Sustainability in Staten Island
Green Reasons to Love Staten Island
Reduce. Reuse. Recycle. Cities across the U.S. are working hard to conserve the earth’s resources and help protect the environment, or “going green”. Staten Island continues to take care of our environment by reaching high standards of sustainable living through low-energy, carbon-neutral developments. Here are just a ways NYC is improving sustainability in Staten Island.
The Greenbelt
The Greenbelt offers 2,800 acres of lush forest grounds with nature’s rugged beauty. Discover mature forests, wetlands, meadows, wildlife and over 35 miles of marked hiking trails – perfect for an afternoon stroll or hike. The Greenbelt includes New York City’s largest remaining forest preserve, offering you an oasis of peace, quiet, and solitude.
Recreational activities ranging from trail runs to fitness classes and group hikes are offered for every age and fitness level. Golf, archery, baseball, hiking, tennis, soccer, birding and enchanting carousel rides are also available. Find out more at NYC Parks.
121st Precinct Station House
Staten Island’s fourth police precinct (the first built on the borough in more than 50 years) is the NYPD’s most environmentally friendly police station in the city, (LEED) Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design certified.
“The new precinct is not only improving public safety, it is bringing world-class architecture to Staten Island,” said Commissioner Burney. “This police precinct will use 25 percent less energy and 30 percent less water than comparable facilities, and is expected to achieve LEED Silver certification. May it serve the community well for decades to come.” – Police Commissioner Kelly
Freshkills Park
From brownfield to solar park, the former site of the world’s largest landfill is being converted into a park almost three times the size of Central Park! At 2200 acres, Freshkills Park, which will be situated on the western shore of Staten Island, will provide 10 MW of solar electricity and nearly double the city’s current renewable energy capacity (enough electricity to power over 2000 homes)!
Going solar offers a variety of benefits, in the form of both financial incentives and environmental conservation. Solar power is a clean and non-polluting energy source, which reduces the amount of energy-related emissions, stabilizes the electric grid costs, and silently provides electricity that doesn’t add to local air, water, or soil pollution.
“Freshkills was once the site of the largest landfill in the world. Soon it will be one of the City’s largest parks, and the site of the largest solar power installation ever developed within the five boroughs. Over the last twelve years we’ve restored wetlands and vegetation and opened new parks and soccer fields at the edges of the site. Thanks to the agreement today
we will increase the amount of solar energy produced in New York City by 50 percent and it is only fitting that Freshkills, once a daily dumping ground, will become a showcase urban renewal and sustainability.” – Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg
The park will host a “Greenway Adventure” on September 28 at 11am. This “Sneak Peak” is a one-day festival celebrating Staten Island’s landfill-to-park masterpiece. They are inviting the public to come see the park in its current glory, learn about the future of sustainability in Staten Island, and experience land transformation and renewal for yourself.
It’s time to take your eco-friendly inspirations out into the community to inspire and support others in lightening their footprint, too. Try these tips to add to this green list: bring reusable bags to the grocery store, organize a walk-to-school group or participate in a community garden. Start simple, start small, start making your community a better place to be.