Chloe Bennett

Justin Oliver recently took over ownership of Human Power Planet Earth Bike Shop in Saranac Lake. Oliver began selling and servicing bikes at the store, renamed Silver Birch Cycles, about three years ago. He’s enthusiastic about promoting more biking access and opportunities in the greater Adirondack region. He points to the arrival and growth of electric bicycles in the U.S. could also contribute to the expansion of the sport. Around 1 million e-bikes were sold in 2022, data from the Department of Energy shows. “I also see that people are starting to realize how expensive, how complicated, how bad for the environment cars are,” Oliver said. “Cars are more of » Continue Reading.

Temperatures in parts of the Adirondacks will soar into the 80s and 90s this week, potentially triggering heat-related illnesses.

As I write this, the Adirondacks are in the midst of a heat wave that reached across much of the East. Extreme heat is becoming more common, scientists say, as countries continue to release heat-trapping greenhouse gases through fossil fuel production. Although the park is usually a cooler clime than the rest of the state, a heat dome is intensifying conditions in specific regions. Some of the park is under a Category 4 alert from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which indicates a rare or long-duration extreme heat event. (See above.) I spoke with experts in the medical and environmental fields to find protection strategies from the heat in an area where people are used to » Continue Reading.

By Chloe Bennett June 22, 2024 Community members, rangers and state and local officials pay tribute to forest ranger and LGBTQ leader who died in Alaska ice climbing accident in April

By Chloe Bennett July 4, 2024 Explore More: More data is needed to understand the insects in rural areas, researchers say

By Chloe Bennett July 9, 2024 Explore More: Impending storm threatens region with up to 4 inches of rain, one year after major flooding

Views on the beauty of peatlands and the their important role in storing carbon, and providing a place of refuge

In this episode of Climate Voices of the Adirondacks, I visit a compost compound in Redford with Jennifer Perry. We stood surrounded by mounds of compost baking under the hot August sun. Being immersed in food scraps comes naturally to Perry, who runs two composting programs in the park. She co-founded Compost For Good several years ago with the Adirondack North Country Association and now runs River Valley Regeneratives with her partner, Jon Norman. All of the work is connected, she said, and is her way of contributing to climate mitigation. “Everybody wants to garden,” she said. “Everybody composts or wants to compost. It doesn’t trigger any of the divisions that we see anymore.” Down the hill from the piles is a greenhouse » Continue Reading.

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As the Adirondack Park experiences unprecedented flooding, tornadoes and warmer winters, local governments are racing to repair and plan for extreme weather. To lend help, a newly formed group plans to centralize funding opportunities for infrastructure and climate mitigation. The Adirondack Climate Outreach and Resilience Network (ACORN), formed officially in May, is made up of representatives from Paul Smith’s College, The Wild Center, and the Adirondack Research Consortium. Sunita Halasz, project coordinator for ACORN, said the group will produce a roadmap and a database with grants and other opportunities. The Adirondacks can be forgotten for project funding in the state, she said, necessitating a stronger network of help from neighbors and local organizations. » Continue Reading.