When my group and I were first assigned the Newtown Creek sewer shed, we were a bit unmotivated. We weren’t excited to have to go investigate how gross and polluted our environment is because we were already aware. However, I feel as though through the process of analyzing and investigating our assigned sewer shed, we as a group have learned a lot more about the environment as a whole as well as how exactly people and biodiversity is being affected with CSO’s (combined sewage overflow) and flooding. Being able to go to our location and have hands on experience was very beneficial to our group and it gave us more more information on what we should include in the ending of our project. Throughout this entire experience, I have become much more involved and conscious about the environment because I have come to the realization that as your environment gets worse, we are just as heavily affected if not more. I have also come to the realization that we need to take action before another natural disaster, like hurricane Sandy, happens because I do not think we will be able to withstand further damage if we do not make a change to infrastructure. In Rockaway Beach, where I live, there have been steps taken to prevent further damage in the event of another hurricane. For example, the once wooden boardwalk that did not withstand the power of Sandy has now been made into concrete, which would prevent the water from the ocean from hitting residents and their households harder. I think steps like these should be taken in Newtown Creek except with changes to internal infrastructures like pipes and etc. Im so grateful now for the experience I had in this class because it has made me more environmentally aware and conscious.
