Category: New York City

New York City is the spot that I have visited, returned to, and visited once more. Out there in the city, I feel free. We started our trip by traveling from Houston to New Jersey by airplane, then I traveled from New Jersey to New York by train. I could not tell too much difference when I travel to New Jersey but I can tell it was a huge difference in the train way to New York, it felt like I was sitting on a train in one of a romantic book I have read especially I had my significant other sat right next to me. Especially, when we were cutting through the tunnel, it was dark as you got locked in a room without light and scared, my wife makes me feel stronger by holding my hand. Living in America is an awesome benefit; living in New York City is something further far better. As you stumble up those stairs to the city roads and you catch that first breath of city air, you proclaim to yourself, this is freedom.

The very first thing that got my attention about New York was the structures are so incredibly tall and got everyone’s attention or even those who just passed by here through this amazing Time Square. Where you can hear the noises from people who try to sell the street foods, I can smell the fresh fried falafel just came out from the fryer and the grilled gyro, shawarma, people walking and talking on their phone, the honking. That was when I can tell why people have been saying New York is the busiest and crowded place in the world. Even though the whole city was too crowded we did not forget to spend some time stopped in the middle of the street and smell the fresh New York Sunday’s morning air. We were told by the people who lived here that today there are already fewer people walking because it is the weekend, they said tomorrow even busier. But I still think this city is pretty in its own way to the point that I compared this place to a special piece of unique art that you cannot find anywhere else but New York.

On our second day we continued to visit some of the places that we left over yesterday. It was a hot day; we went to some of the souvenir shops and big chocolate brand stores. I can smell the fresh made in store chocolate even from outside of the store, I can feel that little piece of chocolate melting in my mouth when I just see it. The smell and the amazing taste of it combined make me feel so comfortable and lighter weight like I was flying for a moment.

New York also known by the city that attractive by may differently races in the world moved in and brought their own culture and foods to the United States. Especially, Taiwanese people took a larger population of New York, so we went and tried out their food in Chinatown. I have to say that we both fell in love with the dumpling taste right at the first bite into it, it is so soft as you have the softest jelly in your mouth. We also had a chance to try out ramen which is also popular food in New York from Japanese people brought over. I already smell the broth that cooked over twenty hours from the beef bone when we enter the door. Even the store was very busy, but we were greeted by the manager make us feel like a special guest of the store. The ramen was nothing can compare, the both was thick, sweet, and savory as I can tell where all the beef bone go after that long time cooked in the slow cooker pot.

Buses and trains are also kind of unique in New York, instead of driving people over here replaced with trains and buses. Most of them was built underground so we took the stair to the buses and surprise it was like something magical in Disney movie that I have watched, felt like we were in the movie, it was a well structure built underneath the crowded city as New York, it was more light and there was also vending machine, people talking the noises from the bus, some people also try to sell some food down there, we both was so surprise as our first time seeing something awesome like this but in real life, or because we just used to drive our own car as everyone else does not live in New York. The train took us back to the hotel we changed and went to a party. In New York I would say people work hard but also play hard, they really know how to enjoy their life. Some would hangout for dinner some would throw a party even though it is not the weekend yet. I guess because instead of working eight hours per day, most of them must work over ten hours per day to be able to live in this expensive city. Most of the store will stay open until three a.m. remember we went to get our late dinner at two a.m. and the employees still smile and have a lot of energy make us feel like it is still daytime. Most of the experiences that I have shared were about food and street because that was all about New York, a crowded city that never sleeps. The sudden rain at the end of the day that we did not expect it to happen, so we got all wet as everyone else who was also walking on that street. So, we stopped by a restaurant to get some hot drinks and wait until the rain is finally over. We walked out the door and we saw the rainbow showed so clear after that rain was so poetic. On the way back to our hotel, there was a guy doing comedy on the street so we stopped and watched. He was funny as a bucket of monkey. In the end we gave him a couple of dollars and continued on our way back to the hotel. New York at night time was brighter than anywhere else, putting you in the mood like everyone is dancing together in the club.

Throughout my essay, I have to say that we both felt in love with this place ever seen. We had a very well spent time and happiness together on this trip, we are in love with this crowded city, a city that never sleeps. Our plan is to work harder and move to live here in this beautiful place for the rest of our life.

My mom and I have always been super close. We do almost everything together, from going to the movies, out to eat, and to the gym. One of my favorite memories of us, however, was on her 50th birthday, when we spent an entire day exploring one of her favorite places together: New York City. Most people would consider us lucky, being that we’re from Long Island and that we live only two hours away from one of the most famous cities in the world. But to me, it was just like any ordinary city. Don’t get me wrong, I love this city with all of my heart. But when I think of New York, I can’t help but to visualize the homeless people living on the streets, waving their cup around and begging people for money. I can hear the sound of music blasting from people performing in the subway stations, and the obnoxiously loud taxi drivers beeping their horns because the driver in front of them is moving too slow. What stands out to me the most, however, is the unbearable stench from the pile up of garbage in the streets. I had been to New York City multiple times throughout my life, so I thought I had seen all there was to see. But something about this particular trip was different. It was the first time I got to experience New York City for its beauty and understood why people from all over the world come to visit it.

For all the times I’ve been to New York, I’ve never seen the Statue of Liberty. I always wanted to see it, but I never had an opportunity. The only time I ever saw it was in movies and pictures. I was looking forward to the day I’d get to see it with my own eyes. I remember how excited I was when my mom told me she was planning a trip to New York City. It was the perfect opportunity to have an up close and personal view of the Statue of Liberty. I knew I’d probably never get that chance again, so I wanted to make the most of it. The statue is located on Liberty Island just south of Manhattan, so we had to take a ferry across the New York Harbor first before we could reach it. It was an extremely long line to get on the boat, which didn’t surprise me considering the thousands of people that visit the statue every day. The ferry ride was pretty fast, however, and it offered a great view of the New York City skyline. The weather was beautiful, and there was a nice breeze coming from the water. I was able to see the statue from a distance as we rode along the harbor. I could see it getting closer and closer. I tried to take pictures, but the boat was so crowded that I couldn’t get a good view. Every time I went to take the picture, somebody would ruin it by walking in front of me, or raising their arm to take a picture as well. My short stature didn’t help either; I had to stand on a bench to get high enough above everyone to get a decent view. The view was amazing even from afar, but it was nothing compared to how it looked up close. It wasn’t until we arrived on the island that I actually got to witness the massive length of the statue and its mind-blowing beauty. I couldn’t believe that I was looking at one of the world’s most famous and beloved monuments. It felt like I was meeting one of my favorite celebrities. We walked around the base of the statue for about an hour and took as many pictures as we could before we made our way back on the boat.

Our legs were so tired from walking around for so long. We sat down for a few minutes and my mom asked me where I wanted to go next. A million different places popped into my head. There were so many things I wanted to do, but there just wasn’t enough time. I couldn’t decide on a place, so my mom suggested, “Why don’t we try the 9/11 Memorial?”. I had some mixed feelings at first, but I agreed anyway. As we made our way to the museum, I was reminded of all the lives that were lost on that terrible day. I was too young to remember the events that took place on September 11th, but my mom remembers it like it was yesterday. Most people know exactly where they were and what they were doing when it happened. So, I asked my mom, “Where were you when the first plane hit?”. She said to me, “I remember sitting on the couch, watching TV. News broke that a plane had just crashed into the North tower of the World Trade Center. When I saw the second plane hit, I screamed”. Her words sent chills throughout my body. I can’t imagine how scary that must have been for her, and all the other people who witnessed the attack broadcasted on live television. The fact that it happened so close to where I live made it even scarier. It’s been eighteen years since it happened and it still remains a significant date in her memory. I don’t think that memory will ever fade away.

The memorial featured two enormous waterfalls built on the site where the twin towers previously stood. They were much larger than I had anticipated. It was completely silent apart from the sound of the water crashing at the bottom of the pools. Hundreds of names were engraved into bronze panels surrounding the memorial to honor the lives that were lost that day. Friends and family members cried as they placed flowers next to the names of their loved ones. My heart broke for them. I continued reading through the list of names, but they were just names to me. To them, it was so much more than that. The museum itself was located between the two memorial sites where the twin towers previously stood. We walked through the exhibits, most of which were underground. I was able to hear the 9-1-1 audio calls that were made on the morning of September 11th. I could feel the initial sense of confusion experienced by those witnessing the first plane strike the North tower. When the second plane hit, I could hear the confusion in their voices turn to terror, similar to what my mom described to me earlier. It felt as if I was going back in time to the exact moment it happened, allowing me to experience the same sense of fear of those who witnessed the events of September 11th unfold. Audio recordings of victims who made their last phone call to say goodbye to their loved ones were also played throughout the museum. As I listened to those recordings, I could feel the tears building up in my eyes. I quickly wiped them away, not wanting anybody to see me cry. My mom said, “This has to be one of the saddest places in the world”. I nodded my head in agreement. We continued walking through the exhibits; various artifacts recovered from the attacks were on display, including smashed fire trucks, pieces of steel, handwritten notes, and the exact staircase that helped hundreds of people escape the burning buildings. Also featured in the museum was a portrait gallery dedicated to the victims of the attack. Nearly 3,000 pictures with interactive touch screen technology were displayed on the wall to learn additional information about each individual.

The last place we visited was the One World Observatory, located at the top of the One World Trade Center. Built in place of the original twin towers, the One World Trade Center is one of the world’s highest skyscrapers. The architectural design of the building was stunning; its inverted triangular-shaped walls were like nothing I had ever seen before. We took an elevator ride to the top of the observation deck, which climbed 102 floors in less than 47 seconds. The journey to the top was spectacular on its own, as an ordinary elevator ride suddenly transformed into a virtual reality experience. The walls of the elevator displayed an animated time-lapse projection, recreating the construction of the New York City skyline from the 1500s to the present day. It was like watching 500 years of history unfold right before my eyes. As the elevator doors opened, we got an aerial view of the entire city, with views of the Brooklyn Bridge, the Statue of Liberty, and Empire State Building. We were so high off the ground that we were able to see the curvature of the Earth. We walked around the observation deck for a couple of hours and took pictures. My favorite part was watching the sunset across the Hudson River. I was in awe as I witnessed the glare of the sun reflecting off the surface of the water. The entire experience was amazing and far beyond my expectations. To see how the city was able to recover from the 9/11 attacks was truly inspiring; it is the ultimate symbol of strength and resilience. It completely changed my perspective of New York City and what it means to be a New Yorker. No wonder it’s considered one of the most famous cities in the world.

My visit to New York City was unlike any experience I’ve ever had. I’ve been to this city countless times, so I thought I had a decent understanding of what it was like. This experience, however, completely shattered my previous outlook on it. Now I know it’s not perfect, far from it actually. But I realized that New York is so much more than just poor traffic conditions, overpriced food, and the consistent smell of garbage. There’s nothing like walking down the streets of Manhattan with skyscrapers towering over you. There are countless things to do there that you simply can’t experience anywhere else. There is always something new and exciting, no matter how many times you visit it. I wish I had visited these places sooner. I am so grateful to live so close to a city as beautiful as this one, and I can truly say that New York now is my favorite city and there is no other place in the world like it.

New York City had come a long way since the dark days of crime in the late 80s and early 90s when it was called the “murder capital” of the United States. Today, It is common to hear in the news that NYC is the safest metropolis in the United States with a crime rate per capita lower than the national average- something almost unheard of among big cities, like Chicago. Many factors attributed to the declining rate and supplemented the city’s overall safety, such as NYPD’s immense contribution and the reinforced defense system after 911. Before my journey to New York, as a college student began, I was always told by my parents to be cautious in the city. I asked them why and they simply returned because “it’s New York.” The images of the iconic and dangerous era of the 70s and 80s New York conjured fear among many individuals, such as my conservative Korean parents, and still take place in their perception up to this day. Consequently, it leads them to believe in the city’s danger in an exaggerated manner. Even the media emphasizes the bilateral nature of New York, in which one side is the fancy, exciting city life and the other is the ugly street life, and its need to avoid the latter at all costs.

New York City was indeed full of crime in the 70s and 80s: murders, burglaries, drug deals, car thefts, and so on. Bryant Park, located at the heart of midtown and next to the New York Public Library, was an open-air drug market; the Port Authority Bus Terminal was where passengers had to dodge beggars, thieves, and drug addicts. Not only that, NYPD arrested 2,383 for prostitution citywide in 1976 (Carlson). Shockingly, 1,165 of them were girls between the ages of 15 and 20. That is about 50%. Also, the National Institute of Drug Use estimated 200,00 people to have abused heroin in New York City by the mid-70s (NIDA). As a result, New York City saw 1,814 homicides in 1980- three times what we have today- and by 1990, peaked at 2,245: the city lived in fear (Sawe). Although NYC experienced a steep decline in crime rate since 1991 and until today, many people, like parents and immigrants, still perceive New York as dangerous to some extent. Judging only from the history, any non-New Yorkers would acknowledge the city unworthy of ever calling it “home.” For those specific people who have misjudged New York, numbers can prove them wrong: New York City is statistically one of the safest places in the world.

The city achieved a record-setting reduction in numerous major crime categories in 2018, setting new records for crime reduction and public safety in the modern era. According to NYPD, New York has hit the lowest number of index crimes in the contemporary period: there were 1,207 fewer incidents compared to 97,090 in 2017, or a 1.2% decline (O’Neil). In detail, the city experienced a most significant reduction in murder and grand theft autos by 39.3% and 13.7%, respectively, compared to the last year 2017 (O’Neil). The statistics tell us that New York has not only retained its safety but also that it is safer than ever, Comparing the statistics with another big city, like Chicago, gives insight into what made New York experience a significant decline in all sorts of crime. NYPD reported that New York had seen 435 shooting incidents, a record low in the past 20 years. Chicago, on the contrary, has seen over 2,000 people shot and 315 killed in the first half of the year, an increase of 50% from last year. While Chicago has a lower crime rate today than it did in the 80s or early 90s, it is still more dangerous than its peer cities: As of 2014, Chicago had a violent crime rate 32 percent higher than that of New York though yet about half of the cities like Detroit and Oakland. By juxtaposing crime rates in these two metropolia, one can answer how cities develop, how certain communities are integrated and isolated, how violence is transferred between people, and how environments shape the behavior of the citizens. New York and Chicago are very different when it comes to the environment, and the difference plays a role in what makes the city safer than the other. Due to systemic housing discrimination, and zoning laws that isolate the poor from the wealthy and middle class, Chicago has significant amounts of concentrated poverty, especially for black Americans, with its rate above 40 percent, compared with 26 percent in New York (Jargowski). The concentrated poverty leads to what sociologists call the “neighborhood-level effect,” in which the neighborhood environment can predict behavior.

The economics professor at University at Buffalo Qingyan Shang explains that concentrated poverty creates a culture on the street where violence becomes endemic. He explains that these individuals who reside in poor neighborhoods have to show the capability of violence so that he or she isn’t constantly victimized- not because they want to be a murderer but as a form of self-defense (Shang 640). Meanwhile, New York’s neighborhood-level effect is isolated to a few places, making New York less susceptible to the creation of a neighborhood that encourages violence whether by means of murder or self-defense. The skill and dedication of the police officers of the New York Police Department put into keeping the city safe cannot be understated. With its immense focus on increasing connectivity and engagement with the community, the NYPD has established Neighborhood Policing where the same officers work in the same neighborhoods on the same shifts (Bratton). They have familiarized themselves with residents and their problems by attending community meetings with neighborhood leaders and clergy, visiting schools, and following up on previous incidents. NYPD recognizes the building of trust with residents as the key to making the city safer. Also, this shows that NYPD wants to handle matters in the least violent way possible The NYPD has taken the unparalleled step to improve communication and collaboration between police officers and the community residents by making much of the crime data developed in the CompStat model available to the public. This unique software offers up-to-date information about crimes, such as category, date, and exact time of the incidence, through an online interactive map. This tool helps citizens to avoid a particular area of the city in a specific time zone and look out for potential danger.

The Mayor of New York City Bill de Blasio recognizes the work and effort of officers and publicly states: “Our city is yet again the safest big city in America thanks to the work our NYP officers and community leaders are doing block by block across our five boroughs (qt in Leigh).” From the tone and wording, one can feel a sense of pride and confidence in the mayor of the ultimate safety that he and the city can offer to the citizens. City security was strengthened after the 9/11 incident, with soldiers patrolling the public places and increased investment in gates, traffic barriers, and building-entrance security. Out of all, air travel is one transportation mode that was most affected by the lessons of 911. The TSA enacted changes to airport security checkpoints and practices; security consists of both carry-on and checked bag screening, as well as pat-down screening. Furthermore, the events of 9/11 affected how immigration takes place in the U.S. Following the adoption of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 (the law aimed to minimize vulnerability to terrorism in the U.S), the Department of Homeland Security screens and collects data from international travelers, interviews them, and shares information about people from selected countries (AHIMA). Not only the city ensures safety within the city but also makes an effort to prevent external threats. Most importantly, my experience tells a different story. Eight months into my college life at New York University, I consider New York City as my second home not because I am forced to live here for the next three years, but because the city ensures safety and homeliness. The beauty of New York is that everyone blends into the city. There are people of all colors and sizes, dressed in all kinds of things, speaking in all sorts of languages. I never felt like I am an outsider; that for me is one of the major things which enables me to relax and feel safe in this city. I don’t stick out nor do I draw attention. The diversity in the city makes me think that I am not so different from the rest of the people. Along with the reliable and effective protection provided by NYPD, the diversity of people in the city offered me a sense of belonging: I feel as safe as back home in Korea.

Last year before my Grade 6 school year started, my family and I took a trip to the U.S.A. It was a trip my parents planned to give me before I entered middle school. Being from Dubai, I have exposed to aspects of a large city all my life, but Manhattan was a whole new story. It was like discovering an entirely new way of life that I had previously only watched in my favorite TV shows and movies. It truly is the most fabulous city in the world.

The first day of my trip started off with a walk to the fabulous Times Square, an exhilarating feeling overcame me as I stepped out of the hotel. Everyone around me was in at a brisk pace to get to someplace, and all I could hear was the loud and endless sound of cars honking. My first stop was, of course, at the awesome Disney store. All the excitement and shopping made my tummy rumble, so then we went to M&M’s world in search of some yummy chocolate. However, busy and surrounded by people being in a foreign land is quite scary as the night fell upon us. So, we decided to head back to the hotel. The next day, we got up early and went to the famous Empire State Building, and after spending an entire morning looking down at the bustling city, we decided that it’s time for some shopping. Walking was perfectly reasonable for getting around, so we took a stroll through the borough to the Rockefeller Center. It was a quiet afternoon with lunch at a cafe and shopping, but we lost track of time. We then spent some family playtime on the ice-skating rink. Just as we were leaving, my dad took me to the Lego store. I must say, going to the Lego store was my favorite part of going to Rockefeller Center.

The next day we got up late, but we did manage to go to The American Museum of Natural History. The Worlds Beyond Earth space show at the Hayden Planetarium and the T-Rex: The Ultimate Predator show were incredible. After our visit, we took a stroll through Central Park. Our stop was at the Madame Tussauds wax museum the next day evening. The next day we went to the Statue of Liberty. The ferry was my favorite part. Unfortunately, because this trip was last minute, my parents were not able to get the crown tickets, but it was still a fantastic view. That evening we had reservations at The View Restaurant for dinner. The food was delicious, but the view was stunning. As the restaurant rotated, the evening view of the city was a wonderment. On our final day, we went for a drive to Long Island. We reached back by evening, and as I was about to pack my bags, my parents surprised me with tickets to the Broadway musical ‘Frozen’. The musical was hands down the best part of this trip. I loved it and could not have asked for a better end for my trip to New York City.

That’s how my unforgettable trip to New York was.

Water pollution has become a significant concern because it adversely affects plants, humans, and animals. River pollution is caused by a wide variety of factors, but combined sewerage overflows (CSOs) are the main source of contamination in New York City Rivers (Wang 1373). Combined sewer systems are used to transport stormwater, domestic sewage, and industrial wastewater to treatment plants (Wang 1373). During heavy rainfalls, wastewater treatment companies might discharge excess untreated effluents into rivers, leading to pollution (Wang 1373). Therefore, it is imperative to evaluate the effects of CSOs on river water quality.

The aim of the analysis was to assess the effects of CSOs on water quality and the environment for different sites along the Harlem River.

The water quality parameters (Enterococcus, Temperature, Salinity, Chlorophyll, Turbidity, Oxygen) in Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge and Harlem River Washington Bridge sites were compared during the analysis. Data was collected from and recorded in Tables 1 and 2 for Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge and Harlem River Washington Bridge sites, respectively.

The data was then plotted into Enterococcus Count vs. Date, Temp vs. Date, Salinity vs. Date, Chlorophyll vs. Date, Turbidity vs. Date Oxygen vs. Date, for the two datasets, and a comparison between the sites made. Therefore, 12 graphs were developed at the end of the analysis.

Comparison

The datasets from the two sites (Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge and Harlem River Washington Bridge) were compared to determine the quality of water and impact of CSOs in these two sites from 06/12/2017 to 10/08/2019. It was found that the Enterococcus count for the two sites keeps varying, probably due to the rainy seasons or the introduction of wastewater. Notable loads were noted for Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge on 10/08/2019, 06/04/2019, 09/10/2018, and 08/14/2018. For Harlem River Washington Bridge, significant quantities were recorded on 10/08/2019 and 09/10/2018, and on 07/17/2018, the highest value >24196 was noted. For both cases, the quantities of Enterococcus are acceptable, but in some instances, the levels are too high, necessitating beach advisory. Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge is more affected than Harlem River Washington Bridge. Enterococcus count is the indicator of sewage contamination. The values indicate the rivers are contaminated, and the quantities reach unacceptable levels, probably during rainy seasons, which might be caused by CSOs.

The water temperature for the two sites varied for the time considered. The highest values were recorded were 77.2 0F for Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge on 07/17/201 and 810F for the Harlem River Washington Bridge on 08/14/2018. The temperature changes might be attributed to weather but not to the impact of CSOs.

The salinity levels increase and decrease across the selected time frame, following a similar trend for the two sites. The Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge has higher salinity values than the Harlem River Washington Bridge. Higher levels of salinity might have adverse impacts on the health of aquatic organisms, plants, animals, and humans.

The chlorophyll levels remain below a value of 2 for most of the months. The highest values were recorded on 06/13/2018 for both sites. The concentration of chlorophyll is associated with algae living in the water and indicates high levels of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorous that might be introduced rainwater flowing from agricultural fields.

Turbidity changes across the selected time for the two sites. The highest value was recorded on 05/07/2019, with the Harlem River Washington Bridge having greater quantities. It is a measure of the amount of particles in a water sample, and it impacts the aquatic organisms by preventing the amount of sunlight.

The changes in oxygen level trend follow the same pattern for the two sites, but Harlem River Washington Bridge has higher values than the Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge site. The oxygen level indicates the biological activities, and it should be almost in equilibrium with atmospheric levels.

Conclusion

Combined sewer overflows are known to contain water sources. In this context, the water quality for Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge and Harlem River Washington Bridge sites were compared. The water quality parameters considered were temperature, eenterococcus, salinity, turbidity, chlorophyll, and oxygen. It was found that the values of the parameters vary with time. Hence, it can be concluded that the changes are caused by rainy seasons. Substantial qualities of Enterococcus were observed, and in some instances at unacceptable levels. Overall, CSOs affect the water quality at the selected sites (Harlem River Willis Ave Bridge and Harlem River Washington Bridge).

Water pollution is a significant decrease in water resources’ quality due to the ingress of various chemicals and solid waste into streams, rivers, lakes, seas, and oceans, or the multiplication of microscopic living organisms. The causes of water pollution are related to human activities. After observing the Drinking Water Supply and Quality Report 2018 and 2019, it has become clear that tap water in New York is considered one of the world’s highest quality. New York City receives drinking water from 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes, located in a watershed of almost 2,000 square miles (“NYC Environmental Protection,” 2018). This drainage basin is located 125 miles north of New York City, in the Hudson Valley and the Catskills (“NYC Environmental Protection,” 2018). Drinking water does not require cleaning; however, to comply with all sanitary standards, it still disinfects with chlorine and ultraviolet radiation.

Meanwhile, despite all positive features of the NYC water supply system, several issues exist, including the changes in water quality and the chemical substances found after investigation provided by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). The specific reason for the difference in water condition is the closure for repairs of one of the two aqueducts through which water from the Catskill watershed enters New York. In October 2018, the reservoirs of Westchester and Dutchess counties were involved in the city’s uninterrupted supply (“NYC Environmental Protection,” 2019). The water in these reservoirs is saturated with minerals – particularly calcium and magnesium – and therefore has a characteristic smell and taste (Hoang et al., 2019). This water is considered moderately heavy and leaves a residue on dishes and can clog sewer pipes. Previously, the share of its use in the water supply in New York City did not exceed ten percent, after this, the figure is twenty to thirty percent. Most of the water is supplied to Manhattan and parts of the Bronx.

The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released details on toxic chemicals present in water systems. Data from the EWG study materials show that drinking water in New York City does not meet health guidelines (“New York City System,” n.d). Six different pollutants associated with cancer have been found in the water (“New York City System,” n.d). Their level significantly exceeds the recommendations established by the health authorities but does not go beyond the legal norms. There are chemicals in the water, including chloroform, bromodichloromethane, and dichloroacetic acid (“New York City System,” n.d). Health authorities recommend that the amount of chloroform in water should not exceed the proportion of one in a billion. According to the EWG, it corresponds to one case of cancer in a million inhabitants, while New York City’s water level is 30.9 per billion (“New York City System,” n.d). Meanwhile, even this amount poses health risks to New Yorkers.

Impact on the Environment and Human Health

The contamination of potable water with chemicals turned out to be much worse than previously thought. The substances that are resistant to environmental degradation are known as perfluoroalkyl (PFAS) (Jayaswal et al., 2018). This factor leads to the overuse of chlorine; consequently, it has several adverse outcomes of its high content in water. In addition to reducing the species diversity of marine and river flora and fauna, as chlorine does not disappear from the water circulation, these substances also accumulate in organisms and circulate in food chains, destroying tissues and leading to infertility and genetic mutations.

Concerning human health, frequent drinking of chlorinate water can increase the number of cancer cases, liver damage, low birth weight in babies, and other health problems. Chlorine interacts with other substances to form trihalomethanes; the most dangerous of these is chloroform, which leads to liver cancer. Moreover, epidemiologists compared a map of the distribution of tumors of the bladder and intestines in the United States with a plan of water chlorination. It turned out that where people drink this water, tumor cases are wide-spread (Li & Wu, 2019). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has explored that water pollution could affect more than 110 million Americans (Li & Wu, 2019). If people live in a region where potable water has been contaminated, it will become impossible to avoid contact with chemicals.

Management Practices

Although the depletion and water pollution have been going on for years, an acceptable problem solution has not yet been found. Thus, the policy against water pollution prohibits the discharge of untreated wastewater into open water bodies, promotes natural self-purification processes, and creates clean water protection zones. The sequential wastewater treatment system, which is being implemented today in many modern enterprises, consists of two main stages. The first management practice is a mechanical process during which floating and rapidly settling substances are removed from the water. The second is biological management when the abatement with biologically degradable biologically active materials is carried out (Pires et al., 2017). Currently, the crucial way to combat pollution is wastewater treatment, but the fact is that up to 20 percent of the most persistent contamination remains in it (Alcamo, 2019). Finally, consumption and water pollution can be significantly reduced by introducing more closed cycles, such as reusing water in the same production cycle without discharging it into water bodies, restate wastewater, and switching to technologies based on lower consumption water.

Each person needs to master practical ways to conserve and improve water quality. The people’s ability to provide themselves with clean water for health and life consists of environmentally sound actions in everyday life. Citizens can support those public organizations that seek from the authorities’ concrete efforts to strengthen state control over discharges, reduce the burden on urban treatment facilities, and development of cleaner production.

In early August 1997, reports surfaced of a police brutality scandal in New York City. Newspapers across the country reported that Abner Louima, a Haitian immigrant to the United States, was arrested on August 9, 1997, and brought to the station house of the 70th Precinct where New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers took Louima into the bathroom, beat him severely, and sodomized him with the handle of a plunger.2 Through a recent study by Amnesty International had reported an alarming pattern of excessive force by NYPD officers,3 local authorities predictably refused to recognize that the Louima incident might represent something more than an isolated occurrence(Marshall, 1998). Since then many cases of police brutality have been committed nationwide. What exactly is police brutality? Police brutality; is a civil rights violation that occurs when a police officer acts with excessive force by using an amount of force with regards to a civilian that is more than necessary. Excessive force by a law enforcement officers is a violation of a person’s rights( USLegal). Consequently, resulting in punishment right? Well that’s not the case for all police brutality cases. In my opinion, all types of police brutality cases should be punished, especially if the excessive force provided leads to the death of a civilian.

Police brutality has been around for ages. Modern policing did not evolve into an organized institution until the 1830s and ’40s when northern cities decided they needed better control over quickly growing populations. The first American police department was established in Boston in 1838. The communities most targeted by harsh tactics were recent European immigrants. But, as African-Americans fled the horrors of the Jim Crow south, they too became the victims of brutal and punitive policing in the northern cities where they sought refuge (Nodjimbadem, 2017). Although many things have changed in our criminal system and society since those times, there is still a large number of police brutality cases towards our citizens today especially in urban cities such as Chicago, New York, Boston etc. In 1855, Walt Whitman called New York “one of the most crime-haunted and dangerous cities in Christendom (Chadwick, 2017), he warned people and tourist to stay inside once dark so what was done about this? Well it was time to get some order in and they did, the best way people thought of back then… by force.

“The cops on the first professional police force were told to be tough as soon as they were hired. The old constable had been not only ineffective but weak. Killers, robbers, and gangbangers had gotten away with murder for decades, and the public was sick and tired of it. The new officers were told to use as much force as they felt necessary to apprehend criminals and stem the ever-rising crime wave. A common practice was to crack criminals over the head, or across the back of the neck, with their thick, fourteen-inch-long wooden nightsticks, or billy clubs, regardless of the consequence. Police pushed, shoved, and kicked men down a street. Ears were pulled hard, throats were put in a vise hold, knee pressure was applied to the lower back, ankles were kicked, feet were stomped on. Usually, the nightstick blow to the head knocked men down, or unconscious, and sometimes victims later suffered brain damage” (Chadwick, 2017). Since then New York City has been able to rise even more with its brutality, more so than ever due to the media and social media showing the public eye there mishaves something that wasn’t so popular back then.

New York City comprised into 5 boroughs sitting where the Hudson River meets the Atlantic Ocean. At its core Manhattan, a densely populated borough thats among the world’s major commercial, financial and cultural centers. We love New York, many people come here everyday but, New York has had its scandals over the past few years. For example, one of my favorite is the “Dirty Thirty” which took place in the 1990s in Harlem’s 30th precinct. It was the cocaine capital of the city. “In 1994 alone, officers legally confiscated $900,000 in drug money double the average recovered in every other Manhattan precinct. Dealers came from neighboring boroughs and states to buy blow in bulk out of heavily guarded prewar buildings, using spycraft-type methods to circumvent the law. They also shopped right out of the 30th Precinct police headquarters. More than just skimming from crime scenes or the evidence room, “Nannery’s Raiders” ran an organized drug distribution operation under the supervision of Sgt. Kevin P. Nannery. Fake radio calls were made to provide cover for illegal raids on drug dens, the spoils of which were either pocketed or resold on the street. The market was so saturated with stolen product that a gram of coke sold for $20 to $25; in the rest of the city, it averaged $50 to $90. It took a two-year investigation by undercover cop Barry Brown to bring down the corrupt crew” ( New York Post, 2015). It’s definitely something that is still talked about today, those that swear to protect and serve us were very much shady themselves, thankfully all 33 officers were arrested and charged. Now, another more recent New York scandal was in 2014 when the death of Eric Garner occurred in the hands of a New York officer.

Eric Garner died in Staten Island, New York City, after a New York City Police Department (NYPD) officer put him in a headlock or chokehold for about 15 to 19 seconds while arresting him. NYPD policy prohibits the use of chokeholds. The officer denied choking Garner, but the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office report stated ‘Cause of Death: Compression of neck (choke hold), compression of chest and prone positioning during physical restraint by police. This incident right here caused a global riot! “Mr. Garner’s death was the start of a succession of police killings that captured national attention and ignited debate over race and law enforcement. From Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., to Walter Scott in North Charleston, S.C., to Freddie Gray in Baltimore, the deaths of black men at the hands of the police have faced a level of scrutiny that would have been unlikely just a year ago, before Mr. Garner died and before a grand jury in December declined to bring charges in his death” (New York Times). People were mad! I myself was one of them. The extreme use of force from police officers was getting tiresome for many and we wanted justice served and people to realize race is still a big factor today when it comes to our police officers.

“Over the last decade, there has been a major focus on African Americans and the U.S. criminal justice system, particularly around the issues of mass incarceration and police brutality. The best-known recent work on the problem of mass black incarceration is Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Color Blindness (2010). Alexander argues that while the Civil Rights Movement had been successful in eradicating overt racist laws, policies, and practices, by the 1980s the gains made by the civil rights and Black Power campaigns had been largely eradicated due to mass incarceration that she identifies as “the New Jim Crow.” Alexander points out that the “War on Drugs” has served as an excuse for the most overtly racist behavior by law enforcement officers and drug laws have not stemmed the flow of illegal narcotics into poor and working-class black neighborhoods” (Taylor, 2019). In New York City 26 percent of our population are African Americans and in Riker Island a New York City main jail complex, about 93 percent of the inmate population is male and the majority are African-Americans and Latinos from low-income neighborhoods in New York. In my opinion that is just ridiculous! We need a change in our law enforcement in New York City we are a city that have people from all over the world there is no space for racism especially in those that have to protect us.

Today, the talk about racism seems to never end whether it’s towards police brutality, bullying, stereotyping or just simplying a hate crime. I myself for being dark skin have been a victim of a hate crime I felt very sad and frustradted because, I didnt bother to react even though I wanted to I just kept walking but, I was very sad that its 2019 and things seem to never change. That invisble Black and White line seems to be always around following all of us. One change that I would love to see is a better evaluation of our police officeres when it come to race and social clase. They need to understand that everyone is very much different and not all where raised the same. My second idea for change would be for those that do commit police brutality get stripped away from their dutys as a police officer. Although, I believe police officers that use excessive force should be punish, many might not agree with me and say that it is neccesary in order to keep the peace which is what officers are here for. Well my answer to them would be, No! Police officers are here to PROTECT AND SERVE the people and keep us secure from any harm with their skills, not push us away with there own violent acts that would lead for us citizens being afraid of them.

In conclusion, police brutality is a serious problem in New York City and its connection with racism towards African Americans. Just in this year alone there have been 56 people shot and killed by a police officer, 56!!! and its only Feburary 4. Our justice system needs help ASAP we need to re-evaluate our entire system to make a big difference, our kids need to grow up in a better place. These body camaras need to be better and so do our police officers its not all about the equipment sometimes its the person behind the uniform. Citizens need to feel comfortable when it comes to our officers and with these number increasing and stating the biasness I dont see that happening anytime soon. We has a society need to stand up for ourselves and not let these things slide by because of power. We are the power and when we all stand for the same thing it wont be easy not to heard.

The New York police department (NYPD) found themselves in a bind attempting to fight everyday crime; they desired to implement new ways to help combat this issue. A proactive policing tool, by the name of stop and frisk, was developed to assist these officers in doing so. Stop and frisk is a policy that allows an officer to stop an individual based on “reasonable suspicion” that a crime has occurred, is occurring, or will occur. Anyone can be stopped, however; frisks are only to be made if an officer’s safety is at risk. Stop and frisk was established by the Terry v. Ohio case in Cleveland, Ohio.

A plain-clothed officer, Martin McFadden, spotted two African American males standing on the corner of the fourteenth street. McFadden confessed that he observed these two men for ten to twelve minutes while they went in and out of two stores. Moments later, the two men were joined by a white male, they soon parted ways. Later, the three men met up at Zucker’s store. McFadden suspected the men of “casing the place for a stick-up.” This led him to approach the three young men. He identified himself as an officer and asked for their names. The young men revealed themselves to be John Terry, Richard Chilton, and Katz. McFadden began to frisk these men and retrieved weapons from both Terry and Chilton. As a result, the men were taken into custody and faced charges of carrying concealed weapons. The Supreme Court presented the decision which was an 8 to 1 ruling, which held that McFadden’s search was indeed reasonable under the Fourteenth Amendment (Terry v. Ohio, 1968).

The stop-and-frisk policy was contested for many reasons; mainly due to allegations of racial profiling. Racial disparities were brought to the forefront in the Floyd v. City of New York case. According to the United States District Court Southern District of New York (2013), the New York City Police Department (“NYPD”) made 4.4 million stops between January 2004 and June 2012. Over 80% of these 4.4 million stops were of blacks or Hispanics (p.1). Another prominent issue that was contested was the violation of the individual’s Fourth and the Equal Protection Clause of the Fifteenth Amendments. The Fourth Amendment protects citizens against unreasonable searches or seizures. The Equal Protection Clause of the Fifteenth Amendment prohibits racial discrimination and guarantees equality to all. The New York Police Department was reported to carry out more stops in high-crime areas where Hispanics and blacks reside. This proves that Hispanics and blacks were targeted for stops based on reasonable suspicions more than whites. During Floyd v. City of New York, David Floyd, an African American male, was approached by three officers while walking back to his home.

The officers requested proof of identification. Floyd obeyed their orders and reached into his pockets to retrieve his cell phone. Floyd’s actions led officers to frisk him, although they did not discover anything. This made the frisk unconstitutional due to the lack of evidence determining whether or not officers had reasonable suspicion to question Floyd. On February 27, 2008, Floyd was assisting a tenant who had been locked out of his apartment. This property was owned by Floyd’s grandmother. After fumbling with five or six keys, Floyd and the tenant were approached by three plain-clothed officers. The officers ordered them to put their hands up. Following this procedure, officers began to frisk Floyd without his consent. Floyd was informed by the officers that there had been a series of burglaries in the area. In comparison to the Terry v. Ohio case, Floyd’s Fourth Amendment rights were violated during both incidents. In contrast to the first incident, the officers had reasonable suspicion when they observed Floyd fumbling with the keys. This also shed more light on racial profiling performed by officers.

Stop and frisk had many pros and cons. Among the pros are the officer’s ability to protect themselves, the sense of safety the community has, the decreased crime rates in New York City, and the reduction of guns available on the streets. This policy allows officers to rid of any weapons that could interfere with their safety. The community is now aware that officers are equipped and monitoring who and what could be potentially dangerous and with guns not being readily available violent crimes aren’t occurring as much. These are all precautionary tactics. Unfortunately, the stop-and-frisk policy has disproportionately impacted minorities. As a result, mistrust has formed between New Yorkers and law enforcement, communities are facing long-lasting damage, and there’s an unwillingness to cooperate with the police. The stop-and-frisk policy and New York’s strategic plan both targeted minorities. New York’s plan was to increase the quality of life. The strategic plan focused more on minor crimes while stop and frisk focused more on weapons.

Stop and frisk and New York’s strategic plan implemented focusing on certain neighborhoods to reduce crime rates. Stop and frisk is a policy that I do agree with to a certain extent. Yes, crime was reduced, but it isn’t proven that this policy contributed to these results. Stop and frisk, in my opinion, was put in place to provide protection for the community and the officers. The impact stop and frisk have had on weapon reductions in neighborhoods is amazing! I do believe this policy has instilled fear in the citizens. Safety and liberty are among the few things that citizens fear. Officers should refrain from targeting a specific race. Race should only be a factor when officers are determining the identity of a suspect. The stop and frisk policy is overall a well-established proactive policing tool. I do suggest that police implement more community policing to build and strengthen trust in the community. Officers should consider designating certain areas of the city as “stop and frisk sectors.” This would encourage potential offenders to think before they perform any criminal activity in neighborhoods. Stop and frisk, like any other policy or plan, isn’t perfect however it is a stride to improve the quality of life for all.