New York City released a green infrastructure plan in September of 2010 to improve the City’s water quality. But what are green infrastructures and how will the green infrastructure plan clean up the City’s water?
In the Winter of 2016, CUP collaborated with Teaching Artist Elma Relihan and Erin Fleischauer’s History classes at the Brooklyn International High School to find out how green infrastructures work.
To investigate, students shared their personal experiences with water, explored green infrastructures along the Gowanus Canal, and interviewed Graeme Daubert of the Gowanus Canal Conservancy to learn more about the history of the city’s water. They created a set of postcards to teach others how green infrastructures make the city like a sponge.
Students presented at the Bronx Zoo as part of the 2nd Annual City Wide Visionmaker Fair: High School Competition, where students presented to six other New York City high schools on their findings of how green roofs, constructed wetlands, permeable pavements, rain barrels, and bioswales work to improve water quality.
Get your own postcard set here!