Urban Organic Gardener: Self-Watering Fire Escape Garden in NYC

You don’t have to have a lot of outdoor space or cash to start an organic garden – in fact, if you’ve got a fire escape and some plastic containers in your recycling bin, you can grow everything from fresh greens and tomatoes to a wide array of herbs. Just ask Mike Lieberman, who built self-watering containers out of recycled materials so he could grow some of his own food at his Manhattan apartment.

Lieberman proves that small space can still provide a big yield with simple materials like soda bottles and buckets. He grows kale, swiss chard, lettuce, cherry tomatoes, peppers, mint, oregano and tarragon, all on his fire escape.

A second small garden in his grandmother’s Brooklyn backyard fits an incredible variety of fresh herbs and veggies into 16 mostly recycled containers, from cauliflower to cucumbers. This garden is a great example of how easy it can be to grow your own food, even if all you have is a porch or a deck to work with.

“This is my first time growing and the goal is get more people to do the same. To show them that it’s simple, they have the space and there’s nothing to be scared of,” said Lieberman.

Check out his blog at UrbanOrganicGardener.com for lots of tips and photos!

Link [Urban Organic Gardener]

Himane: Eco-Couture Made from Recycled Umbrella Fabric

Don’t toss that broken umbrella! While having it repaired may not be a feasible option for most people, the fabric can be recycled in unexpected and beautiful ways. New Yorkers can bring their broken umbrellas to a kiosk at Grand Central to embark upon new lives as fashionable totes and handbags.

Local Labels, a shop that sells products made within the New York City area, has teamed up with designer Catherine Edouard-Charlot to collect used and broken umbrellas and refashion them into bags that fashion-forward New Yorkers will be proud to carry.

Edouard-Charlot is the founder of Himane, a design label that upcycles fabric into beautiful new items like dresses, jackets and other clothing items. The dress, jacket and tote bag pictured above are all made from umbrella fabric that would otherwise have been sent to a landfill.

Not only are the designs hot, they’re durable and waterproof, too. Check out the whole collection at Himane.com

Link [Himane] with thanks to [EcoSalon]

Empire State Building Gets $120M Green Makeover

The Empire State Building has lost some of its luster after 78 years, and its owners are hoping to draw in more tenants with a $120 million dollar green makeover. Energy savings is just icing on the cake. Property owners and business managers are realizing that environmental improvements don’t just make sense financially, but also improve the image of the building.

From The Huffington Post:

“In a good market, we’re going to get the best rents for the best tenants,” said Anthony E. Malkin, who leads a real estate group that owns the Empire State Building. “In a bad market like we have now, we’re going to get tenants when other buildings won’t.”

“This isn’t just a ‘We are doing the right thing’ movement,” said Marc Heisterkamp, U.S. Green Building Council’s director of commercial real estate. “In the end, the numbers pencil out.”

At the Empire State Building, Malkin proposed a top-to-bottom renovation that included a $13.2 million investment in new green technologies. The goal was to sufficiently reduce greenhouse gases without spending more than he could justify to his investors.

What the owners settled on was a series of upgrades that include retrofitting all 6,500 windows. Under every window, radiators will be padded with extra insulation. The building’s lighting, cold water and ventilation systems also will be upgraded.

The renovation should take 18 months. Afterward, the owners expect an annual energy savings of $4.4 million, enough to pay off the new technologies in about three years.

HuffPo reports that other buildings across the U.S. undergoing similar changes include the Christman Building in Lansing, Michigan and the Sears Tower in Chicago. We’d love to see this trend continue to spread across the country, regardless of whether the building owners care about the environment or just want to make more money. Green greed is a good thing!

Link [Huffington Post]

Photo credit: Flickr user paulaloe

Eco Police Officers Bust Environmental Offenders

Looking at these police officers, you might think they’re from the Parks Department or some tiny town in Texas. Brooklyn business owners look at their olive green uniforms and Stetson hats and know immediately that they’re not city brass. But these aren’t visiting officers from another state – they’re an environmental police force whose job is find and prosecute environmental offenders, and they’re very serious about what they do.

From The New York Times:

As a member of a small force of police officers whose sole focus is enforcing environmental laws, Officer Stevens carries a gun and handcuffs and can haul a suspect off to jail. These environmental conservation officers number barely 20 in New York City, out of about 300 around the state, but issue about 2,000 summonses for violations and criminal charges annually.

Created in 1880, when they were known as “game protectors” and watched over game and fish, these eco-police officers are now part of the State Department of Environmental Conservation and have become more prominent in recent years as public consciousness about the role of pollution in global warming has grown. They now answer complaints and respond to dispatchers’ calls in addition to carrying out spot inspections and longer investigations.

Over two shifts this month, Officer Stevens responded to incidents ranging from fuel spilled from a tanker truck involved in a traffic accident in the Bronx to a store’s refusal to redeem the deposit on cans and bottles.

Other offenses that Officer Stevens has dealt with include leaking antifreeze and oil at a mechanic, clouds of blue smoke coming from a flatbed truck and Chinatown fish markets selling undersize fish, which is illegal because it undermines efforts to keep fish populations stable.

The EPA has its own environmental police force, but in recent years, its numbers have declined steadily. Some communities have volunteers that essentially do the same work, while in others, city workers with little authority are the only people keeping track of environmental offenses.

It seems like having uniformed officers that look “official” would be more effective. It would be nice to see more cities use this method of controlling pollution and other problems, but with state budgets dwindling across the board, it may not happen for a while. Still, it’s nice to know these guys are out there.

Link [The New York Times]
Photo credit: Freaking News

Rising Seas Not Your Problem? Think Again

New Yorkers, prepare to get wet. Thanks to rising sea levels, much of Manhattan will begin to experience “violent and frequent” storm surges as the 21st century unfolds. Wall Street, for example, is barely three feet above sea level and will likely find itself underwater more often in the years to come, according to a new study published by Nature Geoscience.

From Google (AFP):

The researchers analysed the projections of nearly a dozen state-of-the art climate change models, under three different greenhouse gas scenarios.

They found that sea levels in the North Atlantic adjusted in all cases to the projected slowing of the Gulf Stream and its northward extension, the North Atlantic Current.

The weakened currents account for nearly half of a predicted sea rise — from thermal expansion alone — of 36 to 51 centimeters for the US northeastern coast, especially near New York, they found.

“This will lead to the rapid sea level rise on the Northeast coast of the United States,” Yin told AFP by phone.

Rapid sea level increases would put cities such as New York, Boston, Baltimore and Washington D.C. at significantly greater risk of coastal hazards such as hurricanes and intense winter storm surges.

Part of the reason there’s so much resistance to global warming action in America is because people seem to think this country is immune to most of the effects being predicted by scientists. We hear dire warnings about what will happen in places like India, the Pacific Islands and Africa all the time but rarely do the projections hit close to home. Perhaps this news will be a wake-up call to some people. Fear does tend to put a fire under our asses.

Link [Google]
Photo credit: Vanity Fair via Treehugger

Climate Change Deniers’ Sad Little Gathering in NYC

First, there was the ‘Celebrate Coal’ rally held in Washington D.C. that drew less than twenty people as thousands of anti-coal demonstrators marched nearby. Now, a paltry 600 climate change deniers have gathered in New York City for their annual ‘International Conference on Climate Change’, put together by the Heartland Institute, a conservative organization that seeks to discredit climate change science.

This year’s conference is a little different than usual. You would think these people would be motivated to join together and put up a united front against what they see as a huge threat – the Obama administration, which is aggressively moving forward on climate change issues. But the fact is, their ranks are showing signs of internal rifts and weakening support.

From The New York Times, via The Huffington Post:

The meeting participants hold a wide range of views of climate science. Some concede that humans probably contribute to global warming but they argue that the shift in temperatures poses no urgent risk. Others attribute the warming, along with cooler temperatures in recent years, to solar changes or ocean cycles.

But large corporations like Exxon Mobil, which in the past financed the Heartland Institute and other groups that challenged the climate consensus, have reduced support. Many such companies no longer dispute that the greenhouse gases produced by burning fossil fuels pose risks.

Alan T. Jeffers, a spokesman for Exxon Mobil, said by e-mail that the company had ended support “to several public policy research groups whose position on climate change could divert attention from the important discussion about how the world will secure the energy required for economic growth in an environmentally responsible manner.”

Of course, that doesn’t mean that Exxon Mobil has suddenly had a dramatic change of heart and now fully supports the fight against global warming – their motivations are undoubtedly rooted in the desire to stay afloat as the world begins the shift toward clean energy.

However, climate change deniers are finding themselves and their arguments increasingly marginalized, especially as the economic downturn spurs climate change action all over the world. Without the Bush administration and companies like Exxon Mobil to back them up, they’re going to disappear into obscurity, and not a moment too soon. Good riddance.

Link [The New York Times] via [The Huffington Post]
Photo credit: Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times

NYC Skyscrapers Gather Heat for Power

Towers in Manhattan are getting power from heat through the installation of gas-powered cogeneration plants, which are being added to many buildings’ roofs and parking garages.  Improved efficiency combined with government incentives and rising electricity costs have made installing cogeneration plants and generating their own power cost-effective for landlords, who are looking to save money in the long term.

From The New York Times:

The appeal is simple: cogens help landlords lower energy costs. “You start to see savings on monthly bills right away,” said Clark Wieman, Cooper Union’s planning director. He said that the new generator would cost eight cents a kilowatt-hour, roughly half the cost of buying electricity from Con Ed.

For landlords, the assurance of on-site power also provides added comfort. “Backup power is another amenity we offer to our tenants,” said David R. Greenbaum, president of Vornado’s New York office division.

Cogens are also considered greener, because they lighten the demand on Con Ed’s older, dirtier plants and generate as-needed energy on location. Electricity weakens as it travels along transmission lines. Indeed, only 40 percent of each volt that Con Ed generates reaches the customer, according to Thomas W. Smith, the chief executive at Endurant Energy, the consulting firm managing the One Penn Plaza installation. The remainder dissipates into the grid as heat and carbon emissions.

The cogen at One Penn Plaza, the black skyscraper next to Madison Square Garden, is expected to attain efficiency levels as high as 80 percent, according to Smith. That’ll translate to about 2,800 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions that are offset each year. And that’s just from one building – the more skyscrapers install cogeneration plants, the more greenhouse gas emissions will be cut.

The upfront cost will keep this idea from spreading too far and wide – One Penn Plaza’s cogen cost $18 million. So, only big developers will be able to afford to make the change. Still, it’s encouraging to hear that big cities are getting smarter about energy.

Link [The New York Times]

Be a Grassroots Online Organizing Intern for Greenpeace!

Still in college, or looking for a change? Greenpeace is seeking Grassroots Online Organizing interns to work in New York City during Spring 2009. This could be a fantastic opportunity to get started in the green collar field, so jump on it!

As a Greenpeace Online Organizing Intern you can:

-Build expertise in the most cutting edge online organizing strategies and tactics
-Launch a renewable energy revolution to combat global warming, stop the destruction of ancient forests, hold corporations accountable and yes, save the whales!
-Take on corporations and governments that are threatening the planet by working in the world’s best-known environmental activist organization!
Responsibilities:
-Use online tools like Facebook, MySpace, You Tube, Flickr, and blogs to promote and publicize priority Greenpeace campaigns.
-Recruit and engage online and on-the-ground activists in key regions.
Qualifications:
-Familiarity with blogs, online social networks such as MySpace and FaceBook, Flickr, YouTube and other web 2.0  tools
-Excellent written and verbal communications skills
-Strong online research skills
-Competency with excel and web databases
-Ability to learn quickly in a fast-paced environment -Intellectual curiosity and creativity
-Analytical and problem solving skills
-Commitment to protecting the planet
-Independent and self-motivated
-A sense of adventure

To Apply: Please send a cover letter and resume to organize@wdc.greenpeace.org Be sure to tell us where you found out about the position.

Applications and interviews are on rolling basis so please apply now!

This is an unpaid internship in New York City. College credit is available.  The start date is as soon as possible and applications will be accepted until the position is filled.  Days and hours are flexible.

Diverse perspectives and experience enhance the way Greenpeace selects and approaches issues, as well as the creativity and effectiveness of our campaigns.  Greenpeace strongly encourages applications from women, people of color, and other under-represented communities.

Greenpeace is an independent campaign organization, which uses non-violent creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and to force solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future.

Link [Greenpeace]

Wind Power Gaining Popularity in New York City

New York City is warming up to wind power, as evidenced by the small turbines that are popping up on the rooftops of apartment buildings. The small turbines typically look like table fans rather than the towering white wind turbines seen in large open spaces. These mini turbines supply power directly to homes without first sending it through a utility company’s lines.

From The New York Times:

One major sticking point in the city is that densely packed buildings tend to scatter breezes, making it tough to capture steady gusts. Although this and other kinks need to be addressed before the widespread rollout of small turbines is possible, there are signs of gains.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg stoked excitement among wind-power advocates in August when he announced that he supported putting turbines atop city skyscrapers.

Of the 60 proposals that were later submitted to the city under a request for renewable-energy projects, the majority were wind related, including technologies for apartment-mounted machines, said Jen Becker, a vice president of the New York City Economic Development Corporation. “It’s definitely something we are looking at seriously,” she said.

The Blue Sea Development Company is building a five-story brick apartment building in the Melrose section of South Bronx that wil be partially powered by 10 1-kilowatt turbines. The turbines cost about $10,000 each and are expected to halve the annual utility bill for the common spaces. The project is designed as affordable housing, with montly rents ranging between $750-$1,089.

The state is offering a break for those who want to install wind turbines by covering half of initial expenses. A provision in the Troubled Assets Relief Program bailout bill also created a national one-time 30% tax credit for the installation costs for homeowners.

It’s nice to see NYC thinking outside the box. It definitely doesn’t seem like the ideal place for wind energy to take off, but more power to them for making it work.

Link [The New York Times]

Times Square New Year’s Eve Bash Resulted in 40 Tons of Trash

Now that it’s 2009 and New Year celebrations are over, what remains – in Times Square, at least – is tons and tons of trash. About 40 tons of confetti, cups, napkins, hats and other garbage accumulated in the streets during the New Year’s Eve bash and now the city Department of Sanitation gets to take on the job of cleaning it all up.

From USA Today:

Cleanup crews hit the streets shortly after midnight Thursday following the 2009 ball drop. Sanitation spokesman Keith Mellis said 163 people worked until 8 a.m. to sweep up the party trash, and a new shift started at 11 a.m. to tidy the area.

Because of the wind — nearly 25 mph gusts throughout the city — the department wasn’t quite sure how much trash was strewn about, but Mellis expected a little more than last year’s 40 tons. The Times Square Alliance, which puts on the event, said about 1 million people attended.

40 tons. That’s a lot of trash, and with the wind blowing, you wonder whether they managed to get it all. What a waste – literally. It’s amazing how many pieces of plastic or paper we use just once and then throw into a landfill. I guess this sort of takes away from the coolness of the new eco-friendly Times Square ball. Maybe next year New York City will make some kind of effort to cut back on the amount of trash that’s produced – that would really be getting somewhere.

Link [USA Today]

Times Square New Year’s Eve Ball Gets Green Makeover

When the ball drops tonight in Times Square, New Year’s Eve revelers will get an up-close view of its energy-efficient makeover.  The 12-foot sphere will be double the size of previous balls yet use even less energy thanks to the 32,256 LED lights that will cover it. The new ball will become a year-round attraction above Times Square, in full public view January through December.

From Times Square NYC via Inhabitat:

PHILIPS LIGHTING provided the new solid state lighting technology for the Ball, resulting in an astounding increase in impact, energy efficiency, and color capabilities.  Capable of creating a palette of more than 16 million colors and billions of possible patterns, the 32,256 Philips Luxeon LEDs in this year’s Ball represent more than three times the number of LEDS used last year, to deliver a brighter and more beautiful New Year’s experience than ever before. And this year’s Ball is 10-20% more energy efficient than last year’s already energy-efficient Ball, consuming only the same amount of energy per hour as it would take to operate two traditional home ovens.

“At Philips Lighting, we are proud to be driving innovative and energy-efficient solutions for the world’s broad range of lighting applications – from celebrated landmarks to consumers’ homes — and we’re especially delighted to be the official Lighting Partner to the iconic New Year’s Eve Ball in Times Square,” said Philips Lighting Company Director of Corporate Communications Susan Bloom.  “Now bigger in size and incorporating even more powerful and energy-efficient Philips Luxeon LEDs than last year, this year’s Ball will deliver a New Year’s Eve experience that will be brighter, more beautiful, and more sustainable than ever before.”

Considering that LEDs are brighter and more vibrant than the incandescent bulbs that were previously used, it only makes sense. This year’s ball should be even more beautiful than ever, and hopefully as it drops it’ll usher in a green, sustainable 2009.

Link [Times Square NYC] via [Inhabitat]

New Climate Change Exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History

The American Museum of Natural History in New York City has a new exhibit on climate change up and running through next August. Climate Change: The Threat to Life and A New Energy Future aims to educate visitors about all aspects of climate change – how we got to where we are now, the science behind climate change, the effect it is currently having and will continue to have upon the earth and what we can all do about it. From the museum website:

Earth’s climate is changing. Global temperature is rising, weather patterns are shifting and other effects may be on our horizon. While we can’t predict the severity of those impacts in a particular place or time, we can nonetheless see—and measure—many changes.

Yes, climate has changed throughout Earth’s long history, but this time is different. For the first time, complex human societies are facing the consequences of climate change worldwide. Plant and animal species already threatened by fragmented habitats are feeling the impact. And for the first time, humans are causing it.

Can we avoid disastrous climate change by altering the way we live? There is still time. But it will take a worldwide effort, lasting generations. And it needs to start now.

Donate your Facebook status!

We all have a part to play in the fight against climate change. For some of us that part may be big, and for others it may be small, but one little thing you can do to help is spread awareness about this important exhibit by donating your Facebook status between November 17th and December 15th. Just change it to:

[Your name] is donating his/her status to tackle Climate Change: http://amnhblogs.org/donate-status

The American Museum of Natural History is open Monday through Friday, 10:00am – 5:45pm, and tickets are $24 for adults, $14 for children ages 2-12 and $18 for seniors and students with ID. For directions, parking and other details, see the website or call (212) 769-5100.

Link [American Museum of Natural History]

Times Square Getting its First Green Billboard

If you’re going to be in Times Square for New Year’s Eve this winter, be on the lookout for a brand-new eco-friendly billboard that will be powered entirely by sun and wind. It’s the first of its kind in an area known for dazzling, power-guzzling light displays. Construction on the 35,000-pound sign will begin this month across the avenue from the building where the ball drops on New Year’s Eve.

From MSNBC:

Powered by 16 wind turbines and 64 solar panels, the sign is expected to save $12,000 to $15,000 per month in electricity costs. Ricoh, an office equipment and document storage supplier, estimates the sign will also keep 18 tons of carbon out of the environment.

The billboard will be lighted by floodlights rather than light-emitting diodes. It won’t have a backup generator, so it could go dark during a long period with little wind or sun.

“The point is that there are ways of being environmentally friendly to the planet, even on a billboard,” Potesky said.

A lighting ceremony for the 126-foot wide, 47-foot tall sign is scheduled for Dec. 4.

NYC has really been picking up the pace with green initiatives and programs lately! Last week we learned that they’ve been dimming the city’s legendary energy-sucking lighting at night, and over the summer they successfully closed off streets to traffic so pedestrians could enjoy smog-free strolling. Nice leadership – can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

Link [MSNBC]
Photo credit: Times Square NYC

NYC Gets 105 New Public Recycling Bins

Manhattanites now have 33 new public places where they can bring their recyclables as part of an expansion of a pilot recycling program that began in March 2007, when 126 blue and green recycling bins were placed in high-traffic areas at 10 sites throughout the city. New York City residents are required by law to recycle at home, so it’s about time they were given the ability to do it in public, too.

From Gothamist:

Starting yesterday, an additional 105 blue and green bins can be found throughout all five boroughs. The mayor’s office stressed that the expansion comes at minimal cost to taxpayers through the use of existing Department of Sanitation collection resources and partnerships with 18 Business Improvement Districts. Bloomberg said yesterday that “the key to maintaining the City’s high quality of life—even during tough times—is learning to do more with less. Because of careful planning by the Sanitation Department, this expansion of public recycling will have virtually no impact on the City’s budget.”

This is great, but… doesn’t the NYC city council realize that you can’t paper that has gotten wet? The paper recycling bins are open to the sky. That means a whole lot of well-meaning people are going to be bringing their newspapers and other recyclable paper to these bins, and they’ll end up getting thrown away anyway. A Gothamist commenter suggested putting the bins on the subway platforms. Makes sense to us.

See the list of places where the new bins have been added at Gothamist.

Link [Gothamist]

Green College Spotlight: New York University

New York University is one of many schools in the country going green in big ways that extend far beyond simple recycling and CFLs. This esteemed university held on to the title of number one campus purchaser of green energy for over a year, and the renewable energy credits it buys account for 100% of its energy use.  That’s especially impressive when you consider the fact that NYU has a large urban campus.  But when it comes to NYU’s sustainability initiatives, this achievement is just the tip of the iceberg.

Located in New York City with nearly 40,000 students, the NYU campus has been home to environmental activism since the 1980’s, when the Earth Matters environmental club was founded.  The 1990s saw the beginnings of NYU’s recycling program, which was one of the first formal institutional recycling programs in New York City. Since then, New York University’s efforts have rapidly multiplied, and today you can find a wide assortment of sustainability initiatives in place and in the works.

Some of the sustainability projects at NYU include a Sustainability Task Force, green grants, environmental assessment, a comprehensive energy saving strategy, a bookstore green initiative and organic meals at the Hayden Dining Hall.

The Sustainability Task Force is at the helm of NYU’s future green projects, and they carry out their ideas through assessments of current practices, recommending a prioritized ‘Green Action Plan’ to improve NYU’s environmental footprint, getting students, faculty and administrators involved in green efforts and finally, awarding funds for green projects. The Sustainability Task Force has a long list of successful projects including wind power purchases, native landscaping, tracking water consumption, conservation contests in the residence halls and composting biodegradable waste in the dining hall.

“Green Grants” are awarded each year to fund the best project ideas that improve sustainability on campus, engage the community and advance applied research and educational goals. Some of the projects that were funded this year include a year-end residence hall recycling drive, a residential energy challenge, a veggie-powered vehicle project and a lighting efficiency project.

One of the most notable green projects to get funding from NYU’s green grants is the Bike to School project, which was featured in The New York Times when it debuted in 2007. Not only does this project provide bicycles for students to get around campus, it saves old bicycles from heading to the landfill.   Volunteer mechanics at a nearby environmental organization called Times Up! rejuvenate abandoned bikes using new parts purchased with the grant money.  NYU also recently announced funding for a bike-sharing initiative.

Other important commitments that NYU has made to sustainability focus on lowering the university’s eco footprint.  President Sexton signed the Presidents Climate Commitment, and NYU is also a member of New York City’s PlaNYC, which commits them to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent over the next ten years – although, NYU expects to meet that goal much sooner than that.  All new construction at New York University will meet LEED silver standards, joining the university’s first LEED certified building, Gallatin Hall.

Check out the NYU Sustainability website for all the details!

Link [NYU]
Photo credit: James Estrin/The New York Times

Forbes: America’s Hottest Green Job Markets

Amidst all of the gloomy news out of Wall Street lately, Forbes.com is offering up a beacon of hope: the green job market.  Green jobs will be available by the millions in the coming years, and if you’re wondering where the best places to snag them are, check out Forbes.com’s new list of the hottest green job markets.  Unsurprisingly, big cities claim most of the spots on the list.

From Forbes.com:

No. 1: New York, N.Y.

The looming prospect of layoffs on Wall Street could be a blessing in disguise for the nation’s largest green jobs market–New York City. The Big Apple reported more than 25,000 green jobs in 2006. By 2038, New York’s green economy could generate nearly 200,000 jobs, many in architecture, engineering and design. If a lot of super-ambitious, ultra hard-working investment bankers suddenly find themselves out of work, odds are they’ll reinvent themselves in the green space.

No. 2: Washington, D.C.

In January, the CIA opened the first of two new buildings designed to comply with green building standards. Interestingly, the CIA is a relative latecomer to the green game in the nation’s capital. In the past two years, the nation’s largest landlord–the U.S. government–has put energy efficiency high on its list of priorities. Ultimately, the investment could generate substantial returns the federal government in the form of lower energy costs for the more than half-million buildings it oversees. It can add sparking the growth of a green jobs market in the capital to the list.

Check out the rest of the list at Forbes.com.

If the future for your job market is looking decidedly bleak, now’s a great time to start thinking about how you can parlay your skills in the green market.  Everyone from salespeople and factory workers to engineers and marketing experts will be able to make the shift to a more secure future.  Watch for EarthFirst’s ‘great green job of the week’ every week, and check out the job board at Treehugger.com.

Link [Forbes] + [Treehugger]

Manhattan’s Car-Free ‘Summer Streets’ Will Return

Good news for Manhattanites! This August’s ‘Summer Streets’ program, which closed select streets in Manhattan on three consecutive Saturdays, will be back next year and possibly the year after that! The Summer Streets program prohibited motor traffic on a 7-mile stretch from the Brooklyn Bridge to Central Park, allowing pedestrians and bicyclists to take back the streets – and oh, they did.  Revelers strolled, danced and even did yoga while children decorated the pavement with sidewalk chalk.  They enjoyed air free of fumes and freely crossing the street without fear of being hit by a cab.

What a great concept.  We’d love to see this catch on, on a larger scale – cities across the world should start similar programs.  It’s an awakening to what life can be like without relying on motor vehicles for everything.

Link [Gothamist]

‘Truth in Hydration’ Pushing Bottled NYC Tap Water

Bottled water aficionados were upset when we all learned the truth about where the Dasani and Aquafina brands of bottled water actually come from: the tap.  The public had been led to believe that bottled water was cleaner, purer, safer and better-tasting than tap water, so they felt duped.  Maybe that’s why bottled water company Tap’dNY is pushing their product through a blog called ‘Truth in Hydration’.  Tap’dNY is NYC tap water in a bottle, and the company is focusing on the idea of ‘honesty in marketing of water’.

From the Truth in Hydration blog:

Tap’dNY is a bottled water company with a local twist and a knack for honesty. We don’t travel the world from Fiji to France seeking water or offer the usual bottled water gimmicks. We work with NYC’s public water system to source the world’s best tasting tap water, purify it through reverse osmosis and bottle it locally, leaving out ludicrous transportation miles.

We offer an honest and local alternative to thirsty New Yorkers, giving them a smarter choice: to drink their own (award winning) water.

…local tap water? Is this a retreat in the war on bottled water, or a pragmatic solution to a problem that’s not going away (that is- people like the convenience of bottled water and are too lazy to carry around a Sigg)?  It’s difficult to predict whether a bottled-water-obsessed America will ever shift toward carrying reusable containers instead of buying and tossing so much plastic.

For New Yorkers, at least, Tap’dNY water doesn’t seem worth the price: they can get the same thing from any tap in town, for free.  And, many people across the US could benefit similarly by simply fitting their faucet with a filter and getting in the habit of bringing a container everywhere they go.  But, America is entranced with anything labeled ‘more convenient’, so bottled water might not be going anywhere.  In that case, at least Tap’dNY is being honest about where their water comes from, and bottling local water is certainly greener than importing it from across the globe.

Link [Truth in Hydration] via [Neatorama]

NYC Waterfall Installations Might be Killing Trees

So, those NYC waterfall installations might not be so great after all. Four waterfall installations located around the NYC metropolitan area were installed in June and lauded for their efforts to green it up by reusing the materials in construction projects after the installations come down. They also took pains to avoid harming aquatic life. Too bad they didn’t think about how all that salt water would affect trees downwind of one of the waterfalls.

Gothamist has it:

Artist Olafur Eliasson may soon have tree blood on his hands – the Brooklyn Bridge waterfall installation is kicking up such a salty spray that downwind trees are turning brown and “looking as if it’s November,” the Post reports. The saltwater is interfering with their photosynthesis, and the owner of the River Café, which has gardens just south of the bridge, is worried that the trees he planted over three decades ago are suffering too much for public art. The Parks Department agrees they’re “showing signs of stress,” and the Public Art Fund, which is producing the NYC Waterfalls, has hired a tree service to try and save them.

Oops. Hopefully they’ll be able to save the trees. That would certainly be a waste. Waterfalls are cool and all, but they’re just for human enjoyment and it would be a shame if they messed up the local ecosystem.

Link [Gothamist]

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