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Think Globally, Act Locally FCWC, founded in 1965, envisions a county where an environmental ethic defines and shapes all public and private decisions. Our mission is to provide leadership that educates about environmental issues, advocates sound decision-making and unifies groups and individuals to protect and preserve Westchester's environment and address climate change. FCWC Hosts Climate Conference FCWC recently hosted the FCWC & Pace 2024 Climate Conference: Community Climate – Change Accelerating Awareness, Engagement, and Action at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. The conference discussed some of the most urgent problems facing the environment today, alongside some practical solutions. For a full summary of the conference, please click here . ​ For some press coverage of the conference, please click here . ​ ​ Contact AREAS OF ACTION I mpact of Climate Change: FCWC accepts the conclusions of 97% of our climate scientists who believe that climate change is underway, that human beings are the dominant reason for it, and that its effects are already being felt. We urge attention to the resiliency of our communities, infrastructure, and coastlines in the face of the anticipated results of climate change. Environmental Justice: FCWC believes in a future where environmental and economic burdens are shared equitably and not forced on communities that have been discouraged from making their voices heard. We are ready to assist the County in bringing forward the voices of all, especially those whose voices most need to be heard in our County. Student Engagement: FCWC works to educate the next generations of our world about the climate crisis, support them in their advocacy work, and amplify their voices locally and globally. Our Student Leadership Network supports youth-generated programming and mentorship, helping Westchester County's youth see their goals and academic endeavors. Preventing Airport Expansion: Flight paths from the Westchester County Airport take planes over densely populated areas and are major emitters of hazardous air pollutants linked to health risks. Those who live nearby are exposed to these pollutants in greater amounts. 85% of all air traffic at Westchester County Airport is from private and corporate planes, which emit significantly higher GHG per passenger. Water Quality: FCWC is a protector of County Parks and water drinking sources. Water quality is threatened by land development, pollution, and the use of chemical fertilizers. With only 3% of the water on Earth available for human consumption, we strive to conserve our watersheds, rivers, and the biodiversity living in them.

< Back Preserve Buttonhook Forest These 20.3 acres are part of a rare 100-acre “carbon sink” that's helping to fight climate change. ​ ​If the subdivision is approved 676 trees would be clearcut and bedrock blasted, leading to habitat loss, soil erosion, noise, air, and water pollution. Preservation is vital for... ECOSYSTEM These 20.3 acres are part of a rare 100-acre “carbon sink” that's helping to fight climate change. ​ ​If the subdivision is approved 676 trees would be clearcut and bedrock blasted, leading to habitat loss, soil erosion, noise, air, and water pollution. EDUCATION As parents, we want our schools to do more than just talk about Climate Change, Green Initiatives, Sustainability, and, Native American history. Saving this vibrant ecosystem offers a unique opportunity to stand in integrity, lead by example, and put into action practices they teach. HERITAGE Native American sacred ceremonial stone landscapes have been identified and verified on two adjacent properties and in the Buttonhook forest. Protecting these rare structures will preserve this vital history and be a big step towards reparations to the First Nations DONATE TODAY Preservebuttonhook.org Previous Next

< Back Brad Grecco Marketing Associate ​ ​

< Back Ashley Amerson Product Manager ​ ​

Meet the FCWC Board of Directors Dedication. Expertise. Passion. The Board of Directors helps not only the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County thrive, but the environment too! Learn more by interacting with the images. Carol Durst-Wertheim President Carol G. Durst-Wertheim, Ph.D. lives in Millwood, has presented "Menus in the Movies" at the Chappaqua Library for many years, belongs to the Pleasantville Garden Club and consults for the James Beard Foundation. She comes at environmental concerns from several directions, most notably the food industry, where Carol has worked in many capacities for over 30 years. Sustainable food growing practices and protection of our soil are critical to her as she thinks from the perspective of seven generations down the line, and from Westchester County, seeing the Hudson Valley farmers at our Farm Markets, working so hard to survive. Alicia Molloy Secretary Alicia Molloy became a board member with FCWC in January 2019. Previously, she worked as Program Director of the organization for five years before taking time off to raise her children. Alicia’s passion has always been the environment, since her days as a Girl Scout. She received her A.A. In Environmental Studies from Paul Smiths College, her B.S. in Environmental Studies Policy and Management from SUNY College of Environmental Studies, and her M.S. in Forestry and Natural Resources from Purdue University. She is also a member of the New Castle Sustainability Committee. Robert Carroll Board Member Mr. Carroll was involved with organizing what evolved into the Park Slope Food Coop at its inception. After graduating from Pace Law, he worked in financial services within the Corporate Secretary’s Office at JPM Chase as a Vice President managing numerous subsidiary entities. He created and managed a relational database of relevant data distributed across staff areas. He was also licensed as a financial advisor before joining FCWC over 10 years ago. During that time, he has served as a Director, Secretary and Vice President for FCWC. He began birding in Westchester County in the late 1970's and continues to add to a life list. Charles Lesnick Board Member Chuck has extensive experience in government, particularly in economic development and community building. He has also been an advocate for environmental standards and sustainability in his current position as Assistant Commissioner and Deputy Counsel of the NYS Homes & Community Renewal. As President Emeritus of the FCWC, he has worked to promote sustainability in the Westchester area. Chuck holds degrees from Yale, Princeton, and NYU, and is an Eagle Scout. Anjali Sauthoff Board Member Anjali Sauthoff is an environmental health scientist who is focused on applying science to practice. Currently she is working with universities, local and state government, industry and the non-profit sector to develop integrated approaches that address regional climate adaptation, environmental justice, and social determinants of health. Previous research has focused on developing models to estimate exposure to air pollutants, and using computer models to analyze emission reduction strategies. She currently serves on the New York Medical College Community Advisory Board, the Pleasantville Planning Commission and Climate Smart Communities Task Force, and is a founding board member of Films on Purpose. She received her PhD in Environmental Health from the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. Carole Griffiths Co-Vice President Dr. Carole S. Griffiths is Professor Emerita - Biology at Long Island University and Research Associate in Ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History. She also is chair of two grant committees of the Raptor Research Foundation and elected Fellow of the American Ornithological Society. Lives in Tarrytown. Long- time member of the Tarrytown Environmental Advisory Council. John Cotter Treasurer John Cotter had a long career in financial services, primarily at Chase Manhattan Bank and GE Capital Services. He focused on finance, derivatives trading, and market risk management, advising business units on hedging strategies related to currency and interest rate fluctuations. He also managed a large portfolio of derivative instruments and led a team in constructing a company-wide risk data warehouse. John is an avid runner and outdoors enthusiast who currently serves on Scarsdale's Technology Advisory Committee. Jason Klein Board Member Jason is currently Director of Conservation for Westchester County, as well as a Rye Town Trustee. He is a previous curator at Trailside Museum, and a very active member of the environmental community! Rand Manasse Board Member Rand Manasse is the Chief Operating Officer at Sunrise Solar Solutions and a managing partner at Green Lane Partners, a private equity firm focused on Clean Tech companies. He serves on the board of the Sustainability Advisory Board of New Castle, NY, and is active in his local community, holding or having held board memberships with many non-profit organizations. Rand also volunteers his spare time mentoring startup firms in the clean tech arena. He has an MBA in Finance from NYU and a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire. Through his involvement with Sunrise Solar Solutions, Rand has helped develop clean energy solutions for residential and commercial facilities in the Hudson Valley, creating over 600 systems producing over 31 GWh of non-polluting energy. Nortrud Spero Board Member Nortrud Spero currently works as a real estate broker focusing on historically preserved homes. She is on the Board of Untermeyer Gardens. Steven Levy Co-Vice President Steven Levy is the Chair, Managing Director, Sprague Energy, leading Sprague’s clean fuels product and business development activities. Mr. Levy’s experience includes forming partnerships with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, United States Department of Energy, and environmental organizations. At the federal, state and local level, Mr. Levy works closely with legislators, policy makers, environmentalists, equipment manufacturers, aftermarket manufacturers, and, most critically, the end-user to introduce and further the use of clean products and technologies, and plays a very active role with multiple environmental organizations, including the National Biodiesel Board and Clean Cities, and is actively engaged in the air quality agenda for the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County (FCWC) Jan Blaire Board Member Jan Blaire lives in Irvington and is involved in quite a few different Boards. A select few are League of Conservation Voters, Hudson River Watershed Alliance, Lyndhurst NTHP, Native Plant Center, Westchester County Soil and Water, Saw Mill River Basin Advisory Committee, Ag & Farmland Protection Board, and Resource, Conservation & Development Council. Joan Kuhn Board Member Joan Kuhn is the Program Coordinator at the Chappaqua Library where she initiates, plans and helps present programs. Previously, Joan was a biology teacher in Brooklyn and volunteered at the Bronx Zoo teaching animal conservation to students. She is excited to bring to FCWC her skills in creating programs, forums and events that will further our organization's mission. Larry O'Connell Board Member Larry is an instructor of Business and Finance at a number of colleges and universities. He lives in Ossining and is a Member of Environmental Consortium of Colleges and Universities.

< Back Camilla Jones Content Manager ​ ​

Administrative Assistant Location: Gerber Glass Library Pace University – Elizabeth Haub Law School 78 North Broadway, Room 108 White Plains, New York 10603 About FCWC: FCWC, founded in 1965, is an environmental education and advocacy non-profit, 501(c)(3), whose mission is to empower Westchester County environmental non-profits and residents to take effective action to address environmental problems and climate change on the local level with a conscious connection to our global reality. ​ Job Description: Part Time Administrative Manager, Flexible Hours, Hybrid Work This position provides a broad range of administrative tasks and communications related to the mission and initiatives of FCWC. Reporting to the Managing Director and working with the Board of Directors, this position focuses on the main pillars of FCWC: climate change education, advocacy, and environmental justice - to effectively share information with our members and member organizations, and to maintain our core organizational operations. This position requires excellent writing and organizational skills for someone interested in local environmental efforts. This role builds engagement with our internal and external audiences, maintains relationships with member organizations, and supports FCWC programming. Creativity, initiative, excellent communication skills and teamwork are essential! Requirements: Strong verbal and written communication skills, attention to detail. Commitment to learn and develop new skills. Proficiency using tools such as: Google Workspace/Gmail/Microsoft Office Suite, Neon CRM, Dropbox, and Canva design software (some training provided). Ability to work as part of a team in a dynamic environment. Keen interest and commitment to environmental issues and empowering others. Experience with social media platforms. Responsibilities: Answer phone calls, voicemails. Respond or convey queries to Managing Director, and/or Board members, as appropriate. Receive office USPS mail. Respond to communications - bills, membership payments, contributions, business correspondence - and handle appropriately, referring issues to Managing Director and/or Board members as appropriate. Make bank deposits, update financial transactions to Neon, send invoices/receipts/tax exemption documents, on request. Coordinate financial reporting with Treasurer. Use NEON CRM system to record donations, memberships, payments, transactions, contacts; maintain email lists, create emails, event registrations. (some training available) Update event, meeting, organizational, and business electronic document files to Dropbox; file paper documents. Monitor contracts and communications, interface with Pace University Facilities Office, Dean’s Office, Catering Events Office Maintain office and event supplies inventory, keep office organized. Maintain member organization relationships: promote and attend tabling and other events on behalf of FCWC. Assist with event planning, invitations, logistics, catering, set up and registration, event follow-up. Draft/edit content for various FCWC communications channels, thank you letters. Assist with content for updates of FCWC website. Attend Executive Board meetings as requested Address additional projects and priorities identified by the Managing Director and the Board of Directors Compensation : $20-22 per hour, approximately 10-15 hours per week, flexible Please submit your resume and cover letter to: fcwc@fcwc.org

Westchester County's First Environmental Coalition Since its inception in 1965, FCWC has brought together concerned citizens, numerous community organizations, educators, and diverse professionals committed to preserving and rehabilitating the natural resources of Westchester County. Our Mission Our mission is to provide leadership that educates about environmental issues, advocates sound decision-making and unifies groups and individuals to protect and preserve Westchester's environment and address climate change. Our Vision FCWC uses its platform to build relationships with climate activists throughout Westchester County. Sharing educational resources, expanding networks, collaborating, exchanging ideas, and staying up to date on the efforts of our communities ensure we are working efficiently towards sustainable practices across the county. Understanding that not all of Westchester County is created equally is crucial. Learning about the struggles and achievements of our neighbors and actively striving to work better for them is how FCWC hopes to unify our communities. ​ Each year the Federated Conservationists of Westchester County identify key environmental issues to target in the coming year and discuss desired outcomes and strategies for accomplishing our goals. Over the course of the year, FCWC conducts workshops and other events to educate the citizens of Westchester County about these environmental issues. Coalition Building The Federated Conservationists of Westchester County are a coalition of environmental groups whose missions align with FCWCs to protect our natural resources and support sustainability. Often referred to as an "umbrella organization," our goal is to be the unified voice of the county when presenting to our legislators and government. Representing and educating Westchester residents concerned about environmental issues with the help of our member organizations is core to our value of unity. We encourage input from all our members and realize that our work is done better together. Environmental Community What types of groups make up our coalition? Nonprofits 501(c)(3) Grassroots Campaigns Green Businesses Conservation Advisory Committees Youth Councils Audubon Societies Environmental Education Centers Garden Clubs

Waste Reduction FCWC is committed to educating our communities about alternatives to single-use plastic, the benefits of composting, environmental justice issues of the waste-to-energy plant, and other steps you can take to reduce their overall waste production. Position on Waste We must recognize that what we throw “away” is not going “away” because there is no “away.” To help ensure that our oceans are not overrun with plastics and natural areas are not destroyed for the resources they contain, everything we use and consume must be reusable, 100% recyclable, or fully compostable . We must require all sectors and levels of our economy and culture to align with this goal. Read our Full Statement Here

< Back Marcus Harris Account Director ​ ​

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We're Down For Maintenance We care about water, and want to get you the best information around! Check out our Member Organization Page to see which organizations are working on water. Thank you!