On November 19, 2024, the Westchester County Office of Economic Development and Sustainable Westchester co-hosted the Westchester County Clean Energy Job and Resource Fair. The event attracted an impressive crowd of over 325 job seekers, all eager to explore opportunities in the rapidly expanding clean energy sector. This fair was more than just a gathering; it was a powerful demonstration of our commitment to fostering sustainable energy careers and empowering residents to join the movement toward a greener future.
Attendees had the chance to meet directly with top clean energy employers, including companies specializing in solar energy jobs, heat pump installations, and geothermal technologies. In addition to networking with hiring managers, participants connected with clean energy training providers offering pathways to high-paying clean energy careers. This combination of employer engagement and training resources provided a comprehensive approach to helping individuals secure meaningful roles in the renewable energy industry.
The event offered a variety of support services to enhance the job-seeking experience. Participants benefited from resume-writing assistance, personalized job-matching services, and interactive workshops designed to help attendees stand out in the competitive renewable energy jobs market. A panel discussion, titled “Jumpstarting Your Clean Energy Career,” featured industry leaders sharing valuable insights into the clean energy job market, while the “Conversation with an Expert” session provided practical advice for navigating the transition into sustainable energy careers.

Our commitment to equity and inclusivity was reflected in both the planning and execution of the event. By partnering with key community-based organizations—such as New Yorkers for Clean Power, the Re-Entry Task Force, municipal housing authorities, libraries, and other resource groups—we ensured the event reached a broad audience. Extensive community outreach helped engage youth, women, people of color, justice-affected individuals, veterans, immigrants, and members of historically disadvantaged communities. This deliberate focus on diversity highlighted the importance of building an inclusive workforce to drive the clean energy transition.
The fair also emphasized the financial and environmental benefits of careers in renewable energy. Attendees discovered how working in fields such as solar panel installation, energy efficiency consulting, and geothermal heating and cooling contributes to a cleaner, healthier planet while offering stable and rewarding employment. With roles ranging from entry-level clean energy jobs to specialized positions like energy analysts and renewable energy engineers, the opportunities showcased at the event reflected the broad scope of Westchester’s burgeoning green economy.

Our innovative approach to fostering community engagement and workforce development underscores the pivotal role we play in the clean energy transition. By hosting events like the Clean Energy Job and Resource Fair, we continue to inspire action, create awareness, and equip residents with the tools needed to thrive in the renewable energy industry.

As the clean energy sector continues to grow, events like these are essential in preparing Westchester County for a future powered by sustainable energy. Together with partners and residents, we are charting a path toward an inclusive, resilient, and clean energy workforce—one that reflects the diverse communities we serve.

At Sustainable Westchester, we play an active role in the clean energy transition, leveraging federal grants and resources to support our communities. Our commitment to access and transparency is driven by the understanding that many of our member municipalities face significant climate challenges and environmental inequities. At the heart of our mission is ensuring that all communities, especially those historically underserved, have equitable access to environmental resources.

Due to recent federal changes, several data resources environmentalists once had access to are no longer available.

For this reason,  we support the  Public Environmental Data Project, a volunteer coalition of environmental justice and policy organizations, researchers, archivists, and students, who are dedicated to preserving and providing public access to federal environmental data. By maintaining access to critical information on air quality, emissions, climate patterns, and pollution, this project helps communities and organizations identify environmental risks and track inequities. It also enables stakeholders to advocate for stronger climate change mitigation initiatives where they are needed most.

In addition to PEDP, we’re excited to share that the Climate Program Portal Library has recently been updated with a wealth of resources archived in January 2025. This includes the original Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) website, comprehensive EV charging information, elective pay options, and much more. These tools are invaluable for individuals, businesses, and municipalities aiming to stay informed and actively contribute to a sustainable future.

By supporting and promoting access to these critical resources, Sustainable Westchester continues to advance environmental justice through increasing accessibility across all our communities.

Explore these valuable tools and learn more about how environmental data supports justice and action:

Public Environmental Data Project

Climate Program Portal Library.

Helpful Tip: If there are any webpages you haven’t been able to access but you have the URL, you can try using the Wayback Machine to retrieve archived versions, which may be helpful to retrieve climate resources: http://web.archive.org/.

If you know of additional resources we can share with our community please email us at [email protected].

Pictured: Members of Girl Scout Troops 1851 and 1791, Hayden from Healthy Home Energy & Consulting, and Sustainable Westchester’s Building Decarbonization Director Lauren Brois, Program Coordinator Dara Rivadeneira, and College Intern Stella Sanko.

January 23, 2025 – Earlier this January, Sustainable Westchester and Healthy Home Energy & Consulting accompanied two Larchmont Girl Scout Troops on their Get Moving Journey. This Journey is all about exploring energy and how to use it responsibly. A lot of our energy usage happens at home, so together with the Girl Scouts we performed a modified home energy assessment at the Larchmont Girl Scouts House! The troops learned how insulation helps buildings stay warm during the winter and conducted a blower door test and used an infrared camera to find areas of the building that were cold and lacking insulation. They discovered how colors indicated temperature on an infrared camera. Look at the photo below to see the residual heat left by their warm helping hands!

Together, 4th and 5th grader Girl Scouts made the connection on how using energy efficiently at home helps the planet. In the end Sustainable Westchester emphasized how these young Girl Scouts have the power to make a difference and helped them put together promises on ways to reduce energy at home through their energy pledge. After they made their energy pledges, we brainstormed ideas on how to expand on these energy saving ideas in their homes and communities. We were happy to hear that some girls wanted to conduct home energy assessments in their own homes and schools to help save energy! The girls were also delighted to learn that there are also interactive apps for download to help them track their energy at home and remind them of energy saving tips.

If your troop is interested in being green leaders and completing their Get Moving Journey, please contact Lauren Brois at [email protected].

Girl Scout Get Moving! Journey

Feeling inspired to be more energy efficient like our fellow Girl Scouts? Please check out our EnergySmart Homes program and the GridRewards app to get started!

This Girl Scout Journey with Sustainable Westchester is also documented in the Larchmont Ledger on page 6, click here to check it out.