HomeMy WebLinkAbout2017_11_18 Sustainability Collaborative Minutes TOM Sustainability Collaborative RETREAT
2017.1118
Town of Mamaroneck Sustainability Collaborative RETREAT
Saturday, November 18, 2017— 10am - 1pm
Weaver Street Firehouse
Attendees: Nancy Seligson, Steve A., Mitch Green, Frank Owens, Michele Lewis, Marc Karell,Tony Gelber,
Steve M., George Roniger,Andrea Boyer,Arlene Novich, Elizabeth Poyet, Victor Tafur,June
Wallach, Shannon Purdy, Sue Odierna
Introductions
Why are we here?
After attending the Zero Emissions Summit in NYC in September, Nancy and Mitch recommended That the
Collaborative meet and review its goals with a view to current environmental conditions.
1. Participants were asked to give one short answer to the following questions. Responses below:
What is your most important What is the most important What is your goal for today's
environmental issue? environmental priority for the retreat?
Town?
Pesticides/What we put on our land Legislate Pesticides Continue and Improve Leaf blower
(4 votes) Legislation
Noise More/Better Public Communication Create Action Items on Reducing
on Noise Noise
Water Quality Make Town More Resilient Re-assess Resiliency Goals
Climate Change (4 votes) Streets/How they Relate to Establish Timetable for Bike Plan
Sustainability Issues
Interaction Between municipalities Reduce Pesticides Public Outreach of Educational
Priorities
Energy Reduction Education with Enforcement on How to Engage New Residents in
Plastic Bags Environment
Urban/Suburban Infrastructure Reusable Bags (2) Listen and Learn (2)
Zero Waste Become Practical Leader in Climate Advance GHG Reduction
Change
Plastic Bags More Clean-ups To Inspire Expand Food Waste program
Residents' Involvement
Food Waste Recycling Food Waste Recycling
Car-Free Roads
How do we GLOCAL?(think global and act local)-Nancy
• 2012-Sustainability Collaborative formed. Town set GHG reduction target of 5% below 1990 levels for
its facilities.Town has reduced GHG far more than that. Validating specific numbers with WegoWise, an
energy data company.
• TOM known within County for being an Environmental Leader.
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TOM Sustainability Collaborative RETREAT
2017.1118
• TOM partners well with VOM and VOL
• With lack of federal effort and confusing efforts on the part of NYS, it is important to rally greater
support on local level. Opportunities include:
o Gather energy use data, use this for community outreach
o Educate/motivate community—individuals,families, blocks, neighborhoods, organizations
o Send postcards to residents listing Town's environmental accomplishments and ask them to
calculate energy use
o Run neighborhood contest for best environmental neighborhood
o Active engagement with all schools
o Consider school liaison?
The Town's Environmental Accomplishments(Mitch), see attached
Challenges for Tomorrow/Climate Change(Marc K.)
Leadership for environmental initiatives makes all the difference in action. Local communities must lead.
Local Challenges include:
• Replacement of power from Indian Point
• Activating all municipalities in Westchester County. Sustainable Westchester.
• Need one goal—a specific GHG reduction goal and timeframe for doing so
• "The Plan for a Resilient and Sustainable Mamaroneck" needs more "teeth." Goals are nice but
legislation is required to make things happen. (Note: Town is considering a new comprehensive plan.)
Break-out Groups—What action makes sense for Individuals/Families/Neighborhoods/Organizations/Town?
INDIVIDUALS& NEIGHBORHOODS& TOWN Collaborative
FAMILIES ORGANIZATIONS
Send Postcards with Learn from Others Sister Enviro Towns Activities Improve communication with
Actions Town Board
Enviro Awards Share Knowledge Rename Traffic Committee to Increase Liaison to School
"Mobility Committee" District
By 2020 BFC Bronze Award Improve communication to
public
Prep Outreach for the next
"Sandy"
Fully ADA Compliant
Sidewalks by 2020
Build in mandates
TOM Community GHG
Reduction Targets:
2020 30%
2025 50%
2030 89%
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TOM Sustainability Collaborative RETREAT
2017.1118
Retreat Attendees were divided into three break-out groups.
Each break-out group created ideas and actions they felt important.
All break-out groups reported their ideas to the full Retreat.
The table above is a combination of the results of three break-out groups.
The output from each of the Break-out Groups is included as an appendix to these meeting notes
Additional thoughts:
• TOM, VOM &VOL need to continue our "parallel partnership"where Quality of Life is at the center of
our efforts on sustainability& resilience
• We can learn locally—e.g., Bedfrod 2020's "10 ways to make a difference at home"
• In considering goals, remember that "you can't make an omlette without breaking some eggs!"
• TOM Board Member education -can Collab involve them by issue?Collab mtg rotating attendance?
• More & Better Data is needed to set &communicate our goals—Collab& TOM must invest in 2018 data
gathering and formulation so that we can return benefits&savings to
Families/Neighborhoods/Organizations and the Town in 2019, 2020 and beyond
Gov't leads by example: big plan subset—carbon reduction—resiliency—incentives
Generate personal/emotional reaction
• Outrage changes hearts and minds
• Social pressure is effective
• The Collab should maintain its historic focus on how "pocketbook issue" savings (overall TOM Budget&
Taxes, Family-by-family household expenditures) can drive environmental improvement
Closing Comments—Nancy
• Would be helpful to have Collaborative members attend Town Board meetings
• Suggested a formal presentation to the Town Board with today's findings
• Address today's ideas/activities at December Collaborative meeting
• Sincere thanks to Collaborative volunteers
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TOM Sustainability Collaborative RETREAT
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APPENDIX—RETREAT BREAK-OUT SESSION OUTPUTS
■ Group 1:
o Family/Neighborhood/Town Enviro Challenge Checklist
■ Send postcards to families- 10 items to check off re environmental actions taken
■ Reward with "bronze" certification for completion of three actions; "platinum"for
completing eight actions.
o Collab Mission—"GLOCAL," connecting global to local
■ learn from others/share knowledge
■ glocal sister enviro cities Movie Nights/Field Trips with sister enviro towns
o Active engagement with all schools, K-12, public/private
■ Does Collaborative need school liaison(s)?
■ Group 2
o Rename Traffic Committee "Mobility Committee"—word choice can change minds
o Be awarded Bike Friendly Community(BFC) Bronze status by 2020 within VOM,VOL and TOM
o Sidewalks full ADA compliant by 2020
o Pro-active/community-wide ongoing preparation for the next"Sandy"
o From "Project Champion"to Built-in Mandates—adjust key TOM laws to "lock in" progress &
process
o GHG Reduction Targets for the TOM Community as a Whole:
■ Year 2020—30%
■ Year 2025—50%
■ Year 2030—89
■ Group 3—"Sleeping at the Wheel"
o Increased Communication/Reach out to Town Board
o Better job of communicating what we are doing to Public
o Gov't leads by example: big plan subset—carbon reduction—resiliency—incentives
o Board members better linked to Collab activities
o How to move the needle
■ By generating personal/emotional reaction
• Outrage changes hearts and minds
• Social pressure is effective
• The pocketbook
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