By Joseph Morales

                Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending New York City’s largest ever Car-Free Earth Day celebration and opening day for this year’s open streets season. On Car-Free Earth Day, more than 100 streets across all 5 boroughs were closed to car traffic and offered an array of activities from educational workshops to sports clinics and performances through 150 partners that included city agencies, community groups and more. In addition, over 100 open streets, 22 plazas and 1,000 miles of the NYC Bike Network were connected to streets that were closed to vehicles for Car-Free Earth Day. Citi Bike offered unlimited 30 minute rides for free via a promo code. There truly was something for everyone.

                 Initiated in 2016 on a few Manhattan streets, the purpose of Car-Free Earth Day is to celebrate the planet and bring awareness to the negative impact carbon emissions have on the environment as well as the other negative impacts of climate change. Corridors closed to car traffic and open to activities included Broadway between Times Square and Union Square in Manhattan and 3rd Avenue between 148th and 149th streets(The Hub) in The Bronx.

                  Arts and culture is always on display in Times Square but having Broadway car-free allows you to see things in a new and unique way.  Young actors from throughout the country belted songs from numerous musicals on the Broadway Green Alliance Stage with the bright neon lights of  Times Square in the background. Massive crowds gathered to see the passionate and energetic drumming performance from the drummers from Fogo Azul at numerous locations on Broadway between Times Square and Union Square.  In addition to the arts, presenters from agencies like the NYC Department Of City Planning, 511NY Rideshare and the NYC Department of Sanitation had kiosks to discuss topics such as sustainable urban design, earth-friendly commuting and recycling with visitors. On Broadway, electric vehicles used by city agencies were on display including an electric police vehicle, which is the only Tesla currently being used by the NYPD.

Energizing Drumming Performance by Fogo Azul at Broadway and West 39th Street

Audience finding their seats before pop up performences from Eastchester High School, Perkiomen Valley High School and R.Evolución Latina.

Department Of Sanitation kiosk where presenters discussed the value of recycling with visitors

               The scene at Roberto Clemente Plaza at The Hub in The Bronx was also an active one, with creative and dynamic performances from the Mazarte Dance Company, as well as presentations similar to those found on Broadway. The crowd was so energized by the Mazarte Dance Company’s performance that once everyone was invited to dance on 3rd Avenue it looked like a massive party had begun.

Dancers celebrating Car-Free Earth Day on 3rd Avenue in The Bronx with interactive performance from Mazarte Dance Company

                             NYCDOT Poster with neighborhood map and location of Car-Free Earth Day Events and open streets locations in the South Bronx.

              Hopefully this event had an astounding impact on all those involved and we can continue to take better care of the earth we all call home.

Acknowledgements

“DOT Press Releases – Earth Week.” NYC.gov, 20 April 2022, https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pr2022/commissioner-rodriguez-announce-earth-week-program.shtml. Accessed 25 April 2022

Mandell, Jonathan. “Earth Day on Broadway 2022 – New York Theater.” New York Theater, 22 April 2022, https://newyorktheater.me/2022/04/22/earth-day-on-broadway-2022/. Accessed 25 April 2022