Westchester green groups gather this Thursday, May 20, to talk sustainability

Monday, May 17, 2010
by Carol Durst

Come find out how various green groups’ efforts are going and catch some ideas.  From 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. this Thursday, May 20, the Chappaqua Library will host a roundtable discussion among panelists from community agencies, farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture members (CSA), and environmental management agencies on ways in which to make Westchester County more sustainable. This event is free and open to the public.

As awareness about our sustainable resources increases, community concerns grow about food (including policy and supply issues), biological systems and environmental management.  To get the roundtable going, everyone will introduce themselves, their organizations and explain how their organization defines and contributes to “Sustainable Westchester.” These organizations rarely have an opportunity to speak to one another, let alone answer questions from a public audience, and I am delighted the library director, Pam Thornton, wanted to host this opening conversation at the library. The goal for the evening is that everyone leaves with specific steps they can take to advance their own efforts at sustainable, “green,” behavior. 

The roundtable is co-sponsored by the Town of New Castle, the League of Women Voters, Saw Mill River Audubon, Westchester Land Trust and CELF (Children’s Environmental Literacy Foundation).

The Friends of the Library will provide coffee and John Crabtree has offered nibbles from the Kittle House; there will be some organic nuts from a local roaster who sells at the Community Markets, and I just might bake a treat or two.

Participants include:

Sustainability Advisory Board for the Town of New Castle

Crabtree’s Kittle House

Slow Food

Community Markets

Bluestone Farm and Learning Center

Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture

Kitchawan Farm

New Castle Teen Alliance

Local farmers, chefs and business owners are invited.  The event is free and open to the public

Carol Durst is a culinary professional known for her “Menus in the Movies” series at the Chappaqua Library, the next of which is the “Umami Short Film Event” on Friday, May 21, for which she will also bake some treats.