toxic brooklyn.

it's pretty interesting that one of the hippest, most diverse neighborhoods in the country [not to mention one of the most expensive places to live] is also one of the most polluted and contaminated with toxic waste. here lives the largest environmental disaster in the history of nyc, the greenpoint oil spill. which is actually a leak from exxon mobile holding tanks that began 57 years ago; slowly letting 17 to 30 MILLION GALLONS of oil into the ground & nearby newtown creek (which empties into the east river, and then yay, into the atlantic). so not only is the oil under the ground and in the water, it is slowly making its way to the surface underneath homes in the greenpoint neighborhood, enough that residents can smell vapors coming from the ground. another really great thing about living in the willamsburg/greenpoint area is the sewage treatment plant and garbage storage facility. oh and the nuclear waste storage site. woo! let's move to williamsburg and live in a refurbished art loft and be another victim of brain and/or liver cancer!

here's a really good documentary:




the other 7 parts are here.