4412 4th avenue, Brooklyn New York– where I lived most of my life. There was a point in time where I lived somewhere else, but that was only for a year and a half and it didn’t hurt that it was only one avenue down.
My mother came to New York during the 1980’s. On Third Avenue in Sunset Park, there is a major highway that links to the Verrazano Bridge; a bridge at connects Brooklyn to Staten Island. I remember her telling me a story of her life as a teenager. During the 80’s, she said there was a bunch of unsanitary activity going on under the highway. These activities were within the likes of stacked up garbage, over loaded trash bins, and un-recycled material left on the floor. I was surprised by what she had told me because looking under the highway now, it is maintained and clean, just like how the rest Sunset Park is.
Growing up there is a blessing I believe I have not fully appreciated yet. Before my mother told me that story, I never noticed changes in the area but every time I go home for break, the place just keeps getting cleaner!
Since I don’t see myself moving out of New York, I might as well try to know the city a bit more. I was particularly curious how we matched with other states statistically
According to WalletHub, New York City Is the eighth most eco-friendly state in the United States. I was a bit shocked to see that it even cranked one of the top ten spots ! It also ranks as the state that consumes the least gas and second in lowest energy consumption per Capita. Also, according to the Huffington Post, it also ranks first in the safest tap water to drink out of.
To summarize, although they do rank high in those categories ,work still and will always have to be done because come on, what can go wrong with being more eco-friendly. Everyone would benefit from it!
According to the NYC’s main website, nyc.gov, there are an average of six percent annual deaths in New York due to the pollution in the air. The website states that PlaNYC, a plan committed to better the environment since 2007, will strive to “achieve the cleanest air quality of any big U.S. city.”
The plan seems simple; let the city fund the problems so we, the residents, can all be happy. But on the other hand, we shouldn’t depend on city officials to make it happens. I for one would want to do more to help out in my community.
Now I’m not saying New Yorkers aren’t eco-friendly, but there isn’t a limit on how much more we can help the environment out. It also doesn’t have to end in New York, nor the United States or the Canadians living north of us—it’s globally!
When we are brushing our teeth or cleaning the dishes, we can simply turn the knob so we are not wasting water. Shutting the light switch off after you get the door for the deliveryman would help. Simple things like leaving your car at home to take a transit train or bus would benefit not only you in gas, but also the environment in surviving. Recycling, reusing and reducing are the three pillars many people should also go by. The commitment to these three r’s will be one’s foundation to being more eco-friendly.
Now I know what you’re thinking, New Yorkers are arrogant and this paper is just another way for us to show boat on how much better we are but I am giving my personal experiences as an example on how we can go greener! I remember I used to be the person who threw their plastic plate of pizza on the ground or who shot Iced Tea Arizona bottles on the corner trash bins and not picking up the ones I missed, but i changed. I changed because if I want to live happily somewhere, especially in an area that I didn’t inhibit first and that could live without me, I should take care of it as much as I can. No matter where you live, you can somehow do your part.
