This is an observational journal documented during a trip on The Circle Line Boat Tour, for my Sustainable Systems class. We board the boat at Pier 83, circling the borders of Midtown and Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. We passed by the statue of liberty as well as several bridges. (Refer to map below.)
Title: The Circle Line Boat Tour
Date: Saturday, April 8, 2017
Time Start: 11:00am
Time End: 1:00pm
Where: Pier 83
Temperature: 9 degrees
Humidity: 37%
Wind: 21km/hr
UV index: 6
During the boat tour I observed the surrounding elements. I spotted several systems and also took notes of certain events that were going on. I also realized that people were paying more attention to the statue of liberty, the Brooklyn bridge, and the Williamsburg bridge, instead of the surrounding environment. 
-
- The Statue of Liberty
-
- Manhattan’s Skyline
-
- Brooklyn Bridge
-
- Williamsburg Bridge
I notice that the water on the Hudson River was very murky. Just as I was at the edge of the boat observing the water, the boat jerked and the water splashed onto me. I felt nothing more than environmental pollution hitting me right in the face…
Murky Water (Water Pollution)
Systems Spotted:
Interdependent system
-Seagulls depending on food in the waters
-Non-native tree species depending on the soil and water near the Hudson River
Transportation system
-The boats and the several piers
-Hudson River
-Bridges
-Cars and Helicopters
-Manhattan as the end destination from several different modes of transport from all directions (Urban Planning)
Economical System
-Factories emitting smoke
-New building constructions (Urban Planning)
Resilient Systems
-Green roofs
-Resilient plants growing in harsh and abandoned conditions
-Heaters in the boat (Adaptation to climate)
This trip has made me reconsider the relationship between human and nature. Looking at the Manhattan Skyline from afar at once seem really beautiful and mesmerizing, but once I started noticing beyond that, I saw the environmental pollution issues that are very evident and pressing as this amazing city progresses. It has inspired me to consider these things when I design my own works. Learning about how hurricane Sandy has affected the area and the massive amount of waste Newton Creek collects every day, has awakened me to see more than just problems, but also consider possible future solutions.
