(Photograph of the Hudson River from Stony Point by Robert Rodriguez, Jr.; accessed on riverwindsgallery.com)
In my first OnEarth blog, I introduced the Green-Action Project that I would carry out for the semester-long course Environmental Literature, Ethics, and Action at Columbia University's Barnard College. Now that we are at our semester's end, I would like to provide the readers of my blog with a brief reiteration of my research project, findings, as well as where my work is headed for the future.
Green-Action Project: For (at least) the following year, I am serving as an Ambassador for Riverkeeper. I was inspired to join their team because of their mission to protect the environmental, commercial, and recreational integrity of the Hudson River and its tributaries, and to safeguard the drinking water supply of over nine million residents of New York City and four counties on a daily basis. I was also eager to take on an active community building role, as opposed to my more passive summer volunteer efforts that entailed canoeing up and down waterways collecting trash. As an Ambassador, my duties have been to strengthen our membership through community outreach, improve and grow community organizing, and raise public awareness of the issues affecting our water.
Findings: Through my work this past semester, I have learned of all the key environmental issues currently affecting the Hudson River, its tributaries, and the NY Watershed. Although great strides have been made in clearing the Hudson and other waterways since the passage of the Clean Water Act in 1972, many ongoing issues still threaten the quality of New York's water. Such issues include: pollution; development and sprawl; combined sewerage overflows; stormwater management; power plants that utilize antiquated cooling technology; marine species and habitat loss; probable negative environmental effects of drilling in the Marcellus Shale; and the possibility of adding the Gowanus Canal to the Superfund List. Through their Hudson River and New York Watershed Programs, numerous campaigns and cases, and methods such as education, outreach, water sampling, litigation, and policy enforcement, Riverkeeper upholds their name as New York's leading clean water advocate. [I recommend that you check out this YouTube video "The Hudson Riverkeepers" to learn about the history and tactics of this nonprofit organization.]
Forthcoming Work: In the intermediate future, I have plans for bringing more awareness of New York water quality issues to the Columbia community. Specifically for the Spring 2010 semester, I am organizing formal discussions with environmental groups on campus and orchestrating a river clean-up to be carried out in April, Earth Month.
While the projected duration of my role as an Ambassador for Riverkeeper is one year, I plan on continuing my work with the organization long after that. Furthermore, as an aspiring environmental attorney, I hope to persist in acknowledging and dealing with water quality concerns that are detrimental to precious natural resources, such as our rivers and their tributaries.
Given the unpredictable and delicate nature of our environment, onlookers must become activists. By supporting Riverkeeper here in New York or another Waterkeeper organization near your hometown, you can help initiate the change that is needed to conserve such important waterways.
