Topic 1: Food Waste and waste processing in NYC

According to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), food waste represents around 30-40% of the country's food supply. This creates major problems at landfill sites, where food is converted into methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gasses, which drastically speed up global warming, leading to climate change. This problem most influences densely populated areas like New York City, where 4 million tons of waste is sent to landfills every year, and almost a third of that is food waste.

Citations: Melikoglu, M., Lin, C.S.K. & Webb, C. Analyzing global food waste problem: pinpointing the facts and estimating the energy content. cent.eur.j.eng 3, 157-164 (2013).
https://doi.org/10.2478/s13531-012-0058-5

Restaurants in Manhattan selling mass prepared, packaged food in full plastic containers

Topic 2: Homelessness and environmental injustice in NYC

In recent years, homelessness in NYC has risen to the highest level that we've seen since the 1930s Great Depression, according to data sources from NYC's Coalition for the Homeless. The lack of affordable housing pushes these homeless communities into areas of unsafe, polluted, and toxic conditions. In the project, I will take a deeper look into their living conditions, what health risks they face from the polluted environment, the cause of their problems, both from an industrial and public policy perspective, and the potential solutions.

Citations: Coalition for the Homeless, The Mayor's Office of Operations. Basic Facts About Homelessness: New York City Data and Charts. Coalition for the Homeless (September 2022)
https://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/basic-facts-about-homelessness-new-york-city-data-and-charts/

Street condition where homeless people usually occupy in BedStuy, Brooklyn

Topic 3: Lack of greenspace in NYC's poor neighborhoods

New York City is well known for its green spaces, which account for almost 40% of the city, according to the Conservancy. However, around these green spaces are occupied by high-income, expensive areas. The NYC park system has become the centerpiece of real-estate development, especially in recent years, and in order to see a tree for lower-income citizens, you would have to ironically board a train or bus. For a city that boasts so much about its green spaces in between all the tiny cramped-up apartment buildings, the poorest are the ones who are losing out the most.

Citations: NYC's Mayor's Office of Climate and Environmental Justice. Green Space: Ensuring Access to Nature and Embracing Biodiversity. (accessed September 13, 2022)
https://www1.nyc.gov/site/sustainability/achievements/green-space.page