Category: Uncategorized

The Randall’s Island Park Alliance (RIPA) operates an Urban Farm on Randall’s Island in New York City, serving as a valuable resource for the community. The Urban Farm is dedicated to sustainable agriculture practices, education, and donating fresh, locally-grown produce.

RIPA’s Urban Farm plays a crucial role in addressing various environmental and social challenges. One of its primary objectives is to promote urban agriculture and demonstrate the benefits of growing food in an urban setting. Through the farm, RIPA encourages residents to engage in sustainable food production, empowering them to develop skills, and knowledge about organic farming techniques and healthy eating habits. The weekly weekend event educated people of all ages, including an area for toddler education.

The Urban Farm also contributes to improving food security in the local community. By cultivating a diverse range of vegetables, herbs, and fruits, it provides residents with access to nutritious, fresh produce that may otherwise be scarce or expensive in the area. The farm’s efforts help to bridge the gap in food access and promote healthier diets among community members. 

Furthermore, the Urban Farm supports environmental sustainability. It utilizes organic farming practices, avoiding harmful chemicals and pesticides, which minimizes the impact on soil health and water quality. The farm also employs composting techniques, utilizing organic waste to enrich the soil and reduce waste sent to landfills. These sustainable practices contribute to the conservation of natural resources and help mitigate the environmental impact of conventional agricultural practices.

Overall, RIPA’s Urban Farm is an essential initiative that combines sustainable agriculture, education, and community engagement. Matt, an employee from the farm explained that “we are farmer educators, so everything we grow, we donate to a food pantry in East Harlem, and then we educate K-12 classes and summer camp here” and sharing this farm in the urban environment truly inspires him.

By providing fresh produce, promoting urban farming, and embracing environmentally-friendly practices, the farm contributes to the well-being of the community and fosters a more sustainable and resilient urban environment. Which is also his inspiration for working there.

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.

For my art project, I chose to do a painting of the effect of climate change on marine life. It depicts the effects of global warming causes the ice bergs to be in grave danger. It causes the sea levels to rise and the ice bergs to melt. In addition, it is damaging the coral due to coral bleaching. The animals living in the water are also impacted. It impacts the whole food chain. Animals are dying off due to the lack of food sources and the change in water temperature.

In his TED talk “The actual cost of preventing climate breakdown,” Yuval Noah Harari discusses the economic and political implications of addressing climate change and the challenges of achieving global cooperation on this issue. Harari speaks on the fact that the cost of transitioning to sustainable energy sources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions is significant, but argues that the cost of inaction would be far greater.

The significance of Harari’s talk is in the urgency of addressing climate change and the need for effective global cooperation to do so. Climate change is among the most pressing issues facing our planet and the economic and political implications of addressing this issue are significant. Harari’s talk provides an education on the economic and political challenges of addressing climate change, as well as the potential benefits of taking action.

For our class, Harari’s talk is particularly relevant as it provides an example of the intersection between science, policy, and economics in addressing environmental issues. Students can learn about the economic and political forces that drive climate change, as well as the challenges of achieving global cooperation on this issue.

Harari’s talk also highlights the importance of effective communication and public engagement in promoting sustainability initiatives. Addressing climate change requires the involvement and support of individuals and communities, and effective communication is critical to building this support. Students in an interdisciplinary environmental sustainability/journalism class can learn about the role of communication and public engagement in promoting sustainability and addressing climate change.

Harari’s talk, “The actual cost of preventing climate breakdown,” is a revealing and educational talk that has relevance for our class. The talk provides a compelling case for the urgency of addressing climate change and the economic and political challenges of doing so, as well as the potential benefits of taking action.

TED talk: “What seaweed and cow burps have to do with climate change,” spoken by Ermias Kebreab: discusses the role of agriculture in contributing to climate change and the potential of seaweed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from livestock. Kebreab informs of the fact that livestock production is a significant contributor to global emissions, and that innovative solutions such as seaweed farming can help to mitigate this impact.

Kebreab’s talk educates the need to address the environmental impacts of food production, particularly in light of the growing global population. Agriculture is responsible for a significant portion of global emissions, and reducing the environmental impact of food production is critical to addressing climate change and promoting sustainability. Kebreab’s talk provides a clear and accessible introduction to the role of agriculture in contributing to climate change and the potential of seaweed as a solution.

For our class, Kebreab’s Ted Talk is a particularly applicable topic as it provides an example of the intersection between science, policy, and communication in addressing environmental issues. Students can learn about the complex interactions between agriculture, climate change, and human health, as well as the potential of innovative solutions such as seaweed farming.

Kebreab’s talk also reiterates the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in promoting sustainability and addressing environmental challenges. Addressing the environmental impact of food production requires the involvement of multiple disciplines, including agriculture, biology, economics, and policy. Students in our class can learn about the challenges and opportunities of working across disciplinary boundaries to promote sustainability and combat climate change after watching.

“What seaweed and cow burps have to do with climate change” is an engaging and informative video that is highly relevant for a senior college level, interdisciplinary environmental sustainability/journalism class. The talk provides enlightenment for the importance of addressing the environmental impact of food production and the potential of innovative solutions such as seaweed farming.

In the TED talk, “How wind energy could power Earth…18 times over,” Dan Jørgensen discusses the potential of wind energy as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Jørgensen highlights the fact that wind energy is abundant, cost-effective, and capable of meeting a significant portion of the world’s energy needs.

The importance of Jørgensen’s talk lies in the dier need to transition away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable energy sources. Climate change and environmental degradation are among the most pressing issues facing our planet, and the transition to renewable energy sources, such as wind, is critical to addressing these challenges. Jørgensen’s talk provides a clear and accessible introduction to the potential of wind energy and the benefits and challenges of this technology.

For our class, Jørgensen’s talk is relevant. As it provides an example of the intersection between science, policy, and communication in addressing environmental issues. Students can learn about the technological advancements and policy measures needed to promote wind energy production and use, as well as, the importance of effective communication in promoting sustainability initiatives.

Jørgensen’s talk reminds listeners of the importance of collaboration and global cooperation in addressing environmental challenges. Wind energy is a global resource, and its potential can only be fully realized through international partnerships and coordinated efforts. Students in our course can learn about the role of diplomacy and international relations in promoting sustainability and combating climate change.

Overall, “How wind energy could power Earth…18 times over” is a thought-provoking and explanatory talk that is note-worthy for our class. The talk provides a clear case for the potential of wind energy and the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels towards sustainable energy sources.

In her TED talk “How green hydrogen could end the fossil fuel era,” Vaitea Cowan speaks on the potential of green hydrogen as a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. Cowan explains that green hydrogen is produced using renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar power, and can be used to power a wide range of applications: including transportation and industrial processes.

The significance of Cowan’s talk lies in the urgent need to transition away from fossil fuels and towards sustainable energy sources. Fossil fuels are a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change, and their earthly extraction and use have devastating impacts on the environment and human health. Cowan states that green hydrogen provides a promising solution to these problems, as it can be produced using clean energy sources, and has the potential to replace fossil fuels in multiple applications.

Cowan’s talk is particularly relevant for our class because it highlights the importance of sustainable energy solutions in addressing the environmental challenges of our time. The talk provides a clear and accessible introduction to the concept of green hydrogen and its potential as a sustainable energy source. Students can learn about the benefits and challenges of green hydrogen, as well as, the policy and investment measures needed to scale up its production and use.

Furthermore, Cowan’s talk provides a valuable example of how individuals can contribute to the transition to sustainable energy  through innovation and entrepreneurship. Cowan herself is a young entrepreneur, who is working to develop green hydrogen solutions, and her talk can inspire students to pursue similar paths and make a positive impact on the environment and society. Overall, “How green hydrogen could end the fossil fuel era” is a solution-based, informative talk that is relevant for this class.

Did you know that the Lower-Hudson River Estuary is basically artificial? The culprit is micro-plastics. Which are pieces of plastic (five millimeters or less in size) that are a recently studied phenomenon affecting the Earth globally, especially our oceans. Scientists are just, in the past five years, finding out how plastic has and will be changing our Earth and all that is upon it, including you.

By 2050, plastic pieces will out- number fish, according to a report by the MacArthur Foundation. This means at the current pace we are consuming and discarding plastic; our oceans will face the consequences of dying populations and acidic dead zones that destroy entire ecosystems. These ecosystems and populations have an intense impact on the environmental, social, and economic factors that society depends on: for natural Earth processes to occur, to feed the planet, and have safe waters that surround all global landscapes. Scientists found that there is “an average of 256,322 micro-plastic particles/km squared” throughout various collection sites in the Lower-Hudson River Estuary (NY-NJ Baykeeper, 2016). Not so shockingly, these micro-plastics are also found throughout the modern, human body attached to various organs and in the blood stream. The long term effects of this phenomenon in humans are not well known, though the chemicals found in plastic materials is known to causes adverse effects on human health.

Research was conducted, in a collaboration between the Hudson River Park Alliance and Brooklyn College, to survey and compare the concentration of micro-plastics from previous years in the Lower-Hudson River Estuary. The results of the study found that “in 2016, 2018 and 2019, the second most common type of micro-plastic found was foam (13%). This is consistent with the Park’s 2019 macroplastic, shoreline survey where foam is the dominant marine debris found in cleanups (50%), followed by beverage bottles (29%) and food packaging (5%)” (Marine Pollution Bulletin 161 (2020) 111702). These surveys were also only conducted on the surface level of the river and did not breach the lower depths of the river, which is hypothesized in higher yielding results of microplastics infiltrating our beloved waterway.

The Department of Environmental Protection currently, only tests the water routinely for bacteria, chlorine, and PH levels. A bill by Council Member Keith Powers, was recently introduced that would expand for more extensive, routine testing for micro-plastics and all other contaminants in New York City’s surrounding waters that cause damage that scientists do not even know the future extent of. Relying on studies from universities and environmental scientists was that start, local and national governments must take actions to monitor our waters to observe the ecosystems within and prevent more catastrophic damages to occur to our home. The micro-plastic research is in the hands of global governments and scientists around the world to mitigate the damages of the non-biodegradable material. 

^The Ocean’s Biggest Garbage Pile Is Full of Floating Life – The New York Times^

The solution starts with you. Vote for politicians who support extensive testing of microplastics in your local waters and the monitoring of our dying estuarine ecosystems, so solutions may be implemented to revive them. Purchase sustainably, consume and discard less plastic, and educate the people on the effects of plastics in our blood streams, rivers, oceans, and on every crevice of our Earth. Regenerate our ecosystems by living environmentally conscious for the future the planet’s largest mass: the ocean.

Life-long Hamilton Beach resident Vinny Taratella can no longer treat his first floor as his first floor. 

“It became my basement,” he said. “I had to build an additional floor to protect myself during floods.”

In this small Queens community that sits on Jamaica Bay and borders the western side of John F. Kennedy International Airport, flooding happens not just during so-called hundred-year storms like Hurricane Sandy, but consistently during very high tides. Yet residents feel forgotten by the city, especially when contrasted with the wealthier and more high-profile neighborhood of Broad Channel, where a $75 million project to raise the streets was recently completed.

Based on the 2020 American Community Survey, Broad Channel bears a median household income of $96,367. Its racial composition is classified as 93.4% White, 3.2% Hispanic or Latino, 2.2% Asian, and 1.2% two or more races. On the contrary, Hamilton Beach presents a slightly lower household income of $83,958 with a racial composition of 53.2% White, 26.8% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Black or African American, 4.4% Asian, and 2.6% two or more races. Housing prices in these areas also differ significantly, as Hamilton Beach’s median sale price is $543,000, whereas Broad Channel’s median sale price is $100,000 more. 

While Hamilton Beach has been struggling with obtaining relief for years, a $75 million infrastructure-upgrade project was completed for Broad Channel. The installment of storm sewers, water mains, new sidewalks, and curb ramps endorse flooding prevention and improve drainage in Broad Channel, yet Hamilton Beach is being overlooked. The socio-economic divide is transparent; Hamilton Beach is receiving the short end of the stick from the city.

An Army Corps project to install tide gates and flood-walls in the Hamilton Beach area is in the air as it is currently receiving public comment, but “if it’s approved, it won’t be completed until 2044” as stated by President of the New Hamilton Beach Civic Association, Roger Gendron.

When inquired about the flooding-relief discrepancy between Hamilton Beach and Broad Channel, Gendron offered that “the project for Broad Channel has been in the works for about 20 years”, whereas Hamilton Beach hasn’t been given attention because it is considered a peninsula and not an island, although he mentions that this does not mean Hamilton Beach has not been affected as much as Broad Channel. Gendron complained that there are no protections for Hamilton Beach and that “it is a difficult waiting game for the community”. 

President of the Broad Channel Civic Organization, Dan Mundy, states that his organization has been pushing for these projects since 2008; however, Gendron said that he started pushing for such projects in 2012 around the time of Hurricane Sandy. Mundy, said “it was a large community effort that was involved in the advocation”, and that elected officials would persistently urge in stating that flooding is an emergency that needs to be addressed. 

Mundy expressed that his organization is still fighting to get some streets raised in their area. He feels that his organization’s efforts have proven successful and that property values are increasing because of them, contrary to Hamilton Beach, where property values are decreasing.

Although, Vinny Taratella, a resident of Hamilton Beach, agrees that what has been done in Broad Channel is phenomenal, he conveyed that the Army Corps project needs to be sanctioned to protect the Hamilton Beach community from flooding. 

He disapproved of flooding insurance prices as he mentioned that they are costly, and he feels that the project would help ease them as well. “We have bills to pay and families to feed”, he emphasizes.

Taratella noted that he had to stop treating his first floor as his first floor, as it became his basement because he had to build an additional second floor to protect himself during floods and storms. Without any action from the city, disasters like Hurricane Sandy and Hurricane Irene are destined to continuously occur. 

All things considered, it is evident that the effects of flooding on the residents of Hamilton Beach are going to be devastating, should a flood occur. Without the city’s protection, the community is not properly safeguarded.

The people of Rockland County, located in the Hudson River Valley of New York, has been engaged in a battle with its largest water distributor, Veolia Water NY, to combat persistent levels of harmful so-called, “forever chemicals” in its water sources. These chemicals, polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are linked to adverse health effects such as kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid diseases, decreased fertility, decreased immune response, decreased birth weight, and skeletal birth defects. Despite the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) statement that there are no safe levels of PFAS contamination, New York State allows a maximum of 10 parts per trillion for two PFAS compounds, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and perfluorooctanoic acid, from 2020. Due to concerns about the consequences of unfettered contamination and negligence on the part of community-serving, private water utilities to transparently communicate a coherent treatment action plan, an open letter was sent to then-Governor Andrew Cuomo, spearheaded by advocacy group Rockland Water Coalition and co-signed by over 80 county organizations. The 2020 letter laid out a clear call to action of 7 central demands. In retrospect, this community action is what informs the progress seen today; the paramount catalyst, demanding swift and complete removal of PFAS chemicals from water, transparent communication about contamination and clean-up efforts, thorough testing and publication of results, emphasizing that polluters must be held responsible, that health-care providers must be provided with up-to-date information along with free blood testing to vulnerable populations such as pregnant women. It also suggests class regulation of all PFAS at the state level and vehemently requests legislative support to ban the production of PFAS in non-essential uses.  

However, even for a Fortune Global 500 company like Veolia, the apparent scale of PFAS (a family of more than 4,700 human-made chemicals) amounts to a daunting task; its rampant state is a factor of the observed strength of carbon fluorine bonds and the chemical’s functional value to dozens of industries since its inception in the 1930s. 

The aforementioned chemical qualities have allowed PFAS to assume an environmentally pervasive position. They enter the environment through the many entities that use or produce PFAS by way of industrial discharge. PFAS also leaks as customers use the final products of these industries (including but not limited to textiles, non-stick cookware, personal care products). Finally, as the PFAS-containing products enter landfills, their toxicity can leach into the immediate environment and contaminate water sources. Current scientific understanding also warns that due to its chemical resilience, PFAS has the ability to travel long distances, not explicitly limited to water but also traveling airborne, thus having potential to accumulate in the food chain. 

The most recent update from Dan Shapley, Co-Director of Science-Patrol Program, Hudson Riverkeeper tells us, “about one quarter of the water sources in Rockland County that have been tested exceeds New York States standards in at least one of the tests taken.” 

The impediment to substantial treatment progress is due to the fact that contamination sources are not obvious and identification requires rigorous, time-consuming testing especially in Rockland where the water system isn’t centralized.  “There is a very distributed network of wells spread throughout the county that service and provide drinking water to the 300,000 plus folks,” said Sean Mahar, Executive Deputy Commissioner at New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.

The search began with the likes of superfund sites, brownfields, inactive landfills, etc. There was a particular focus on areas of increased firefighter foam usage, which is a significant PFOS contributor therefore all too convenient of a contamination medium. The data collected likely informed a lawsuit against manufacturers of certain firefighting foams, as a first attempt at fulfilling the Coalition’s demand number 4, “Hold polluters accountable” and, as Dan Shapley said, “attempt at trying to get more compensation back to the state for what we’ve had to spend to protect New Yorkers and our legal strategy is very much continuing in that regard as we find more of these instances where we have MCL exceedances or detections of these compounds in the environment.”

Currently, Veolia sells carbon filters on their website but according to Peter Grevatt, CEO of The Water Research Foundation they are not a complete solution. “There are a number of treatment options that concentrate PFAS you’ll hear about granular activated carbon, you might hear about ion exchange resins, they’re very effective at binding PFAS, they don’t destroy PFAS and so the PFAS then still have to be disposed of in some safe manner.” Carol Walczyk, Vice President of Water Quality and Compliance, Veolia acknowledges this pitfall. “Destruction technologies is what everybody really wants but those are still in the lab research stage,” she said,  “We would have to do an extended pilot study to prove that it would work.” 

Based on the scale and technical complexity of addressing PFAS, a foreseeable, complete contamination resolution is unlikely. However, Americans are becoming increasingly cognizant of the nature of combatting PFAS. Incremental progress, historically testing and treating on a source-to-source basis, is expected. As EPA advisement and subsequent enforceable federal/state standards change, Americans are expected to rely on providers like Veolia to wield emerging and successful technologies to ensure safe drinking water swiftly. This article however prioritizes an effort that moves beyond blind reliance. The significant spark in pioneering water standards, a community action consisting of schools, civic, faith, racial justice groups, etc that brought accountability and demanded transparency from the government and provider Veolia alike. From this precedent, Rockland County has built a foundation of intentioned progress, hopefully a trajectory that can be formulaic for the dozens of communities throughout America facing a similar contamination crisis.