Materials Exchange Development Program

News & Events Archive: Press Releases, News Articles

News Archive
Events Archive
Press Releases

News

Books Through Bars Helps and the NYC AIDS Housing Network Rebuild!
(9/24/09) After a September 14th fire significantly damaged the NYCAHN building the group has started to rebuild. NYCAHN hosts sector member Books Through Bars NYC rent-free, and hosts many area support groups. Click here to find out more.

Trash Talk
(9/24/09) Tiffany Threadgould of RePlayGround pushes a unique point of view about trash. Reincarnating garbage into usable products doesn’t have to have a nasty stigma to it. Read the full article.

Old Sofas Borrow a New Idea From Cars: Cash for Clunkers Helps Sell Sofas, Too
(9/23/09) The federal government’s wildly popular cash-for-clunkers program was a potent concept that mixed financial incentives with the emotional appeal of unloading a burdensome possession and getting something new in return — and maybe improving the planet in the process — all in one single transaction. Now, an array of home furnishing retailers and manufacturers are hoping to capitalize on similar motivations by introducing trade-in programs for Reusable household items. This ranges to everything from outdated entertainment centers to second hand ottomans and used mattresses. Read the full article online.

Queens Goodwill First Of Its Kind In Region
(7/22/09) Goodwill Outlet Center opens in Long Island City. Great bargains on a huge selection of clothing and household items. See NY1’s interview here.

Reuse Coffee Grounds and Help Your Skin & Plants
(9/5/09) If you make a lot of coffee at home, don't let the used grounds go to waste. Here are just a few ways to reuse, recycle and save money. Read the full article online.

Some Buildings Not Living Up to Green Label
(8/30/09) The gap between design and construction of LEED certified buildings and how they actually perform has led to further examination. Read the full article online.

8 Ways & “Whys” to Reuse Plastic
(8/31/09) Eight creative ways (with a why and how mixed in) to reuse plastic, in all of its forms. Read the full article online.

Recycling Shoes
(8/11/09) Nike has developed a program designed to 'recycle' running shoes used for resurfacing running tracks, basketball courts and tennis courts. Read the full article here.

Can you Reuse the Refuse?
(7/15/09) A pile of junk, isn't always a pile of junk, there are things you can do to bring some of the technology hardware back in use. Read the full article online.

G8 Summit: Reuse, Recycle, Reduce (7/8/09) The G8 is meeting again in Italy and this time issues of waste reduction are on the table. Read the full article online.

Recycling Helps Purse and Planet: Build it Green and Film Biz Profiled in The Queens Chronicle(6/24/09) Thrift stores, flea markets and reuse outlets like Build It Green and FilmBiz Recycling are all observing that during tough economic times, consumers still want stylish and affordable goods. And to do so, are looking to reused and recycled items. Read the full article online.

Scrap Tire Re-use Continues to Rise(6/23/09) A new study by the RMA shows that nearly 90% of tires that are replaced every year are put to a new productive use. Read the full article online.

Water Reuse: Save money by saving water(6/23/09) With water bills skyrocketing in the summer months, there are several ways to avoid over-use of water, and, in turn, save money. Read the full article online.

Materials For The Arts Featured On WNYC's Blog!(6/5/09) Our good friends and sector member Materials for the Arts are featured on WNYC's Blog. Check it out HERE!

U-haul Introduces the First Self-Storage Reuse Centers (6/5/09) With more than 34 million square feet of storage space at more than 1,075 owned and managed facilities throughout North America, U-haul is introducing the latest in Sustainability initiatives: U-Haul Reuse Centers. The Reuse Program was developed to provide a redistribution network for unwanted, gently used household goods, furniture, sporting equipment, bikes and clothing that were formerly destined for landfills. Read the full article online.

Film Biz Recycling voted industry star of the month by Mayor's Office. (4/8/09) Eva Radke, sector member, founder and president of Film Biz Recycling has a lot to be proud of. Since June 2008, Film Biz Recycling has diverted nearly 50 tons of materials from film and television productions and kept them out of landfills! Read the full article on line.

Hollywood A-listers are not only going green in their personal lives, they’re taking it to the set(4/8/09) Some eco-driven insiders have even started up side businesses to complement their work in film. And who knows, with emerging companies like, New York's own, Film Biz Recycling and EcoSet Consulting in Los Angeles, the industry may have just conjured up a new wave of green troops. Read the full article on line.

Talking trash: museum teaches value of recycling (4/6/09) In a waterfront industrial area near the Bridgeport line, the trucks keep dumping trash and the school buses keep dumping children. The Garbage Museum, which opened in 1993 at the Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority's recycling center in Stratford, saw bout 32,200 visitors last year, a record. Read the full article on line.

SustainLane Launches Green Collar Jobs Board (4/6/08) The online media company SustainLane has recently launched a Green Collar Jobs Board, offering a tool to help you navigate your way down the path of a green career. The site shows us the kind of opportunities that are emerging in today’s job climate and, usefully, how we can be best prepared to position ourselves for such opportunities. Read more by visiting the Grown a Green Planet article online.

Simply Hoping That Humanity Will Save The Environment May Do More Harm Than Good(3/3/09) Do you "hope" that everyone will see the light and start living more sustainably to save the environment? If so, you may be doing more harm than good; or so say an environmental scientist and an environmental ethicist in a provocative essay in the journal, The Ecologist. Read the full article on line.

Big Box of Trouble: Dealing With The Coming Plague of Empty Superstores (2/27/09) With the rise closing of superstores one college professor is studying the ways in which large vacant box buildings provide reuse oportunities. Read the full article on line.

Making The Mundane Mysterious: Sculptor Uses Everyday Objects To Create Beauty (And Obtain Funding) (2/22/09) A Cincinnati area artist was recently awarded a $500,000 "genius" grant from the MacArthur Foundation for creating art out of reused materials. Read the full article on line.

Businesses Reuse To Cut Costs, Reduce Footprint (1/27/09) Businesses embrace reuse to cut costs and to reduce their environmental footprint, according to the Reusable Packaging Association. Read the Waste Recycling News article online.

New Life for Old Buildings: Adaptive Reuse (1/16/09) Kirsten Ritchie, director of Gensler, a sustainable architecture, design and planning firm, talks with greencomputing.com editor Leslie Guevarra about adaptive reuse — a practice that gives new life to old buildings. Download the podcast interview.

Dumpster Diving: From Garbage to Gold (1/12/09) One company's garbage is another's gold. That's what Burt's Bees discovered when workers there donned hazmat suits and jumped into their trash to have a look at what they were throwing away. Read the full Green Biz article on line.

Lower East Side Ecology Center and Tekserve Host First E-Waste Event of 2009! (1/11/09) Watch our friends, and MEDP member, the LESEC brave the January cold in the name of E-Waste Recycling! Watch the video at Environmental Countdown.

Second-Hand Stores To Be Exempt From New Lead Law (1/10/09) Federal regulators have shifted gears and will effectively exempt thrift stores from a new law requiring children's products to be tested for lead. Read the excerpted article from the Los Angeles Times.

U-haul Aids Flood Victims and Encourages Reuse (1/9/09) In addition to the free assistance being offered to flood victims of Washinton state, U-haul is encouraging people in need to reuse. Read the full article on MSNBC.

Regifting as Reuse (1/9/09) A recent online survey by eBay of over 2,000 adults in the U.S. revealed that more than four in five (83%) receive unwanted items and nearly half (46%) of those surveyed resell or regift. This article examines regifting as reuse. Read the full article in The Canadian Press online.

Reusing Old Buildings (1/9/09) Many new projects are being funded through the Massachusetts Community Preservation Act. This article explores the impact of reuse and the Mass. CPA. Read the full article online.

Reuse for shabby-chic flair: A new book explores the potential of reuse and interior design(1/9/09) A new book by artist Amy Duncan, garden stylist Beth Evans-Ramos and landscape designer Lisa Hilderbrand. Read the full review online.

Reuse is the slogan of tomorrow (1/9/09) The reuse part of the reduce-reuse-recycle trinity is the perhaps most important of all. This editorial takes a look at reuse as slogan of tomorrow. Read the full editorial on Softpedia.

Starting with the End: Designing Products for Reuse (1/5/09) You can find the concepts of reuse, recycle and natural resource conservation written in the early records of Milliken and Co. dating back to the year 1900. Read the full article on Green Biz.

The ABC's of Recycling: Materials For The Arts launches environmental education program (12/12/08) Waste Management of New York and Materials for the Arts (MFTA) recently launched an innovative environmental education program at P.S. 132 (320 Manhattan Ave.) with a kickoff concert headlined by musician and educator Louie Miranda. Read the full Your Nabe article.

Turning Trash into Treasure: Rebuilders Source Profiled on Your Nabe! (12/11/08) Gloria Walker, Julie Falu Garcia, Yasin York and Carlos Angel sell excess building materials – doors, carpet, chairs, tiles, lumber and paint – at steep discounts. Read the full article

NYC MEDP Launches Materials Exchange Certificate Program (12/5/2008) NYC Materials Exchange Development Program launched the first ever Materials Exchange Certificate Program. This program is a series of seven interactive workshops designed to strengthen NYC’s materials exchange organizations. It will provide an entire series of progressive workshops to support reuse organizations more effectively and allow for a deeper level of commitment to the sector. Read full overview.

“This Old Recyclable House”: Financial and Environmental Value of Demolition

(12/4/08) As builders scramble to earn the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED certification points by landfilling less and using reclaimed materials in new constructions, salavage is quickly becoming a booming business. Read the full NY Times article

Film Biz Recycling Interview on Regeneration Road Trip! (10/8/08) NYC MEDP member and NYC's very own Film Biz Recycling was featured on The ReGeneration.org collumn, 'Regeneration Road Trip,' by Sarah van Schagen, assistant editor of Grist.org. Read the full article.

CNN Report: Thrift Stores Seeing More Middle Class Shoppers (10/7/08) "Forget about the outdated notion of thrift shops as the refuge of the working poor, the down and out or the vintage fashion hipster. In these troubled times, the powerful lure of a secondhand retail bargain is attracting a whole new breed of customer.'" Read the full CNN article.

Goodwill Industries Announces Computer Recycling Program (10/6/08) Effective immediately, you can drop off your old computer and peripherals at any Goodwill store or donation site for FREE. For more information visit: www.goodwillny.org

Recent Study Shows Green Marketing Confusion (6/25/08) A new study shows that despite a strong desire by the majority of consumers to make good, green shopping choices, most shoppers are still dazed and confused when it comes to turning green concern into green consumerism. To read the full article visit GreenBiz.com

Governor issues Executive Order on Green Procurement (5/9/08) NY Governor Paterson signed an Executive Order establishing a ‘Green Procurement and Agency Sustainability Program’ to promote policies within New York State agencies and authorities that reduce the consumption of materials and energy and reduce potential impacts on public health and the environment. Please review the executive order.

New York City e-scrap program approved (4/2/2008) 'New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has signed into law a measure that makes the Big Apple the first U.S. city to compel electronics manufacturers to be responsible for the products they manufacture. Read full article.

Lower East Side Ecology Center and Per Scholas featured in New York Times

(3/10/2008) ‘As the fate of a City Council bill requiring electronic waste recycling rests on the tip of Mayor Bloomberg's pen, many New Yorkers have no idea where and how to dispose of unwanted electronic items.' The Lower East Side Ecology Center and Per Scholas, are doing their part to help in the E-Waste effort. Read full New York Times article.

Build it Green! NYC, Voted One of New York's Best!
(3/3/08) Build It Green! NYC was featured this month in New York Magazine's “Best Of” issue for “Best Affordable Salvage.” There are salvage stores with more-exhaustive inventories of antique lighting, windows, doors, and plumbing, but Build it Green! NYC specializes in goods that won’t blow your budget (from New York Mag). Congratulations to Justin, his hard working staff! Read full New York Magazine article.

Green Entrepreneurs Launch New Business for Like-Minded Environmental Leaders

(2/12/2008) Finding office space can be difficult, especially if you are looking for an eco-minded work space. One local group, however, has made it much easier for entrepreneurs to acquire “green” spaces. Read full press release.

NYC Reuse Groups Tackle Shared Challenges

(11/13/2007) First ever NYC Materials Exchange Conference, “Overcoming Shared Challenges to Strengthen NYC’s Materials Exchange and Reuse Sector,” is held at City College and considered a great success. Read full press release.

Adopting a Reusable Lifestyle

In an effort to minimize their impact on the planet and to distance them from what they consider unrestrained consumerism, “freegans” live off of reusable materials that are cast off by society. They dress in secondhand clothes, furnish their homes with street finds, and utilize free reuse options such as freecycle.org and freemeets, where items are exchanged without money. Read original article.

Events

Solar-Powered Film Series Hosted by Solar 1
When: Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, September 10th to September 25th 7:00 – 9:00 PM
Where: Solar1, 2420 FDR Drive, Service Road East, NYC
Cost: FREE!
Description: Solar1 and Green Edge Collaborative are proud to present a Film Series of 7 nights of outdoor documentary features and shorts powered by the sun. Viewings will be located at the end of 23rd Street, under the FDR. Topics include water pollution and safety, solar energy potential, the problems inherent in the plastic textile industry and much more. Viewings include popcorn, trivia, and even a Cookie Competition! There will be a limited number of chairs available, first come, first serve – or bring your own! Each film will be follow by a speaker and Q&A session on the topic covered in the movie. To see schedule, trailers, info on speakers & more, visit Solar1 online .

Let Us Eat Local 2009
When: Wednesday, September 16, 2009, 6:00pm to 10:00pm
Where: Prince George Hotel Ballroom 15 East 27th Street, Btwn 5th and Madison
Description: Just Food & NY Craft Beer Week present LET US EAT LOCAL 2009 at the historic Prince George Hotel Ballroom. This wil be a culinary extravaganza celebrating locally grown food prepared by the city's finest chefs. New York City's favorite restaurants will be preparing incredible tastings with local produce, seafood, meat and dairy and will be paired with exceptional local brewers and vintners. Just Food's mission is to unite New York City residents with the sensational seasonal food grown on our local farms. For tickets and information visit the event website.

NYC MEDP Quarterly Reuse Directors Meeting
When: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 10:30 AM - 12:05 PM
Cost: FREE
Description: The Reuse Directors Meeting is an informal, quarterly meeting, seeking to bring together leaders of the NYC Reuse Sector in order to discuss the issues facing us both as individual organizations and as a group, and to work on mutually-beneficial solutions. For information, contact info@nycmedp.org.

Hudson Valley Materials Exchange Hosts Stuff Central Autumnal Equinox Sale
When: Wednesday to Saturday, September 23rd to 26th 12:00 – 5:00 PM
Where: HVME, New Paltz Recycling Center - 1 Clearwater Rd, New Paltz, NY 12561
Description: Presented by Hudson Valley Materials Exchange, Stuff Central is a non-profit community warehouse for arts, education, and building materials rescued from the business wastestream. ALL stuff on sale starting at 22% off. Online gift certificates purchased on sale days will apply sale discount. With two new locations, Stuff Central still offers great stuff at great prices. For new stock, forms of payment accepted, other locations, & information on the Reuse-a-Bus Program, visit Hudson Valley Materials Exchange online.

CUNY City Solar Summit
When: Friday, September 25, 2009 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Where: John Jay College, City University of New York
Cost: $50 – lunch included
Description: The City University of New York (CUNY) convenes the New York City Solar Summit. New York City, a U.S. Department of Energy Solar America City, is aggressively pursing a strategic plan coordinated by CUNY to accelerate New York City's Solar Market. To view the agenda or register for this event, visit Sustainable CUNY event site.

Housing Works Cafe Bookstore Host an Evening with Salman Rushdie
When: Thursday, October 1, 2009 7:00 PM
Where: 126 Crosby Street, NYC
Cost: $25 and donation of a new or gently used book
Description: SPIN Magazine and Reuse Sector Member, Housing Works Bookstore will host an evening of music and literature with a reading by author Salman Rushdie (Midnight’s Children; The Satanic Verses; The Enchantress of Florence) and performance by rock band Dredg to highlight the mutual effects of music and literature and celebrate the recent release of Dredg’s fourth album, The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion, which was inspired by Rushdie’s essay “Imagine There’s No Heaven: A Letter to the Sixth Billionth Citizen.” For tickets and donations, visit Housing Works online.

World Vision Hosts Fundraising "DotORG-athon"
When: Sunday, October 11, 2009
Cost: $150 per organization
Description: A major new opportunity to benefit New York’s nonprofit organizations will begin on Sunday, October 11. Reuse Sector Member, World Vision is partnering with Mission-Related for a collaborative walkathon to benefit New York’s nonprofit organizations. “DotORG-athon” is a traditional walkathon that allows particpants to walk in support of the nonprofit of their choice. Participating nonprofits will field their own walkers to raise money. Visit World Vision online to find out more.

Spent Fluorescent Lamp Management Seminar
When: Thursday, October 22, 2009 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Where: NYSDEC Annex Building, 11-15 47th Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101
Cost: FREE, but reservations required
Description: The NYSDEC and the EPA have been working to increase awareness of the problems associated with Mercury mismanagement, while increasing enforcement for mishandling of mercury-containing lamps. Learn what you need to know about proper fluorescent lamp disposal and recycling at this seminar! To reserve your spot today contact Ms. Merlyn Akhtar by email at mlakhtar@gw.dec.state.ny.us or phone at 718.482.4996.

Tree Museum Exhibition
When: August 2nd to October 25th
Where: The Bronx (see website)
Description: 100 trees will give voice to 100 perspectives. Tree Museum to celebrate the communities and ecosystems along the Grand Concourse in the Bronx. Visitors can listen in on local stories on the intimate lives of trees offered by current and former residents: from beekeepers to rappers, historians to gardeners, school kids to scientists. Satellite exhibtions on view at Wave Hill (June 21 - Oct 12) and The Bronx Museum of the Arts (Aug 2 - Oct 25). Tree-hugging will be encouraged but is not mandatory! For more information visit the Tree Museum online!

DKNY and City Harvest Fight Hunger with Social Media Event
When: September 28th to October 15th
Description: Get your cameras ready! DKNY is joining forces with sector member City Harvest, the world’s first and New York City’s only food rescue program, to feed NYC! DKNY has painted a fleet of City Harvest trucks with DKNY’s Fall 2009 ad colors. The trucks will roam the streets of NYC from 9/28 to 10/15. Facebook fans of DKNY and City Harvest will be given the opportunity to take part in the fight against hunger via Facebook. Fans are encouraged to snap a picture of a truck while it travels through the city and then upload the image to the City Harvest fan album on the events page. For each photo uploaded, DKNY will make a $1 donation to City Harvest. For more information on the program and to become a fan please visit DKNYor City Harvest online.

Local Foods Seminar: Slow Food for the Urban Kitchen
When: Friday, October 2, 2009, 6:00 - 8:00pm
Where: Judson Memorial Church, 239 Thompson Street, NYC
Cost: $30 (includes food samples)
Description: Eating nourishing local food during the late fall and winter doesn't need to be time consuming. Stocks, soups, and stews from sustainably-raised meat along with breakfast porridges are warming and nourishing foods that can be made in a time-saving and inexpensive slow cooker or crockpot (oven and stove top methods of preparing these foods will also be shared). Attendees will see demonstrations on how to create quick, easy and local meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner! To register, click here.

Local Foods Seminar: Preserving the Local Harvest with Lacto-fermentation
When: Saturday, October 3, 2009, 2:00-4:30 pm
Where: Judson Memorial Church, 239 Thompson Street, NYC
Cost: $30 (includes food samples)
Description: Preserving the fall harvest can provide you with local food throughout the year that is delicious and highly nutritious. This event will show you why fermentation is an easy and inexpensive way to preserve the bountiful harvest of fruits, vegetables and herbs grown locally. Attendees will learn about the health benefits of lacto-fermented vegetables and beverages and how to turn the fall harvest into sauerkraut, kimchee, chutneys, salsa, and sauerruben. To register, click here.

Renewable Energy Event: PowerUp NY Rooftop Solar Seminar
When: Saturday, October 10, 2009, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Where: Habana Outpost, 757 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
Cost: $12
Description: PowerUp NY, a new Brooklyn-based community organization promoting clean, renewable energy, is hosting its first seminar on rooftop solar-power systems at Habana Outpost, New York City's first solar-powered restaurant and eco-eatery. Get the scoop on everything from climate change and CO2 to what it takes for individuals to go solar in NYC. Sixpoint Craft Ales supplies the free beer, while Habana Outpost brings the best burritos and Cuban sandwiches this side of the border. Getting stuffed, sauced, and schooled has never been greener. To register, visit PowerUp.

NY Cares Event: Fierce & Sweet Bake Off
When: Sunday, October 11, 1-4 PM
Where: East River Bar, 97 S 6th St, Brooklyn
Cost: $20
Description: Sector member NY Cares will host a bake off featuring 20 bakers competing by creating creative baked goods for an audience of hungry voters and a panel of celebrity judges. See who the Judges pick as "Sexiest Baker" and cast your own vote for Best in Show. All guests will be entered in raffles for door prizes and the East River Bar will be designing a cocktail in honor of the occasion. Buy tickets at Fierce & Sweet online.

Green Drinks Event: “Not My Date” Beer Tasting
When: Wednesday, October 14, 7:00-10:00 PM
Where: The Village Pourhouse, 64 3rd Ave at 11th St, NYC
Cost: $25 per individual or $45 per male and female
Description: Hosted by Green Drinks NYC and GiveandDate.com this beer tasting will feature a professional beer expert and and an opertunity to learn about MEDP affiliate Solar One. Proceeds will benefit Solar One's "I [Heart] PV" Project. Buy tickets at Not My Date Beer Tasting.

The Bridal Garden Event: Cocktail Reception & Shopping
When: Thursday, October 15, 6:00-8:00 PM
Where: MacKenzie Childs, 14 W 57th Street, NYC
Description: Sector member Bridal Garden is NYC’s only not for profit bridal boutique showcasing stunning designer and couture wedding gowns at up to 75% off retail prices. Inventory includes hundreds of dresses from over 60 top designers. Most gowns have been donated by various designers and stores. All proceeds benefit education for New York City children. Call (212) 570-6050 to RVSP today. Visit The Bridal Garden for more information.

New York Cares Day 2009
When: Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Cost: $20
Description: Paint a brighter future for New York City public school students — join a New York Cares Day team by October 9. Volunteers are especially needed for teams in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. Register Here and choose your preferred borough. Learn more about New York Cares Day 2009.

Housing Works Chelsea Thrift Store Event: The 80’s Rock!
When: Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Where: Chelsea Thrift Shop 143 West 17th St. NYC
Description: Come by for the hottest 80’s finds in NYC. Fun Fashion, Accessories, Home Furnishings and Live Music. 17th street will transform right before your eyes into an 80’s old school extravaganza with bodacious treasures. Hosted by sector member Housing Works Thrift Store. Visit Housing Works online for more info.

Sustainability Practice Network Panel: Smart Grid Technology
When: Tuesday, October 20, 2009 at 6:00-9:00 PM
Where: NYU Law School, Vanderbilt Hall, 40 Washington Square South, Room 204
Cost: $10 suggested donation at the door
Description: According to the US DOE Office of Electrical Distribution, the US electricity grid is "aging, inefficient, and congested, and incapable of meeting the future energy needs of the Information Economy without operational changes and substantial capital investment over the next several decades." While the transformation process of electric power business has begun, technological limitations and market barriers to complete integration exist. The panelists will discuss the technological, political and economic changes that need to happen for a complete modernization of the US electric system. Learn more about this event Click Here. Email Sustainability Practice Network to RSVP.

Housing Works Gramercy Thrift Store Event: Bride on a Buck 2!
When: Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 10:00 AM
Where: Housing Works Gramercy Thrift Shop 157 East 23rd St. NYC
Description: Sector Member Housing Works presents their "Bride on a Buck" Wedding Dress Sale and Vendor Extravaganza once again! They're selling $300,000 worth of deeply discounted designer wedding dresses and other bridal goodies, including dresses from: Giovanni Ravello, Peter Langner, Monique Lhuillier, Ulla Maier, Jenny Yoo Collections and veils valued at $1,000 slashed to $250. Help support Reuse and Housing works by visiting Housing Works online for more info.

Materials for the Arts’ Annual Masked Cocktail Party & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
When: Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Where: 33-00 Northern Blvd. 3rd Floor, Long Island City
Cost: $60.00 General Admission (includes free food, drink, and entertainment)
Description: Come help celebrate the 10,000 new square feet at an EXPANDED Materials for the Arts. Food, drink, dancing and fun for all ages! Proceeds support Friends of Materials for the Arts, which enhances the operations of Materials for the Arts. Register now!

CUNY Alternative Vehicle Technology Conference
When: Friday, October 30, 2009
Where: Lehman College, City University of New York
Description: The Center for Sustainable Energy (CSE) annually convenes the Alternative Vehicle Technology Conference on behalf of the City University of New York. CSE was established in 2003 at The City University of New York's Bronx Community College. Our mission is to promote and implement the use of renewable and efficient energy technologies in urban communities through education, training, workforce development, research, and project facilitation. For more information, click here.

Press Releases

Second-Hand Stores To Be Exempt From New Lead Law

(1/10/09) Federal regulators have shifted gears and will effectively exempt thrift stores from a new law requiring children's products to be tested for lead. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, passed last year by Congress to protect children from toys that contain lead and other dangerous chemicals, says that products that have not been tested for lead content by Feb. 10 will be considered hazardous. Sellers could face penalties for having such items on their shelves.
Thrift and consignment store operators protested that they did not have the resources to test all of their children's products and that being required to do so would force them out of business. The guidance today from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which interprets and enforces the law, states that "sellers of used children's products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits." "I am praising God I am so happy," said Trish Taylor, owner of Reruns for Wee Ones, a consignment store in Fairfield, Ohio, that was going to stop buying children's clothing today in anticipation of the law. "I would have had to close down; my employees would be without jobs." The CPSC did emphasize that second-hand shops cannot sell products that exceed the lead limits and should "avoid" products that may contain lead. That may mean, for example, that such shops need to be more vigilant about recall notices. It became illegal to sell recalled products on Aug. 14, 2008, the day the measure was signed into law. "They'll need to look at a product and make an informed decision," said CPSC spokeswoman Julie Vallese. Some groups still are chafing over the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Children's clothing manufacturers still have to comply with the law, which means that small businesses that make children's clothing must pay to get their clothing tested or close their doors. Toy makers also must still comply. Publishers and libraries are concerned that they, too, need to test books for lead content. On Tuesday, the Association of American Publishers sent a letter to members of Congress about the law after the CPSC advised that books would need to be tested under the new law. It spoke of a "nightmarish scenario" in which books would need to be subjected to time-consuming testing processes. Libraries will need to test their books as well, said Jenni Terry, a spokeswoman with the American Library Association. Her organization says that libraries will need to take books off shelves if they cannot test them by the Feb. 10 deadline. It sent Congress a letter today informing lawmakers of this problem. Excerpted from the Los Angeles Times.

New York, NY – February 12, 2008. “It’s amazing what can happen when people connect and work with one another to do business,” says Jennie Nevin, Partner of Green Spaces and Interrupcion.

“One major challenge of starting a company is getting an office space for just one person. Often times, it is a single individual who serves as the driving force of a new business,” says Charlie Kickham, Partner of Green Spaces, and Entrepreneur. “The other challenge is having other people to connect with and use as resources. Idea sharing is key.”

Green Spaces, announcing its launch on Tuesday, February 12th at Green Drinks NYC, is an eco-minded work space in downtown Manhattan. For just $395 to $695 a month, green entrepreneurs will be able to hit the ground running. They will have a desk, free wireless Internet, and a conference room area to call their own.

The vision for the company started when Nevin and Marissa Feinberg, Partner of Green Spaces and Partnership Development of DESIGN 21, started an interest group in May of 2007 called Green Business Leaders.

“We wanted to hold discussions in a casual setting to meet like-minded environmental business people,” says Feinberg. “Out of this group, Jennie, Charlie and I came up with the idea for Green Spaces. We recognized the need for a place where green entrepreneurs can connect.

“We want to give environmental entrepreneurs the same opportunity we had,” continues Nevin. “Through networking events and working in a green, idea-sharing environment, we want them to form partnerships and new businesses and make their dreams come to life just like ours are.”

Green Spaces is now a reality for Nevin, Kickham and Feinberg. The response has been positive and they anticipate filling roughly 50 work spaces in their first Manhattan location.

“When an entrepreneur joins Green Spaces, they’re not just becoming part of an office,” says Kickham. “They’re becoming part of a larger network. A network that serves as a home to a movement of leaders who care about the environment and want incorporate such social issues into their businesses and everyday lives.”

About Green Spaces
The entrepreneurs of Green Spaces will enjoy an open loft in an environmentally minded office. In addition to office space, the participants will have the opportunity to make connections through Green Business Leaders, what has become an exclusive organization for nearly 100 environmental leaders in the New York community. In addition, entrepreneurs will have access to interns for their project research and work.

To join Green Spaces, or learn more, contact: greenspacesny@gmail.com or visit www.greenspacesny.com.

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NYC REUSE GROUPS TACKLE SHARED CHALLENGES

New York, NY – November 13, 2007. New York City's reuse organizations came together November 7 at The City College of New York for a one-day conference to explore approaches to improve operations, weigh in on sector strategies, and connect with colleagues: all in an effort to keep valuable resources out of the waste stream.

The conference, “Overcoming Shared Challenges to Strengthen NYC’s Materials Exchange and Reuse Sector,” was sponsored by the NYC Materials Exchange Development Program (MEDP). MEDP is a joint effort between The City College of New York’s Grove School of Engineering and the NYC Department of Sanitation’s (DSNY) Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling to assist the local reuse sector. This up-and-coming sector is comprised of organizations that facilitate the transfer of surplus or good-quality used materials from one entity with an excess of materials to another with a need for materials.

Robert Lange, Director of DSNY’s Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling, delivered opening remarks, which were followed by a presentation on MEDP’s recent study, “Sector Assessment Project, A comprehensive study of NYC’s materials exchange and reuse sector”. The study found seven key challenges common among sector organizations and offered recommendations to address them. MEDP’s program manager MaryEllen Etienne stated the study has “created a robust inventory of the reuse sector, identified entrepreneurial programs that are models of best practice, and serves as the foundation for MEDP’s future services.”

A series of panels and presentations explored the top four challenges highlighted in the study and provided practical strategies to address them. The challenges included transportation and logistics, data and technology, marketing, and finance. The day concluded with a workshop that considered additional sector concerns and collectively work on solutions.

MaryEllen said “we were delighted to bring together such unique and innovative organizations to discuss, and potentially overcome, the sector’s shared challenges”. She describes MEDP as a “significant investment in a sector with the potential to have a positive impact on NYC’s waste stream” and added that “NYC’s Department of Sanitation is demonstrating their commitment to both waste reduction and the organizations that provide reuse services by supporting MEDP’s work”.

One attendee, Harriet Taub of Materials for the Arts, said “the day was useful and informative. I’ve been working in the sector for several years and I was able to consider different operational strategies and make new connections. I’m looking forward to good things from MEDP.” Another, Linda Jacobs of Empire State Development’s Environmental Investment Program, said it was “wonderful to participate in a discussion of common challenges and solutions.”

Moving forward, MEDP will begin to develop and implement a wide range of services in order to meet the challenges documented by the study and ultimately strengthen the NYC’s materials exchange and reuse sector. Services will include web-based resources, training seminars, and networking opportunities - including a funder and sector “meet and greet”. Two of MEDP’s long-term goals are the establishment of a sector-wide standard for data collection and a cooperative transportation contract. Ms. Etienne stated, “MEDP is looking forward to continual feedback from the sector as we develop and implement these capacity-building services.

If you would like for information about MEDP, or to schedule an interview with MaryEllen Etienne, please call Ben Rose at 212-650-8014 or email him at ben@nycmedp.org.

NEW YORK CITY E-SCRAP PROGRAM APPROVED

New York, NY – April 2, 2008. (From E-Scrap News) New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has signed into law a measure that makes the Big Apple the first U.S. city to compel electronics manufacturers to be responsible for the products they manufacture. The measure is one of two e-scrap bills passed recently by the New York City Council, broken up as a compromise with Mayor Bloomberg.
       The first measure, Introduction No. 728, will establish a manufacturer-responsibility program for the recovery of used and moribund computer central processing units, computer peripherals, printers, computer monitors, cathode ray tube (CRT) and non-CRT televisions, as well as other similar video display devices.
       The program will require that producers pay an initial registration fee of $1,500 and establish an approved take-back system that involves such collection methods as curbside pickup, in-store and mail return or neighborhood collection events. With each subsequent year, producers will submit a $1,250 payment along with its annual program report. According to officials, manufacturers that fail to recycle returned merchandise could be fined $1,000 for each violation.
       Additionally, the measure establishes a citywide landfill ban — to commence July 1, 2010 — with consumers being fined $100 for illegally disposing of old computers, televisions and other gadgets.
       The second measure, which is expected to be vetoed, addresses the mandatory manufacturer recycling performance standards that Mayor Bloomberg opposed in the original legislation (Intro. No. 104) he vetoed. Under Intro. No. 729, the measure establishes collection standards that range between 25 percent (as of July 1, 2012) and 65 percent (as of July 1, 2018), giving producers a three-year grace period to reach such standards before penalties would be levied. Manufacturers missing their intended recycling goal would be assessed a $50,000 penalty for each percentage point below the designated performance standard.

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