Sustainable New York City (PDF) is a report from the Design Trust for Public Space examining concrete proposals for increasing the environmental sustainability of the city. New York is already arguably one of the most sustainable cities around, but to a great degree that sustainability derives from urban density, not conscious planning. The Design Trust's case studies show that it would be possible to move New York -- or, for that matter, any large city -- to an even more sustainable point, relying upon projects with proven good results.
The report, written by WorldChanging reader David Hsu, looks at three key areas: water and land protection; energy, air quality, and climate; and waste and materials. The case studies chosen as models are widely considered to be high-quality, successful efforts: Seattle's natural drainage systems; Chicago's green building program; and Santa Monica, California's, environmentally preferable purchasing program. Each case study is matched against a similar or complementary program in New York.
Sustainable New York City is a relatively short, well-illustrated document, and makes for interesting reading for those of us looking for practical steps for improving the environmental footprint of urban spaces.
