By Maya Kriegel
Lots of communities around the world are stepping up to help the environment. One may ask, what is White Plains doing to make a difference? White Plains mayor Tom Roach has made many efforts to keep our environment clean and safe, and one of which is deciding to “Go Green”! This means White Plains will become more environmentally mindful by taking action. Here are just a few efforts that stand out!
SmartCharge New York rewards drivers of electric-vehicles for charging their vehicles during off-peak times. Drivers earn cash year round, which motivates adults to drive climate-friendly cars! When drivers enroll for this amazing program, charging data from the vehicle is collected, and from there, is used to calculate your earnings. What a great and efficient way to limit pollution!
Another way White Plains is working towards a cleaner world is changing harmful light fixtures in garages around the city and adding in new ones which are energy efficient. White Plains was able to make this happen with no local cost share as they were granted $250,000 to be used for clean energy projects. All in all, more than 2,700 light fixtures were switched out from 175 watt high-intensity discharge bulbs to 35 watt LEDS. Later, White Plains was also able to change other unhealthy lights around the city from street lights to lighting fixtures in buildings and facilities.
Additionally, White Plains has made an effort to add bike lanes for safe and easy access to downtown, while reducing the amount of pollution produced by cars. As of 2025, there are almost 30 miles of bike lanes in White Plains in an attempt to reduce the amount of vehicles that produce pollution on the road. Further, White Plains was able to complete the first protected bike lane in all of Westchester County!
Lastly, the Gedney Recycling Yard is an accessible area where White Plains residents can recycle almost anything. The Gedney Recycling Yard also has the “Take it or Leave it” Shed where residents can leave their unwanted items for other people and browse the other items for themselves. This way White Plains residents can reuse, reduce, and recycle in such an easy way!
White Plains residents are so incredibly lucky to have such an amazing city that willingly takes action to help the environment. From ongoing green initiatives to everyday efforts, the City has done so much to maintain a clean and safe community—and with continued support from its residents, we can all work together to fight climate change.