On Saturday, April 27th, the Larchmont Environmental Committee (LEC) organized an Earth Day Celebration in Constitution Park, sponsored by the Village of Larchmont. The event brought residents from across Westchester together to learn about local environmental issues.
The Town of Mamaroneck Sustainability Collaborative is a volunteer advocacy group that advises the town’s board on environmental ecological concerns. They work to inform the community on ways to reduce their waste output and maximize the use of renewable energy, collaborating with community members of all ages to further their initiatives. The annual Earth Day Celebration is one of the LEC’s primary events that brings the community into the world of environmental advocacy. The event features live entertainment, informational booths, and fun activities for kids, emphasizing the importance of environmental education and taking action to promote sustainable practices. Many impactful organizations participated in this event, including The Town of Mamaroneck Sustainability Collaborative, Sustainable Westchester, Sheldrake Nature Center, No Dig, Larchmont-Mamaroneck Pollinator Pathway, Save the Sound, and Marine Education Center.
These organizations operated booths to facilitate discussions and educate attendees about their ecological footprint, the natural world, and local sustainability opportunities to encourage eco-friendly practices. Many of these activities appealed to youth audiences, who enjoyed games such as measuring the amount of sugar in popular foods and racing against your peers to determine the participant who could sort trash the fastest.
The event also showcased the projects of Original Civics Research and Action (OCRA) students at Mamaroneck High School. Addy Bartlett (’25), an active member of OCRA, ran a booth with several of her classmates to share her project with community stakeholders. Her group is focused on reducing food scrap waste from local restaurants, having worked with Tequila Sunrise, a Mexican restaurant in Larchmont, to divert “thousands of pounds” of food waste from the garbage stream. Bartlett is grateful that the event allowed her to speak with several community stakeholders who can potentially help “advance [their] project,” as the connections she made were “invaluable” and “fulfilling.”
These new relationships and educational opportunities would not have been possible without Katherine Pannell, coordinator and chair of the LEC (Larchmont Environmental Committee). Pannell emphasized the importance of bringing leaders of local environmental initiatives together, sharing how the committee requires those who operate tables at the event “need to go to the other tables” and introduce themselves. These discussions allow the members of these organizations to “cross-pollinate” and build meaningful connections.
Local government officials also had the opportunity to “cross-pollinate” with environmental leaders at the event, including Congressman Jamaal Bowman and Westchester County Executive George Latimer. Bowman stated that the climate is a “priority of [his],” and he wants to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for “destroying the planet.” Westchester County Executive George Latimer gave his perspective on the issue, noting that sustainability is extremely important to him and that “the government has resources” to reduce carbon emissions and maintain environmental viability.
The Earth Day Celebration is undoubtedly one of Larchmont’s most popular events related to environmental advocacy; however, there are other opportunities available for students who would like to get more involved in sustainability. Mark Kramer, the Collaborative’s co-chair, told the Globe that the organization is actively seeking students who can fix things’ to volunteer at their Repair Cafe Mamaroneck this fall. If interested, email the Collaborative’s Sustainability Coordinator at [email protected] for more details.
