Climate Change

New York has already taken the national lead on climate change by passing the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). As our Federal Government fails to meet this imminent crisis, it is imperative that our State lead the way in moving towards a greener future. To achieve the goals of net-zero carbon emissions New York should be aggressive in expanding its renewable energy infrastructure. I support the recent passage of the Accelerated Renewable Energy Growth and Community Benefit Act in order for our renewable energy plans to meet the urgency of the moment. New York should invest in the infrastructure necessary for electric vehicles and continue to upgrade its statewide fleet to energy efficient vehicles. We must continue to strengthen energy efficiency requirements in our building codes to ensure that our cities require less energy. Fighting climate change requires a full-scale effort on many different fronts.

Much of the work to fight climate change cannot be done without rallying the public. I support increased funding for a robust science-based climate change curriculum across our state’s schools. We must train the next generation of leaders who will fight for our environment and understand the importance of science in making these tough decisions. As the State increases its recycling and waste management effort we need to launch a public education campaign. With the plastic bag ban going into effect this year, polystyrene being banned, and the launch of new recycling programs New York residents must have the resources necessary to be good waste managers.

COVID-19 has greatly reduced our emissions as many factories shut down and people stop using their cars. Hopefully this sets an example for a society that does not rely on cars going forward. However, COVID-19 has also led to a tremendous increase in the amount of waste we produce and has led to a return to the prevalence of non-reusable plastic bags. As we adjust to a world after COVID-19 we need to invest more in waste management initiatives and expand our bottle bill to encourage more recycling. The plastic bag ban needs to be enforced strictly while keeping public health in mind and plastics should be phased out of other facets of life. We can cut plastic products from the food service industry and plastic shampoo bottles from the hotel industry. We must not forget the importance of limiting our waste.