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When it comes to combating climate change, we’ve been taught to prioritize the three R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. But figuring out the best way to do this can be confusing and difficult to navigate when the burden is placed on individuals. Extended producer responsibility (EPR), most recently proposed in Governor Hochul’s upcoming budget, seeks to take that pressure off of individuals and put it back on the producers of the goods we consume. 

NYLCV hosted a virtual town hall with Congressman Jamaal Bowman of New York’s 16th congressional district. Participants were able to actively ask the Congressman questions throughout the event about clean energy; federal monies; and how the climate crisis is affecting areas of his district such as Co-op city in the Bronx, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Hastings on Hudson, and so much more. Congressman Bowman made it clear: "Build Back Better is stalled right now. It is not dead. It is stalled." He pointed to the necessity of the Build Back Better agenda citing recent climate and extreme weather catastrophes his district has faced. He specifically cited Hurricane Ida as one of the most obvious and devastating cases of extreme weather in his district. 

NYLCV/NYLCVEF is thrilled to announce the joint venture team of Ørsted and Eversource as our 2022 honorees. We are delighted to recognize the companies’ leadership in the renewable energy space and look forward to continuing to partner with them to make New York a greener state.

New York City residents produce nearly 13,000 tons of waste every single day. 81% of this waste ends up in landfills and incinerators throughout the Northeast region. As the garbage decomposes, it releases methane, a greenhouse gas 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide. The diesel trucks that transport this waste carry it a distance equivalent to driving more than 312 times around the Earth. To combat these impacts, New York City has been working toward achieving their Zero Waste goal of eliminating all waste sent to landfills by 2030. This goal requires the reduction in volume of disposed goods, as well as the recovery and reuse of their materials.

While industrialization drove New York’s economy in the 20th century, many of the harsh chemicals and pollutants involved in industrial processes had a negative impact on the environment around industrial sites. These brownfields, leftover property where redevelopment is difficult due to the presence of contaminants, are located all over New York.  New York State’s Brownfield Cleanup Program (BCP), last reauthorized in 2015, is set to expire this year. This program facilitates brownfield cleanup initiatives in order to redevelop the property and encourage economic development. 

New York City’s parks and green areas not only bring the community together and give the city its unique character, but also serve as vital assets in environmental conservation. The preservation of these parks is one of NYLCV’s top priorities, and should be for NYC legislators as well. That’s why NYLCV joined New Yorkers for Parks and DC 37 to launch the Play Fair for Parks campaign. For the last few years, Play Fair has been pushing for the revitalization of these natural spaces to provide recreational opportunities for the community, improve environmental resiliency, and make the city more sustainable.

In the fight against climate change, carbon sinks play a vital role in reducing the amount of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. These sinks, such as forests and wetlands, also host a variety of biodiversity, providing the foundation on which the climate can heal and recover. However, over 60 percent of New York State’s wetlands have been lost due to human development, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, putting already-fragile ecosystems at risk as greenhouse gasses are released into the atmosphere.