Greening America, One Block at a Time

Being an urban intern has many benefits. Not only are there an array of internships to choose from (though there may be some stiff competition), but interns are able to work in an urban environment which is a benefit within itself. I am interning as a research assistant on a project named Sustainable Yards. I first heard about the opening through a posting from CISC, Cuny Institute for Sustainable Cities, and long-behold, I got the position!

The concept of Sustainable Yards is to conduct research in the backyards of private apartment buildings in order to gather data on the benefits of having a "green yard". I am an environmental fanatic! So for me to work with a group of people who are dedicated to the environment and are trying to use simple cost-effective methods in order for other New Yorkers to follow the green concept, is a privileged opportunity.

Now what is a "green yard" and how do we measure the yards? It is simple: the program coordinator, three other interns , and myself measured the amount of grass and/or cement in each yard. These measurements also included flowerbeds, trees, gardens. etc., and once we completed the measurements of each yard in the neighborhood we were studying, we were able to further research what these findings meant to us. Further research included, storm-water management and costs; measuring temperature differences depending on the amount of permeable surface (green area); identifying the specific types of trees and soil in the yard; as well as drainage flows or lack thereof. I will spare the in-depth scientific proponents of the internship but the goal is to gather all of our data and organize it into a paper explaining the benefits of having more green space in a private backyard. An ideal yard can simply have grass throughout which is easy to maintain and can absorb more rainwater than say, a large slab of cement in a yard which results in more stormwater run-off which may then result in back-up overflow in sewage lines as well as the city spending more money treating this water. Sounds like a simple solution right? Well, that it's not and the Sustainable yards Project is trying to prove why this method is better than any of the other methods suggested for an urban environment like New York City.

The program has further broadened by developing an "ecobloc" concept which definitely excites me because it has to deal with planning and designing exactly what it say: an eco-block. This ideal ecobloc will include the most cost effective products that can make a street more sustainable and I am leading this part of the project.

In the end, being an urban intern means using your surroundings in order to make the best out of your internship. Not every person can say they are able to use their environment to conduct their research during their internship but as long as you are doing what you enjoy the most, that is what is most important. And I can say i am doing just that...