Posts by laurenrahmanim
Futures Conference Reaction
When I arrived at the Macaulay Building, I was surprised to find each panel’s setting to be so intimate. I pictured the conference as a nerve-wracking panel discussion in a large room with a large audience. Relieved to be in a classroom with several other groups, I felt much more comfortable with delivering my presentation. I also really liked how we were delivering proposals that were similar to other groups on the panel. Naturally much more engaged, the groups in the audience were eager to question the presenters because they were already invested in similar issues. Overall, I thought the experience was really enjoyable, and I gathered vital presenting skills for the future.
Construction at LGA
On Thursday morning, my family and I were catching a flight to Miami to spend the holiday with our relatives. On the security line, I noticed the both the construction for the new airport and the traffic on the ground as planes were lining up to take off. Considering the new airports grand nature, I thought about how much new construction material would need to be consumed. Additionally, I considered all of the material that would go to waste once the new airport is ready for use. Referencing our idea for the Futures of NYC conference, I considered how 3D printing with sustainable materials could be incorporated into the new structure. Although it might be unrealistic for the entire facade to be made of sustainable materials, I think sustainable materials could be incorporated the furniture design and other small portions of the new building. Aside from the construction, I also noticed how many vehicles are on the ground directing traffic and luggage to each plane. All of these vehicles are not only contributing carbon emissions into the atmosphere but also create lots of traffic on the ground. Although I was grateful to be traveling with my family, I couldn’t help but worry over the pains that it inflicts on our environment and NYC’s future.
An Endless Trash Haul
Although its common to pass large trash containers in the City, I never took much notice of how massive they were until this course. On my way to Penn Station, I was passing a trash container filled to the rim with waste from tenants on 33rd street. Although I initially walked passed the bin unbothered, I stopped and backtracked to understand the crate’s implications. Primarily, the container took up half the size of our classroom; its depth was just as worrisome. Yet although the crate was so large, the container still seemed to be overflowing with waste. The container also seemed problematic to me when I realized that the crate wasn’t the only one on the block. There were two other crates for the block, and the crates only covered the area on 33rd street between 6th and 7th avenue. Additionally, the smell traveled down the block, keeping in mind that this photo was taken on a brisk afternoon. Picturing the commute in the summer time, I could not imagine how much worse the stench could become. Although far less important, I also thought about the street’s presentation. Considering the area surrounding Penn Station is densely populated with tourists, I considered their opinion on New York City when coming across this huge pile of waste as one of their first impressions of the City. A constant reminder of New York’s problematic waste management, this photo should signal New Yorkers to change the way they consume and produce waste in such large amounts.
Corner Home on the 123
I spend most of my mornings navigating through Penn Station. Whether I’m walking through the the New Jersey Transit to get to school or the 1,2,3 to get to work, I always run into different people trying to make a home for themselves. Pictured on my walk towards the exit by the 1,2,3, this photo captures a small glimpse of the people living in the stairwell. I walk passed them every day, and they seem to have developed a somewhat “long-term” residence here. This week, I noticed how the people with the least in New York tend to be the most sustainable and resourceful. Although I did not capture the bulk of their shelter, their home exhibits a lot of the changes necessary to change our nation’s gloomy fate. They used donated clothing, puffer jackets and leftover cardboard to set up their home and bed. Ironically, the subway’s only sanitary area is their makeshift home. As New Yorkers, do we really need to be stripped of a shelter in order to become more sustainable?
Takeaways
Cohen highlights how although many cities are investing in sustainability efforts, a truly sustainable city in both its processes and its infrastructure will support a renewable energy-based global economy using city culture and foreign nation’s models for reference.
Foreign Sustainability Efforts
Revised Project: Trash or Treasure
Trashy Endeavors
After a workout in Nomad, my friend Sidonya and I were walking back to Baruch when we noticed a large pile of trash with an abandoned mirror left on top. Although the temperature was barely 50 degrees, we could already smell the waste from the beginning of the block. The mounds came up to my waist, and the bags took up most of the sidewalk. Although the aesthetic appeal is a minimal issue, an area like Nomad should have an visual appeal that reflects its gouging rent prices. Among all the waste, however, the mirror struck me as a beacon of light within the detrimental waste. A Nomad resident placed a mirror in great condition on the sidewalk in the hopes that someone else who needed it could take it off his hands. Even if another resident chose not to reuse it, at least I had the comfort knowing that the mirror could be recycled in the worst case scenario. In the midst of a sustainability crisis, I found relief knowing that at least one article would not go to waste.
47th Street Submerged
Walking down 47th street Thursday afternoon, I noticed how much a day’s worth of rain could affect the area. Although it had already stopped raining for at least an hour, the entire street had water rising on each side and on the subway stairs. The gutters weren’t taking in water at a fast enough rate despite the fact that the rainfall wasn’t so drastic. The streets’s pungent smell only grew more unbearable, and the street’s aesthetic appeal plummeted. Capturing the city’s issue with drainage and sanitation, the photo only heightens the need for sewage and drainage improvements. In addition, the photo also touches upon improvements in the subway station’s design because of its issues with drainage as well. These daily scenes should inspire New Yorkers to push for infrastructural improvements.
Comments by laurenrahmanim
"I think a lot of the hesitation has to do with people not being ready to change their habits and buying behavior. Even Tesla has not been able to completely alter the stigma associated with electric cars."
--( posted on Apr 19, 2019, commenting on the post
Transforming Transportation )
"I like your approach towards maintaining culturally-expressive graffiti while trying to ban the less aesthetically appealing forms of it. However, I don't know how the city will be able to differentiate which graffiti is acceptable because anything can be considered a form of artwork."
--( posted on Apr 15, 2019, commenting on the post
Vandalism or grafitti? )
"I love the idea of switching to hardened plastics instead of concrete. You took into account both the financial and environmental aspect of solving a grand issue in the City."
--( posted on Apr 7, 2019, commenting on the post
Our chipped sidewalks )
"I never thought about what these large retailers do with their leftover merchandise once the season ends. Although it may seem like there are no benefits to donating the clothing, they can use the leftover merchandise as part of their corporate social responsibility component to give back to the public. In this scenario, both the company and charitable organizations benefit from a better brand image and clothing to donate to those less fortunate."
--( posted on Mar 29, 2019, commenting on the post
slow fashion )
"How are we allowing these trains to get us from point A to point B if they've been around for this long without any major improvements? The lack of interest in infrastructural changes is frightening; are we going to wait for one of the cars to collapse before we start investing more money into the subway system?"
--( posted on Mar 22, 2019, commenting on the post
Wanna “C” a Relic? )
"That's such an interesting way to think of it. Having plants in the home, most people think they're contributing to a more eco-friendly environment. However, most of us aren't actually contributing to the real improvements necessary for a more sustainable New York."
--( posted on Mar 9, 2019, commenting on the post
Air-Purifying Machine )
"You make a great point; however, I feel like these screens are obsolete now that our smartphones have so many alternative functions. I completely agree with you in the need for more Citibikes in more densely populated areas. They make the environment far more sustainable, and they improve the city's traffic congestion."
--( posted on Mar 6, 2019, commenting on the post
Focus on outer neighborhoods too! )
"I really appreciate the issue you chose to capture because I feel like New Yorkers don't associate the city with a clean water problem. Most drinking water issues tend to be reserved for "third world countries," and I agree with you in that New Yorkers need to focus on maintaining a healthy water supply. Considering all the other nations struggling with water, we should be far more attentive with the water supply we have now."
--( posted on Feb 22, 2019, commenting on the post
No more clean water!!! )
