Archive for the ‘New York City’ Category
2007 NYC Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree
November 24, 2007Via C|Net News:
New York’s iconic Christmas tree this year will use energy-efficient lighting powered by solar panels, part of a refurbishing at Rockefeller Center to conserve energy.
The Norway Spruce, set to be lighted on November 28, will use 30,000 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) strung on 5 miles of wire, according to Mayor Bloomberg’s office, which announced the changes on Wednesday with real estate company Tishman Speyer.
The energy-efficient bulbs will save as much electricity per day as a single family in a 2,000-square-foot home uses in a month, they said.
Rockefeller Center now has the largest installation of solar-electric panels in New York City–365 General Electric panels capable of generating 70 kilowatts.
The tree itself is in for more sustainable treatment as well. It was cut down by a handsaw to cut down on pollution. At the end of the holiday season, the tree will be made into lumber to be used by Habitat for Humanity.
maryt
Tap water’s best
July 27, 2007You know I’ve been drinking tap water for so long that when I go out to dinner at a fancy
restaurant I insist they bring me tap water instead of bottled water of any kind. First I have to tell you I live in New York City which has the best tap water IN THE NATION bar none.
Now I hear on ABCNews and read in Reuters that Pepsico is going to label it’s bottled water, Aquafina, as tap water. Imagine that!
Pepsico will put on Aquafina’s labels “from Public Water Source.” Of course who knows what public water source…but when I have drunk Aquafina water rarely in the past it has tasted fine.
As a matter of fact I have right now Aquafina bottles as well as Poland Spring bottles and a few others in my fridge filled with good ol’ NYC tap water as we speak, or as you read.
Coca-Cola Co’s Dasani is made from purified water sourced from public reservoirs, as well.
Well, I’m glad all this has come out…there are a lot of snobby people who eschew tap water and choose to drink bottled water only. All I can say is Hah!
Read The GreenGuide about problems with bottled water.
maryt
Wordless Wednesday
July 25, 2007
Summertime On The East River – 1921. NSAPMI1
Scene at one of the docks of the East River, New York, where those for whom the journey to the beaches is too long or too expensive forget the sweltering heat of August in the cool waters.
maryt
The Rats Are Winning
July 21, 2007MUMBAI, India, July 19 — Behram Harda was a dancer in the Bollywood films of the 1970s, gracing the screen with his twist and his cha-cha.
Then he became a rodent assassin.
Behrem Harda keeps track of how many rats he’s killed in a colorful log book. He believes he’s losing the fight.
Mr. Harda is the last of the great Mumbai rat catchers. His is a dying breed in a city whose dreams of being rat-free recede year by year.
Read the rest of the NYTimes article.
In New York City there’s a struggle with rats everyday. But most people don’t see them. There are anywhere from 1 to 12 rats per person. Here are some quotes about numbers:
“No one knows how many rats live in the city. Some citizens have lamented that there have to be at least eight or nine rats per person. A more common conclusion is one rat per human. City health officials say these are all guesses. “We don’t do rat tail counts,”a Health Department spokeswoman said.”
“There is currently an ongoing ‘Rat Summit’ in NYC to discuss our 12:1 ratio of rats to human in NYC.
“Some estimates tell us that there are as many as six rats for every one New Yorker. If that is accurate (and nobody really knows), that means there are close to 44 million rats in New York City.”
Photos: Christie Johnston for The International Herald Tribune
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The truth is nobody knows how many rats there are in New York City. But am I right in assuming they are under control? Would love to hear about it in the comments.
maryt
Reminicence 1962
May 7, 2007
New York Times Store
“What you need to know about the past is that no matter what has happened, it has all worked together to bring you to this very moment. And this is the moment you can choose to make everything new. Right now.”
maryt
Photo: Bronx fire (March 7, 2007)
March 9, 2007
A fire broke out in a house on Woodycrest Avenue in the Bronx Wednesday night, killing eight children and a woman. The fire was the worst in the city since 1990, when 87 people were trapped in the Happy Land social club, also in the Bronx.
maryt
