Tag: covid-19
November 26, 2020
GreenHomeNYC’s Pandemic Pivot Proves the Power of Commitment and Community
By Melanie Mason
We have spent the better part of our year in throes of the COVID-19 pandemic—social distancing, Zooming, washing our hands like crazy, and carrying out GreenHomeNYC’s mission from the kitchen table. This has almost begun to feel like a normal part of our routines. But at the beginning of the lockdowns back in March, the challenges to life as usual suddenly felt very far from “normal.” Just like everyone else, GreenHomeNYC had to quickly adapt to this new way of being. A testimony to our incredibly driven volunteers, together we dove headfirst into tackling how GreenHomeNYC would go from a live and lively in-person community to operating fully remotely.
Said GreenHomeNYC’s board president Lucie Dupas, “The board is so thankful for all the amazing work that our volunteers are able to get done safely from their homes—this year has been incredibly challenging in all aspects of life, and we are amazed on a daily basis by how passionate and resilient our whole community is!”
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July 14, 2020
Monthly Forum: Urban Heat Island and COVID-19 – A Perfect Storm?
Summer in the City: Urban Heat Island, Environmental Justice and Covid 19– a Perfect Storm?
Temperatures this summer are rising to uncomfortable levels. But what policies are in place to assist people who are confined to small, crowded apartments, with inadequate ventilation and no air conditioning —or unaffordable air conditioning—in the case of a heat wave? What are the environmental justice issues that should be considered, since traditional practices like opening community centers and shelters may be contraindicated in the era of Covid? What populations are being disproportionately affected by urban heat and climate change? Please join Adriana Espinoza, Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice, NYC Mayor’s Office of Climate Policy and Programs, who will speak about environmental justice from a macro level, and how systemic inequality and environmental racism has created the disparities that exists in the City today. She will also discuss how the City plans to better incorporate equity and EJ into the city climate decision-making. To dive deeper into the conversation, Mike Harrington, Assistant Director of the Tishman Environment and Design Center, will speak about the historical inequalities of urban heat island impacts on communities and some possible solutions from a policy and design perspective. He will also share some of the lessons learned from personal experience and the recently released “Turning the Heat” report that he co-authored as part of the Urban Design Forum’s Forefront Fellowship. Sonal Jessel, Policy & Advocacy Coordinator at WE ACT for Environmental Justice, will discuss what makes extreme heat a public health issue, why there are inequities in impact, and how communities cope. She will also highlight particular challenges that exist for vulnerable populations this summer due to COVID-19.Here is the Link to register:
Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2020 Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM Place: Online REGISTER HERE! (more…)