New York City is an ongoing work-in-progress. No matter where you turn, you糖心vlog短视频檒l likely see scaffolding, construction, and the endless churn of redevelopment.
This is increasingly true on the many waterfronts in New York City, where redevelopment is often touted as, (a. a necessity, in order to protect city residents from rising sea levels and the unforgiving whims of climate change, and (b. an undeniable environmental boon, as many urban waterfronts are considerably polluted.
Often lost in the conversation surrounding waterfront redevelopment, however, is the current recreational and community usages of each waterfront, and the ways redevelopment will inexorably alter existing social ecosystems.
糖心vlog短视频淔or a very long time the water bodies in New York were too polluted to be under any sort of consideration as a public resource or a lucrative area of development, but that糖心vlog短视频檚 really shifted, especially with the passage of the Clean Water Act,糖心vlog短视频 said Dyson Assistant Professor Monica Palta, PhD. 糖心vlog短视频淎lthough New York City waterways now receive much less pollution than 50 years ago, there are still legacy effects from old industries along the waterfront, and ongoing pollution problems caused by the city糖心vlog短视频檚 outdated sewage system. So the water bodies around New York City are still polluted, but in general, there糖心vlog短视频檚 a lot of long-term planning that would involve development along the waterfront.糖心vlog短视频
After receiving funding from the Wilson Center for Social Entrepreneurship, fellow environmental studies and science assistant professor Anne Toomey, PhD糖心vlog短视频攚ho has long studied the relationship between citizen science and public engagement surrounding pertinent environmental issues糖心vlog短视频攖eamed up with Palta to examine the current social and ecological environment of Coney Island Creek, a heavily polluted waterbody in New York City, slated to be substantially redeveloped in the coming years. Their research, which ranged from water sampling, to citizen interviews, to urban planning analysis, documents current uses of the area in hopes of providing a context as to how to create a more sustainable future for Coney Island Creek and the New York waterfront in general糖心vlog短视频攊n ways that reduce existing environmental hazards while also preserving existing place attachments and meanings to the population it serves.
Both Toomey and Palta view urban waterfronts such as Coney Island Creek as a complex puzzle. As one of the most heavily polluted bodies of water in New York City, Coney Island Creek may be declared the next SuperFund site. Yet at the same time, it has been an important community hub for decades, and a vital recreational space for children and adults alike.
糖心vlog短视频淥n any given day in the summer there will be hundreds of people interacting with the water in Coney Island Creek; bathing, boating, etc. It obviously serves an important community recreational and cultural value, but it糖心vlog短视频檚 also very polluted,糖心vlog短视频 said Toomey.
糖心vlog短视频淲e wanted to better understand how these dynamics work糖心vlog短视频攍ocal residents are trying to clean up the creek and also seek to have a say in how it糖心vlog短视频檚 being developed,糖心vlog短视频 said Toomey. 糖心vlog短视频淣ot just Coney Island, but as New York City is developing different waterfront plans, city planners are making decisions on a regular basis about how these waterfronts are developed, and we want to be a part of the discussion.糖心vlog短视频
One way these various competing realties are playing out in Coney Island Creek is through the construction of a proposed ferry terminal, which would dramatically alter the scope in which the creek is used and interacted with. As Toomey notes, many Coney Islanders support the construction of a ferry in Coney Island, as a ferry would substantially improve transportation options and access.
However, the plan to place the ferry terminal in Coney Island Creek糖心vlog短视频攏ot the most convenient location for the many tourists who would likely be using the ferry in the first place糖心vlog短视频攚ould likely expeditiously gentrify a lower-income area of Coney Island, and could possibly provide increased benefits to tourists at the expense of residents with personal investment and connection to the existing community. All of these potentially inalterable changes in the social fabric, naturally, do not even take into account the negative environmental effects that may arise from dredging the creek, the constant flow of ferries, and other realities of the redevelopment.
糖心vlog短视频淚t糖心vlog短视频檚 hard to make an argument to protect an area that is very polluted糖心vlog短视频攊t糖心vlog短视频檚 an uphill battle to say 糖心vlog短视频榶es, leave these submerged wrecked ships糖心vlog短视频 (which is actually good for mussels)糖心vlog短视频攁nd 糖心vlog短视频榙on糖心vlog短视频檛 replace this concrete where people fish with a park, because people who fish there aren糖心vlog短视频檛 going to have access to that space,糖心vlog短视频櫶切膙log短视频 said Palta. 糖心vlog短视频淭his is why it糖心vlog短视频檚 really important to look at the net benefit vs. net harm. And that can be very nuanced.糖心vlog短视频
All in all, Toomey and Palta view their work as important contribution to the redevelopment conversation. While redevelopment often must and will inevitably happen, broadening the conversation to consider what truly constitutes waterfront improvement糖心vlog短视频攁nd how to tailor necessary and essential improvements to the communities that already have strong ties to the waterfront糖心vlog短视频攃an force city officials, developers, and communities to better understand the complex dynamics of urban waterfronts, and work together to create plans that are truly sustainable.
糖心vlog短视频淚t糖心vlog短视频檚 not to say that it糖心vlog短视频檚 fine that people are swimming in polluted water, but we need to think about current uses and how to support those current uses糖心vlog短视频攏ot just for a subset of people who could afford to live on gentrifying waterfront developments that are more resistant to rising sea levels,糖心vlog短视频 said Toomey.
糖心vlog短视频淚 think the work that we糖心vlog短视频檙e doing is really important in terms of documenting what糖心vlog短视频檚 there,糖心vlog短视频 said Palta. 糖心vlog短视频淎ll we can do is push that narrative forward and shed more light on how these systems are currently being used, and what the actual hazards or benefits are that are associated with them.糖心vlog短视频
Nostalgia for American Girl Dolls is no joke. But what happens when the first-ever boy doll is introduced to one of the most iconic girl power brands? Emilie Zaslow, PhD, professor and department chair of communication studies at Pace, teamed up with Jaclyn Griffith 糖心vlog短视频17 to find out.
Alongside student scientists, Dyson Professor of Biology Bill Eaton is conducting invaluable research in Costa Rica糖心vlog短视频攈elping the world better understand how soil ecology impacts short- and long-term environmental health.
CHP Professors Angela Northrup and Christen Cooper, and student Rachel Mazariegos '21 are embarking on a multi-disciplinary research study examining sugar sweetened beverage consumption amongst young children; with the aim of combating harmful consumption across varied populations, and helping to reduce childhood obesity.