Food for Thought
If I told you that the top problems facing our country today are unemployment, global warming, the cost of health care and terrorism, few people would bat an eye. But what if I said that we could make strides toward solving each of these problems simply by changing the way we eat and where we get our food from? Now that might spark more of a discussion. Read more
No Props for the Eco Girl
It’s not easy bein’ green.
I must confess, I am not an environmentalist by nature. But after careful consideration I figured I would give ecology a go, beyond the mandatory bottle and can recycling demands of my co-op.
When I go grocery shopping, I’ve started using my many free cloth bags that I’ve accumulated from various street fairs, my husband’s job and a couple of clothing stores that encourage the demise of the plastic menace. I am also making a conscious effort to remember to fold one up and carry it in my handbag, in case I make an impromptu Gristede’s pit stop for milk or bread. Sure I want to help maintain the planet, but I’m also in it for the acclaim, which I thought came with the territory. Read more
The Greening of Riverside Center
At previous Riverside Center Working Group meetings, Extell Development Company’s representatives have been the leaders, presenting plans and studies about their project, which stretches from West 59th to 61st streets between West End Avenue and Riverside Boulevard. But at Community Board 7’s July 30 meeting, Extell’s team occupied the entire back row of seats for the public, where they scribbled notes and exchanged the occasional whispered comment or snicker. Read more
WEST SIDE’S GREEN POL
Gale Brewer was one of four City Council members to get a perfect score on the New York League of Conservation Voters’ environmental scorecard.
The league reviewed 13 bills from the 2008 to 2009 legislative session that have been introduced, and ranked Council members on their vote or support through sponsorship. Evaluated bills included congestion pricing, legislation that mandates room for bicycle storage and one that requires large buildings to undergo energy audits every 10 years.
A Brewer-authored law that barred commercial stores from leaving the door open when an air conditioner is operating was also considered by the league.
The Greening of Board 7
Community Board 7 has carved out an unusual role in New York City’s eco-revolution. Since January 2008, its “Green Committee” has been meeting to discuss a range of issues, making Board 7 the only Manhattan community board with a committee dedicated solely to environmental issues.
Other community boards have embedded environmental concerns into already established committees. Board 9, for example, has a Health/Human Services & Environment committee, and Board 6 has a Public Safety, Environment and Human Rights committee. Read more
CALL FOR DRILLING HEARING
Last week, State Sen. Tom Duane and James Gennaro, chair of the City Council’s Environmental Protection Committee, requested a New York City hearing on the impending drilling of the Marcellus Shale.
The Marcellus Shale rock formation in upstate New York is a potential source of natural gas, which would only be accessible through a new method called “Hydraulic Fracturing.” However, the method requires toxic compounds, which could possibly seep into New York City’s watershed, according to Duane and Gennaro.
While hearings will take place in areas near the Marcellus Shale, none are currently scheduled for New York City.
“The fact is that nobody knows the environmental impact that this controversial drilling will bring to the Marcellus region,” Duane said in a letter to the State Department of Environmental Conservation. “We want to ensure that DEC thoroughly considers any and all threats to our precious natural resources and allow New York City residents, advocates and elected officials to testify at a scoping hearing. Anything less is unacceptable.”
According to Duane’s deputy chief of staff Colin Casey, if contamination occurred, as it has in New Mexico and Wyoming, the city would need to build an expensive water filtration plant.
