We swear we will stop talking about the Gowanus for a while after this week (maybe). But you have to admit, it’s pretty darn interesting. The political and environmental intricacy of the the Superfund debate, encapsulated in our Goo Gone event earlier this week, is only part of the fascination. The canal is also something to behold. And we are not the only ones to think so. This week the New York Times lens blog shared some of Jose Gaytan‘s photographs of the canal, which capture its haunting beauty.
While pondering the canal’s peculiar charm, check out The Quavers performing an impromptu live rendition of “Submarine” in a canoe.
One of the themes that came up repeatedly in the Superfund discussion was the need for vigilant community involvement. Are there new, technologically enabled ways for citizens to make their voices, concerns and complaints heard? You betcha. Gawker, however, is skeptical.
If, in the midst of all of our talk about ride sharing, infrastructure, pedestrian streets, and other urban transit options, you still find yourself asking “but what about my car? She’s so pretty, and I named her Zippy.” Then check out Design Observer’s slideshow of photographs by Andrew Bush from his upcoming book Drive. Adam Harrison Levy writes: “These photographs remind us of just how closely connected we have become to these machines, how they have become extensions of our very sense of self (a feeling of identity that the advertising industry has been exploring for years).”
Remember how we learned that the urban agriculture movement in East New York began with a diverse coalition of local residents, housing advocates and area non-profits suing to prove that farming was not a temporary use of land? Well, taking a top-down approach to a typically grass-roots issue has become par for the course for San Francisco’s hottie mayor, Gavin Newsom. He has just ordered an audit of unused land to see if some of it can’t be used for community farming.
The Roundup keeps you up to date with topics we’ve featured and other things we think are worth knowing about.