Project

Rethink. Rebuild. Renew.

Sustainable Long Island’s mission is to promote economic development, environmental health, and social equity for all Long Islanders, now and for generations to come.

Sustainable Long Island is a catalyst and facilitator for sustainable development. We cultivate the conditions, identify resources and provide tools to advance sustainability on Long Island. 

Over the last 50 years, our communities were built and have matured without adequate planning, leaving an aftermath of suburban sprawl, fragmented transportation systems, depleting natural resources, segregated neighborhoods and schools, and deteriorating downtowns.

To address these needs, Sustainable Long Island advances sustainable development — community and regional planning that integrates current and future needs for:

• Economic Growth: the need for vibrant downtowns, jobs and a thriving economy.
• Environmental Health: the need to use our resources in a way that does not cause harm to our health or the environment.
• Social Equity: the need to create opportunities for all Long Island communities, including those of color.

Sustainable Long Island builds partnerships with individuals and organizations to address planning issues that impact our current and future quality of life, such as:

• Land use and redevelopment
• Business development
• Transportation choices
• Downtown revitalization
• Natural resource consumption
• Housing options

From the bottom-up, we work with the people who live in our neighborhoods — residents of all ages, community members, business leaders, local philanthropists, environmentalists, real-estate representatives, and clergy — coming together over shared concern for their community to develop new solutions. From the top-down, we work with public officials and other leaders to change policy and identify resources at the village, town, county and state levels to achieve those solutions.

At Sustainable Long Island, we believe that every Long Islander deserves the opportunity to live in a community with access to:

• A thriving economy
• A healthy environment
• Quality and affordable food
• Reliable public transportation
• Clean land, water and air
• A racially and ethnically diverse population
• Parks, community centers and recreational opportunities
• A range of housing options
• Thriving downtowns with a mixture of retail, business and housing
• Safe streets and neighborhoods
• Employment opportunities