Climate change caused by humans will create famines and floods that will kill millions of people, unless people start using less gas for cars, oil for heating, and electricity generated from coal. That's according to the world's leading scientists. At Keene city hall on May 27 at 6:30 p.m., the planning board will hold a public hearing about a proposed apartment building.

Apartment buildings near existing downtowns use less energy than single family homes built on remote farmland or in forests. In winter, heat that leaks out of one apartment often goes into another apartment, rather than into the outdoors, which happens in single family homes. People who live in apartments are less likely to need a car to get to work, school, or a grocery store. They can usually walk, ride a bicycle, or take a train or bus.

The Keene apartments would be built at the site of a mostly vacant building at 57 Ralston Street, a short walk from downtown and Main Street. The building was once a liquor store. Part of it is used for storage.

There would be 74 apartments. Some of the apartments would have two bedrooms, some would have three, and some would have four.

Matthew Crape lives in New Hampshire, near the ocean. He is buying the Keene property and, if he gets a building permit from the city, will hire builders to make the apartments. His company is called CF Ventures. Crape's plan is to have people move into the apartments in the summer of 2015.

--------

Map by the Trust for Public Land, 2006. This map shows the Pioneer Valley section of the Connecticut River watershed. Land outside the watershed is light green, meaning streams in that area do not flow to the Connecticut River. Dark green land has been protected from development. Red land is vulnerable to being paved with McMansions, Wal-Marts, parking lots, roads, and ChemLawns. Click on the map to enlarge.