Back to Sustainable Indicators: A Review of National Methods and Suggestions for Long Island

ABOUT THIS PROJECT This project is supported in part by a grant from the Rauch Foundation. The Institute for Sustainable Development selected the City of Glen Cove as its initial research site because many of the issues facing Glen Cove lie at the heart of contemporary debates over how to transition to sustainable development. What should be done about old, polluted land sites, so called brownfields? How can suburban communities revitalize its downtown after decades of losing business to regional malls? There are other issues that have received less attention in the City to date, but are equally vital to transitioning towards sustainable development patterns. How can cities and towns become more environmentally and socially responsible in their purchasing decisions? How can suburban communities, which have long prided themselves on their exclusionary zoning codes, begin to work more closely with their neighbors to develop regional approaches to problems like transportation, affordable housing, schooling, health care, etc.? Again, Glen Cove provides an excellent site for these kinds of questions. For example, it is ethnically diverse, with a wide range of incomes. Finally, the exemplary work being conducted by the Mayor's office to revitalize the city's traditional downtown is an important attraction for coming to Glen Cove. Mayor Suozzi has made repeated references to sustainable development as the model he is using to guide his redevelopment efforts. We hope to see his efforts succeed. For more information about this project, contact co-directors Scott Carlin at (Southampton College) 516 287-8238 and David Sprintzen at (C.W. Post) 516 299-3051. Project coordinator Erin Gertz can be reached at egertz@liu.edu or 516 299-3051.