WPCNR Environmental Epitaph. From Westchester County Department of Communications. March 12, 2007: Westchester County has a new section on its website to focus attention on what people, governments and businesses can do to decrease greenhouse gases that cause global warming.
The new web pages are part of County Executive Andy Spano’s broad initiative, announced in October, to produce a countywide action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development in Westchester. Noting that the county has a long history of effective grassroots advocacy on the environment, Spano appointed the Climate Protection: Westchester Global Warming Task Force, which has begun work to develop this plan.
“Our new website will be a resource for the task force and for all or our residents and businesses that care about the environment,” said Spano. “It is a way to share ideas and information. I hope people reading these pages will see what ‘action steps’ of their own they can take.”
The website can be accessed from www.westchestergov.com
As the website says, “Climate change is the greatest environmental challenge facing the world today. It will bring changes in weather patterns, rising sea levels and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. How we respond to the issue of climate change now will determine the shape of our future – our economy, environment, and communities. The debate is no longer about whether climate change is happening, but on what we do about it.”
The website includes information on what things Westchester County and the public and private sector have done to deal with global warming. It includes links to many outside resources, so people can become better informed about the problem – and solutions. An “action section” will be developed that will give specific suggestions on things individuals and groups should do.
Reese Berman, co-chair of the county’s Global Warming Task Force, said of the new website: “With such an overwhelming amount of material available on the issue of global warming, this website will save an incredible amount of energy for action-oriented people who don’t want to re-invent the wheel. People in this county sense the urgency, and this will help us move forward in developing action plans that fit Westchester, now.”
