Save The Great South Bay Facebook Demographics

I was poking around on our Facebook Group page this morning, and I stumbled across some interesting data.    The data went way beyond the number of group membership (14,312 as of 11/25/2019).   It included data by age, gender, location, and participation.

Given all the issues with Facebook and data, I felt it would be the open, democratic thing to share with you what I know now about our Facebook Group.

Age and Gender:

Apparently, there are more ‘baywomen’ than ‘baymen.’   It’s a couple of percentage points more than you’d find in the general population.   Perhaps women are perhaps more concerned about environmental issues than men.   The research is not clear.

As a group, we skew middle age.   That’s Facebook in part.  It’s also I’d say because those older remember what the bay once was.   Our growing Instagram presence is bringing in the 20 and 30 somethings now, which is very important for the org and its mission.

What we really need to focus on for 2019 is bringing in those 18 and under — the kids.   Our Creek Defender Program, which seeks to engage local schools, the PTA, The Boy Scouts, The Girl Scouts, The Kiwanis Clubs, and local civic groups in local stewardship of the 36 creeks that feed the bay from the 16 South Shore communities, will help to integrate the young into the cause.

As an organization, we are pivoting towards becoming ‘web-centric,’ organizing our efforts via this web site, with Facebook becoming more of a place we distribute our content to.   Part of the reason for that is that while Facebook has its issues, and a growing list of them, a web site is a place that anyone — school age kids for instance — can visit.   Facebook is not well suited as a place to organize your content, to plan, to build local campaigns.   It’s a marketing platform, and we will use it as such going forward.   Ultimately though we are about building community and educating the public as to how they can help locally.   And that must include the young and the many for whom Facebook is not an option.

As for where we are all from, here’s some more interesting data:

Nigeria and Vietnam?  That surprised me.  I think I know how Nigeria happened.  A local environmental non-profit. Vietnam?  Not sure, not really concerned we have people here who shouldn’t be.  That said, I will look into it.   It just takes one expat to cause that, or one local environmentalist contending with algal blooms.

What is really baffling is the fact that there are so many members from Elmont of all places.    I theorize that someone from The South Shore moved there, then invited their address book in.   If they are all here to help, or at least if they behave themselves. I’m good with that.

Next comes our top ten contributors over the past 28 days — Prolific writers like Kevin McAllister and Robert Wemyss, and a bevy of photographers.   That is one photogenic bay!   Never looks the same twice!   Michael and Robert are both new to the group, and are making their presence felt.   Jim Botta has been doing a great job of capturing and sharing local news pertinent to the bay.

As we shift more to the web, please do the following:

1.  Subscribe to our Newsletter (upper right, homepage).  You’ll see our latest articles, and find out what our next events will be.
2. Write us at creekdefender@savethegreatsouthbay.org and tell us what shore town you are from.   We will make sure you get connected with your local group.
3. Contact Us if there is an issue or concern you have, or if you wish for us to come speak before your group.
4. Write us if you wish to ‘guest post’ on the site at newsroom@savethegreatsouthbay.org.   We need to give voice to citizen journalists, to ‘muckrakers’ willing and able to speak truth to power.Just for fun, here’s a complete breakdown of membership by location:Top Cities Suffolk County, NY 5687
   New York, NY 1418
   Babylon, NY 426
   Bay Shore, NY 296
   Elmont, NY 203
   Sayville, NY 140
   West Islip, NY 134
   Patchogue, NY 124
   Massapequa, NY 118
   Lindenhurst, NY 98
   Islip, NY 93
   Huntington, NY 77
   East Islip, NY 74
   Long Beach, NY 69
   Brightwaters, NY 60
   Bayport, NY 60
   Bellport, NY 56
   Shirley, NY 50
   East Patchogue, NY 49
   Amityville, NY 49
   Oakdale, NY 47
   Massapequa Park, NY 45
   West Babylon, NY 42
   Los Angeles, CA 41
   Blue Point, NY 40
   Farmingdale, NY 39
   Seaford, NY 34
   Wantagh, NY 34
   West Sayville, NY 34
   Levittown, NY 33
   Brentwood, NY 31
   Holbrook, NY 31
   Commack, NY 30
   Brookhaven, NY 29
   Hicksville, NY 28
   Mastic Beach, NY 28
   San Diego, CA 28
   Perrysville, PA 27
   Oceanside, NY 27
   Center Moriches, NY 27
   Medford, NY 26
   Hampton Bays, NY 26
   North Babylon, NY 26
   Southampton, NY 25
   Freeport, NY 24
   Bellmore, NY 22
   Merrick, NY 21
   North Massapequa, NY 21
   Northport, NY 20
   East Meadow, NY 20
   Port Saint Lucie, FL 20
   Islip Terrace, NY 19
   Copiague, NY 19
   Wilmington, NC 18
   Boston, MA 18
   Kings Park, NY 18
   East Northport, NY 18
   Ronkonkoma, NY 18
   Riverhead, NY 17
   Philadelphia, PA 17
   Rocky Point, NY 17
   Rockville Centre, NY 17
   Asheville, NC 17
   Tampa, FL 17
   Orlando, FL 16
   Hauppauge, NY 16
   Smithtown, NY 16
   Vero Beach, FL 16
   Fort Lauderdale, FL 16
   Atlanta, GA 16
   Cape Coral, FL 16
   Albany, NY 16
   Ocean Beach, NY 16
   Port Washington, NY 15
   Miller Place, NY 15
   San Francisco, CA 15
   Mastic, NY 15
   Bohemia, NY 15
   Houston, TX 15
   Washington, DC 14
   Raleigh, NC 14
   Denver, CO 14
   Baldwin, NY 14
   Saint Augustine, FL 13
   London, England, United Kingdom 13
   Middletown, NJ 13
   Baltimore, MD 13
   Manhasset, NY 13
   Manorville, NY 13
   Plainview, NY 13
   Melbourne, FL 13
   Jupiter, FL 13
   Gainesville, FL 13
   Delray Beach, FL 13
   Deer Park, NY 13
   Charleston, SC 13
   Boynton Beach, FL 13
   East Hampton, NY 12
   Great River, NY 12
   Garden City, NY 12

And here’s our Top 90 Posters / Commenters from the last 90 days”

Top Contributors Posts Comments
Kathleen Balsamo 16         168
Samantha Mulligan 9           69
Michael Resnick      0            67
Steve Foell                3            50
Kevin McAllister       8            14
Robert Wemyss       7             19
Renée DeFilippis     4             25
Jim Botta                   7               2
Brett Wolfe               3             22
Betty  DAgostino     4             16
Rosaria Luppy          4             15
Edwin De Castro     0             33
Katherine Forsberg 6              2
Beryl Bales                1            25
Elizabeth Byrne        2            15
Dawn Balvin-Burt     1           20
Bobbi Wickers Martino 0     25
Michael Tarquinio    1            19
John Hulse               2             13
Ron Kinsella             2             13
Michael Mathie       0             23
Danny Marsala        2              12
Scott MacWhinnie 2               12
Michele Insinga     0               21
Gary Guinta            4                 1
Michael Cacioppo 3                5
Michael Farrell       1               14
Hassan Hamza      0               19
Robert Grossman 0               19
Rob Vasiluth          0               18
Jim E Jones           0               18
Kevin Roberts       2                 7
Laura Ann              1                12
Gail Vaillancourt Hymers 0 16
Steve Fazio           2                  6
James Bertsch.    2                  6
Trish Minogue Collins 2          6
Chris Spies          0                  15
Michael Sullivan 0                 15
Susan Burghes   0                 15
Paul Arrigo          2                   4
Dave Sieglinger 0                  14
Erin Rose            0                   13
Joe Arata            0                   13
Nancy Schiulaz 1                     8
Karen Vaccaro Marvin 1         8
Laura Rock-Smith 2                3
Emily Marinich 2                      3
Probitski Leon’s Backyard Weather 2 2
John A Masem 0                    12
Norman Orsinger 0                11
Joy Cenzo        0                      11
Jean Shea       0                       11
Kathleen Hahn-Cutrone 1      6
Esther Weill    0                       11
Philip Coccari 1                         6
Alfred Roe      2                          1
Robert Taylor 2                          1
Laurie Lonardo Maynard 2      1
Carol Vincent 0                        10
Phil Becker     0                        10
Nancy Haynes 0                      10
William G Gadzuk 0               10
Kim Schillig      1                        5
Caren Milheron 1                      5
Robert V. Rapisarda 2              0
Greg Pace       2                         0
Keith Petrosky 1                        5
Saverio Pispisa 1                       4
Linda Impagliazzo 0                9
Jeffrey Sandor 0                       9
Brian Howland 0                      9
Bobby Kane 0                           9
Steve Schmitz 0                       9
Annette Kattau 0                     8
Michael Herbst 0                     8
Joe McDonald 0                      8
Stefana Muller 0                      8
Jim Sabiston 1                          3
Anna Fletcher 0                       8
Mark Lundquist 0                    8
Diane Schock 0                       8
Jared James     1                     3
Erik Kristiansen 1                    3
Michael Anthony 0                7
Jamie Racaniello    0             7
Jennifer Fountaine 0             7
Deborah Goldsmith Melita 0 7
Rich Figlia .      0                     7
Donny Edwards 0                  7