Climate Action Alliance of the Valley

05/04/2026

Many of you have already read this article, but it's only fitting that it be posted to CAAV's account also.

A grassroots group in the Harrisonburg area, mostly led by retirees, has educated the public about climate change and advocated for solutions for 18 years. This spring, they decided to disband, and pass the environmental baton to other organizations that have sprouted up. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi report...

07/08/2025

Join us on July 12 to celebrate more space for people, and less space for cars!

Temporary traffic pattern changes to North Mason Street will begin on Monday, July 7, weather-permitting, and will last for about a month. This is part of our Complete Streets Demonstration Project, which allows cities to test potential roadway changes before making those changes permanent at a later date.

Temporary changes as shown in the image include:
-Traffic to shift on North Mason Street to the two eastern lanes between Gay Street and Elizabeth Street.
-Temporary roundabouts at Gay Street and Elizabeth Street.

Signage will be in place in the area to assist drivers with changes.
Work will take place starting Monday, July 7, at 6am until Wednesday, July 10, at 4:30 pm, as weather allows. During this time, the following traffic restrictions will be in place:
-Southbound North Mason Street will be closed from Gay Street to East Market Street.
-Northbound North Mason Street will be restricted to one lane between East Market Street and Gay Street.
-Elizabeth Street will be closed between Federal Street and Broad Street. No turns off of Mason Street will be allowed.
-Wolfe Street will be closed between Federal Street and Broad Street. No turns off of Mason Street will be allowed.

Additional streets may be impacted throughout the project. Notices will be posted if the project is delayed due to weather.
These changes are taking place as part of a program focused on improving safety in the corridor and reusing space traditionally dedicated to vehicles. The changes are based on community input received through a public forum held in March and from participants in the Harrisonburg Complete Streets Leadership Academy, a program that brought community members and business leaders from the Northeast Neighborhood together with City staff and transportation experts to brainstorm ways to improve North Mason Street.

More information: https://harrisonburgva.gov/transportation-projects

04/23/2025

We are proud to continue in Cathy's legacy of good trouble, and relieving human suffering by fighting climate change. Thank you, Cathy.

“Cathy is truly the best kind of leader,” Payton said. “Not only does she make others feel included, heard, and appreciated, but she makes others more effective. She’s a good troublemaker, and we are lucky to have her.”

Over 100 local environmental leaders, students, educators, farmers, climate advocates, and more gathered yesterday for Renew Rocktown's Earth Day Luncheon. We were thrilled to surprise Cathy Strickler with the inaugural "Cathy Strickler Good Trouble Award". Cathy was recognized along with Joy Loving, the 2025 recipient of the award.

More to come from yesterday's events! Full DN-R article in the comments.

Photo by Daniel Lin / DN-R.

04/09/2025

Vote for Harrisonburg for Strongest Town at strongesttown.com!

Our friends over at Livable Harrisonburg are important partners in climate work, raising awareness on how our city is working to be built around people, not cars. So let's send a message that we're a city that cares about real climate action!

Developing a safe, inviting, financially resilient town is hard work. It’s time to recognize the work being done. Nominate your town for the 2025 Strongest Town Contest.

04/09/2025

Black's Run Cleanup is this Weekend! It's a great time with your fellow community members, and there's free pizza. Join "Spring Cleaners" when you sign up below.

The only way to see true progress is to get our community working to improve the health of our streams alongside us. There are many ways to make an impact at home and in our community!

03/10/2025

Housing/Transportation Policy is Climate Policy. That's why we celebrate little wins in sustainable housing and transportation!

Check out what Livable Harrisonburg is doing in the Strongest Towns competition, and celebrate the small wins Harrisonburg, VA is doing to make it easier to expand housing choice, and make our city more environmentally friendly.

Developing a safe, inviting, financially resilient town is hard work. It’s time to recognize the work being done. Nominate your town for the 2025 Strongest Town Contest.

10/15/2024

Mennonite Central Committee - MCC, Shenandoah Valley Faith & Climate, and people of faith around the world are joining in a climate fast Nov 11 - Nov 22 during the COP 29 in Azerbaijan.

Their goal is to let policymakers know eyes are on them! For more info, see MCC's information page.

Relief, development and peace in the name of Christ

10/08/2024

We're revisiting this One Minute for Earth video from the lead up to the 2020 election. All these messages continue to resonate. The last four years have made abundantly here that the climate crisis is here, already taking lives and livelihoods, and that every bit of delay compounds into future harms. We need action at the individual, institutional, and international levels, and the most important action you can take (TODAY) is to vote for candidates who are committed to action on the climate.

Shenandoah Group of the Sierra Club send a survey to all candidates for Harrisonburg City Council, and you can see their responses here: https://www.sierraclub.org/virginia/Shenandoah Green

07/09/2024

We are thrilled to announce that Climate Action Alliance of the Valley was chosen as a 2024 Clean Virginia Community Giving Program recipient! This grant will help fund our Climate Justice Outreach and Engagement effort, which is an ongoing collaboration with CHP Energy Solutions.

Thanks to a 2023 grant, we were able to deliver more than $35k in financial assistance to Coalicion Solidaria Pro-Inmigrantes Unidos (COSPU), United Way of Harrisonburg & Rockingham County, Friendship Industries / Able Solutions, and Valley Program for Aging Services, which we are expecting to be leveraged into more than $250k of investment in more than 20 energy-burdened homes.

We look forward to this partnership with Clean Virginia and thank them for their support of our mission, and for their own efforts to advance clean, affordable energy and good governance in the Commonwealth.

06/18/2024

Hey, Harrisonburg. Last chance to vote in this year's primaries!

The June 18th City Council Democratic and U.S. Senate Republican Primaries are taking place TODAY! Voting is happening at voting precincts today (not City Hall). If you aren’t sure of your polling place location, please visit https://harrisonburg.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=76fd384bc4c54343b366478566191928