Improved energy efficiency in county facilities: High-efficiency lighting in all buildings, motion sensors for lights, highest energy efficiency ratio for all new equipment, retrofitted County buildings with high efficiency windows, boiler replacements with high efficiency boilers, energy efficiencies in the wastewater treatment plans, preferential purchasing plan for energy-efficient products to the extent feasible under all applicable laws, rules, and regulations.

Promoted energy efficiency in IDA-funded development: The Industrial Development Agency advocates the use of “green building” technologies and practices and requires each applicant to describe how these technologies will be incorporated into the project construction/renovations; IDA also requires compliance with energy efficient standards (ENERGY STAR) in equipment and lighting.

Increased recycling: The county has met or exceeded the state’s recycling goal of 40 percent for solid waste for nine consecutive years and has increased recycling of organic yard waste, used tires and household hazardous waste.

Improved transportation options: Since 1998, the county has modernized its bus fleet, reconfiguring bus routes to better connect to rail and to better serve the needs of senior citizens, instituted programs to encourage shared riding for employees.

Reduced water pollution: Since 1998, through the Department of Planning and the county’s Soil and Water Conservation District streams and wetlands have been restored to improve  water quality and natural Also, storm water management practices have been installed or upgraded to improve water quality. The county has made changes to its sanitary code (enforced by the Department of Health) to protect the environment and  keep water clean. Sewage pumping stations (county and local) are required to file annual reports documenting operations. In addition, the departments of Public Works and Environmental Facilities completed a four- year $30 million program in 2003 to remove inflow and infiltration in municipal sanitary sewers and reduce sanitary sewer overflows. These departments are now completing a plan to upgrade the four Long Island Sound Wastewater Treatment Plants to remove nitrogen from the Sound. The Westchester County Airport implemented an airport wide groundwater monitoring program to protect drinking water as part of the Airport wide Environmental Management System which was independently certified to the ISO 14001 Standard in 2004. 

Reduced the use of pesticides and toxic cleaning products by governments:  Since 2000 the use of pesticides by the county has been phased out. The county has  encouraged local governments to do the same. A recent Executive Order requires all county facilities to use non toxic green cleaning products where possible. 

Preserved open space: The Spano administration has added about 1975 acres of open space to County open space since 1998. The 180- acre Hilltop Hanover Farm was purchased in 2003 to preserve open space and to protect drinking water. The farm's Environmental Resource Center will focus on educating professionals, land-owners and the general public. Best management practices for agriculture and land use will be demonstrated. Information about non-toxic, organic and sustainable residential landscaping practices and suburban agriculture will be promoted.

Reduced air pollution:  The county has reduced the emissions from its bus fleet, requiring the buses operate using ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel and is retrofitting its buses with filters to further reduce emissions of air pollutants. The county recently bought hybrid vehicles and is monitoring  their performance to see if additional vehicles should be purchased. The county has bought and will continue to buy hybrid vehicles for its motor fleet and will assist local governments and school districts with reducing its emissions from motor vehicle fleet.  The county Board of Legislators has mandated that all county diesel vehicles and county contractor diesel vehicles use ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and be equipped with filters to further reduce air pollutants. This month the county entered into a “Statement of Intent” with other suburban counties, New York City and the state Department of Transportation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to work together to further to  reduce emissions from engines and vehicles that operate in their jurisdictions, with a focus on diesel emissions.

WHAT OTHERS HAVE DONE

• In 2004, the Beczak Environmental Education Center on the Hudson River in Yonkers, with the help of the state, county and the City of Yonkers, opened a  3,800-square-foot riverfront interpretive center. With a sandy beach and its own tidal marsh just steps away from the building, Beczak provides the community with an indoor and outdoor classroom where young and old alike can “touch the river” and learn about the natural world.
  
• The Pace Law School Energy Project, highly regarded throughout the world in the fields of energy conservation, alternative energy sources, and sustainable energy, is working with the Town of Greenburgh in its "Greening Greenburgh Campaign.” This is a model program to develop and implement an aggressive geographically targeted energy efficiency and conservation initiative, which includes an effort to educate local residents, businesses and institutions about cost-effective opportunities to save energy. The Town has also passed landmark legislation requiring that all new residential construction less than four stories high in the town meet strict Energy Star® standards.
  
• This summer,  Morgan Stanley announced it has retrofitted its new offices in Purchase with the New York metropolitan area’s largest ice storage energy efficient air conditioning system. It is estimated that the system will reduce peak energy usage and reduce overall electrical usage by 900,000 kWh and reduce the site’s overall fuel consumption by 15,000 MMBtu. It is said this would be equivalent to planting 1.5 million  trees to absorb the carbon dioxide emissions avoided during one year  or removing 271 automobiles from county roads. (The county uses this system at two of its White Plains office buildings.)
  
• The Katonah-Lewisboro School District will retrofit 100 percent of its 54-vehicle school bus fleet with diesel particulate filters and will purchase two new large school buses also equipped with diesel particulate filters. The implementation of this retrofit program will help the school district reduce the air pollution from its buses by 85 percent and thus significantly reduce the harmful health effects of the school bus emissions.