Government
Swimmable Cities Are a Climate Solution
Sarah Amandolare |
Amid scorching heat, cities around the world are rethinking access to waterways. This article originally appeared in Nexus Media News.
Amid scorching heat, cities around the world are rethinking access to waterways. This article originally appeared in Nexus Media News.
“As yet another hot and humid summer approaches, exacerbated by the prospect of rising temperatures, we have fewer public pools per capita than any other major U.S. city and 520 miles of waterfront. As Paris reclaims its riverbanks for public recreation, here we sit in the Big Apple, surrounded by the Hudson, Harlem, and East Rivers, with zero access for swimming.”
It is one of the most polluted waterways in the country. It’s at the crux of efforts to restore health and improve access to New York’s waterways. And from the vantage point of a small motorboat, Newtown Creek somehow manages to be beautiful.
Along Newtown Creek and Jamaica Bay, decades of work are slowly restoring neglected waterways. Now comes a new challenge: Making sure New Yorkers can use those liquid assets in harmony with industry and nature.