To the editor:

To the North Elba town board:

I was a senior at Lake Placid High School when I first heard of the plan for a biodigester to be placed in my hometown. When Mrs. Morgan informed my class of the project, I was filled with hope for the sustainable future of Lake Placid. To me, the biodigester indicated our village was taking steps toward a sustainable future.

I believe there are two outstanding reasons the board should strongly consider funding the biodigester project; we need to analyze this project from an economic and environmental standpoint.

Lake Placid is a village that depends on a tourism economy. Implementing the biodigester would improve the town’s overall image — a green community is an attractive community to potential tourists. The Adirondack Park in New York is valued and should be staying ahead with bordering states to achieve renewable energy conversion processes.

Not to mention, the flourishing restaurant business throughout town is another key aspect of the tourism economy that causes environmental impact. Each restaurant has a large output of food waste. The biodigester would transform the food waste from local restaurants into a renewable energy source to be used as an alternative to fossil fuels. Using renewed waste as a form of energy to replace a fossil fuel is a remarkable point of community progress that Lake Placid is ready for.

North Elba town board, we need to analyze the long-term economic benefits the biodigester will produce for Lake Placid and start taking steps toward a sustainable future. The biodigester will enrich the tourism economy and create a sustainable solution to large amounts of restaurant waste.

Let’s change the future of our town.

Best Regards,

Briana Ashlyn Roy

IBM corporate CIO information developer

SUNY Oswego, Class of 2018

Management information systems major

Sustainability studies minor

Oswego