In Westchester, learning to save the planet starting at home

Bedford, New York, a wealthy community of 18,000 north of New York City, recently kicked off an ambitious plan for a sustainable future.  It hosted a conference called an Environmental Summit to launch its efforts to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020.  The number of S.U.V.’s in the parking lot underscored the challenges facing the town in reaching that goal.  It will have to convince residents that each needs to make a difference, and can do so through their choice of cars.  Another issue is that houses are large in Bedford, and energy-hungry.  Because Bedford provides some of New York’s water supply, the town can’t build a waste treatment plant.  About fifty students attended the conference, signaling how much environmental consciousness has grown in just a generation, and providing an example for other towns to follow.