The Sustainability Institute at Molloy University
The Sustainability Institute is a function of the Molloy University Office of Advancement. Its mission is to promote transformative education both on and off campus consistent with the values of advancing the common good, environmental protection, ethical business practices, and civic responsibility, especially in the areas of implementing clean energy, reducing environmental toxins that impact public health, sustainable land use planning that preserves open space, and sustainable use of resources.
The Sustainability Institute provides a convening function at Molloy University that reaches out to Long Island's civic and environmental leaders, business executives, and government officials, bringing representatives of various interests together, in order to identify mutual interest in support of an agenda of a sustainable economy and society.
Through classroom presentations and experiential learning, the Sustainability Institute helps students gain an understanding of how social change is accomplished while developing their leadership skills to better serve both their future professions and the larger community. The Sustainability Institute acts as a clearinghouse to guide students who are interested in becoming involved in environmental issues towards student or off-campus organizations, faculty-initiated programs and classes.
Sustainability Institute in the News
"Green energy at crossroads: Trump moves raise concerns about LI wind, solar efforts"
Newsday 3/24/25
SI executive director Neal Lewis was quoted in a front-page Newsday article about the potential impact of President Trump's executive directives on Long Island's growing offshore wind industry.
From the Article:
"Environmentalists who have fought for years for offshore wind have a real reason to be very concerned about what this administration will do," said Neal Lewis, executive director of the Sustainability Institute at Molloy University and a longtime wind-energy advocate.Trump is "going to use his powers in ways that can really devastate the industry for years to come ... There’s an element of holding your breath and continuing to keep fighting," he said.
"Driving an EV on LI"
Newsday 1/14/24
Neal Lewis, SI executive director, and Andrew Manitt, SI research director were both quoted in a front-page Newsday article about the adoption of electric vehicles on Long Island and the desire by potential EV drivers for more public charging infrastructure.
“This is a big transition,” said Neal Lewis, executive director of the Sustainability Institute of Molloy University at its Amityville campus. “There’s an ongoing effort to uniform the system.”...Lewis said increasing access for a greater range of potential customers is critical because the wide use of home chargers in suburbs like Long Island can exclude a potentially large market of people like himself who are renters. Not all rental or condo building owners are willing to install chargers for tenant use, despite generous PSEG rebates to do so.“The number is admittedly a big number of [additional] chargers we need to see,” for widespread access and a fuller conversion to EVs, Lewis said....For Andrew Manitt, research coordinator at Molloy’s Sustainability Institute, driving long distances off Long Island simply requires more planning and time. He’s made trips as far away as Tennessee, with planned stops at known charging stations and more time set aside for charging stops.“You have to change your mindset from a gas station on any corner to a need to be aware of where chargers are and which are more expensive,” said Manitt, who noted that “even the cheapest gas station is going to be more expensive than your electric car.”
Programs and Initiatives
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Sustainability at Molloy
The Sustainability Institute works on campus to assist faculty, staff, and students in putting the ideals of sustainability into practice.
EV Charging Stations: The Sustainability Institute secured grant funding from NYSERDA to install EV charging stations on campus, and managed the stations from 2018, when they were installed, through 2023. In 2023, it was determined that the charging stations were no longer a pilot program, and their management was transferred to Facilities Management.
NYSERDA Clean Green Campuses — Achiever Status: The Sustainability Institute collated information about Molloy University’s efforts to adopt energy efficiency and renewable energy, and registered the University in the NYSERDA Clean Green Campuses program. Molloy’s clean energy initiatives have earned Achiever status in the CCG program. For more information about sustainability measures in campus facilities, click here.
Presentations to Student Government, Clubs, and Other Programs: Sustainability Institute staff members make presentations to student groups on various topics and assist in developing student-led programs to promote awareness and action for a more sustainable future, including advising the projects of Partnership for Global Justice Fellows. SI staff have made several presentations to the Molloy Institute for Lifelong Learning (MILL)
Participation in Laudato Sí Action Plan: To support the University-wide Laudato Sí effort, at least one member of the Sustainability Institute staff participated in every subcommittee of the Laudato Sí committee as Molloy University’s Laudato Sí Action Plan was being developed.
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Molloy University Partnership for Global Justice Fellowship
The Partnership for Global Justice Fellowship is a prestigious, competitive opportunity for Molloy University students, administered by the Sustainability Institute since the spring 2022 semester. Endowed by a private donor, this fellowship provides students with a transformative experience, guiding them in identifying and addressing environmentally and socially harmful decision-making on Long Island.
More information about the PFGJ Fellowship -
L.I. Clean Energy Leadership Task Force
For many years, the Sustainability Institute has organized the Clean Energy Leadership Task Force, which brings representatives of local governments together with leaders from utilities, clean energy industry, and clean energy advocates to share information about the latest technologies, policies, and programs that governments can adopt to lead their residents by example in the transition to clean energy.
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Clean Energy Communities
Under a contract with the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), the Sustainability Institute helps to coordinate the Clean Energy Communities program on Long Island. Through this program, the Sustainability Institute provides technical assistance to local governments on Long Island that wish to improve energy efficiency, increase adoption of renewable energy, reduce energy bills, and lead in fostering a green economy in New York State.Learn more about Clean Energy Communities.
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Climate Smart Communities
Under a contract with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), the Sustainability Institute helps to coordinate the Climate Smart Communities program on Long Island. Through this program, the Sustainability Institute provides technical assistance to local governments on Long Island that wish to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and make their communities more resilient to climate change.
Learn more about Climate Smart Communities. -
L.I. Clean Energy Hub
Under a contract with NYSERDA, the Sustainability Institute works along with multiple organizations in the Long Island Clean Energy Hub program to promote the many clean energy programs and incentives available to residents and businesses. A particular emphasis is ensuring that residents of disadvantaged communities benefit from these programs both by saving money on energy and through job opportunities in the green economy.
The role of the Sustainability Institute on the Clean Energy Hub team is to provide outreach to and communication with local governments and to coordinate with Clean Energy Communities efforts on Long Island.
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Long Island by the Numbers
Long Island by the Numbers is a collection of facts, figures, and indicators that the Sustainability Institute staff has gathered from credible, authoritative sources to provide a snapshot of how Long Island is performing as a region. Our intention is to provide fact-based information that can be used to track whether our Island is moving in the right direction.
Download Long Island by the Numbers