New York City opens the U.S.’s first safe injection site
The sites, intended to reduce overdose deaths, will serve as a safe place for drug users to inject heroin and other drugs under the supervision of medical professionals.
New York
New York is home to some of the most densely populated cities and rural communities in the U.S. This archive tracks positive milestones from across the state — from public health and housing wins to environmental and civic progress.
The number of women-owned businesses in the U.S. rose 21% between 2014 and 2019
Businesses owned by Black women represent the highest rate of growth in the number of total women-owned businesses.
Ithaca, New York becomes first U.S. city to begin 100% decarbonization of buildings
Ithaca’s plan will cover electrification projects for 1,000 residential buildings and 600 commercial buildings in the first phase of a total 6,000 building inventory.
Senate confirms Beth Robinson, the first out lesbian U.S. circuit court judge
Robinson has been an associate justice on the Vermont Supreme Court for the past ten years, where she also made history as the state’s first out LGBTQ supreme court justice.
New York City is removing policing from city schools
The city’s 5,000 school safety agents will be transferred from the supervision of the New York police department to the Department of Education in June of next year.
New York state bans sale of ICE vehicles after 2035
The new law makes New York the second U.S. state to ban conventional cars and trucks. The legislation also requires the state government to create of a detailed plan for zero emissions vehicle development by 2023.
New York State pension fund divests from more coal
New York’s State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli announced further divestment of coal assets today from one of the nation’s largest pension funds – shedding remaining investments in New Hope, PT Indo Tambangraya Megah Tbk, Semirara Mining and Power, Shanxi Coking Coal Energy Group. and Whitehaven Coal.
Thousands of New York drivers create worker-owned version of Uber
The Drivers Cooperative’s founders see their new project as a way for drivers to escape what they describe as exploitation on the part of Uber and Lyft.
The state of New York prohibits single-use mini toiletry bottles in hotels
The new law means that hotels will be required to switch to larger, refillable dispensers. This will lead to a reduction in plastic bottles and unused liquids that are discarded.
IBM develops the world’s smallest and most powerful microchip
Running on 2-nanometer chips, cell phone batteries are expected to last four times longer, laptops could get significantly faster, and the carbon footprint of data centers could be slashed thanks to higher energy efficiency.