New Yorkers celebrate Earth Day at events across city
NEW YORK -- Earth Day celebrations and events were held across New York City on Saturday to spread the word about the need to protect the planet.
Green may not be the first color that comes to mind when thinking of a city that's full of concrete and bright lights, but Earth Day is a reminder that more can be done to make the Big Apple more environmentally friendly.
"We have two mothers. One gave birth to us, the other sustained us. The same love and nurturing that we show to the mom that gave birth to us, let's show it to the one that sustains us," Mayor Eric Adams said.
Earth Day celebrations began Saturday morning with the mayor and City Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue pledging their commitment to sustainability at Alley Pond Park in Queens.
Adams says the city's green initiatives are far-reaching and will make a difference.
"It's everything from the solar panels, how do we look at food to improve our environments, battery usage in EVs -- electric vehicles, looking at things that are doable, executable and accountable to the people of the city," he said.
Thirty streets across all five boroughs went car-free throughout the day as part of the city Department of Transportation's largest car-free Earth Day celebration, and Citi Bike offered free one-day passes to riders.
The city was also one of 50 across at least 26 countries that held a vegan Earth Day march, urging government officials to support the Plant-Based Treaty, a grassroots initiative putting food systems at the forefront of fighting the climate crisis.
"Animal consumption is the root cause of a lot of global issues. That's food scarcity. That's antibiotic resistance. That's pandemics," said Dr. Faraz Harsini, with Allied Scholars for Animal Protection.
"It was building as we were walking. Not only that, but people were at their windows looking out, giving us a thumbs up," Baltimore resident Justin Valas said.
At a free concert in Times Square, efforts to make the Great White Way a little greener were displayed by performers from the Broadway Green Alliance, an industry-wide initiative to make more environmentally friendly choices.
"It's a critical issue. The climate crisis is here with greater threats ahead. As a Broadway community, we are using our voices as artists, as cultural leaders, to sing out, to get loud," Alliance director Molly Braverman said.
"We only have one planet and we want to leave it better than we found it, I think, or at least as good for the future generation," said actress Mara Davi, who serves as Green Captain for the Alliance.
As part of its sustainability plan announced this past week, the city commits to adding 30% more canopy cover, or trees, to heat-vulnerable areas. City park officials say green spaces in the city can help mitigate excessive heat risks while also collecting storm water and cleaning our air.