A man makes his way through flood waters on a bike in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn in New York, October 29, 2012. (Reuters/Keith Bedford)

A little over a week ago, the NYS 2100 Committee, formed by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo to recommend a post-Sandy course of action, released its report. As Eric Jaffe noted here at the time, the document drew some criticism for the vague and all-encompassing nature of its recommendations. If you’re looking for more specific solutions to improve resiliency, disaster preparedness, and climate change mitigation in New York City, you can turn instead to a report from ioby, a nonprofit fundraising organization dedicated to environmental issues.

The people at ioby polled a group of more than 380 people immediately after the storm to get their thoughts on how the city could be better prepared for similar events in the future. Participants, who weren’t constrained by the political considerations that a government group faces, included “engineers, architects, energy experts, policymakers, artists, lawyers, business owners, nurses, activists, planners, academics, media and more.” The results were released last week.

So what do the people on the ground in New York’s neighborhoods want to see? They came up with some “big ideas,” including updating the region’s electrical grid; making flood insurance more expensive to discourage building in vulnerable areas; expanding protected wetland areas to create a bigger buffer zone for storm surge; building floating boardwalks along coastlines. (Yes, the oft-discussed oyster reefs are in here, too.)

But it’s their smaller ideas – many of them clearly born of practical experience – that are the most intriguing. A lot of them are cheap and relatively easy to implement. Here are a few of the group’s nuts and bolts suggestions:

-Secure out/indoor pulley systems to deliver food, water and medicine to residents living in the top floors of tall buildings in lower Manhattan.

-Offer emergency training in Russian in Coney Island.

-Install rainwater harvest systems in Red Hook.

-Establish bike “brigades” that can deliver supplies to areas where roads have been washed out during and after an emergency. (Portland, Oregon, is already researching how best to incorporate cargo bikes into its disaster preparedness plans.)

-Distribute solar-powered water heaters after an emergency.

-Educate youth about extreme weather events and vulnerability.

-Create “buddy” programs to account for everyone in an apartment building during and after an emergency.

Several of the recommendations — such as the cultivation of alternative energy sources and an increase in the number of urban gardens — don’t apply only to emergency situations. And maybe that’s the most important message the ioby group is sending. The conclusion of the report puts it this way:

There was a clear sense that resilience during an emergency is closely intertwined with the longer-term strength of communities. That what is good during an emergency is also good for everyday life. For example, the distribution of food from urban farms was discussed as a way to help feed citizens after an emergency. But it was equally discussed as a service to people that live in food deserts that do not have regular access to healthy food, thus reducing poverty—and vulnerability—across the NYC Metro Area.

In other words, we don’t need a disaster to benefit from being a more connected, resilient community. New York, are you listening?

We’ve heard from many of our business members who want to use their 1% contributions to assist recovery efforts—and we’re here to help you connect with groups making a difference.

Until we can get a comprehensive list of organizations doing work on the ground, we encourage you to support our partners working to reduce the chance of storms like Sandy happening in the first place.  Climate change is a reality that must be taken seriously. 

Please consider donating to the following organizations, and if you know of others that can use our help, let us know!

350.org is building a global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis (350.org/mission). 350.org is known for pulling together massive groups of people worldwide who want to fight against the fossil fuel industry- our largest carbon emitters.  By solving the climate crisis, they are lowering the likelihood of storms like Sandy occurring as frequently. Along with asking for your support, they are asking Big Oil, Coal and Gas to help pay for the damage they have created.

Another organization that is doing great Sandy-related work is Climate Central, based in Princeton, NJ.  Climate Central conducts scientific research on climate change and informs the public of key findings (climatecentral.org/about). Climate Central is not an advocacy organization; they are conveying the scientific facts so citizens and policymakers can work to stabilize the climate and/or prepare for the impacts it will have on us. 

Please keep in mind that while you cannot count donations to unapproved organizations toward your 1% contribution, organizations like the Red Cross can always use your help during times like this. As news comes in we will be in touch via our Facebook and Twitter pages to share other ways you can help!

The promise of snow excites many, especially one of our newest members—Soul Poles from Park City, Utah. Welcome to our network!

Soul Poles’ motto is: “No snow. No ski. That’s the simple fact of global warming and the grim predictions of disappearing alpine snow. And it inspired Soul’s singular focus:  Innovate the greenest equipment in the snow sports industry by merging sustainable design with uncompromising performance and truly original style.”

Soul Poles are a one of a kind product created by skiers, for skiers, with an eye toward the future of skiing. Each and every Soul Pole is handcrafted in Park City using the most eco-friendly materials possible and is carefully guided through every step of the manufacturing process to ensure only the highest quality poles make it to the consumer. In doing this, Soul Poles can help to reduce waste (by not having to replace your poles), initiate a sustainable movement within the ever-consuming ski industry, and provide you with not only a functional ski pole, but a piece of art as well, whether it is the Original Soul, or the Limited Edition created by artist R. Nelson Parrish.

Check out their website to order a pair, or read about their involvement with 1% FTP approved nonprofit partners Recycle Utah and Protect Our Winters. Have a great weekend!