- RYUNOSUKE SATORO
“Individually we are one drop.
Together we are an ocean.”
Philosophy and Principles
Community
We offer multiple programs across many municipalities and each success builds capacity, increases confidence, provides an opportunity for engagement, deepens understanding and an appetite for more action. For municipalities, participation in Sustainable Westchester solidifies its reputation for pragmatic environmental leadership and provides continuity through changes in elected leadership.
Philosophy and Principles
Collective
Our work across municipalities leverages learning and experience. This provides an opportunity to optimize the design and management of our programs. Learning from one program is reflected in the next to optimize results. The power of the collective is also seen in our aggregate buying power and the clout and leverage that power provides in delivering fiscally responsible and competitive opportunities. Collective experience and clout allows us to deliver sound solutions on a countywide scale.
Philosophy and Principles
Impact
Our programs provide the foundation for impact in support of New York State CLCPA goals and NYSERDA Clean Energy Communities and Climate Smart certification and grants. Added to this, the aggregate impact of our programs greatly contribute to significant municipal and county-wide environmental benefits. Through collective shared services, we provide cost and resource savings for municipalities and for their residents we provide cost control and access to renewable energy; all working toward creating resilient, vibrant, thriving communities.
Philosophy and Principles
Choice
A range of programs allows us to serve municipalities with different priorities and provides municipalities the opportunity to opt into programs that suit them. Varying levels of participation and options exist with each program contributing to customization and tailored activation which fosters choice among residents.
Philosophy and Principles
Collaboration
We believe the best results are collaborative and we work with municipal governments and staff to facilitate programs that bring forward each community’s own sustainability ideas and efforts; fostering the principle of community. We engage in an ongoing partnership with our member municipalities and their communities by managing and fielding constituents’ questions, creating tool kits for each municipality and its residents, conducting community information sessions and workshops, and maintaining ongoing community involvement and collaboration.
Philosophy and Principles
Innovation
We understand that meeting aggressive climate goals and making a substantive impact requires constant innovation and the search for “the next generation of solutions and programs.” A track record of successful innovation and programs provides a foundation on which to build for the next generation of solutions. Built on the sharing of best practices and recognized first-to-market models, we lead the county in terms of innovation. We are always future focused and are looking toward the next decade via community solar integration, direct supply and energy storage, pilot programs giving low to moderate income residents access to renewable energy options, electrification of building clean heating and cooling and inclusion of clean transportation into the renewable energy solution paradigm.
Philosophy and Principles
Thought Leadership
Sustainable Westchester, as a thought leader, delivers for our municipal members depth of relationship and sphere of influence that can work on plans and tackle opportunities at County scale with focus on New York State context. It is as thought leaders, we help municipalities participate effectively in the broader context and provide them with a ‘seat at the table’ of innovation and planning for the energy future.
PHILOSOPHY & PRINCIPLES
Commitment to
Environmental Justice
As agents of change, it is incumbent on us to affect a decisive shift toward environmental equity in our communities of color. We pledge to increase collaboration with our municipal partners by gaining a deeper understanding of each community’s DNA, its strengths and needs, and the gaps that exist to find the place where we can play a significant role in offering greater access to environmental benefits. We believe that resilience is born from strong communities.
With that, we pledge to deepen our investment in underfunded communities by providing environmental resources that will foster greater strength and resiliency. We are deeply committed to the idea that a sustainable future is an equitable future. Please click here to read Sustainable Westchester’s full pledge.
Sustainable Westchester:
A Brief Historical Perspective
Sustainable Westchester’s beginnings can be traced back to the economic crisis of 2008. The $831 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), signed into law in early 2009, had as its primary goal job creation, in part through targeted public investment in such areas as energy efficiency. In 2009, a group of northern Westchester County municipalities teamed up to create a collaborative energy efficiency program…
