Preserving Our Piece of the Earth in Bed Stuy

The rain this Saturday did not stop hundreds of residents from crowding the lobby of 1368 Fulton Street for their free tree to plant for spring. Parents with children waited patiently for their number to be called to receive their poppy, magnolia, redbud or pear tree.

 All 150 trees were given out.

This initiative was sponsored by Bed-Stuy Restoration in partnership with MillionTreesNYC, the NY Restoration Project and the Pratt Center for Community Development. Restoration held a similar event in the fall that was equally successful.

Bed-Stuy’s tree stock was greatly depleted in the last year following the unexpected tornado of 2010. The storm decimated thousands of trees—big and small—around the neighborhood. Those that remained standing were tested even further during the back-to-back snowstorms of this past winter.

The tree giveaway was a key opportunity to replenish our tree stock. Planting trees not only helps to beautify neighborhoods, but also helps to improve the air quality. 

The 2009 annual report of the American Lung Association ranks the New York City region as 22nd of the 25 regions in the United States most affected by year-round particle pollution, and 17th of the 25 most ozone-polluted cities.

In Bed-Stuy, the need for trees is underscored further as the neighborhood’s high rate of asthma far exceeds New York City average.

This tree give away is part of Restoration’s and the Pratt Center’s larger environmental sustainability platform, with its Retrofit Block by Block Initiative at its core. Energy retrofits, also referred to as weatherization or energy upgrades, are home repairs that reduce the use of heating fuel, electricity and water.

For residents on select blocks, this initiative provides low-cost energy assessments and facilitates access to financial assistance for implementing recommended improvements. 

An energy retrofit can help you reduce air pollution and the carbon emissions that cause global warming, improve the indoor air quality in your home, increase the comfort and durability of your home, create local jobs and save money.

Fai Walker, who recently received a free energy audit, volunteered on her block to sign up her neighbors for programs under Retrofit Block by Block. 

“The auditor came in with an infrared machine, like a camera, and went through my house. I was surprised at the areas where they found air leakage, including my crawl space. Following the audit, I was introduced to a range of programs that could help cover the costs of needed work.  Based on your income, there are several free and low cost incentives. “

The tree giveaway event was held to coincide with the world’s celebration of Earth day. And, it is no coincidence that effort also paralleled the religious observations of Passover and Easter. These parallels were not lost on the tree recipients nor the organizers of the event.

Pratt Center Project Manager Deidre Lizio explained, “While Earth Day is an international celebration, events like this one help bring the issues to a community level. We can strive to be the greenest community in New York City.  Retrofit Bed-Stuy provides an opportunity for us to have an aggregate community impact by having homeowners and residents improve the energy efficiency on an entire block.”

We are now working on 15 other blocks throughout Bedford-Stuyvesant. For more information on the initiative, email jbaptiste@restorationplaza.org.

Happy Easter and spring to all! Let’s all do our part to preserve our piece of earth in Bedford-Stuyvesant.