Experts on the past and future of the human race will come to the Island almost every weekend this summer to share their thoughts in a series of talks sponsored by the National Park Service and the City University Institute for Sustainable Cities.
The NPS talks focus on history. The CUNY talks are about ecology and the environment, and what to do about them. Both series start on Saturday, June 27. They are all in the afternoon, and mostly in Pershing Hall. Time and location directions available on the Island and on these websites: nps.gov/gois and cunysustainablecities.org.
Click through to see the listing of events.
The NPS talks focus on history. The CUNY talks are about ecology and the environment, and what to do about them. Both series start on Saturday, June 27. They are all in the afternoon, and mostly in Pershing Hall. Time and location directions available on the Island and on these websites: nps.gov/gois and cunysustainablecities.org.
Click through to see the listing of events.
The NPS series
Saturday, June 27 - Prof. Edwin Burrows discusses his book Forgotten Patriots: The Untold Story of American Prisoners During the Revolutionary War
Sunday, July 12 - The Long Island Writers' Guild. A public reading of original works exploring the relationship between Long Island and New York City
Saturday, July 18 - Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum sponsors apple pressing and arts-and-crafts for children. As part of the Hudson Heritage Event, children will create "delft" tiles, a Dutch craft
Sunday, July 19 - History of the Wyckoff family, one of the first Dutch settlers in Brooklyn, and of the Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum. Dr. Sean Sawyer, Columbia University
Sunday, July 19 - Big Apple Aviation. Jessica Kratz, New York City Parks and Recreation, talks on the 100th anniversary of Orville Wright's 1909 flight from Governors Island, the first flight over water. Followed by a walking-talking tour with a National Park Ranger discussing the flight
Saturday, July 25 - Historical balladeer Linda Russell presents an afternoon of Hudson River history and song
Sunday, July 26 - Wyckoff Farmhouse Museum's July 18 program repeats
Saturday, August 8 (Civil War weekend) - The Quality of Mercy: Abraham Lincoln and the Power to Pardon. Author-historian Ron Soodalter on the fate of Confederate soldier imprisoned on Governors Island
Sunday, August 9 - Letters of a Civil War Soldier. Author-historian Eugene Mangello on a Civil War soldier's experiences
Saturday, September 19 - Author Eric Sanderson of the Wildlife Conservation Society presents Mannahatta: A Natural History of New York City - the ecology of New York harbor and its islands before Henry Hudson arrived
The CUNY series
Saturday, June 27 - How Transit Riders Are Saving The Earth. What New York is doing right and how we can make mass transit viable for cities nationwide. Projjal Dutta, Director of MTA Sustainability
Saturday, July 11 - Composting in the City? Yes We Can! They'll even teach you how you can do it in your apartment! Carey Pulverman, Lower East Side Ecology Center
Saturday, July 18 - Better, Fresher, Smarter: Eating Locally in New York City. The importance of a strong regional food system. Jacquie Berger, Just Foods
Saturday, July 25 - How To Curb Catastrophic Waste in Your Home, Condo, Co-op, or Multi-Family Building. Ten things you can do in your apartment, building and office to reduce energy waste dramatically. Andy Padian, Community Preservation Corp
Saturday, August 1 - Easy Ways Everyone Can Green Their Workplace. Dan Miner, Sierra Club of New York City.
Saturday, August 15 - Gardening in the City? Of course! Window Box and Container Gardening 101. Bilen Berhanu, Green Thumb NY
Saturday, August 22 - Why Biking in New York City Is The Best. Biking the 600 miles of bike trails in the city and a free bike workshop on how to take better care of your bike. Chris Brunson, Recycle a Bicycle
Saturday, August 29 - Green NYU, Green City, Green World. How NYU is greening its campus and office space and how those improvements can be made everywhere. Jeremy Friedman, NYU Sustainability Task Force
Saturday, September 5 - Environmental Town Hall. The director of the CUNY Institute for Sustainable Cities moderates a "town hall" for all city residents to discuss environmental issues that affect every borough and neighborhood. Prof. Bill Solecki, Hunter College