Engaging
community groups in sustainability initiatives
Catalyzing the transition to a
greener, more sustainable and more resilient New York City
Recruiting
nonprofits to promote sustainability efforts Efforts
to upgrade the food system and make NYC more sustainable
don’t have to depend exclusively on government programs
at risk of budget cuts, or green businesses that require
large investments and advanced technical or business
skills:we
can use NYC’s many community based nonprofits, such as
501(c) 3 groups serving low income communities, civic
groups, local development corporations, business
improvement districts, and religious organizations, to
help create local entrepreneurship.NYC agencies
and their nonprofit contractors have day-to-day
experience in getting companies to participate in a
variety of business assistance programs. Insights from
that body of practice can be applied to sustainability
endeavors.Organizations
with established reputations can reach out to extensive
networks of neighbors
and
constituents and be much more effective promoters of
programs and services than unknown third parties.
Promoting these programs has shown that business
owners:
- are interested in programs that can make or save them
money
- rarely
make investment decisions based on greening their public
image or corporate social responsibility
-are less
likely to participate in programs that require high
initial investment, have complicated paperwork, are
unfamiliar, or are perceived as risky
- are more
likely to participate in programs that have low initial
investment, a quick return through income or savings,
and early, quick, positive results
- often ignore beneficial programs because they’re busy
- are much
more likely to pay attention and take action if
introduced to a program through a trusted third party
Third
parties are more motivated to contact business owners
about a program if they:
- are paid employees of that program
- are required to do so as part of a
grant or contract
- have another financial incentive
What types of business models would be most
applicable?
- generate some modest yield in income,
production of goods, or cost savings
- require low initial investment
- do not need many specialized skills
- are suitable for administration by
non-profit groups serving low-income communities in NYC
Compilations of
socially responsible design ideas, such as the Buckminster Fuller
Challenge; Carrot City for urban agriculture, and
Design
with the other 90%for informal urban
settlements, include many valuable projects.However, most of
them are unsuitable as entrepreneurial projects for NYC
groups, as they require substantial investment, don’t
provide income, or cannot easily be applied to NYC.
Other
Benefits
Nonprofit
groups
serving low income communities may see sustainability
through the lens ofenvironmental
justice,
which tracks discrimination in enforcing
environmental laws and siting polluting industries and
may focus on immediate problems such as pollution,
poverty, and crime,
However, constituents of such groups will be
increasingly impacted by climate change and economic
turmoil, for reasons explained in a report from Community
Action Partnership (CAP).The CAP
report suggests
local
coping strategies to address both historical and
new concerns at the same time.
Possible projects
Following
are a few projects that can meet the above criteria. For
most of them, some assembly is required, and slight
regulatory or procedural changes will be needed to make
the projects possible. We hope readers will add to this
short list and get more New Yorkers involved in this
conversation.
