LAKE PLACID - A group of community leaders has formed a Green Team task force to implement one of the initiatives that resulted from the destination master planning process for Lake Placid.
 
Several years ago, the Lake Placid CVB/Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism spearheaded a destination master planning process to assess the product that the region's communities offer to the traveling public.  This process, facilitated by a third party consultant, resulted in the development of destination master plans for six communities, including Saranac Lake, Schroon Lake, Moriah, Ticonderoga, Wilmington and Lake Placid.
 
The plan for Lake Placid, which will be released this summer, outlines several broad steps as the basis for its evolution as a destination.  Among them is a drive to become a "leadership green community", in which residents embrace the concept and benefits of environmental responsibility, and the visitor goes home with renewed determination to reduce their own impacts. 
 
The Green Team task force, led by Lake Placid CVB/Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism Board Directors Kate Fish and Jennifer Webb, has begun work toward that ideal. Initial meetings with community leaders have resulted in the identification of three primary initiatives for the Team: energy efficiency, waste management and community engagement.
 
"One of the important goals of our committee is to facilitate communication within the community," said Fish, Executive Director at the Adirondack North Country Association. "it's important that we provide information resources for residents to illustrate how they can take advantage of programs that are already in place, and learn how the community's collective efforts are already having an environmental and economic impact."
 
The village of Lake Placid has made considerable efforts to conserve energy through the New York Power Authority's Independent Energy Efficiency Program, through which the village has succeeded in lowering its peak electricity use.  The Town of North Elba Transfer Station accepts a large variety of recyclable items, including glass, metal, plastic, paper, cardboard, printer ink jet cartridges, cell phones as well as fluorescent light bulbs, household batteries and electronic items for a nominal extra fee.
 
"Our community already has a great head start," said Jenn Webb, owner of the Golden Arrow Resort, which recently achieved a 5-Green Leaf rating from Audubon International's eco-rating program. "We intend to build upon Lake Placid's established green stance, and are fortunate to have many active partners in place already, including the Town's recycling advisory committee, and the Adirondack Green Circle."
 
In addition to Fish and Webb, the Green Team task force includes Lake Placid Mayor Craig Randall; Roby Politi, Town of North Elba Supervisor; Jim McKenna, CEO, Lake Placid CVB; Dave McCahill; Shannon Porter, Town of North Elba Recycling Coordinator; Peter Kroha, Lake Placid Village Electric Superintendent; Jason Leon, Lake Placid Village Board; Brad Hathaway, Lake Placid Highway Supervisor; Darcy Norfolk, General Manager, Ad Workshop; Bob Hammond, Director of Planning and Construction, ORDA; Mark Galvin, owner, Bookstore Plus; Pat Ledger, President, RP Ledger Construction; Vicki Breyette, owner, Caribbean Cowboy.
 
Members of the Green Team recently met with representatives from Big Belly Solar, who provided a demonstration of the self-powered BigBelly Solar Compactor, which reduces collection frequency, and provides a highly-visible and interactive waste management for public spaces, which would raise awareness of Lake Placid's green message for both residents and visitors. 

"This is an important action item that represents a huge step toward our goal to achieve a year round economy for our residents," said James McKenna, Lake Placid CVB CEO. "Establishing Lake Placid's green leadership ties in with the overall Adirondack theme, and will provide us with a very competitive differentiator in the destination marketplace."
 
The Green Team will kick off 2010 efforts with a media event on May 19th at 2pm in front of the Lake Placid Visitors Center on Parkside Drive to congratulate local government leadership and for New York Power Authority (NYPA) to recognize Lake Placid's efforts and to announce NYPA-sponsored initiatives in the community.
 
Interested community members are welcome to join the Green Team, and encouraged to become involved in ongoing efforts.  For more information, contact Kate Fish kfish@adirondack.org or Jenn Webb jennifer@golden-arrow.com" .

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