BEDFORDrocks

Bedford was selected by the

US Department of Energy as a

model town for its ENERGY EFFICIENCY

program.

100 plus TV and FILMS

written and/or shot in our community.

MIANUS RIVER GORGE

was the first U.S. land preserved by the Nature Conservancy.

We hosted New York State’s first

FUEL EFFICIENT CAR SHOW.

The first Women’s Land Army or

FARMERETTES tilled Bedford soil

during World War I.

Over ten OSCAR NOMINEES call Bedford home.

Our vast TRAIL SYSTEM

for horseback riding, running and walking

is over 300 miles long

a community-wide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020 and to create a sustainable community that conserves its natural resources

Caramoor’s renown, INTERNATIONAL

MUSICAL FESTIVAL is celebrating its

68th year.

Bedford was home to

the first CHIEF JUSTICE

of the U.S. Supreme

Court.

an overview

Since its start a few short years ago, the Bedford 2020 Coalition—a bipartisan cadre of town officials and grassroots activists—has inspired local citizens to green up their act. More than a few are even seeing green, in the form of household savings that come with energy and resource conservation.

Responding to an environmen-tal summit at Fox Lane High School in January 2009, where

interest ran so high that attendance had to be cut off, Bedford 2020 has churned along like a rototiller through good earth. In urging the local citizenry to take “small steps” in the realm of their own homes and backyards—by insulating walls, re-cycling waste, landscaping without chemical fertilizers and pesticides, buying locally grown food, consid-ering the purchase of fuel efficient cars, —the folks behind Bedford 2020 are determined to grow a sus-tainable community that works each and every day to preserve natural resources. Their goal: to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020.

With small gestures comes heightened awareness, and an eagerness to take

on more. Jim Diamond, a Bedford 2020 board member and the CEO of Diamond Properties, headquartered in Mt. Kisco, was one convert who couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. “One step naturally makes you want to take the next step,” he said. After retrofitting his commercial buildings to save energy costs, he put his own house in order: he now drives an electric Tesla, has sworn off bottled water deliveries, and is sowing lettuce and radishes in his first vegetable garden.

For the pioneers who formed Bedford 2020, once dismayed at the intransigence of govern-

ment and the slow pace of change, the victories have been sweet. In 2010, Bedford’s Town Board adopted an ambitious Climate Action Plan, which Bedford 2020 is charged with implementing. Nine different task forces, working on issues ranging from energy and transportation to waste, water, food and agriculture, and forming alliances with busi-nesses, schools, churches and civic organizations, are targeting over 70 different projects, all with the aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and preserve natural resources.

Follow-ups to the original environmental summit have included a second summit

focused on practical energy conser-vation; a “VegOut” event designed to encourage home vegetable gardening and good food choices; a guided tour of the town’s best compost piles; the cultivation of school gardens; and an electric car show this month that attracted droves of drivers eager to test plug-in cars. In a recent victory, the Town agreed to write a new waste ordinance requiring single stream recycling and “pay as you throw” pricing.

And so in Bedford, a town that prides itself on its rich history of land conservation,

an acorn of activism has produced a tree with spreading limbs that reach for the light. And the ultimate goal of Bedford 2020? That its citizens will adopt, as second nature, behaviors that hon-or and protect limited resources. Olivia Farr, who is a co-founder of the group, and who like many others has devoted countless hours to the cause, said it best: “We want to be out of business by 2020.”

“One step naturally makes you want to take the next step.”

By Alice Gabriel

When asked, the Bedford 2020 Founders calculated their time for Working, Meetings, Calls and Emails* over the last three and a half years and found the following:

1,344 meetings

63,840 Emails

26,046 Calls

20,160 Hours

Leads to one giant step

towards making Bedford a sustainable town

for generations to come.

* Based on 48-week year and 5-day week.

To learn more about Bedford 2020 visit

www.bedford2020.org or email us at

info@bedford2020.org

In an effort to protect Bedford’s water and the health of its residents,

Bedford 2020 is initiating a drive to encourage all landowners to re-

frain from using synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers on their

properties, except for rare local applications to resolve an infestation or

improve habitat. This is because these chemicals are absorbed through

direct contact or from pets, and also because the chemicals wind up in

our drinking water. Because of relatively new information revealing the

health risks of these chemicals, New York State passed the Child Safe

Playing Field Act in 2011 prohibiting use of these substances on areas

of schools where children play.

By Diane Lewis

We are also asking residents to refrain from disposing leftover drugs and chemicals down drains and toilets, because they, too,

wind up in drinking water. Even

small amounts of birth control

pills, chemotherapy drugs and

antidepressants can have harmful

effects. And this is easy, too, be-

cause now the Bedford Police will

accept all of these drugs.

Branch Out!, a partnership be-

tween Bedford 2020 and the Bed-

ford Garden Club has planted 225

street trees so far. These trees not only beautify the community, but also absorb contaminants in storm-water runoff and prevent erosion and flooding.

HOW TO KEEP YOUR GREEN CLEAN

Go Native! Native plants require

less care and less water

Start A Vegetable Garden!

You won’t want chemicals in

your yard. It will get you outside

with your family (why you are

in Bedford in the first place)

www.bedford2020.org/vegout

web site will get you started.

Not Playing On Your Lawn? Let it revert to meadow and mow it only

once in the fall. Enjoy the birds

and butterflies it attracts! Or plant

trees, shrubs or a rain garden to

keep our water clean.

To encourage participation,

Bedford 2020 will ask residents

to sign a pledge to maintain their

property in this manner. While a

pledge has no legal impact, it has

strong community value. It will

quantify support; most important,

it will illustrate that small chang-

es added together can make a

large impact.

The EPA just released the results

of the largest study it has done of

the health of rivers and streams—

and the findings are eye-opening.

In the Northeast alone, 63% of the water bodies were in poor condition for aquatic life. Why?

An excess of phosphorus and

nitrogen from fertilizers and sed-

iment from erosion is degrading

water quality. (It actually caus-

es excessive algae growth that

depletes the oxygen in the water

killing the fish and upsetting the

ecosystem).

The more pressing issue:

It’s a reflection of regional drink-

ing water quality! Yes, the water

your children, your friends and

your community are drinking.

We are also faced with absorbing

these other compelling facts. The

National Health Service released

the results of a new study on

March 20, which found that one

in 50 children in the U.S. suffers

from autism. Many scientists be-

lieve these two stories are related:

Proper brain development can be adversely affected by exposure to chemicals in many fertilizers and pesticides during pregnancy, leading to an increased incidence

of autism. These chemicals also

increase the chance of our getting

cancer and diabetes.

What’s the answer? It may be

easier than you think: Stop using these chemicals so that they don’t enter our streams and pollute our drinking water.

Bedford 2020 is working with its

partners and the Town of Bedford

and hopes to enroll 60% of the

town’s land area by 2020. In ad-

dition, the organization is joining

forces with the Watershed Agri-

cultural Council to plant trees and

shrubs on stream banks to absorb

excess nutrients and pollutants

and preserve water quality. (Even

organic soil amendments should

not be used near streams and

ponds—Since they can cause

overgrowth of algae and degrade

the water).

For years, residents have had to sepa-

rate their paper from other recyclables

and put these items out in blue bags,

along with their paper (tied in bundles)

out in a tiny blue bin, susceptible to

dumpster diving dogs and raccoons.

More conscientious residents addition-

ally had to purchase clear bags to dis-

pose of miscellaneous paper items that

didn't fit nicely in bundles. Many took all

their recycling to Adams Street because

they doubted their haulers were treating

recycled materials properly. This is a

big issue in our community— 88% of

residents surveyed by Bedford 2020 in

2011 said they wanted the Town to do

something about recycling!

“Currently our recycling rates are 17%

which is terrible, and single stream

will help improve that number.” says

Veronique Pittman, member of Bedford

2020’s Waste & Recycling Taskforce.

Veronique is developing a replicable

online Recyclopedia, modeled after

one developed by the Town of

Newcastle, that will inform residents

how and where they can dispose of

items that can be reused, all organized

alphabetically!

SINGLESTREAMINGOUR TRASH

Say “N0” to Chemicals!• Combat pests on shrubs and trees with soap, neem oil and other organic solutions that can be found at Mill River Supply or

on the VegOut web site www.bedford2020.org/vegout• Fight stilt grass with a late perennial rye that will outcompete it• Use milky spore to prevent Japanese beetles• Use corn gluten as a pre-emergent weed killer• In your house, consider using green cleaning products (these

can be found at Kelloggs and Lawrence in Katonah)

LAWN AND ORDER

More than 1100 people attended New York State’s first fuel- efficient car show on April 28th which showcased a proud parade of electric, hybrid and plug-in vehicles that represent best busi-ness practices of the future. Adults and kids lined up outside Mt. Kisco’s Grand Prix NY to test drive and examine electric cars from companies including Tesla, Chevrolet, Toyota, Honda, BMW and Mercedes Smart Car as well as “ooh and ah” the ones already owned by local residents. “People kept on saying, ‘wow’ this car drives so smooth and accelerates so fast,” said Arroway Chevrolet-Cadillac’s Ray Noswor-thy, who was fielding a barrage of questions about their Chevy Volt model. The sleekness of a black Tesla Model S also attracted a lot of attention from many teens who eagerly slid inside behind the steering wheel and played with the electronic dashboard which offered as many nifty features as an iPad. “This is so cool,” said fifteen year old Austin Nardi, who plans on en-couraging his father to purchase an electric car. Will it take a lot of convincing? “If I can be helping and not hurting the environment why wouldn’t we want to get one?” he said. “Just don’t know if we can afford it yet.” Although the Tesla Model S can cost between $70,000 - $100,000, dealers at the show expect many electric cars to be available for between $21,000 - $50,000. Any-one purchasing an electric car will receive a tax credit of $7,500. Nearby, Jim Seisfeld told onlookers that he replaced his Volkswagon 2005 red convertible to lease a Nissan electric car. ”I save $200 a month in gas costs,” he says, noting that the monthly lease was also comparable to his gas motored car. With her two young kids looking on, Nicole Weiss was checking out cars with her husband Bry-

ZOOMINGAHEAD

an whose company encourages environmental awareness. “I work for Pepsico and we have several electric parking stations on site for electric cars,” he said. “I’m hoping my school has them soon,” added Weiss who is a teacher. The couple now leases a Chevy Volt, which is a model where the gas motor does not power the car, but kicks in to supply more electricity when it is depleted. The couple rarely use gas because the car, like many, comes with its own portable charger that can be attached to any 110-240 outlet found at home. “I can’t remember the last time we even had to use gas,” said Weiss who considers the car a great civic investment, not only to teach her children and students but also friends and family. “We couldn’t be more happy with it and everyone always asks us ques-tions about our car.” Addressing the assembled crowd, Bedford 2020’s Co-President, Ellen Conrad pointed out that transportation is the largest single source of air pollution in the Unites States. “This car show is one step in phasing out fossil fuel consumption and leading to a smarter future of cleaner air, re-duced greenhouse gas emissions and less dependence on foreign oil,” she said as she stood next to Midge Iorio, Mary Beth Kass and Olivia Farr along with Assembly-man David Buchwald, Bedford Supervisor Lee Roberts, Pound Ridge’s county legislator Peter Harckham and Mount Kisco Mayor Michael Cindrich. With dramatic flourish, a dangling white ribbon attached to a musty red plastic gas container was cut and the crowd cheered as it plunged to the ground and toppled over.

Vroom, vroom in Tesla Model S

Can we have a Tesla Model S for our 16th Birthday?

Aside from car dealerships and electric car enthusiasts were com-panies selling future technologies for the electric cars including solar paneled carports and supercharged batteries for back-up. Ladle of Love’s electric food truck—the first in the country, was also on hand to serve mango lemonade and sandwiches. Because people are resistant to change, Bedford 2020’s Conrad or-ganized a horse and buggy to lead a procession of fuel efficient cars. “In the 1900’s, people were first introduced to the gas-powered car,” she said. “It must have been a huge leap to trade in that horse and buggy for one of those crazy vehicles. Where would you find a gas station if the car broke down?”

By Jill Brooke

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . BMW ACTIVE E (Electric): “Synchronous motor develops full torque from a standstill to accelerate from 0–60 mph in under 9 seconds. Driving range: up to 100 miles.” CHEVROLET VOLT (Plug-in Hybrid): “Electric or gas. Advanced lithium–ion bat-tery allows you to drive gas-free for an EPA-estimated 38 miles. Gas generator produces electricity allowing travel for a total of 380 miles on full charge and full tank of gas.” HONDA ACCORD PLUG-IN (Plug-in Hybrid): “Hybrid efficiency and instantaneous electric-motor torque, EPA rated with a maximum EV Mode driving range of 13 miles. Gasoline fuel-economy rating of 47city/46highway” MERCEDES BENZ SMARTCAR (Electric): 122 MPGe† city / 93 MPGe† highway. “A combined range of 107 MPGe†, all via the juice from your household electrical socket. No oil changes, no gear shifting, and no emissions.” LEXUS ES300H (Hybrid): 40 MPG. “The first-ever ES Hybrid. It also features a better fuel economy rating than most subcompact cars and has earned the strin-gent SULEV emission status.” NISSAN LEAF (Electric): “Gets the equivalent of 129 MPG city— with a 100% elec-tric drive system powered by an advanced rechargeable lithium-ion battery, and range-maximizing features that help you go farther on every charge.” TESLA MODEL S (Electric): “Plug in anywhere. The proven Tesla powertrain, delivers both unprecedented range (EPA certified 265 miles) and thrilling drive experience. Zero emissions. Zero compromises. Vehicle gets more efficient from the moment it’s first driven.” TOYOTA PRIUS PLUG-IN (Plug-in Hybrid): 95 city, 50 highway. “The most ad-vanced member of the Prius Family can be charged using a standard home outlet in about three hours. After traveling in EV Mode, with an estimated 95 MPG, it automatically kicks into hybrid mode with an estimated 50 combined MPG.”

Smiling at her colleague’s com-ments, Bedford 2020 Co-Founder, Mary Beth Kass, added how for 2013, the leap is really just a step since these plug-in or electric cars can be powered by available electrical outlets. Furthermore, as more people adopt this technol-ogy, more charging stations will become available throughout the county and state. In fact, as Ray Nosworthy reported a few days after the show, “We have already sold two cars and expect many more sales.”

Weiss Family with their Chevy Volt

Horse and Carriage Readies for the Parade

Checking out the Mercedes Smart Car

Ceremonial ribbon cutting with local officials and event organizers.

Attendees looking at a BMW Active E

Lots of storage space in aTesla Model S

Your local Lexus team with Hybrids

Enthusiastic observers of Tesla Model S

Bedford 2020’s Ellen Conrad, Midge Iorio, Mary Beth Kass and Olivia Farr with

Frito Lay Electric Truck

A young driver

Under the hood of a hybrid

Jayni Chase with Prius

Honda dealer explaining benefits of new Accord Plug-In

Participant in a Tesla Model S

Frank and an electric Nissan Leaf

Proud owner of a Chevy Volt

Future Toyota Prius driver

Bob Funnicello with Westchester County Hybrid Bus

making CONNECTIONS

Mimi Lines, landscape architect

Conversation with Rick and Lee Apgar owners of

Mill River Supply

HOLDS WORKSHOP ON GREEN LAWN CARE

Diane Lewis lecture “You Are What You Drink”

tree planting at John Jay

High School

INSPIRES

Science studystudents connect

how trees can help improve water

quality

Hatsy Vallar of Northern Westchester Hospital

farmers and suppliers at Foodshed discussion

MEETSleads to

NW Hospital Local Food Project supplying patients with more healthy,

local food

Waste and Recy-cling Workshop led by Allen Hershkowitz of NRDC

Peter Kuniholm and Waste/Recycling Task Force to study municipal recycling programs

INSPIRES

Town will write

new waste ordinance

for single stream recycling

Increased recycling

rates

Dick Kornbluth,Energize Energy Coach leads workshop

PoliceChief Hayes’

has homeenergy effi ciency

upgrade

Action Day Food Forumwhere farmers meet distributors and consumers

VEGOUTa joint

Bedford 2020/Bedford Garden Club

event promotes home vegetable

gardening

Mill River Supply changes its landscape products

from 10% to 90% organic

ENVIRONMENTAL SUMMIT AND ACTION DAY

Bedford 2020website

educating public about growing,

sourcing and using vegetables

Bedford Police Department to undergo energy effi ciency assessment

INSPIRES

making CONNECTIONS and lines of COMMUNICATION

Leslie Lampert owner of the nation’s first electric food truck finds resistance from town officials to plugging in her truck at her own business, Ladle of Love

Meets Stuart Marwell, CEO of Curtis Instruments, a manufacturer of energy efficient products at B2020’s “How to Green Your Business” Workshop

Stuart offers Leslie opportunity to “plug-in” at Curtis charging stations

Ladle of Love Trucks now serve all of Westchester and local farmers

markets and special events.

Heather Wolf, Bedford 2020 Board member, motorhead and car show fan invites Mark Thielking to join Trans-portation Task Force

Mark calls Heather Flournoy, green blogger to help with Car Show committee

Carl coaches committee on how to reach dealers and owners

Over 1100 people attend Bedford 2020’s

Fuel Efficient Car Show

Heather Flournoy invites Carl Vogel, President of Electric Automobile Association to join car show committee

Heather Wolf, invites Jim Diamond to join Car Show Committee

Jim Diamond, agrees to host Car Show at Grand Prix NewYork

Jim Diamond buys a Tesla Model S, encourages Tesla Dealer to join show

Jim contacts Lou Roberti, owner of Arroway Chevrolet who agrees to bring Chevy Volt to show

Jim also brings in Safari Energy, (solar company), Charge Point, (charging station company that is now providing charging stations in Bedford and Mt Kisco) and Sunrise Solar (solar charging and solar carports)

Lou contacts BMW and Lexus dealers and urges them to join the show

Ask Sue Ostrofsky, Principal, Custodian Scott Whalen and teacher Nanci Col-angelo if the aban-doned tennis court on school property can be turned into a vegetable garden

Bedford Garden Club donates $10,000 for garden

They contact Mimi Lines, President, Bedford Garden Club, and Bedford 2020 for help with project

Sue Ostrofsky, Principal Susan Polos, Librarian of Mt. Kisco Elementary School attend gardening workshop at Environmental Summit

Bedford Central School District hires Alexandra Forrester to develop garden curriculum

Stone Barns and Rainbeau Ridge donate top soil and compost

SAVATREE donates tree cutting and clearing services

8 months later, Mt. Kisco Elementary School

children play and learn in the garden.

Energize is led by BEAP member

Mark Thielking who founds the Energy Improvement

Corporation (EIC), the non profit LDC which finances energy improvements for

commercial buildings

Danny Martin’s Conversations for Action meets at Katonah Library attended by Mary Beth Kass

Mary Beth and Danny approach Town Supervisor Lee Roberts and brainstorm about how to make a difference

Kathryn Hoenig, Ellen Conrad, Olivia Farr and David Gabrielson join BEAP members to write grant proposal for US Department of Energy

Lee Roberts and Town Board appoint Bedford Energy Advisory Panel (BEAP) to study issues relating to climate change and carbon emissions

Bedford as the lead town for NWEAC (Northern Westchester Energy Action Consortium) wins $2.6 million grant to launch Energize, a model home energy efficiency program.

BEAP produces Climate Action Plan approved by Town in 2010

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enLIGHTenmentyour basement need not be a mystery!

Ann and Matthew

Costello

Their audit

estimate for

overall savings

was 31%

Ursula and Tom LaMotte Their audit estimate for over-all savings was 27%

Kathryn and Will Hoenig

Their audit estimate for over-all savings was 22%

Since 2010, Bedford 2020 has been trying to “energize”— literally and figuratively—local residents to participate in a home energy revamping program. With the dizzying pace of maintaining every day life, people are naturally resistant to change believing—often incorrect-ly— that tweaking a habit requires extra work and focus and yet another task to be piled on the to-do list. But with the incentive of saving money, making their homes more comfortable and helping the environment, over 600 residents have already agreed to participate in a free— yes free—assessment of their home. Since the Town of Bedford was one of only 35 communities nationwide to win grant money from the Department of En-ergy to help homeowners reduce their energy use, resources are now available to help residents gain access to certified experts who will make home visits and devise a plan to save residents money and reduce energy usage while helping the environment. All residents have to do is call Energize NY (914) 302-7300. Eighty residents have completed home energy efficiency upgrades, and collectively, they are saving over $100,000 annually on home heat and electric costs. These residents include Town Supervisor, Lee Roberts and Bedford Chief of Police, Bill Hayes among many others. Among the recommended upgrades from the experts are air sealing opportunities, insulation revamps and duct sealing as well as those invisible energy vampires that residents might not realize are contributing to burning through their hard earned money unnecessarily. After all, the average New York home is wasting about 30% of the energy used to heat and cool it.

Instead, why not spend that money on a night on the town, long term bank savings, kids’ tuitions or even a needed vacation? For any civic minded fiscally responsible resident, making the call should be a no-brainer. Especially since these energy tweaks have proven to do the following:1) LOWER ENERGY BILLS BY 20-40%2) INCREASE HOME COMFORT BY ELIMINATING DRAFTS AND ENERGY LEAKAGE3) CHIP AWAY AT BEDFORD’S RESIDENTIAL GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS Advice is also given to find state certified, energy efficient contractors, how to select which improvements make sense and should be prioritized and how to get low interest financ-ing to pay for potential improvements. Homeowners can quickly see a return of 10% or more on their energy efficiency investments. These savings are not disputed but are documented by the early homeowners who embraced the program. Nor is there any pressure to do any or all of the suggestions. If everyone in Bedford has their home “energized,” the town will achieve a 15% reduction in emissions which significantly adds to the ultimate goal of reaching 20% by 2020. Bedford residents can be proud that Energize NY, which originated in our community, is quickly becoming a model for other communities. Not only has it expanded across northern Westchester, but to other parts of New York state. Hopefully more people will take advantage of this admirable enlightened program with lightening speed.

BECAUSE A RIND IS A

TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE

BECAUSEA RIND IS A

TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE

On average, Americans produce 4.5 lbs of trash every day. At least two thirds of that is organic waste, including food scraps, such as potato peels and apple cores. Add to this, organic yard waste—leaves, weeds, grass clippings—and we have thousands of pounds of organic waste being trucked to landfi lls and waste disposal facil-ities every day. In a landfi ll, organic waste decomposes anaerobically (without oxygen) emitting a high volume of methane. Methane is a green-house gas and a primary contributor to climate change. A far preferable way to dispose of organic waste is on-site compost-ing, which can be done on even the smallest of properties. Hundreds of Bedford homeowners compost at home and Bedford2020 wants to help others learn how. What is compost?Compost is a dark, crumbly, porous, soil-like material. In nature, com-post simply “happens” as plant ma-terials break down and form humus, the rich, organic component of soil. Why use compost?Adding compost to garden soil will improve its structure and drainage ability by creating spaces for roots, water, and air. Compost also slowly releases and unlocks the nutrients that plants need to grow. Why make compost at home? At-home composting reduces the need to cart leaves and other organ-ic matter off site. When you make your own compost, you don’t have to buy chemical fertilizers or mulch to feed your own lawn, shrubs fl owers, and vegetables.

How Do I Use It?The list is endless! Compost can be: mixed directly into your soil, applied as a thick layer of mulch in your vegetable and fl ower gardens, add-ed as a top dressing on your lawn, added as an amendment to potting soil, and even soaked in a bucket to “boost” water for your indoor or outdoor plants. COMPOSTING BASICS Add your household and yard “Greens” to your “Browns.”Compost will happen naturally; howev-er, there are some things that you can do to help the process. First of all take note of the “green” to “brown” ratio of your pile. Browns are dry, carbon-rich plant materials with no life in them—au-tumn leaves, straw, woodchips, twigs, shredded newspaper. (Confusingly, used coffee grounds are nitrogen rich and therefore are considered “green.”) Greens are fresh, moist, nitrogen-rich plant materials that still have some life in them— fresh leaves, prunings, grass clippings and food waste such as vege-table and fruit scraps, coffee grounds. The optimal brown (carbon) to green (nitrogen) ratio is 30 to 1 for an active compost pile. While composters aim for that perfect ratio, the composting pro-cess will still happen if you don’t have it—just not so effi ciently. Keep the entire pile damp, but not soggy. Moist piles provide ideal condi-tions for the organisms that do the work of turning your plant materials into fi nished compost. Dried-out piles take longer to break down. Mix your materials. Mixing the pile al-lows air to be incorporated, distributes excess water, and speeds the process by providing the most contact between browns and greens. Compacted or sog-gy piles can produce unpleasant odors. Chop everything into smaller pieces. Break up your browns and greens to create more surfaces for the organisms to work on. Your pile will compost faster and be easier to mix together.

When is it ready?Finished compost is a rich, dark materi-al that looks like soil and has an earthy smell. Smelly compost?If your compost begins to smell, mix in some browns. It’s that simple.

Different Ways to CompostPile it up! You can simply leave your browns and greens in a pile, four foot square is a good minimum size to hold in the heat and moisture that make compost organisms thrive. The pile doesn’t have to be contained in any way, although wire fencing will keep it tidier. A three-bin compost system is another way to go. Bin #1 has fresh waste, bin #2 has compost that is “cooking,” and bin #3 has fi nished compost that can be used on the garden. When bin #3 is emptied, move everything along to start the system over again, while aerating the compost in the process. Bins and ThingsThere are many different compost bins available. Check them out at Mill River Supply on Adams St. in Bedford Hills or most hardware stores. Online suppliers, such as Gardeners Supply Company or Gardeners Edge are also good resources. Compost containers and drums are good for small-scale composting of kitchen waste. Make sure any compost container has holes in the sides so that air can circulate into the bin. Note that kitchen waste is highly “green” nitrogen materi-al, so it’s wise to keep a pile of leaves or other “browns” on hand to periodically add to the bin. Upright bins: If you are continually adding organic waste to your compost bin don’t keep stirring it up. Let the old stuff decompose at the bottom while the newly added waste settles on top. You can stir the top 10 inches or so to ensure that it is evenly distributed but don’t go any deeper than that. Tumblers: These can be fun, especially for teaching kids about composting, but don’t continue to add food scraps while older scraps compost. Fill the bin over a defi ned period and then let that whole batch compost before emptying it and starting a new cycle. The double side-by-side tumblers allow you to fi ll one bin while the other “cooks.”

Vermicomposting or “worm box” compostingVermicomposting is something that is done inside rather than outside. It is a great way to manage organic kitchen waste disposal. Vermicomposting uses the red wiggler worm (which is usually purchased) rather than the standard garden earthworm. The worm box is set up with worms, shredded paper and a regular supply of green kitchen waste (no meats, fats, oils). The compost pro-duced by a worm bin is actually worm castings, which are a fabulous garden amendment, Leaf MulchingIn Bedford, when fall comes, it seems as if we have too many leaves but leaves make fantastic compost and mulch which save money and improve our plants. Here are some great ways to take advantage of fall leaves and avoid the work and taxpayer expense of getting them to the sidewalk for the town to collect:• Leaves can be piled whole and left to break down into compost.• Leaves can be added to a compost bin as the “browns” component.• Leaves can be mulched into small pieces with a mulcher mower or a leaf shredder and used as a protective mulch on fl ower and vegetable beds.• Leaves can be mulched right into lawns, providing nourishment to the lawn and improving soil structure for better drainage. Sources Bronx Green-Up: The New York Botanical Society, Cornell Waste Management Institute, “Worms Eat My Garbage” by Mary Appelhof.

For more information about composting visit www.bedford2020.org, and for more about the many benefi ts of leaf mulching visit www.leaveleavesalone.org, or www.leleny.org

Why Compost?

By Fiona Mitchell and Leslie NeedhamKids Composting at Mt. Kisco Childcare Center. Photo Credit: Susan Rubin

1960s

2013

Children and grandchildren of Donna Reimer and Sheila Mitchell who sat before the road construction crews and prevented them from paving Hook Road.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Gib Mitchell, Ellen Reimer, Eric Reimer, Dar Hoes, Alex Hoes, Cornelia Mitchell, James Reimer, Haley Mitchell, Sayre Reimer, Nellie Mitchell, Bill Mitchell

Home Sweet Home

By John Stockbridge

In 1917, James Wood, former Town Supervisor (1863-1865) and long time President of the Farmer’s Club wrote these words to describe the Town of Bedford. “The personality of an individual is difficult and often impossible to define or describe. Often we know it by its influence and by the atmosphere which surrounds and pervades it, and it is so with a community. Those who are native here never feel quite at home elsewhere. Those who come here to reside for a time become conscious of an indescribable something which holds them here.” He was describing a community that for two hundred years before and 100 years hence was founded and committed to preservation and conservation. With the arrival of the railroad in 1847, the farm economy dramatically took hold with the daily export of milk and other produce. In 1852, industrious residents desiring to create a forum to share ideas for more productive farming started the Farmer’s Club. Amongst the members there became an implicitly understood imperative to share new farming techniques, as well as to preserve both the Bedford landscape and their way of life. Today,160 years later, Jim Wood, the grandson of James Wood, continues that stew-ardship as President of the Farmer’s Club and a Bedford 2020 Board member. It was about this time that New York City needed to increase its watershed, and the Croton River was mandated to expand into a reservoir necessitating the moving of the hamlet of Katonah. In a remarkable effort well over 50 structures were moved one mile south to form “New Katonah”. The Katonah Village Improvement Society (K.V.I.S.) which had existed before the move, and the Katonah Land Improve-ment Company, led by Clarence Whitman super-vised the move, and helped create a well thought out and cohesive hamlet. The layout for the New Katonah was done by G.S. Olmstead and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1920, the Private Lanes Association was estab-lished, “dedicated to preserving, protecting and maintaining a system of country lanes and trails for the convenience and enjoyment of riders”. Bedford had become horse country. Steeplechase events were common, and many of Bedford’s dirt roads routinely sported horses walking between trails. Zoning laws were established in the late 1920’s with four-acre zones prevalent outside the three hamlets, further emphasizing the desire to preserve open spaces. In the early 60‘s, there were plans to bring an interstate highway right through the heart of Bedford. A group of women led by Tanya Lowe formed an ac-tivist group called the Road Review League. When the construction crews arrived the League members lay down in front of the equipment. Unfortunately, their protest was unsuccessful in elimination of a highway. But proving that commu-nity efforts can produce results, concessions were eventually given, such as the elimination of the planned Exit 5. In the same spirit, nearly a decade later several women with baby carriages lay down in front of the Town road crews that were intending to pave the Hook Road. Donna Reimer relates that “eight to ten of us led by Spencer McLain set up a coffee stand and lay down in front of the road equipment”. The New York Times covered the story and the protest was a success. The Hook Road remains a dirt road to this day. In 1969 the Town formed the Conservation Advisory Committee, which six years later would change its name to the Conservation Advisory Board. This Board has been and continues to be the initiator of numerous important environmental projects resulting in legislation regarding trees, scenic roads, ridge lines, dark skies and steep slopes. The rain garden in front of the Town House is a small but symbolic reminder of the work of the Conservation Board.

It is worth noting that in the same ways companies have logos, or sports teams have mascots, Bedford does have a cherished symbol that speaks to the essence of its character. It is the Bedford Oak. Situated at the corner of Hook Road and Cantitoe, this venerable white oak tree – technically called Quercus Alba – is estimated to be 500 years old. It has a girth of 30 feet and its branches extend for 120 feet from end to end. The Oak has been revered by generations of residents, from the days when Bedford was Indian territory, through the Revolutionary war, to the present time. Until 1947 the Bedford Oak stood on private property. It was in that year that Harold Whitman deeded the ground on which the tree stands to the Town of Bedford in memory of his wife, Georgia Squires Whitman. In 1977, thirty acres of land bordering the great tree were sold to a developer. An aroused citizenry quickly raised the funds to buy two acres to protect the tree and give it breathing space. The land, along with the money remaining in the fund, was conveyed to the Bedford Historical Society. Now the Bedford Oak has its own trust fund. The Historical Society is pledged to take care of it and the surrounding land.

In a further act demonstrating the close relationship between Bedford residents and nature, a Tree Advisory Board took the initiative to

protect the ailing health of the Bedford Oak. A crutch was built to help support one of the branches. This crutch can be seen as

a metaphor for Bedford residents using modern technology and an environmental mindset to support nature.

Over the past fifty years nature sanctuaries and pre-serves have been created from the gifts of charitable individuals possessing large tracts of land. The Butler Preserve, the Marsh and Westmoreland Sanctuaries, the Mianus River Gorge Preserve and Merestead all are open to the public and collectively comprise over 2,000 acres of natural forests and streams. The Westchester Land Trust, headquartered in Bedford, and the Town’s Open Space initiative have also protected large parcels of land in our town. The commitment and hard work of all these men and women has produced results. Bedford is con-sidered one of the most bucolic communities in the country. Four years ago the Bedford Energy Advisory

Panel and the Bedford Garden Club led by their Pres-ident Ellen Conrad decided that there were so many

environmental concerns that needed addressing that a large public forum should be held to create a consensus

for action. The Bedford Environmental Summit would deal with issues of

clean air, clean water, school and community organic gardening, and climate change. The event was held at Fox Lane High School on

the weekend of January 31, 2009. The Summit was a resounding success. Over 65 local and New York state busi-nesses provided booths with pro-environment and energy efficient products and services. Nationally known environmental speakers gave talks on conservation and alternative energy initiatives, Bedford Town government addressed the questions of open space and clean water and ridge line protection. And then there were the Fox Lane students, representing the next generation who participated in a major way. To continue the Summit’s mission, Bedford 2020 was created to “lead, organize and promote a community wide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 20% by 2020 and to create a sustainable community that conserves its natural resourc-es”. Supervisor Lee V. A. Roberts, and the Bedford Town Board are active and eager partners in this effort. With the understanding of being fiscally minded and solution oriented, Bedford 2020 now has hundreds of people involved in small and big ways to sustain Bedford as one of the country’s leading examples of responsi-ble stewardship of the land.

Can towns have personalities in the way people do?

BOARD OF DIRECTORS & STAFF

BEDFORD 2020 would like to thank the following people for their hard work, time, talent and generosity in creating this publication.

Editor-In-Chief: Jill BrookeEditors: Midge Iorio, Olivia Farr, Ellen Conrad, Mary Beth Kass Photography: Jaime Martorano, Darren B. Turner, Mardi Welch Dickinson (Kymry Group), Bedford Historical SocietyContributors: Alice Gabriel, Diane Lewis, Fiona Mitchell, Leslie Needham, John StockbridgePublisher: Deborah White

To learn more about Bedford 2020 visit www.bedford2020.org

or email us at info@bedford2020.org

Jason NevarezStuart Marwell

Caroline Niemczyk

Midge Iorio Program Director

Mary Beth Kass

Heather Wolf

Olivia H. Farr

Mark Thielking

Ellen Rouse Conrad

Drew Patrick

Diane Lewis

Jim Wood

Reese Berman

Peter Kuniholm

Jim Diamond

Russell Hernandez

Lee Roberts

Task Force Members

Energy: Mark Thielking, Chair; Reese Berman, Jason Black, Tom Bregman, Wendy Breitner, Michael DeCandia, James A. Diamond, Alec Guettel, Nick Gutfreund, Kathryn Hoenig, Patrick McManus, Dan Potash

Food/Agriculture: Jim Wood, Chair; Mimi Edelman, Olivia H. Farr, Annie Farrell, Alexandra Forrester, Eileen Hochberg, Vicki Marwell, Michele Miller, Susan Rubin, Liz Taggart, Hatsy Vallar

Transportation: Heather V. Wolf, Chair; Michael Blakeney, Robert Funicello, Heather Flournoy, Russell Hernandez, Caroline Niemczyk, Nat Rockett, Dennis Rowan, Mark Thielking, Mary Tobin, Luke Vander Linden

Waste/Recycling: Peter Kuniholm, Chair; Reese Berman, Ed Campbell, John Chambers, Dan Colleluori, Neil Cutler, Ursula LaMotte, CJ Mitchell, Fiona Mitch-ell, Leslie Needham, Veronique Pittman

Water/Land Use: Diane Lewis M.D., Chair; Elyse Arnow Brill, Rod Christie, Pat Keesee, Heather Langham, Mimi Lines, Virginia Maybank, Marian Rose, Candace Schafer, Simon Skolnik, Glenn Ticehurst

Business: Stuart Marwell, Chair; Cynthia Brennan, James A. Diamond, Dan Ginnel, Leslie Lampert, Frank Matheis, Mark Mischenko, Greg Riley, Michael Schechter, Phyllis Tunnell, Diana Tyler, Jim Wood

Civic: Lee Roberts, Chair; Members: Community Organizations Committee

Religious: Rabbi Jason Nevarez, Chair; The Rev. Dr. Paul Alcorn, The Rev. Lucia P. Ballantine, The Rev. Paul Briggs, The Rev Melissa Boyer, Fr. Edmund Connors, The Rev. Terrence L. Elsberry

Schools: Drew Patrick, Chair; Melanie Gambino, Nick Gutfreund, Janet Harckham, Bob Whelan