Author Archives: vickilau
Posts by vickilau
accessibility for all
I remember on one of the first few days of this semester, I was sitting in this class and I received a notification from my NYT app; a woman had died after falling down a flight of stairs at a train station because she had to carry her stroller, and there were no elevators available. This topic doesn’t necessarily fall under sustainability or resiliency in NYC, but I believe it’s an important issue that should be addressed. Apparently, there are only 36 out of 147 stations in this city that are ADA accessible. 
Stations should be ADA accessible, not just for the disabled, but also for everyday people that happen to be carrying a lot of stuff; parents with strollers, elderly people with shopping carts, people that are injured, etc, are all susceptible to falling and hurting themselves just because a station doesn’t offer a safer alternative to stairs.
This is a picture of the J line that I take every single day on my way to and from campus. Out of the remaining 15 stops, there are only two stops that are ADA accessible: Marcy Ave (the wheelchair sign is unfortunately being blocked by the bar) and Flushing Ave, which is interesting – Marcy Ave is the first stop in Brooklyn after the train crosses the bridge, and Flushing Ave is located right next to a hospital, which explains why these stops are ADA accessible.
Understandably, it is difficult to retrofit every station in this city with elevators, but it should be something that is prioritized by the MTA, instead of installing countdown screens with ads.
oil spills in nyc
It’s no secret that cars contribute a significant amount of air pollution in NYC due to the sheer number of cars here. Apparently, motor vehicles contribute around 28% of nitrogen oxide emissions (aka one of those nasty greenhouse gases). An issue that I’ve noticed is definitely not as widely discussed but it is another form of pollution: oil leakages from cars.
I remember when I was a kid, I used to see these huge rainbow splotches on the roads after an afternoon of raining. Some of my friends would say that it was a melted rainbow. Not surprisingly, these rainbow splotches were not melted rainbows, but rather the aftermath of motor oil separating from water.
I never really thought about the implications of these oil leaks until I realized most of these leaks aren’t exactly visible until you see the rainbow splotches, so the magnitude of this pollution is probably much larger than what we can see. Oils like this get washed away into storm drains and can end up polluting bodies of water that are hundreds of miles away. This is very much a butterfly effect – it seems like such a minuscule thing but it has such big impacts elsewhere.
This is just a reminder of how detrimental cars can be to the environment. I’m not saying for everyone to go out and buy a new electric car (ie. Tesla cars not only are electric – which is better for the environment – but they also don’t rely on motor oil, or at least a very minimal amount of it), but it is important to be aware and responsible for the damages caused to the environment by their cars.
Green Buildings for NYC
What if I were to tell you that luxury buildings in Manhattan contribute around 50% of all carbon dioxide emissions in NYC, with buildings altogether contributing about 70%?
Countries like Italy have launched the construction of green buildings to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. It is no secret that as the years go by, this city will tear down old buildings and replace them with new ones, and NYC should follow in those countries’ footsteps for construction of future buildings. In the meantime, we can introduce the idea of green buildings with more rooftop gardens and balconies.
Sources
“would you like a bag?”: a rant
Plastic bags are convenient, but they end up everywhere: discarded on the streets, stuck in the trees, in the landfills. I occasionally help out at my parents’ store and it boggles me how many people want a plastic bag for the most minuscule of items; a bag of Doritos, a toothbrush, a can of Coke can all be held, pocketed, or just thrown into your purse. And don’t get me started on the people that ask for a plastic bag for their little whatever just to stick that plastic bag into their book bag or purse. At the end of the day, even if these people reuse their plastic bags for other purposes (ie. liners for their trash cans), they’re still going to end up at a landfill.
Most people make trips to the convenience store and go straight home. Sure, it might be unsightly carrying a roll of Bounty down the street but the truth is, no one cares. Imagine if every person foregoes a plastic bag for small things – like Bounty, toothpaste, etc – at their local Walgreens or deli, and how much we could subsequently reduce plastic consumption; or on a greater scale, if plastic bags were banned and/or taxed (which was proposed in NYC and then… nothing happened). Dozens of countries in Europe and Asia have already implemented such bans/taxes, and the entirety of the U.S. should follow in their steps, not just NYC.
‘What about the people buying a lot of things?! You want them to carry ten items in their arms?’ No, but the whole point of banning/taxing plastic bags is to reduce the amount of plastic consumption in our lives so we could live more sustainably. In turn, people should start using reusable bags, which can be bought for literally less than $1, and can be bought in bulk, so there should be no complaints about not having enough bags for your trip to the supermarket.
The point is there is no excuse to not use reusable bags. By using reusable bags, you are helping save the environment (aka no plastic bags stuck in trees and streams, hurting the ecosystem and the animals in it) and you don’t have to come home with dozens of plastic bags, which will one day sit in a landfill for thousands of years to come.
hot stinkin’ trash
Seen on West 27th Street
The only thing worse than seeing mountains of trash bags is smelling those bags of trash. Luckily for us, it’s still cold enough at the moment so that the odors are still trapped inside the bags (unlike those hot summer days with the smell of putrid, rotting garbage wafting into the humid air). Nevertheless, it’s still an unattractive sight, seeing literally dozens of bags of garbage heaped haphazardly on the sidewalk, occasionally oozing with mysterious liquids.
Aside from the aesthetic issues, these mounds of garbage raise a problem of functionality and safety. Many city blocks are narrow enough without the added help of garbage piles; with these excessive piles of garbage bags, however, it makes it unsafe and almost impossible for people with wheelchairs, carts, and strollers to pass by, forcing them to go onto the roads to circumvent the garbage. In cities like Barcelona, garbage bags are placed into large dumpster bins on the roads to preserve sidewalk space. Granted, New York doesn’t necessarily have the space for the addition of new dumpster trash bins, and trash bins couldn’t even begin to fit half the trash found on a city block. New York’s trash problem is unlike so many cities in the US, such as Chicago, which has allotted back alleys for garbage disposal, away and out of sight. Since it is obviously too late to start designating alleys for garbage, there needs to be a stronger push on the Department of Sanitation.
I don’t know how trash collection works in Manhattan (I’ve never seen a sanitation truck in Manhattan, ever…) but if it’s the same as the garbage collection in Brooklyn, then there needs to be an emphasis on timely collection extremely early in the mornings so this sort of garbage accumulation doesn’t happen again. It’s unappealing to look at, it smells bad, and it’s unsafe. It’s unacceptable for the largest city in the United States to look and be so catastrophic.
the dwindling – or perhaps, development – of ethnic neighborhoods
Two closed shops on one block on Mott St.
Edward Glaeser attributes New York’s success on the localization of economies, fueled by immigrants. More specifically, these immigrants contributed to the rise of ethnic neighborhoods in New York. As mentioned in class, these ethnic neighborhoods allowed for immigrants to come to the United States and be able to find not only jobs, but also a community without ever having to learn English; immigrants were, and are, able to find opportunities without jumping over the hurdle to assimilate into American culture.
One of these neighborhoods is Chinatown. The NYC Chinatown is one of the biggest Chinatown’s in the world. I know so many members of my family that started in Chinatown when they first came to the United States because they were able to be among their own people. They were able to find jobs and people that were able to relate to them and their experiences.
Today, Chinatown is changing. Streets are riddled with closed storefronts and FOR RENT signs. We see the closures of dozens of stores and restaurants that were once booming with business. Whether this is attributed to the rise of rent costs in Manhattan (which is an issue all on its own), or the fact that most of the older generations of Chinese are moving out/passing on, Chinatown has changed dramatically. With the introduction of newer and millennial-centric stores (such as the explosion of bubble tea shops and cafes), it is impossible to admit that Chinatown in 2019 is extremely different from Chinatown, let’s say, even 30 years ago.
But is this change necessarily a bad thing? Perhaps it is only time that people move out and restaurants shut down, only to be replaced with something new. After all, things can’t stay the same forever.
Vicki Lau’s Bio
Hi! My name is Vicki and I’ve had classes with some of you guys before and there’s a good chance you heard that I was a marketing major 2-3 semesters ago but here we are now – I’m a biological sciences major. I’m getting ready to enroll in a CNA class because I’m planning on attending PA school as soon as I finish undergrad here.
My hobbies include thrifting, cooking, and paying for a gym membership that I don’t even use because I’m so incredibly lazy.
I’m very excited about this class because despite living in NYC, I don’t know much about its policies. I’m looking forward to meeting and working with all of you!
Comments by vickilau
"I don't live in the southern part of Brooklyn, but I know that several stops along the N-line have been out of commission (on the N/B or S/B track, I forgot) for a few years due to reconstruction and I think that's absolutely ridiculous. A couple of the stops are considered "renewed" and every time I take the train there, I'm just a little baffled because the stations actually looked better before it was renewed due to the shoddy craftsmanship of all the "new" fixtures."
--( posted on Apr 19, 2019, commenting on the post
MTA renovation )
"I agree with Kay. Those ideas, theoretically, are a great idea, but it's just not possible in NYC. I think this whole issue has to do with culture and respect more so than implementing new laws to enforce people to do things. Subway systems in other countries, namely Japan – and numerous other European/Asian transit systems – don't ban food from their systems, yet their subway cars are spotless. Like the MTA, they simply have trash cans at each station. People in Asia/Europe simply care more about their environment and cleanliness than a lot of Americans; people will hold onto their trash and wait until there's a trash can to throw things out. Sadly, not a lot of Americans/New Yorkers care about this and simply discard their stuff in the train carts, which usually result in sticky/crumbly/unsightly messes, or into the train tracks, which can cause fires and delays."
--( posted on Apr 12, 2019, commenting on the post
Crunch ‘n Munch Ain’t Worth It )
"This was hilarious to read, but it also just points out this huge issue of overcrowding in NYC in terms of cars, in commercial areas, but also in residential areas. Forget trying to find a parking space at Costco on a Sunday – because it's impossible – but imagine coming home after a long day of work and there is no parking space. It's frustrating and you end up having to circle your own block numerous times because you can't find a parking space, and end up parking three blocks away."
--( posted on Apr 7, 2019, commenting on the post
Sidewalk’s the Limit )
"I think this is a comforting aspect of NYC – a lot of people throw out furniture intact and sometimes even stick a "FREE" sign on it so other people can just haul it home. It's a good alternative to just dismantling and tossing out perfectly good decor/furniture when some other people can find some other way to upcycle these pieces."
--( posted on Mar 29, 2019, commenting on the post
Trashy Endeavors )
"Aside from the C line, this train is also popular on the J/Z line, which I take all the time, and I can definitely vouch for the excessive breakdowns (particularly during the summer when it's extra packed and hot, unfortunately). The good news is that the MTA is (slowly) replacing these older models with current models – aka the model that literally almost every other line uses: the ones with the digital stops and clocks. The bad news is that these old cars will still be in use until 2022 due to a delay in the delivery of the newer cars (what a shock).
Aside from this, your post really got me thinking about the different types of subway cars. In my mind, there are about 5 different subway cars:
1. The new model.
2. The old C/J/Z model.
3. The not-as-old B/D model.
4. The 4/5 model.
5. The 6 model.
Wikipedia, however, actually lists around 10 different types (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City_Subway_rolling_stock) and now I'm really left wondering why we have so many different types of subway cars, especially when so many of the older models are difficult and expensive to maintain. Understandably, it's too late and expensive to replace all the lines with one model now, but I'm just wondering why the MTA didn't just have one design instead of introducing so many different models."
--( posted on Mar 24, 2019, commenting on the post
Wanna “C” a Relic? )
"I think this brings up the bigger question of why infrastructure takes such a long time in NYC, and probably the US as a whole. I've seen videos of infrastructure construction and whether it's a sidewalk that needs repair, or a bridge that needs to be fixed in other countries, where this sort of repair only takes a few days, or even one day to fix. Meanwhile, we are so accustomed to seeing bright orange construction signs, scaffolding, and makeshift metal and wooden boards to cover up the ever so slow progress."
--( posted on Mar 16, 2019, commenting on the post
A Tale of Two Utilities )
"I think an alternative (for some people) is to just have a small bin on their windowsills for composting. I remember when I was in elementary school and we did a small composting project; it doesn't take up much space and it's a great way to recycle all the organic waste that normally just goes into the garbage."
--( posted on Mar 10, 2019, commenting on the post
COMPOST )
"My concern isn't really about the garbage, but rather the issues regarding infrastructure that come with more trees. In my neighborhood, there are trees that are hundreds of years old as a result, the roots have begun to pop out from underneath the sidewalk (something like this: https://inexpensivetreecare.com/wp-content/uploads/tree_sidewalk-1.jpg) These trees not only end up destroying the sidewalks, but also propose an issue of safety of pedestrians that are unaware of the uneven surfaces or those that are traveling with a lot of personal belongings. While I think it's great that we are trying to plant more trees, I can't really think of a way that can help prevent the trees' eventual overgrowth, or subsequently try to rectify these damaged walkways."
--( posted on Mar 2, 2019, commenting on the post
More Trees on NYC Streets )
"I'm in Williamsburg every other weekend, so I understand this struggle. While this ongoing construction is going to be inconvenient for a lot of people, I think it is a much better alternative than shutting down the entire tunnel from Williamsburg to Manhattan for a year and a half – which not only forced a lot of people to move out but also landlords to drop rent prices to convince people to stay. Since the L is the only train that really runs straight through Williamsburg, that would've decreased overall prosperity in Williamsburg and that's the opposite of the whole idea of sustainability that NYC tries to preach."
--( posted on Mar 2, 2019, commenting on the post
The Paradox of the L Train Construction (3/5/19) )
"This is actually really saddening to see. I remember as we were welcoming in the New Year, I saw on my social media newsfeed an article – something along the lines of "Let's look at all the animals that went extinct in 2018!" It's kind of a punch in the face because we're forced to realize that not only do our actions have consequences, but these consequences also fall on other species that never asked for this type of fallout because of our unsustainable ways of living. These species are gone, never to be seen again, so we really should be asking ourselves: is what we're doing worth their lives?"
--( posted on Feb 23, 2019, commenting on the post
‘apocalyptic zoo’ is a very dramatic way to phrase it )
"Rising rent costs are a huge problem in my neighborhood too. I've lived in Bushwick for about 15 years and I've seen the neighborhood change drastically. It was never really an "unsafe" neighborhood (so to speak anyway) but it wasn't exactly desirable either, until a few years ago, the cafes and condos began pouring in. As a result, even the older buildings started tacking more and more onto the rent, and this included my dad. Despite increasing the rent incrementally so we can actually keep our tenants, we're still offering our house for a much lower price than our neighbors (who priced it at like $3000 a month? Which is insane because renting in Bushwick used to be half of that a decade ago)."
--( posted on Feb 23, 2019, commenting on the post
New Projects more like New Problems )
"I think this is such an important issue, especially since Penn Station is one of the most frequented stations in this city. If the MTA/the city can't tend to one of its most popular stations, what about all the "less" popular stations (ie. literally anywhere besides Times Square 42nd, Herald Square, etc etc)? Stations leak all the time (even when it's not raining?) and there are cracks everywhere. While all this is happening, the MTA is raising fares to help "renovate" these stations. These renovations, however, are always for seemingly useless parts of the station; for instance, new flashy display screens, more countdown clocks (that don't work half of the time)."
--( posted on Feb 16, 2019, commenting on the post
Crumbling Concrete Jungle )
"I definitely agree with all the points that you made. The increase in number of taller buildings in NYC is ridiculous, and actually disadvantageous in combating the issue of overpopulation. The second tallest building in NYC is 432 Park Avenue – which, if you don't know, is basically this fancy residential building where apartments go for millions and millions of dollars. While I am not bashing the right for (wealthy) people to indulge and have a beautiful apartment overlooking Central Park, I don't think it's fair for such a place such as 432 Park Avenue to exist when most of those apartments are still available for purchase when there's a huge demand for more (affordable) space in such a crowded city."
--( posted on Feb 16, 2019, commenting on the post
How high can we go? )
