NYLCV is committed to advancing sustainability policies and initiatives across New York State. Growth and development are critical and must be managed in a manner that does not overwhelm the ability of the environment to support the population. Sustainability seeks to marry economic growth with environmental protection.

For New York City, sustainability means reshaping the built environment in a manner that reduces resource consumption while building the environmentally friendly infrastructure that is necessary to support new development. Moreover, sustainability is a critical tool to combat the growing danger of climate change. A sustainability agenda creates the framework for reducing the environmental impact of human activities while encouraging economic growth. While NYLCV's sustainability initiatives are not specifically identified as climate action items, many of them will have a significant impact on reducing New York City's overall carbon footprint.

Our sister organization, the NYLCV Education Fund, identified key principles of urban sustainability in its recent Sustainability Agenda for New York City and its 2009 New York City Council Policy Agenda. By building constructive policies around these core areas, we believe New York City can get on the path toward a sustainable future. NYLCV is using these core principles to animate its efforts to maintain a sustainability agenda for officials seeking elected office.

***DOWNLOAD THE 2009 NYC QUESTIONNAIRE***