An essay that discusses the benefits and risks of the use of two sources of renewable energy in New York City.

Hydropower and Biomass Energy as Optimal Sources of Energy

Industrialism has transformed the world’s economy through its shift from reliance on agriculture to that on manufacturing. However, it has simultaneously produced mass amounts of pollution that threaten our air quality and as a result, pose problems to our well-being–including our breathing. This is clearly demonstrated by the fact that the South Bronx of New York City, which is surrounded by major roads and highways, has the highest rates of death and disease rates from asthma. In order to alleviate the problems caused by pollution, we must shift our dependence on fossil fuels and nonrenewable sources for cleaner and sustainable sources of energy. In order to mitigate the use of fossil fuels, hydropower and biomass fuel are optimal sources of renewable energy that can be implemented in New York City. Hydropower utilizes New York City’s geography–specifically its bodies of water–to harness the energy produced by ocean waves and currents; at the same time, biomass fuels repurposes waste such as agricultural byproducts and wood into energy so that both carbon emissions and landfill are reduced. 

Hydropower is a reliable and affordable source of renewable energy that uses that natural flow of water to generate electricity. This is accomplished through the use of dams, however energy can also be harnessed through currents and the natural movement of water. Thus, it is site specific, and sources of water can be any size. Hydropower is beneficial to NYC because the area is surrounded by water, whether that be from rivers to major oceans. Thus, using hydropower would be the most convenient because it would use the energy in ocean waves and currents. However, one downside would be the damage done to river ecosystems due to the fact that building dams displace settlements and threaten the species that live there. Still, there are many areas of NYC that are surrounded by water, and choosing one that lacks biodiversity can mitigate the threatening effects of hydropower. 

Similarly, biomass is a source of sustainable energy in which energy is harnessed from living things such as wood or soy plants by burning them to create heat, which can be converted to electricity, or by processing them into biofuel. First, the organic matter is dried in a process called torrefaction, then burned in order to produce steam, which is able to power a turbine to create electricity, or burned with a fossil fuel. Biomass energy is beneficial because it essentially turns waste–wood, agricultural byproducts, and municipal solid waste–into energy. This would be especially beneficial to NYC due to its dense population and plethora of businesses big and small that produce exorbitant amounts of waste. By using biomass energy, we would not only rely on a sustainable source of energy, but also mitigate landfill. However, a few disadvantages include increasing the demand for certain foods (food insecurity), reliance on palm oil which will lead to deforestation, and in order to replace one gallon of petroleum, a much greater amount of biofuel and ethanol is required. At any rate, biomass would greatly reduce the amount of fossil fuels used, and therefore mitigate the harmful impacts of nonrenewable resources.

Pollution is further exacerbated by the effects of poor waste disposal and lack of sustainability. GrowNYC is an organization that provides free services to improve New York City’s sustainability practices (Zero Waste Schools, 2022). Implementing programs such as Greenspace, which utilizes areas for gardens, and Food Access, which promotes regional agriculture, has made it easier to make environmentally conscious decisions (GrowNYC | the Sustainability Resource for New Yorkers, n.d.). One program in particular, GrowNYC’s Zero Waste Schools, takes a unique approach to sustainability. The program helps New York City’s public schools implement recycling programs through education and incentives (Zero Waste Schools, 2022). By putting sustainability into practice starting at schools, not only are there cleaner cafeterias, but also more less waste in sidewalks and streets (Zero Waste Schools, 2022). 

Mass amounts of waste and landfill are paramount reasons for pollution due to the fact that toxins can end up in our ecosystems, and therefore pose hazards to our environment (Zero Waste Schools, 2022). Furthermore, the breakdown of organic matter in landfill releases CH4 (Zero Waste Schools, 2022), or methane, which is a greenhouse gas and major contributor of global warming that traps more heat in our atmosphere than any other molecule (United Nations Environment Programme, n.d.). Thus, Zero Waste Schools are a necessity. Taking advantage of community-wide programs demonstrates a collective effort of bringing down the effects of climate change. In fact, such programs that take place in schools educate students of environmental consciousness when they are young, and teach them resourceful habits that they will carry into adulthood. 

The South Bronx is a prime example of the abhorrent effects of climate change on a community. The health of its residents is marred by pollution–the result of poor sustainability practices and environmental racism. Yet, the fate of the Bronx does not discriminate. If we are careless, the health and environmental damages that have taken place there will soon be applied to many neighborhoods throughout New York City. Thus, it is a necessity that sustainable practices–specifically making environmentally conscious decisions and transitioning to renewable sources of energy–are implemented by our government. Hydropower takes advantage of New York City’s access to major bodies of water, and biomass energy provides an alternative to recycling in order to find an additional use to landfill. Additionally, Zero Waste Schools brings together schools and communities and makes sustainable practices the norm. Through these applications, a cleaner future is within our reach. 

Works Cited

Biomass Energy. (n.d.). https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/biomass-energy/ 

GrowNYC | The Sustainability Resource for New Yorkers. (n.d.). https://www.grownyc.org/

Hydropower Basics. (n.d.). Energy.gov. https://www.energy.gov/eere/water/hydropower-basics#:~:text=Hydropower%2C%20or%20hydroelectric%20power%2C%20is,of%20total%20U.S.%20electricity%20generation. 

United Nations Environment Programme. (n.d.). What’s the deal with methane? UNEP. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/video/whats-deal-methane#:~:text=It%20is%20responsible%20for%20more,years%20after%20it%20is%20released.

Zero Waste Schools. (2022, September 15). GrowNYC. https://www.grownyc.org/zerowasteschools

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