Kids Inspiring Climate Action: Stephanie DiChristina
“It was my big environmentalist kick in the pants. When I had my first, I was holding a baby in my arms, and I thought, it’s his world, too,” says Harmony Dixon, Bedford 2030 Communications Manager, kicking off a conversation on the intersection of motherhood and climate action.
Stephanie DiChristina, a Katonah resident and Bedford 2030 donor: I’ve never heard of someone looking at their newborn and realizing that the future is theirs. That’s actually very inspirational.
HD: It was like something I had control over. With babies, it’s so chaotic. And I was like, what’s one thing I could do? And so I started to find those things.
Our Kids Are Our Greatest Teachers
Stephanie’s teenagers initially influenced her to take climate action and donate to Bedford 2030. Now, her kids are in college, and we want to know what climate issues they bring home for discussion.
SD: They want the earth to be here for them. They are curious about how other countries manage their environment. Jet fuel has now become a massive part of their conversations. They’re rethinking how they would travel instead of just hopping on a plane.
Fast Fashion—A Gateway to Activism
Fast fashion’s tremendous environmental impact was a gateway into climate activism for Stephanie’s daughter. She’s learned that choice is a powerful tool for climate action. Supporting sustainable companies, causes, and products with your money makes a huge difference.
SD: Her major senior project was [on] how horrible fast fashion is. I had no idea what fast fashion was. Since she educated me about it, I don’t buy clothes from certain places anymore. That’s really how my daughter is making herself aware, making us aware through fashion, which might sound silly, but it has a huge environmental impact.
Taking Climate Action From the Couch
SD: [I’m] leaning on Bedford 2030 to educate me and see what I can do and how I can help Bedford 2030. So it’s going to be very much a partnership. My education is going to come from you.
50% of greenhouse gas emissions in Bedford come from buildings, so we asked if Stephanie has taken advantage of our free home energy or sustainable yard coaching program yet.
SD: That will be my next step.
HD: These programs are free because of our lovely donors. That’s exactly what your support helps us do—to offer these free programs to the community. Our energy coach, Bob, will help you understand how to make your house more energy-efficient. So you can lower your energy bills. You can help the environment—all of that.
Plastic Waste—That’s Old School
Stephanie’s son brought her attention to the excessive plastic packaging in her world.
SD: I brought [plastic] water bottles into the house, and he said, Mom, you cannot do that anymore. It’s things that we are used to—my generation. We’re not thinking twice about certain things. And now we have reusable cups.
SD: Plastic packaging is starting to bother me. I only go shopping once a week now. And I buy everything I can at the farmers market to cut down on plastic and stuff that’s not good for the environment.
In the Market for Eco-Alternatives
The Pleasantville Farmer’s Market is Stephanie’s favorite shop for package-free local produce. They have plenty of parking, but if you want to travel in true eco-style, you can take the train from Bedford Hills.
SD: I want to get an EV.
HD: Are there any EVs you’re flirting with?
SD: I have a huge crush on the Audi EV. My podcast partner drives one. She loves it.
HD: There are some awesome rebates and incentives for EVs right now. You can get almost $10,000. It’s a lot. Lots of government funds are available for home improvements and vehicles.
Home Upgrades & Government Money
SD: Educate me about that.
HD: After your coaching session with Bob, he will tell you what rebates are available and what would be good for you. And it’s like, you don’t have to do everything at once. You know, there’s a list. He’ll help you plan ahead. If you know your furnace is old and will break in the next few years, as they inevitably do—you can plan for that. So then it’s not like you have to overhaul your whole house completely. You can just do it piece by piece, which is manageable.
SD: This is very good to know.
On Hope for the Future of Climate Action
SD: The timing of that question could not be worse [one week post 2024 election]. Oh, boy. You know, two weeks ago, I would have had a different answer. We individually are going to have to make the difference. We’re not going to be able to rely on the government anymore. So I hope that the smarter we become individually, the more we can make the planet a better place beyond the government stepping in.
HD: And I would add community—together, collectively. We’re a grassroots organization, so our big mission for 2025 is just to bring it back to the grassroots. We can bond and band together as a community because together, we can make an impact in our community.
It’s Never Too Late to Take Climate Action
A simple conversation about weather turned into a brilliant myth-busting conversation on how it is never too late to take climate action. Our Communications Administrator and Gen Z representative, Grace Gilmore, joined the conversation from behind the camera lens.
SD: It’s too late for my generation. You’re younger than I am. You two can feel good about what you are doing. Our kids, for sure. I heard at a presentation that my generation and above…we’re cooked.
Grace Gilmore: It’s never too late. There is not a day that it will be too late to do something about it. And because you are established and you’ve had a career, you’re well-spoken, you’re well-written, you have real-world experience of how the world works. That positions you uniquely to mentor these younger generations. You can make a difference and help us make a difference.
SD: Hearing [that speaker] say there’s nothing you can do anymore…that was my takeaway. You’re absolutely right.
GG: Without you, our community shrinks. Community action will get us to where we want to go, and we need everybody. I think the rest Gen Z would agree: don’t leave us alone.
SD: I’m so glad you said that because that’s more powerful than having been told that there’s nothing I can do.
HD: If we do something, we can make the world a better place for our kids.
SD: That’s how it started, by you holding the baby. When I see my kids next, I’ll hold them again and say, I’m doing this for you.
A Proud Donor: What Stephanie Wants the Community to Know about Bedford 2030
We are inspired by Stephanie’s drive to invest in her community and expand her perspective on the power she, as an individual, has to impact change. It’s never too late to get involved, and we’re so lucky to have someone like Stephanie as a partner in climate action.
SD: Normal people are doing great things because of what Bedford 2030 does. You offer an amazing opportunity to take action and to put our money where your mouth is.
Thanks to Stephanie for being a generous donor, supporter, and advocate for Bedford 2030 and local climate action. We’re a non-profit organization and cannot exist without our incredible donors.
Stephanie DiChristina is a Katonah resident and writer working on a book about mother-daughter relationships. Playdates with Lisa and Stephanie is one of DiChristina’s newest projects; a podcast that lets you in on a funny and fast growing friendship between Lisa and Stephanie, highlighting what it means to make friends later in life. The first episode is set to release before the new year, and until then you can follow the podcast on Instagram.