Sustainable Long Island's 9th Annual
Sustainability Conference
"Sustainable Solutions"

Just Announced: 5th Annual "Getting It Done" Award Honorees
Sustainable Long Island is proud to announce that the  "Getting It Done" Award honorees for the Ninth Annual Sustainability Conference have been announced for Friday, April 17!

These "Getting It Done" Awards honor leaders who move beyond talk toward implementation and show a commitment toward advancing local and regional projects from paper to progress.

This year special recognition was given to those who have utilized innovative sustainable practices to address environmental challenges within their communities.

 

The 5th Annual "Getting It Done" Award honorees are:

The Town of North Hempstead's School Recycling Partnership Program provides recycling bins for every classroom, office, and high-school sports field in each participating district, while facilitating the carting and recycling of paper, bottles and cans, bottle caps, and e-waste. Through the program the Town also holds an annual "Trashion Show" featuring students walking down the runway wearing clothing and accessories created from recycled materials, such as newspapers, food packaging, and even used tires.



The Cedarmore Corporation, a Freeport-based nonprofit, operates the "Seed to Table" Community Garden, which began operating in the spring of 2014 after nearly three dozen volunteers built eight garden beds and two compost bins, with the plan to build about 16 more beds moving forward. The primary goal is to utilize the garden to serve as an outdoor learning science and nutrition laboratory, as well as to teach local youth business principles and skills as they are guided through an entrepreneurial process.



D'Addario & Company, Inc., a manufacturer of musical instrument strings, primarily for guitars, currently headquartered in Farmingdale, New York. What sets them apart from others is their commitment to being environmentally responsible, while striving to inspire this sentiment in musicians worldwide. D'Addario has consistently supported the economy through its manufacturing business, generated opportunities for employees from all different backgrounds, and utilized recyclable products and practices.

Interactive Workshops
These breakout sessions are led by local leaders and experts discussing a range of topics. This year's topics include:

The Region's Resilient Resource

Recent natural disasters, including Superstorm Sandy, have highlighted the need for communities and societies to be resilient in the face of unexpected and constantly changing environmental challenges. Many will agree that one of the biggest environmental challenges facing Long Island, both now and in times of disaster, is the region's water quality. Whether it's identifying strategies to avoid flooding and protect our shoreline; implementing projects such as rain gardens and bioswales to mitigate runoff; or employing more sewers and newer septic technology to protect our estuaries, solutions are needed to improve water quality across Nassau and Suffolk Counties. Speakers to date include:

  • Dr. Wayne Horsley (Moderator) | Regional Director | Long Island State Parks
  • Amanda Ludlow | Principal Scientist | Roux Associates, Inc.
  • Walter Meyer, ASLA, LEED-AP | Adjunct Professor, Parsons New School | Local Office Landscape Architecture
  • Rusty Schmidt | Landscape Ecologist | Waterdrop Design Consulting

 

 

Smart Food Choices for the Future

It's hard to believe that today - in the year 2015 - many communities are still struggling to bring healthier food options to their neighborhoods. Although much progress has been made, there is still a great need to pinpoint solutions to improve access to healthy, affordable food across Long Island.  Examining a range of issues from hunger relief to obesity, and considering different approaches such as the practice of urban farming and the exploration of how to empower people to make healthier food choices, can give us insight into possible solutions. Multiple factors working together will ultimately help make the healthy choice the easy choice moving forward. Speakers to date include:  

  • Dr. Josephine Connolly-Shoonen (Moderator) | Assistant Clinical Professor of Family Medicine | Stony Brook University Medicine
  • Scott Chaskey | Director | Quail Hill Farm
  • Allison Puglia | Vice President of Program and Agency Relations | Island Harvest
  • Dana Youkilis | Farm to Preschool Nutritionist | Child Care Council of Nassau


Sustainability Business Basics
Long Island's business climate is ever-changing - embracing a more socially responsible approach. Specifically, many companies have begun promoting and integrating environmental, social and governance factors into their investments. This process has shifted the financial landscape as businesses have found investments in sustainability operations can not only benefit the community, but cut expenses, streamline goals, and generate revenue. With countless success stories to back the idea, the time has finally come where "doing the right thing" can go hand-in-hand with increasing profitability. Speakers to date include:
  • Cara Longworth (Moderator) | Long Island Regional Director | Empire State Development
  • Lisa Burch | Director of Sustainability and Social Responsibility | North Shore-LIJ Health System
  • Shari Gilfillan | Equity Strategist for Sustainable Investors | UBS Global Asset Management
  • Dan Grinberg | President | Elara Foodservice Disposables LLC
  • Tom Stack | Architect - Planning & Design | D'Addario & Company, Inc.


Keynote Speaker: Bernadette Castro
Bernadette Castro will be the keynote speaker for the Ninth Annual Sustainability Conference.

Many of us were first introduced to Bernadette Castro several decades ago when she demonstrated on television just how easy it was to open a Castro Convertible sofa! In fact, that iconic television commercial ran over 40,000 times, earning Bernadette the title of "most televised child in America." Fast forward from those days to the 1980s when she was a senior executive in the very business her parents founded.

In 1993, after selling the furniture division of Castro Convertibles, but retaining ownership of the real estate, Governor George Pataki appointed Bernadette to his Cabinet as the Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, a post she would hold for 12 years. The Governor was convinced that she could parlay her business acumen and experience into public service for the State of New York, and he was right.

 

Very early in Bernadette's new career, as she charted new territory in the pursuit of public-private partnerships, "Newsday," in a front page article, called her many innovative programs "the most dramatic changes to hit the parks system since Robert Moses created the empire in the 1920s." Her outreach to, and support of, friends groups at both parks and historic sites across the state leveraged even more fiscal support by both the private and public sectors.

 

Read more here...
Join Us April 17th!
Almost every living species has an impact on our environment, economy, and social surroundings. Every action we take - and don't take - affects each and every one of us now and in the years to come.

 

Sustainable Long Island's Ninth Annual Sustainability Conference will focus on Long Islanders' commitment to sustainable lifestyles, strategies, and responsibilities. This event will touch on how individuals, organizations, and businesses can advance methods of measuring our impact and make informed choices for the future.

 

We're just over one week away until the big event!

 

 


Full-Day Ticket
$75
 
 

Lunch-Only Ticket
$50
 
 

Sponsorship and Advertisement Form
 
 
Sponsors To Date:


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When
Friday, April 17, 2015
8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Where
Carlyle on the Green
Bethpage State Park
99 Quaker Meeting House Rd
Farmingdale, NY 11735
What
Sustainable Long Island's
Ninth Annual
Sustainability Conference
"Sustainable Solutions"
Who
For more information on the event, ways to support, and how to get involved contact Diane Ferraro at 516-873-0230 or [email protected]
Schedule
8:00AM - 2:00PM
Exhibit Hall Open

8:00AM - 9:00AM
Registration and Breakfast
 
9:00AM - 10:00AM
Opening Remarks and the "Getting It Done" Awards

10:15AM - 11:45AM
Interactive Workshops

12:00PM - 1:15PM
Sustainable Samplings Luncheon

1:30PM - 2:00PM
Keynote Address