o2New York heralded the beginning of a sustainable design community in the United States. It began in the early 1990’s when a handful of American designers were introduced to progressive European design methods that ingeniously integrated ecological concerns into the standard process. One of the few, Wendy Brawer, was first inspired to join the international cadre of sustainable designers known as 02 when she heard its founder, Niels Peter Flint, speak in 1989. Brawer channeled her inspiration into her widely successful Green Apple Map, which was first published in 1992 and accompanied by a Green Sign Tour on March 21, 1992. The map and tour revealed the potential and need for a network of sustainability-minded designers in New York City.

In 1995, although a small group of Americans had formed EDEN-net and Susnet (Network for a Sustainable New York City), when Brawer was invited to speak at o2 Global Events in both Kyoto and Amsterdam, o2USA had yet to form. The leaders of the o2 network made one stipulation before allowing Brawer to come, “They told me there better be an o2,” she said.

In April, 1995, Brawer and solar designer Amelia Amon quickly posted fliers around lower Manhattan announcing the first o2USA meeting. The text read: “o2’s goals are to inspire and inform designers (and others) to consider and reduce ecological impacts of our work….A local o2 action group can be useful and fun, serious and important, and fully open to participation. You don’t have to be a designer to take part—you don’t even have be American.” o2NYC held its first meeting as o2USA on April 26 in the offices of Susnet at 150 West 28th Street. The fourteen members present for the initiation shared the intention of building a local network of eco-designers in New York City.

Since the spring of 1995, o2NYC, as it’s been known since 1996, has maintained a commitment to its founding principles of humor and forward thinking while meeting regularly in various New York cafes, houses, and studios (even on the University of Colorado’s IRC (Instant Relay Chat) server for the 4th meeting). In the first two years of life, o2NYC successfully hosted ecological design exhibitions and workshops. To this day, it continues to explore programs and events to serve as resources for sustainable design in the city and region.

In 2004, responding to the growing need for a formalized network, former co-chairs Kakee Scott and Rebecca Silver announced their intentions to apply for non-profit status for o2NYC. In the past three years o2 has focused on creating official membership, growing its member and volunteer base, and creating a board of directors, to oversee the transition from organically natured o2 to a fully functioning 501(c)3 organization.

Under the new leadership of Jennifer van der Meer (Summer ’06), o2NYC officially filed for its status in early 2007 and is counting the weeks until official approval.