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Making Democracy Work

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By Nancy Marr

We frequently hear the mandate “Reduce, Re-use, and Recycle,” but is that really the answer to our waste problem?  

Yes, recycling can work, but it’s not perfect. A recycling business can refurbish and recycle goods or can even create new products from recycled materials. It reduces  the amount of waste sent to landfills, and conserves resources like water, minerals, and timber by reducing the need to collect new raw materials. 

Local government must provide incentives for businesses to invest in research to develop ways to recycle and reproduce products that can be sold. Modern urban recycling, which began with the passage of New Jersey’s mandatory recycling law in 1984, has successfully created a tremendous supply of recycled newspapers, glass bottles, office paper, and other materials. But when it comes to creating markets to meet consumer and business demand for the products made from these materials, the economics of recycling falls apart.

The U.S. has a national recycling goal to increase the recycling rate to 50% by 2030, from a rate of 7% in 1960 and 32% in 1923. Between 70% and 90% of all items that could be recycled now end up in the landfill.  An important success has been the Better Bottle Bill that was passed originally in New York State in 1983. 

Purchasers of bottled water, beer, wine coolers or soda are charged a fee, and are reimbursed when they return them to be re-produced. Returned bottles are sorted based on the type of material (glass, plastic, aluminum), and cleaned. The plastics are then shredded into small flakes and melted down into small pellets which can be used for new bottles. 

To make it more effective, the New York Legislature has written a Bigger, Better Bottle Bill, which would add glass bottles with non-carbonated liquids and iced tea, and increase the deposit price and the reimbursement price to ten cents. It  did not pass in this year’s Albany Legislature, although it will surely be legislated again, or re-written into a bill that mandates the return of bottles.

In fact, as David Biddle, Executive Director of the Public Recycling Officials of Pennsylvania, points out in the Harvard Business Review, recycling is not just a matter of recovering recyclable material; it’s a total economic system. Few people realize that their local curbside collection program is only the beginning of a recycling loop. Unless consumers want to buy the recycled products, the markets for the material they put out at the curb will remain depressed.

While public policymakers are still trying to improve their recycling programs, large corporations and small entrepreneurs alike are in the best position to take the lead. Top managers of companies like American Airlines, Bell Atlantic, and Coca-Cola have made buying recycled products and investing in green R&D part of their overall business strategies, which has allowed them to cut down on waste, increase profit  margins, and, in some cases, truly close the recycling loop. The success of recycling—indeed, its true value in the long term—won’t depend on how much landfill space is saved but on whether or not recycling makes economic sense. 

U.S. manufacturers haven’t always been so slow to invest. For decades, the steel and aluminum industries have successfully developed their respective technologies to incorporate large quantities of post-consumer recycled materials. Aluminum cans all contain a high percentage of recycled content, and virtually all products made with steel contain at least 25% reclaimed steel. In general, these two industries couldn’t survive without the heavy input of recycled material; and in this, they are models for the lagging paper and plastics industries. The universal recycle icon (three arrows in a Mobius loop) shows whether the item can be recycled, or may have been recycled.

Government also needs to enlist university scientists and train students to find additional ways to process glass, plastics, fabrics, and other items that now end up in the landfill. Local governments need to provide education about the importance of recycling and the materials consumers place in their curbside recycle bins. 

By mandating recycling and setting extremely high recovery goals for both paper and plastics, government has challenged U.S. industry to develop the necessary infrastructure for incorporating these materials into manufacturing processes. Yet for this challenge to be met, local government needs to find ways to involve business and industry in using and creating recycled products. 

Nancy Marr  is first vice-president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy.  For more information, visit www.lwv-suffolkcounty.org or call 631-862-6860. 

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Turnout in local elections and primaries, is historically low … find out if you are eligible to vote in a primary, and make your voice heard. Stock photo

By Karen Anderson

The General Election is almost here. New York State makes it convenient for all its citizens to vote and offers four options. You may choose to vote in person during early voting days, Oct. 26 to Nov. 3 (See chart below for locations, dates and times.) and on  Election Day, Nov. 5, from 6 a.m.  to 9 p.m. 

If you can’t get to a voting site, you can apply for an absentee ballot or an early mail ballot. Apply for either of these by October 26. They must be mailed and postmarked by Nov. 5. These ballots can also be hand delivered by close of polls. To apply for an absentee ballot, you must provide a reason for the request. No reason is needed for an early mail ballot. 

Each polling place has a voting machine designed for use by people with disabilities. The NYS Board of Elections website, elections.ny.gov, is helpful with online voter registration, absentee and early mail ballot applications. It can tell you if you are registered, where your polling place is and the national, state and local districts you are in. 

Our safe and secure elections are also private and a personal choice. No one needs to see your ballot. Everyone should mark their own ballot in a private booth. A privacy sleeve can be used to cover your ballot and keep it secret until you slide it into the ballot counting machine. Your name is not on the ballot. There is no way to see who or what you voted for. If you are registered with a political party, people may assume you support that party and its candidates but you are free to cast your ballot anyway you choose. 

This election, our rights and health are on the ballot. Voters in Suffolk County will be asked to flip the ballot and vote on the propositions on the back. New York State Proposition 1, if passed, will amend our state constitution which currently only protects us from government discrimination based on race and religion. 

The amendment will add protection from discrimination to include age, sex, gender identity, disability, national origin, and pregnancy, closing loopholes in the state Constitution. 

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade, we have seen many legislatures pass laws outlawing abortion, criminalizing healthcare workers, and causing women to travel to other states for needed healthcare. Even life threatening complications have not been enough for some women to receive medical treatment. Doctors are afraid to treat their pregnant patients because they could be jailed and lose their licenses. Women are dying due to restrictive laws written by politicians who base the laws on religious, personal and political beliefs, not scientific or medical knowledge. Contraception drugs and IVF treatments have come under fire. Politicians want to deny women the right to choose how and when they should plan their families. 

New Yorkers have reproductive rights now, but this can change with changing political winds. We should all have the freedom to control our own bodies. Amending the constitution will enshrine these rights and make it difficult to remove them. Proposition 1 will protect all New Yorkers from government discrimination and maintain abortion rights.

Suffolk County Proposition 2 if approved will create a fund, financed by an 1/8 of a penny increase to the county sales tax (that’s 12 cents on $100), which will only be used to improve water quality in Suffolk County. Our water and way of life are at risk due to nitrogen pollution from untreated sewage. The Water Quality Restoration Act would expand sewers and provide tax-free grants to homeowners to replace old polluting septic systems with clean water technology. Clean water projects will create good jobs, increase property values, restore our bays and harbors and improve public health. 

The League of Women Voters is advocating for these propositions and urges you to vote “Yes” on both.

Karen Anderson is a member of the leadership team of the League of Women Voters of  Smithtown. For more information, visit https//my.lwv.org/news-york/suffolk-county.Visit vote411.org for comprehensive election information (available 4 weeks before election day).

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By Karen Anderson

Having worked for the Board of Elections on Election Day for almost 20 years, I have done the training and seen the efforts for keeping our elections safe and secure. The general public needs to know what goes into making our voting systems work to give them confidence in the system.

All poll workers must go through training each year. This refreshes memories and introduces any changes and new procedures for each election year. They work as a bipartisan team through every aspect of the election. There is a great deal of paperwork involved in opening and closing the polls.

All election equipment is tested by the Board of Elections before the election to be sure it meets security standards and that the machines are accurately counting ballots. There are security seals on all vulnerable parts of the machines that could be opened. These seals must be checked and recorded to prove that the machines were not compromised. An opening tape is printed to assure that no votes were cast before the polls opened. This tape must read zero votes ensuring that the machines are ready for the public to begin voting. All the paperwork must be signed or initialed by a bipartisan team.

If any voters are not found in the data base at check-in or another question comes up about their ability to vote they may not vote on the machines. They are not turned away. They may still vote. They are directed to the Coordinator to vote by affidavit. The Coordinator gives them a letter from the Board of Elections explaining why they are getting an affidavit ballot. They are given an envelope to fill out. It’s similar to a voter registration form. Once it is completed, the information is checked on the poll pad. A receipt is generated and the voter receives an affidavit ballot to fill out by hand. 

The completed ballot is put in the envelope by the voter. The voter seals the envelope and a bipartisan team initials the envelope. All affidavit ballot envelopes are sealed in a secure pouch which goes to the Board of Elections at the end of the night along with all the other ballots. The Board of Elections checks these ballots to ensure that  the voter is eligible to cast a ballot in the election. The voter receives a letter from the Board stating whether or not the vote was considered valid and counted.

When the polls close, more paperwork needs to be done. Every ballot that was used that day must be accounted for. Sometimes voters make a mistake and ask for a new ballot. Voters get 3 chances to mark their ballot. Any ballot that is spoiled is put in another pouch to be turned in at the end of the day. Each election district must account for every ballot used that day by their district. Then the Coordinator does accounting for the ballots used in all districts at that polling location. Once again the seals on the machines must be checked and recorded. As with everything else, all paperwork is signed or initialed by a bipartisan team. 

The closing poll process takes 30 minutes or more. Everything is packed securely, sealed and returned to the local Board of Elections. Everything is rechecked, reviewed and audited by the local Board of Elections, which then sends the results to the State Board of Elections. The State conducts another review before finally certifying the results. At all levels, a bipartisan panel does the work of certifying the election results. The State stores all paper ballots and other records for 2 years following the election. The ballot storage box is stored in a secure location.

Poll workers do their best to ensure that our elections are safe and secure. They take their responsibilities seriously, believe in our elections and cherish our democracy and the right to vote. They hope all eligible voters come out to make their voices heard. Voting is the right of every American. It is a privilege envied by many people over the world. And it is every citizen’s responsibility.

VOTE!

Karen Anderson is a member of the leadership team of the League of Women Voters of Smithtown a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https//my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county.

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By Nancy Marr

Many of us are concerned, and puzzled, about the effect of climate change on our weather. Why is it happening and what can we do about it? Greenhouse gas emissions have been increasing as our countries use more power. They blanket the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat in the atmosphere. This leads to changing weather patterns and disruption of the usual balance of nature, posing many risks to human beings and all other forms of life on Earth. Fossil fuels — coal, oil and gas — are by far the largest contributors to global climate change, accounting for over 75 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90 percent of all carbon dioxide emissions.

In 2019, New York State passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, based on projections by NYSERDA (New York State Climate Impacts Assessment: Understanding and Preparing for our Changing Climate.) The act presents the state with a strategy for taking action, reducing our carbon footprint, making our communities more resilient, and creating the opportunity for citizens and communities to partner with businesses, schools and government to create a green economy. The goal for New York for 2030 is a reduction of 40% from 1990 levels by 2030 and a reduction of 85% by 2050. 

Led by the Climate Action Council, New York State agencies are required to follow the mandates of the Climate Act (CLCPA). The Council will focus on specific sectors —energy efficiency and building electrification, clean transportation, transmission to support offshore wind injections to the electric power system, and renewable energy technologies. It can provide funding and technical assistance to implement energy and transmission programs that reduce greenhouse gas use, grant-funding to support community-based organizations to develop local land-use plans to guide development to reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and achieve a just transition. 

Support for Smart Growth planning can accelerate mixed-use, mixed-income Transit Oriented Developments around key transit hubs served by rail and bus rapid transit.

An analysis released by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in 2021 showed that the most severe harms from climate change fall disproportionately upon underserved communities which are least able to prepare for and recover from heatwaves, poor air quality, flooding, and other impacts. Racial and ethnic minority communities are particularly vulnerable to the greatest impacts of climate change. 

The  Climate Act requires that disadvantaged communities be identified by the Climate Justice Working Group based on geographic, public health, environmental hazard, and socioeconomic criteria. Thirty-five percent of funding should be used to target efforts in disadvantaged and underserved areas.   

Investment in the Climate Change plans will show benefits in addition to the reduction of global warming; in public health, decarbonization can result in improvements in ambient air quality, energy efficiency and weatherization programs in low and moderate homes. Energy efficient and end-use electrification through heat pumps and electric vehicles and funding for school districts to purchase electric buses and their charging stations will be available. Protection of New York’s forests and planting of new trees for large-scale carbon sequestration may be recommended to reduce the emissions.  

The Climate Act is directed to our state’s efforts to replace fossil fuel use with renewable energy. It also considers ways to moderate some of the inequities between the communities that we live in. Our participation as community residents can support the efforts of the state, particularly in the area of waste, which is an important source of methane when collected in landfills or open fields. 

Recycling can re-use some of the waste, but only residents can reduce the amount that they discard by finding ways to reduce how much they acquire. We have a choice about the vehicles we drive, often choosing larger vehicles than we need, and we make choices about how to travel, electing air travel rather than trains. Planning for walkability in our communities would reduce the fumes of gasoline and encourage walking and bicycling. We can influence community planning decisions; do we always think about how our ideas support actions that protect rather than damage our communities?

Nancy Marr is first vice-president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County. 

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By Toni-Elena Gallo

With President Joe Biden’s decision to end his reelection campaign, major players in the Democratic Party, including the president, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, have officially endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the 2024 Democratic presumptive presidential candidate.

As a result, TBR News Media had a question for locals: “How will this change impact the race to the presidency?”

— Photos by Toni-Elena Gallo

Kaylee and Emily, Ronkonkoma

Both girls expressed shock, but excitement, at the decision.

“I couldn’t believe it, I just found out,” Emily said.

Kaylee thinks that Harris’ presidential bid has given hesitant voters an “opportunity” to vote for a candidate possibly more competent than Biden, and more competent and likable than former President Donald Trump (R).

“Kamala running has made this election more competitive and serious than before,” she added.

Kaylee also voiced that she thinks Harris will “surprise people” during the upcoming debates with her intelligence.

Vic and Sheila Meneghini, Ronkonkoma

Grandparents to Smithtown school district students, Vic and Sheila Meneghini expressed the opinion that if “Kamala stays the nominee, there won’t be much of a difference [in voter choice] because of her alignment with Biden.”

They think that more women may vote, as Harris has the chance to be our first woman president.

The couple, additionally, shared that voting for Harris will probably be more enticing than voting for Biden, if you are a Democrat, which will affect some change, regarding voting turnout.

Vic, however, doesn’t think there’ll be much movement in voting, “as people have already made up their minds” if they are going to vote Democrat or Republican.

Vic and Sheila declined for their picture to be taken or other personal information to be included.

Eric and Cole, Massachusetts and New Hampshire

Eric, a Stony Brook University visitor, is “glad someone [who is of advancing years] isn’t going to be in office anymore. But, I don’t really have a big political view.”

As someone in his 20s, he would appreciate younger presidential options.

In addition, Eric feels people are likely to vote for the wrong or shallow reasons — because they view the election as a popularity contest, don’t like the candidates as people, and vice versa.

He wants to see people focus “on the issues,” as he is a “middle-class guy” who wants to live a decent and prosperous life.

Neither candidate “is doing anything to help me, right now,” he said.

Cole echoed his friend Eric’s sentiments, saying, “It is interesting to have a different face, who is not as old, and will stir the pot a little bit. But whatever these candidates do is not really going to affect my day-to-day life much at the end of the day.”

David, Long Island

David thinks that this change will encourage “more women and people of color to vote.”

Also, he expressed that making Harris the Democratic nominee “will give the [party] a better chance of beating Trump,” but he does not foresee any major developments coming in the wake of Biden’s decision.

David declined for his picture to be taken or other personal information to be included.

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By Nancy Marr

Have you ever thought about the ways that our country might change if everybody voted? If all the citizens, young and old, could register their opinions by going to the polls?  Where could we start to make that happen?

It has been estimated that by February 2024 a total of 91,089 New York State teens have pre-registered to vote, an increase of 11.4% since February 2023. The Civics Center (www.thecivicscenter.org) pointed out that represents fewer than 20% of the state’s age-eligible teens (New York State allows teens to pre-register at 16, although they do not vote until they are 18).  

We commend NYS Senator Shelley Mayer from White Plains for writing legislation, New York State Election Law 5-507, signed by Governor Hochul, requiring NYS  high schools and boards of education to adopt policies and procedures by July 1, 2024, to promote student registration. Schools are asked to provide registration access, information and assistance during the school year.

In school districts in New York State, students may work to earn a Seal of Civic Readiness. They learn how to identify and address problems in their community or school and earn at least two points in Civic Knowledge and two points in Civic Participation. Students may also earn points by completing a middle school Capstone project or a high school Capstone project. 

What other methods have high schools and colleges found to be successful in increasing voter registration? In many schools a Civics Day in high schools and middle schools highlights the importance of voting and preparing to vote. In many schools, social studies teachers plan their curriculum around the importance of voting, and offer opportunities to register in school. Many college students arrive at their school already registered. 

But for many students, voting is too abstract. They are more likely to register if they see evidence that their vote might address a problem that they know of. Generation Citizen, a nonprofit organization that works with schools, has been successful in leading student efforts to pinpoint problems in their school or community and find ways to correct them. The students research the source of the problem, and possible solutions, sharing their findings with the student body and faculty. Most often they learn which public officials could help them, and how to reach them.

They learn that they can contribute to a better environment for their school or community through their study and actions, and show other students that they can make a difference. The students in the Patchogue-Medford High School were successful in adding sidewalks in front of their high school.

Most important, perhaps, are efforts to involve young people in speaking up about issues that affect the residents in their community. For instance, a Youth Advisory Board was formed in Islip in 2022 to address the pressing issue of youth disengagement in Brentwood, Central Islip, and North Bay Shore. 

Led by the board of their peers, they have held Youth Town Halls to address the issues of climate change and climate justice, and advocated for a local skate board park. Recently, knowing that many college students from families with low incomes rely on the New York State TAP (Tuition Assistance Program), they led, and won, a campaign to raise the TAP stipends each year. 

Gathering support from other students by working through social media, they made contact with NYS Assemblymembers Phil Ramos and Patricia Fahy and NYS Senator Monica Martinez, convincing the state legislators to raise the family eligibility level for TAP from $80,000 to $125,000 and the amount of the awards to at least $1000. In May, the Youth Advisory Board partnered with the NYS Higher Education Services Corporation to present information on the TAP program at a Youth Town Hall meeting at Brentwood High School.  

In each of our communities we need to reach out to the members of the Board of Education to remind them that we support more civic education in our schools, especially the New York State recommendation that schools find ways to encourage and provide registration opportunities for eligible students.                  

Nancy Marr is Vice-President of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County. For more information, call 631-862-6860.

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The New York State Capitol building in Albany. File photo

By Lisa Scott

It’s not often that high school students are so positively impacted by a conference held in Albany!

“Now I truly understand the importance of citizens’ perspectives.”

“I feel more empowered to vote and lobby since I am now pre-registered AND I know how to lobby.”

“I learned how to use my voice and know that it is heard even though I’m only one person.”

“It was great to learn about government and hear from the perspectives of students from all over New York State.”

59 energetic and enthusiastic sophomores, juniors and seniors, representing 40 League of Women Voters groups from throughout New York State, were selected to attend the 2024 Students Inside Albany conference in May. They were geographically and politically diverse, with varying backgrounds, interests, and college goals. Over four days, they learned how our New York State government works, including the roles of its various branches and the differences between the state government and the other levels of government (e.g. national and local).

Students started the first full day with a tour of the Chambers of the Court of Appeals (NYS’s highest court) and heard about the different levels of the judiciary. Then they climbed the hill to the Capitol and Legislative Office Building, where they were directed to find their Assemblymember’s offices. Many were able to shadow their Legislator. All of the students were escorted onto the Assembly floor and introduced on the floor of the Chamber. They viewed the legislators at their desks and the Chamber in session. 

The day ended with reporters who cover the state politics sharing insights on how to decide what to cover, how to report quickly for social media sites, and how they started their own careers in the media. 

The second full day found Blair Horner, Executive Director of NYPIRG (New York Public Interest Research Group), and Alexis Goldsmith, National Organizing Director with Beyond Plastics, presenting information to the students on the methods they use to advocate for issues important to their organizations. These organizations reach the public in diverse ways and use varied techniques. Blair was also able to speak to the students about NYPIRG’s involvement on college campuses, especially of interest to those students moving on to college next year. 

Later that day some students were able to shadow their state Senator, but rules prohibited them from the floor so they watched from the Gallery. The long day ended with an engaging session on running for office, including how to gather signatures for petitions, work with the parties, fundraise and participate in candidate debates. The students had many questions about the exact procedures and were encouraged to consider running for office at the local level.

The final day included a review of what the students saw in the Assembly and Senate Chambers, focused on procedures and voting in both Chambers and the role of leadership in each Chamber. The students were also asked if their opinions of the political process had changed and 32 indicated that they now are interested in running for office someday. 13 students were also offered internships with their Legislator.  

Voting in New York State was discussed as a method for learning how to make their voices heard and how to influence public policy decision-making. The process for registering to vote and to vote itself were presented to the students and they were invited to complete a voter registration form if they hadn’t done so already. Young people  may pre-register at 16 or 17 but cannot vote until they are 18. The options of ways to vote for those going away to college in the fall was also discussed. 

How were students affected by this experience? As one wrote: “It’s life changing in the sense that you learn to listen and understand the opinions of others from all over even if they’re conflicting to your own.”

The annual Students Inside Albany Conference is a service of the  strictly nonpartisan League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation, Inc. (LWVNYEF) which works primarily on projects that enlighten the electorate and empower through education, without advocating for any particular cause or policy, party or candidate. LWVNYSEF is committed to increasing citizen knowledge of and participation in their government and  believes that the basis of a strong democracy is an enlightened, educated citizenry.

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County. For more information, visit https//my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county.

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Photo from Smithtown Library Facebook

By Nancy Marr

As a trustee of my local library, I signed up for a training  about “ALA and Sustainability” given by the American Library Association. What I learned was that the ALA at its Annual Conference in 2015 passed a resolution noting that libraries play an important and unique role in wider community communications about resilience, climate change and a sustainable future. 

A resolution for the Adoption of Sustainability as a Core Value of Librarianship was adopted in 2019, stating “To be truly sustainable, an organization or community must embody practices that are environmentally sound AND economically feasible AND socially equitable. 

In adopting sustainability as a core value of librarianship, ALA recognizes the findings of the UN that the immediate consequences of climate change are far more dire than originally predicted. Libraries today should play a large role in informing and involving the public in actions to transform our local economies to reduce carbon emissions by learning about renewable energy efforts being created locally, by involving residents in efforts to reuse and repair our recyclables, and by sponsoring programs to explain the circular economy that would reduce our waste. 

Libraries with youth members could involve them at an early age in activities to reduce waste. For patrons who have questions about climate change, and what it really is, the library is a good place to offer speakers or materials to help them learn more. 

Libraries that demonstrate good stewardship of the resources entrusted to them will build community support that leads to sustainable funding. Indeed, most of our local libraries are seen as strong and authentic and rely on an annual vote by community residents. Making choices about their building management can also set an example about the need to reduce carbon emissions and how to do it. 

A resolution passed in 2015 noted that libraries play a unique role. They are often positioned to reach residents throughout the community and can offer programs to meet the needs of all residents, depending on the time of day that is most convenient, and what language is appropriate. Library patrons can address environmental injustice conditions in their community and learn from other patrons or library staff how to address the issues and encourage the civic participation with others. 

Libraries have been known as a place to borrow books. Today, they provide access also to connections to computers, research and referral topics, and information from diverse sources about many topics as well as groups to explore activities, often with instruction or materials provided by the library. For children, the ALA Round Table Book List includes children’s books on nature, health, conservation, and communities that reflect the mission “to exchange ideas and opportunities regarding sustainability in order to move toward a  more equitable, healthy, and economically viable society.” 

Can libraries accomplish these goals? In fact, many local libraries have begun to do so. They offer a wide range of talks, activities, and displays to answer patrons’ questions or broaden their expertise. Some sponsor “carbon crews,” which are small groups of residents working toward reducing their carbon footprints with support from a leader and other members. Some have started “repair cafes” where patrons can get help from other patrons to fix items they want to keep using.  

The Suffolk Cooperative Library System has shown the way. Between 2016 and 2023, the system reduced the cost of its electricity consumption by 76.8%. It has calculated the reduction of its use of energy by 85.4% by changing to LED lighting, turning lights off automatically, regularly maintaining of the HVAC system, and improved insulation and auto-sleep settings on computers and copiers and the conversion to laptops, as well as the purchase of solar panels. Local Suffolk libraries that are enrolled in the ALA’s Sustainable Library Certification Program get recognized and are encouraged to host a certification ceremony for the community.

Learn about programs your library sponsors to reduce your  community’s carbon footprint. If you have suggestions for library programs, contact your library administration. 

Nancy Marr is Vice-President of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County.

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By Lisa Scott

Nancy Marr’s February 2, 2024 column in this newspaper, “Equal Rights Amendment…It’s Time” explains that the proposed New York State ERA (which will be on the back of the November 2024 ballot) is not “a women’s equality amendment” but seeks to protect women as a class and men as a class against discrimination under the law for any reason. The NYS ERA bill explicitly includes language to clarify that discrimination based on a person’s pregnancy or pregnancy outcomes would be sex discrimination, protecting pregnant people from punishment. These protections will help to guarantee that all people have the right to bodily autonomy. 

One organization that has continued to fight to ensure all people have access to the care and resources they need to make informed decisions about their bodies, their lives, and their futures is Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood started in 1916 in Brownsville (Brooklyn) New York. In 1933 and 1951, communities in Westchester and Suffolk counties, respectively, were providing health services, accurate information and education, and advocacy for reproductive rights and justice. Today, these counties (with a total population of close to 3 million residents) are now joined as Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic (PPHP). (All data in this article are as of full-year 2022.)

PPHP now serves as a major provider of sexual and reproductive health care for the region and a leading public advocate in the suburban metro area. There are 10 health centers and 2 mobile health centers, which offer a wide range of sexual and reproductive health care services regardless of the individual’s age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigration status, or ability to pay. In 2022, PPHP provided 45,790 health care visits and served 27,017 patients throughout the 4 counties. Over half of PPHP’s patients are on Medicaid and fall at or below the federal poverty line. Fees for many services are based on a sliding scale tied to income and family size.

PPHP has recently launched initiatives to bring the majority of their health services directly into communities through their mobile health centers, as well as offering expanded telehealth services as an outgrowth of challenges during the COVID pandemic. Reproductive health care cannot wait, so patients can access services such as birth control, emergency contraception, sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and treatment, HIV testing and education, PrEP and PEP for HIV prevention, gender-affirming care, and more, and access these services with fewer visits or without needing to visit a health center at all. 

Every person’s personal decision about their pregnancy should be respected and valued. There is widespread disinformation on Planned Parenthood’s services, in particular abortion services. Contrary to popular belief, abortion is common, nearly one in four women, and more gender expansive people in America will have an abortion by age 45. 6 out of 10 people who get abortions already have kids. PPHP performed 1,993 procedure abortions and 6,238 medication abortions in 2022, but also vasectomies, colposcopies (cervical exams), HPV vaccinations, breast exams, and pap tests. STI tests (59,530) and contraception management visits (33,199) were by far the service most in demand/provided. 

PPHP is one of eight Planned Parenthood affiliates to offer prenatal care. The organization recently launched Centering Pregnancy in two of its health centers, an innovative style of group prenatal care that empowers pregnant people to be actively involved in their own care and equips them to make healthy choices throughout their pregnancy and beyond. Numerous published studies show that Centering patients have healthier babies and that Centering nearly eliminates racial disparities in preterm birth. PPHP is committed to improving maternal health outcomes and reducing maternal mortality, particularly among people of color.

We should be empowering people to make their own health and reproductive care decisions, and remind them that there is a team of health professionals at PPHP that can answer questions and address concerns with understanding and respect. And voting yes in November for the NYS ERA will take a big step to protecting a person’s right to make decisions about their own bodies. PPHP can be reached at 800-230-PLAN or visit pphp.org. 

Lisa Scott is president of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit https//my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county.

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By Nancy Marr

Food is one of the more important factors in our lives. Food insecurity troubles many Americans, but for low-income consumers, especially, factors beyond their control affect their nutrition. Many low-income consumers can find lower prices, but consumers with very low incomes may not be able to get to stores that offer these low prices or fresh foods. 

Here in Suffolk County, both school and summer feeding programs funded by the Department of Agriculture are making a difference by providing nutritious food for children from homes with food insecurity.  

School lunch in America dates back to the late 19th century, when the passage of compulsory education laws and child-labor bans led to more kids in school for more hours per day than ever before. Health screenings in schools gave rise to concerns about malnutrition, which in turn sparked privately funded nutritious school meal programs in many cities. The programs were popular, but most were wiped out by the Great Depression. 

In 1946, the federal government passed the National School Lunch Act which provided a way for the USDA to purchase surplus agricultural commodities for use by the schools in the feeding programs they agreed to fund.

The act created a three-tiered system: children in poverty received a free lunch, children whose families were above the poverty line but earning less than 130% of the federal poverty line got a price reduction, and everyone else paid full price. Millions of children have participated in the program. 

The Federal USDA now funds the following child nutrition programs: the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Summer Food Service Program, and After-School Snacks and Meals, using the same distribution system.

During the recent pandemic, when schools closed, the federal government funding made it possible for schools to continue the lunch program and changed it to one that served all the children at no charge. Schools arranged for the pick-up of lunches by the students. The USDA pandemic funding ended in June 2022, with an extension through the summer of 2022. 

Schools and summer lunch providers then returned to the payment schedule that divided the children. The universal offering of free meals to all students had raised the level of participation by removing the stigma often associated with means-tested school meals and opened the program to children from families who would have struggled to pay the reduced-price copayment. 

But so far, there’s no momentum in Congress to bring the free meals back, except for the CEP Program (Community Eligibility Provision) which provides breakfast and lunch free of charge to all the students who are enrolled. Eligible for CEP is any district or school with 25 percent of students who have been identified as in need, and children who are certified for free meals without an application because they are homeless, migrant, enrolled in Head Start, or in foster care.

Food policy councils, appointed by local government or organized independently of government, have proven to be effective in educating community members about local food and nutrition, as well as other issues related to health, such as walkability. 

The funding during the pandemic showed how universal feeding encouraged children to participate in a nutritionally sound breakfast and lunch program which provided free food for all children. Federal or New York State funding would make that possible. For more information, go to www.schoolnutrition.org.

And write to Governor Hochul and your State Senator and Assemblyperson, and our United States senators, Senator Charles Schumer and  Kirsten Gillibrand. 

Nancy Marr is Vice-President of the League of Women Voters of Suffolk County, a nonprofit nonpartisan organization that encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in government and influences public policy through education and advocacy. For more information, visit my.lwv.org/new-york/suffolk-county or call 631-862-6860.

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