Final Exam Paper Newtown Creek - 1636 Words

Arielle Shrem SUST 1001 - Urban Sustainability Final Exam Paper: Newtown Creek Although it will take a lot of time and effort to rectify the conditions at Newtown Creek, the variety in the recommendations from all the groups shows how many options are available to go about it. Some of the ideas need some more foresight in accounting for all three pillars. For example, it is not always a good idea to focus too much on environmental needs if the tradeoffs put social needs at too high of a risk. Even so, each suggestion has its own merit, especially when you use them together. By implementing multiple ideas you are tackling more then one issue/pillar at a time. Therefore, the overall outcome is better then limiting the benefits to a specific area of mediation. As Gestalt’s Theory in psychology states, â€Å"the whole is greater then the sum of the parts.† To have a successful whole you must have numerous inter-reliant components with different levels of priority depending on effectiveness, cost, social impact, and time frame. Every group had its own suggestions for green infrastructure. The most popular method among the projects was the implementation of green roofs. As every group stated, green roofs can help regulate temperatures inside buildings, saving costs on heating and cooling. They are handy in capturing storm water runoff, which can then be used for food production. Group A did a good job showing these benefits, but neglected to consider the possible detrimental