Westchester County Executive George Latimer and the Department of Environmental Facilities proudly announced the winners of the 2019 Westchester County Eco Awards at Kensico Dam Plaza. The awards recognized outstanding contributions to the County’s local environment and sustainability, made by residents, students and schools, municipalities, businesses and other organizations.
Westchester County Executive Latimer said: “I am thankful to all of this year’s Eco Award winners. Their initiatives and projects improve our County’s environment and sustainability, while helping to make Westchester County a healthy, green place to live, work and visit.”
County Executive Latimer was on hand to present the awards, and meet with the winners. In addition to schools, students, local businesses, nonprofits and other organizations, three municipalities also received awards for posting the highest curbside recycling rates in 2018: Town of Pound Ridge, Town of Lewisboro and City of Rye. The efforts of these municipalities and others help to make Westchester County one of the best recycling counties in New York State.
Among the 2019 Eco Award Winners were Teatown Environmental Science Academy: for providing a summer program for high school students that provides them with invaluable hands-on experience studying the Teatown preserve while working with Teatown’s field scientists.
Also receiving awards, three students who continued their Teatown projects and won awards at the Westchester Science & Engineering Fair. Among these students was Caroline Smith, senior at Somers High School (TESA ’16): WESEF 1st Place Award in the Plant Science category. “The effect of the invasive species Eurasian milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum) versus the native species coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum) on lake water quality.”