Let Us Compare

The photo on the left was taken at Canisius College and was shown in one of my previous blog posts, the photo on the right was taken on my trip to NYC this past weekend.

According to www.nyc.gov, there are strict guidelines residents of NYC must follow after snowfall occurs including:

• If snowfall ends between 7 AM and 5 PM, property owners must clear sidewalks within 4 hours.
• If snowfall ends between 5 PM and 7 AM, property owners must clear sidewalks before 11 AM.

"The City may issue property owners a summons for a failure to clear the sidewalks within these time frames.You can make a complaint at any time about snow or ice on sidewalks in front of public property, such as bus stop shelters, park paths, or schools. You can also make a complaint about snow or ice on sidewalks in front of private property after property owners have had an appropriate amount of time to clear their sidewalks."

When I took a deeper look into my school's snow removal protocols- all I was able to find was a job description (posted by Canisius) for a "housekeeping" staff position

A "housekeeper" position at Canisius requires 9 duties; snow removal being duty #9

All Canisius requires is that housekeepers "must be able to understand/follow basic safety precautions involved in the use of cleaning chemicals, the operation of motorized equipment, and personal protective equipment. Must be able to understand and follow a work schedule and complete assigned tasks in the time allotted." And of course- must have a "valid New York State driver’s license and a good driving record."

But nothing in this $11.23 per hour job description does it explicitly state any experience working with harmful, potent chemicals is found to be necessary

 (only "cleaning" chemicals- like windex and lysol)

having any environmentally conscious sense is not a requirement for the job

I strongly believe this may account for why our pavements are bleached with salt residue due to over salting when it snows- and how even though the streets of NYC may be more polluted than the street of Buffalo, plant life around walk ways and streets in NYC are protected because the residents are held accountable for their property and resort to using shovels- not chemicals