Pictured: Ellen Edwards and Maria Terjanian Receiving the Award
By the Bronxville Green Committee
Oct. 16, 2024: At the New York State Hudson Valley Regional Council Annual Conference on September 27th, the Village of Bronxville was one of four communities recognized for achieving notable climate action milestones in a remarkably brief timeframe. The award recognizes municipalities for completing climate actions through the state’s Climate Smart Communities program.
The Climate Smart Communities (CSC) program is intended to assist municipalities in addressing climate change by identifying concrete steps they can take within a specified framework. In September 2022, Bronxville was awarded the program’s Bronze Certification. The Village’s Climate Smart Task Force has since worked with Village Trustees to adopt a Climate Action Plan for Municipal Operations in November 2023 and is now working towards silver status.
The award was accepted by Climate Task Force members Ellen Edwards and Maria Terjanian. Task Force member Carole Upshur deserves special recognition for the many hours she has contributed writing reports and gathering data. Trustee Helen Knapp and Assistant Town Administrator Stephen Shallo serve as Village liaisons on the Task Force.
Important Climate Actions
The Village’s goal is to reduce emissions from municipal operations 40% by 2030, which aligns with New York State’s goal established in its 2019 climate act.
Last fall, the Village completed a comprehensive Energy Audit of its three municipal buildings. That report is serving as a guide in helping the Village take the next steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through greater energy efficiencies.
To pay for these upgrades, the Task Force is working with NYSERDA to win “green” grant money, funds which can only be spent to achieve greater energy efficiencies or to eliminate fossil fuel by switching to fully electric operations.
To date, the Task Force has helped the Village win $82,500 in “green” grants, which are being used for interior LED lights and energy management systems in the Library and Village Hall.
The Village has applied for, and is awaiting approval of, significantly more funds. Learn more about the Village’s Climate Smart Communities certification HERE and about the Village’s Climate Action Plan HERE.
The Bronxville Green Committee is a volunteer organization that is part of the Village of Bronxville. We work to propose and implement environmentally sustainable programs in our community. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram @bxvgreencommittee to learn more.
The Bronxville Green Committee is a volunteer organization under Village government. We work with the Trustees and Village staff on programs that promote clean energy initiatives and sustainable ways of living. Our programs include The Bronxville Giving Garden, a community garden whose produce is donated to local groups; Take Back Day, when we collect items to be recycled; and Pollinator Pathways, which encourages adding native plants to our gardens. We believe everyone can make a difference by adopting simple, sustainable practices in daily life so we can work together to protect what we love -- our families, our homes and our town.