Let's put the squeeze on the top 1%
Photodisc/Getty Images
READ MORE ABOUT:
The December 16, 2009 New York Metro headline blared:
E. Side choking on air pollution
The article inside stated: "A swath of pollution blankets Manhattan from the notoriously asthma-plagued East Harlem to the wealthy enclaves near Mayor Michael Bloomberg's Upper East Side townhouse to Lower East Side's hipster hangouts." Mayor Bloomberg added: "The east side of Manhattan has enormous pollution because they have a concentration of buildings."
As mentioned, part of the "east side" being referred to is the posh Upper East Side (UES). For the uninitiated, here's how New York magazine describes the UES:
"With its world-famous museums, elite schools, luxury boutiques, and proximity to Central Park, the family-oriented Upper East Side is home to some of the city's richest residents."
One more factoid before we start choking: Four of the top five zip codes in the nation for political contributions are in Manhattan and the top ZIP Code, 10021, is on the Upper East Side.
WATCH VIDEO: Greening the South Bronx
High profile pollution in ZIP Code 10021 can be a good thing because it just might drive home the point—more than any other political issue—that we're all in this together. If the ruling class seems indifferent to the cost of war, well, that might be because they're not likely to participate. If the have's appear callous toward the increasing number of have-not's in prison, again, it's all about class. But pollution is about biology, not ideology. Therefore, if the folks on the UES recognize that particulates do not stop at their borders, we could be one step closer to environmental justice.
Defined by the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental justice is "the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws, regulations, and policies."
The dual goals, then, are to work to reduce the causes of air pollution while relentlessly educating the elites.
2 Parallel Avenues for Greening Your City
1. Work for Change on Your Streets
In the Metro article cited above, Richard Kassel of the Natural Resources Defense Council, said New York's "near-term priority" should be replacing high-sulfur heating oil. "By reducing vehicle pollution and cleaning up old burners and boilers," he said, "the city can make a huge difference in the quality of the air we breathe." To that, we can add a need for more bike lanes, more green spaces, and Livable Streets.
2. Wake Up the Wealthy
While, of course, we each have our own changes to make, let's face it: Those with the most money have the biggest impact on our eco-system. Our way of life has engrained materialism as the ideal so it's become a major priority to shift this perspective. What better place than to start with the rich? Through protests, boycotts, direct action, and direct interaction, we must try to make the wealthy understand that we all lose when 80% of the world's forests are gone. Solidarity across class lines is rare but it's never been more urgent.
As always, action is better than hope...
More on green (and less-than-green) urban living
Do You Live in One of America's Most Toxic Cities?
Join The Livable Streets Initiative and Green Your City
