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Re: GBlist: Re: Greywater in NYC



>
>Perhaps one of the reasons your query did not receive a significant
>response was because you were focusing on a room, an already built room.
>The bigger opportunities for "greenbuilding" in NYC lie in systems that
>must be considered at the larger scales of building, street, neighborhood,
>city and region.
>

At the same time, the *big picture* modality allows us all, myself
included, to shift our guilt to the larger system and to excuse the lack of
direct action.

Clearly putting a whole building into play give economies of scale and
allows for more intricate, centralized systems.  However, I don't own the
building, and I'm tired of dreaming of *what-if's*.  I need to start doing
something now at the scale that I can act.


>For now, lets just look at the issue of greywater.  I would begin by
>differentiating between roof and building storm water runoff and the other
>soapy stuff.  Traditionally and still, these very different waters are
>joined below the street and flow together with blackwater to the local
>sewage plant (except when it rains a lot, then it ends up in the river and
>bay).
>
>A first step here would be to look for opportunities to reduce the storm
>water that enters the system.  Are there gardens or planted areas at the
>base of the building that could absorb additional water?  Are there
>underutilized paved areas that could be turned into planted areas?  Are
>there any roof or terrace gardens that could absorb rainwater or are there
>opportunities to create such gardens?

For argument's sake, no, there are not.  The loft, which actually is the
subdivide of a loft, is at the corner of Broadway and Bleeker.  Now what do
we do?

>
>If you are successful, working together with other people in the building,
>in keeping building storm water on site, or adjacent garden/planted sites,
>move on to step two, the soapy stuff!
>
>Moving our urban areas toward ecological sustainability is less about vapor
>barriers, than it is about working with people toward community solutions.
>Alone in your apartment you may be using VOC free paints, energy efficient
>lighting, a worm bin, water conserving fixtures, etc., but that is a very
>small contribution compared to what becomes possible when a building of
>educated/environmentally aware people get together and create, for instance
>a rooftop composting operation or a rainwater cistern to provide water to
>an adjacent community garden.
>
>Just some thoughts, I hope this short discussion helps.  I love NYC and
>believe that dense urban areas contain numerous opportunities for
>ecologically sustainable design that are just not available to the car
>dependent diaspora.
>
>Best wishes,
>
>John Seitz
>jseitz@studioecology.com
>
>Studio Ecology recently began a website oriented toward exploring
>ecologically sustainable design in New York City.
>
><http://www.studioecology.com>
>
>
>
>

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