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Nassau County Legislators Jeff Toback (D-Oceanside) and Dave Denenberg (D-Merrick) announced in November of 2007 that all concessions in Nassau County were "going green" with biodegradable paper products. Has this program been working (in Eisehower park?)? “The conversion to green products is yet another example of Nassau County’s commitment to the health of not only our bodies, but of our environment,” Toback said. “I applaud Dover Caterers who have truly stepped up to the plate and understand that doing good for the environment and doing good business can go hand-in-hand.”
The concession stands will feature plastic cups and containers made from field corn, biodegradable hand towels, plates and napkins. Tissue paper used in grabbing pretzels and other food items will also be environmentally friendly. Even the hand soap is harmless to the health of the parks system.
“This move will not only increase the quality-of-life for current residents, but for future generations as well,” Denenberg said. “By utilizing biodegradable and environmentally friendly products, Nassau County has positioned itself as one of the most eco-friendly places to call home.”
The cups and containers start out as plant sugar stored in field corn. The plant sugar undergoes fermentation and distillation and formed into tiny polymer pellets called PLA resin. Those pellets are melted down and formed into plastic containers. The containers can be composted or incinerated with no negative impact on the environment, and are just as sturdy and strong as regular plastic containers.
The introduction of these new products goes hand-in-hand with Nassau County’s “Healthy Nassau” initiative to make it the healthiest county in the nation. “Healthy Nassau” builds upon existing initiatives and adds new ones in order to sustain a healthy environment (focusing on air, land and water), while encouraging healthy living (tending to bodies, minds and spirits).

Tom Suozzi pledged to reduce Nassau County's global-warming emissions by 80% by 2050 in July 2007. Where has this gone (INTERVIEWS)? What are they doing to enact the promise? Nassau County is already taking steps to reduce emissions. Currently, 10% of the power used in County facilities comes from wind power. That translates to 10 million emission-free kilowatt hours of power. And by the end of 2007, the County will have purchased 175,000 gallons of B20 biodiesel fuel for its non-emergency fleet – one of the largest fleets of alternative fuel vehicles in the state, with 60 compressed natural gas, ethanol and electric vehicles. These measures are expected to result in a CO2 emission reduction of 20 tons in 2007. These are among the many changes that have already reduced the government’s carbon footprint by 5%.
In addition, recently completed upgrades to make County buildings more energy efficient will save taxpayers $800,000 in energy bills.
The 11 founding-member Cool Counties represent 17 million Americans from every region of the nation, including King County, WA; Fairfax, VA; Miami-Dade, FL; Cook IL; Dane, WI; and Shelby, TN.
Contact: Brad Tito, Nassau County Deputy Director of Environmental Coordination, btito@nassaucountyny.gov

Suozzi announced his "Healthy Nassau" plan in 2007, focusing on improving both physical and environmental health of the county and its citizens. Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi announced a "2020 Vision for Nassau County" in his annual "State of the County" address Tuesday at the County Legislative and Executive building. The announcement concentrated primarily on property tax and quality of life issues that would affect the county for the next 13 years.Suozzi said major progress was made since he took office in 2002, but the work was unfinished. "We will make sure the county government continues to be run smoothly and at as low a cost as possible," he said. "But just because we have managed the county well, and county property taxes have remained stable, doesn't mean people are satisfied."Suozzi pointed to not raising property taxes since 2003 as evidence of progress and development. "Nassau County is now the only county in New York State that has not raised taxes for four years in a row," he said.To combat the property tax issue, Suozzi called for the consolidation of over 400 separate governments to reduce costs and improve service. He also expressed support for Governor Elliot Spitzer's efforts to combat waste in Medicaid, and expected the funds recovered from Spitzer's plan to be provided to the county for property tax relief purposes.Suozzi said that the many levels of government left voters confused and uninformed as to whom and for what they are paying taxes and electing officials. "I am quite certain that fewer people vote in special district elections than will vote tonight on American Idol," he said.In order to conduct the business of consolidation, Suozzi asked the legislature to approve an allocation of $500,000 to "develop a blueprint." Governor Spitzer assigned a special advisor to help the county at the task. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli will do the same, Suozzi said.The executive announced a plan to grow the tax base in the county by advocating the development of communities in order to relieve the burden on residential taxpayers. "Tonight, I am calling upon our town supervisors and our city and village mayors to come together to agree upon the top 10 targeted areas for planned smart growth between now and 2020," he said.He highlighted the Nassau County Hub (which includes the University, Nassau Coliseum and the surrounding areas) and the downtown Village of Hempstead as the two most important areas. "We need to agree on the remaining eight locations," he added.As a means to attract more people to Hempstead, Suozzi's plan for redevelopment will implement more office space with good paying hi-skilled or hi-tech jobs, and more affordable and diverse housing with walkable retail, shops and restaurants. Additionally, sports, entertainment and tourism opportunities will also arise.He announced an ambitious "Healthy Nassau" initiative as a part of his "2020" vision. Suozzi said he wants to make Nassau County the healthiest county in the country by 2020.The greatest health problems are associated with a lack of exercise, bad diet and smoking. He endorsed a proposed state authorized tax on cigarettes, modeled after the tax already in place in New York City.He announced an initiative by local officials across the country to "[prepare] local communities nationwide for the impacts of global climate change" by investing in alternative energy and reducing greenhouse emissions. Suozzi also called for preservation of the remaining open land in Nassau County, as well as implementing the county's first Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan in over 30 years.In his response, Minority Leader Peter J. Schmitt said that the county executive is too busy poking his head into the business of local and national government rather than focusing on county issues. "Leave Disney World to Disney and Master planning to Master Planners," he said. "I have three words for you, do your job."Schmitt referenced an article in Tuesday's Newsday about a single-family residence that contained 28 tenants, including a child and a convicted violent sex offender, as proof that the executive was not doing his job. "Clean up your own Department of Social Services which is responsible for this disaster."Legislators were divided by party lines in their reactions to the issues raised in the speech. '"Healthy Nassau is something that will impact lives in real ways," said Legis. Jeff Toback, (D-Oceanside). "The Republicans should get behind it because some things take years to evolve, but this can be immediate."Legis. Dennis Dunne (R-Levittown), University alum, agreed with Schmitt. "Clean up what we have here," he said. "Take care of yourself first. Consolidate our own taxes."

In 2004 Town Supervisor Jon Kaiman and Town Clerk Michelle Schimel welcomed the arrival of 15 clean-fuel taxicabs to North Hempstead. Delux Transportation Service of Port Washington, Manhasset and Roslyn purchased the new cabs, which are powered by compressed natural gas, as part of an environmental initiative to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and improve air quality. Where has this gone?

Good contact: Jon Kaiman. Jon Kaiman, the 43 year old North Hempstead Town Supervisor, brings to his office a distinguished record of public and private sector accomplishments and has continued the Town’s tradition of sound finances and good government.
Since taking office on January 1, 2004, Jon has spearheaded a series of bold initiatives to update the Town’s infrastructure and incorporate modern management techniques in day-to-day operations. Central to his efforts has been the establishment of a 311 Constituent Response System. This new technology will provide North Hempstead residents greater access to government, while enhancing efficiency and accountability.
As one of the chief architects of the Town’s Environmental Legacy Fund, Jon has continued to fight to preserve and replenish open space and protect the Town of North Hempstead’s environment. As Supervisor he instituted North Hempstead’s annual Earth Day Program and Operation Clean Sweep in April 2004; a month long, top to bottom “Spring Cleaning” of the Town. The program has already seen the removal of over 3,000 tons of garbage and debris in two short years. Additionally, Jon has helped push the Town towards environmentally friendly alternatives, including the purchasing of seven new hybrid SUV’s for the Town’s fleet of vehicles.
Another key component in Jon’s administration is the idea of Community Based Planning. Beginning in 2004, the Town has hosted well over 40 community meetings throughout North Hempstead to address local concerns relating to development projects, planning decisions, park improvements, roadway improvements and other local issues. As many as 700 residents have attended a single meeting.
Jon has also taken an aggressive stance on code enforcement issues and illegal housing, partnering with the Nassau County District Attorney’s office to more effectively prosecute violators. Through a more pro-active code enforcement operation and additional inspectors, the Town’s code enforcement fine revenue last year increased a record 500% from 2003 levels.
Jon Kaiman is a longtime resident of Great Neck, where he lives with his wife Kim and sons Shaun and Jared and infant daughter Lyana.
Jon received a Juris Doctorate at Hofstra Law School, and his Bachelor of Arts at Hofstra University. In 1999, Jon was elected to Nassau County District Court, where he received the highest rating from the Nassau County Bar Association’s Judicial Screening Committee two years in a row.

For years the amenities and features in new-home construction have been consumer driven. Custom countertops, high ceilings, wood floors, designer kitchens - even three-car garages - have taken turns recently as must-have desirables for new buyers.So builders traditionally have created homes with dazzling items customers could see, touch and feel.But things are about to change. Take it from a few of the Long Island contractors, like Tony Panza and Colette Frey-Baker, who recently attended the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Fla.
The reason is green building."I've come back invigorated about the whole idea," says Panza, owner of Turtle Pond Builders in Southampton. "It has to be what the industry is about now, about where we are going."Green building means erecting houses that are better insulated, use less energy, conserve water and are more eco-friendly. The green label includes almost all phases of building, from rooftop to basement floor, from asphalt shingles to fiber cement siding. Green homes are more about what's behind the walls or in the utility room. Traditionally, those features don't translate as "sexy." But going green is the talk of the industry after the National Association of Home Builders introduced its new Green Building Program at the event two weeks ago. Some time this May, the builders' group will be naming about 1,700 builders "certified green professionals."Among them will be Frey-Baker, owner of Delft Enterprises, a Center Moriches construction and property-management firm; she achieved the certification after attending a two-day National Association of Home Builders course on green building in Orlando. Panza attended two green seminars in Orlando and expects to join the ranks of "certified green professional" some time this spring.For Frey-Baker, the green designation is important because it shows buyers there's a difference in how new homes will be built. "Many builders on Long Island are complying with the guidelines for building Energy Star homes, and a lot of the NAHB's green building program is similar," she says.But the certification from the national association is another tangible method for measuring the efficiency of a home. There's a score card, she says, so builders and homebuyers can rate new construction with a points system.Like the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership for Energy and Environmental Design, the national builders' program uses a checklist to determine "levels" of green. The checklist features seven categories - lot design, resource efficiency, energy efficiency, water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, operation and maintenance and global impact.In each category, points are awarded for green technology, concepts and products. The maximum point total is 395, which achieves gold status. Homes reaching between 311 and 394 points achieve silver status. Homes that come in with 237 points or better will earn bronze status.What the checklist means, Panza says, is that builders must be more educated. "I think, yes, there is a knowledge level we now have to achieve," Panza says. "It's our job to show how these buildings are better than existing buildings."Panza says that the competition among new-home builders is the resale home. When potential buyers are shopping for a change in living space, new-home builders will be under pressure to show how a new, green home is better, in the long run, than something built 20 or 30 years ago. "But we're going to have to prove it to customers, and green certification is the way," he says.In some instances, a certain level of green can be achieved simply by building smarter. For example, incorporating solar-passive building concepts, which often don't call for more expensive materials, can reduce heating and lighting costs. The use of native plants, ground cover and drought-resistant grasses can cut water usage.The hard part for builders, says Greg Barnych, a vice president of Huntington-based Florence Building Materials, will be convincing buyers that high-priced green products are worthwhile. "People will have to understand why they will be paying more for green," says Barnych, whose company has five Long Island locations. "Green products can be 20 percent more expensive than traditional materials."Again, says Panza, the burden is with the builder. "We're going to have to know why a certain system or product is better, and even more cost effective, over the long haul," he says. "It's about being educated."For buyers of high-end homes, the emphasis on green might not be a big deal. People who can afford to build those homes often don't care about high utility rates or energy efficiency, say many builders. Even so, the $4.8 million New American Home 2008, at nearly 7,000 square feet, was built to the new National Association of Home Builders green program. Earning gold-level certification, the home is 62 percent more energy efficient than a similar size home built to the conventional "non-green" code.But at lower price points, over the next few years, new-home buyers might not see features to which they've become accustomed. Emphasis on wood flooring and granite countertops is likely to switch to high-efficiency heating and cooling systems and a drainage basin that reclaims storm water for irrigation. "Somewhere down the line," Panza says, "builders have to say we need to make these kinds of homes because they are better for everyone."

The mission of Sustainable Long Island is to promote economic development, environmental health and equity for all Long Islanders.

An environmentally-friendly company headquartered in Uniondale. National Envelope Corporation is the largest manufacturer of envelopes in the world, with 20 manufacturing facilities and 5,000 employees in the U.S. and Canada. The company leads the industry in its environmental platform and in the design, print, and production of direct mail envelopes.

Hain Celestial Group, Inc. is another company with local headquarters and an environmentally-friendly business plan. Site lists many of this kind.

Garbage and recycling information for the Town of North Hempstead.

The S.T.O.P. (Stop Throwing Out Pollutants) program offers residents of North Hempstead the opportunity to dispose of their household hazardous waste in an environmentally friendly manner. Many people do not realize that ordinary household products, such as aerosols and cleaners, can be corrosive, explosive, or toxic if mixed indiscriminately with regular household garbage. Please take an extra moment to check labels for warnings, and please take advantage of this years S.T.O.P. dates to ensure safe disposal.
Latex/water-based paint (once hardened/dried-out) may be disposed of in your regular trash.
Explosives, fireworks, ammunition, radioactive materials, and commercial or industrial wastes are not accepted.

Why recycling in New York is important and how to recycle effectively. 1. Recycling conserves our valuable natural resources.2. Recycling saves energy.3. Recycling saves clean air and clean water.4. Recycling saves landfill space.Each ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees, 380 gallons of oil, three cubic yards of landfill space, 4,000 kilowatts of energy and 7,000 gallons of water! Making recycled paper instead of new paper uses 64 percent less energy and uses 58 percent less water. One tree can filter up to 60 pounds of pollutants from the air each year. More than 1/3 of all fiber used to make paper comes from recycled paper. Only 1 percent of the world's water supply is usable; 97 percent is in the ocean and 2 percent is frozen. It takes a 15-year-old tree to produce 700 grocery bags. Where does the trash go? When you throw something "away", it doesn't go away! Trash is either burned, buried, recycled or dumped into rivers and oceans. Disposable diapers last centuries in landfills. An average baby will go through 8,000 of them! Recycling a stack of newspapers just 3 feet high can save one tree.

Finding that a proposed construction and demolition debris recycling plant would be noxious and offensive to area residents, the Hempstead Town Board of Zoning Appeals unanimously denied an application by Rieco Properties of Port Washington to open such a plant in Oceanside in August of 2003.
In a decision on Aug. 8, the board found that trucks coming and going from the plant as often as every four or five minutes from 10 a.m.to 8 p.m. would churn up large amounts of dust. The board also said the plant would generate a lot of noise and odor.
''I was glad to see that the board listened to the residents and understood the negative impact that these facilities have on our quality of life,'' said Jeffrey Toback, a Democratic member of the Nassau County Legislature who lives in Oceanside. ''There are several of them operating within a short distance of the proposed facility, and there are issues with virtually all of them. Having another in the neighborhood would have been devastating.''
Jack L. Libert of Melville, Rieco's lawyer, said he planned an appeal. He noted that Rieco has a pending suit against the town claiming that its statute prohibiting noxious or offensive odors in industrial districts is overly broad. ''This is the most industrial part of town I know of and there are a lots of uses there that are not compatible with residential or business districts, but that is where the town elected to have it,'' he said of the industrial district.
Mr. Libert added that the proposed site of the Rieco plant on Hampton Road is farther away from residents than any other part of the industrial park.

1982 - Hempstead has had problems with recycling since the 80's. "The Town of Hempstead recycling plant (''Signs Hint at Action on Plant,'' March 14) should be opened forthwith for an extended period, running at full capacity, to determine if there is any significant amount of toxic materials in its stack emissions." The Town of Hempstead recycling plant (''Signs Hint at Action on Plant,'' March 14) should be opened forthwith for an extended period, running at full capacity, to determine if there is any significant amount of toxic materials in its stack emissions.
If such materials are present, then whatever measures are necessary to reduce these emissions to a safe level should be taken.
Those who oppose the reopening should ask themselves: What should be done with our garbage? The present landfill dumping will certainly contaminate the groundwater (our source of drinking water) for future generations. The Town of Hempstead has incinerators in Merrick and Oceanside, but these only waste the materials fed into them, neither recovering materials nor generating electric energy.
The Resource Recovery plant does accomplish several useful ecological purposes, while disposing of our waste. Let us give it a chance to work for us, and to work well, for the benefit of all.

Hempstead's resource recovery facility voted one of top plants in the country in 2004. Although this 72-MW waste-to-energy facility is the smallest of this year's Top Plants, its wealth of innovative design features makes it deserving of the recognition. Seven days a week, Hempstead turns thousands of tons of useless—and costly to dispose of—municipal solid waste into thousands of valuable megawatt-hours. By doing so, the plant plays a key role in fostering public environmental awareness.

On four Sundays over six months in 2006, at a cost of $4,000, North Hempstead town workers were stationed at the dump, helping residents load their electronic recyclables into cardboard boxes, which were later shipped to a recycling company in Buffalo.

A Hofstra student and LI resident worked for the Citizen's Campaign for the Environment last summer, going door-to-door to make a difference in the area surrounding hofstra. CCE works to build widespread citizen understanding and advocacy for policies and actions designed to manage and protect interdependent land and water resources, wildlife and public health. CCE carries out this mission through public education, research, lobbying, organizing and public outreach.

Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi today cast 2 million baby clams and oysters into Hempstead Harbor, as part of a major initiative to re-stock the once-polluted waterway and re-open it to shellfishing for the first time in 70 years. The joint initiative by the county, town and state governments and various environmental groups to re-open the waterway to shellfishing builds on recent efforts to clean up the Harbor by reducing sewage and industrial discharges, upgrading the City of Glen Cove wastewater treatment plant, reducing storm water pollution and the remediation of landfills and Superfund sites. This initiative is part of Suozzi's "Healthy Nassau," campaign. The joint initiative by the county, town and state governments and various environmental groups to re-open the waterway to shellfishing builds on recent efforts to clean up the Harbor by reducing sewage and industrial discharges, upgrading the City of Glen Cove wastewater treatment plant, reducing storm water pollution and the remediation of landfills and Superfund sites. This initiative is part of Suozzi’s “Healthy Nassau,” campaign to make Nassau County the healthiest county in the nation by 2020.
“Much of Hempstead Harbor has been closed to shellfishing since the 1930s because of bacterial contamination, and the polluted water killed off the once-abundant clams and oysters,” Suozzi said. “Today’s shellfish seeding symbolizes an outstanding environmental achievement. We’ve proved we can clean up once-degraded waters to the point where they are again productive and healthy to diverse species. My hope is that today’s success serves as a model for other waterways.”
Nassau County is working with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to re-open the outer Harbor area to shellfishing by August 2008, and the goal is to open the entire Harbor by thesummer of 2010. The re-established shellfish areas will be managed to prevent overfishing.
To further support shellfishery in Hempstead Harbor, Nassau County is working with the Towns of North Hempstead and Oyster Bay, the Villages of Roslyn and Sea Cliff, the City of Glen Cove, the United States Environmental Protection Agency and New York State to maintain good water quality and help mitigate eutrophication – which occurs when there is so much algae in the water that it uses up all the oxygen, and kills off fish and shellfish. Today’s shellfish seeding itself will actually help keep the water clean; shellfish such as oysters and clams act as effective water filters.
The baby clams and oysters cast into the Harbor are supplied by the Cornell Cooperative Extension andFrank M. Flower & Sons, an environmentally conscious seafood company based in Oyster Bay.
The Christeen Oyster Sloop, used for today’s shellfish seeding, was built in Glenwood Landing on Hempstead Harbor in 1885 – and is the oldest working oyster sloop in the nation.
Healthy Nassau, Suozzi’s campaign to make Nassau the healthiest county in the nation, builds upon existing initiatives and adds new ones in order to sustain a healthy environment (focusing on air, land and water), while encouraging healthy living (tending to bodies, minds and spirits). Along with today’s shellfish seeding, Healthy Nassau initiatives include: seeking a ban on trans fats and putting calorie counts on menus; working with other large municipalities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and explore mass transit options; continuing to preserve the County’s remaining open space; operating an organic farm at Old Bethpage Village Restoration; providing space for a Farmer’s Market offering fresh, local produce; the “Biggest Loser” Weight-Off Competition for County workers, and seeking a state-authorized increased cigarette tax to discourage smoking.

Good contact: Councilman Fred L. Pollack represents the Sixth Council District of the Town of North Hempstead. This area comprises Port Washington, including the villages of Baxter Estates, Manorhaven, Port Washington North, and Sands Point. It also includes the villages of Flower Hill, Plandome, Plandome Heights, and Plandome Manor. This is Councilman Pollack's third term on the Town Board.
Throughout his tenure of service to our community, Councilman Pollack has been a force for progressive environmental action, and protection of our quality of life. In 2003 he introduced new legislation that transformed the Town's out-of-date noise ordinance into an enforceable law—an action that has led to more quiet, peaceful neighborhoods. He has also fought for increased funds to hire additional code enforcement officers.
Councilman Pollack created the Environmental Trust Fund, a public-private partnership to finance clean-up and beautification efforts. He has also sponsored laws that protect trees from removal and that restrict the height of retaining walls in residential neighborhoods.
Councilman Pollack understands that one of the Town's greatest natural resources is its waterways. He revamped those portions of the Town Code that govern their use and sponsored the creation of the Town's Waterfront Advisory Committee. Councilman Pollack believes that protection and improvement of these waters is best served by cooperation between municipalities. To that end he serves as the Town's representative to both the Manhasset Bay and Hempstead Harbor Protection Committees—organizations comprising the various Towns and Villages that abut these bodies of water. This cooperative effort and pooling of resources continues to yield significant results.
Believing that every resource should be protected, Councilman Pollack has revitalized the Senior Citizen Commission. Senior citizens represent perhaps the most knowledgeable yet untapped demographic in our Town. As such, Councilman Pollack is working with the Commission to educate senior citizens on computer and internet usage, access for the disabled throughout the Town, and transportation alternatives.

Councilman Pollack holds a Bachelor of Arts, Master of Public Administration, and Juris Doctor from Syracuse University. He has practiced law in the Town of North Hempstead for over twenty-six years, and has lived in Port Washington for over twenty years with his wife Merryl.
He continues to believe that residents are the Town's greatest resource—and often those who have the best ideas. If you have a suggestion or issue you'd like to discuss, please call our office at 516.869.7698, or email pollackf@northhempstead.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
For further information on the background and accomplishments of Councilman Pollack, please read below.
Community Improvement:
- Revamped the Town's noise ordinance, allowing for more action against noise violations
- Rewrote the law on Historic Landmarks, providing for greater preservation
Environmental Leadership:
- Spearheaded creation of the Town's Environmental Trust Fund, which is unique to Nassau County.
- Sponsored legislation which strengthened the Town's laws concerning tree removal.
- Helped create the Town's Earth Day clean-up program and worked for use of natural gas to replace gasoline in the Town's vehicles.
Waterfront Improvement:
- Created the Town's Waterfront Advisory Commission.
- Led the effort to revise the Town Code governing Manhasset Bay & Hempstead Harbor, resulting in a comprehensive management plan for both.
- Provided key leadership in establishing the Hempstead Harbor Protection Committee, a coalition of nine municipalities now developing solutions to the chronic problems that face the harbor.