May 15, 2017 - This year's Earth Day awards presented at Westchester County’s annual Earth Day celebration on Saturday, May 13, at Kensico Dam Plaza.
The event featured live music and entertainment, environmental exhibits, giveaways, an outdoor market with ready-to-eat foods and earth-friendly products and more.
“Our annual Earth Day celebration is a reminder that protecting and preserving our environment begins with the small actions each of us can do every day in our local communities,” said Astorino. “It’s a special day thanks to our Parks and Environmental Facilities departments for the work they do to make Westchester a green place to live work and play.”
This year’s Earth Day Awards, which recognized local governments, individuals, schools, businesses and other organizations for initiatives and notable accomplishments in solid waste reduction, recycling, and environmental conservation.
The 2017 Awardees are as follows:
For Municipal Excellence:
Westchester County’s six municipalities with curbside recycling rates of 30% or above, out of total solid waste generated in 2016 are: North Salem (34%), Bronxville (32%), Lewisboro (32%), City of Rye (31%), Bedford (31%), and Yorktown (30%).
For Notable Community and School-Based Initiatives:
Town of Mamaroneck Sustainability Collaborative: Compiled a “recyclopedia” to educate residents on waste reduction and recycling procedures.
Village of Scarsdale: The first Westchester municipality to implement a food scrap recycling program for local residents and schools. All food scraps are accepted free of charge at the Scarsdale Recycling Center.
Murphy Brothers Contracting Inc.: Demonstrated a commitment to sustainability by developing a state-of-the-art green facility for Mamaroneck Self Storage that included solar shingles, heat-recovery ventilators, a high-efficiency variable refrigerant flow cooling and heating system, and energy-efficient windows.
Curry Subaru-Hyundai of Cortlandt Manor: Westchester County’s first “green” automobile dealership with a LEED-certified building designed to minimize impact on local waterways and ecosystems.
Louis Lacarbonara, Owner of Direct Kicks: Created a sustainable business refurbishing and reselling used sneakers that encourages environmental entrepreneurship through its Senior Internship Program.
Greenburgh Nature Center: Sponsored hands-on community activities and environmental education programs to foster awareness and appreciation of the natural world both at home and at the workplace.
Weinberg Nature Center: Producing public programming promoting conservation of natural resources and the natural sciences.
Sheldrake Environmental Center: Coordinates and hosts environmental outreach programs and events that educate Westchester residents of all ages on waste reduction and beneficial reuse of resources.
Furniture Sharehouse Celebrating ten years of collecting used furniture in Westchester and redistributing it directly to 3800 local families in need.
Family Services of Westchester: Big Brothers Big Sisters: Since 2009 has collected, reused and recycled 4.5 million pounds of clothing and linens as well as 3.25 million pounds of miscellaneous household items that would have gone into the waste stream.
Goodwill Industries of Greater New York and Northern New Jersey: Promotes sustainability and investment in local communities by keeping usable clothing and household items out of landfills and providing training and job experience to adults with disabilities.
White Plains Public Schools: Executed outstanding waste reduction and recycling initiatives that have reduced cafeteria trash by 98% in two years.
New Rochelle Jefferson Elementary: Organized environmental initiatives including an organics recycling program, an onsite compost bin and school garden, and a green writing contest.
Westchester DEF gratefully acknowledges our 2017 Earth Day Celebration sponsors:
Gold: Wheelabrator Technologies
Silver: GHD, Inc.
Bronze: D&B Engineers & Architects, EWASTE+, City Carting of Westchester, Woodard & Curran, Renaissance Instruments.