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Living on the top floor in summer is unbearable for me

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Living on the top floor in summer is unbearable for me

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Yesterday morning at 2AM was when the summer began for me. I woke up in a sweat, because it was so hot in my room, because the tar roof holds on to all of the sun's heat, 24/7.

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Because it gets so hot, I'm going to have to turn on my A/C, the electricity coming from a power plant that likely burns fossil fuels, uping my carbon footprint

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Composting boxes (smaller one built by me!) installed at Brooklyn College. They use convection to ensure airflow, which makes them easier to use by eliminating the tiring turning process. This encourages people less familiar with composting to start doing it, helping to reduce garbage waste.

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Use more scrap wood instead of fresh lumber when building (this also helps to reduce expenses)

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Solar Panel Charging Station (Odessa B. Milian)

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Solar Panel Charging Station (Odessa B. Milian)

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I have started using a solar panel charging station for my phone, iPad, laptop, and headphones.

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Because this giant battery can convert sunlight into electricity, I can leave it by my windowsill or in my backyard to store energy for later use. This means I no longer produce air pollution or greenhouse gases as I normally would have charging my devices at night.

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Solar energy avoids the CO2 and other pollutants released by burning fossil fuels, which typically occur when devices are charged in electrical outlets. Further remediation would involve trying to charge or power all my devices similarly and/or pairing them with energy-efficient devices.

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In all of the apartments in my building, they have installed electric stoves. They work by not using gas and instead using electricity, which is much better for the environment and a little safer if you remember it's on.

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Using an electric stove is generally better for the environment because it lowers the risk of fire and significantly improves indoor air quality

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As the Summer rolls in to keep the house cool/cold. My family and I like to keep the air conditioner running all day. This is not great for the environment as it using a lot of electricity. Multiply that across the 5 boroughs & considering how densely populated NYC is. This without a doubt puts a heavy strain on Con Edison's electrical grid. Especially when the sun is at it's highest point between 1pm & 4pm.

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Running the air conditioner all day to keep the house cool/cold to beat the Summer heat.

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Set a timer to better monitor how often the A/C is running throughout the day. Moderation is key. I just purchased window screens to allow air flow to the bedrooms  & bathroom. This will off set the electrical bill & not aide in straining NYC's electrical grid further adding to the city's carbon foot print. 

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I’ve been wanting to add to my closet, but I have a lot of clothes already and I’m cheap. Last week, I went to a yard sale and bought a lot of clothes for a really good price. I got a lot of cute things and helped someone declutter their home.

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Because I got secondhand clothes, I didn’t contribute to manufacturing emissions. This lowers my carbon footprint in a few ways because I didn’t get clothes shipped to me by airplane or boat and delivered to me by truck. 

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I believe that a better way to lower your carbon footprint, in this context, is to learn how to sew and receive hand-me-downs from family and friends. Even if you don’t like the original piece, you can use it to create something new that fits your body and style. 

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This is the system I would love to transition to. Currently my building runs on a boiler full of oil. Not only is it expensive but it's also a very old, dirty technology. All I need is oodles of money and I can get an HVAC system installed. :)

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I live close to a highway. Walking down it was always so hot. Last year the city tore down my closest bus stop ( I was sad for a year) but in its place planted a green space to seperate the flow of traffic. Although I lost a bus stop, the neighborhood benefited from the planted trees, because now there is more green life to absorb the Co2 car emissions, apart from also maintaining spaces for bus stops. I think of it as a carbon capture 3 for 1. Trees absorbing Co2; Bus stop still functioning also decreasing Co2 because of multiple people kept out of driving individual vehicles; and the beautification of the neighborhood that functions as shade hopefully encouraging more people to take the bus!

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Now we just need people who are driving to stop throwing their litter onto the newly built green space!

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I'm participating in the rebate program through Ever Electric (www.everyelectric.com). They partner with ConEd and monitor the grid so that when there is strain on the grid, it will auto switch your AC to use the power bank when the grid is being used over capacity. It also provides assurance that if there is a brown or black out you still have some power. The cost for me was $50 deposit. I do believe you return the power bank when done, but can keep it til you're done with the power bank.

It will auto switch for you. And you may be able to get some kind of rebate at the end of the season.

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This assist in reducing carbon footprint by reducing the strain on the power grid during high usage times. 

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Though this is a great step, the best next step would be to use solar panels to charge and use with your AC as a further way to reduce your carbon footprint.

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I haven’t used a city bike in a little while, but I think it’s a great way to reduce carbon emissions. It’s beneficial to both the people and the environment by using solar panels to provide power for some of the docks and systems, as well as transportation without the need of gas or burning fossil fuels.

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Hopefully the city will start implementing more solar panel technology as time progresses. For example, to those tall kiosks with the digital ads that replaced pay phones around the city.

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Everyday I bike from my home to the Arverne East Nature Preserve where I lock my bike before taking the subway to class. It is a 35 acre nature preserve operated by NYC Parks and contains five examples of coastal maritime ecosystems (grasslands, dunes, forest, shrubland, swale) that would exist along the city’s ocean facing shorelines were it not for urban development. The building in the background with solar panels on the roof is the welcome center.

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The welcome center houses a community center that local residents & organizations use regularly to hold gatherings and events and is completely fossil fuel free. Solar panels on the roof provide electricity and a closed loop geothermal system provides heating. The parking lot is made of permeable asphalt and bioswales to allow water drainage and reduce flooding. A local nonprofit operates a native plant nursery next door and plants native plants along the beach to restore the ecosystem and provide natural solutions to erosion.

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Solar panels and geothermal heating reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. The park’s website says a future goal is to also supply additional energy to low income neighoring buildings which is has yet to do. This would further contribute to remediation efforts especially in communities that may not be able to afford converting to solar. Planting trees and other plants are also a solution to reducing our carbon foot print. Trees provide shade and produce oxygen. Grasses and shrubs hold the sandy soil and reduces erosion.

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There is a beautiful rhythm to the year. Winter requires the heavy reliance of fossil fuels for heat, but spring offers a welcome reprieve. By simply opening my back door, I trade my electric AC for a crisp, natural sea breeze—the ultimate best of both worlds

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One way I reduce my carbon footprint is by using public transportation for my commute to school. Instead of driving a car every day, I take the train from Long Island to Queens or Manhattan. Traveling by train helps decrease the number of vehicles on the road, which reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. By choosing this method of transportation, I am contributing to a more sustainable environment while also making my daily commute more efficient.

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Taking as much public transportation for long distance. Walking for short distances. 

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Seeing solar panels on top of this building feels like a small but meaningful step toward reducing its environmental impact. While the building still has a carbon footprint from construction and daily use, the panels help generate clean energy and lower reliance on fossil fuels. It's not completely carbon-neutral, but it's making a positive contribution by reducing emissions over time.

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Separating all my cardboard and bottles from the garbage because recycling is very important. Many of my neighbors do not but I make it a point to.

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I’m reducing my carbon footprint by preventing these things from going to landfill waste.

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Encouraging my neighbors to separate their waste.

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Most litter are made of cigarette butts, along with plastic,  and styrofoams. The material of a cigarette butt is a man-made plastic called cellulose acetate. This material does not naturally biodegrade and its toxic microplastics enter into the ecosystem. According to exposetobacco.org, “A single cigarette has a carbon footprint of up to 14 grams of CO2, and tobacco production emits about 84 million tonnes of CO2 annually.“ Though, litter in general produces methane and more greenhouse gases, as they breakdown slowly being in uncontrolled environments. 

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More laws/penalties on littering, making sure garbage bags are tied properly and not overflowing, make cleaning trash in neighborhoods ritualistic, better education on how littering affects our everyday lives, education and better communal systems to increase compassion, neighborhood compost systems, and last but not least, an increase in bio-degradable packaging and everyday items.

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I have a natural gas stove , this not good for carbon footprint due to the fact that gas stoves releases carbon dioxide whenever it is lit.

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It would make sense to get an electric stove; it won’t release any combustion gases, it will have better indoor quality and it will be very energy efficient. 

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This is my compost pile. Throughout the day I collect various kitchen scraps (coffee grounds, fruit and vegetable skins and seeds, tea bags, paper grocery bags and other decomposing food items) and throw it outside daily (on the right) . On the 3rd day I turn over the larger pile (on the left) and monitor the worm population, heat regulation and soil growth.

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Lowers Carbon footprint by producing my own soil and becoming hyper aware of how much waste a household can generate over the years. I spread the soil across my yard and garden beds which also cuts emissions by eliminating the use of vehicles to transport bagged soil, groceries and vermiculture.  

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Encourage and offer personal time and effort to my neighbors to begin their own compost pile and support a community garden. If were all able to harvest local produce and herbal medicine, my hope is a resurgent of group consciousness of our direct effect on each other and the planet.

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My OSHA instructor is going green by not using gas driving and ride his bike 30 miles to work everyday. By riding his bike it’s help reduce the toxins in the air.

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I think this is a great way to stay green and get exercise for great health.

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Down two blocks from my apartment is a superfund site that has been erected since 2012/15 I believe. Between the 1920-1950’s, the wolff alport chemical company was transporting monazite sand here which contains 6-8% thorium of which they would dump the waste into the sewers til about 1947 causing extensive contamination. In the late 80’s was when the NYC Department of Energy alerted the NYV Department of health and mental hygiene. There was a radiological assessment taken place in 2007 which then led to the site clean up beginning around 2012. They had determined that the contamination can lead to many cancers within the civilization around them and was indeed within the sewer system, soil, and buildings in the surrounding neighborhood.

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Contamination of surrounding civilization i.e: the sewer system, soil and surrounding neighborhood buildings.

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Demolition of buildings on the soil and excavation of the soil as well as excavation and remodeling of the sewer system.

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When going to take a shower, the water runs from both the shower head and the tub faucet at the same time. This is a waste of water as excessive water is running every time the shower is used.

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Water goes through intensive energy processes that allow water to be safe, usable, and transported to buildings and infrastructure in the U.S. These processes emit huge amounts of carbon as well. When water is wasted like this it also wastes the amount of energy that has gone into treating and delivering that water to my house.

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Getting the landlord to come and fix the problem with our shower and tub faucet. 