This year, WSKG launched an initiative to cover climate change in our region.
As part of that, the newsroom asked listeners to share what climate change stories they’re interested in and what climate questions they have.
WSKG’s All Things Considered host Emillya Wilbert spoke with climate reporter Rebecca Redelmeier about the survey results.
EMILLYA WILBERT: Before we dive into the results, talk to me about the thought process of creating this survey.
REBECCA REDELMEIER: Definitely. So something that's become abundantly clear to me as I cover climate issues is that we have endless climate stories in our region. You know, there's renewable energy being built, like solar and wind farms. There's extreme weather that's getting worse, like floods and droughts. There's local and state officials making climate decisions, and there's advocates and industries often critiquing those decisions.
Climate change is having a profound impact in our region, and it will continue to. So, as a climate reporter, that means there's many stories to cover, and we want to make sure we're reporting stories that have an impact and serve our listeners. We want to know what listeners are curious about, so we asked. And answers came in.
WILBERT: You went over the results, so tell me what climate issues do people want to know more about?
REDELMEIER: Yeah, we got more than 100 responses, and I'm really grateful to everyone who filled out the survey. You know, a lot of people are wondering what's going to happen to the climate here in the coming years. How much more severe will flooding get? Or what about winter will we reliably get snow anymore?
I followed up with Meredith Bocek, who filled out the survey. She lived in Owego for many years, but after getting flooded twice, she moved to Apalachin. She says extreme weather is a major concern for her.
MEREDITH BOCEK: I get worried for my daughter and grandchildren and all the young people. I just get worried. I worry that something's going to happen and we're going to possibly be in dire straits, for some reason.
REDELMEIER: She's not the only person worried. There was also a lot of interest in what's happening with renewable energy in the state. Some people say they're worried that developments like solar farms are taking over farmland, and they wanted to know what alternatives would look like. Others are curious about whether New York is anywhere close to meeting its target to transition away from fossil fuels.
There were also a lot of questions about how nuclear energy could play a role in that transition. Other topics included things like biodiversity recycling and newer technology, like heat pumps.
WILBERT: Interesting. Did anything surprise you?
REDELMEIER: Well, one of the questions asked people to tell us about anyone they knew of in their community that was making a difference when it comes to climate change, and it was really heartening to read those answers.
In every community, it seems like there are people focused on reducing climate warming emissions and keeping residents safe from the worsening effects of extreme weather. That includes officials, advocates and experts like academics or business leaders and just people who care about their neighbors.
One of the people who filled out our survey is Endicott resident Valdi Weiderpass. When I spoke with him afterwards, I learned he leads a local chapter of the Sierra Club. So I asked him what moved him to get involved.
VALDI WEIDERPASS: I have seen what was a fairly stable, very kind of peaceful, fairly predictable climate slowly get worse and worse and worse, and I see it accelerating. And that really scares me, and it should scare other people too — into action, not to throw up their hands and say, there's nothing we can do.
REDELMEIER: People and groups here that care about environmental and energy issues don't always agree, but it's important to try to talk to all of them and learn what they're working on and what they're worried about
WILBERT: How are you thinking the survey responses might inform your reporting?
REDELMEIER: Well, I hope I can help answer some of the questions listeners had, and I plan to reach out to many of the leaders and groups people mentioned.
To start, I want to help explain some overarching questions about New York's climate and energy policy. I'm working on a story right now about what role nuclear energy might play in the state's effort to get off of fossil fuels, and I'm following other renewable energy developments in the region. I'm also going to continue to follow the state and local municipalities efforts towards their climate commitments. You know, there are a ton of promises officials have made about what they're doing to tackle climate change. I'm going to keep my eye on those and see how they're doing with follow through.
And finally, I want to help make sure residents here in the southern tier and Finger Lakes know what resources are available to them for things like electrifying their homes and reducing their reliance on fossil fuels. So we'll be working on those guides down the line.
If listeners have more questions, they should know they can always contact the WSKG newsroom. Just send an email to news@wskg.org