Whether they are cleaning up trash from local areas or publishing articles that raise awareness of the necessity of ecological conservation, members of Clean Westchester play an essential role in their community and environment. The organization is wholly student-led, with high school students coordinating and executing everything.

“Our goal as an organization is to make a meaningful impact in our community,” Clean Westchester president and co-founder Aaron Anidjar ’24 said.

Anidjar, who enjoys hiking, saw litter on nature trails and all around Westchester. Looking around, he noticed that this issue extends throughout Scarsdale and other parts of Westchester. Although many organizations were already designated to help clean up Westchester, he felt that many didn’t do enough hands-on action.

“So we decided that we wanted to do something about it, and Clean Westchester is what we came up with,” Anidjar explained.

Clean Westchester has two main methods of executing its ecological salvation. First, they have trash cleanups every other week, going to various areas around Scarsdale.

“We have also made a big impact on the places we consistently clean—the Bronx River Trail and Weinberg Nature Center—and it is always good to see an absence of litter there when driving or walking by,” Anidjar said. So far, the organization has already had 18 cleanups. Not only does their work make Westchester public parks look nicer, but it also greatly helps the environments and the organisms in them. Trash is a harmful pollutant, and these cleanups help greatly by chipping away gradually at the issue at hand.

Second, Clean Westchester posts informational articles to educate the public about this important issue. They draw attention to the ongoing and historical conservation efforts in Westchester, calling attention to initiatives needed today. With these articles, members are able to help bring awareness to a large variety of sub-issues within this environmental crisis. Articles like “Battling the Storm: Hurricane Ida’s Impact on Westchester and the Urgency of Climate Change Mitigation” by Bryan Chung ’23 are eye-opening and show the realities of what could happen if we don’t work together to fight against climate change.

“The unsettling reality is that as climate change worsens, the likelihood of encountering such disasters will only increase. Global warming is heating up the oceans, acting as fuel for storms to intensify,” Chung explained in his article.

Looking ahead, students can expect various events from Clean Westchester, such as an annual “Green Westchester Week.” It includes a series of cleanup and greening activities from across the county, educational seminars on reducing waste, birdhouse construction workshops for schools nationwide, and a “Westchester Sustainability Fair” to showcase local green initiatives and products. In addition, the organization is planning an “Adopt-a-Street” program, where residents and organizations can take charge of keeping a segment of their local streets clean.

If you are interested in Clean Westchester, reach out to @cleanwestchester on Instagram!