Author: LEAH TARRAGO

On Friday May 12, Kerry and I joined the LES Ecology Center at their booth in Union Square. I have previously volunteered with them for six months in 2021 and knew that Kerry’s interest in composting and food waste would spike her interest in volunteering with me. 

The LES Ecology Center has been open since 1990 and collecting food scraps from individuals at the Union Square market since 1994. They are there every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, whether it is snowing or very hot, as it was when we were there on Friday. While working alongside Gabby, a full time employee, whom I had connected with previously for my story on the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, we spoke to community members who dropped off their food scraps for composting. Kerry and I took turns breaking down food waste, putting composting soil in bags for purchase and answering any questions individuals had about the process. It was eye opening to see the entire process of composting beginning with individuals bringing their food scraps, to us bagging it for others to use. 

After speaking to Gabby the first time following my interview with her for my article about the controversy regarding the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, I wanted to inquire more about where they are now bringing the compost since their site on the East River Park is still closed and under construction. She states, “they’re behind on construction so we don’t know when it will open back up, for now we’re working with the City and the compost piles go to the Staten Island Compost Site.” For me this was very interesting since I am seeing the LES Ecology Center from many stages throughout the years, watching it from 2021 to where it is now.

I had a great time, especially having Kerry with me there and would look forward to going back and continuing my time at the LES Ecology Center.

Breaking down food waste, which later once fully gone through the process of composting is bagged and potted to be resold at the Union Square Market.

The East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, a City and Federally funded project designed to protect lower Manhattan from climate change impacts such as storm surge and sea level rising. This project has been in questionable disputes with community members, activists and local individuals. 

The project is a response to the severe damage caused by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which presented  the vulnerability of New York City’s coastal areas to extreme weather events. 

While the project is designed to be sustainable, the rebuilding of 2.4 miles of the East River Park for floodwalls, flood gates, berms and a raised park has caused controversy. 

“We’re not looking for no solution, if we were convinced that this was the only solution and that you were doing a good job, we wouldn’t be here,” Tommy Leob, an activist with The East River Action states. 

The complex history of this project  began with the city and the community collaborating on a resiliency plan.  It quickly resulted in New York City going dark without anyone’s knowledge for about 6 months, until they then came up with their own plan without the knowledge, or participation of the community. 

This new plan destroys all 56 acres of the park, tears down 1,200 trees and rebuilds the entire park for 1.5 billion dollars, a significant increase from the original plan’s price of 750 million dollars. 

In addition to the costly and environmental impacts of the project, health effects have also been a concern to the community. With the ongoing construction, air quality has also been an issue with constituents, as well as the action group LES Breathe, which monitors the real time air quality of the park. Furthermore, the health impacts of post reconstruction were found to be a concern. The new park not only destroys all vegetation, but plans on using synthetic turf which Tommy states to be linked to certain cancers. In a park that is used by thousands of people daily, ranging from all ages, these health impacts are unknown and not transparent in the city’s plans. 

The East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, failed to keep their community informed of the plan and further withheld information. On January 23, 2019 DDC commissioner Lorraine Grillo apologized for the lack of engagement of the new construction plan which is currently taking place.  Activists, community members and even nearby businesses were affected and continue to be affected by this sudden plan. Gabby, a member from the Lower East Side Ecology Center which can no longer hold their compost site on the East River states, “this is genuinely heartbreaking and frustrating.” 

The East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, unfortunately left individuals unhappy and determined to make changes with the project plan. With the anticipated end date of the project being 2026, the delays which have already been made apparent within the project could delay it even further. However, despite the controversy both sides want to prevent climate change effects coming from the Lower East Side after experiencing Hurricane Sandy, however activists want a more environmental, healthier and transparent plan.

https://www.nycgovparks.org/planning-and-building/planning/neighborhood-development/east-side-coastal-resiliency

https://ny.curbed.com/2019/1/24/18195342/manhattan-east-side-coastal-resiliency-city-council-hearing

https://eastriverparkaction.org/2020/10/15/les-breathe/

https://www.6sqft.com/east-river-flood-protection-plan-gets-the-green-light-from-nyc-council/

The East River is a saltwater tidal estuary surrounding the east side of New York City. While it is heavily polluted due to runoff, storm drains and illegal dumping, the large amounts of pollution dates back to the industrial age, leaving the East River contaminated. Now, with climate change and flooding, the city needs to take precautions on flooding which will occur if nothing were to be done. Following Hurricane Sandy, the East River has been given $1.4 billion to be rebuilt as a part of the East Side Coastal Residency Project. This project, funded by New York City and the Federal government, aims “at reducing flood risk due to coastal storms and sea level rise on Manhattan’s East Side.”  This plan not only aids in flooding with building floodwall but aims to help neighborhoods which are directly impacted and unable to sustain the costs of flooding. 

However, what will the effects of tearing down parks be? What will happen to businesses such as the Lower East Side Ecology Center which has their compost center on the East River? Are there other ways to contain the flooding instead of rebuilding the entire park? 

There is controversy about this project out there. With people upset about destroying the park and cutting down trees, the East River Park Action group has an instagram, as well as held protests at the East River Park.

On Saturday, February 18th, we we spent a few hours on Randalls Island. A few things I had not known prior about Randalls Island is that it was previously a land fill which has now become the island which contains many marshes, multiple species of birds and beaches.

Randalls Island has many initiatives to allow its community to participate in a more sustainable city. With their Urban Farms of 40,000 square feet, they have 100 beds, two greenhouses, four rice paddies and a fruit orchid tree. Their Urban Farm not only allows New York City visitors to have a larger understanding of where food comes from, but it allows participating schools to come and help on the farms through their Edible Education Program. To learn more about what Urban Farms plan on doing this year, I reached out to to the Urban Farms coordinator through email and still am waiting for a response.

In our time there, I was able to learn about a part of New York I had never been to before. I enjoyed walking and exploring the area while learning so much about it too. Overall, this little journey outside of the city had opened my eyes to what could be done everywhere with landfills and areas where there needs to be a more sustainable approach. Randalls island was not only beautiful but allows everyone to participate and experience a greener city.