If you described North-western Brooklyn as "toxic," a lot of people would agree, but they'd be speaking figuratively. It's true that the culture evolving in the gentrification capital of the world can turn people off unless they live in a perpetual state of irony. 

It's true, your neighborhood can have a lot to do with your life expectancy; parts of Brooklyn are literally toxic as hell.

But really though, if you're in a major metropolitan area that's been in operation since before the industrial revolution, you should expect to be strolling on radioactivity and tetanus. 

That being said, holy hell, Brooklyn is gross! Take a look at this map from Neighbors Allied for Good Growth below. 

It's one thing to hear "yeah, New York City is dirty." It's quite another to see the different ways your environment is trying to kill you-- conveniently color coded and labeled for your easy understanding.

Maybe the next time we see someone in the City wearing one of those surgeon's face masks, we won't scoff... as much.

It's interactive on-site, but here we've highlighted potentially polluted areas, waste transfer stations, future flood risk, and asthma rate.

Maybe the most disturbing part of the map is the giant rash of pollution to the east around the Brooklyn Queens Expressway. Yo, that is not ok.

via NAG ToxiCity Map

But also, look at the flood risk areas, the darkest on the map. People joked when Hurricane Joaquin didn't amount to much for NYC, but the reality of why people were flipping out a little bit is illustrated exactly right there, in dark blue.

Jump over to the NAG site to see for yourself all the information at your disposal. If you live in any of the areas pictured above, you really need to see this...

Check out Did You Know 40% of NYC’s Homeless Population Are Children?

[via Neighbors Allied for Good Growth Greenpoint-Williamsburg ToxiCity Map]

[Feature Image Courtesy TimeOut]