is partnering with the Energy Improvement Corporation to offer the OPEN C-PACE program. LEARN MORE.