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New York Arenas Strengthen Ongoing Commitment to End Single-Use Plastic Consumption

By Mia Fitzloff

An 80,000 person football game can generate 200,000 pounds of waste. The average stadium hosting 300 events annually uses 5.4 million single-use cups. Eliminating single-use plastics from large-scale events may seem like mission impossible, but the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, home to the New York Liberty and the Brooklyn Nets, has been making strides to do just that.

In 2018, the Barclays Center became the first sports and entertainment venue in New York to announce that they would eliminate the use of single-use plastic straws at all events by 2019. Their decision would divert from landfills over 5.5 million straws used annually. Additionally, the Barclays Center Barclays reduced their energy usage by 86,300 watts by switching to LED lights.

“Since opening Barclays Center, sustainability has been a priority and a core value for our company,” said Brett Yormark, CEO of BSE Global, the parent company of Barclays. Barclays Center was the first arena in New York to be LEED® Silver Certified, and they partnered with waste management companies to implement compost and recycling solutions in the venue. They donate or compost most extra food from events. The arena also uses culinary paper products, provided by Eco-Products, which are compostable.

When you approach Barclays center, you immediately notice their commitment to the environment with their 135,000 square foot green roof which reduces storm water runoff and helps reduce heat reflected by the roof. They also have a rainwater pump that allows the venue to collect and reuse rainwater!

Barclays Center’s movement towards sustainability can serve as a model that other venues can follow.

Another noteworthy New York venue has steadily committed to reducing its environmental impact: The UBS Arena in Long Island, home to the New York Islanders hockey team. The arena was awarded the TRUE Silver Certification by Green Business Certification Inc., for their efforts in eliminating single-use, “landfill bound items,” said Kerry Graue, Senior Director of PR for UBS. Through recycling and donation projects, UBS Arena was able to avoid 14.2 metric tons of CO2 emissions. In addition to their anti-waste initiatives, UBS is dedicated to protecting our planet in every way.

UBS Arena has made strides in sustainable energy and power, water conservation, recyclables, and food waste. They’ve implemented occupancy sensor technology in their lighting systems. They’ve reduced their water consumption by 40 percent, they’ve achieved a 90 percent recycling rate, and they’ve built strong relationships with neighboring churches and food banks for unused food. Venues like UBS and Barclays have set a standard for sustainability in an industry notorious for waste.

Entertainment venues globally generate a significant amount of plastic waste, mostly because food, beverages, and even cutlery at the events are only available in single-use plastic packaging. According to Recycle Track Systems, big events such as Coachella and Stagecoach can generate up to 100 tons of solid waste per day. An 80,000 person football game can generate 200,000 pounds of waste. The average stadium hosting 300 events annually uses 5.4 million single-use cups.

Getting Ecological reported that by far, a significant portion of waste at large-scale events consists of plastic cups and dishware. It’s estimated that only 5 percent of petroleum-based plastic is successfully recycled, the remainder go to landfills or incinerators. Polystyrene, a common material used for plastic cups, is non-recyclable and toxic. These plastics take decades to decompose, causing harmful chemicals and microplastics to seep into our soil and water, putting our ecosystems and health at risk. But it isn’t just land and water, the air we breathe is becoming overwhelmed by the effects of plastic pollution- microplastics (tiny particles of plastic) have been found floating in the air in clouds and dispersing in human lungs. The longer governments and corporations wait to take real action against plastic pollution, the more dire the consequences become.

Properly managing plastic waste at large venues and events is difficult to achieve, but it’s not impossible. Venues like Barclays and UBS have already made great strides, and they aren’t stopping there. In 2025, Barclays Center is still just as committed to sustainability and increasing their initiatives in the future. On January 6th of this year, Barclays announced that Earth Brands, the eco-conscious brand dedicated to eliminating single-use plastic products, is partnering with them. Their sustainable, plant-based compostable products will now be used at concession stands for all events.

UBS Arena also has future plans to increase their sustainability: creating an impact fund, which will go directly to “action-oriented organizations” focused on climate justice, and forming partnerships with brands who offer sustainability solutions such as clean energy, waste reduction and green products.

By implementing innovative solutions the way Barclays and UBS has, other venues can too take substantial steps towards sustainability!

Mia Fitzloff, an undergraduate intern at the New York League of Conservation Voters since June 2025, is a third-year student at Syracuse University pursuing a double bachelor’s degree in policy studies and French, and a minor in communications.

As Lead Pipe Inventory Data Trickles In, Improvements Are Identified

Lead is a dangerous contaminant. There is no safe level of lead exposure. Children are especially vulnerable, facing increased risks of developmental delays, learning disabilities, and other serious health impacts.

Drinking water is one possible pathway to lead exposure. Lead pipes, lead solder, or lead-containing fixtures in plumbing systems may be quietly contaminating drinking water due to the corrosion of these elements. Drinking water that comes into contact with these corrosive elements for a long period of time (i.e. sitting idle in pipes for hours) may release lead into the water as it flows through faucets and fountains. Yet for many communities, the exact number and location of these lead pipes remain unknown which remains a risk today.

One pathway of drinking exposure is from a lead service line (LSL), a pipe made of lead that connects the water main in the street to a building’s plumbing system which is usually the homeowner’s water meter or indoor plumbing system. These pipes were commonly installed in homes and buildings up until the mid-20th century, especially before 1986, when the U.S. banned the use of lead in plumbing due to its health risks.

Across New York, lead service lines (LSLs) in smaller, older homes, pose a risk and continue to threaten the health of NYS residents. To address this, New York enacted the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act in 2023 which requires the state Department of Health to make available information that it collected from water utilities about how many lead service lines are in their water system, among other details, per the federal Lead and Copper Rule.

The deadline for water systems to submit their inventories to the Department of Health was October 16, 2024. Per the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act, all records were due to be posted by the Department of Heath by mid-February 2025 as required by state regulation.

NYLCV was a strong proponent of the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act and has been monitoring its implementation closely. Over the past few months, NYLCV Education Fund Lead in Drinking Water Fellow Arnav Lund created a database evaluating the availability of data found in the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Lead Service Line Inventory portal. Arnav’s work involved systematically reviewing the database over the past few months to verify that information was available for all community public water systems (PWS) that were available for review.

Here’s what we know about 2,800 community public water systems in New York State (57 counties + NYC) as of May 31, 2025:

Water System listed, working hyperlink: 2,036 (73% statewide average)
- Only 4 counties — Hamilton, Monroe, Orleans and Schenectady — and NYC have 100% of their records listed with a working hyperlink
- Tompkins County has the fewest number of reports listed with working hyperlinks (43%) – full list of counties here.
Water System listed, broken or missing hyperlink: 203 (7% statewide average) – full list of water systems here
Water System not listed at all: 561 (20% statewide average) – full list of water systems here

With no data available for 27% or 764 water suppliers (as shown in Figure 1), it appears that either these water systems are not in compliance with state regulation or the NYS Department of Health has a backlog of data that it hasn’t had an opportunity to upload. Until 100% of the data is made publicly available, it will be difficult for state lawmakers to have a complete picture of how lead pipes are in each community around the state and how much money water suppliers will need via state assistance to comply with new federal regulations requiring all lead pipes to be removed by 2037.

While we are waiting to analyze the full data set, here’s what we know to date from the record that we can access:

3.7 million service lines have been reported
2.5 million service lines are reported as not lead
934,000 reported as “unknown”
288,000 reported as lead/galvanized pipes

To get a sense of where the greatest concern is around the state, here’s a listing of communities with at least 1,000 lead/galvanized lines:

Public Water Supplier	Principal County Served	Lead/Galvanized Lines
New York City System	New York City (Bronx, Kings, New York, Queens, Richmond)	124,197
Buffalo Water Authority	Erie	34,318
Syracuse City	Onondaga	17,287
Rochester City	Monroe	16,640
Veolia Water New York, Inc. RD-1	Westchester	8,082
Mohawk Valley Water Authority	Oneida	6,464
Poughkeepsie City	Dutchess	6,198
Mount Vernon Water Department	Westchester	5,156
Erie County Water Authority	Erie	5,046
Water Authority Of Western Nassau	Nassau	4,463
Liberty Utilities New York – Lynbrook	Nassau	4,271
Onondaga County Water Authority	Onondaga	3,895
Monroe County Water Authority	Monroe	3,371
Oswego City	Oswego	2,973
Elmira Water Board	Chemung	2,873
Kingston City Water District	Ulster	2,728
Albany City	Albany	2,245
Port Jervis City	Orange	2,071
Gloversville City Water Works	Fulton	1,787
Troy City	Rensselaer	1,641
Garden City Village	Nassau	1,276
Little Falls City	Herkimer	1,106
Veolia Water New York, Inc. RD-2	Westchester	1,009

This list highlights where the greatest public and environmental health urgency lies. These communities should be more prioritized for inspections, funding, and replacements to reduce the risk of lead exposure through drinking water overall.

The 934,000 listed as “Unknown” on the DOH website are concerning as this missing information can be a serious public health risk since some of those lines may contain lead. It also makes it harder for the state to plan and fund lead pipe replacement.

There’s a bill under consideration by the state legislature known as the “Find Lead Pipes Faster Act” that would make it easier for water systems to conduct service line inspections to identify lead service lines. NYLCV and its partners support this bill which was passed by the state senate in June 2025 and awaits action in the state assembly.

This legislation empowers utilities to conduct free, noninvasive inspections to identify LSLs, clarifies that tenants or adult occupants can grant access when landlords are unresponsive, and ensures property owners are required to cooperate with inspections.

You can count on NYLCV and its team of researchers to continue to monitor this situation and urge for rapid compliance with the Lead Pipe Right to Know Act because we all have a right to know where lead pipes are lurking.

Green Tips: A Sustainable Summer

As the weather is warming up, the sun-fueled fun of summer makes it one of the most anticipated seasons of the year. As you get ready for longer days and warmer nights, there are many ways to reduce your environmental impact to ensure you have an eco-friendly yet exciting summer.

Use eco-friendly/reef-friendly sunscreen

With the UV index of the summer season being so high, it is important to protect your skin with sunscreen. While your sunscreen will undoubtedly protect you, many sunscreens will contain harsh chemicals that endanger the ocean and beach. In fact, one drop of toxic sunscreen can poison coral reefs the size of six Olympic-sized swimming pools. To ensure that your sunscreen won’t damage coral reefs, make sure that it’s oxybenzone- and octinoxate-free. Also, try to avoid other chemicals, parabens, and nano-particles. A good way to get started is trying mineral sunscreens that are less harmful and just as effective. Check out this article for great eco-friendly sunscreen recommendations: The Best Reef-Safe, Eco-Friendly Sunscreens

Reduce air conditioning use

While the summer heat can get intense, you should resist the temptation to crank up the air conditioning to its maximum capacity in order to assist with grid resiliency. While it might feel good, doing so consumes a significant amount of energy. AC usage also emits greenhouse gasses and leaks hydrofluorocarbons, which perpetuates climate change. If you need to use the AC, try to turn it on intermittently and use a fan to cool your living space when your AC is resting.

Use a reusable water bottle

With the weather getting so warm, staying hydrated becomes an important task. Carrying a reusable water bottle ensures that you’ll always have a container to refill with water while also reducing the amount of single-use plastic waste.

Shop and eat locally

A great way to stay healthy and save on emissions whilst boosting the local economy is eating locally produced food. While you can do this year around, the local farmers’ markets are always buzzing when the weather warms up with vendors and patrons. In order to have a sustainable meal, shop for vegetables and other foods at your local farmers’ market. Due to the short food supply chain, locally-sourced foods generally have less of a carbon footprint compared to importanted processed foods.

Avoid disposable plates and utensils

Barbeques and picnics are common activities in the summer. An often unintended side-effect of eating outdoors is creating a lot of waste. When going on picnics or hosting cookouts, don’t use disposable plates, cutleries, napkins, or cups and opt for reusable alternatives instead. Check out this article for more information.

Walk or use public transport

With the weather being so nice, you should opt for walking or biking instead of driving! If you need to travel somewhere far, using public transportation instead of driving is a great option as it eases congestion and reduces emissions.

Shop second hand

Some of the fun activities of the summer may require or even be shopping. Thrift stores or yard sales are a great eco-friendly activity that gets you what you need. Through second-hand shopping, you give life to products that the original owners no longer need. It also slows down the production chain and allows products in circulation to be used to their highest potential. The warmer seasons make yard sales popular so the summer can also be a great time to host a yard sale to declutter your home!

All About Plastic Free July: How to Participate and Why It Matters!

By Mia Fitzloff

430 million tons of plastic are produced every year, and every piece ever made still exists today. While that’s a difficult concept to fully grasp, it’s true. This plastic sits in landfills, pollutes our oceans, and slowly breaks down into toxic microplastics. Although we never see our straws, wrappers, or lids after we’re done with them, their effect on the world will outlive us.

As we head into July of 2025, the effects of climate change and human pollution, from diminishing air quality to extreme heat events, can be seen throughout the Earth.

It is imperative that we reduce our reliance on plastic, not just for the month of July, but permanently. The adverse effects of plastic aren’t going away or minimizing, they’re getting worse.

Take the pledge to go Plastic Free this July!

Here are some quick ways to reduce single-use plastic in your everyday life:

Use a reusable container instead of a plastic water bottle and take it with you when you leave the house;
Use reusable cloth bags, including those for vegetables, and take them with you whenever you leave the house;
Purchase items loose or those in compostable or reusable containers. Shopping at your local farmers market makes this easier;
Start a plastic-free program at a business, school, building or in your community;
Use reusable sandwich bags to pack your lunch, like beeswax ones for example
Use refillable shampoo/conditioner containers or bar soaps instead of buying new bottles;
Use your own reusable cup when purchasing to-go coffee or other drinks.

It’s more urgent than ever to rethink our daily habits and push for real change. Plastic production, transport, and waste contribute substantially to global warming and plastic pollution is a global disaster, choking oceans, contaminating water supplies and endangering human, plant and animal health.

While corporations and large governments are responsible for much of this waste, we as individuals can take small steps to reduce our own pollution. If we all make these changes together, we can make a big difference.

Plastic Free July was established in 2011 by the Plastic Free Foundation in Australia to bring attention to the overwhelming dangers of plastic pollution. July in particular is a month that sees high rates of plastic consumption and waste, as people get outside more and celebrate July 4th and summer weather. Over the last 14 years, hundreds of millions of people have participated with a stated goal of eliminating all plastic waste around the world. In 2024, it’s estimated that 174 million people from 190 countries participated in various ways, from educational programs to clean-up days to establishing new plastic-free habits.

Join us this Plastic Free July by taking our pledge to eliminate single-use plastic from your life for one month. Just that one month can help establish plastic-free habits that will last a lifetime. A lifetime without plastic may seem like a large undertaking, but starting with July will show you that there are many easy, low-cost ways to begin.

To put into context just how severe the problem is, in 2022, about 400 million tons of plastic were produced globally, while just 9% of all plastic produced is recycled, with 50% going to landfills and 20% getting burned and releasing toxic greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These recycling rates are scarily low.

An estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean every year, polluting water and food sources and harming wildlife. That number is expected to triple by 2040 without serious intervention. A garbage truck equivalent of plastic waste is dumped into the ocean every minute. In 2022, a study showed that 1 in 3 fish sampled for major food markets contained small particles of plastic.

Plastic pollution doesn’t just pose a threat to our oceans, wildlife, and natural areas, it poses a significant health threat to us. Microplastics, which are tiny plastic particles from broken down plastics, have been found in human blood, reproductive organs, and in many samples of drinking water.

The chemicals in plastics, such as phthalates, BPA, and PFAS, are known as ‘forever chemicals’ because they can persist in bodies and in the environment for very long periods of time. These chemicals are linked to hormonal disruption, reduced fertility, and increased chance of cancer, metabolic diseases, and gut problems.

“Plastic is now in our blood stream, attaching itself to our heart, lungs, kidneys, and brains,” earthday.org says, adding that “Plastic particles can last for thousands of years.”

The MIT Climate Portal reports, not surprisingly, that the United States produces more plastic waste than any other country. “Something from Amazon.com that was packaged one day ago, you throw the packaging out,” said Christopher Noble, MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative’s Director of Corporate Engagement. “That packaging was used for 24 hours and then was thrown into a landfill.” It will take decades to decompose, and this produces dangerous greenhouse gasses as it does.

According to Our World in Data, plastic production and disposal emits 3.3% of global emissions. Plastics originate from fossil fuels, with the plastic industry accounting for six percent of global oil consumption. If we reduce the use of plastic, we reduce our dependence on this greenhouse-gas producing process. Open burning of plastic and other waste is a common practice in South Asia and the developing world, with it a particular problem in India and Nepal. This burning leads to the dangerous air pollutant called black carbon and is responsible for half the visible smog in New Delhi. The global warming potential of black carbon is up to 5,000 times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

We need to take action now. A solution won’t wait! Search the internet for Plastic Free July events near you. Listen to this podcast by NPR about living plastic-free longterm! Finally, take the pledge and join us in ditching the plastic for the whole month of July! These sacrifices can turn into habits that make a real difference.

Mia Fitzloff, an undergraduate intern at the New York League of Conservation Voters since June 2025, is a third-year student at Syracuse University pursuing a double bachelor’s degree in policy studies and French.

Preparation Is Key: Coastal Resiliency Projects to Protect NYC

By Peter Aronson

It may not be obvious to many New Yorkers, but currently there are shoreline resiliency projects to protect against future flooding ongoing in many areas of New York City, particularly in downtown.

Since Superstorm Sandy in 2012 caused $19 billion in damage and extensive flooding in the city, New York has developed a vast array of coastal protection projects.

These projects have taken on more urgency as scientists predict that the city will be subject to increased flooding in years to come as sea levels rise on the East Coast.

City Limits, citing a study by the Union of Concerned Scientists, reported that “sea level rise driven by global warming is on track to put critical New York buildings – like public housing complexes, hospitals, schools and power plants – at risk of frequent inundation.”

In the report, New York state was ranked as the ninth state with the greatest risk of infrastructure flooding in 2050 and sixth in 2100. Much if not most of this flooding would occur in or around New York City. The city’s five boroughs (Manhattan and Staten Island are separate islands and Queens and Brooklyn are part of Long Island) have a coastline of 520 miles, the longest of any city in the country, because of its winding path in and around the five boroughs.

Since 1900, the sea level in the city has risen by about one foot, but is projected to increase by 5.4 feet by 2100, leading to increased coastal flooding, according to the Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice.

To prevent and protect against the flooding that is projected, the city has embarked on an ambitious series of projects to divert and/or hold back water.

In light of its success in Staten Island, the city is expanding its Bluebelt program to other boroughs. Bluebelts capture storm water and through an engineering system, divert it to new or existing ponds and streams and away from areas prone to flooding. According to the City, as of a few years ago, there were 94 bluebelts citywide, with 83 providing drainage in Staten Island and 10 in Queens and one in the Bronx. Several additional bluebelts are currently in the pipeline, and city engineers are looking to determine what other sites across the city are feasible for future bluebelts.
The East Side Coastal Resiliency Project is designed to prevent flooding from east 25th street to Montgomery Street in the Lower East Side. This area is designated as a natural “pinch-point” in New York’s 100-year floodplain, because the land there is higher along the coast. The construction, which improves waterfront open space and access, instead of walling off the neighborhood, is expected to be completed in 2026. This is designed to protect the 110,000 residents of this area from potential flooding.
As part of the Brooklyn Bridge-Montgomery Coastal Resiliency Project, the city will “install a combination of flood walls and deployable flip-up barriers to protect the neighborhood” from predicted flooding due to sea level rise and storm surges in years to come. The construction, which will extend along the shore from the bridge to Montgomery Street, will maintain views and access to the waterfront.
The Battery Park Coastal Resiliency Project is designed to protect one of Manhattan’s most flood-prone areas. The project will repair, rebuild and elevate the wharf area, maintaining its true character and keeping it safe from projected rising seas into 2100.
The Seaport Coastal Resilience project focuses on safeguarding the Seaport neighborhood between John Street and the Brooklyn Bridge from immediate and future risks from tidal flooding and sea level rise projected for the year 2100. To achieve this goal, the project aims to raise the affected waterfront to 11 feet above sea level.

All these projects fall under the Lower Manhattan Coastal Resiliency Project, which is designed to reduce the flood risk throughout Lower Manhattan. More than $1.7 billion in city, state and federal funds have been committed to these projects. This overall plan includes one to protect the financial district from flooding into the next century.

“This vision responds to the increasing hazards posed by climate change, while transforming the waterfront to better serve all New Yorkers for generations to come,” the city states.

For more information about the city’s resiliency plans, please see Financial District/Seaport plan, the city’s comprehensive plan and this article by RebuildbyDesgin.org.

Peter Aronson, a volunteer writer at the New York League of Conservation Voters since September 2022, is a former journalist and retired attorney. He is the author of Mandalay Hawk’s Dilemma: The United States of Anthropocene, a novel for middle-grade readers about kids fighting global warming. Kirkus Reviews, in a starred review, wrote: “A scathing work and an essential blueprint for youth battling climate change.” To read more about Peter, visit his website www.peteraronsonbooks.com or to purchase his book, click here.

New York City Begins Enforcement of Mandatory Curbside Composting

By Anna Buell

New York City officials earlier this month began enforcing mandatory participation in the city-wide curbside composting program. While the separation of organic waste and the promotion of city-wide composting are critical to our transition toward becoming a more sustainable city, new rules and regulations can often feel overwhelming, confusing, and even frustrating. With this dichotomy in mind, NYLCV aims to empower citizens to fully participate in the NYC curbside organics collection program for the betterment of the city. To achieve this, we must begin by addressing the questions: “Why should I compost, and how do I get started?”

Why Should I Participate?

In addition to the desire to avoid fines and save money, New Yorkers should strive to incorporate the separation of organic waste into their daily routines for several compelling reasons. First, the mandated separation of food waste into sealed containers by the New York City government helps combat insect and animal infestations in and around homes. Uneaten leftovers are a prime buffet for critters and crawlers. Through the separation of yummy scraps from traditional landfill-bound garbage in a tightly sealed container, residents can prevent odors that attract unwanted visitors.

Most importantly, composting is a straightforward and effective way to lead a more sustainable lifestyle. Organic waste, including yard waste, makes up approximately a third of our residential waste. When sent to landfills, organic waste decomposes to create methane gas, a powerful greenhouse gas more than 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. By separating organic matter from your landfill-bound trash bags, you enable your food waste to decompose naturally in an aerobic environment, significantly reducing the amount of greenhouse gases produced during disposal.

A 2023 study of California waste decomposition reported that “composting emissions were 38–84% lower than equivalent landfilling fluxes,” further evidence that participation in composting initiatives play a crucial role in the climate fight. What’s more, curbside composting contributes to the advancement of New York’s circular economy. Residents, nonprofits, and agencies can register to receive nutrient-rich finished compost produced through the city-wide organics collection to support community gardens, green spaces, and more!

Properly engaging with the NYC curbside composting program not only benefits you and your neighbors, but also reduces overall city emissions for a greener future.

What if I Don’t Participate?

Inspectors will check regular garbage disposal bags for organic waste and issue fines to property owners starting at $25. The penalties for improper organic waste disposal are structured similarly to recycling fines, increasing based on the size of the building and the number of previous infractions. Although curbside collection of organic waste has been fully operational since the fall of 2024, data analysis by a Baruch College professor indicates that only about 5% of all organic waste in the five boroughs was composted from October to December.

While the city government celebrates the expansion of curbside organic collection services, participation among residents remains low. Various barriers continue to hinder New Yorkers from composting their food waste, including a lack of adequate bins provided by landlords and insufficient time or motivation to separate garbage. The enforcement of fines for non-compliance aims to encourage New Yorkers to overcome these obstacles and support the Department of Sanitation’s zero-waste plan, developed in accordance with Local Law 87.

How Do I Participate?

Thanks to years of planning, development, and dedication from the New York City government, curbside composting has never been easier. The Department of Sanitation collects organic waste on your designated recycling day. Simply place compostable materials in any bin with a capacity of 55 gallons or less and a tight lid. You do not need to purchase a fancy brown bin from the city to participate; even a large peanut butter jar will do.

If you would like, you may line your bins with clear plastic bags or store your compost in your freezer to minimize leaking and odors. A variety of items can be disposed of with your organic waste, including yard waste and certain paper products like pizza boxes and uncoated plates. If you are ever unsure whether something can be composted, here’s a simple rule of thumb: if it grows, then it goes.

If your landlord or building owner has not yet provided you with an organics disposal bin, New Yorkers can call 311 to report buildings and encourage compliance. Additionally, if you believe your building needs further assistance in adhering to the organics mandate, you can schedule a visit from Sanitation Department officials, who will lead information sessions about the new law. No one wants to pay a fine, so play your part in building a sustainable New York by separating your organics starting today.

Anna Buell, an undergraduate intern at the New York League of Conservation Voters since January 2025, is a third-year student at New York University pursuing a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies.

Green Tips for Spring Cleaning

By Peter Aronson

The term spring cleaning should take on new meaning as we all strive to make our homes and communities more environmentally sustainable.

Websites from Planet Aid to Eartheasy to One Tree Planted to Bob Vila’s home improvement site all have articles suggesting ways to spring clean while collectively lowering our carbon footprints.

When reading these articles, one thought stands out: This is an opportunity for a reset, to start new, green habits that will carry on even well past spring.

Here’s a compilation of their suggestions, all quite easy to do:

Use reusable rags, not paper towels to clean;
Use homemade or eco-friendly cleaning solutions. Homemade cleaning solutions can be made with vinegar, lemon, essential oils and baking soda. See webmd article for details;
Donate, don’t toss. Donate old clothes, furniture, books and knick-knacks to an appropriate charity. Upcycling items we no longer need reduces waste going to landfills and helps individuals less fortunate;
Start participating in local composting … or get ready to do so. In NYC, curbside composting is now required in all five boroughs, with enforcement mechanisms for building owners now in place. For more info on NYC composting, click here.
Also, if you want to clean out your fridge and shelves, compost food past date, and donate canned food that’s still good.

If you don’t live in New York City, search the internet for composting sites in your community, or call your local City or Town Hall to ask about local programs — or to demand one if it doesn’t yet exist. You can also compost at home by reading this great composting primer from NRDC.
With more local fresh produce on the way at your local green market, start buying produce not contained in plastic containers or plastic bags and then continue this practice past spring and summer. Reuse old containers, paper bags, or buy reusable plastic bags;
While you’re at it, start using recyclable trash bags for all your garbage;
If you haven’t already, make a commitment to using reusable bags whenever shopping for anything;
If you have an outdoor space, dry laundry outside, instead of using a dryer;
Seal doors and windows that were drafty during the winter;
Although this should be encouraged any time of the year, since spring brings many signs of change, make a commitment to canceling delivery of all paper statements. It’s surprisingly easy to do online. If you can’t figure out how to do it, ask someone who is more familiar with these tasks; and
Unless it’s too unbearably hot, try opening the windows instead of using air conditioning. The less electricity we use, the lower our carbon footprint.

For more info about all of these suggestions, please see: One Tree Planted, Eartheasy, Planet Aid and Bob Vila’s home improvement tips.

Happy green spring cleaning!

Global Warming Has Accelerated: What We Know and Where We Stand

By Anna Buell

The warming of the earth’s atmosphere has not only continued but accelerated over the past decade, resulting in the NOAA reporting that January 2025 was the hottest January globally reported. The constant influx of frightening climate news tends to feel dystopian as we watch the consequences of our species’ legacy materialize before us. From the wildfires in California to the devastating storms in North Carolina, the eerie comfort of accepting this new reality calls to us. However, we must resist the urge to bury our heads in the sand. Understanding and embracing climate science, however complex it is, has and will continue to play a critical role in our ability to combat the global climate crisis.

A recent report from prominent climate scientist James Hansen and several of his colleagues entitled “Global Warming Has Accelerated: Are the United Nations and the Public Well-Informed?” provides a detailed explanation of why global warming is accelerating and its implications on the environment, people, and policy. While many climate scientists have struggled to rationalize the magnitude of the warming spurred by the 2023-2024 El Nino event, Hansen et al. argue that half of the unexpected temperature jump can be attributed to the restriction of aerosol emissions by ships, imposed in 2020 by the International Maritime Organization. Aerosols, or small particles suspended in the air, act as nuclei for cloud formation. Clouds reflect sunlight, resulting in cooling that counteracts the warming caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.

While policies that limit aerosol emissions are beneficial to human health, they come at the cost of lowering this cooling ability. This recent decrease in atmospheric aerosols led to a significantly warmer El Nino than predicted. Warming models from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change rely on aerosol forcing remaining constant. Hansen et al. claim that this oversight has caused climate scientists to underestimate climate sensitivity; that is, the relative effect of rising greenhouse gas levels on global temperatures. According to Hansen in a webinar with Sustainable Development Solutions Network, “Humanity made a bad deal, a Faustian Bargain when we used aerosols to offset almost half of greenhouse gas warming. Particulate air pollution kills 6-8 million people per year. We can’t let that continue.”

Essentially, a change in human behavior has had unexpectedly large impacts on the Earth’s atmosphere. This is hardly a new phenomenon.

One of the most prevalent climate scientists has produced a report detailing that the state of the global climate is far more precarious than previously thought and could potentially lead to the long-term shutdown of the deep ocean currents that drive weather patterns in 20 to 30 years. It is hard to see the silver lining. And yet, here it is:

Our actions hold power.

When we first faced the shocking heat data from the 2023-2024 El Nino, we feared not that the world was ending or that the sky was falling, but something much more daunting: we didn’t know what was happening. Hansen et al. have answered this alarm. We can draw a clear line between our actions and their repercussions. Our well-intentioned political action led to an environmental change and this truth should serve as an invigorating driver in our continued fight for climate policy. While the paradoxical nature of aerosols raises issues of climate and public health tradeoffs, and recent global temperatures are cause for concern, we can find comfort in the knowledge that we are on Earth, not in the twilight zone. The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund will continue its mission to promote environmentally conscious policy to combat global climate change and work towards holding human health and climatic conditions in conversation.

Interborough Express Getting Boost Thanks to Congestion Pricing

By Peter Aronson

It’s been just over a month since the congestion pricing program in New York City and we are already seeing story after story about how commute times are going down, traffic in the lower half of Manhattan is speeding up, and first responders are responding faster.

Another major benefit of the program will come in the form of billions of dollars in funding for mass transit, and one project that’s on the move, dubbed the Interborough Express (IBX), has the potential to bring congestion relief and convenience to residents of Brooklyn and Queens.

The proposed $5.5 billion IBX, a light-rail transportation system, would run alongside an existing freight line railroad track in a semicircle from Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, with a total of 19 stations, passing through Metropolitan, Atlantic, Flatbush and New Utrecht avenues among them, ending at the Brooklyn Army Terminal.

The rail line would connect the “ethnically and economically diverse communities of Sunset Park, Borough Park, Kensington, Midwood, Flatbush, Flatlands, New Lots, Brownsville, East New York, Bushwick, Ridgewood, Middle Village, Maspeth, Elmhurst and Jackson Heights,” an MTA fact sheet explains, with the daily ridership expecting to reach 115,000, or 40 million annually. The rail corridor is home to approximately 900,000 residents and 260,000 workers within a half mile of the proposed line.

Despite sharing a border, the two boroughs are notoriously challenging to travel between on mass transit, with subway routes taking residents first into Manhattan before heading to their destination.

This will be a “game-changer” for residents of Queens and Brooklyn, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. said, explaining that the project will provide mass transit for communities that historically lacked it and unlock “economic opportunities for residents on both sides of the Queens-Brooklyn border.”

In 2023, Gov. Hochul announced the start of the environmental review process. In January 2024, the governor announced $45 million for initial engineering studies. So far, there have been 35 project meetings with elected officials, stakeholders and the public to discuss the project, study the options and then revise the plans going forward.

This fall, the project took a significant step forward when the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) released a Request for Proposals to solicit consultation bids to begin the preliminary engineering phase for IBX. This process is expected to take two years.

The current plan would connect communities in Brooklyn and Queens to 17 subway lines, 51 bus routes and the Long Island Railroad at the East New York station. Needless to say, it would reduce travel time between boroughs, allowing residents and workers to avail themselves of mass transit instead of driving, reducing their carbon footprints.

Funding for the preliminary engineering project will be awarded under the MTA’s 2020-24 Capital Plan. An additional $2.75 billion for further project development and the start of construction is included in the MTA’s approved 2025-29 Capital Plan, the MTA said in its release. The additional $2.75 billion would still need to be obtained.

NYLCV looks forward to working with our elected leaders, state and federal agencies, other environmental advocates and affected parties to make sure the Interborough Express gets full funding and comes to fruition in a reasonable period of time.

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