Sustainable Sleepy Hollow

Join Our Monthly Meeting–this September, the second Monday of the month due to Labor Day: Monday, September 8th at 7 pm
All are welcome to join in-person at Village Hall (28 Beekman Ave). For those who prefer to join remotely, please use this Zoom Meeting link. (Meeting ID: 886 0983 4663, Passcode: 208060)

Sustainable Sleepy Hollow takes on those challenging recyclables in “Beyond the Bin”

Kirsten, Stephanie, Julia and Adanhyr set up a table at The TaSH last week to help you recycle batteries, cork, cables, electronics and other “difficult” items that can’t go in our curbside recycling bins. We keep (and regularly update) a list of where to take things on our website–bookmark it and let us know if you don’t see any item you’re looking for.

P.S. Check out our new banner behind Kirsten in this photo! You’ll see them on the fences at Morse and Sykes Park as well! They tell the story of what we do and how you can get involved!

They enjoyed the Monthly Flash RiverWalk Clean Up…

And you will, too! Join us the second Saturday of each month for a one hour flash cleanup. 10 – 11 am and you are done! Next clean up is Saturday, September 12, 10 am. Horan’s Landing, Sleepy Hollow. Register here.

Complete Streets Update

Check out the recently updated “Complete Streets” page of our website: Eight new intersections around the village have been identified for upgrades to improve pedestrian safety.  Many of the intersections are under local jurisdiction, so improvements can be implemented by our staff at the SH Department of Public Works in the coming year; the remainder will need approval by the NY State Department of Transportation because the streets intersect with Rt. 9/Broadway. 

Under the Complete Streets program, the Village of Sleepy Hollow needs to earn 25 points every year by implementing pedestrian safety, bicycle safety and traffic calming improvements. 

Keep your eyes open for safer intersections in the year ahead…

Vines: To Cut or To Keep?

Did you know that not all vines are problematic for trees? There have been questions about the vines on the majestic London Plane trees along the Route 9 border of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. The Village of Sleepy Hollow arborist is working with the Department of Public Works (DPW) to ensure ongoing health of the trees. DPW is pruning problematic vines during the off season as appropriate to ensure no damage to the trees. 

The Village arborist has prepared educational guidance to help homeowners understand whether they need to prune vines on their trees. You can access the guidance here.

Want to get more involved with climate change?

The Cornell Cooperative Extension of Westchester County is planning for its first ever certified Climate Steward program starting in September 2025! This 10-module training will prepare participants to act as community leaders, addressing climate change through educational outreach and mitigation projects. 

Climate Stewards must complete 10 weeks of training, then complete at least 40 hours of approved community volunteer work to become a certified volunteer in the program. Click here for more information.

Tips for saving energy in the heat

We learned during a recent wave of extreme heat that Con Edison was working in the Village to avoid a power outage. They urged residents to conserve energy due to strain on the power grid which occurs during heat waves. There will surely be more hot days before Fall sets in, so here are some tips that will help our community to prevent system overloads and outages, conserve energy, and thereby protect the environment:

• Reduce the use of energy-intensive appliances: This includes items like washing machines, dryers, hair dryers and microwaves, especially during peak hours.
• Limit air conditioning use: Set thermostats to the highest comfortable temperature. 
• Charge electric vehicles only when necessary: Avoid charging during peak hours if possible. 
• Consider using less energy-intensive appliances.
• Close blinds and shades: This helps to keep heat out and reduces the need for air conditioning. 

Check out the GridRewards program offered by Con Edison to Westchester residents and get paid back for saving energy during peak hours. Click GridRewards app to learn more, and download the app.