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Details & Diagrams: $1,000 IKEA Flat-Pack Refugee Shelter

Sat, 2014-01-04 23:11 — Kathy Gilbeaux

                  

weburbanist.com

Emergency shelters are designed to be short-term solutions, and many cannot withstand rain, wind and sun for more than six months. Yet the average stay in refugee camp is over twenty times that duration.

The IKEA Foundation, in cooperation with the  United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, has developed a longer-term solution to this problem, turning their experience with flat-pack furniture and language-free instruction manuals toward disaster relief efforts in and around war-torn places like Syria (they are already testing in Lebanon and Iraq). Sticklers for detail should scroll carefully below for a step-by-step deconstruction of what goes into this remarkable dwelling.

(READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

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Rooftop Farm in New York City Grows 50,000 Pounds of Organic Produce Per Year

Sat, 2014-01-04 14:52 — debbiefook

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTC_X1gblRE

watch the full video here:http://permaculturenews.org/2014/01/0...

By Ecofilms

“That view behind me is not a painted backdrop!” said Geoff Lawton to the camera. But the view looked great from where I was standing. Brooklyn Grange is a rooftop farm with a magnificent view looking over the Manhattan skyline.

Sitting on a concrete roof, totaling 2.5 acres and producing more than 50,000 pounds of organically-grown vegetables each year, you need to walk its length to appreciate how vast this rooftop garden truly is in scale.

We had been given one hour to film this place. The sun was setting. We were in the “magic hour” to film and needed to hurry. There was a lot to do.

Geoff walked down the narrow lanes of planted vegetables. Four to six inches of dirt was all the plants were allowed to grow in—very well drained dirt that resembled sharp river sand. It didn’t look like a normal loamy soil to my untrained eye.

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NYC Office of Emergency Management - Press Release - Cold Weather

Sat, 2014-01-04 10:26 — Kathy Gilbeaux

       

nyc.gov

OEM OFFERS COLD WEATHER SAFETY TIPS

Seniors, infants, the homeless, and those with chronic medical conditions are at increased risk of health problems from the cold

January 2, 2014 — With a significant snow storm and temperatures expected to be dangerously cold beginning today through Saturday, the New York City Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene remind New Yorkers to protect themselves and help others who may be at increased risk of health problems. Homeless individuals not in shelters, people working outdoors, and those in homes or apartments with inadequate heat are most likely to be exposed to dangerous cold. Seniors, infants, people with chronic cardiovascular or lung conditions, people using alcohol or drugs and people with cognitive impairments such as from dementia, serious mental illness or developmental disability are at increased risk.

New Yorkers should take the following precautions: 

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Life-Threatening Cold

Sat, 2014-01-04 10:00 — Kathy Gilbeaux
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Is NYC's Climate Plan Enough to Win the Race Against Rising Seas?

Wed, 2013-12-11 16:32 — Kathy Gilbeaux

      

Areas that are expected to be in a 100-year flood zone in the 2020s and 2050s as sea levels rise from global warming, according to new projections by the NYPCC

The city's climate adaptation projects should be devised to handle conditions far worse than even the most severe sea level rise estimates, scientists say.

insideclimatenews.org - by Katherine Bagley and Maria Gallucci- June 20, 2013

Mayor Michael Bloomberg's plan to protect New York City from future superstorm Sandys and other climate-related threats is the most ambitious and scientifically accurate plan of its kind in the world. But as global warming intensifies and sea levels rise, even this strategy may not be enough to flood-proof the city for very long, experts say.

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Reworking New York's Flood Map Post-Hurricane Sandy

Thu, 2013-11-28 22:07 — Kathy Gilbeaux

      

The new map could put twice as many homes in the flood zone and raise premiums for many homeowners.

propublica.org - by Al Shaw - June 12, 2013

. . . while Sandy’s water has long receded and the bulldozers have left, a residual effect for homeowners along the city’s coastline still lurks quietly beneath the surface. It comes in the form of a July 2012 law called the Biggert-Waters Act, which will end subsidized rates for property owners who are remapped into more severe flood zones, increasing their flood insurance premiums 20 percent a year until they reach market rates, and will apply those higher rates for newly purchased property.

The potential increases, which proponents say are necessary to sustain the National Flood Insurance Program, are not widely understood by residents, and may be catching them unprepared.

(READ COMPLETE ARTICLE)

Biggert-Waters Act - Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012

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Join Sandy-Impacted Communities to Light the Shore!

Mon, 2013-10-28 15:35 — Kathy Gilbeaux

      

Photo credit: Trevor Messersmith

The Municipal Art Society of New York - mas.org

On Tuesday October 29th – the anniversary of Superstorm Sandy – groups from across the region will be lighting up the coastline to acknowledge the impact of the storm and the on-going resilience challenges we collectively face.  Groups in Staten Island, Red Hook, Lower East Side, in Connecticut and all down  the Jersey shore will join together with flashlights and candles along the coast.  The goal is to have the entire Sandy-impacted coastline illuminated!

All communities are welcome to join their friends and neighbors and line the coast in solidarity for a resilient future!  Information about specific community meeting spots and times are shown below: 

Lower East Side
Time: 6:45PM to 8:15PM
Where: East River Park

US - NorthEast
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Rebuild by Design Public Receptions in New York and New Jersey

Tue, 2013-10-22 21:04 — Kathy Gilbeaux

      

Photo: Cameron Blaylock

rebuildbydesign.org

Rebuild by Design is hosting two public receptions in New York and New Jersey to hear Rebuild by Design's ten Design Teams discuss their research and the ideas born out of their work.

This is a critical moment for the Rebuild by Design project and a perfect occasion to learn more about the teams' thoughtful and unique visions to make our region more resilient.

The proposals follow three months of in-depth analysis and public outreach, including both one-on-one conversations with people living in affected areas and robust guided conversations with Design Teams and citizens. This will lead up to a selection of projects each team will pursue in the design phase—the next and final portion of the competition.

Breakfast Reception at NYU - RSVP
8:30 to 11:00 a.m.
60 Washington Square South,New York, NY
Kimmel Center, 4th Floor

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DEC Accepting Applications for Environmental Grant

Wed, 2013-10-16 21:41 — Kathy Gilbeaux

      

Press Release - October 15, 2013 

Assemblyman Goldfeder Announces DEC Accepting Applications for Environmental Grant

State Funding Available to Improve Urban Environments & Parks, Especially in Sandy-Damaged Neighborhoods Nearly $500,000 in Grants Will Be Provided to Eligible Applicants, Including Municipalities, Public Benefit Corporations, Public Authorities, School Districts and Not-for-Profit Organizations

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Doctors of the World Opens First U.S. Clinic in Rockaways

Tue, 2013-10-01 23:51 — Kathy Gilbeaux

doctorsoftheworld.org - by Henry Chang - September 12, 2013

While Hurricane Sandy was 10 months ago, the storm's damage continues to impact individuals on a daily basis. It is estimated that nearly 60% of healthcare providers still remain closed due to storm damage.

Doctors of the World USA's (MdM USA) initial efforts following the storm were centered on identifying local residents who lack access to healthcare and bringing volunteer doctors for home visits in the Rockaways section of Queens, NY. While deploying these services, the chronic deficit in healthcare infrastructure in the area has also become evident.

Prior to the hurricane, the Rockaways already had federal designation as a Medically Underserved Area and a Health Professional Shortage Area. Twenty-two percent of area residents live below the poverty line and 24% lack consistent health insurance coverage.  

It is in response to this situational observation and direct community requests that MdM USA will open its free medical clinic, the Doctors of the World Rockaways Free Clinic in Rockaway Park, New York.

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