It is nice to see the city putting the money into programs like this to prevent further water pollution. We have discussed the impact and extent of water pollution many times in this class already. This was especially an issue when we have talked about the pollution of the Hudson and how the waters surrounding the city are so polluted that much of it is undrinkable and not even clean enough for people to go fishing and swim in. This playground in the Bronx is the perfect example of the kinds of things we need invest in to eliminate pollution. It was really cool how the playground looks exactly like a regular playground with a hard ground for a functional basketball court, yet there is absorption that occurs underneath the ground. But this playground wasn’t just created to prevent pollution from storm water. In the article, Adrian Benepe was quoted saying, “Cities can either do expensive underground infrastructure that serves only one purpose, or they can benefit from both storm-water capture and ecosystem services. Trees provide shade. Trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide. Gardens provide habitat.” We have spoken a lot about ecosystem services and the new innovations, such as green roofs, that have allowed us to incorporate nature and greenery into urban environments. So I enjoyed reading about this real innovative example in the Bronx.
Something that I found to be very interesting was the fact that when they interviewed the students, the students said that one of the things they would want to incorporate in a recreational area is more trees. The students acknowledged the benefits of trees and green spaces. They said they would like the shade from trees and that they would lie down on soft grass during recess. This shows that there is still some hope in the younger generations. The fact that some city kids still appreciate nature and want that connection to is very encouraging. It is really great that all of these new playgrounds and plants are being incorporated in schools. It enables children to be exposed more to nature and become involved in these programs at a young age.
