April 30th Field Trip: INAF 4001, to BIG! Compost Site
Time of Field Trip Visit
11:30-1pm, April 30th. Be there by 11:15.
Transportation
The nearest subway is the N/Q/7 Queensboro Plaza (about a 10 minute walk). The Court Square E/G/M stop is a bit more of a walk (about 20 minutes), but also in the area.
The compost site is located underneath the Queensboro Bridge near the intersection of Queens Plaza South and 10th Street (http://goo.gl/maps/zCdYA). From the subway, walk to Queens Plaza South and 10th street. There is a big entrance at that intersection. Once you enter, we are to the far right (east) area under the bridge. You will see leaf cages and compost rows.
Dress
You will be at a compost site: closed toed flat shoes and long pants are recommended.
Problems/Issues
Email me at Samantha.macbride@baruch.cuny.edu or call/text 917-613-1789
Comments Off on April 30th Field Trip: INAF 4001, to BIG! Compost Site
Annotated Bibliography – New York City on Hurricane Sandy : A Powerful City Sans Power.
To: Professor Samantha MacBride
From: Derek Ku
Date: Apr 15, 2013
Re: Annotated Bibliography
Venugopal, Arun. 2011. “WNYC News Blog – Census Pinpoints City’s Wealthiest, Poorest Neighborhoods.” WNYC. http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/wnyc-news-blog/2011/dec/08/census-locates-citys-wealthiest-and-poorest-neighborhoods/?utm_source=sharedUrl&utm_media=metatag&utm_campaign=sharedUrl.
Venugopal highlights one of the lowest income neighborhoods in New York City that is located in South Bronx and provides socioeconomic statistics presented over a map of New York City. He goes on to highlight the opposite side of the spectrum in Upper East Side where the median income is over $200,000. I find it fascinating that the poor live immediately a couple blocks away from the affluent in Midtown West. The geographical data presented on the median income level map allows me to understand how the wealth is distributed amongst the five boroughs of New York City and the neighboring states. In regards to storm water management and power blackouts, I will be exploring how quickly a neighborhood recovers after these disasters. I will examine how this hastens because of neighborhood cooperation or exacerbates from rioting, theft, or arson. The closer the neighborhoods are to the lower water levels and parks, the higher the median income.
Tingle, Alex. 2013. “Flood Maps.” Accessed April 15. http://flood.firetree.net/?ll=43.3251,-101.6015&z=13&m=7.
Tingle, an experienced software engineer utilizes geographical data and water levels to create a map that displays which areas of land will be submerged in water as the water level rises. I will be observing how water level affects the amount of risk a neighborhood is in and how each neighborhood handles the surplus storm water. I have also noticed a trend between the distance from the coast and the increasing median income. This is due in part to rising real estate prices along 12th Avenue and York Avenue, with exception to the Lower East Side which is rent controlled, or rent stabilized. Another point of interest that I discuss is how TriBeCa and the West Village dealt and recovered from Hurricane Sandy as opposed to the residents in the Lower East Side and East Village. Both neighborhoods suffered a huge drawback due to the water damage, but both handled the situation drastically different.
“Population – New York City Department of City Planning.” 2013. Accessed April 16. http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/census/demo_maps_2010.shtml.
In the NYC 2010 Census, I will be observing how dense each neighborhood is and provide insights on the quality of life in the neighborhoods by comparing it with the water level and median income level. The Upper West Side and Upper East Side are highly populated yet the median income is relatively high due to all the luxury apartments, brownstones, and townhouses. People also have access to Central Park, the East River and Hudson River respectively, which makes these neighborhoods exorbitantly expensive. On top of that, Upper East Side and Upper West Side are both situated on fairly high ground.
“Hurricane Sandy: New Jersey, New York Still Struggle With Power Outages.” 2012. Huffington Post. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/11/hurricane-sandy-new-jersey-york-power-outage_n_2113856.html.
Over 8 million customers lost power during the storm and over hundreds of thousands of customers lost power days after Hurricane Sandy, demonstrating the lasting effects of the Hurricane on power in New York City and the surrounding areas. Electric infrastructure got damaged to the point where they could not access electricity even if it was available to their neighborhood. The power outage in densely populated areas hurt homes and businesses alike. Most of the densely populated neighborhoods such as Lower East Side, East Village, and West Village were hit. Queens’ Breezy Point and Long Island were hit the hardest due to lack of infrastructure and population density.
“SoPo: The Coining of a Neighborhood Name.” 2013. The Atlantic Wire. Accessed April 16. http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/11/sopo-coining-neighborhood-name/58639/.
Due to the power outage, New Yorkers banded together to form a temporary neighborhood called South of Power. On a social standpoint, where everyone formerly went to barhop and enjoy nightlife, now became a place where everyone dreaded. In a city overrun with real estate professional whom coin acronyms and nicknames for neighborhoods, South of Power was ironically created to unite the neighborhoods and boost morale amongst the residents. It was not an uncommon occurrence to see folks in the Lower East Side without access to clean water resort to fire hydrants and clearing supermarkets for supplies. People stocked up on food and water, expecting the effects of Sandy to last for more than just a couple days. A loss of power became the cause of crowds huddling around Starbucks for Free wi-fi and Chase Banks for outlets. In a bleak, powerless portion of New York City, it’s citizens created a symbol euphemistically embracing the grit and struggle that New Yorkers endured during and after Hurricane Sandy.
“Phone Charging Stations Pop up Around NYC in Aftermath of Hurricane Sandy | Digital Trends.” 2013. Digital Trends. Accessed April 16. http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/nyc-pop-up-charging-stations-help-hurricane-victims-power-up-their-phones/.
Electricity runs a city. Without power, millions of New Yorkers were left unable to utilize their phone to contact family and family. As observed by some media outlets, New Yorkers took up extremes to even bike on a stationary bicycle that cranked a generator, charging multiple phones. In response to New York’s lack of mobile electrical infrastructure, Brightbox, a Brooklyn based startup creates mobile charging stations which charges a $2-4 fee per usage. The need began after the founder, Adam Johnson saw the crowded in residential and hotel lobbies. After its installation in front of the Ace Hotel, it has charged over thousands of phones. Other issues still remain; a lack of Wi-Fi connection would render tablets and phones without service useless as a mode of communication in a disaster. Brightbox provides a temporary solution to a small portion of Manhattan. In the coming years, New York will need these charging stations spread out amongst the city to combat disasters that might occur in the future.
“Thousands of Con Edison Customers Lose Power Due to Hurricane Sandy Through New York City and Westchester County.” 2013. NY Daily News. Accessed April 16. http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/69-000-power-nyc-westchester-article-1.1194870.
Con Edison threatened to shut down its operations because the storm surge would “flood the underground electrical delivery system.” New York’s electrical infrastructure has not prepared for a flood of this magnitude. Hurricane Sandy brought record-breaking water levels. Our poor stormwater management infrastructure provided New York with only drains and grates that would allow excess water to flow back into the tunnels below the city. Power was cut from lower Manhattan, because ConEd deems the pipes to be explosive if inundated with cold sea water. The seawater threatened to burn out the equipment which would have made repairs a lot slower.
Comments Off on Annotated Bibliography – New York City on Hurricane Sandy : A Powerful City Sans Power.
Annotated Bibliography – Fuel Efficient Vehicles in NYC
To: Professor Samantha MacBride
From: Megan Chiu
Date: April 15, 2013
Re: Annotated Bibliography
Columbia University – SIPA Spring Workshop, A. “TRANSPORTING NEW YORK CITY”(2005), accessed March 5, 2013, http://mpaenvironment.ei.columbia.edu/news/projects/NRDC%20Spring%20final%20report.pdf.
This report written by students of Columbia Universities School of International and Public Affairs explores the New York City initiatives to use green transportation technology. The main option that the students explored was hybrid vehicles, which parallels my research topic. Key benefits of hybrid cars as a green alternative include fuel efficiency, as well as cost savings after multiple years of use.
One of the policy recommendations is to apply the green initiative to a subgroup of the city’s automobile population. One of the groups that can be regulated most easily is the NYC taxi fleet. The proposition is to require a certain percentage of the fleet of taxis and yellow cabs to meet minimum fuel efficiency requirements. Ideally, the proposition will allow the city to identify the most successful fuel efficient vehicle for the taxi fleet.
I am using the source as part of my research because of the detail it goes into when reviewing the different policies implemented thus far in New York City. It is directly related to my topic of fuel-efficient transportation alternatives in the city, referring specifically to cars.
Anonymous. “Hybrid Taxis Will Cut Emissions by 215,000 Tons in Next FiveYears.” BioCycle 48, no. 6 (June 2007): 6, accessed March 1, 2013.
This article reports on Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s efforts to reduce air pollution and emissions drastically by introducing hybrid taxis. According to the article, hybrid taxis will save the equivalent of 30,000 cars’ emissions. The plan, as part of PlaNYC, is to increase the number of hybrid taxis from 375 in 2007 to 1,000 in 2008 and eventually 10,000 by 2011.
Mayor Bloomberg’s initiative is an example of how the city has tried to implement programs to reduce emissions in the city. The success, or failure, of this plan, is an indication of the sustainability and permanence of the program for New York City.
The data from this source will serve as a benchmark for the air pollution reduction standards that the city hopes to achieve within the next few years. The figures mentioned in the article will help me cross referencing the progress made in terms of increasing green vehicles with other statistics.
Gao, H. Oliver, and Vincent Kitirattragarn. 2008. “Taxi Owners’ Buying Preferences of Hybrid-electric Vehicles and Their Implications for Emissions in New York City.” Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice 42 (8) (October): 1064–1073.
The authors explore the benefits of hybrid taxis in the New York City taxi fleet. According to the article, the brake technology in hybrid cars increases fuel efficiency, which also benefits city drivers as they are often braking. In turn, this leads to lower fuel usages and higher mileage, especially in light of high fuel prices.
The article summarizes the authors’ findings of a survey of taxi drivers’ preferences, which are important because they have the power to control the market penetration of hybrid vehicles in the taxi fleet. The surveys found that the two most important factors to taxi drivers when considering which vehicle they want to purchase next are the vehicle cost and the maintenance cost. The environmental impact of the car was the fourth most important aspect, according to correlation coefficients.
As previously mentioned, this article discusses many of the barriers to entry for green and hybrid vehicles in the market, particularly the taxi fleet. These will serve as counter-arguments to why hybrid and electric cars in New York City may not prove to be a sustainable initiative. If a large population of drivers, that is, taxi drivers, is not convinced that they should spend the extra money for a green taxi, then they will choose a conventional car for their next taxi. However, by addressing the concerns of the taxi drivers, the city can cater the initiatives to the concerns of the taxi drivers and thus convince them to purchase green vehicles.
“Exploring Electric Vehicle Adoption in New York City.” 2010, accessed March 31, 2013. http://nytelecom.vo.llnwd.net/o15/agencies/planyc2030/pdf/electric_vehicle_adoption_study.pdf.
The largest concern is market penetration of electric vehicles in New York City. As a part of PlaNYC, the city is researching ways to pinpoint the benefits that early supporters of electric vehicles and convince other potential consumers to convert to using Electric Vehicles. According to the city, 22% of the air pollution in New York City comes from transportation, which includes cars.
As a supporting point for whether or not the idea is sustainable and the goals achievable, the federal government is a supporter of the PlaNYC Drive Electric NYC initiative as well. One of the drawbacks found in the city’s research is the lack of publication and information about electric vehicles. New York drivers are reportedly less familiar with electric vehicle performance, costs, and emission levels. The article states that by addressing the education issue, New York will be able to accommodate and welcome a new fleet and influx of consumer electric vehicles. The point about the drawback mentioned in the briefing will be important to consider when determining the longevity of the initiative.
Rahman, Hashim. 2011. “NYC Taxi Ruling May Make Cities Tread Carefully.” Planning 77 (6) (July): 8.
This article reports on one of the roadblocks officials face in implementing hybrid vehicle taxi fleets. According to the courts, the initiative to mandate the purchase and use of hybrid and green air technology vehicles as part of the NYC taxi fleet is illegal as it is trying to regulate clean air and fuel. However, there are already federal policies regulating clean air and fuel consumption, the Clean Air Act and the Energy Policy and Conservation Act.
These federal regulations have major impacts on New York City’s ability to adopt a green fleet. Since the courts feel that the hybrid initiative oversteps the boundaries of the federal government’s regulations, requiring taxi drivers to purchase new hybrid vehicles will be a challenge for PlaNYC programmers. This article will be useful in arguing against the sustainability and potential of a creating a hybrid fleet.
Carpenter, Tommy, Andrew Curtis, and S Keshav. “The Return On Investmentfor Taxi Companies Transitioning to Electric Vehicles,” accessed April 12, 2013. https://cs.uwaterloo.ca/research/tr/2011/CS-2011-20a.pdf.
This research paper concludes that after conducting a cost-benefit analysis of using electric vehicles as part of taxi fleet, it is actually beneficial to a city to convert its fleet. However, the survey, which was conducted in San Francisco, does not necessarily mean that it will absolutely have the same results in New York City, though the findings do suggest success. Some of the issues raised in the case study are ideal powering stations for electric vehicles and a total restructuring of the transportation industry.
This is an interesting source to use because the case study takes place in a city similar to and on a similar scale as New York City. California is much more proactive in terms of its air pollution reduction and regulation policies. This is an example of the type of information that can persuade taxi drivers and fleet owners to consider switching over to green vehicles.
“Fact Sheet for Alternative Fuel System Conversions – NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation.” 2013. Accessed April 16. http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/89537.html.
This fact sheet summarizes the legal changes that can be made to vehicles in order to make them more fuel efficient and compliant with federal regulations such as the Clean Air Act. One of the important points of this fact sheet is that the New York policies are based on California’s laws, which demonstrates the power of influence and high standards California has set in the field of clean air technology.
These pieces of legislature will be important to my research paper because they are compliant with the federal regulations that oversee environmental and air pollution initiatives. Compared to the blanket policies that New York City tried to implement by imposing a mandate to convert all taxis to hybrid or fuel-efficient vehicles, the policies stated in this fact sheet may be better guiding principles for new environmental policies.
*Citations made using Chicago Manual of Style, Author-Date formatting
Comments Off on Annotated Bibliography – Fuel Efficient Vehicles in NYC
Tuesday April 16- A full class
Hi Everyone:
This is just to alert you that we will be having a very full and tight class schedule this coming Tuesday. Arrive on time and be prepared to stay until 2:05. The program for the class is as follows:
1. General remarks on presenting in groups at the Macaulay conference.
2. Guest speaker: We are honored to have Jonathan Krones, a PhD student from MIT, here to discuss the concept of urban metabolism and how it relates to his research. Give him your full attention and ask questions.
3. Collaborative Learning Contributions –
Lawrence – the Right to the City
Kelly – Green Accounting
Richard – Plastic bags
This will lead into my discussion of plastics and environmental justice. I will be calling on Group 2 members at random during this discussion, although I encourage everyone, as usual, to participate.
Let me know if you have questions.
SM
Comments Off on Tuesday April 16- A full class
What to do with plastics other than one and two?
While New York City collects recyclable plastics marked 1 & 2, plastics with different classifications tend not to be collected. The article on ‘Extended Plastics Responsibility’ mentions that some cities (including San Francisco) collect all plastics, a process of recycling which is very much a feasible notion. If New York decided to begin collecting the other types of plastics, how do you believe they should go about the collection, and eventual disposal of these materials? What laws or initiatives could the city enact to make this a reality?
Rewriting the rules of Environmental Racism
Pellow’s “Ch.4: The Global Village Dump” points out how prevalent and dominant environmental racism can be, happening on local, national, and global levels. Poor waste management techniques encourage the “out of sight, out of mind” mentality that contributes even more to the problem. As MacBride’s “Ch.5: Extended Plastics Responsibility” says, “the handling of modern discards frequently entail the slow or rapid release of uncertain risks to health and ecosystems at multiple points on local and global scales.” The waste generated by cities might be out of sight and out of mind to many, but someone forgotten eventually reaps the negative costs. In terms of New York City, what can the city government do to eliminate this “out of side, out of mind” mentality within New Yorkers? Unfortunately, our waste does not and will not magically disappear. Are there other waste management techniques that can be more suitable? How can we “rewrite those rules” of environmental racism?
Where do we send the garbage?
On a national level, certain cities and towns have been specialized to process, incinerate, reclaim, and recycle waste that is both local to the area and often sent from other states. This allows for a larger and more centralized operation but increases pollution from the movement of the waste. The international level is pretty similar in these regards, garbage is shipped to poorer countries en masse as if swept under the carpet of the planet. The people of these countries are tasked with tedious and hazardous task of sorting and reclaiming whatever they can before incinerating the rest. Do you think that countries or states have a moral obligation to deal with their own waste or is the current model of collecting and centralizing the waste worth improving upon?
Too Much Garbage
The world is generating more and more garbage than ever before. This is even more true for the United States. As Pellows stated, the United States accounts for 19 percent of all the world’s garbage while only having 5 percent of the world’s population. This means that the United States is producing much more garbage than the rest of the world. Since the United States is a first world country, they also produce more than third world countries. Most of the waste is sent off to these places that produce less waste. Many denser cities such as New York City send off their garbage to other locations. Should this be the current method of waste disposal? Do you think that countries should create a better alternative to shipping their garbage to other places? Do you think waste disposal is a serious enough problem that needs our current attention? Or can we put it off for a couple of years doing what we already do?
Exploring holes and chasms of NYC
Drawing from Anderson’s “Social Infrastucture As A Means To Achieve The Right To The City,” Lefebvre discusses two propositions that must be considered in order to achieve the right to the city. One of those propositions includes experimentation with models and spatial forms of urban times in which inhabitants are encouraged to explore the “holes and chasms” existing between planned and formal structures of the dominant society. Think of some “holes and chasms” such as empty lots, abandoned buildings, closed off plots, etc that are overlooked as valueless because they do no represent the main interests of the society. How can such spaces provide an opportunity for the study and development of the new production of space to be used socially for the benefit of your community. Can you envision these spaces as serving some other purpose that can work towards reforming NYC, or the city it’s within?
Comments Off on Exploring holes and chasms of NYC
Who’s city is it, anyway?
Both Anderson and Frug agree that ‘right to the city’ and ability to foster change is in the hands of a city’s inhabitants. Both articles provide their own suggestions and ideas for how city dwellers can take back their cities (utilizing previously empty spaces for example, as Anderson points out). To a degree, it seems that New York City in recent years has tried revive itself and give more of itself back to its inhabitants – with projects such as the Highline, for example. Do you think New York City is doing a good job at giving the “right of the city” back to it’s citizens? As a New York City inhabitant, is there anything you would like to be done to enhance your own right to the city? And finally, who’s “right” should New York City focus on? The city has a very diverse population, with different needs and wants. Who’s “right” should New York City give in to? Students? Minority Groups? 9-5 urbanites? Can there be a happy medium?
right to mix with people
The point that the way our lives are shaped by our circumstances, but also that our circumstances can be changed, and we rightfully should take control of that, is one that I recognized from discussions with my friends post-high school. We often argued the case that high school provided a structured location and time, yet enough free room for spontaneous interactions for friends to bond, because it was fairly easy to participate in creating how you wanted your school day to be. I see the right to the city as essentially having the same argument as the right to establishing accessible and inviting lounges/plazas/etc at a college. With the right to the city in mind, what kind of specific changes would you like to see in your life in Baruch/NYC?
What is your right to the city ?
Nadia Anderson’s idea of right to the city is to achieve it through social infrastructure. Significance is placed on unused and overlooked spaces that haven’t been planned or focused on. These spaces escape the dull, lifeless rules and ideas of a planned space, and it should incorporate people in a way that will allow for the creation of an interactive and dynamic environment. How do you feel about this idea? The “right to the city” is a term originally proposed by Lefebvre in the late 1960s and basically means every individual has access and a right to change the city. This term has adapted many different meanings. What is your meaning of the right to the city?
Annotated Bibliography – guidance
Hi everyone,
As you know, your next assignment is coming up – your annotated bibliography is due by 10:30 April 15th. Now that I have provided everyone feedback on their timelines, here is some guidance for the bibliography. Please take the time to read it, and to educate yourself in Chicago style citation if you need it. Many people failed to properly cite on their last assignment. I did not penalize the assignments for this, but I expect proper citation on the next assignment. It is up to you to verify that your citation procedure is correct.
Guidance on Assembling an Annotated Bibliography
1. The goal of the assignment is to demonstrate to me that you are doing thorough, original research that is relevant to your research question, and informs the point you want to make in your presentation. This will ultimately help you in the long run
2. Do not over-rely on general webpages for information. Academic journals published online, government reports, nonprofit organization reports posted online are different than general webpages with unreviewed information posted. (for an example of such a general webpage, see e.g. http://inventors.about.com/od/estartinventions/a/History-Of-Electric-Vehicles.htm). It is fine to get your research off the ground with such sites, but remember, no one is checking this information. Get facts from reputable, published sources.
3. Cite properly. Use the quick reference page from the Chicago Manual of Style. Note that online journals and reports are cited differently in citations than simple websites. Note also that I do not require a DOI number, URL or access date for a book or academic article that you have accessed online instead of in print. I do require a URL and access date for a website or other purely online source. Let me know if you have questions.
4. Recommendation: At least once, go to the library and look at some actual, full length, printed books on your subject. Even flipping through them will give you a deeper and better perspective on your subject. The Baruch Library is good. The New York Public Library Schwartzman Center, NYPL Science, Industry and Business Library, and Brooklyn Public Library Main Branch are works of art.
4. Here is information to include in your annotated bibliography (thank you to Ben for compiling). Include:
- A full citation of the source, in a Chicago style of your choice (see above):
- This should be easy if you’re using Zotero: right-click the source in your library and choose “generate bibliography from selected item.”
- A concise, selective summary of the source
- by concise, I mean 150-350 words
- by selective, I mean written with a particular use in mind — e.g. summarizing a particular argument the source makes that you wish to agree or disagree with, or summarizing a particular exhibit within the source that you wish to analyze.
- A concise yet detailed rationale for why and how you intend to use the source
- this should relate to the selection made for the summary, and either make it explicit or begin doing the work of (dis)agreeing or analysis.
- by concise, I again mean 150-350 words
- by detailed, I mean to avoid single-sentence rationales, such as “I want to quote the statistics here.” Why are those statistics valuable? What will you do with them once they’re shown? Don’t assume that any mere data speaks for itself, or says the same thing to every audience; use the rationale to begin writing the follow-up paragraph.
There are many online resources and examples for you to consult, e.g. http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/01/ and http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/02/ from Purdue, or http://www.lib.umd.edu/ues/guides/annotated-bibliography from the University of Maryland.
4. Share information with your colleagues. There is a great deal of overlap among your topics. This is not a competition. Share information, ideas, divide up approaches, run things by me and each other.
5. Use assigned readings from the class, and try to make interesting connections between them and your topic. I want you to incorporate our readings into your presentations and research.
6. Do your research and compile your annotated bibliography with your final presentation/paper in mind. In both deliverables, you will need to make a strong, clear, original point that is relevant in some way to Shaping the Future of NYC in an era of climate change. The relevance can be constructed in various ways. Again, if you are unsure, speak up!
7. In response to student concerns, I have reduced the page requirement for the final paper to a minimum of five single space pages. Make them mean something!
Comments Off on Annotated Bibliography – guidance
Memo 2: The Development of the Hybrid Car
To: Professor Samantha MacBride
From: Megan Chiu
Date: March 18, 2013
Re: Timeline – Hybrid Cars to Mitigate Climate Change
Date Event
1800 Alesandro Volta discovered a way to chemically store electrical energy, improving on Luigi Galvani’s experiments with electrical currents (Høyer, 2008)
1821 Michael Farraday of Great Britain experimented with the electric generator as a motor for cars using Volta’s research (Høyer, 2008)
1831 Farraday developed the foundation for electric motors by experimenting with electrical induction, currents, and magnetism (Høyer, 2008)
1835 The first prototypes of electrical cars appeared in the United States, United Kingdom, and the Netherlands (Høyer, 2008)
1859 Gaston Planté of Belgium invented the lead-acid battery, which is still used in modern electric cars and internal combustion engines (ICE) (Høyer, 2008)
1881 France’s Trouvé invented an electric-powered tricycle. It was the first vehicle powered by electricity. Trouvé also invented an electric-powered boat. (Høyer, 2008)
1893 Six types of electric cars are presented at the World Exhibition in Chicago, Illinois (Høyer, 2008)
1897 Thirteen electric automobiles are introduced in New York (Høyer, 2008)
1900 Start of the “Golden Age” of electric car development. Electric companies developed and installed charging hydrants in New York City to charge electric-powered cars (Høyer, 2008)
Ferdinand Porsche introduces the hybrid car, a gasoline and electric car, at the Paris Exposition (Høyer, 2008)
1901 Thomas Edison invents the nickel-iron battery, capable of storing 40% more energy per weight unit than the lead-acid battery (Høyer, 2008)
French automobile company Jenatzy develops a parallel hybrid car, featuring a “petrol engine and an electric motor” (Høyer, 2008)
1912 The total number of electric cars in the United States reaches 30,000. Electric car sales top other car sales (Høyer, 2008)
1916 The American “Woods gasoline-electric car” makes its debut in the United States (Høyer, 2008)
1965 General Motors implements an “electric car development programme” and develops prototypes of zinc-air battery operated cars (Høyer, 2008)
1989 New York state government urges Washington to implement legislature to combat the high emission levels and air pollution in the city (“New York’s Air, Washington’s Duty,” 1989)
1993 President Clinton implements the “Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles” initiative, supporting the use of “clean cars” (“New York’s Air, Washington’s Duty,” 1989)
1997 Toyota introduces its Prius hybrid car sedan in Japan; Audi introduces its Duo hybrid car (Høyer, 2008)
1999 Honda introduces the first hybrid car in the United States, the Insight (Høyer, 2008)
2000 Toyota introduces its Prius hybrid in the United States (Høyer, 2008)
2003 Honda introduces its second hybrid car, an electric hybrid, the Civic Hybrid (Høyer, 2008)
2004 Ford introduces its Ford Escape hybrid, a “sport utility vehicle” (Høyer, 2008)
The American Lung Association of the City of New York reports that “’high levels of ozone and particle pollution caused by the cars, buses and trucks that clog our streets make the mere act of breathing dangerous for the residents of New York City.”’ This prompted research into emission reduction solutions for urban areas, using New York City as a focal point. (Columbia University – SIPA Spring Workshop, 2005)
2005 New York City vehicular traffic produce 11% of particulate matter (PM) emissions (Charles-Guzman, 2012)
Shell reports its intent to install a hydrogen service station to refuel hydrogen-fuel cell vehicles (Kaul, 2005)
2006 The federal government offered an income tax credit under PL 109-58 of up to 50% of the purchase price of an alternative fuel vehicle. It also offered an additional 30% worth of credit if the emission levels of the car were within a certain targeted range. The tax credit was available from January 1, 2006 until December 31, 2010. (Underwood, n.d.)
New York City implements the Solid Waste Management Plan, which “calls for strategies to reduce the impact of diesel fumes” in the city (Underwood, n.d.)
2007 NYC Truck Show – NYC Parks and Recreation Department presents its fleet of hybrid cars and alternative fuel vehicles. The Parks and Recreation Department vowed to purchase 48 new trucks with reduced fuel emission technology. The department also has 480 alternative-fuel vehicles. (Mele, 2007)
European Commission sets a standard to lower carbon dioxide missions by 2012 from 170 grams per kilometer to 130 grams per kilometer (“HYBRID-FUEL CARS – Hybrid,” 2007)
PlaNYC is introduced. Mayor Michael Bloomberg vows to make New York City the “greenest in the US by 2030” in part by using hybrid (fuel and electric) taxis (Grimes & Pimlott, 2007)
As part of PlaNYC, Mayor Bloomberg vows to reduce emissions by 30% in New York City. (Rahman, 2011)
Mayor Bloomberg announces that New York City’s entire taxi fleet will be composed solely of hybrid taxis by 2012. (Anonymous, 2007)
2010 New York City Parks and Recreation Department receives its first shipment of medium-duty hybrid trucks, beginning its transition to a green fleet (Anonymous, 2010)
2011 Federal and appellate courts ruled against New York City’s plan to create an all-hybrid taxi fleet. (Rahman, 2011)
2012 New York City approves the Nissan “Taxi of Tomorrow” initiative to eliminate half of the hybrid taxi fleet (Mann, 2012)
Kizzy Charles-Guzman of University of Michigan conducts a case study on New York City’s efforts to reduce air pollution (Charles-Guzman, 2012)
30% of New York City’s yellow taxi cab fleets have converted to hybrid or clean-fuel cars (Charles-Guzman, 2012)
Bibliography
Anonymous. (2007). NYC Taxi Fleet Fully Hybrid by 2012. Government Procurement, 15(3), 12.
Anonymous. (2010). NYC Parks take delivery of hybrids. Fleet Owner, 105(7), 21.
Charles-Guzman, K. M. (2012). Air Pollution Control Strategies in New York City: A Case Study of the Role of Environmental Monitoring, Data Analysis, and Stakeholder Networks in Comprehensive Government Policy Development. University of Michigan. Retrieved from http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu.remote.baruch.cuny.edu/handle/2027.42/94532
Columbia University – SIPA Spring Workshop, A. (2005). TRANSPORTING NEW YORK CITY. Retrieved from http://mpaenvironment.ei.columbia.edu/news/projects/NRDC%20Spring%20final%20report.pdf
Grimes, C., & Pimlott, D. (2007, May 23). Hybrid taxis latest step in New York’s bid for greenest city status: [LONDON 1ST EDITION]. Financial Times, p. 10. London (UK), United Kingdom.
Høyer, K. G. (2008). The history of alternative fuels in transportation: The case of electric and hybrid cars. Utilities Policy, 16(2), 63–71.
HYBRID-FUEL CARS – Hybrid: the motor of change? (2007). Marketing Week, 22–23.
Kaul, B. (2005, February 18). New Generation Fuel Cell Technology; GM, Shell hydrogen to introduce hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, refueling station. News India – Times, p. 16. New York, N.Y., United States.
Mann, T. (2012, September 20). New Cab Plan Curbs Hybrids. Wall Street Journal, Eastern edition, p. A.19. New York, N.Y., United States.
Mele, J. (2007). NYC shows off green technology. Fleet Owner, 102(7), 10.
New York’s Air, Washington’s Duty. (1989, August 10). New York Times. New York, N.Y., United States. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/abiglobal/docview/110264900/abstract/13CE58F35BA75E33155/11?accountid=8500
Rahman, H. (2011). NYC Taxi Ruling May Make Cities Tread Carefully. Planning, 77(6), 8.
Underwood, J. (n.d.). FUELING A GREENER FUTURE. Retrieved from http://energy-vision.org/images/2008/04/ev-fueling-a-greener-future.pdf
Comments Off on Memo 2: The Development of the Hybrid Car
April 9th, Newtown Creek Digester Egg Tour, 9:15 AM
On April 9th we will meet at the Visitor Center at Newtown Creek no later than 9:15, for a guided tour of the wastewater treatment facility’s anaerobic digester system!
After the tour we will walk around Newtown Creek a bit to soak in the mixture of nature and industry that is there. Stay for the walk if you can.
Please try to make the tour. I understand some of you have Accounting in the AM. I will be glad to email your professor if that is relevant. If you absolutely can’t miss class, I understand.
Wear closed-toed, non-high heeled shoes.
You are responsible for getting there on your own. The address is:
329 Greenpoint Avenue
Greenpoint, Brooklyn NY, 11222
(Enter at the intersection of Greenpoint Avenue and Humboldt Street.)
The best way to get there is the G train, but use hopstop or googlemaps to find a route that meets your needs.
If you are late/delayed: email me at samantha.macbride@baruch.cuny.edu OR text/call 917-613-1789
Travel directions
Subway to the Visitor Center at Newtown Creek
Take the G train to Greenpoint Avenue. Use the Greenpoint/Manhattan Avenue exit. With the McDonald’s on your left, walk along Greenpoint Avenue one long block east and cross McGuinnes Boulevard. Continue on Greenpoint Avenue to the next traffic light and cross Provost. The Newtown Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant will be on your left. Follow the fence-line and continue walking until you reach the main gate to the plant, at a traffic light on Humboldt Street. The Visitor Center at Newtown Creek will be in front of you. It is a two-story orange brick building surrounded by a garden and water sculpture.
Comments Off on April 9th, Newtown Creek Digester Egg Tour, 9:15 AM
Thought-Controlled Artificial Limbs – Feasible or Just Another Thought?
Scientists at Duke University are on track to link the brain with artificial limbs. If things go according to plan, a full exoskeleton on a paralyze teen will debut at the 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janiero. For this to work, electrodes will need to be implanted in the brain. Signals from the brain will then be sent to recording systems that broadcast brain waves to a remote receiver, allowing the user to move the prosthetic limbs. The user will not only be able to move, but also be able to feel said movement.
This type of technology is extremely exciting and could potentially change the lives of millions of people around the world. However, it is uncertain and requires a high amount of risk.
What are your thoughts on this technology? Do you think it’s ethical to plant electrodes in someone’s brain and record this information? Do you think the technology and distribution to the public is feasible? What potential obstacles can you see arising?
Tagged transhumanism, artificial intelligence
Comments Off on Thought-Controlled Artificial Limbs – Feasible or Just Another Thought?
Superhumans
Intelligence Explosion:Evidence and Import talks about the opportunities and risks of superhuman artificial intelligence. It argues that “with more intelligence we can hope for quicker, better solutions to many of our problems.” Some opportunities include finding a cure for cancer and achieving economic stability. But one serious risk that AI may pose is the risk of human extinction. Therefore, it’s crucial to have a controlled AI “specially programmed to preserve what humans value.” Simply, an AI that will not take us over.
Creating superhuman AI that’ll exceed the intelligence of humans is very interesting. Can a creation be superior to its creator? How do you envision a world governed and led by AI? Do you imagine an even higher power technology than AI? Would we be happier people with the creation of AI? Technology has advanced incredibly over the last few decades but we can’t argue that people are happier now than before. The things that make us feel most alive, I believe, such as love and good company aren’t much related to how great our technology is. Are we setting ourselves up for destruction by creating AI?
Will the creation of AI bring quicker and better solutions to problems NYC is facing with climate changes? Instead of taking decades to build a storm barrier as mentioned in the Battered NYC article or instead of having a list of recommendations for greening the MTA, will AI be able to provide us with THE solutions?
Comments Off on Superhumans
How Green Technology/Infrastructure Can Combat Climate Changes
As expressed in Luke Muehlhauser’s & Anna Salamon’s Intelligence Explosion: Evidence and Import, our techonology is rapidly evolving to become more advanced. In some cases, we approach and exceed human-level intelligence. How do you see our city grow technologically? How are benefits of “greening the MTA” applicable to mitigating and adapting to our changing climate? After Hurricane Sandy, do you think New Yorkers understood the importance of being more environmentally and ecologically conscious?
Is NYC’s future already another city’s present?
In Bruce Stutz’s article “Battered New York City Looks For Ways to Hold Back the Sea,” he gives readers a peek at the protection NYC would have had against Hurricane Sandy, had the proper sea barriers been in place. The storm would had hit regardless and crept inward, but Stutz imagines floodgates closing “across the Verrazano Narrows entry to New York Harbor, across the upper East River, [and] across the entrance to Jamaica Bay” (Stutz). New York City scientists, economists, and risk management specialists are still finding and researching for the best possible way to protect NYC against any other future Sandys. However, could it be that the answer is already in front of them? Are you aware of any technology that cities in other countries are using to protect against the rising sea level that you believe could be implemented in New York City?
Comments Off on Is NYC’s future already another city’s present?
Timelines Due
Hi Folks
This is just a reminder that timelines are due at 10:30 PM on Monday, March 18th. Contact me soon if you have questions. These timelines should be the anchor to gearing up the research you are to be doing over the rest of the semester. Make sure they reflect the research you have done so far.
As mentioned in the original assignment, you must cite references and the timeline should be at a minimum three pages. You may double space between line entries, but as with all assignments the entries themselves should be single spaced.
Submit your timelines as a posting on the site in the “Timelines” area, but keep a copy of the timeline in Word. I may ask you for it if I need to verify your three page minimum.
Comments Off on Timelines Due
Oops it’s not my week to post a question :(
I once overheard a man on the train talking about the MTA system and how it was putting an endless amount of money into a system that couldn’t support itself. The foundation of the MTA system itself is very poor. Bruce Stutz talks about the disruptions of hurricane Sandy and how Mayor Bloomberg, the city, state and federal agencies, all saw it coming, but not for another twenty years from now. “It wasn’t as if they’d been derelict in starting to plan.” But the problem is that from the very beginning, the MTA failed to create a strong foundation for itself and that’s why it needs so much planning now. How do you feel about the Sustainibility report for the MTA? Do you feel that this will help with the renewal of the system and rebuild the foundation, or do you think the system is getting ahead of itself, considering “green” factors without strengthening its structure? Alongside, do you think that artificial intelligence is a good idea? In Intelligence Explosion: Evidence and Import, it was pointed out that an uncontrolled intelligence explosion could result disastrous. Similarly to the MTA system, when creating something so significant, do you think that people try to jump ahead to the good things, (ex: the MTA to provide transportation to all of New York City,) but fail to consider structure and risks (the MTA foundation and protection in face of things like weather impact)? Should AI be created and expanded?
plaNYC vs futurists
It is clear that adaptation and mitigation is necessary for the survival of our cities.The NYC DEP Climate Change Program Assessment and Action Plan properly enumerates thechallenges that threaten NYC and provides possible solutions to these problems. Ratcliffe and Krawczyk question their approach.
Do you think that the political system we currently inhabit prevents planners and politicians described by Ratcliffe and Krawczyk from becoming more ‘visionary’ in their approach to planning for NYC’s future?
How can we reconcile the risks and necessity of an ambiguous futurist approach to planning and make them more understandable, even palatable, for politicians, plannersand ultimately to the tax payers to whom they are responsible?
Do you think that the politicians and planners of today have lost the capacity for being
‘visionary’, because of the past follies of Robert Moses, and the negativity that association invites?
Approaches to Planning
New York City has seen an influx of new structural and architectural initiatives, particularly in light of Hurricane Sandy. Cornish discusses different strategies to planning such initiatives. He discusses forecasting and backcasting, two approaches to account for the numerous variables that contribute to scenario planning.
How should architects and government officials, such as those who are part of Lightstone Group, integrate concerns of climate change into their designs? How should we, as New Yorkers, plan for the future? Should we forecast the future, and predict where we will be in X years based on where we are now? Or, should we backcast, in which case we would develop goals and work to achieve those goals?
Lightstone: Smart planning or ignorant planning?
Ratcliffe and Krawczyk both focus on past and present planning problems along with changes in the 21st century from those before it. They believe that knowing and learning from our mistakes is crucial to future planning. The Lightstone Project is waterfront development, which has come under scrutiny because of Super Storm Sandy. Knowing the implications of building so close to the water with water levels rising every year, The Lightstone Group is continuing its development.
Should the Lightstone Group really be building so close to the waterfront, or are they setting themselves up for failure as Ratcliffe and Krawczyk would probably say?
