Pleasantville, Mount Pleasant Honored at County Earth Day Celebration

The previous night’s heavy rains negatively affected turnout, but clear blue skies and a cool breeze were enjoyed by those who did venture to Kensico Dam Plaza on Sunday for Westchester County’s Earth Day celebration.

County Executive Rob Astorino, along with county legislators, Assemblyman Bob Castelli, and local officials, were on hand to honor 23 municipalities, teachers, students, organizations, and individuals for their environmental and sustainability efforts.

According to Astorino’s office, municipally collected garbage was down three percent last year, and about half of all garbage generated by residents and businesses was recycled—far exceeding the statewide rate of 36 percent. The Earth Day event was really a celebration of those who made those numbers possible in Westchester County.

Lou Vetrone, deputy commissioner of the county’s Department of Environmental Facilities, said the day was a success despite the relatively low turnout, caused largely by closing of sections of the Bronx River Parkway. In addition to the several dozen information booths touting both high-tech and low-tech environmental and recyling programs, there was a small farmer’s market, events for children, and live entertainment.

“We like to get the word out about what the county does, how we handle the waste here,” Vetrone said, “and it’s also an opportunity for these vendors who are at the forefront of new recycling technology to get the word out.”

Annie and the Natural Wonder Band kicked off the day’s entertainment, followed by Jeff Boyer as Eco-Man, who used fun experiments and effects to show the young attendees how wind and solar energy can be transformed into usable “green” power. Solar Punch practiced what they preached by using 100 percent solar energy to amplify their instruments. The band uses a solar panel, a few feet high, to power the batteries that in turn power their amplifiers. Alan Bigelow, one of the band’s singer/guitarists, noted that he charged the panel on the roof of his car as he drove to Kensico Dam Plaza, perhaps achieving a “carbon offset,” he said.

The county sought to give attendees some of the tools they need to be an environmentally aware resident. The first 200 to arrive received a free gift of either a composting bin, a curbside recycling bin, a dogwood sapling, or an inflatable EarthBall globe, and the first 500 received a raffle ticket for a chance to win prizes, which included a mulching mower and an unlimited monthly Metro-Card, among many others.

The awards presentation recognized municipalities, including Bronxville, Scarsdale, Bedford, Mount Pleasant, Eastchester, Pleasantville, North Castle, New Castle, Ossining, Tuckahoe, and Mamaroneck, for their programs and other environmental achievements. Fourth-graders and their teachers from Edgewood Elementary School in Scarsdale were recognized for development and implementation of an Earth Education Ecosystem Project. Administrators, teachers, and students from Rye Country Day School were honored for development of a comprehensive school sustainability program. Janet McKenna, a social worker at Graham Elementary School in Mount Vernon, was recognized for design and leadership of the school’s gardening programs and recyling initiatives.

The City of Peekskill, Town of Yorktown, and City of White Plains were all recognized for producing comprehensive solid waste and recycling information materials for local residents.

“There are so many things that change, it’s a difficult thing to wrap your mind around,” said White Plains Public Works Commissioner Bud Nicoletti of the plastics, tin cans, plastic bottles, and all the different recyclables with different days of the week for pickup.

Color brochures and regular dissemination of educations materials help with this, Nicoletti said, adding that all residents will be receiving new materials in early June.

Though not recognized at the formal awards presentation, Jazzmin Lyttle-Hylton, 16, was on hand to gather support for park clean-ups she has organized in her home city, New Rochelle. Jazzmin, a junior at New Rochelle High School, was recently named Miss Teen Earth Westchester County, and she will be competing in a state-level Miss Teen Earth competition in Manhattan in June.
Takashi Horiki of Mamaroneck attended the event with his wife and two young children, and said the event was a fun and educational day for the family. Horiki said he was happy to instill in his children an appreciation for the environment and an understanding of the importance of sustainable living.

The event was sponsored by the county’s Parks and Environmental Facilities departments and by the Friends of Westchester County Parks. Cosponsors included Brookfield Resource Management, Wheelabrator Westchester, City Carting of Westchester, Malcolm Pirnie, Cornerstone Engineers, and BSG (Birdsall Engineering).

 See our pictures and video of the event.

Honorees from Westchester 2011: A Celebration of Green, Sustainable Living:

1. Village of Bronxville for being one of Westchester County’s 2010  “top three” municipalities with the highest overall recycling rate of 71%.
2. Village of Scarsdale for being one of Westchester County’s 2010 “top three” municipalities with a recycling rate of 68%.
3. Town of Bedford for being one of Westchester County’s 2010  “top three” municipalities with a recycling rate of 68%.
4. Town of Mount Pleasant for conducting a model organic yard waste “give-back” program providing usable gardening material for local residents.
5. Town of Eastchester for conducting a model organic yard waste “give-back” program providing usable gardening material for local residents.
6. Village of Pleasantville for conducting a model organic yard waste “give-back” program providing usable gardening material for local residents.
7. City of Peekskill for producing comprehensive solid waste and recycling information materials for local residents.
8. City of White Plains for producing comprehensive solid waste and recycling information materials for local residents.
9. Town of Yorktown for producing comprehensive solid waste and recycling information materials for local residents.
10. Town of North Castle and the North Castle Recycling Committee for hosting  “Zero Waste Day” events, a program providing residents with alternative resources to donate or recycle items otherwise destined for disposal as solid waste.
11. Town of New Castle for model thoroughness in reporting a 2010 Annual Recycling and Solid Waste Management Update to the Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities.
12. Village of Ossining for model thoroughness in reporting a 2010 Annual Recycling and Solid Waste Management Update to the Westchester County Department of Environmental Facilities.
13. Town of Mamaroneck for collecting vegetable oil locally for refinement and beneficial reuse.
14. Village of Mamaroneck for collecting vegetable oil locally for refinement and beneficial reuse.
15. Village of Tuckahoe for collecting vegetable oil locally for refinement and beneficial reuse.
16. Fourth-grade teachers and students of Edgewood Elementary School in Scarsdale, for development and implementation of an exemplary Earth Education “Ecosystem Project.”
17. Janet McKenna, social worker at Graham Elementary School in Mount Vernon, for design and leadership of the school’s gardening programs and recycling initiatives.
18. Administration, teachers, students, and parents of the Rye Country Day School, Rye, for development of a comprehensive school sustainability program.
19. The Business Council of Westchester and Con Edison for development of the Westchester Green Business Challenge, Phase II, an initiative designed to educate and encourage local businesses to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve operational efficiency and save money.
20. Wheelabrator Westchester for proven efficiency in plant operation, participation and generosity toward the development of the Charles Point Industrial Park in Peekskill.
21. The Bedford 2020 Coalition of the Town Bedford, NY for development of the Bedford Sustainable Community Initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020 and create a sustainable community that conserves its natural resources.
22. Pia Maenpaa of White Plains, for leadership and voluntary service improving recycling performance at The Residences of Jefferson Place, a multifamily residence.
23. James Petronella for dedicated volunteer services assisting the Village of Tuckahoe with local recycling collection, education, and outreach programs.

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