Newtown Creek borders Brooklyn and Queens, and is one of the most polluted ecological sites in the U.S. from the many industries contaminating its waters. The largest pollution incident was the Greenpoint Oil Spill discovered in 1978, where up to 30 million gallons of oil pollutants seeped into the creek. Today, the creek is bordered by factories and waste management sites that add to its poor water quality. The Newtown Creek Alliance, a community-based organization, is working with local researchers to clean these waters using ribbed mussel colonies and kelp lines. In this short video, we talk to those championing this restoration of the creek and explore how these nature-based techniques purify the water.
Music: “Aourourou” by Azalai on Blue Dot Sessions