Forum: Environmental
May 14, 2008
One Local Summer
Anyone else doing OLS? The idea is to create one meal a week that is made up of locally grown products. I'm putting together a map of stores that sell locally grown products so please let me know if you know of any.
May 6, 2008
Bike Tours??
I am surprised that there was no coverage of the Five Boro Bike Tour. As a site that is bike-friendly, there was no mention of it. I participated in it (first timer), and it was an unbelievable experience.
The Tour de Brooklyn is coming up on the 25th of May and I hope that Brownstoner will have coverage on it.
What do other people think?
May 5, 2008
mold!
looks like we have nasty black mold in the basement. wondering if anyone could recommend testers/abaters.
thanks!
May 2, 2008
NYSERDA Multifamily Performance Program
Has anybody had any experience with this new NYSERDA energy efficiency program. My co-op (15 units, Park Slope limestone) is starting to look into it. Wondering if it is really a good deal to get involved in. It's not exactly easy money (you have to find an energy consultant, pay them a lot upfront, then follow their energy conservation plan design)
On the other hand, our building's heating costs are rising, we could use new insulation, and maybe this program is a great way to help us pay for this.
Any thoughts, and especially recommendations for Energy Consultants from the NYSERDA list, most welcome.
March 12, 2008
Stinky Neighbor - Please help!
I own half a brownstone -- the upper half. The bottom half is owned by a person of retirement age that is, well, stinky. In the time I've lived here, I've never heard a vacuum cleaner or anything like it coming from downstairs. I've never seen a window open to ventilate the space in any way. When I've needed access to the back of the building, I need to go through this person's apartment, my eyes start to tear because the odor is so intense. Piles of clothes are strewn all over and the dust is thick as snow.
My motto is live and let live. As long as I don't know this person is there, I don't care. So that was the modus operandi until recently, where I performed a year-long gut renovation.
During the renovation, the odor from downstairs would leach into the construction space as the floors and walls were open and exposed for plumbing and electrical work. However, now although they're all closed, pressurized odoriferous air is leaching through any/every crack and crevice into my brand new living space. I'm at my wits end -- and as I've shouted about it bothering me, my neighbor (obviously overhearing my loud frustration) has decided to use some sort of potent air freshener (like carpet fresh-pet odor eliminator). Now we're inundated with the air freshener ingredient which has made the situation worse because I seem to be allergic to it. A week will then pass, the air freshener will fade and the stank odor will return.
I desperately need to solve this problem. What I can't understand is why the air coming from my neighbor's living space is under so much pressure to force its way through every crack and crevice into my place -- I mean it even comes through cracks in the floor, cracks in the staircase risers, gaps between kitchen cabinets and trim. It's crazy and it, literally, stinks!
How can I get relief other than 1) wearing a face mask, 2) telling my neighbor to pick up some new living space hygiene practices?
My idea is to put in some roof vents to let pressurized air from the inner wall spaces along the parapet walls to escape, thus lowering the inner wall air pressure and preventing so much leaching of air through the cracks/gaps in my living space floors and walls and cabinetry.
Any/all suggestions are welcome!
Thanks in advance!
-G
March 4, 2008
Huge Toll Brothers Dev in Carrol Gardens
Toll Brothers plans to throw up a gigantic 12 luxury condo complex on two highly contaminated blocks next to the Gowanus Canal (on Bond from Carrol Street to 2nd Street).
The proposal is gigantic and quite extreme, and if realized, would cause tremendous
strain on the education system, transportation system, sewage system,
traffic flow, etc. in the neighborhood. It is also,
obviously, a severe environmental liability.
Can't find any photos on the web, but the flier they handed out at a community meeting this evening was crazy...
February 21, 2008
Disposing of Old Thermostat w Mercury
We replaced our old thermostat with a new, more efficient digital one. There is mercury in the old one and I want to be sure we dispose of it properly. Anyone know what to do?
February 6, 2008
New Con Ed electrical vault?
We were informed by our community board that con ed is building a new vault below ground across the street and that there "might be electrical interruption." Might???? There WILL be for damn sure with their record, plus I read that a man and a dog and who knows who/what else were fried by these underground vaults.
We're meeting with them but we want to be armed with info. Does anyone know anything? Is this related to the Yards? How long do these things take? Do we have any recourse?
Thanks,
mhughu
6th Ave. near Flatbush
January 27, 2008
Air Quality Specialists?
I renovated an apartment in a 90 year old, 3 family wood frame house that I recently purchased. The reno came out beautifully, but I have found that my asthma, which is environmentally set off, has been pretty bad and chronic since I've moved in. In the past I have gone years without an asthma attack and now they are daily. The house has been professionally cleaned since reno. When my girlfriend, who has no asthma or allergies, sleeps over, she has been getting a stuffy and runny nose. This all seems isolated to my bedroom. I have hypo allergenic pillows, sheets, no rugs etc. and have been vacuuming.
I'm wondering if there is some kind of air quality specialist etc. who could analyze what's going on in my apartment. I've googled a bit but haven't found anything. Any help or recommendations would be appreciated.
January 14, 2008
Asbestos pipe insulation removal
hey all:
I was under the impression that the owner of a single family home is allowed to remove a certain amount of asbestos pipe insulation, like 25'. I can't find anything at nyc.gov to confirm or deny. Anyone know about this or can provide a link?
Thanks,
Denton