Westchester Insider: Westchester School District Makes Earth Day 'Carbon Neutral' Pledge.

 

ELMSFORD SCHOOL DISTRICT MAKES DUAL EARTH DAY 

PLEDGE TO BECOME ‘CARBON NEUTRAL’ 

Collaboration with One World Creates Model for 

School Districts Around the U.S.

 

Elmsford, NY- Apr. 22...The Elmsford School District today announced that it will become the first district in America to take the “Let’s Go Zero” pledge to become ‘carbon neutral’ by 2030, and the second school district in America, after Port Chester, NY, to become ‘carbon neutral’ under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat’s Climate Neutral Now initiative.

 

Elmsford’s pledge was made at a news conference co-sponsored by future-ready education leader, One World, which operates in more than 200 classrooms spanning 10 countries, and attended by Westchester County Executive George Latimer, Elmsford Mayor Robert Williams, Elmsford Superintendent of Schools Marc Baiocco, and One World founder and CEO Joe Carvin. 

 

In making its dual pledge, the Elmsford School District has agreed to measure and document its estimated annual GHG emissions. That number will then be offset by purchasing, with funds in part raised by Elmsford students, commensurate with Certified Carbon Emissions Reduction Credits (CER’s) as determined by the UN Climate Neutral Now initiative.  Those credits go towards reducing, avoiding, and removing greenhouse gas emissions from the atmosphere across the globe. (See: https://offset.climateneutralnow.org/) Until large scale alternative energy practices can be employed for electricity production and public transportation, CER offsets are the only way to achieve carbon neutrality as defined by the UN.

 

The Let’s Go Zero Pledge is a U.K. initiative that One World is aiming to bring to school districts around the globe. Elmford is the first school district outside of the U.K. to sign the “Let’s Go Zero’ pledge. 

 

““First it was the students in Port Chester, now it’s the students in Elmsford working together to improve our environment,” County Executive Latimer said. “I’m proud of the students today taking this initiative to help Westchester County reduce our carbon footprint, and become a leader in climate action.  I applaud the students of the Elmsford school district for their connection and commitment to the environment, and I commend One World for leading the way.”

 

“We are proud of the Elmsford Union Free School District's commitment to become Carbon Neutral Now,” Superintendent Baiocco said. “Our announcement comes at a time when we are celebrating the initiatives of our school's Green Club, as well as recognition of Earth Day 2021. Our partnership with One World UV has connected us with schools around the world and provided our students with global partnerships that empower them to bring about environmental change. We look forward to the future projects as we embark on our journey to meet our goals for becoming carbon neutral.”

 

“One World facilitates shared student learning around the world on key global issues such as climate change, hunger, world peace, and equality,'' Mr. Carvin said. “We are enormously pleased to work with a school district as forward looking as Elmsford so that we can show others across the U.S. and around the globe that meaningful environmental progress can be achieved if we make the right choices. It is our hope — indeed our mission — to bring these initiatives to other Westchester school districts, as well as school districts across the globe.”

One World is a future-ready international character building program for youth of all ages that generates civic commitment to school, local, national and global communities. Its clubs are a network of globally aware youth leaders of character; knowledgeable of the world around them and capable of changing it for the better.