The New York City Conservation Challenge proposes to examine a variety of these issues in a series of seven public forums, bringing different viewpoints, experiences and proposals to the table. We challenge you to join us. Learn more, ask tough questions and be involved in your urban environmental future. The New York City Council recently approved a six billion dollar Solid Waste Management Plan which responded to public pressure to reduce waste hauling by truck. Building cranes are as common as potholes in New York City these days, as the economic boom seems to stretch ever forward.
Developers are interested in eco-friendly technology, but say the risks are still too great.
Thirty years after the passage of the Clean Air Act, New Yorkers continue to breathe some of the most polluted air in the nation. New York City also has the dubious distinction of being a national leader in asthma rates among children. Most affected are children living in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color. At the heart of the problem are diesel vehicles, cars and power plants. Yet as asthma rates skyrocket the MTA looks to build another bus depot in Upper Manhattan and the NY Power Authority is building new power generators.