News and Events

Austerlitz To Host Repair Cafe!

It’s that time again, so gather your beloved-broken-belongings! The Town of Austerlitz & Columbia NE Repair Cafe is hosting a Repair Cafe Saturday, March 4th (10 am-2 pm) at the Austerlitz Town Hall on Route 203.  Inquiries; please email Cara at carasoup07@gmail.com and Maureen at molfrcan09@gmail.com!

Second Sundays For Sustainability

The Austerlitz Climate Committee invites you to come and participate in our public outreach campaign every second Sunday of the month! Our goal is to showcase all of the amazing venues we have in this beautiful town we are fortunate to call home. These opportunities will be social, educational, inspiring, and enrich the good work of caring for the planet. Come join us!

The Great Vegetarian Potluck Challenge!

The inaugural event of the Second Sunday series is hosted in partnership with St. Peter’s Presbyterian church on the green between the church and the town hall on Sunday, July 10th at 5pm -same weekend as Spencertown Community Day! One of the simplest (and most delicious) ways to easily reduce our impact on the planet is to reduce our consumption of meat. Going full-on veg may not be for you, but we can all make an effort to eat less. What better way to support one another in the effort by coming together to party! Make your favorite dish to share and bring the recipe to distribute so we can learn new ways to cook together. Many thanks to our neighbors at St. Peter’s for their partnership!

Come Visit Austerlitz at the Columbia County Climate Carnival

Come and visit the Austerlitz Climate Smart Community Task Force at the Columbia County Climate Carnival! The inaugural event will be held at the Columbia County Fairgrounds in Chatham, NY, on Saturday, July 16, 2022, from 10am to 4pm. This family-friendly celebration will feature a Repair Café, Free Store, bike recycling, live birds of prey and beekeeping exhibitions, demonstrations and education about renewable energy, help with composting, perennial wildflowers and “biochar,” children’s programming, music, food trucks, and entertainment. Whether you live in Austerlitz or elsewhere in Columbia County, drop by our table and hear about our work, how you can join in on whats next, and participate in fun children’s and adults activities! See you at the Carnival!

Austerlitz is now a Bronze certified CLImate Smart Community!

The Town of Austerlitz has become a bronze certified Climate Smart Community.  Through had work, and much patience, the Climate Committee/Climate Smart Task Force is proud of this accomplishment and we hope it serves as encouragement to others.  We are a small, but mighty town!

Implementing New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, a conversation with Jen Metzger Feb 12th 5-6pm

The NYS Climate Action Council has released, for public comment, a much-awaited draft plan to implement New York’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA), the most ambitious climate law in the country. Join us for a Zoom presentation and Q&A with Jen Metzger, who will give us an overview of the plan and issues and recommendations that are important for communities to know about and weigh in on. She will also highlight actions that state and local governments need to begin taking now if New York is to reach its emissions targets.

Jen served in the State Senate in 2019-2020, where she was a leading voice for action to tackle climate change and move away from reliance on fossil fuels. She was an active member of the Senate’s workgroup on the CLCPA, passed in 2019, and she led efforts in the State Legislature to create a permanent ban on fracking, passed as part of the budget in 2020.

Prior to her election to the State Senate, Jen served for over a decade in local government in the Town of Rosendale, and co-founded and directed Citizens for Local Power, an organization dedicated to helping communities shift to an equitable, locally-based clean energy economy. She is currently Senior Policy Advisor to New Yorkers for Clean Power, and also serves on the NYS Cannabis Control Board, which is charged with creating a framework for cannabis policy grounded in public health, equity, restorative justice, and sustainability. She has a PhD in political science, with a specialization in environmental politics and policy.

This event is brought to you through the combined efforts of the New York State Climate Reality Project Coalition, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, Riverkeeper, Sierra Club Atlantic Chapter, New Yorkers for Clean Power, and Scenic Hudson.

FOR ANYONE WHO MISSED THERE IS A RECORDING HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/implementing-new-yorks-climate-leadership-and-community-protection-act-tickets-249719587007

Austerlitz CEC Named #2 In Region!

With a total of 2,200 points in NYSERDA’s Clean Energy Communities program, Austerlitz has made it into the Capitol Region leaderboard ranking #2 just beneath the Village of Athens. We anticipate earning even more points (600) for becoming Bronze certified in  Climate Smart Communities. Congrats to the task force on their efforts in becoming a leader in clean energy!

SouthAMPTON ARTS CeNTER – DRAWDOWN FESTIVAL

The Southampton Arts Center has a fun, exciting and meaningful upcoming event called the Drawdown Festival.
With nearly hourly sessions to choose from, it’s online from Friday January 21 through Sunday January 23.  It features virtual panel discussions, films, presentations, music, and more… registration to this free festival enables access to all events.

Solarize Austerlitz!

 The Town of Austerlitz has partnered with Astral Power to provide residents with an easy way to sign up for locally sourced solar power!
–$0 enrollment or cancellation fees
–Keep your current electricity provider
–No need to install any equipment
–Up to 10% savings on your electricity costs

Free compost buckets

 The Austerlitz Climate Smart Task Force & Davistudio in Spencertown

Pick one up at the Town Hall in the entrance vestibule

Monday-Friday 8:00-12:00 p.m.

Just help yourself!  Learn more!

Water with us

Call for Volunteers!

Volunteers Needed to Water Seedlings in Austerlitz
Town Park

Repair it or Fix-it

REPAIR CAFÉ COMES TO OUR CORNER OF COLUMBIA COUNTY

Saturday, Oct.23, 2021, 10-4 pm

New Lebanon Fire House, 523 US 20, New Lebanon, NY  

Covid protocols for gatherings will be observed. 

Learn more!

PAST EVENTS

Students of the Weather: The 19th century New York Network that Gave Birth to the National Weather Service

Sunday, October 3, 2021 at 2 pm

In the Morey-Devereaux Barn at Old Austerlitz

11550 State Route 22, Austerlitz, NY 12017

Given by Conrad Vispo from the Hawthorne Valley Farmscape Ecology Program, in partnership with the Austerlitz Historical Society

Learn more!

Embracing a Life with Bees

Sunday, July 18, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Presented in collaboration with the Austerlitz Climate Smart Task Force

Learn more!

Listen to WAMC interview of Sheri Bauer here