Nassau News

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With global warming effects being felt nationwide, Nassau County is trying to do something about it, by trying to erase its carbon footprint by becoming green. In January, Nassau County Executive Tom Suozzi announced a plan that would incorporate government, local businesses and environmental organizations to make Levittown the first green suburb, creating a prototype for the rest of the nation. But with an economy that keeps trickling downward, going green is not on everyone’s minds.

“With the economy as it is softening a bit, it has become a little bit tough for people," said Gary Hudes, councilman and Levittown resident, “So it’s difficult at this point now to ask people to dig into their pockets and to spend $500, $2000 to insulate their homes and to make their homes more airtight or go out and buy more energy efficient appliances.”

Most of the initiatives consist of spending money at a time when people don’t really have extra money to spend. Residents, are being asked to replace old appliances with new Energy Star appliances, insulate their homes and buy greener products.

“On one hand, the economy makes it harder,” said Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment. “ But, on the other hand, the cost of energy is so high right now and so daunting for the average home owner that it is really an impatience for people to make some changes.”

The least expensive thing people can do is buy new compact fluorescent light bulbs that cost about $9, last for at least six years and use four to five times less energy than old incandescent light bulbs.

But the easiest way to go green without spending a penny is to recycle.

“To me I find it not a big deal to just put my stuff in the recycle box instead of the garbage can,” said Tom Butcher, Levittown resident.

Levittown is doing its best to spread the word about recycling; they’ve even gone to some of the public schools to implement recycling programs.

“The great thing about it is that the kids now are getting into the whole green idea,” said Hudes. “They’re taking it upon themselves to say ‘you know what, I want to do my part I want to do what I can, it’s my future’.”

For those that do have the extra money to spend, there are many options in upgrading your home in a green way. Companies such as P.C. Richards and Sons and the Bethpage Federal Credit Union are offering discounts and loans to make homes more energy efficient.

Alure Home Improvements, in East Meadow, offers both interior and exterior options, including kitchen tops that are made from 100 percent post consumer used materials. Tragar Oil of Wantagh offers a bio-fuel made from 95 percent regular heating oil and 5 percent soybean oil.

“By replacing a heating system, the homeowner increases their efficiency of their heating system by 30 per cent,” said Denis Traina, vice president of Tragar Oil. “It’s one of the greatest returns on your investment that homeowners can do to make their home a more efficient home.”

Going green may cost a lot up front but in the long term, the environment and your wallet are saved.

“So the ultimate cost, there’s none, it’s a value, there’s savings involved,” said Hubie van Meurs, building analyst of Alure.

As for the future of Green Levittown, there seems to be promise. Traina recently attended a conference in Washington, D.C., to represent Green Levittown at the National Climate Change Summit and to discuss what is being done in the community and how it can be replicated across the country. Also, in Plainview, an organization is trying to implement similar green initiatives like Levittown’s.

“We’re really hoping that Green Levittown will be a pilot program for an expanded concept,” said Esposito.

The reality is, that going green is becoming a trendy way to help save the environment and it’s working. So far, out of the 10,000 doors the CCE has knocked on in Levittown, 3,000 of them have showed an interest in making their home greener, according to Esposito.

Hudes said, “The fact that the county started Green Levittown, if it does nothing more than get people aware of thinking about greening, thinking about saving energy, thinking about the future, then it’s accomplished its goal.”

(For additional information please visit the Levittown Goes Green website)

Additional Links

• At the Alure home improvements show room on Hempstead Turnpike in East Meadow, a green kitchen is on display. They provide contracting and interior design that is environmentally friendly and green. See slide show below.

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

• One way you can go green is by recycling. The Town of Hempstead makes it easy, by providing every resident with their own green recycling bin. See slide show below.

• Levittown has a unique historic past by being the country’s first suburban community created after World War II to provide massive amounts of housing to war veterans. It began what is now called "suburbia."
  
• For the latest news, tips, blogs and everything green visit Our Earth. org
  
• The Go Green Guide tells you how to go green by saving electricity and using energy saving light bulbs. Even though the cost may be higher, in the long run it saves you money and saves the environment.
  
• Each week, Time magazine does a column on saving the environment, the effects of global warming and how to go green.
  
• To learn about how you can use products int your home to make your life more green or learn about the ways to dispose of them in an environmental way click here.

Click the embedded player below to hear Tom Butcher, Levittown resident, talk about going green and how the economy is effecting his green decisions. For a transcript of this video click here

Click the embedded player to hear Gary Hudes, councilman and resident of Levittown, talk about the importance of green initiatives and the effectiveness of these initiatives based on the current economy. For a transcript of this video click here

Click the embedded player below to view Dennis Traina, vice president of Tragar Oil in Wantagh, tell Nassau News about its role in Green Levittown and the benefits of bio-fuel. For a transcript of this video click jhere

Click the embedded player below to hear Adrienne Esposito, executive director of the Citizens Campaign for the Environment, tell Nassau News about the progress Green Levittown has made and how CCE is performing the community outreach portion of the project. For a transcript of this video click here

Click the embedded player below to hear Hubie van Meurs, a building analyst for Alure Home Improvements, tell Nassau News about the ways to make your home more energy efficient. For a transcript of this video click here