NYPD’s Blue just got a little greener by adding 40 new Nissan Altima Hybrids to their fleet.

Announced by Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, the Altimas are the first set of of alternative-fuel patrol cars to help with the goals set by PlaNYC. Announced back in 2006, PlaNYC aims to reduce Manhattan’s greenhouse gas emissions by 30% come 2017.

“These new patrol cars will help fulfill the PlaNYC goal of reducing City government’s carbon footprint,” said Mayor Bloomberg.

The hybrids will be divvied amongst precincts with large coverage areas and smaller precincts prone to heavy stop-n-go traffic: essentially where their fuel efficiency provides the greatest economic and environmental impact.

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Just looking at this mock-up of a human-powered river gym makes me seasick, but architect Mitchell Joachim and personal trainer Douglas Joachim’s design won third place in New York Magazine’s “Create a Gym Contest”. The gym’s creators explain, “Often the average urbanite exercising at the gym performs controlled repetitive single plane movements using industrial fitness equipment. All of this energy is summarily dissipated and ultimately exhausted for the sake of a single individual’s wellbeing. Other potentials exist to harness this vast human expenditure of caloric energy. Why not have the simple transfer of this workout vigor supply New York with needed supplemental transport and amenities?”

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According to new research, by 2100, the area in lower Manhattan near the wall that kept the original settlement safe from invasion will need to be protected, with dykes. Or something.

Wall Street was named for that ancient protective wall.

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The judge, Paul A. Crotty, of Federal District Court in Manhattan, issued a 26-page ruling (PDF) to stop the city from enforcing the rule because, he said in a written order, the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in a key legal argument — that only the federal government has the right to set fuel efficiency standards under the Energy Policy and Conservation Act of 1975, which bars state and local governments from setting their own, competing standards.

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If your bitters are made at home, you’ve got an ultimately customizable addition to any good drink. And you can re-use the container, and buy bulk spices. Sustainability in a bottle!

What are aromatic bitters you say? Why, saddle up to the bar and lend an ear. Bitters are indispensable additions to countless cocktails, and you may be familiar with a couple of house calls that beckon for bitters, including the Sazerac, Manhattan, and LLB (lemon, lime and bitters). Thing is, bitters were kind of an ol’ timey thing until a couple of years ago when the cocktail began to stage a bit of a comeback.

Bitters started out as “a tincture of any number of esoteric roots and herbs with an alcohol base“, and became a common addition to many cocktails. One of the first cocktails, the Sazerac, was invented by a Frenchman who popularized the drink in New Orleans. His drugstore, the Pharmacie Peychaud, served up drinks in a coquetier (that’s french for “egg cup”), which is where the name “cocktail” may have come from. Ok, enough history. Let’s drink!

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As part of NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s long term sustainability plan, PLANYC 2030, congestion pricing is intended to reduce the amount of cars coming into the city, thus reducing the amount of auto emissions contributing to air pollution. While many city council members like the idea of cleaner air, some are questioning the details of the plan.

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Activist and founder of Step It Up Bill McKibben (also in blue) spoke to the sea of people before he headed off to DC (via train) for the evening rally there. The crowd cheered as McKibben listed several of the 1300 Step It Up events taking place across the country, more than he ever imagined would come together to send congress a message to reduce emissions 80% by 2050.

Volunteers had stacks of postcards ready for signatures to send off to Washington and at least one congressman was listening - Anthony Wiener who represents the NYC boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens also spoke at the rally.

Sea of People organizers were pleased with the turnout and the fact that the weather cooperated. Participants went all out with very creative blue costumes. There were polar bears, whales, an iceberg, blue flippers and swimming goggles, crowns, tiarras, and lots of face paint. The crowd got some strange looks from tourists waiting in the line for the ferry to see the Statue of Liberty.

Most of the major NYC area media outlets were there (TV, radio and newspapers - it got a small mention in the NY Times) and by the end of the day reports from the Sea of People event and other Step It Up events throughout the US were posted on the Step It Up website, which has called the campaign a success.