NYC Government The governmental apparatus of New York City is probably more complicated than you think, unless you happen to have worked in it before. There are various city agencies, boards and judiciaries – and that’s all before we get to elected officials. The elected positions of New York City …
Less than two weeks after the conclusion of the spring semester at the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, I found myself gearing up for my first day of work at the Pace Energy and Climate Center in White Plains, NY. The Pace Energy and Climate Center is a not-for-profit project …
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) is tasked with the environmental protection of the entire state of New York. This protection comes in many forms, including environmental laws, permitting of activities, and cleaning up contaminated sites. The NYSDEC is divided into 9 regions. Region 2, located in …
On March 28th of this year, nearly a hundred people gathered at SUNY New Paltz for the third Wallkill River Summit, organized by the Wallkill River Watershed Alliance. Gathering together community organizers, officials from the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, local elected leaders and an interested public, the 2017 Wallkill …
Given the unusual political climate we find ourselves in, I wanted to learn from an expert who has many years of experience overcoming political barriers. Last week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sharon Buccino from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Sharon is the Director of the Land …
Hydropower has a long history in New York State. There are more than 6,000 dams in New York, some dating back to the 1700s. Even through the industrial revolution of the 19th century, dams were the main source of power for running mills and powering machinery. As electric power replaced …
In one episode of NBC’s Parks and Recreation, Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) tries to pass a bill adding fluoride to the town’s water source. She’s opposed by a councilman/dentist who wants to continue making money off of the many cavities that occur in the town. As she discusses the debate, …
Urban sprawl has negative impacts on human health. The extension of suburbs from US urban centers has increased dependence on automobiles, resulting in the production of air pollutants and contributing to respiratory problems in people of all ages. In the fifty largest US cities, commuters pay an additional $107 billion dollars …
GMOs are a hot topic these days. Get in an argument with someone who’s ‘pro-GMO’, and they’re likely to tell you that we’ve been engineering crop genetics since the dawn of agriculture. This argument certainly has a strain of validity to it. But it fails to account for the fact …
When we hear about Syria in the news we are repeatedly disheartened. We see a country in shambles, bombs exploding, injured children… The media discusses the increased political tensions in the area and the threat of international war. The world is trying to find homes for millions of refugees fleeing the …
