“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” – Jane Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities The built environment often does not meet the needs of all community members, so intertwined are the physical and social dimensions …
Where are your Malbecs? I don’t know anything about wine, but I know I like “Sancerre”s. I cut my teeth in the beverage industry in 2014, working part time at a small wine and spirits shop. Over the years, my colleagues and I have worked hard to expand palates and …
The State of New York has been a leader in energy systems since 1882 when Thomas Edison developed the world’s first electrical grid in New York City. As new challenges related to climate change and its various consequences, such as Superstorm Sandy, have arisen throughout the 21st century, New York …
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 …
It feels like a challenging time to be working on environmental issues here in the United States as a wave of populism and climate change denial seems to be sweeping the country. To gain some perspective on working toward sustainability goals, I spoke with Professor Sue Hartley. Professor Hartley is the Director of …
Every time I drive down to New York City, the village of New Paltz and the Wallkill River show up on my GPS. Along highway I-87, you can see marvelous mountain views and amazing apple trees. I always think that I should tour and try the hiking trails in this …
“You could say this nation runs on two dark liquids — petroleum and coffee,” Professor Bob Thompson of Syracuse University once said. We’re constantly reminded of the social and environmental costs of our reliance on fossil fuels, but what about that other fuel? Conventional coffee: value without values Americans drink …
As I’ve mentioned in my previous blogs about working for NYSERDA, New York City is going through a major energy transition. The State and City governments are both looking at ways to drastically change the energy landscape to include more distributed renewable sources of generation and to reduce energy usage, …
Even in the twenty-first century, there is a gender gap in both the STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math) and the U.S. government. As a female government employee, graduate student in environmental policy, and an engineering degree holder, I have personally witnessed disparity in the representation of women in …
Being part of a graduate program that is so interdisciplinary in nature requires one to wear many hats. One has to be flexible and creative enough to be compelling, yet subtle, in order to provide thought provoking insights in a manner that is appropriate to your audience. These qualities are …
