Tags Posts tagged with "Environment"

Environment

The Girl Scout troop prepares soil for native plants. Photo courtesy of Earth Care

By Katherine Kelton

The Conscience Bay Quaker Meeting House in St. James has been convening since 1961. This meeting house in St. James has started its own Earth Care Committee and its first goal is incredibly close to home for the Quakers. 

On the meeting house’s grounds, two former horse paddocks were mowed and maintained as a lawn. The Earth Care Committee plans to convert the lawn into a meadow through a process of rewilding. An expert at Cornell Cooperative Extension informed the committee of a problematic barrier of invasive species around the paddocks, further complicating their goal of having a self-propagating native meadow. 

Barbara Ransome, the clerk of grounds at the meeting house, works with the Earth Care Committee for which Amy G. is the clerk. They spoke with TBR about the process.

“In this first phase of removing these invasive plants, we needed contractors and equipment. Which was funded by our own meeting house. For the planting materials we got a small grant from the New York Yearly Meeting,” Ransome said. 

The Yearly Meeting is a gathering of state Quaker congregations. The Conscience Bay Quakers applied for an Earth-care grant from the Yearly Meeting with an “inclusive application,” as Ransome described it. The group received $500, the largest grant allowed to be given as a result of their application.

The grant money covered some of the cost of the native species, although Amy G. admitted that securing enough plants to cover such a large area is “quite expensive.” Consequently, the newly-cleared area will be replanted in stages with the work ongoing as funds, plants and volunteers are sourced.

The pair enlisted the help of local native plant grower, Mindy Block, who owns Quality Parks in Port Jefferson. Block works to provide native plants to locals and is working to cultivate more species. She provided the group with milkweed and native grasses, along with a variety of other plants that it hopes will begin to self-propagate and spread to create a native habitat. 

Amy G. explained that one of the beliefs of Quakerism is respecting the Earth’s ecological integrity and being “good stewards of the environment.” She shared that an attendee of the society inspired these efforts when he mentioned how burning fossil fuels to mow the horse paddocks was not aligned with the values of the Quakers.

Ransome said, “In unity, the Quaker meeting house decided to go forward with an Earth Care Committee not to mow the paddocks.” From there the committee decided to take on a plan for rewilding the grounds, which refers to allowing native plants to take over the area and self-propagate. However, the process has not been an easy transition.

The committee wanted to ensure the meadow could thrive independently as part of its plan to take a combination active-passive approach. In the beginning stages, the committee will take an active approach to planting native species and clearing the border of invasive plants around the paddocks.

The end goal would be to allow habitat to develop where creatures can live and be undisturbed by machines and people. Ransome provided an example of a tree falling, where she believed it is beneficial to allow it to stay because it can become a home to small animals. 

“Our first step in outreach was the Girl Scout troop, who we invited to help plant the native grasses and plants,” Amy G. said. The committee hopes to invite them back each year to continue to learn about plants and invest in a long-term community project. The committee also hopes to involve other groups and anyone who wants to get involved. 

The St. James attendees and members meet weekly in person or via Zoom for worship. Quakerism is also known as the Religious Society of Friends. Ransome wants people to know that “there is a concern for climate change — this is one way the Quakers are dedicated to being good stewards of the Earth.”

Those interested in joining the Earth Care Committee do not have to be practicing Quakers, nor do they have to fill out any formal application. Ransome urges those interested to contact her via email at: [email protected]. 

Project Action Committee member Beth Watson, trustee-elect Kyle Hill, Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay, Andy Freleng, director of Planning & Building Department, PAC members Bob Laravie, Mary Ann Bernero, Frances Campani and Michael Schwarting. Photo by Lynn Hallarman

By Lynn Hallarman

Increasing intense storms and rising sea levels compound the risk of damaging and costly flooding in the Village of Port Jefferson. 

On June 20, village officials hosted the second of two interactive community workshops to explore project proposals for addressing flood risk in the downtown area. The initial workshop was held in April 2023. 

Climate Resilience Plan

In 2021, the village secured grant funding from the New York State Regional Economic Development Councils to tackle the longstanding flooding problem in Port’s downtown watershed. The total project is budgeted at $110,000, for which the state funding covers 75% ($82,500) and the village is responsible for 25% ($27,500), according to village Treasurer Stephen Gaffga.

Village officials formed the Project Action Committee, composed of expert consultants, to collect and analyze data related to flood risk and use it to create the Climate Resilience Plan. The plan currently outlines five potential projects focused on innovative flood and storm surge prevention as part of the village’s strategic planning. The purpose of the June workshop was for PAC leadership to receive community input on several of their proposals and to inform the public about the committee’s progress. 

The initiative, led by outgoing Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay who is the village’s sustainability commissioner, includes PAC members such as architectural experts from Campani and Schwarting; Amani Hosein, legislative aide to Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook); village residents and other local experts. 

Mayor Lauren Sheprow, Kassay, trustee-elect Kyle Hill, Andrew Freleng the village’s director of Planning and Building Department, Kornreich, several PAC members and members of the public attended the workshop. 

“Our village is experiencing issues related to stormwater runoff, a high-water table and tidal flooding that all impact downtown Port simultaneously,” Kassay said. “Tonight’s workshop is part of the village’s ongoing efforts to explore all angles of the problem and to find solutions that will truly make a difference.” 

Project proposals

Michael Schwarting, partner of Campani and Schwarting Architects, presented updated committee findings and outlined five potential projects. A breakout session allowed the public to learn about individual projects from PAC experts. 

“The village watershed is a bowl, collecting water from the south, east and west, all going to one place — down into the commercial district of Port Jefferson,” Schwarting said. “Then there is the harbor from the north, whose sea level is rising and having increasing storm surges.”

According to data from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the Long Island region is predicted to experience a sea rise of up to 12 to 25 inches by around 2050.

Blue line represents downtown watershed area in the village of Port Jefferson. Maps courtesy of CASA.

Overview of the projects: 

1.  Develop designs for reducing stormwater flowing from the numerous steep streets upland of the village into the downtown area. 

2.  Assess the flooding problems of the culvert (underground drainpipe) that collects stormwater from Main Street and Barnum Avenue to Old Mill Creek at Village Hall. Convert portions of the culvert into a series of cased ponds for flood mitigation. The water is naturally cleaned when exposed to light. 

3. Complete the 2011 Old Mill Creek restoration plan from Brook Road to the harbor, restoring Old Mill Pond and daylighting the creek culvert — removing obstructions covering the creek — from West Broadway to the harbor.  

4. Update the 2013 village-approved Harbor Front Revitalization Plan in the 2030 Comprehensive Plan, incorporating storm flood mitigation and rising tides solutions as well as creating a green Harborfront Park. This plan would require relocating the harborfront marina parking. 

5.  Research ways to contain stormwater on-site in public off-street parking lots and mitigate these heat islands with trees. 

Water table levels below the surface of the village of Port Jefferson. Courtesy of CASA

Public concerns, official responses

Most concerns voiced at the meeting focused on project feasibility and potential costs to the village. One resident questioned the impacts on village parking if the Harborfront area, currently used to park up to 300 cars, is converted into a green space. 

To date, Campani and Schwarting Architects has billed the village $33,200 for its work studying the flooding problem as PAC members. According to Gaffga, the village has been reimbursed $17,850 of this cost by the state as part of the grant funding. The state grant will ultimately cover 75% of the total costs of the PAC initiative studying flooding risk in downtown Port.  

This reporter asked PAC members if the impacts of the recent uptick in housing development projects and installation of impervious surfaces, such as the Mather Hospital parking lot and asphalt repaving of the walkway at Harborfront Park, have been accounted for in the data analysis and project proposals.  

“That is a good question,” Frances Campani of CASA responded. “We can consider overlaying those impacts in our next mapping update.” 

“This is a step-by-step process,” Sheprow told TBR in a post-workshop interview. “The village has to put together many preliminary studies like the PAC initiative to garner support from the state to win big funding opportunities for major infrastructure projects. Without the studies, we’ll never get those large state and federal grants.”    

Rendering of the proposed Harborfront Park. Courtesy of CASA

New funding

Kassay informed the public at the workshop about the recent attainment of a $300,888 grant, including $270,799 from FEMA with the difference covered by the village, for an engineering study of flood mitigation at especially vulnerable sights in the downtown watershed. Kassay hopes this new funding for an expert engineering study will create synergy with the PAC initiative to set up the village to receive funding from New York State to implement the proposed projects and other innovations. 

The full workshop and slideshow can be viewed on the Port Jefferson YouTube channel. Comments about the project proposals are open until July 15. 

Trustee candidates Kyle Hill, Marie Parziale, and Xena Ugrinsky sit before the audience at the Meet the Candidates event on Tuesday, June 11. Photo by Aidan Johnson

By Aidan Johnson

The Port Jefferson Village trustee candidates — Xena Ugrinsky, Kyle Hill, and Marie Parziale — participated in a meet-the-candidates night at the Village Center June 11. The event was sponsored by the local chamber of commerce and the civic association. Two of the candidates will be elected, replacing Deputy Mayor Rebecca Kassay and trustee Drew Biondo.

Introductions

Ugrinsky, who has lived in Port Jefferson for 12 years, said she feels “a deep connection to the [maritime] culture.” She has been an “active participant” in the trustee meetings over the past two years, led the election task force, sits on the budget and finance committee, and chairs the Port Jeff Power Plant Working Group. For three decades, she has had a career in finance, technology and the energy sector.

Parziale, who has lived in Port Jefferson for 29 years, works as the senior alumni career coach at Stony Brook University. She described her “superpower” as “connecting with people, seeing the best in them, and linking them with opportunities.” She also said that to solve Port Jefferson’s problems, “we need a long-term strategic plan and we must be part of the process,” and emphasized “the ability for our leaders to bring stakeholders and experts together to find solutions.”

Hill, who grew up in Farmingville and currently lives in Port Jefferson with his partner, said that he’s “been coming down to Port Jeff ever since I had my learner’s permit.” After finishing his master’s at Stony Brook University, he moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked on Capitol Hill for 10 years, “advancing mostly bipartisan policy projects.” He is a volunteer EMT with the Port Jefferson EMS and served on Port Jefferson’s election task force, where they “recommended leaving the term lengths at two years and also recommended adding term limits to the mayor’s office.”

Issues facing Port Jefferson

Parziale wants to hear “more of what the solutions are that the school district’s coming up with and have them present them to us.” She also sees flooding as a major issue, as well as the East Beach bluff, saying that a vote on the project was needed before continuing to phase two, and it was necessary to figure out why phase one did not work.

Hill believes that flooding is a main issue, especially in terms of the firehouse due to “incidents where they can’t get their trucks out” and having their equipment damaged. He also believes the bluff is “a true disaster waiting to happen,” saying he was the first candidate to call for a referendum on the future of bluff spending.

Ugrinsky said, “We can’t fix the school district’s problems,” but the trustees can help by solving the power plant’s problems, “which delivers revenue to the schools.” She additionally cited flooding as a main issue, saying that “we have a lot of residents who have experience in this area or problems that have already been solved.” She agrees that a referendum for the bluff is needed, and said that development was a main issue: “We really need to figure out how we preserve our maritime culture.”

Maryhaven property

Parziale said that Beechwood Homes is in discussion over the Maryhaven property, but nothing has been finalized. However, she would like to see starter homes built there “so that we have something that’s affordable for our young people,” adding that this could attract families with students.

Hill said that preserving the “historic nature of Port Jeff” is the most ideal choice, adding that “it would be great if we had seniors condos in just that building.” He also said that St. Charles is not “being the best neighbor in maintaining that property,” as he’s been hearing that the area has break-ins. He noted that the area is already zoned for housing, and it is only a board issue if there’s a zone change.

Ugrinsky said that it was important that any residences would be tax-paying residents, and that the developer does a traffic, water and sewer assessment before breaking ground.

Environment and development

Hill wants to “preserve every inch of open space that we have left in this village,” which can also be done by partnering with the hospitals to preserve their open space as well, and “encourage them not to just make more parking lots, but to find other solutions.” He said that there wasn’t much of a choice but to preserve open space, because the more space gets blacktopped over, the fewer places there are for the flooding to go.

Ugrinsky agreed that preserving the green space is necessary to help soak up the water. She also said that evaluation of the underground springs is needed, noting that some of the pipes underground “are too skinny for the volume of the water that’s going through, nor have they been cleaned in decades.” She added, “We need to develop smartly, with foot traffic, where stores can be put.”

Parziale said that the environment and development need to have a “very delicate balance between the two.” She is also for as much green space as possible, and for smart development, saying, “We need to work closely with our developers so that they’re giving back some of that space, and they’re doing the right thing with the property in all ways, including traffic, water, sewer and green space for people that are living in those spaces.”

Fiscal responsibility

Hill said that it was important to come up with ways to offset resident taxes, “and that’s making sure that our commercial areas are thriving, and taking advantage of things like metered parking,” which he said brings in the most revenue to the village after taxes. He said it was important to bring in revenue from more than just the residents, which would help to have “a more successful village, and people are going to want to be here.”

Ugrinsky said that “every municipality in the United States is dealing with declining revenues and increasing costs while trying to serve their populations.” She said that the village should look at the contracts it has in place, and that “there may be volume buying opportunities that people just have not had the time to look at.” She added that they should “stop bonds happening to us and really get the population involved with how we’re going to spend.”

Parziale said that she agreed with Ugrinsky on this topic.

The election is on Tuesday, June 18. Voting will take place at the Village Center from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.

From left, County Legislator Steve Englebright, Assembly District 4 candidate Rebecca Kassay and District 1 Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich. Photo courtesy Abigail Choi

By Sabrina Artusa

Rebecca Kassay (D), current Port Jefferson trustee and deputy mayor, will be running for election to the New York State Assembly as the representative of District 4, which consists of Port Jefferson, Stony Brook, Setauket, Belle Terre, Old Field, Poquott, Port Jefferson Station, Terryville, Coram and Gordon Heights. 

In addition to her work as an elected official, Kassay was a youth program director at Avalon Park and Preserve in Stony Brook and the owner of the Fox and Owl Inn in Port Jefferson. 

Kassay received an endorsement from county Legislator Steve Englebright (D-Setauket), the assemblyman for District 4 from 1992 to 2022 when he was defeated by Ed Flood (R-Port Jefferson), as well as Town of Brookhaven Councilmember Jonathan Kornreich (D-Stony Brook).

“With Rebecca’s experiences and deep understanding of the many overwhelming issues facing our communities, I am certain that she will be effective on day one in the Assembly,” Englebright said in a statement.

Kassay said that she and Englebright share an interest in the environment, if elected, she intends to continue his environmental efforts, including the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Infrastructure Act, which holds companies responsible for the waste they produce through their packaging.

With a degree in environmental studies and over a decade of experience working on environmental conservation projects, Kassay believes that environmental sustainability is a necessary consideration behind any decision. “The fiscal side of decision-making is on the top of the list of priorities,” she said, adding that, “Environmental responsibility is fiscal responsibility.” 

 As someone from a science background, facts and trends shape her views rather than the “fearmongering” political approach she said is commonplace. That is why she hopes to carry the ideals of community-rooted, nonparty politics of local legislation to the state level.

“Here are the real issues, and we are going to work together to fix them,” she said, describing her approach to leading. “It is fear versus pragmatism — I don’t want to call it hope [because] I know we can get this done.”

Some of the issues include more efficient transit systems, more affordable housing, securing sufficient funding, affordable health care and maximizing the worth of every dollar to the community’s benefit. 

“She has gained authentic experience as a longtime business owner, a member of community organizations, an environmentalist and as an elected representative, and I’m confident she has the real-world experience to be an impactful and successful member of the NYS Assembly,” Kornreich said. 

Being grounded in the community is a foundational value in Kassay’s view of leadership, and it is something she plans to do by keeping in close communication with local officials and strengthening the relationships between offices, organizations and nonprofits.

Municipalities across Suffolk County struggle with inefficient transportation and oppressive traffic, and District 4 is no exception. Kassay, like many other officials, hopes to alleviate the burden of transportation. 

At the end of her first term, if she is indeed elected, Kassay said she wants to feel “confident that the community knows I am there for them.” A resident herself, Kassay acutely feels Flood’s absence from local events — events she considers are opportunities “to better understand the community.”

“Through all those different experiences — working with the environment, having a business, being elected and working on the legislation — I have seen how important it is to have effectively engaged officials on all levels,” she said. 

There will be a Democratic primary election on June 25 for Kassay against Skyler Johnson of Port Jefferson Station. 

Republican Party nominee Edward Flood and incumbent state Assemblyman Steve Englebright (D-Setauket). Photos by Rita J. Egan

In New York’s 4th Assembly District race, incumbent Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) is up against Republican Party challenger Edward Flood. During an office debate with TBR News Media, the two candidates confronted various issues, from affordability to the environment, prescription drug costs and more.

Introductions

Before entering government, Englebright was a trained geologist, museum curator and educator. He served as a Suffolk County legislator and then ran for the state Assembly, where he has served since 1992. 

He is chair of the Assembly’s Committee on Environmental Conservation. He said he is running for reelection to continue his work promoting clean air and water, among other legislative issues. 

Flood is a practicing attorney based in Port Jefferson. He is also an assistant town attorney for the Town of Brookhaven, where he tries quality-of-life cases and environmental crimes. He said he is running because he has observed changes in the area’s cost of living and heightened public safety concerns, and seeks to rectify those issues.

LIRR electrification

On the subject of electrifying the Port Jefferson Branch line of the Long Island Rail Road, Englebright advanced his multiphased approach. First is cleaning up any remaining contamination of the Lawrence Aviation Superfund site, a 126-acre property at the core of the electrification plan.

The assemblyman then favors moving the terminus of the North Shore line onto the Superfund site, enabling a new rail yard to support the electrification process. 

“At this point, we have something that has transformational potential for the entire region,” he said. “We should be looking at this as what it is, which is a regional, statewide and even national model.”

Flood agreed with Englebright, referring to electrification as “the common sense thing to do.”

“It’s kind of a win-win because it will reduce contaminants going into the air … and it will also help speed up the process of getting rid of the Superfund site,” he said. “Like any other project with the MTA, the MTA drags their feet.” The challenger added, “I think we get the short end of the stick with them as Suffolk County residents, where they like to have our money but don’t like to give us a seat at the table.”

Declining student enrollment

One of the critical issues facing policymakers of this region is declining student enrollment in school districts throughout the area.

For Englebright, attracting families with students requires cutting costs where possible. He cited the Comsewogue School District, which put solar panels on top of the Terryville Road Elementary School, as an example of exploring creative ways to limit costs within the district.

“That was an experiment of sorts,” the assemblyman said. “That installation was completed in ‘96. Today it’s saving that school district $40,000 a year, just that one roof.”

Flood held that attracting and keeping families with children on Long Island is a matter of lowering the cost of living.

“I think that’s the overwhelming reason why you’re seeing a decrease in enrollment,” he said. “The only way that’s going to change is if we can make Long Island a more affordable place for the youth to stay. … We have to make Long Island more affordable so people can afford to raise families here.”

Affordable housing 

The problem of affordability is not limited to the youth, according to Englebright. He advocated expanding affordable housing options to those living beyond or entering retirement age.

“Part of the housing issue is not only providing housing for young people but also for the pioneers of suburbia who now have three or four empty bedrooms in the house,” he said. “They need housing opportunities that will, in turn, enable them to stay in the community, so we don’t lose them.”

To remedy the housing and unaffordability problem, Flood supported exploring more opportunities for mixed-use development. “We do need to find cheaper housing,” he said. “Going to a Fairfield, or something like that, where they’re just going to build these giant complexes and charge astronomical fees … doesn’t really do much for our community.”

Englebright added that the housing crisis is linked to the ability of Albany to support the creation of new jobs. “The issue of housing continues to be a barrier,” he said. “The antidote to that is developing new jobs so that people can afford to stay. Too many young people are just priced out.”

For Flood, the state government can support local communities by lowering taxes. “I do believe on a statewide level that we can reduce the tax burden by canceling contracts that are no longer effective, doing a better job with how we spend money,” he said.

Prescription drugs

Flood was given the opportunity to respond to a letter to the editor published last month criticizing his platform on prescription drugs. [See letter, “Flood’s dangerous rhetoric on prescription drugs,” The Port Times Record ePaper, Oct. 6.]

Responding to this critique, Flood said his platform acknowledges the realities of business. “The only way to reduce the cost to the citizenry is to reduce some of the costs to the manufacturer,” he said. “Obviously, you can sue — and you can still sue for massive amounts — but the insurance for what pharmaceutical companies are paying is astronomical.” 

He added, “It’s not saying that the individual, if there was an issue, wouldn’t be compensated. It would just be that it’s a common-sense measure to say that they can’t increase the cost to the pharmaceutical companies so much that they have to, in turn, turn it around on you [the consumer].”

Englebright retorted Flood’s position: “My distinguished opponent is obviously biased toward business,” the assemblyman said. “I was not surprised by the answer, but what we really need is, if we’re going to have a benefit of doubt, it should be in the direction of the consumer.”

Environment

The candidates debated some of the pressing environmental phenomena unique to the area. Englebright firmly supported the continued preservation of open spaces.

“If you preserve open space in a community plan, that allows open space to give its benefits, including environmental benefits to nearby streams from runoff,” he said. “Many of the woodlands that have not been built [upon] deserve preservation.”

Tangentially related, communities along the North Shore are experiencing the effects of eroding bluffs and cliffs. Most notably, the Village of Port Jefferson is deciding on a proper action plan concerning the village-owned country club atop the East Beach bluff.

Englebright did not favor manmade efforts to armor these bluffs. “The entire coastline is a dynamic reality,” he said. “Port Jefferson would be wise to reconsider the advice that they’ve been given by the engineers that they’ve hired. Engineers tend to think they can fix it.”

He expressed his support for the upcoming $4.2 billion state environmental bond act: “We need that money. About a third of it will be for coastline stabilization and activities that are related to climate change.”

Flood also supported the bond act, stating, “I agree with the bond act, and I agree we need something to step in.”

As for the eroding cliffs, he said he would follow the expertise of scientists. “I would rely a lot upon the advice of those people who are scientists, the people who work in this field every day and come up with a solution.”

Partisanship/polarization

In a period of intense partisanship and polarization at all levels of government, the candidates offered their favored approach to working across party lines and building common ground.

Flood said many issues confronting the state government do not lend themselves to vehement policy disagreements. He attributed the lack of bipartisanship to an inability of legislators to treat each other with respect.

“At the end of the day, people want safe streets, they want economic opportunity for their children, people want clean water and clean air, people want an ability to advance their careers,” Flood said. “Two people are able to sit across the table from each other and express their ideas. Maybe they don’t agree, but they can do it in a fashion that is respectful of each other.”

Englebright said his record indicates that he “keeps an eye on the prize,” not allowing partisanship to get in the way of progress for his constituents. He invoked his productive working relationship with former state Sen. Ken LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) as the kind of work that can occur when policymakers check their party affiliation at the door.

“The prize is getting things done for the people that sent you [to Albany],” he said. “I actually enjoy working across the aisle. When Senator LaValle was there, we did a whole variety of really important bills.”

The assemblyman added, “If somebody is also willing to pursue the objective of the overarching public benefit and set partisanship aside, I will be the first to work with them.”

Voters will decide upon their preferred state Assembly candidate for the 4th District on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac), left, is the Democratic nominee in the race. Nick LaLota, right, is the Republican Party nominee for NY-1. Photos by Rita J. Egan

The race to fill U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin’s (R-NY1) congressional seat has highlighted some key issues confronting Suffolk County communities and the nation.

Zeldin announced last year he would vacate his seat to run for governor. Two major party candidates have emerged in his absence, both eager to fill the seat. In a debate with the TBR News Media staff spanning nearly two hours, the candidates covered myriad topics, tackling issues close to home and far away.

Introductions

Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming (D-Noyac) is representing her party for the 1st District. She is a former criminal prosecutor, trying sex crimes and fraud cases. Over the last decade, Fleming has served in elective office, first on the Southampton Town Board and later in the county Legislature, where she is today.

Nick LaLota, of Amityville, carries the Republican Party nomination in this race. He served in the U.S. Navy for 11 years and deployed overseas three times. He worked in congressional and state Senate offices before being appointed as the Republican commissioner on the Suffolk County Board of Elections. Most recently, he was chief of staff for the county Legislature.

Outlining priorities

Through their time canvassing voters, the candidates identified their potential constituency’s core legislative priorities. LaLota said he had observed a mix of voter interest in the economy and public safety.

“A lot of folks with whom I speak are tremendously concerned about those two things,” he said. “People want the government to work for them. They expect to have a fair shot at the ability to earn and not have their money overtaxed … and they expect to go home at night and be safe.”

Fleming agreed that crime and economic concerns have piqued voter interest. However, she held that the overwhelming problem for those she has canvassed is declining faith in American democracy and the “protection of fundamental freedoms.”

“Protecting American democracy, that’s at the front of mind for lots and lots of people,” she said.

Abortion

‘ I would insist that government funds not be used for abortions, and I would also insist that … if a child is contemplating an abortion, that the parents get notified about that.’

—Nick LaLota

LaLota maintains the U.S. Supreme Court’s recent Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey, returned the matter of abortion to the states. While he does not view abortion as a federal policy concern, he nonetheless stated his position.

“I do not oppose abortion when it comes to rape, incest or the life of the mother, and I do not oppose abortion in the first trimester,” he said. “Conversely, I do oppose abortion in the second and third trimesters. I would insist that government funds not be used for abortions, and I would also insist that … if a child is contemplating an abortion, that the parents get notified about that.”

‘I believe firmly that it is not a state’s rights issue, that as a congressmember, I have to have a position on it, and that my position is that those protections [under Roe] need to be reinstated.’

—Bridget Fleming

Fleming described abortion as a “critical issue that defines a moment in time in American history.”

“It’s the first time in the history of the United States that a federally recognized human right has been reversed,” she said. “I believe firmly that it is not a state’s rights issue, that as a congressmember, I have to have a position on it, and that my position is that those protections [under Roe] need to be reinstated.”

Economic apprehension

Amid rising inflation, higher food and gas prices, and nationwide economic hardship, both candidates were asked about their favored approach to relieving these financial woes.

Fleming acknowledged that voters in the 1st District are further constrained by the high cost of living in the area. “It’s hard to make ends meet on Long Island,” she said. “Those costs are rising. … We need to look for specific ways to attack those costs.”

She added, “Certainly, taxes are one of them. I’ve been fighting against the cap on our state and local tax deductions … I think it’s critically important that a representative of this district fights the SALT tax cap.”

LaLota contributes much of the nation’s economic distress to unsustainable federal spending. “The federal government hasn’t balanced the budget in 20 years,” he said. “I think that can and should be done in the next Congress.”

Concerning petroleum prices, LaLota proposes establishing national energy independence by tapping into domestic oil reserves.

“We have 43.8 billion barrels of proven oil reserves [as of the end of 2018],” he said. “That’s a 20-year supply, so there’s absolutely no reason to beg OPEC, Russia, Venezuela or anybody else to export their oil to this country.”

Energy and the environment

LaLota views the 20-year supply of domestic oil reserves as both a blessing and a curse. While it offers the U.S. flexibility in the near term, it provides no long-term guarantee for energy independence. 

In the meantime, he supports an aggressive push toward renewable energy sources. “It is right for the private and public sectors to make investments in renewable, alternative energies — wind and solar, specifically — to ensure we are on a trajectory to be energy independent,” he said.

Establishing a clear point of difference, Fleming expressed vehement disagreement with LaLota’s position on drilling, calling it a “completely wrong direction to go.”

The county Legislator held up recent developments in the offshore wind industry, specifically at Smith Point Park, as a prototype for future energy development. She argued Long Island has an opportunity to be a leader in the cause for green energy.

“Not only will we be helping Long Island taxpayers, ratepayers and our natural environment, we’re also serving as a model for the region and for the United States on how we transition,” she said.

On the issue of nuclear energy, both nominees expressed a desire to keep nuclear power away from Long Island communities.

“I don’t think that the community would support it,” Fleming said. Referring to the decommissioned Shoreham Nuclear Power Plant, she added, “It’s been a huge detriment to any kind of progress.”

When questioned on nuclear energy, LaLota responded tersely, “Not on my Island.” For him, nuclear power is a matter of safety for Long Island residents. 

“For safety reasons, putting a power plant on Long Island just doesn’t make any sense,” he said. “It didn’t make any sense decades ago and doesn’t make sense now.”

LIRR electrification

‘If you could bring in funding for the electrification of the rail once and for all, assisting the Long Island Rail Road to get that accomplished, I think you’d do an awful lot for the community.’

—Bridget Fleming

Fleming and LaLota both supported electrifying the Port Jefferson Branch line of the Long Island Rail Road. For both, electrifying the rail is a matter of directing public funds into Long Island communities but working in close coordination with local officials.

“We definitely need to electrify the rest of the line,” Fleming said. “If you could bring in funding for the electrification of the rail once and for all, assisting the Long Island Rail Road to get that accomplished, I think you’d do an awful lot for the community.”

‘When these infrastructure dollars are received from Washington, given back to the district, it should absolutely be done in conjunction with what local stakeholders want and need.’

—Nick LaLota

LaLota concurred with this assessment while decrying the imbalance between the taxes New Yorkers give to the federal government and the infrastructure funds they get in return.

“We need to do a better job, working across party lines, to ensure that we get better infrastructure dollars back for projects like that,” he said, adding, “When these infrastructure dollars are received from Washington, given back to the district, it should absolutely be done in conjunction with what local stakeholders want and need.”

Foreign policy

On top of these domestic pressures, the congressional candidates identified critical instances of geopolitical turbulence in places around the globe.

Most notably, Russian president, Vladimir Putin, launched an invasion of Ukraine earlier this year, widely considered in violation of international human rights law. Fleming stressed her commitment to the Ukrainian war effort in response to Russian belligerence.

“I think it’s critically important for the rule of order and the international rule of law that the United States takes a strong stand, as we have, in conjunction with a united NATO, to condemn this unprovoked aggression, to offer military aid and to offer humanitarian aid,” she said.

On the whole, LaLota agreed with Fleming. He defined U.S. strategic interests in defending Ukraine. “We are the only superpower. We should promote stability throughout the world. We should protect American interests — we have many interests in Europe — and having stability in Europe … is good for America.”

‘I think we have lived in a moment in time for the last 10 years when China depends heavily upon U.S. dollars.’

—Nick LaLota

Along with the war in Ukraine, they also discussed the dangers of a rising China, a regime exerting greater influence politically and economically around the world.

LaLota advocates loosening the economic links that bind the two nations, something he said is unnecessary and counterproductive. 

“I think we have lived in a moment in time for the last 10 years when China depends heavily upon U.S. dollars,” he said. “We buy a lot of stuff — a lot of crappy, plastic stuff — that we shouldn’t have to buy from them.”

He added that American foreign policymakers must “ensure that [China] does not become a greater strategic enemy of ours.”

‘I think we have to keep a very close eye [on Xi].’

—Bridget Fleming

Fleming’s concerns regarding China relate primarily to Chinese president, Xi Jinping, whose unpredictable administration and questionable political associates cause her concern.

“I think we have to keep a very close eye [on Xi],” the county Legislator said. “I agree that we need to put ourselves in an economic position where we’re not beholden to the Chinese regime.”

Closer to home, the United States is observing heightened instability within its own hemisphere, with volatile regimes in Venezuela and Cuba, and growing concerns surrounding the U.S.-Mexico border. 

Both candidates were asked whether the United States must redefine its policy for Latin America.

For Fleming, much of the nation’s immigration crisis is attributed to government mismanagement of asylum seekers. “A lot of these folks are fleeing really dangerous circumstances,” she said. “One of the things we have to fix is a way to handle these asylum applications. We have huge backlogs in the court system, and a lot of it has to do with an unwillingness on the part of government to take seriously the granular issues involved in immigration.”

To remediate geopolitical unrest in the Western hemisphere, LaLota favors strengthening the military, diplomatic and economic bonds between the United States and its Latin American neighbors. 

“In Congress, I would support ensuring that Americans are involved in South America,” he said. “I think the benefit is less illegal folks coming across our border, and less dependence upon the U.S. in decades to come.”

Congressional reform

We have moved away from encouraging thoughtful approaches to government.’

—Bridget Fleming

We suggested the Founding Fathers envisioned Congress as the most powerful and important branch of the federal government. Over time, however, the national legislature has delegated much of its authority to the executive branch, particularly the hundreds of agencies comprising the federal bureaucracy.

At the same time, recent Gallup polling indicates that three in four Americans disapprove of how Congress is handling its job. The two nominees delivered varied responses when asked how they would restore the central role of Congress in U.S. policymaking.

‘If there’s going to be a tax, a fee, a rule or anything in between, it should come from the legislature.’

—Nick LaLota

“I think that this quasi-rulemaking by executive branch agencies has gone too far,” LaLota said. “If there’s going to be a tax, a fee, a rule or anything in between, it should come from the legislature.”

Expanding upon this stance, he criticized the existing culture of pork barreling and logrolling in Washington. He also advocated shorter, more straightforward, germane legislation narrowly tailored to the issues at hand.

“We shouldn’t be sticking all of this pork and these other ideas into [a bill] that has a different title,” he said, adding, “If we got back to that norm, I think we give power back to the people.”

Fleming’s frustrations with Congress stem from the breakdown of informed discourse and norms of civility. To reform the institution, she proposed the reinstatement of these practices.

“We have moved away from encouraging thoughtful approaches to government and are instead so prone to responding to, almost, performance art on the part of politicians and legislators,” she said.

To get the national legislature back on track, the county Legislator emphasized constituent services and a community-centric method of policymaking.

Referring to the Constitutional Convention of 1787, she said: 

“I think of Philadelphia when representatives came on horseback from their various places and asked that the government be shaped in a way that would respond to the concerns of folks in their communities,” adding, “That’s the model of government that I’ve always undertaken and that I think works best.”

The people of the 1st District will get the final say on these candidates on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Brookhaven Town councilwoman rolls up her sleeves in District 2

Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) discussed her ongoing work at Town Hall. File photo

Town of Brookhaven Councilwoman Jane Bonner (R-Rocky Point) has served her community for decades. In an exclusive interview, she discussed her journey into local politics, her approach to commercial redevelopment, efforts to protect the environment and the upcoming redistricting process.

What is your professional background and how did you end up at Town Hall?

I moved to Rocky Point 34 years ago. I became very active locally in the Rocky Point Civic Association, the Rocky Point school board, St. Anthony’s [Catholic Youth Organization]. I was very involved in the community, volunteering and generally trying to make things better. I was sort of a person who didn’t ask others to do things for me — if I wanted it done, I rolled my sleeves up.

When [town] Highway Superintendent Dan Losquadro [R] was running for the Suffolk County Legislature, he reached out and asked if I would volunteer for his campaign. I knew him, I liked him, and I believed in what he stood for and I got involved in his campaign. He liked my work on his campaign and he hired me to be a legislative aide. I was quite shocked by the offer. Then I worked in his office for four years, always staying actively involved. 

Former Councilman Kevin McCarrick [R-Rocky Point], who was the first representative for Council District 2, ran for two terms but was very busy in his private business — the family owned McCarrick’s Dairy. He was busy at the dairy and he decided he needed to devote his time to the family business and didn’t want to run for office anymore. I was asked by the Republican Party, the Conservative Party and the Independence Party to run for this position, with others also screened as well. And they picked me.

What initially drew you to the Rocky Point community?

My first husband and I were looking to buy a house that we could afford. I grew up in Northport; he grew up in Forest Hills but was living in Centerport when I met him. We got married, had children … and had my daughter. We were renting a house in Centerport. This was when the market had really, really peaked. I had friends who had a house out here. My first husband summered out in Wading River. And 34 years later, I’m in the same house.

What is it about this area that makes it unique?

There’s a very strong sense of community, of friendliness and neighborliness, of helping each other out. I’m always in awe of the strong number of volunteers that are in every hamlet that I represent. 

I have a very healthy respect for people that volunteer. We live in a chaotic time now where people are being pulled in many different directions — and people are having to work harder because their dollar is worth less. I enjoy the job that I have because I meet wonderful people and the volunteers that I meet at civic meetings, at Great Brookhaven Cleanups, at scouting. 

Where I live in Rocky Point, specifically, it still has a touch of how it used to be. I live in the old section, the North Shore beach section, so most of the bungalows have been renovated, but they’re not cookie-cutter, not a development. Every house is a little bit different. It’s a charming community.

What is your approach, your guiding philosophy, toward commercial development and downtown beautification?

Various levels of government have worked very hard to bring redevelopment to Sound Beach — the playgrounds and the veterans monument. We’ve brought money to downtown Rocky Point, 25A and Broadway specifically – sidewalks, streetlights, street trees, the veterans square that we developed, working with business owners to come into whatever hamlet that I represent. 

Commercial development — not large-scale commercial development, not a big-box store, nothing like that — is about working hard with our local stores to help them succeed, whether that’s with permits or meeting with them to help them get through the process with the town, county or state. We kind of view the office as a clearing house. Even if it’s not under my purview, we help. We sort of roll our sleeves up and guide them through the process and stay in touch throughout the process. 

What is your office doing to protect the environment?

We rebuilt two new jetties last year — east and west jetties down at Cedar Beach. The inlet had filled in and it was a navigational hazard. At the back of the harbor, the water was not flushing well and there were water quality issues down there. Former [state] Sen. [Ken] LaValle [R-Port Jefferson] jumpstarted us with a $3 million grant from the state and then we paid $5 million. Now the back of the harbor is so clear and clean. The fish are coming back like crazy.

We’ve done a significant amount of stormwater drainage and infrastructure investment along the North Shore. During Hurricane Sandy, much of our stormwater infrastructure was destroyed. So the highway superintendent and our finance department and our department of environmental protection worked hand in hand with FEMA to capture many millions of dollars so that we could bring back a greater standard to our stormwater infrastructure. 

Can you summarize the upcoming redistricting process for the Town Council?

We undertake this every 10 years. Residents should definitely partake in the meetings. Years ago, when I first ran for office, I represented more of Port Jeff Station and more of Coram. When we redistricted 10 years ago, I lost portions of Port Jefferson Station to try to keep it contiguous to the Comsewogue school district. I lost portions of Coram to keep it contiguous with other electoral districts that it touched.

I invite residents to participate in the process. We have a board that we’ve selected — there is a requirement for specific political parties, so there are equal seats at the table for each party. And they make the decisions on how the maps are going to roll out and how the boundaries will change. We [the Town Council] vote on the redistricting plans that the appointed board makes.

Port Jeff village trustee on her environmental role in crafting village policies

Rebecca Kassay introducing a youth committee at the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, Italy, 2016. Photo courtesy of Kassay

Village of Port Jefferson trustee Rebecca Kassay is at the forefront of several environmental initiatives. TBR News Media caught up with her for an exclusive interview to discuss these matters in depth. In this interview, Kassay addresses her early involvement in community organizing, her first term as trustee and her vision for the village and its environment. 

What is your background and why did you get involved in local government?

I went to SUNY New Paltz for a degree in environmental studies and a minor in communications and media. During the summers between my semesters there, I interned at Avalon Nature Preserve in Stony Brook. I worked with their three week teen program and, in working with these young people, I saw how excited they became and how engaged they were with their local community and their environment. 

Interning over the summers, I began a dialogue with the park director to say, “Hey, wouldn’t it be great if there was a year-round program to engage the youth in this area to do things like habitat restoration, species studies and beach cleanups?” When I graduated from New Paltz, I got a call from the director and she said, “That idea that we’ve been talking about, do you want to give that a shot? Do you want to try to start that program?”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at the first of four Relic beach cleanup stations in Port Jeff village. Photo courtesy of Kassay

At 21 I was starting my own program at a nonprofit. It was very overwhelming, but we started off strong and just kept building. I ended up working with hundreds of teenagers over the course of seven years at Avalon, engaging with dozens of nonprofits in the area and seeing what their environmental goals were. After working there for seven years, I began asking myself: “What’s next? What is it that I want to continue doing to build upon this experience?”

In 2013 I started a bed and breakfast at my home and it opened in 2014. I essentially had two full-time jobs — one as a Port Jefferson business owner and one working at Avalon Park and Preserve. I decided to hand the program off to someone else at Avalon and just run the bed and breakfast while I figured out where I wanted to take my skill set. 

When COVID hit, I coordinated over 40,000 pieces of homemade PPE and comfort care items to frontline workers during the height of the pandemic. Through that, I began talking to local politicians about this effort and in Port Jefferson, someone said, “Hey, why don’t you consider running for office?” That sounded like a pretty cool way to get involved, so I started collecting my signatures. I ran unopposed and have had a really interesting first term. 

What ignited your interest in environmental issues?  

Back in the 12th grade [at Smithtown High School], I didn’t know what I wanted to do until I took Advanced Placement Environmental Science. It was the first course that I took that seemed to be very practicable. I felt that everybody should be taking this course because it has to do with how we interact with what’s around us. If you are humble enough and you’re willing to frighten yourself with the facts of where we might be going if we just continue on the path of neglecting our relationship with the environment, then it’s something scary to think about. 

It’s very apparent to me and others that we need to start making some changes. We need to figure out which changes to make in order to help the Earth continue to exist in a meaningful way.

Climate change is a lens through which we have to view pretty much all of our problems, especially being a portside village. —Rebecca Kassay

What are some of the most pressing environmental issues facing the village of Port Jefferson?

In my view, many of the environmental hazards facing the village stem from climate change, which is something that a lot of people don’t want to talk about. The impacts of climate change are relatively new. It’s really in the past decade or so that we’re starting to see these more frequent and intense storms and more rain from these storms. What everyone has always done in the past is not working anymore. The types of decisions that are being made, the ways decisions are being made — they need to take climate change into account. It’s not going to get any better, it’s just going to continue getting worse. 

Climate change is a lens through which we have to view pretty much all of our problems, especially being a portside village. We have a very tight relationship with the water — the harbor and the Long Island Sound. If we don’t start looking at the facts that are being given to us by engineers and scientists, we’re not going to be making the best decisions for Port Jefferson residents, not just today but Port Jefferson residents 20 or 50 years from now. 

What are your thoughts on the state of Port Jefferson Harbor?

I know that the Setauket Harbor Task Force does a wonderful job. It may sound like they’re just in Setauket, but they also steward the Port Jefferson Harbor. They do a wonderful job monitoring the harbor’s water quality and make great efforts to identify solutions and put them into place. I think that the harbor itself is doing fairly well thanks to these environmental groups.

There are some issues. I myself have a sailboat and I’ve become more acquainted over the past few years in how boaters can affect the water. I’m really glad that we have a free pump-out boat in our harbor that will empty your boat’s sewage tanks for free. You just have to call them and the boat will come over because boaters’ sewage can have a very negative effect on our harbor. However, the water quality itself seems to be quite good. 

What is the village doing to comply with new DEC guidelines regulating stormwater runoff into harbors and bays?

I can’t speak to the absolute current status of them, but I know that the village is very aware of the upcoming regulations and is looking closely to see what is the best pathway forward to meeting them. 

Has the village considered adding rain gardens?

The village was granted funding for three rain gardens and those rain gardens are in front of village hall, the village center and the DPW planning department uptown. Those are great examples of the types of plants you would put in rain gardens. I personally think they are very beautiful and they can really help to retain stormwater, especially on individuals’ properties. It’s a beautiful addition, as opposed to this very expensive cistern in the ground that you might have to put in to retain your stormwater. And it’s also great for the environment.

You have prioritized planting trees throughout the village. What will these new trees do for overall environmental quality?

Trustee Rebecca Kassay holding 300 tree and shrub saplings from the Saratoga Tree Nursery, which were distributed and planted as part of the village’s Arbor Day celebration.
Photo courtesy of Kassay

There are so many reasons we are pushing to plant more trees. The presence of trees helps in the absorption of stormwater. Large trees will lower the general temperatures in the area where you have a critical mass of trees, so homeowners will spend less fuel and less money on air conditioning in the summer and even heating in the winter because trees can block wind coming off the harbor. 

For folks who are not as in love with the environment as myself and many others, they should know that planting more trees statistically increases property values. To have these larger legacy trees on your property gives the property itself and the neighborhood a greater sense of being established. 

Trees are a staple in the ecosystem, providing a habitat for birds, pollinators and critters of all sorts, and these species are beautiful. I joke and say that the reason I bought my house in particular is because it has a beautiful oak on the front corner. I really love being the steward of that oak. It was there way before I was born and I think it will be there after I pass. It’s an honor to have the responsibility of taking care of the property that it lives on.

This month, the Six Acre Park Committee will present to the Board of Trustees. Can you provide readers a preview of that?

Absolutely. The committee has found consensus in agreeing on a mini arboretum-like park [at Highlands Boulevard], planted a bit more densely and focusing mainly on native species of trees. These are the species of trees and shrubs that have been evolving in this area for eons, so the local and migratory wildlife rely on these species. These are our oaks, these are our tulip poplars, these are the species that were here before people started moving in, harvesting timber and building homes and roads.

The concept is to give back to nature. Instead of taking trees down to build a parking lot or a development project, we’re actually putting the forest back. Not only is it going to be aesthetically beautiful, it will also be something valuable for wildlife and for wildlife lovers. If you go for a walk through this park, there will be a walking path throughout it. It’s a chance to bathe in nature and observe the beauty of what’s around you.

What can residents do to help improve environmental quality?

Trustee Rebecca Kassay (bottom-left) with a group of gardeners and volunteers at the newly established Beach Street Community Garden. Photo courtesy of Kassay

I think the village government has a great opportunity to set the precedent for our residents and say, “This is a village that prioritizes environmental efforts.” I am working to be a strong voice to keep that in the conversation so that whatever we’re looking at, we’re considering how this may affect the environment and to see if there are any opportunities to have a positive effect on the environment. 

As far as residents go, I’m delighted in starting our first community garden in Port Jefferson village. I’ve also been working on these Arbor Day efforts. I pushed to start the committee on the Six Acre Park. Through creating all of these venues, I’m looking to tap back into my community organizing background and have it not just be the government taking action, but the government engaging its residents in being a part of that action. When someone feels that they are a part of something, they’re much more likely to follow through, to feel proud of it and talk to other people about it.

Do you believe the village is on the right track in terms of environmental quality?

I think that the village and the Town [of Brookhaven] and Long Island and the nation and the world still have a lot of work to be done. As far as getting closer to considering the environment in every decision-making process, I don’t think the village is any more ahead or behind any of our neighboring municipalities. I would love to help the Village of Port Jeff get put on the map as an environmentally minded village, a village that takes this into account. 

Again, every decision has to be a balance, but I think the environment has to be a higher priority in most decision-making processes because I see the window of opportunity closing to start pulling ourselves out of a direction that will negatively affect Port Jefferson residents, Long Islanders and people across the globe. It’s these local actions that can have a big impact.

Trustee Rebecca Kassay with the members of the Six Acre Park Committee at their first meeting in 2021. Photo courtesy of Kassay

Is there anything else you would like to say to our readers?

I am very cognizant of the fact that we are not the only ones experiencing flooding or a decrease in tree coverage or any other environmental issue. I’ve started reaching out to nonprofits, to other villages, to people at different levels of government, asking to learn from their experiences so that we can move more efficiently in our local efforts here. To me, it’s very important to not try to reinvent the wheel every time you want to do something. 

This networking has been very helpful both in refining concepts that we might want to put into place in Port Jefferson and also in bringing funding into the village so that these aren’t taxpayer-supported projects but grant-supported projects. If we can start a great project and bring in a lot of grant money, then it’s just a win-win across the board. 

Also, one of my goals is to open peoples’ eyes to the miracles of nature on their own streets and in their own yards. We often think of nature as something to visit in state or national parklands, when in reality a relationship with, and a stewardship of, urban and suburban nature is equally profound and important. Far beyond the increasingly evident practicality of environmentalism, there’s a great joy to be embraced. 

I work to help folks see nature as an asset, as something to enjoy and protect, instead of the current narrative that often paints nature as inconvenient or consciously in opposition to humanity.  

Ironically, despite the narrative that environmentally minded actions or solutions are burdensome, there are often significant taxpayer cost savings in the long run. Taxpayers benefit when inevitable environmental issues are initially addressed with a long-term solution, instead of a series of Band-Aids which eventually fail and must be replaced by that same long-term solution.  

HELPSY and ACLD partner to place clothing collection bins throughout Long Island.

Just in time for Earth Day (April 22) Adults and Children with Learning & Developmental Disabilities, Inc., (ACLD) recently partnered with HELPSY, the largest clothing collection company on the east coast to place clothing collection bins throughout Long Island.

HELPSY and ACLD partner to place clothing collection bins throughout Long Island.

Collection bins offer an alternative disposal method for textiles to Long Island residents, addressing the abundance of unneeded and unwanted clothing ending up in landfills. This is the first non-profit collaboration on Long Island for HELPSY. With the goal to reuse, re-wear or recycle to extend the useful life of textiles, items will be sold into thrift or other secondhand markets and raise funds to support ACLD’s RewearAble Program which employs adults with developmental disabilities.

The first eight collection bins have been placed in five different locations including St. James Star Inc., 889 Middle Country Road, St. James; BP Gas Station, 6077 Jericho Turnpike, Commack; BP gas station,  566 Northern Blvd, North Hempstead;  Citgo, 1560 Islip Road, Brentwood; and Cortorreal Auto Repair, 1714 New York Ave, Huntington Station.

“This is the first such partnership for HELPSY on Long Island,” said Dan Green, CEO and co-Founder of HELPSY. “We are thrilled that an organization that does such good work as ACLD should benefit from items that otherwise would be thrown away. Textile waste is one of the fastest growing waste streams in the United States and 95% of the textiles that fill landfills could have been reused or recycled. How wonderful that not only will the environment benefit, but also an organization that serves such an important and needed role in the lives of Long Island disabled children and adults.”

According to the EPA, since the beginning of the millennium, the amount of clothing manufactured has more than doubled (approximately 6 million tons in 2000 to 16 million tons in 2020). The business of creating trendy items at low cost, known as “fast fashion,” creates greater profits for the fashion industry and instant gratification to consumers. But unfortunately, this trend also leads to a shorter shelf life for clothing items and adds to a disposable mentality that creates a surplus of unwanted clothing.

The fashion industry is well documented as one of the most polluting in the world, responsible for 8-10% of total greenhouse gas emissions according to the UN and contributing to tons of microplastics found in the ocean- shredded from washed synthetic fibers used to make low-cost clothing.

Through a combination of clothing drives, home pick-ups and clothing collection bins in 10 states, HELPSY diverts nearly 30 million pounds of textiles from landfills every year. By partnering with organizations such as ACLD to collect these unwanted clothing and other textiles, HELPSY has helped to raise millions for non-profits and other organizations while helping to extend the life of clothing and reducing the impact on the environment from overproduction.

“HELPSY is dedicated to changing the way people think about clothing recycling while adhering to the highest level of social and environmental performance,” said Green.

The Company’s efforts have earned it a Certified B Corporation designation, using business as a force of good ™. HELPSY is the only textile collection company certified as a B-Corp and Public Benefit Corporation, demonstrating the value the company places on workers, partner organizations, the environment, and the community.

“We are excited about this collaboration with HELPSY,” said Robert Ciatto, Executive Director of ACLD. “We are pleased that HELPSY has selected ACLD to be the first non-profit partner on Long Island and we look forward to the support of ACLD’s RewearAble Program.”

For additional information about HELPSY or to join in the company’s environmental preservation efforts or to host an ACLD bin, contact [email protected].

Photo courtesy of Hulu

Reviewed by Jeffrey Sanzel

One of the most fascinating public figures of recent years is Greta Thunberg, the Swedish environmental activist. At the age of fifteen, Thunberg began a solo protest of climate change by sitting outside of Swedish Parliament. Beginning in August of 2018, she spent the days she should be in school with a sign reading “School strike for climate.” 

Thunberg’s quest to bring attention to climate change has sparked a worldwide movement, bringing both support and harsh criticism to her and her cause. The documentary I Am Greta tells this story. Director Nathan Grossman followed Thunberg from her early protests in 2018 to her testimony at the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis the following year. Whether Grossman was prescient or just lucky is hard to judge.

The film chronicles Thunberg’s rise in fame: from people on Stockholm streets questioning why she wasn’t in school to meeting European heads of state. Furthermore, it touches on how she became a target of derision from deniers across the globe. At the heart of Thunberg’s message is her belief that the adults of the world have failed to stop what is the most dangerous and most immediate threat to the future. She calls out this failure to act: “Adults always say one thing and then do something completely different.” She has no hesitation in citing hypocrisy

Presented early in the film is Thunberg’s Asperger’s, a syndrome that places her on the autism spectrum. She has not seen this as restrictive. “Sometimes, it seems that we who have Asperger’s —autism — are the only ones who see through the noise.” She believes that this condition has allowed her the ability to give climate change her complete focus. When asked by a reporter if she suffers from Asperger’s Syndrome, she replies, “I wouldn’t say I suffer from … but I have it.” Further, she states: “I don’t see the world in black and white. It’s just the climate issue I see in black and white. “Sometimes I feel that it might be good if everyone had a tiny bit of Asperger’s … at least when it comes to climate.”

Thunberg’s obsession with what she considers “the defining issue of our time” began when she was eight years old. The showing of a film in school on the topic sent her into a deep depression. She stopped eating and suffered from selective mutism. Until that point, her family led a “high consuming” life, as demonstrated in a handful of home movie clips. Thunberg explains her insistence that her family converted to lives that were simpler and environmentally friendly: no flying, using an electric car, giving up meat and dairy, etc. 

The film is a wealth of footage of her crusade across the world. Starting with the passing out of flyers in Stockholm to her speaking to 30,000 people at the U.N. Climate Change Conference in Poland to a string of engagements throughout Europe, she continues to spread her message. Thousands of students have taken up her #FridaysForFuture. 

Throughout, Thunberg confronts leaders for going forward with the same bad ideas to remain popular; she makes clear that popularity is not her concern. This view has made her a lightning rod for petty politicians who dismiss her as “mentally ill.”

Perhaps the most frustrating part of the film is the title: I Am Greta. It would have been better titled Greta’s Journey or Greta Thunberg, Activist. There are no interviews with people who know her or have worked alongside her. There are glimpses of who she is but many of these moments have a disingenuous feel. There is a good deal of footage of day-to-day life with voiceovers — in class, in the car, in the lunchroom — but nothing that adds up to a better understanding of her as a person. There are a few moments of her dancing that seem inorganic. Thunberg’s struggle to finish writing a speech and her father arguing with her to stop feels strangely staged. And yet, perhaps it is this absence of personal details that gives a stronger sense of her preoccupation.

In a revelatory moment, she says, “I don’t like making small talk … socializing with people …” which can explain the stretches of silence and the lack of her interaction beyond the driving passion. She indicates that she grew up with other children being unkind; she was not invited to parties and was always left out. She spent most of her time being with her family and her dogs. Her father is the most present in the film, with her mother appearing briefly and her sister not at all.

One of the joys is her spontaneous laughter that pops up in unexpected moments. In particular, this is Thunberg’s response to those attacking her on social media; her ability to see their smallness and inconsequentiality are telling. She laughs hysterically in reaction to a photo of herself with Pope Francis. Another personal moment is her mother teaching her to bake. Again, the laughter indicates this is a genuine event.

The climax of the film is her address to the U.S. House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis on September 18, 2019. Since she refused to fly, she took a harrowing fifteen-day journey in a sailboat from Plymouth, England, to New York harbor, where she was greeted by hundreds if not thousands of supporters.

Her eight-sentence statement to the committee — spoken in her nearly flawless English — is scathing and resonates in its directness. “How dare you?” The message is summed up with “You are failing us.”

“The world is waking up and change is coming whether you like it or not.” Thunberg has inspired the largest strike for climate in history — more than seven million people. And yet, the world is still not on track to meet the Paris Agreement. She still goes on strike every Friday. And hundreds of thousands still support her. “Once the climate crisis has gotten your attention, you can’t look away.” Ms. Thunberg has our attention. The rest is up to us.

I Am Greta is currently streaming on Hulu.