My Cohen Takeaway’s

After reading Steven Cohen’s “The Sustainable City”, I have come away with a variety of takeaways. My first, and more general, takeaway is that sustainable cities need to have a variety of elements, working in harmony, in order to be sustainable. This is important because cities that are working towards sustainability must diversify their efforts across a variety of different fields in order to be successful. My second takeaway, is the that there are many sustainable initiatives that have been employed in the real world that can serve as examples for other cities. Throughout chapters 6-10, Cohen introduces us to a variety of cases in urban sustainability. It is these types of initiatives that countries and cities all over the world are enacting, that truly restores my faith in humanity. My third takeaway, is extrapolated from the fact that many New York City initiatives are being used as models all over the world. As a New York City resident, sometimes it is hard to see New York City’s various sustainability initiatives behind all of the smoke and garbage that fills the city streets. In reality, as New York City residents, we should be proud of the fact that a variety of sustainability projects are cited throughout Cohen’s book. My final takeaway, is that all sustainability efforts start on the individual level. Without each individual person leading a sustainable lifestyle and fighting for these sustainability projects to be undertaken, none of these initiatives would be happening in the first place. I think it is immensely important to recognize the individual’s prominence in the sustainability landscape.