On the winter solstice, Sustainable Tompkins awarded the first home energy improvement grant of $1008 from the Finger Lakes Climate Fund. The Ellis Family is now enjoying the benefits of better insulation and air sealing as well as heat from a new high efficiency pellet stove.  These energy upgrades for the Ellis family were made available through donations to the Finger Lakes Climate Fund from individuals, businesses, and organizations.  We’ll be posting more pictures and stories from home energy upgrades in the coming weeks, so check back often.

Photo: Clay Hapstak of Tompkins Community Action was glad to see his clients able to afford the full package of energy upgrades.The Finger Lakes Climate Fund is  an easy way to offset your carbon emissions while helping people in your own community. Your emissions are “cancelled” out through your donation to community projects, like the Ellis family’s, that invest in home energy efficiency projects for low to moderate-income homes.  Visit the Finger Lakes Climate Fund website to simply and quickly calculate your carbon emissions from car or plane travel. Then offset your emissions by making a tax-deductible donation to the Finger Lakes Climate Fund.