Boat Tour: AIANY Climate Change Tour: Resiliency, Sustainable Architecture and the Future of NYC

The best way to understand the many facets of climate change in New York City is by traveling along its waterways…

Step aboard Yacht Manhattan or Manhattan II for the AIANY Climate Change Tour: Resiliency, Sustainable Architecture and the Future of NYC and learn about how climate change is affecting our city and people, and the actions NYC is taking to mitigate pending threats and reduce its carbon footprint.

This tour will address the pressing need for sustainable design and greater resiliency, delving into how New York City is reducing fossil fuel consumption, strengthening its natural habitats, and reimagining its transportation infrastructure. The tour will also explore the importance of the environmental justice movement in New York City.

Get a compelling and comprehensive view of the steps that interdisciplinary teams of urban planners, architects, landscape architects, developers and community groups are taking to address storm surges, intense rains and hotter temperatures.

Admire many up-close examples of green buildings and sustainable designs that reduce energy consumption, water usage and pollution while creating healthy living environments.

Experience new wetlands and tidal marshes along the tour route that play a role in mitigating storm surges, fostering diverse ecosystems and creating new park space.

See first hand the importance of the environmental justice movement in New York City. People of color and low-income families have often been pushed into low-lying neighborhoods that are most prone to flooding, have the highest levels of pollution and suffer most from the urban heat island effect.

Highlights along the way:

·       Experience numerous examples of green buildings in New York City that adhere to the LEED and Passive House standards. These residential and office buildings are reducing their carbon footprint and creating healthier living environments.

·       Consider how 500,000 buildings in New York City will soon have to comply with ambitious climate change legislation that will require a move away from fossil fuels and energy-efficiency retrofits to comply with the new regulations.

·       Examine specific challenges faced by low-income neighborhoods and communities of color that often contend with a larger range of environmental and health threats than wealthier neighborhoods.

·       Delve into competing plans for how NYC should best protect itself from future hurricanes: Should we build massive flood walls with movable gates at the entrances to the harbor and rivers, should we limit ourselves to barriers along shorelines or should we embrace nature-based solutions?

·       See completed and under construction coastal resiliency projects as we travel by the Lower East Side, Battery Park City and other neighborhoods.

·       Learnabout Superstorm Sandy and its impacts on New York City.

·       Seeup-close how our recycling system operates in New York City through marinetransfer stations, barges and processing plants.

·       Seethe Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Roosevelt Island, United Nations, Inwood, East River Park, Riverside Park and more!

What Is Not Included?

·       Guarantee of a full circumnavigation of Manhattan is not included. On rare occasions, the Spuyten Duyvil train bridge is inoperable and cannot open for us to passthrough. This is often times not known until our tour is underway. River closures may also occur for a number of reasons. There are no refunds for tours that cannot fully circumnavigate. We will accommodate such cases with a tour that features a double backing of the route and further detail of the waterfront sites.

·       Gratuity is not included unless you purchased the ‘Groups of 10 or more’ ticket type where a 10% gratuity is automatically applied.

·       Food is not included. A variety of light bites can be added on to your online ticket purchase. A limited number of these snack options will also be available onboard. Credit cards are the only form of payment accepted at this time. We ask that if bringing food that it is kept to a simple, light snack.

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