Climate Change Affects Us All
Written By: KAITLYN CROWLEY, OUTREACH TEAM MEMBER
When we think of New York City, often the first thing to come to mind are the bustling streets and skyscrapers instead of constant flooding that is taking place. It is not common to attribute the effects of climate change to our own backyard, but that is exactly what’s happening.
Recently, the Big Apple has been in the news for comically portraying people attempting to navigate the flooded subway stairs. TikToks were made to poke fun at the situation all while ignoring the root cause of these memes: climate change. Because of climate change, the rate of precipitation has greatly increased, leaving the incredibly vulnerable city defenseless against an invisible enemy.
On September 2nd, 2021, New York City received approximately 3.2 inches of rainfall over the span of just one hour. This was the greatest amount in a single hour ever observed and that record will only continue to be broken as climate change worsens. Rainfall of this caliber should only occur around every 350 years, but is now happening twice over the span of a month! This change has taken place because of the increase of hurricanes stemming from the equator. These storms have only risen in magnitude and power, allowing the excess rain to fall further north than in the past. As a city, NYC struggles to naturally drain the extra water because it lacks the dirt for the runoff to filter into so it relies on man-made drainage systems. However, these structures can only hold so much water before they overflow which leads to flooding.
While there is currently no known solution to this increase in hurricanes, it is important to help prevent the situation from getting worse or else New York will continue flooding. Growing rooftop gardens are a fun and sustainable way to help soak up excess water and can also become a fun hobby! Any space that can be replaced by pervious grounds, such as soil, can make a big difference because it can absorb much more water than the impervious concrete that lines the streets of the city. Every sustainable choice you make has an impact, and next time you see a TikTok about the effects of a natural disaster, take the time to educate yourself about what is truly happening!
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