Bronxville Green Committee

Strong & Sustainable – Protecting what we love

Awarded Our First Grant!

$5,000 Clean Energy Communities Grant through NYSERDA for completion of Four High Impact Actions: Qualifying actions included: Achieving Bronze in Climate Smart Communities, completing Energy Code Enforcement Training by Building Supervisor Paul Taft, switching cobra head streetlights to LEDs and switching decorative streetlights to LEDS. Funds were used to help offset the cost of tree plantings around the Village.

NYS Climate Smart Communities (CSC) & Climate Action Plan for Municipal Operations

Goals: (1) Work within the NYS Climate Smart Communities (CSC) specified framework to maintain Bronze status and achieve Silver status in 2025 (2) Create a Climate Action Plan for Municipal Operations that outlines ways to lower greenhouse gas emissions across government operations.   

Accomplishments:

Climate Smart Communities Status: The CSC Task Force submitted 21 action steps —11 actions requesting recertification and 10 new actions. Upon approval, Bronxville’s Climate Smart Bronze status will remain active, and the Village will be significantly closer to the 300 points required for Silver status.

Climate Action Plan for Municipal Operations: Worked with NY State coordinators to develop and present to the Trustees a comprehensive climate action plan, incorporating the municipal greenhouse gas inventory we completed last year and identifying 30 steps the Village should consider taking to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 40% by 2030. The Trustees adopted the plan in November 2023, indicating their commitment to this goal and to keeping Bronxville sustainable and safe.

Recycling & Waste Reduction

Goals: Promote existing recycling rules and local programs to reduce community waste.

Accomplishments:

• Promoted and expanded the Village’s residential Food Scrap Recycling program. Since its launch in December 2021, we’ve grown to 200 participating households and more than 60 tons of food scraps collected.

• Helped Bronxville’s DPW facilitate TAKE BACK DAY in July and November with more than three hundred cars passing through for paper recycling by the county shredder, proper E-waste recycling and various donations to organizations, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Westchester and Putnam and the Mount Vernon Animal Shelter.

Healthy Yards

Goals: Create awareness about native plants and healthy yard practices, provide resources to help residents transition to sustainable landscaping practices to protect our health and local ecosystem.

Accomplishments:

• Expanded our native plant garden at Alfredo Park, off Archer Place. Aggressive, persistent invasive plants were removed and replaced with plants that are native to our area and support local wildlife such as native bees, butterflies, iridescent wasps, and hummingbirds.

• Joined community-wide clean-up and planting day event at the garden.

• Helped Village renew our membership in Tree City USA, through the Arbor Day Foundation

Giving Garden

Goals: Help address food insecurity in our area by raising and donating vegetables to local food banks; promote the garden as a gathering and education center in our community.

Accomplishments:

• Successfully grew and donated 600 pounds of organic produce to Community Service Associates of Mount Vernon and Eastchester Community Action Program (ECAP) in Tuckahoe.

• Hosted six classes from the Reformed Church Nursery School. The students were able to see the new vegetables that Farmer Dave Phillips was growing and plant sunflower seeds.

Community Engagement & Outreach

Goals: Promote Village and Green Committee programs in the community, educate and engage residents about environmental issues / best practices and develop partnerships with local organizations.

Accomplishments:

Communications & Partnerships:

• Conducted monthly Green Committee meetings to provide updates and solicit feedback

• Maintained bronxvillegreencommittee.org with updates on Village and Green Committee programs as well as state-wide initiatives and local events

• Increased social media presence and followers on Instagram @bxvgreencommitee

• Published twenty-four action-oriented articles in local publication, My Hometown Bronxville, and contributed to the Bronxville Bulletin

• Contributed regularly to Village “One Square Mile” monthly newsletter; worked with the Public Library on a display promoting Arbor Day

• Maintained partnerships with Bronxville Chamber of Commerce, New York State Association of Conservation Commissions (NYSACC) and attended numerous industry and local conservation events to learn about programs and best practices

• Partnered with local merchants to promote sustainability in our business district:

  • Womrath Books: Window display promoting Arbor Day and local shopping

  • Soccer and Rugby: Permanent collection of gently used soccer gear for donation

  • Rain Skincare: Green Friday where 20% of sales were donated to the Bronxville Giving Garden

  • Promoted new “Upon Request” law to local residents and merchants, requiring that cutlery and condiments NOT be included in take-out orders unless they are requested

Events:

• Compost Give Back Day: Conducted second annual Village Compost Give Back Day in April for residents to pick up free compost in recognition of resident participation in the Food Scrap Recycling program

• Village Celebrations: Collaborated with Bronxville PTA Sustainability Committee to host a community table at the Village 125th Celebration and participated in the Village’s Annual Memorial Day Parade

• Litter Clean Up: Coordinated litter clean with Bronxville Middle School students and parents