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Art Wheaton Leads the Way at 10th Annual WNY Environmental Summit

On September 29th, the Worker Institute's Director of Western NY Labor and Environmental Programs, Art Wheaton, participated in the 10th Annual Western New York Environmental Summit, A Decade of Progress: Sustainability Comes of Age in WNY. Hosted by Daemen College, the Summit brought together some of the region's most progressive organizations and city officials to reaffirm their commitment to ongoing environmental sustainability practices and source new ideas. 

Art Wheaton moderates roundtable discussion

Co-Chair of the Western New York Apollo Alliance and member of the Summit's planning committee, Wheaton served as moderator of a roundtable focused on key environmental groups in Western New York. The seven panelists were asked to discuss their organizations' sustainability successes over the past 10 years, along with current projects and goals for the future. Wheaton described the roundtable as a mix of all industries, with each panelist representing a different sector's unique perspective and experience. Speaking on the Apollo Alliance's progress, he highlighted the Home Energy Conservation Kit (HECK) project, which receives funding from state, local, and private sources, and helps educate students, homeowners, and lower income families on environmentally friendly, power saving measures that can be taken to help lower energy costs.

Wheaton represents the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations' environmental education interests in Western New York, functioning as the head of Labor and Environmental programs, as well as the Co-Chair of the Apollo Alliance, which is comprised of several prominent unions (DC4 Finishing Trades Institute of Western and Central New York, Steelworkers, and retired UAW members) and receives partial funding through Cornell ILR.

The Worker Institute at Cornell ILR plays an important role in advancing labor's involvement in the transition to a more environmentally sustainable city and state. Through research, education and training programs, and policy development, the Worker Institute is helping cities, unions, workers' organizations, students, and low-income families in Western New York to develop economically viable environmental practices for a sustainable future.