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Climate Week NYC 2025

Four people on a green roof of wildflowers, in different positions and looking around. There is a largest wastewater management facility in the background.

On September 22, we hosted an opening reception for New York City Climate Week on the Kingsland Wildflower Green Roof. With Clean Mobility Collective and the Newtown Creek Alliance, we sought to bring together environmental activists, organizers, and advocates to ground in place and in personal connection before the barrage of Climate Week events began.

We gathered folks from all sides of the environmental justice ecosystem, from NYC and from around the world, to share ideas and laughs and to foster new and old connections. Organizers, stewards, educators, urban planners, utilities, creators, funders, and neighbors engaged in conversation, learning, and hugs!

People in conversation surrounded by wildflowers on a green roof, with New York City skyline in the background.
A man looking at a placard and environmental station mounted at the corner of a green roof.

We chose to work with Newtown Creek Alliance (and their stunning venue) because the creek has an incredible history of industrialization and a bright future for environmental restoration. Newtown Creek is a 140-acre tidally influenced estuary that, in 1910, reportedly had more traffic than the Mississippi River and in 1978 experienced the largest underground oil spill in US history (17-30 million gallons). Today, NCA is leading the charge on restoration, advocacy, education, and action for the creek and surrounding communities.

From NCA's green roof, one can see the many complexities of New York City in one view: an EPA Superfund site, Manhattan skyline, open landfill, transport infrastructure, cemetery, park, housing, warehousing, and the largest wastewater treatment facility in NYC. There, it is easy to see the city is happening all around us. It is easy to see the urgent need for environmental justice in how all these systems operate.

A man giving a peace sign in the foreground, while a party happens on a lower level in the background.
Two people hugging.
People smiling in conversation with sunset-lit city skyline in the background.

We give huge thanks to TALEA Beer Co. and Lunar Hard Seltzer for quenching our thirsts and Healthy As A Motha for delicious plant-based eats. And lots of love to the Clean Mobility Collective for being excellent partners and Newtown Creek Alliance for hosting us.

Yellow Lunar Hard Selter cans in a cooler with ice.
Talea Beer cans of various colors and flavors in a cooler with ice.
Hart Mankin speaking on a microphone with sunset-lit city skyline behind them.
Several groups of people in conversation with city skyline in the background.
Arpan Somani speaking on a microphone with arm outstretched, alongside Tara Pham, as they address an audience with sunset-lit city skyline behind them.
Tara Pham speaking on a microphone, alongside Arpan Somani, as they address an audience with sunset-lit city skyline behind them.
Attendees of the opening reception on the green roof.