Westchester Green County (WGC)
USA
Westchester Green County (WGC) is a student-driven organization fostering collaboration between high school students, administrations, and municipalities throughout Westchester.
OUR GOALS
40% reduction of GHG by 2030
85% reduction by 2050
We encourage them to lower the carbon footprint in their communities by Measuring their energy usage, Reducing their footprint, Roadmapping to net zero, and Advancing Equity through the UNFCCC offset program.
We encourage schools to collaborate with students, administrators, and operations teams to reach NYS goals of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 40% by 2030 and no less than 85% by 2050 from 1990 levels. WGCUSA can support this process!
Joining the WGC student leadership team is also a great way to achieve NYS Seal of Civic readiness! EMAIL US at westchestergreencountyusa@gmail.com to get started.
“The education sector has a substantial environmental footprint. Our nearly 100,000 public K-12 schools sit on 2 million acres of land and are one of the largest public energy consumers. With 480,000 school buses, our schools operate the largest mass transit fleet in the country. Schools serve over 7 billion meals each year, generating 530,000 tons of food waste.”
Our Process
We mobilize global and local stakeholders to develop a response to climate change centered around four core values, in alignment with the K12 Climate Action Plan:
- MITIGATE - Helping schools MEASURE, REDUCE, and OFFSET their carbon footprint.
- EDUCATE - Share and learn best practices working with educators and environmental clubs
- ADAPT - Opportunities for schools to build resilience by working with their local sustainability committees
- ADVANCE EQUITY - Offset Greenhouse Gas Emissions using Carbon Credits to support projects which avoid or remove emissions in disadvantaged communities.
The Steps to Success
Measuring your Carbon Footprint
The first step then in addressing the problem of climate change is to MEASURE the greenhouse gas emissions being generated by schools in Westchester County… something most schools have not yet done.
To facilitate the measuring of GHG emissions generated by schools the UNFCCC has developed a calculator that schools can use to measure their carbon footprint.
Our recommendation is that Westchester schools use the UNFCCC calculator as a reference point.
Reducing your Carbon Footprint
Start your reduction plan by taking small, concrete actions that can lead to reductions in your footprint over the course of the next year. The UNFCCC recommends three areas to focus on resource efficiency, energy efficiency, and awareness.
Resource efficiency
· Reduce purchase of materials (paper etc.)
· Reduce food waste
· Sorting waste and recycling where possible
Energy efficiency
• Turning off lights & electronics when not in use
• Purchasing renewable energy
• Increasing energy efficiency through improved lighting, double glazing, electronics, and improved infrastructure (heating systems, double glazing, insulation)
• Public transport initiatives
Awareness + leadership + evaluation
• Increasing awareness – student and staff engagement
• Nomination of student eco leader to ensure lights & equipment turned off
• Internal audits
WGC USA asks Westchester schools to also consider a longer term pledge to become 50% Net Zero by 2030.
Roadmapping to Net Zero
Reducing our carbon footprint more substantively needs to take place with capital investment over time. Schools and organizations can measure, reduce and offset their carbon footprint to become carbon neutral BUT we all to focus on becoming Net Zero on a sustainable basis without offsets. The world is not yet able to be climate neutral today, but we must all be climate neutral by 2050.
Taking our lead from Let’s Go Zero, Westchester Green County USA has added a long-term commitment to our annual climate change reduction plan. We encourage Westchester schools to commit to cutting current emissions by 50% by 2030.
One World can help schools apply for NYSERDA’s comprehensive P-12 Clean Green Schools grant funding to reduce energy use and implement climate education.
Offsetting your Carbon Footprint
No one expects your school to be able to eliminate GHG emissions overnight. The UNFCCC has developed a platform that enables resource-rich communities like many of those found in Westchester to invest in and support green projects in the emerging world.
More specifically, “offsetting is a climate action that enables individuals and organizations to compensate for the emissions they cannot avoid, by supporting worthy projects that reduce emissions somewhere else. Offsetting is like crowdfunding for climate action.”
Keep in mind that Advancing Equity in this way is meant to SUPPLEMENT the three steps above, not REPLACE them.
Get Involved!
We are always recruiting students, clubs, and schools to join our movement.
If you want to help Westchester Green County USA become recognized as one of the leading “Green Counties” in New York State, please email us!
Calculate your carbon footprint
Calculate your carbon footprint with the EPA calculator below.
Westchester Green County is launching a monthly “First Tuesday” event series (Registration at bit.ly/1TuesReg) featuring youth and sustainability groups from around Westchester, and we would like to extend an invitation to your school’s environmental club.
The launch event will be a 1 hour virtual meeting. The meeting will include a 10-15 minute presentation by Louise Alverson, Bedford 2030’s Greenlight Award™ Program Manager, followed by a Q&A session for attendees. WGC will also give background about their work and how to get involved.
Carter Medved, a WGC team member and prior Greenlight Award winner, presents on SUSTAINABLE WESTCHESTER AND GRID REWARDS .
Lower Your Carbon Footprint.
Save Energy. Earn Cash
- Take Simple Energy Actions & Reduce Usage
- Generate Savings
- Respond to GridRewards Events & Earn Cash
- Average households can earn over $100/year in cash
Austin Omen and Anthony Peter, the WGC President and Vice President, will present an overview of COP 29 takeaways. This will be a GLOBAL youth event not to be missed!
RSVP at https://bit.ly/1TuesReg to receive ongoing updates.
Details to come.
Visit our Youtube Playlist for highlights from 2024’s event.
Student Advisory Committee
Anthony Peter
WGC Vice President
Carter Medved
Executive Committee
Austin Omen
WGCUSA President
Advisory Committee
Allison Hague
Executive Committee
Pete McCartt
Executive Committee
Joe Carvin
Advisors
Martin Rogowsky
Advisors
Our Partners
