As one of the most notable cities in the world, the metropolitan area of New York City consists of an 18,804,000 population as of 2019. With this amount of people living within a 302.6 square mile radius, the number of carbon emissions from buildings, air pollutants from cars, and trash produced from city-goers and NYC natives are astounding. The US is the fourth leading country in carbon emissions and fossil fuel pollution as of 2017. As one of the most influential cities on the planet, New York City has the power to become a leading example for city-wide sustainability – and it’s definitely something you can’t ignore.
Make Way for Solar-Powered Communities
NYC and it’s five boroughs: The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens, and Staten Island all possess something unique that other states don’t – proximity. The state of New York is, in size, quite small. Buildings are built on top of each other, rather than next to or around other buildings. Because of this New York City has the ability to solar-power entire streets, neighborhoods, and even boroughs.
Rather than just having a single individual home with solar panels, think of the impact a whole borough of New York City powered by solar energy could have. Thanks to initiatives like Choose Solar, city-wide use of natural energy and reduction of electric waste could have life-changing effects on the state as a whole.
Ultimately, it’s a great way to get people more educated and interested in creating a more eco-friendly home or apartment.
New York City As Leader In Fashion
One of the most notable industries constantly working on taking a leading stance is sustainability creators in fashion. Known as one of the leading fashion capitals of the world, New York City’s Garment District (also referred to as Fashion Avenue) is home to famed fashion designers and creators worldwide. If there was a constant movement for sustainability in fashion, New York City could nurture the movement to extend not only across the state but across the country.
The influence that NYC has on the rest of the United States is unparalleled to almost any other state. If the highly-acclaimed fashion brands and executives based in New York City took initiative to create more sustainable fashion using production materials from natural resources and committing to fair workspaces for garment workers, it could influence creatives across the country to do the same.
The Possibility of Less Taxis In New York City
They say you’re not actually in New York City unless you hear a cab honking at you while you’re crossing the street. Taxis and cabs are a staple in getting New Yorkers across the city, however, the amount of carbon dioxide that NYC transportation produces each year is ghastly. For years experts have wondered if there are other eco-friendly ways that locals and tourists can get across the Big Apple.
New York As A Biking City? It could happen. And It Should.
Biking is a fast and sustainable option! The only problem is the number of people in the city. With a population as large as New York’s it’s sometimes difficult to find the room for bike lanes, especially on streets as narrow as theirs. However, it is a possibility that if more New Yorkers opted for riding a bike, rather than a cab, the CO2 level the United States contributes to each year would decrease. Plus, you wouldn’t have to deal with sitting in traffic for an extra hour.
“If New York is doing it, then everyone should be doing it.” From the influence of musical artists on Broadway to award-winning fashion designers, New York City is the number one tourist destination in the United States. These are only a few ways the city can contribute to a more sustainable way of living for its locals, but once they begin, there’s no doubt that other cities will follow suit … and then hopefully, possibly, the rest of the world would too.
