Mission Statement
NEST seeks to build a sustainable community through education and collaboration to generate partnerships and civic participation to achieve enduring social, environmental, and economic well-being.
History
NEST (Network for a Sustainable Tomorrow), was formally known as the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition (BRSC) and was formed in mid-2008 following a series of community forums on sustainability and a community visioning session. NeST currently connects with countless local organizations, businesses, and individuals through its events, programs, listservs, and Facebook.
Organized as a 501(c)(3) non-profit, we have been refining the strategies we need to take to achieve the promise of improving the quality of life in the Binghamton region today, without compromising the quality of life of future generations.
Guiding Principles
That future is more local than global as we transition to an ecological/complex systems model to address our challenges.
In governance, politics and community development we are moving toward multi-cellular/molecular inter-locking and adaptive living networks collaborating at ever increasing speeds to achieve well-being.
Growth is no longer the prime measurement of progress. well-being, equity, prosociality, and improved quality of life for all are the new metrics we are concerned with.
Wealth creation requires a multi-disciplinary approach that starts at the neighborhood/community level. wealth creation is comprised of seven forms of wealth capital that, in addition to financial capital, include built, individual, intellectual, natural, political and social capital
Creating a society of stakeholders is one of the keys to unlocking our true potential for interconnection and living inter-dependently.
Board of Directors
Chris Burger, Chair
Jamie Atkinson, Treasurer
Dave Currie
Erik Jensen, Secretary
Peter Knuepfer, Vice Chair
Robert Lofthouse
Christopher Rounds
Adam Flint
Director of Clean Energy Programs
Adam Flint currently serves as the Director of Clean Energy Programs for the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition, which he co-founded in 2008. From 2011-2013 he ran the Energy Leadership Program at Cornell Cooperative Extension of Broome County, where Adam also coordinated the Southern Tier Regional Green Jobs Green New York Outreach effort which led the state in home audits and retrofits.
He has worked as an educator in the Southern Tier for more than twenty years, including more than a decade in higher education, serving on the faculty as Assistant Professor of Sociology at Hartwick College and as a lecturer in Environmental Studies at Binghamton University. Adam is a founding member of the NY Energy Democracy Alliance, currently serving on the steering committee. He works on NY State energy policy, particularly in relation to the ‘Reforming the Energy Vision (REV)’ and related proceedings, and coordinates COSHARE, the Community Owned Shared Renewables Group on behalf of the Alliance. He is also a founding member of the Tier Energy Network of the Southern Tier.
Hailley Delisle
Associate Director
Hailley Delisle is the Assistant Director of Clean Energy Programs for The Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition (BRSC). Her career started out with BRSC under the Southern Tier Solar Works program as an Energy Corps Intern back in 2015. From there she went to work as a Program Associate for Catskill Mountainkeeper’s RenewableNY program. She played an integral role in helping RenewableNY exceed campaign goals for the number of kilowatts installed in Sullivan County. She also worked as an Outreach Coordinator for a Community Solar Developer in New York. She is graduate from Binghamton University with a degree in Environmental Studies and a Master’s in Sustainable Communities. In her off time, she enjoys taking photographs, hiking, and spending time with her dog, Hazelnut.
Ebony Hattoh
Community Ambassador
Ebony L. Jackson is a Binghamton entrepreneur and mother whose main goal is to improve her community. Ebony has experience with at-risk youth and families, community activism, marketing, and business startup. Ebony comes to the Binghamton Regional Sustainability Coalition (BRSC) as an Ambassador for Community Solar doing outreach, education, and providing technical assistance for the REVitalize Shared Community Solar project. Ebony graduated from Binghamton High School & Davis College in Johnson City, NY. Ebony has a degree in Bible Studies & Theology; she enjoys traveling, many genres of music and cooking gourmet meals.
Emilie Prudent
Community Ambassador
Emilie Prudent was born October 17, 1990 in Canada. She moved to the states when she was 6 and spoke not one bit of English. Community is what got her into learning how to network with others at an early age. Emilie now works for NEST as a liaison between the ambassador program and the energy burden and is a volunteer/organizer for the Binghamton community.