NYU Press
•
Fall 2020
25
Environmental Studies
THE SUSTAINABILITY MYTH Environmental Gentrification and the Politics of Justice MELISSA CHECKER Uncovers the hidden costs and contradictions of sustainable policies in an era driven by real estate development From state-of-the-art parks to rooftop gardens, efforts to transform New York City’s unsightly industrial waterfronts into green, urban oases have received much public attention. In The Sustainability Myth, Melissa Checker uncovers the hidden costs—and contradictions—of the city’s ambitious sustainability agenda in light of its equally ambitious redevelopment imperatives. Focusing on industrial waterfronts and historically underserved places like Harlem and Staten Island’s North Shore, Checker takes an in-depth look at the dynamics of environmental gentrification, documenting the symbiosis between eco-friendly initiatives and high-end redevelopment and its impact on out-of-the-way, non-gentrifying neighborhoods. At the same time, she highlights the valiant efforts of local environmental justice activists who work across racial, economic, and political divides to challenge sustainability’s false promises and create truly viable communities.
Melissa Checker is the Hagedorn Professor of Urban Studies at Queens College. She is co-editor of Local Actions: Cultural Activism, Power, and Public Life. She is donating all of her proceeds from this book to the Hyde and Aragon Park Improvement Committee.
The Sustainability Myth is a cautionary, eye-opening tale, taking a hard—but ultimately hopeful—look at environmental justice activism and the politics of sustainability.
October 2020 272 pages • 6 x 9 Paper • 9781479855278 • $30.00S(£23.99) Cloth • 9781479835089 • $89.00X(£74.00) Environmental Studies
