Contributed by Alisha Aggarwal
The statistics seem numbingly normal now as they flash on news channels—Hurricane Harvey could end up being the costliest natural disaster in U.S. history at $190 billion! 51.9 inches of rain! 56,000 calls made to 911 during 15 hours in Houston! Harvey, Irma, Maria, Jose, Ophelia. Wildfires. Landslides. Flooding. The list goes on.
A landfill turned urban parkland seems an unlikely way to deal with waste but that is exactly what’s happening at Freshkills Park in Staten Island. Fresh Kills Landfill, once the largest in the world was officially capped and closed in 2001. Since then the site has transformed into a 2,200 acre urban park. The soil infrastructure layered over the landfill has allowed the site to become a distinct space for wildlife, recreation, and education. The park is still in the works and will not be officially open to the public until 2036. However, the Freshkills Park Alliance provides regular opportunities for people to visit and engage with the site through hiking, biking, photography, and more. Read more
September 18-24th marks Climate Week NYC where dozens of fun and informative events are held around the city to celebrate all things sustainable. If you’re too busy to scroll the the long list, I gathered some of the events to check out.
Concert for a Sustainable Planet. The concert will future music from Beethoven’s Eroica and from contemporary composers like Yo-Yo Ma, Ronen Shapira and Merlijn Twaalfhoven. Monday, September 18. Carnegie Hall, 7-9:30 p.m. Read more
I know what you might be thinking- ew I don’t want my smelly garbage lying around my dorm for days.
I too was skeptical about composting and if I could really be one of those people. My roommates and I genuinely were curious about how one can compost in the city. We did our research and got started with a small plastic bag. We had a lot of questions that we learned the answer to from the internet and with a couple weeks of practice. Now, I’m here to help you live your best green life without the hassle. Read more
Feeling overwhelmed about the prospect of having to sort through dozens of clubs’ newsletters? Have a love for the environment?
Luckily, NYU has a thriving eco-community open to all students and faculty that’s easy to join. I’ll sort through all the lists and Facebook groups and give you the best green-focused clubs to join (in no particular order).
EcoReps is a great way to be a leader in your dorm without having go through the hassle of a hall council election. Plan monthly themed events like February’s Unplugged or Zero Waste Month to get residents into recycling and conservation.
I personally love the EcoRep community, you get close with the other EcoReps in your dorm and bond with others as soon as you find out they’re an EcoRep. Read more
