PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release 8/28/25

Sustainable Saratoga and Hudson Valley Community College North Host Going Electric: The EV Car Show, on Saturday, September 13th, 2025

Media Contact: Beth Plummer; beth@sustainablesaratoga.org

Saratoga Springs, NY – Interested in going electric? Explore the future of transportation at Going Electric: The EV Car Show, hosted by Sustainable Saratoga and Hudson Valley Community College North.

EV Car Show details

• Date/time: Saturday September 13th from 10am-2pm
• Location: TEC-SMART at HVCC North, 345 Hermes Road in Malta

Whether you’re an EV owner, enthusiast or just curious about sustainable technology, this FREE event has something for all.

• A wide variety of EV cars on display
• Informational tables staffed by EV industry vendors
• Guided tours of the LEED-certified HVCC North building
• Resources on sustainability, clean energy, and more

David Washburn, Chair of the Climate & Energy Committee at Sustainable Saratoga, says, “We’re excited to partner with HVCC North on this first-ever EV Car Show event. In the past, the EV Car Show was part of our Sustainability Fair in April, but advancements in technology and community interest have warranted this becoming its own event. And our partnership with HVCC North at their Training and Education Center for Semiconductor Manufacturing and Alternative and Renewable Technologies (TEC-SMART) is a natural fit.”

“By showcasing electric vehicles and clean technologies at the EV Car Show, we’re empowering our students and community to envision a greener future,” said Hudson Valley Community College President Dr. Michael Brophy. “As the EV industry grows and the need for technicians continues to rise, Hudson Valley is proud to offer Electric and Autonomous Vehicles degree and certificate programs that prepare our students with the skills needed to diagnose and repair electric and hybrid vehicles. We highly value our partnership with Sustainable Saratoga and are thrilled to host this event together at HVCC North – Hudson Valley’s branch campus.”

This local event coincides with National Drive Electric Month, a nationwide celebration to raise awareness of the many benefits of all-electric and plug-in hybrid cars, trucks, motorcycles and more. For more information, visit: https://driveelectricmonth.org

Local EV owners are invited to sign up to show their own cars at the show. To register and sign up, visit: https://forms.gle/66BNz9fE9d3DEDALA

For more information on the EV Car Show, and to register for the event, visit: https://www.hvcc.edu/events/2025/09/ev-car-show-at-hvcc-north.html

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ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS

About Hudson Valley Community College:

Founded in 1953, Hudson Valley Community College is the largest community college in upstate New York and offers more than 85 degree and certificate programs in three schools: Business and Liberal Arts; Health Sciences; and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); and also administers the Educational Opportunity Center for academic and career training at no cost to those who qualify. One of 30 community colleges in the SUNY system, Hudson Valley enrolls more than 20,000 students in credit and non-credit courses and is a recognized leader in distance learning and workforce development. The college has more than 90,000 alumni. To learn more, please visit www.hvcc.edu.

About Sustainable Saratoga:

Sustainable Saratoga is a not-for-profit organization that promotes sustainable practices and the protection of natural resources, through education, advocacy and action, for the benefit of current and future generations in the Saratoga Springs area. Since 2008, Sustainable Saratoga has been a leader in promoting awareness of environmental issues and what we as a local community can do to minimize our ecological impact while maintaining a high quality of life.

Downtown Truck Traffic: A Challenge for Saratoga Springs

By Ian Elphick, Sustainable Saratoga Summer 2024 Intern

Saratoga Springs is a pleasant city that is centered around store fronts and people being able to walk up and down Broadway. Vehicular traffic is normally busy but the wide sidewalks and numerous crosswalks support pedestrian walkability. This pedestrian access and the hustle and bustle make for a vibrant downtown area.

However, there is one aspect of the street traffic that is not pleasant: the number of 18 wheelers that drive down Broadway, which is the center of downtown and runs north-south, and Church and Van Dam Streets (download a traffic volume report here), which feed into Broadway and run east-west. Both are state highways that allow truck through traffic. This traffic has been a source of concern for both locals that live downtown and downtown business owners, as well as those who go downtown as either area residents or visitors. Some are worried about the effect that vibrations caused by trucks have on older, historic, houses and buildings, due the loud engines and brakes, and the weight of the passing trucks. This might affect building foundations.

Then, there is the concern of pollution: the average 18-wheeler gets 7 MPG city, and each gallon of diesel burned produces about 10,069 grams of CO2. This means that the average 18-wheeler driving through downtown Saratoga produces 1,438 grams of CO2 per mile compared to the average which gets 25 mpg producing 355 grams of CO2 per mile. Being a high-density area with families with children this raises a concern for families, as 20% of the population of Saratoga is between the ages of 0-19. In addition to the climate impacts, neighboring residents living near these truck routes will also notice the effects of air pollution from other components of diesel exhaust, including nitrogen oxides, ozone, and particulates.

Another concern is the noise level, as 18 wheelers can emit decibels of up to 100. Exposure to this level of noise for more than 30 minutes can cause hearing damage; the number of minutes that causes hearing damage is cumulative, so if a person hears 30 minutes in total over the course of, for example, a week, damage may result. And for a town of almost 29,000 people in an area of 28 square miles with hundreds to thousands of trucks per day that’s a lot of noise and pollution in a highly populated area, especially for those living along the streets where they drive.

This issue is not a new one, it has been going on for years. However, by spreading awareness of the issue we can work together to try and figure out a solution that includes residents and truckers alike.

This video from The Daily Gazette highlights residents’ frustrations

Read more about our Climate and Energy program

Read more about our Land Use program

Climate of Hope: The Fifth National Climate Assessment Finds that Impacts are Accelerating but Policy Interventions are Starting to Make a Difference

By Jared Snyder

Hope or despair, that is the question, as William Shakespeare might say if he were writing today. It seems that each day brings more news, articles or books about the worsening impacts of climate change. Much of this news is dire: devastating wildfires, record heat making outdoor work dangerous in some places, and damaging floods, both riverine and coastal. But at the same time, robust action is underway in both the public and private sector to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate the impacts. The jury is still out, however, whether this action will measure up to the challenge and how durable it will be in these uncertain times.

In late 2023, the federal government issued the Fifth National Climate Assessment, fulfilling the requirement of the Global Change Research Act of 1990 that the federal government issue periodic assessments of “global change” informed by the most up-to-date scientific knowledge. The primary focus of the Assessment, as required by the legislation, is on the impacts being observed and projected for the future. But the Assessment also documents the state of response actions at federal, state and local levels, including both adaptation and mitigation.

The Assessment’s conclusions are not surprising to anyone familiar with the day-to-day news of record temperatures and increasing frequency and magnitude of disasters associated with the changing climate such as wildfires and intense storms. But not all news is bad; the Assessment also documents that governments at all levels are stepping up efforts to both reduce emissions and adapt to the impacts experienced now and projected in the future.

The Assessment’s Overview provides a good comprehensive summary of the report and is worth a read. For those short of time, this post provides a summary of some of the highpoints.

The bottom line is that as global emissions increase, temperatures are rising and risks from extreme events are increasing.

The report documents that US and global temperatures have increased significantly since the 1970s, as illustrated by this graph:

Notably, the report was published before the most recent temperature data documented that 2023 was by far the hottest year ever experienced.

The impact of extreme events has outpaced the increase in temperatures. Between 2018 and 2022, the nation experienced 89 weather-related events causing over $1 billion in damages, an average of one such event every three weeks. That is in contrast to the 1980s, when the nation experienced billion dollar events (adjusted for inflation) every four months on the average. Wildfires, heat waves, severe storms and other events also caused a dramatic loss of life. For example, 1400 lives were lost to the 2021 heat wave in the Pacific Northwest.

As might be expected, the report finds that climate change exacerbates inequalities, causing greater impacts in low-income communities and communities of color. In part, that is due to the urban heat island impact, which results in significantly higher temperatures in these areas, up to 12 degrees Fahrenheit hotter than in nearby wealthy communities with more green spaces. The inequities are exacerbated by poorer, less climate-ready housing in lower-income communities. In addition, these disadvantaged communities are often located in lower-lying areas more vulnerable to flooding.

The report includes a chapter focused on climate impacts in the northeast, primarily increased frequency and magnitude of extreme precipitation, which has accelerated more in the northeast than anywhere else in the country, a pattern that’s expected to continue. Extreme heat events have also been on the rise in the Northeast, primarily in the larger urban areas, and are likely to increase in the future.

United States’ emissions are declining, but not fast enough.

The assessment finds that US emissions decreased 12% from 2005 to 2019, an average annual decline of approximately 1%. That reduction is attributable primarily to a 40% reduction in emissions from electricity generation, due largely to the replacement of coal-fired power plants with natural gas and renewable sources, stimulated in part by dramatic reductions in the cost of wind and solar power. But other sectors are not seeing the same level of emission reductions.

Although reducing emissions is better than the alternative, it is nowhere near fast enough to prevent the worst impacts of climate change. The report finds that the annual rate of emission reductions must increase dramatically to at least 6% annually in order to meet the national goal of net zero emissions by 2050.

The good news is that most of the necessary technologies to meet this goal – e.g. solar and wind power, battery storage, heat pumps and electric vehicles — are available now and innovation is resulting in new technologies in all sectors to support the needed emissions reductions. But more development and advancement of emerging technologies like green hydrogen and direct air capture will also be needed to meet this goal, as illustrated by the graph below:

Thankfully, climate action is taking place across the country.

A somewhat surprising conclusion of the report, given the deep partisan divides in the country, is that climate action is taking place everywhere. Of course, more emission reduction efforts are underway in leading states including New York, California and Massachusetts but action is also underway in more conservative states like Texas and Florida, often at the municipal level. Indeed, Florida’s cities are among the leaders among municipalities. Although most states are taking some steps to build resilience and adapt to climate change, it is significant that state action does not seem to be related to the amount of impacts being realized in many states. For example, Texas and Florida are experiencing some of the greatest monetary damages from extreme events but their adaptation efforts pale in comparison with those underway in the Northeast and California.

At the federal level, the Inflation Reduction Act is driving the deployment of emission reduction technologies that are beginning to bear fruit. Those efforts are complemented by federal regulatory efforts such as the vehicle emission standards finalized in the spring of 2024 and continued state and federal action. Collectively, these actions are projected to drive a decline in emissions potentially approaching the Biden Administration’s commitment to 50-52% reduction from 2005 levels by 2030, as illustrated in a separate report prepared by the Rhodium Group: Taking Stock 2023: US Emissions Projections after the Inflation Reduction Act.

Although implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act is helping to bend the emissions curve, the job is far from done. If we are to have any chance of meeting the science-based goal of limiting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius, action at all levels of government and in the private sector must not only continue but accelerate.

At the federal level, continuing implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act for the foreseeable future must remain a priority, but it should be seen as the foundation for further federal action, not the ceiling. Crucially, United States leadership is essential to motivate and stimulate action elsewhere in the world.

State action is also essential but it must expand beyond the blue states on the coasts, upper Midwest and southern Rockies, to all 50 states. Supported by federal funding under the Inflation Reduction Act, 45 states have prepared priority climate plans for implementation, even if many of those eschew use of the word “climate.” For now, many of those states may limit implementation to actions funded by the Inflation Reduction Act but the hope is that this seed funding will help those states develop a taste for climate action.

Local action is also an important piece of the puzzle. Saratoga Springs’ development of a climate action plan is just one local example that addressing climate change can be a nonpartisan enterprise. Although many businesses are coming to the realization that climate action makes good business sense, their investment decisions will continue to be informed by expectations about the future regulatory framework. Before they make the transformative investments necessary in many carbon-intensive industries, corporate boards seek confidence regarding the continuity of regulatory frameworks that value clean energy and emission reduction.

Finally, individual decisions we all make on a daily basis also have a role to play, from the cars or appliances we buy to whether to walk, bike or drive to work, school or shopping. Our actions, including how we vote, can help build hope for a sustainable future.

Jared Snyder was the Deputy Commissioner for Climate, Air and Energy at the New York Department of Environmental Conservation from 2007-2022. Since then, he has lectured at Skidmore College about climate policy and participated on Sustainable Saratoga’s Climate and Energy Committee. He is a Board member of the New York League of Conservation Voters.

Read More

Get to know the Climate and Energy Committee

Visit our Climate and Energy pages

by Amy Durland

Art meets climate change

Sustainable Saratoga had a recent opportunity to connect with the arts. The Nacre Dance Group/Empire State Dance Youth Ensemble, directed by Beth Fecteau, invited Sustainable Saratoga to a recent youth dance performance at Universal Preservation Hall. The program included the premiere of a climate-change-themed performance, choreographed by Em Wein, and drawing on powerful words by Greta Thunberg from her TED talk. Because of the climate theme, I participated for Sustainable Saratoga in a pre-performance discussion. The dance performances were incredible and moving.

Laura Faulk, Sustainable Saratoga’s Climate & Energy Committee Chair, invited Eve Morgenstern to be a guest speaker at a recent Committee meeting. Eve is the Director of Soon is Now, an annual festival of climate and eco-themed art and live performance in Beacon, NY. Soon is Now includes original works of art, dance, poetry and music, and readings of plays from the Climate Change Theatre Action collection. A recipient of numerous artist grants for her work, Eve also has released an environmental film, Cheshire, Ohio, An American Coal Story in 3 Acts. She co-chairs a downstate Climate Realty Project chapter.

The value of the arts for sustainability advocacy

This experience inspired me to collect some thoughts about the value of the arts in our sustainability and environmental work. It occurred to me that, because art fundamentally informs us about ourselves, art can be a more direct way for us to understand and convey our message and for people to hear it. Sometimes our advocacy messages address difficult issues – and people don’t always feel inspired toward positive action. Art can be a more relatable way to reach people. It relies less on didactic communication and more on the experiential medium of art. We can walk out of an art exhibit or a concert or a theater performance feeling more informed and inspired, without the heavy burden of having been lectured at. Art is about reaching people in ways that resonate.

We would love to hear your ideas about arts-focused environmental or sustainability advocacy. Please reach out to us at info@sustainablesaratoga.org and let us know your thoughts.

Guest post by Kathryn Gallien

Last year, a newspaper photographer stopped and asked to take a photo while my husband and I were raking our yard. She said she drove around and we were the only ones she could find raking.

We don’t mind doing yard work. It gets us outside, gives us some exercise, and is quiet.

When the yard services are at work in the neighborhood, leaves are gathered up with big machines and high-powered leaf blowers, and the noise is so penetrating that “I can’t hear myself think,” as my Mom would say. There have been times when I almost became that crazy lady who runs out and screams “Please stop! I can’t take it anymore.”

Turns out gas-powered leaf blowers are a hazard not only to one’s sanity but to one’s physical health as well.

The small two-stroke engines burn a dirtier mix of fuel than cars, churning out in one hour the equivalent pollution to that of a car driven 1000 miles. It is particularly damaging to the person using the machine. Little wonder that the American Lung Association recommends hand-powered or electric lawn care equipment.

Municipalities and even states around the country are starting to place limits on—and even ban—the use of gas-fueled leaf blowers. Google it and you’ll see a growing movement. Pleasantville, NY, for instance, prohibits fuel-powered leaf blowers from May 15 to September 30 and also specifies quiet hours. California has banned the gas-powered leaf blowers and provided funds to help businesses make the transition to electric.

Closer to home, Niskayuna recently joined the national Quiet Communities movement with its Quiet City initiative, educating citizens about all the ways gas leaf blowers pollute our cities and endanger health. On their website, they explain the stakes: “The typical gas-powered leaf blower is so loud that it damages the hearing of the user and emits a shockingly large amount of pollutants, much of which is breathed in by the operator. Electric leaf blowers are much quieter, do not emit any pollutants and can be powered by green, renewable energy sources. They are as available and comparably powerful and affordable.” They also point out that there are bills before the New York State Senate and Assembly to prohibit the use of gas-powered leaf blowers from May 1—September 30: Assembly Bill A705 and Senate Bill S2132.

Isn’t it time for the “City in the Country” to limit or ban this harmful equipment?

Leaf blowers aren’t mentioned specifically in the City ordinances, but Section 148 of the City Code does address unreasonable noises, restricting sounds above 90 decibels during certain hours. Gas-powered leaf blowers typically range from 70-110 decibels—the high end of which can cause hearing damage—while electric ones range from 50-85. Is this being enforced?

Does Saratoga Springs have the will to start limiting the use of these super-polluters?

Those using yard services can talk to them about making the switch to electric. As for the rest of us, we can make the switch ourselves. Or better yet, pick up a rake and a broom. We’ll be healthier in the long run. So will the planet. And our neighbors might be a little less crazy.

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Read more

Daily Gazette article about the Quiet Communities initiative in Niskayuna

Don’t want to rake leaves? Leave them! It’s good for wildlife and your lawn.

It has been estimated that fossil fuels from home heating, hot water, and cooking account for 11% of U.S. carbon pollution and one-third of New York State greenhouse gas emissions, making the building sector the largest contributor of emissions in the state. Household appliances like stoves that burn methane, commonly known as natural gas,  also have a negative impact on indoor air quality, contributing to asthma and other respiratory diseases. At the same time, New York’s climate law, which passed in 2019, requires that the state cut greenhouse gas emissions to 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and 85% below 1990 levels by 2050.  The climate law Scoping Plan, developed by the state’s Climate Action Council, identifies the adoption of zero emissions building codes and standards as critical to meeting those mandates.

Accordingly, on May 2, 2023, the New York legislature approved a $229 billion state budget which includes the All Electric Buildings Act (AEBA) that will ban fossil fuels—including natural gas hookups—in most new homes and other buildings. Specifically:

• Municipalities are prohibited from issuing building permits for new buildings under seven stories that are not all-electric if the initial application for a permit is submitted after December 31, 2025.
• Municipalities are prohibited from issuing building permits for new buildings over seven stories that are not all-electric if the initial application for a permit is submitted after December 31, 2028.

Essentially, under-seven-story buildings need to be all-electric by 2026, and over-seven-story buildings by 2029. (New York City adopted their ban on fossil fuel combustion in new buildings in 2021 but the implementation  applies to new buildings with fewer than seven stories by 2024, extending to July 2027 for buildings with seven or more stories.)

And it’s not just natural gas: the law also applies to heating oil and propane.

Exemptions are allowed for certain types of businesses or other large facilities, such as manufacturing plants, restaurants, hospitals, and—bizarrely—car washes, and there are also exemptions if a construction is located in a region where electrification is not feasible. The AEBA does not apply to existing buildings or renovations, the latter of which seems like a missed opportunity, but could help ease the transition.

Cities here in New York and elsewhere in the country have already started imposing bans on fossil fuel combustion in new buildings, and last year Massachusetts passed a law that allowed 10 cities and towns to ban gas stoves and furnaces from new buildings. In New York, New York City adopted a fossil fuel ban in buildings in 2021 and Ithaca recently unveiled a plan to decarbonize all of its buildings, new and existing, but New York has become the first to implement this ban state-wide—and the legislation also prevents individual counties and cities in the state from opting out.

As for the impact on utility bills, one recent analysis found that residents of new all-electric homes could save an average of $904 on home energy bills annually, and residents could start saving from day one. At the same time, the bill, as well as other state programs, include protections for electricity affordability. And a gradual transition to electrification will take place alongside New York’s push to shift more electricity production to greener—and cheaper—sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal.

All-electric buildings could be a strong selling point for real estate going forward, especially as younger Millennials and Gen Z start buying property and starting families, generations for whom climate change is a top-of-mind issue.

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Resources

For more information about green energy, see our Climate & Energy pages