The Village of Sodus is a proud Climate Smart Community.

In order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to a changing climate, the Village of Sodus adopts the New York State Climate Smart Communities pledge, which comprises the following ten elements:

1)     Build a climate-smart community.

2)     Inventory emissions, set goals, and plan for climate action.

3)     Decrease energy use.

4)     Shift to clean, renewable energy.

5)     Use climate-smart materials management.

6)     Implement climate-smart land use.

7)     Enhance community resilience to climate change.

8)     Support a green innovation economy.

9)     Inform and inspire the public.

10)  Engage in an evolving process of climate action.

Our Goals

The Village of Sodus intends to be a leader in responsible stewardship of our environment. We will do this in many ways:

  • implement sensible stormwater run-off management plans throughout our community (in progress since 2017)

  • increase energy efficiency throughout our properties (policy since 2015)

  • replace and plant new shade trees along our streets (policy since 2017)

  • remove old, inefficient vehicles from our fleet (policy since 2017)

  • consider the purchase of hybrid/alternate energy vehicles with each purchase of new equipment (policy since 2015)

  • consider cost-effective, efficient heating/cooling options as buildings are updated (policy since 2015)

  • enforce New York State Stretch goals for energy efficiency in new construction within the Village (implemented in 2022)

  • replace old sodium vapor street lamps with energy efficient LED lights (completed in 2020)

  • encourage residents to recycle waste and conserve energy as much as possible (launching in 2023)

  • protect our sources of clean, fresh, potable water (policy since 2017)

We hope that our example will inspire other municipalities, businesses, and private citizens to do the same.

Ways You Can Help

Plant a tree - Trees are awesome! They provide shade and oxygen, as well as putting a great deal of water vapor into the atmosphere. This means they can help to dry up wet patches, too! (Please check with us first, as there are rules about where and what types of trees are permitted around Village infrastructure).

Turn down your thermostat - try reducing the temperature in your home by a degree, or two in the winter and increasing it in the summer. You’ll save money and the planet!

Reduce food waste - it is estimated that decaying and incinerated food waste accounts for 10% of new greenhouse gas emissions! If we all bought and prepared less food that we aren’t able to get to before it goes bad, it would have a significant impact on the planet.

Buy local, buy in season - table grapes from Chile might be delicious, but think about the fuel necessary to bring them to you . . .

Reduce/eliminate the market for items harmful to the environment - just say, “No!” to Styrofoam containers and cups, as well as other products that refuse to break down quickly and naturally.

Join the Sodus Climate Smart Task Force - contact Jim Wood to see how easy it is

After adopting the New York State Climate Smart Communities pledge, the Village of Sodus formed the Sodus Climate Smart Communities Task Force as an essential step to implement Element #1: Build a Climate-Smart Community (above). The Task Force uses data from the Village’s Benchmarking Report (below) to set future priorities and guide recommendations to the mayor and the Sodus Village Board of Trustees.

Sodus Climate Smart Communities Task Force

Monthly Meeting: Third Monday of the month @ 6:00 PM (currently via Zoom).

For more information, contact Jim Wood, Chair of the Task Force.

2022 MEETING NOTES

January Meeting Notes
February Meeting Notes
March Meeting Notes
April Meeting Notes
May Meeting Notes
June Meeting Notes
September Meeting Notes
October Meeting Notes
November Meeting Minutes