Schools Can Help Municipalities Adapt to Climate Change in a Variety of Ways 

Think Globally, Act Locally

Climate change, exposure to pollutants, and food and water insecurity are negatively affecting the health of our children. School closures and other disruptions related to COVID-19 uncovered many weaknesses in the resilience of our school systems, which will only be exacerbated by the changing climate. Extreme weather has already impacted families and schools across the country—leaving disruption, trauma, and uncertainty.

Schools can adapt.

Schools can build resilience.

Schools can prepare for what’s coming.

Why schools?

  1. Schools can contribute to significant national emission reductions

Possibility

This past November, COP26—the UN climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland—met for pivotal climate talks so we can turn 2020s into a decade of climate action and support globally. Schools will play a critical role in helping cut carbon emission levels. In fact, simple interventions such as lowering electricity use or boosting energy-efficiency of buildings can go a long way.

Discover how schools are already adapting:

  • Transportation

    Implement active travel schemes to encourage walking and cycling to school.

    Moving to electric school buses.

  • Energy

    Champion energy efficiency by installing solar panels and using other forms of clean, alternative energy.

  • Food

    Serving healthy sustainable foods and committing to serve no beef or meat.

    Growing and using food on site.

  • Water

    Installing smart meters and timers to taps to reduce wastage.

    Harvesting rainwater using water butts.

  • Nature

    Setting up a garden club and tree planting initiatives.

    Planting of pollinator-friendly beds without any use of peat and pesticides.

  • Waste

    Collecting food waste and recycling separately.

    Issuing a 'zero to landfill' waste contract.

2. Schools can be trailblazers for community change

Inspiration

By adapting to the changing climate and reducing carbon emissions, each school can inspire progress across their communities. Low-carbon schools can plant bright ideas by showing how straightforward and rewarding action can be.

How students can enact change beyond their respective schools.

Municipal Sustainability Committees

Each town in Westchester County has its own municipal sustainability committee focusing on clean energy, sustainability, and environmental conservation and advocacy. YOU can get directly involved with the efforts in your local community and help shape the course of climate action.

We encourage close coordination between Westchester schools and Westchester youth with their respective sustainability committee. It is crucial to understand how those committees are working to make your community more resilient and better adapted to the kinds of floods that ravaged our community last year.

Learn more about what each Westchester County municipality has done, and more importantly, what's to come from the April 1st Westchester Municipal Sustainability Committee Event, hosted by Sustainable Westchester

Highlights from The World Environment Day Conference

 

World Environment Day Conference

This past World Environment Day, June 5th, WGC held a conference with One World with keynote speaker George Latimer. The conference introduced other student climate activists across Westchester, specifically, students who have served on their town’s respective municipal sustainability committees.

Below you can find the full recording of the event, while the video to the left is a shortened version featuring highlights of the conference.

Full Recording of The World Environment Day Conference.

Working with CACs

Westchester County government and Sustainable Westchester have been very successful in encouraging each municipality to establish a sustainability committee.  

WGC USA also presented at the October 11, 2022, statewide CAC conference.