How You Can Be Climate Smart

Everyone in Canaan can play a part in building a cleaner, healthier, more resilient community. Here are practical steps residents and businesses can take, many supported by financial incentives and free resources.

1. Save Energy at Home

Home Energy Audit
- NYSERDA provides a free home energy audit to help homeowners understand their home’s efficiency and what improvements could be made. Check it out on NYSERDA’s website.
Upgrade Heating & Cooling

Install air-source or ground-source heat pumps for efficient heating and cooling.
New York State and energy companies are offering rebates, financing, and tax credits for heat pumps. Learn more here.

Improve Insulation & Air Sealing

Weatherize your home or building to reduce drafts and heating bills.

Switch to LED Lighting

Replace incandescent and fluorescent bulbs with LEDs.

Use Smart Thermostats

Program thermostats to reduce energy use when you’re asleep or away.

2. Choose Clean Electricity

Consider Rooftop Solar

If you own your home or business and have a suitable roof, explore rooftop solar options and incentives.
There are solar incentives available in New York. For more information, click here.

Consider Battery Storage
- Onsite batteries allow businesses and homeowners to store electricity power their buildings independent of the grid during peak demand hours or power outages.
- Battery storage reduces energy costs, grid demand, and emissions. NYSERDA offers incentives for home battery storage.

3. Drive & Travel Smarter

Consider an EV or Plug-In Hybrid

New York State offers rebates for qualifying electric vehicles.
Use the Level 2 EV charger at Stoddard Field and other regional stations when traveling.

Reduce Car Trips

Combine errands, carpool when possible, and support telework where it makes sense.

4. Minimize Waste

Recycle

County recycling permits are available at Canaan Town Hall. See hours and locations of recycling stations.
Consult the Columbia County Solid Waste list for what can and cannot be recycled.
There are hazardous waste disposal events through Columbia County Solid Waste.

Avoid Single-Use Items

Switch to reusable bags, bottles and containers.

Repair, Don’t Replace

Bring broken items to Repair Café events or local repair shops.

Compost Organics

When possible, compost food scraps and yard waste instead of sending them to the landfill.

Recycle

Know the locations and hours of nearby recycling collection stations
Take advantage of e-waste collection and hazardous waste collection days

5. Care for Land, Water & Wildlife

Plant Native Species

Use native plants and pollinator-friendly species in your yard; they often require less water and support local wildlife.
Check out this resource from Cornell regarding native plants and pollinator gardens.

Manage Invasives

Learn to identify and remove invasive plants, especially around streams, wetlands, and woodland edges.
Find out more from the DEC invasive plants page.

Protect Water Quality
- Using this information from DEC, learn more about keeping water clean by maintaining septic systems, minimizing lawn chemicals and preserving vegetated buffers along streams and ponds.
Protect Wildlife

Reduce light pollution by minimizing outdoor lighting, putting lights on motion sensors, using shielded fixtures that direct light downward and choosing warm-colored bulbs over blue-white ones.

6. Prepare for Extreme Weather

Stay Cool and Safe

Be aware of warming/cooling centers in town and check on neighbors during extreme cold/heat.

Plan Ahead

Create a household emergency plan, including backup power needs, medications, and contacts.

Stay Informed