Green Acres
Can New York become the greenest city in America? Ben Jervey '01 believes so.
By Bill McKibben and the editors
Some years ago, the eco-analyst Alan Durning tried to figure out the greenest place in the United States. Was it that swath of the Pacific Northwest that writer Ernest Callenbach had once dubbed "Ecotopia"? Not really—when he ran the numbers, Durning decided New York City had better claim to the title.
Seriously.
Seattle and Portland may have a fierce commitment to native salmon, urban growth boundaries, and visionary recycling programs. But New York has subways and small apartments, and so in the all-important category of energy use, it comes out far ahead. It is, by accident and without even thinking about it, an ecological city.
Now comes Ben Jervey '01 to show what could happen if New Yorkers did think about it. His guide to environmental living in the Big Apple (The Big Green Apple: Your Guide to Eco-Friendly Living in New York City, Globe Pequot Press, 2006)—decorated appropriately with a shiny Granny Smith on the cover—is a comprehensive guide to conscious consuming: of energy, of food, of clothes and office furniture and transportation, even of recreation. Half or more of the information would be valuable in any city, but the heart of the book contains those tips really specific to Gotham. Where to find the farmers markets now scattered around the city, where to pick up a recycled bicycle (and how to get the city to stick a bike rack outside your home or business), where to buy shoes made from cork that used to be in wine bottles. He describes cool new ideas (Zipcar, the by-the-hour on-the-street car rental program) and new approaches to eternal problems (how to get the super to seal your windows against drafts).
My favorite part of the book is a list of "25 exceptional green activities"—ways of having fun in the city that fit every criterion of the most rigorous environmentalist. And what I like about them is that none grew up to be "environmental"; instead, they're all about offering the kind of public, communal experiences that great cities produce so easily and that our suburban exodus has made almost impossible. Playing bocce on the Parks Department's 40 official courts, for instance, or playing ping pong on the free outdoor tables on Pier 25 in Hudson River Park ("the closest simulation to a cruise ship atmosphere that you'll find in the five boroughs").Or surf the Brooklyn shore—"take the A Train to Far Rockaway for some of the most underappreciated swells on the East Coast."
If Jervey writes a sequel, I hope he'll spend a little more time thinking about how New York could become greener still. With a bit of forethought—making dedicated bus lanes that work more smoothly, say, and closing off more of the city to private cars—the city could become an ecological model on the order of Oslo or Stockholm. But this guide accomplishes an enormous amount—it's the perfect gift for graduates heading to New York. Even if they don't care that much about the environment, they'll want this insight into the city's natural (and green) exuberance.
— Bill McKibben
The wind is whistling through a crack in my office window, the sky is a dull, leaden gray, and yep, right on cue, rain drops begin to plink on the skylight.
Sigh.
Vermont in March.
Don't get me wrong. I love Vermont. For the most part, I love the weather. I'd challenge anyone to name a place on this earth with a better fall season. The summers contain a charm all their own, and the winters, while cold, produce the clearest air and most beautiful skies I have ever seen. Spring? Well, I get antsy in spring. Like, say, right now. Plink goes the skylight. Not a bad time to crack open the latest work by writer Casey O'Brien Blondes '79—French Country Hideaways: Vacationing at Private Châteaus and Manors in Rural France (Rizzoli, 2005)—and momentarily escape, if only figuratively.
A resident of France for nearly 20 years, the last 14 spent immersed in the Loire Valley with her husband and children, Blondes brings an insider's sensibility to this exquisite book, published by Rizzoli in 2005.
Her vivid prose is expertly complemented by the stunning photography of artist Stephanie Cardon. Take, for example, the description La Maison du Moulin in the province of Grignan. Opposite warm photographs of a stone cottage surrounded by trees and a simple dinner place setting that includes a small stone bearing an ink inscription of Bon Appetit, Blondes writes:
"La Maison du Moulin, or Mill House, is nestled in the Berre river valley just beyond the historic village of Grignan, with its remarkable château cresting the hillside. Exiting onto a rocky lane off the main road, you meander down past hidden vineyards and groves of truffle oaks to a shady refuge of dappled sun and whispering willows.
"At a cool remove from the heat of the plain, Bénédicte and Philippe Appels have created a cheerful haven. ... The heart of the property is its central courtyard, shaded by a massive plane tree. Guests gather here at dusk to unwind after a day of touring, over a glass of local rosé and Bénédicte's imaginative hors d'oeuvres—shirred eggs with truffles—and a cool melon soup, piquant with the aroma of lavender. A spacious cloistered veranda serves as an outdoor dining room for table d'hote dinners in fine weather. Philippe keeps the stone fireplace stoked against evening chill."
In French Country Hideaways, Blondes explores 30 châteaus and manors spread throughout rural France. Whether tucked away in a river valley or perched upon a cliff overlooking the sea, each locale, Blondes essentially promises, offers a fairytale vacation. Based on her work, there's no reason to doubt her.
Plink.
The daydream is over. Back to work.
— Matt Jennings
She has been called the most trustworthy figure in American business journalism, and her Newsweek columns have attracted a legion of fans looking for sage financial advice. Now Jane Bryant Quinn '60 is dispensing fiscal wisdom between the hard covers of her latest book, Smart and Simple Financial Strategies for Busy People (Simon and Schuster, 2006).
Quinn's latest guide to personal finance marries self-help to business acumen. Readers are offered chapters on wiping out debt, buying a house, paying for college, and adhering to budgets. Yet while many of the financial tomes that reside on bookshelves across America serve up bland prescriptions—or worse, lecture the readers on what they are doing wrong—Quinn's advice follows the same formula offered in her columns. She's witty, she's encouraging, and most of all, she's sensible. One can actually read her book and think, "Hey, this applies to me ... and I think I can do that."
Quinn also does something that would cause most other financial gurus to shudder: she provides anecdotes of her own past financial struggles. By expressing her fallibility—really, showing that she's human—Quinn provides a context for her success as a financial whiz, one whom you would pay to listen to.
Recently Published
The Art of the American Musical (Rutgers University Press, 2005) edited by √Richard Allan Davison '56 and Jackson Bryer
A Medal of Honor (Discover History, LLC, 2006) by John Morton '68
Chasing The Magdalene (Little Eagle Publishing, 2005) by Cynthia Berresse Ploski '54