New York County:New York County: AN ENVIRONMENTAL AN ENVIRONMENTAL DIAGNOSISDIAGNOSIS

By: Liam FitzgeraldBy: Liam FitzgeraldSophomore, Tamarac High SchoolSophomore, Tamarac High School

Mentored by: Pedro de la Torre IIIMentored by: Pedro de la Torre III

LOCATIONLOCATION

Southern NYSSouthern NYS

Borough of Borough of ManhattanManhattan

East, Hudson, East, Hudson, and Harlem and Harlem RiversRivers

TIMELINE OF NY TIMELINE OF NY COUNTYCOUNTY

2014: Brewer is elected as

borough president

2014: de Blasio elected as NYC mayor

2012: Hurricane Sandy Strikes NYC

1524: French explorer Giovanni de Verrazano visits present day NYC

1609: Columbus discovers and maps present day Manhattan Island

1624: New Amsterdam is established

2001: Terrorist Attacks on WTC2001: Final landfill in

NYC closes

1825: Opening of Erie Canal (Connected Atlantic Port to Midwest)

1898: Consolidation of 3 counties into NYC1904: Establishment of

NYC subway system 1925: Manhattan takes over as “world’s most popular city (previously London)

1857: Central Park opens

1990’s: Crime rates drop dramatically

BACKGROUNDBACKGROUND

Known as economic Known as economic and cultural center of and cultural center of the United Statesthe United States

Population: 1.6 million Population: 1.6 million people (69,469 per people (69,469 per square mile)square mile)

Attracts more than 50 Attracts more than 50 million tourists each million tourists each yearyear

GOVERNMENTGOVERNMENT

Manhattan Borough Manhattan Borough President: Gale A. President: Gale A. BrewerBrewer

NYC Mayor: Bill de NYC Mayor: Bill de BlasioBlasio

59 community boards59 community boards

ENVIRONMENTAL/ENVIRONMENTAL/OTHER CONCERNSOTHER CONCERNS Lead exposure Lead exposure

(in children)(in children)

Garbage Garbage disposaldisposal

Storm Storm readinessreadiness

LEAD EXPOSURELEAD EXPOSURE

Used as indicator Used as indicator for environmental for environmental and financial healthand financial health

1,425 children 1,425 children poisoned in 2012 poisoned in 2012 (NYC.gov) (NYC.gov)

Neighborhood Neighborhood housing housing apartmentsapartments

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONPOSSIBLE SOLUTION

Enforcement of Enforcement of regulating paintregulating paint

Childhood Lead Childhood Lead Prevention Act of Prevention Act of 20032003

Education of Education of residents/landlordresidents/landlords/business owners s/business owners about the dangers about the dangers of lead paintof lead paint

““WEALTH GAP”WEALTH GAP”

21.2% of residents 21.2% of residents below poverty linebelow poverty line99

64.7% graduation 64.7% graduation rate in NYC schoolsrate in NYC schools

53,890 housing 53,890 housing apartmentsapartments

-Connection -Connection to lead poisoningto lead poisoning

GARBAGE DISPOSALGARBAGE DISPOSAL

36,200 tons of garbage 36,200 tons of garbage produced every dayproduced every day

All NYC landfills closed All NYC landfills closed since 2001since 2001(6)(6)

““20 Year Plan”20 Year Plan”– Transport trash to other Transport trash to other

state’s landfills via truckstate’s landfills via truck

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONPOSSIBLE SOLUTION

Barge garbage to Barge garbage to other town’s in other town’s in New York StateNew York State

Boost upstate’s Boost upstate’s economyeconomy

Creates jobsCreates jobs

DISASTER READINESSDISASTER READINESS

NYC Office of NYC Office of Emergency Emergency ManagementManagement

Effects of Hurricane Effects of Hurricane Sandy in 2012Sandy in 2012– 53 total deaths of NYC 53 total deaths of NYC

residentsresidents– Hundreds of homes Hundreds of homes

destroyeddestroyed– Approx. 250,000 vehicles Approx. 250,000 vehicles

destroyeddestroyed– $18 billion loss$18 billion loss– Approx. 94,769 power Approx. 94,769 power

outages in NY County outages in NY County (ConEdison Inc.)(ConEdison Inc.)

POSSIBLE SOLUTIONPOSSIBLE SOLUTION

Storm walls Storm walls

New, anti-storm New, anti-storm infrastructure infrastructure

Evacuation Evacuation strategystrategy

ENVIRONMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORSINDICATORS

Air QualityAir Quality

Type of Energy Type of Energy UsedUsed

Greenhouse Gas Greenhouse Gas EmissionsEmissions

AIR QUALITYAIR QUALITY

Improving, but Improving, but continues to be continues to be significant significant environmental environmental threatthreat

6% of annual deaths 6% of annual deaths accredited to air accredited to air pollution (NYC.gov)pollution (NYC.gov)44

PlaNYCPlaNYC

ENERGYENERGY

Nuclear and gas Nuclear and gas energy make up energy make up 97% of energy 97% of energy usedused

Large buildings Large buildings (skyscrapers) (skyscrapers) account for 45% account for 45% of NYC’s total of NYC’s total energy useenergy use44

POWER USAGE IN TIMES POWER USAGE IN TIMES SQUARESQUARE

161 megawatts (Bouey)161 megawatts (Bouey)33

Twice the amount of Twice the amount of energy used to power all energy used to power all casinos in Las Vegascasinos in Las Vegas

Enough power for Enough power for approx 161,000 U.S. approx 161,000 U.S. homes homes

Three times amount of Three times amount of power consumed in power consumed in Sierra LeoneSierra Leone

SOLAR PANELS IN NYC SOLAR PANELS IN NYC

2/3 of the one 2/3 of the one million rooftops in million rooftops in NYC are suitable for NYC are suitable for solar panels (CNN)solar panels (CNN)11

City could receive City could receive about half of total about half of total electricity from the electricity from the panelspanels

Reduces chance of Reduces chance of blackout (summer)blackout (summer)

GREENHOUSE GAS GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONSEMISSIONS

7.1 metric tons 7.1 metric tons per capitaper capita(2)(2)

San Francisco=11.2 San Francisco=11.2 metric tons per metric tons per capitacapita

Majority of residents Majority of residents (60-70%) do not own (60-70%) do not own motor vehiclesmotor vehicles

Mass transit Mass transit (subways/taxis)(subways/taxis)

RECAPRECAP

““Setting a standard”Setting a standard”

PlaNYCPlaNYC

Enforcement of Enforcement of landlordslandlords

““Clean Up!”Clean Up!”

Solar PanelsSolar Panels

NOTABLE SOURCESNOTABLE SOURCES

1) http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/25/technology/solar-new-york/1) http://money.cnn.com/2011/07/25/technology/solar-new-york/

2) http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/30/us-newyorkcity-climate-idUSBRE9BT0QN201312302) http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/30/us-newyorkcity-climate-idUSBRE9BT0QN20131230

3) http://theworldbyroad.com/2013/07/the-power-to-light-up-times-square/3) http://theworldbyroad.com/2013/07/the-power-to-light-up-times-square/

4) NYC.gov4) NYC.gov

5) "Carbon Visuals." : New York's carbon emissions. http://www.carbonvisuals.com/work/new-yorks-carbon-emissions-in-5) "Carbon Visuals." : New York's carbon emissions. http://www.carbonvisuals.com/work/new-yorks-carbon-emissions-in-real-time (accessed March 31, 2014).real-time (accessed March 31, 2014).

6) Cohen. 2010. “Wasted: New York City’s Trouble with Disposal”, 8–5. 6) Cohen. 2010. “Wasted: New York City’s Trouble with Disposal”, 8–5.

7) Environmental Protection Agency. "U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report." EPA. 7) Environmental Protection Agency. "U.S. Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report." EPA. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html (accessed April 15, 2014).http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/usinventoryreport.html (accessed April 15, 2014).

8) “Lead Posioning Prevention.” 2014.8) “Lead Posioning Prevention.” 2014.The Official Website of the City of New YorkThe Official Website of the City of New York. 1. . 1.

9) “National Poverty Rates.” 2013. 9) “National Poverty Rates.” 2013. U.S. Census Bureau 2012U.S. Census Bureau 2012, 1. , 1.

10) Steve Hargreaves. 2013. “Solar Power in the Big Apple.”10) Steve Hargreaves. 2013. “Solar Power in the Big Apple.”CNNMoneyCNNMoney, 3–14. , 3–14.

11) Tatianna Morin. 2014. “Soil and Water Health in NYC.” 11) Tatianna Morin. 2014. “Soil and Water Health in NYC.”

12) "The 2012 Statistical Abstract." - U.S. Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ (accessed April 5, 12) "The 2012 Statistical Abstract." - U.S. Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/ (accessed April 5, 2014).2014).

13)Weaver, Terri. "NY Safe Act meeting with Cuomo." syracuse.com. 13)Weaver, Terri. "NY Safe Act meeting with Cuomo." syracuse.com. http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/ny_safe_act_meeting_with_cuomo_yields_frank_talk_but_no_promises_ohttp://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/02/ny_safe_act_meeting_with_cuomo_yields_frank_talk_but_no_promises_of_changes_to_l.html (accessed March 31, 2014).f_changes_to_l.html (accessed March 31, 2014).