For a class we met at the UN to hear about ideas of sustainability from various people who worked in the field. I met up with a few people from different sustainable systems class and entered the UN. After the line moved inside we were asked to take everything out of our pockets and go through a scanner. once we went through the process of coming in to the UN we settled in the assembly room where tables and chairs faced toward the center of the room at the stage. The Dean of The New School said a few words about the ideas that would be covered and also introduced the guest speakers. first was the ambassador of the Netherlands. He went over the history of the dutch’s influential design of various chairs and how these ideas developed and remain significant in the way chairs and desks are designed today. Next was a fashion designer who worked on various project regarding sustainability in fashion. These ideas were interesting and ave me insight as well peaked my interest in sustainable clothing. He talked briefly about the effects fast fashion has on the world and the disturbing fact that fashion is the second most polluting industry. Third was an artist who had worked on many books that displayed words over colorful handmade images that followed a specific idea about sustainability. After wrapping up and thanking the guest speakers there was a Q&A about various topic talked about by the speakers. leaving the UN I felt I had learned something about how we can make cities like New York more sustainable and also more convenient for the everyday person. When I went home I briefly looked into each other the speakers as well as the topics they covered. The most interesting to me was the Dutch ambassadors talk about a power plant in the Netherlands that also served as a hub for people to engage in activities such as rock climbing and skiing. A building like this almost seems unreal and I’d like to see this type of community space used in New York.
