Thank you, Hudson Valley Climate Solutions Week!
As part of our critical and expanding program BASILICA GREEN, Basilica Hudson was honored to participate in this year’s Hudson Valley Climate Solutions Week: a regional collaboration to focus attention on the climate emergency and the groundswell of creative work underway to address it.
On Tuesday, Oct 19, the Basilica Hudson screening room reopened for a free screening of the environmental documentary KISS THE GROUND. Co-presented with Regenerate Hudson, the event included opening remarks from Assemblymember Didi Barrett, who illuminated local efforts in supporting farms’ shift towards regenerative agriculture – a system of farming principles and practices that increases biodiversity, enriches soils, improves watersheds and enhances ecosystem services.
Co-founder, Policy Director & Lead Educator of the Kiss the Ground nonprofit Finian Makepeace also sent us a personalized pre-recorded message, and we’re so grateful for such enthusiasm and support from the entire Kiss the Ground team.
We’d like to thank our panelists Chris Lindstrom (Regenerate Hudson), David Newman (Arthur’s Point Farm) and Faith Gilbert (Letterbox Farm Collective) for their thoughtful discussion on regenerative agriculture after the screening.
The following day, Basilica Hudson, Regenerate Hudson and the Buddhist Action Coalition co-presented a Climate Solutions Forum on Regenerative Development. Subtitled “What is Regenerative Development? Building a More Just and Sustainable World One Brick and Neighborhood at a Time,” the Forum featured key speaker Bill Reed, Principal of Regenesis, who spoke on the power and necessity of transforming the development industry into one that would contribute to, rather than undermine, the health of the planet.
Next Duane Peterson, Co-President and Founder of regional solar pioneers SunCommon (Certified B Corporation), spoke about the vital role green energy plays as a solution in immediately addressing the climate crisis. A local panel followed that included Rebecca Wolff (City of Hudson First Ward Alderperson), Chris Lindstrom (Regenerate Hudson) and Daniel Hason (Latitude Regenerative Real Estate).
The Forum offered an opportunity for regional and local leaders and interested individuals to connect on how to move regenerative thinking and development solutions forward in our area.
Both of these intimate events reinforced how powerful it is to connect on climate action through a diverse range of disciplines – from elected officials and renewable energy providers, to filmmakers and farmers.
