The Environment

The importance of thinking globally and acting locally has never been more apparent. New York City and each of our communities must help lead the way on climate change, and toward a more sustainable way of living. At the community level, creating new parks and greenways, supporting the cause of environmental justice, promoting better transit and alternative modes of transportation, and greening our homes and businesses are just some of the ways we can help make New York one of the most sustainable cities in the world.

Following up from the Climate Change Town Hall

Posted on July 29, 2015

Thanks to many of you for attending last week’s Town Hall Meeting on Climate Change. We had a great room, full of engaged community residents, who came eager to work together on the steps NYC must take to confront one of the great challenges of our generation.

As we heard, the problems we face are daunting. New data from the NOAA shows that the global warming trend continues, with May, March, and June of 2015 all breaking previous records. Leading climate scientist James Hansen and a team of experts have put out a new study (not yet peer-reviewed, but still alarming) that resulting multi-meter sea-level rise could come much faster than previously thought.

The good news is that the scale of response – by global activists (like the 350,000 of us who took part in the People’s Climate March last fall), in public policy, and now even from Pope Francis –  is growing as well. Hopefully, and with all of our help, it will become commensurate with the challenge we face.  Here are some steps you can use to stay connected and continue to take action. Read more »

Take Action

Reduce Single-use Bags in NYC

Plastic bags are designed to be used only for a short period of time, but their negative impacts are long-lasting. Even when properly disposed of, plastic bags often blow away onto the street or into waterways, where they become eye-sores, clog storm drains, and endanger wildlife. Our bill aims to reduce the use and negative impacts of carryout bags by requiring a 10-cent charge for carryout bags in NYC grocery and retail stores, and stores would retain the cost of the charge. 

Help End Credit Discrimination

Victory! Thanks to your help, New York City now has the strongest law in the nation to end credit checks for employment. Click here to see the full text of the law. 

The use of credit reports to discriminate against job applicants is on the rise, with over 60% of employers nationwide using the credit histories of prospective employees to inform their hiring decisions.  

Participatory Budgeting

What does your neighborhood need? An improved park? Safer streets? New school technology? In participatory budgeting, you give your ideas and City Councilmember Brad Lander has set aside $1 million to fund them. And your votes will decide which projects get funded.

Learn more here.