Advancing Climate Solutions at the Community Level

Our municipalities are the small but mighty building blocks of our region and state, and also of regional and statewide climate action. These towns, villages, and cities possess a great deal of authority and autonomy in “home rule” New York, meaning that much of the climate progress needed in our region can only happen when municipalities take action.

This is why the Climate Solutions Accelerator is mobilizing climate action across the nine-county Genesee-Finger Lakes Region through the Color Your Community Green (CYCG) initiative. Inspired by Accelerator member organization Color Brighton Green, CYCG aims to connect and organize concerned individuals, by the community, to form a network of climate-focused citizen action teams that will:

• Identify locally relevant, high-impact climate solutions and develop strategies to move those solutions forward using the CYCG “Toolkit” (see below);

• Advocate for environmental justice and equitable climate solutions to be implemented at the municipal level;

• Determine the best path forward for their community, with support from the Accelerator, fellow CYCG teams, and other climate organizations in the region.

Color Your Community Green Toolkit

1. Mission, Objectives, Values / 2. Team Directory / 3. Getting Started / 4. Team Roles, Responsibilities, and Decision-making / 5. How to be an Anti-Racist and an Ally for Environmental and Climate Justice / 6. Sample Meeting Agendas / 7. Municipality Assessment Worksheet / 8. My Elected Officials Worksheet / 9. Lobby Meeting Plan / 10. Technology and Support Skills / 11. Hybrid Meeting Guide / 12. Building Energy Efficiency and Electrification

CYCG efforts have been launched across multiple communities throughout the Genesee-Finger Lakes Region! Get connected to or start a CYCG team in your municipality or neighborhood by submitting our interest form below.