Dear Members, Colleagues, Supporters, and Friends,

Sustainable Westchester has been hard at work this past quarter.  Our Westchester Power team is securing new contracts to deliver clean, renewable energy to tens of thousands of homes and businesses, the summer heat has triggered an unprecedented sequence of GridRewards events, and our staff and volunteers have fanned out across the region to support community gatherings and contribute to industry conferences.  We’ve also strengthened the SW team, with our first-ever position dedicated to Environmental Justice and a new Director of Development.

This Summer 2024 newsletter has more detail on each of these subjects and many others, too, so please read on.  Thank you for your partnership, and enjoy the rest of the summer.

Sincerely,
The Sustainable Westchester Team

We’re thrilled to announce that Jan Brennan recently joined Sustainable Westchester as Director of Development, bringing more than two decades of fundraising and leadership experience in the environmental and cultural sectors. Jan has held development positions at a number of performing arts organizations in addition to The New York Botanical Garden and Environmental Defense Fund, where she broadened her interest and knowledge in climate change, sustainability, and energy efficiency.

In June, we announced that Yasmin Najjar was named our new Program Manager for Environmental Justice & Special Projects. This is the first time Sustainable Westchester has dedicated a position to Environmental Justice, bringing focus and attention to this vital priority across all of our departments.

Yasmin joined Sustainable Westchester in 2021 as an Environmental Justice Researcher and was also our first NYSERDA Climate Justice Fellow.  Most recently, she served on our Building Decarbonization team, where she was especially effective in promoting green workforce development.

In her new role, Yasmin will strive to center the concerns of marginalized constituencies, evaluate the impacts of our programming, partner with allied organizations, promote education and outreach, and ensure that our most vulnerable neighbors have the best access to valuable services.  She will also take the lead in workforce development efforts in partnership with the Westchester County Office of Economic Development and incubate new programs outside of the energy space.

On August 17, Jim Kuster, Sustainable Westchester’s Board Co-Chair and former Interim Executive Director, will once again fundraise for our organization through Climate Ride. The 2024 Climate Ride Wine Country Edition is a one-day ride through Sonoma County to raise awareness of sustainability, clean energy, and climate change issues.

We hope you will consider sponsoring Jim’s ride! All donations made through Jim’s Climate Ride page will go directly to Sustainable Westchester’s 2024 development campaign.

Westchester Power

Over the last few months, our Westchester Power team has worked tirelessly as we prepare for new contracts in the Con Edison utility service areas. We received competitive bids in July and Constellation New Energy was chosen as the electricity supplier for a 13-month contract beginning November 1, 2024. We were happy to see bidders pushing each other, thereby bringing prices down. The 50% renewable rate is 12.178¢/kWh and the 100% renewable rate is 13.298¢/kWh, which represents a significant reduction relative to the current contract rate, and lower than current private ESCO rates for comparable renewable products.

We commend the following municipalities for extending their participation in Westchester Power, demonstrating continued strong support for the widespread adoption of clean energy in Westchester County, and reinforcing a broader commitment to achieving critical climate and environmental goals:

Village of Ardsley I Town of Bedford I Village of Croton-on-Hudson I Village of Dobbs Ferry I Town of Greenburgh I Village of Hastings-on-Hudson I Village of Irvington I Village of Larchmont I Town of Mamaroneck I Village of Mamaroneck I Town of New Castle I City of New Rochelle I Town of Ossining I Village of Ossining I City of Peekskill I Village of Pelham  I Village of Pleasantville I Village of Rye Brook I City of Rye I Village of Sleepy Hollow I Village of Tarrytown I Village of Tuckahoe I City of White Plains

The team will be hosting Information Sessions in all participating communities over the next few weeks. The venues and times can be found here.

If your organization, homeowners association or other group is interested in hosting a session so that your members can learn more about this important program, please contact westchesterpower@sustainablewestchester.org.

The Westchester Power team has begun meeting with the municipalities in the NYSEG territories to discuss their participation in a new contract beginning later this year.

Westchester Power is the most impactful initiative a municipality can undertake to reduce it’s carbon footprint. Please contact us if you want to learn more about what steps are required to  join this effort.

Renew America’s Nonprofits

Last year, Sustainable Westchester was honored to be recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy as New York State’s top resource, and one of nine organizations nationwide, capable of leading the innovative Renew America’s Nonprofits Program, a $45 million national initiative that will help nonprofits make high-impact energy efficiency improvements.

Our team has designed a program that will specifically support nonprofits serving constituencies who have been historically disproportionately harmed by environmental and energy cost burdens. Organizations interested in being considered for the Renew American’s Nonprofits can fill out our interest form to receive a subrecipient application when it becomes available.

Have questions about the program?
Contact mark@sustainablewestchester.org.

New Middle and High School Presentations on Clean Energy Careers

Sustainable Westchester, the Westchester County Office of Economic Development, and New Yorkers for Clean Power are offering a new presentation for middle school and high school students about the growing clean energy sector and the prospects of future high-paying career opportunities. The presentation can be delivered assembly-style, in the classroom, or on Zoom, and can be customized to meet specific curriculum and timeframes. Click here to complete a Presentation Request Form or contact Pam Miner at pam@sustainablewestchester.org.

Save the Date: Westchester County Clean Energy Jobs and Resource Fair

Following the success of the inaugural event in April 2024, the Westchester County Office of Economic Development and Sustainable Westchester, in partnership with New Yorkers for Clean Power, will host its second Clean Energy Jobs and Resource Fair on November 19 at the Westchester County Center, White Plains.

Click here to sign up to be notified when registration opens or contact Yasmin Najjar at careerfair@sustainablewestchester.org for more information.

If you are interested in tabling at the event please complete the interest form.

SmartKit AI

Commercial and industrial building owners with ConEd accounts can get cash rewards for helping reduce stress on the power grid and for lowering Westchester’s carbon footprint! Sign up for ConEd’s Commercial Smart Usage Rewards with Logical Building’s SmartKit AI tool! Click here to learn more and book a demo.

Community Energy Gathering for the People of Westchester County 

On June 6, the Mid-Hudson Regional Clean Energy Hub — which includes Sustainable Westchester, Cornell Cooperative Extension Dutchess County, and the Consensus Building Institute — hosted our Westchester Community Energy Gathering at the Yonkers Riverfront Public Library. We heard directly from community members about their energy needs and discussed how the programs we work with can better serve the Mid-Hudson region.

Energy Savings Workshop for the Spanish Speaking Community

On June 26, Sustainable Westchester hosted our first fully in-person Spanish-language Energy Savings Workshop at Ossining Library! This session covered easy energy-saving strategies and highlighted key programs that contribute to combating climate change, such as Community Solar, GridRewards, EnergySmart Homes, HEAP, Empower+, and EAP.

Click here to view a recording of the event.

Upon Request Panel

Westchester County now requires food service establishments to provide single-use food-ware items only when explicitly requested by customers. On August 2, Sustainable Westchester Executive Director Noam Bramson moderated a panel hosted by Mother's Out Front which featured perspectives from County leaders, sustainability advocates and local business owners about the law. 

Fact sheets and business flyers about the Upon Request legislation are available in English, Spanish and Chinese. If you are interested, contact info@sustainablewestchester.org and we will let you know when they are ready to be picked up at Sustainable Westchester's office in Mount Kisco. 

In the Community  

Over the last quarter, Sustainable Westchester has participated in numerous events throughout Westchester County, talking to residents about our programs, how they can save money on energy and ways they can positively impact the environment.

If you signed up for information at a Sustainable Westchester table and would like assistance on your clean energy upgrade project for your home or building, visit EnergySmart Homes or email the team at EnergySmartHomes@SustainableWestchester.org.