Greenwashing at its Finest

I got a kick out of this morning’s AM New York I must say. In honor of Earth Day the paper put out an issue with the title story being “Why Gotham is Nation’s Greenest City.” Now I love New York, but let’s be real here it is definitely not the “greenest” city in the country.

I can say this with confidence after moving from Portland, which really is named the greenest city in the country year after year. Am’s reasoning? 1.) We live in smaller apartments and therefore heating costs less. Yes, our apartments are smaller, but they are also mostly old building a lot of which have single paned windows, which I assume have an adverse result to saving heat.

2.) Most New Yorkers don’t own cars. This is true. Most New Yorkers depend on public transportation. I wouldn’t entirely say it is by choice though, The island is simply too small and overpopulated to be able to find parking. So although there are plenty of people who are cutting down on their carbon footprints by taking public transportation the truth is the streets are still lined with cabs, buses and motorcycles. If the transit really did have an effect on the city being the “greenest” in the country than I’d like to know how New York was just voted having the “dirtiest” air in the country. Those two just don’t seem to go together!

The truth of the matter is, that although New Yorkers may be making an attempt to be more “green” as a whole I think the city is still pretty dirty and, well, the opposite of green. I can honestly say this example of “greenwashing” is one for the textbooks! New York, you have other awesome traits, but being the “greenest” city in the nation just isn’t one of them. Happy Earth Day everyone!