Garbage Problems 2002

.....
Garbage Problems examines the state of waste management in New York City in the wake of the closing of the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island. For 50 years, most of New York City's solid waste found its final resting place at Fresh Kills. When Mayor Giuliani announced the landfill's closure on March 22, 2001, it signaled a major change to New York's infrastructure since World War II. Where will all the garbage go?
.....
To answer this question, CUP joined up with eight students from City-as-School to make sense of the situation. We interviewed garbage experts, workers, and activists. We visited important garbage sites like Waste Transfer Stations in the South Bronx. We studied garbage infrastructure, like boats and incinerators. Finally, we produced a 30-minute video, four educational posters, and a speculative design for the reuse of the landfill.
.....
Below, you can download a map of Garbage City. You can also see the video here.

Participants

Andrea Meller, Educator
Damon Rich, Educator
Rosten Woo, Educator
André Knights, Educator
Jason Anderson, Educator
Zoe Coombes, Volunteer

Resources & Links

Books

Rathje, William and Cullen Murphy. "Rubbish! The Archaeology of Garbage." Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2001.

In Rubbish! an archaeologist and editor analyze our trash and come up with some surprising conclusions about ways waste disposal can be better executed to preserve the environment.

Organizations

Apex Art Curatorial Program	Apex Art is a nonprofit contemporary art gallery. Parts of Garbage Problems appeared in an exhibition here that was curated by Ted Purves entitled "Shadow Cabinets in a Bright Country." This is where we first met Temporary Services.
New York City Environmental Justice Alliance	NYCEJA is a city-wide network that links grassroots organizations, low-income neighborhoods, and communities of color in their struggle for environmental justice. Tim Logan represents NYCEJA in the Garbage Problems video.
Sustainable South Bronx (SSB)	SSB works for sustainable development and environmental justice in the South Bronx. Omar Freilla represents SSB in the Garbage Problems video.
Temporary Services	Temporary Services, based in Chicago, make a wide array of awesome projects.

Projects/Pieces

Landfill to Landscape

Landfill to Landscape was a design competition to transform New York City's Fresh Kills landfill into a public park, sponsored by the New York City Department of City Planning and the Municipal Art Society.

Downloads

The Making of Garbage Problems (PDF, 7.7 MB)	A description of the process behind Garbage Problems.
Garbage City map (PDF, 16.6 MB)	A large-format print of the student plan for the reuse of the Fresh Kills landfill

Press

	‘Designing For Urban Education and Activism’ DESIGNER/builder December 01, 2006 “The organization is asking - and trying to answer - questions about democracy, civic participation, and social justice.” Download PDF
	‘Show Me That Funky Stuff’ New Youth Connections March 01, 2003 “” Download PDF
	‘Students Studying New York Garbage Create Documentary, Fresh Kills Design’ Solid Waste Report June 07, 2002 “Garbage Problems examines the state of waste management in New York City since the landfill closed and tries to answer the question, 'Where will all the garbage go?'” Download PDF

Related projects

Garbage Problems is also related to
Entry Sequence
Temporary Showroom