Marjorie Clarke
Encyclopedia
Marjorie J. Clarke, Ph.D.
, is an environmental scientist who specializes in recycling participation, waste prevention methods, waste-to-energy
/incinerator emissions controls, environmental impacts of the World Trade Center fires and collapse
, and community botanical gardening; her experience also encompasses bicycle route design and citizen participation in government decision-making. Since the terrorist attacks on New York in 2001
, she has been spending most of her efforts innovating methods of increasing participation in New York City's waste prevention and recycling programs, as well as understanding and publicizing the environmental consequences at the site of the World Trade Center
.
, a 1975 graduate of Smith College
, she has degrees in geology
- Smith B.A., environmental science
s - Johns Hopkins University M.A., energy technology - New York University, M.S., and a Ph.D. in earth & environmental sciences—City University of New York.
from incinerators from 1984 to 1988, the author of a book and a number of publications on the subject of minimizing emissions. She also served on a National Academy of Sciences
committee on Health Effects of Waste Incineration, co-authoring the NRC
publication by that name. She also served on the New Jersey
Standard-Setting Task Force
on Mercury emissions from incinerators in the early 1990s.
From 2002-2004, she was a Scientist-in-Residence and adjunct assistant professor at Lehman College
, and an adjunct professor at Hunter College
, City University of New York
from 1996 - 2005.
Her professional endeavors and a number of her papers and testimony are available through her website: www.maggieclarkeenvironmental.com. Her photography website is: www.maggieclarke.com.
, emissions reduction technology and related topics, and has taught professional courses inside and outside academia. (Maggie Clarke Environmental)
Best known as a persistent questioner of United States Environmental Protection Agency
's claims about the safety of the World Trade Center
site, Dr. Clarke has underscored the importance of understanding toxicity
, synergy of chemicals acting together, and the precautionary principle, and has provided testimony to many government committees and panels, including the U.S. Senate down to the New York City Council, and has been a guest speaker in academic settings, conferences, down to local eldercare centers. Dr. Clarke laid the groundwork for the later work of such area politicians as Congressman Jerrold Nadler
and Senator Hillary Clinton.
She also conceived and garnered support for a New York City local law to eliminate 2200 apartment building incinerators which was signed into law in 1989.
from the effects of 9/11 and others to solid waste prevention and recycling. These are listed on her full c.v. at www.maggieclarkeenvironmental.com.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
, is an environmental scientist who specializes in recycling participation, waste prevention methods, waste-to-energy
Waste-to-energy
Waste-to-energy or energy-from-waste is the process of creating energy in the form of electricity or heat from the incineration of waste source. WtE is a form of energy recovery...
/incinerator emissions controls, environmental impacts of the World Trade Center fires and collapse
Health effects arising from the September 11, 2001 attacks
There has been growing concern over the health effects arising from the September 11 attacks in the Financial District of Lower Manhattan. Within seconds of the collapse of the World Trade Center, building materials, electronic equipment, and furniture were pulverized and spread over the area.In...
, and community botanical gardening; her experience also encompasses bicycle route design and citizen participation in government decision-making. Since the terrorist attacks on New York in 2001
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
, she has been spending most of her efforts innovating methods of increasing participation in New York City's waste prevention and recycling programs, as well as understanding and publicizing the environmental consequences at the site of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
.
Education
Born in 1953 and raised in FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, a 1975 graduate of Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
, she has degrees in geology
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
- Smith B.A., environmental science
Environmental science
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical and biological sciences, to the study of the environment, and the solution of environmental problems...
s - Johns Hopkins University M.A., energy technology - New York University, M.S., and a Ph.D. in earth & environmental sciences—City University of New York.
Professional
Clarke was the Department of Sanitation's specialist on emissionsExhaust gas
Exhaust gas or flue gas is emitted as a result of the combustion of fuels such as natural gas, gasoline/petrol, diesel fuel, fuel oil or coal. According to the type of engine, it is discharged into the atmosphere through an exhaust pipe, flue gas stack or propelling nozzle.It often disperses...
from incinerators from 1984 to 1988, the author of a book and a number of publications on the subject of minimizing emissions. She also served on a National Academy of Sciences
United States National Academy of Sciences
The National Academy of Sciences is a corporation in the United States whose members serve pro bono as "advisers to the nation on science, engineering, and medicine." As a national academy, new members of the organization are elected annually by current members, based on their distinguished and...
committee on Health Effects of Waste Incineration, co-authoring the NRC
United States National Research Council
The National Research Council of the USA is the working arm of the United States National Academies, carrying out most of the studies done in their names.The National Academies include:* National Academy of Sciences...
publication by that name. She also served on the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
Standard-Setting Task Force
Task force
A task force is a unit or formation established to work on a single defined task or activity. Originally introduced by the United States Navy, the term has now caught on for general usage and is a standard part of NATO terminology...
on Mercury emissions from incinerators in the early 1990s.
From 2002-2004, she was a Scientist-in-Residence and adjunct assistant professor at Lehman College
Lehman College
Lehman College is one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, USA. Founded in 1931 as the Bronx campus of Hunter College, the school became an independent college within the City University in 1968. The college is named after Herbert Lehman, a former New York governor,...
, and an adjunct professor at Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
, City University of New York
City University of New York
The City University of New York is the public university system of New York City, with its administrative offices in Yorkville in Manhattan. It is the largest urban university in the United States, consisting of 23 institutions: 11 senior colleges, six community colleges, the William E...
from 1996 - 2005.
Her professional endeavors and a number of her papers and testimony are available through her website: www.maggieclarkeenvironmental.com. Her photography website is: www.maggieclarke.com.
Notable contributions
Dr. Clarke has been an effective documenter and articulator of technical issues relating to environmental toxicity and waste management and prevention (http://geography.hunter.cuny.edu/~mclarke/WPComm.htm). She is a consultant in the fields of zero wasteZero waste
Zero waste is a philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all products are reused. Any trash sent to landfills and incinerators is minimal. The process recommended is one similar to the way that resources are reused in nature...
, emissions reduction technology and related topics, and has taught professional courses inside and outside academia. (Maggie Clarke Environmental)
Best known as a persistent questioner of United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
's claims about the safety of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
site, Dr. Clarke has underscored the importance of understanding toxicity
Toxicity
Toxicity is the degree to which a substance can damage a living or non-living organisms. Toxicity can refer to the effect on a whole organism, such as an animal, bacterium, or plant, as well as the effect on a substructure of the organism, such as a cell or an organ , such as the liver...
, synergy of chemicals acting together, and the precautionary principle, and has provided testimony to many government committees and panels, including the U.S. Senate down to the New York City Council, and has been a guest speaker in academic settings, conferences, down to local eldercare centers. Dr. Clarke laid the groundwork for the later work of such area politicians as Congressman Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Nadler
Jerrold Lewis "Jerry" Nadler is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1992. He is a member of the Democratic Party.The district includes the west side of Manhattan from the Upper West Side down to Battery Park, including the site where the World Trade Center stood...
and Senator Hillary Clinton.
She also conceived and garnered support for a New York City local law to eliminate 2200 apartment building incinerators which was signed into law in 1989.
Committee memberships (public bodies)
A longtime leader of both Manhattan's Citizens' Solid Waste Advisory Board and New York's City Recycling Advisory Board, Dr. Clarke serves on a large number of panels and committees, some connected to efforts to clean up lower ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
from the effects of 9/11 and others to solid waste prevention and recycling. These are listed on her full c.v. at www.maggieclarkeenvironmental.com.