News & Events
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In the News
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 (and, as a result, frustrated and cynical) 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. As a result, state agencies will purchase environmentally-friendly commodities (perhaps reusables & remanufactured materials), services and technology and develop sustainability and stewardship programs. Please review the executive order and make an effort to contact the Interagency Committee on Sustainability and Green Procurement in Albany to see how your reuse/remanufacturing organization may fit in.
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. 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.' 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, many of which contain environmental hazards like lead and mercury.’ 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.
Sierra Club Announces NYC Energy And Climate Report
(11/5/08) Sierra Club NYC has announced the release of a new report on NYC energy policy and climate change response. “Sustainable Energy Independence for NYC” explains why and how of the city A copy of this report can be download at www.beyondoilnyc.org, or it can be read in an online version with links to all references. If your organization would like to endorse the report, or to arrange a presentation, contact Dan: 718.786.5300 x 27 or danminer@licbdc.org.
How Materials Reuse Can Sustain CUNY
Can CUNY students help save the environment? The CUNY Sustainability Coalition (CSC) believes so. The CSC, whose first workshop took place on April 27, broached the following questions: Why is sustainability important to CUNY? What kind of an impact can we make by working together? At the Material for the Arts warehouse in Queens, which has stored over 6 million reusable items, the feeling was that CUNY students can spur significant change. Read original article.
Green Building in a “Dirty City”
NYC is experiencing a huge building boom, and construction and demolition sites cover the landscape. All over town dumpsters are full of leftover materials. But Build It Green! NYC (BIG) is a solution. In a 17,000-square foot warehouse in Queens, BIG reclaims and sells building materials and fixtures to individuals and contractors. Donations are tax deductible and come from projects both large and small. BIG has hundreds of doors, windows, sinks and tubs awaiting new homes, as well as lumber, flooring and more on offer. There are boxes of ceramic tile and hundreds of gallons of paint. And it’s all really cheap. So if you’re renovating, please think of donating, or purchasing, or both—think of Build It Green! Even if you’re living in a rental you can always pitch in and volunteer, helping to clean up materials, or the warehouse, and, by extension, the city. Read original article.
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.
Upcoming Events
21st Annual Lower Eastside Ecology Center Fundraiser
When: Saturday, September 6th 2008 - 5pm to 8pm
Where: The Delancey Lounge - 168 Delancey Street, b/t Clinton and Attorney
Cost:Donations accepted at the $50, $100 level, and up.
Description: For 21 years the Lower Eastside Ecology Center has provided New Yorker's with free environmental education, outreach and recycling programs. Please come help support one of the city's best nonprofit environmental organizations and enjoy great live music, awards ceremony and raffles. For more information visit: The Lower Eastside Ecology Center's Website
NYC Department of Sanitation Fall Electronics Recycling & Clothing Donation Events
When: Brooklyn - Sunday, Sept. 7; Manhattan - Sept. 13th; Staten Island - Sept. 14th; Queens - Sept. 20th; Bronx - Sept. 28th. All events held from 8am to 2pm.
Where: Brooklyn - Keyspan Park, Coney Island (Surf Ave. & 19th St., take Cropsey Ave. exit off the Belt Parkway); Manhattan - Columbia University (116th St. between Amsterdam Ave. and Morningside dr.;cars enter at 116th St. and Amsterdam Ave.); Staten Island - Staten Island Mall, Parking Lot F (near main entrance, 2655 Richmond Ave.); Queens - Forest Park, Band Shell Parking Lot (enter park at Forest Park Dr. & Woodhaven Blvd.);Bronx - Lehman College, North Lot (Goulden Ave., just south of Bedford Park West)
Description: While safe to use, electronics contain hazardous materials. Recycling your unwanted electronic equipment keeps these hazardous materials out of the waste stream and the environment. The NYC Dept. of Sanitation, Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling will be holding a series of five events one per borough to focus on electronic and clothing waste. All cell phones collected during these events will benefit survivors of domestic violence through a program of the Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence. Other electronics collected will be processed through a contracted vendor. No scavenging will be permitted and no tax-deduction receipts will be given for dropped-off electronics. At these events you can also rop off your gently used clothing and linens for donation (accepted clothing: pants, dresses, shirts, sweaters, shoes, handbags, belts; Linen: blankets, towels, sheets, curtains, tablecloths (Please only donate clean, gently used clothing and linens.) Place donated items in plastic bags and tie securely to avoid moisture contamination. Tax-deduction receipts will be available from Goodwill upon request.
For more information visit the DSNY's NYCWasteLe$$ website.
Bronx Compost Bin Building Basics
When: Saturday, September 27th 2008 - 9am to 5pm
Where: The New York Botanical Garden
Cost: FREE
Description: A 45-minute workshopcovering tips and techniques for building your own custom compost bin out of new or recycled materials, then stay to help construct three-bin wood and wire system for this community garden. Registration required. For more information and to register contact: 718.817.8543 or bronxgreenup@nybg.org
Food Scraps Management Forum
When: Tuesday, September 9th 2008 - 9am to 2:30pm
Where: The City College of New York
Cost: Invitation only
Description: This informal meeting/forum is designed to facilitate better communication and create partnerships among generators of food scraps, haulers and others involved in its management to develop solutions for reduction and diversion from disposal. The Food Scraps Reduction and Management Forum is co-sponsored by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Center for Reclamation, Reuse and Recycling of Materials for Urban Sustainability. For more information contact Gary Feinland at gafeinla@gw.dec.state.ny.us.
Green Drinks - Manhattan
When: Tuesday, September 9th 2008 - 6pm to 10pm
Where:Pier 66 Maritime (W. 26th St. & the Hudson River). See map. Take the C/E, N/R, 1/9 or Path Trains to 23rd Street and take the M23 crosstown bus to the West Side Highway. Cross the Westside Highway at W26th Street and walk over the float bridge (the tall wooden structure).
Cost: $15 in advance. $20 at the door - cash bar with a Green Drinks special.
Description: On the second Tuesday of every month, Green Drinks NYC hosts lively networking events - it's a chance to mix with other like-minded people, share info, and make friends. The events are made simple and unstructured but many people have found employment, made friends developed new ideas and had moments of serendipity! It's a force for the good spreading to over 400 cities around the world. For more information and for tickets contact: Green Drinks NYC
Green Drinks - Brooklyn
When: Wednesday, September 17th 2008 - 7pm to 9pm
Where: Center for the Urban Environment in Gowanus
Cost: $15 in advance. $20 at the door - cash bar with a Green Drinks special.
Description: Every month Green Drinks Brooklyn gathers people in the environmental field, or who simply have an interest, for an informal networking reunion. For more information visit: Green Drinks Brooklyn
New York City Back-to-School FreeMeet
When: Saturday, September 13th 2008 - 11am to 4pm
Where: Brooklyn - 5th Ave b/t Third and Fourth Streets, Park Slope. [F train to Fourth Ave; R to Union St.; or B63 bus to Third St. & Fifth Ave. The FreeMeet will be between the Old Stone House and the basketball court.]
Cost: FREE
Description: Here's your chance to help NYC reduce waste and keep our environment clean by finding new homes for your old stuff, and getting some things you can use in the process. Freecycle NYC is a project of Recycle This!, a grassroots activist group that works on all the R's: reusing, reducing, recycling and re-thinking trash in NYCLeftovers will be donated or recycled to every extent possible. WHAT TO BRING: Bring unwanted clothing, housewares and other reusable items to share or simply bring a tote bag to fill. Also accepted are wire hangers; and used BRITA FILTERSm which will be donated to the Take Back the Filter campaign (www.takebackthefilter.org).WHAT NOT TO BRING: No furniture/large items, drugs/medications, weapons/dangerous objects, adult movies/magazines or pets/pet hair covered items. For more information (and to download a flyer) vist: Recycle This
Staten Island Composting Workshop
When: Saturday, September 20th and 27th 2008 - 10am to 12pm
Where: Snug Harbor Cultural Center and Botanical Gardens
Cost: FREE
Description: Learn about the decomposition of organic waste and how adding compost to your plants and gardens improves soil quality and reduces the need for fertilizing and watering. This event is hosted by NYC Department of Sanitation's Compost Project, Bureau of Waste Prevention Reuse and Recycling. Registration required. To register call: 718.273.8200
Bronx Compost Bin Building Basics
When: Saturday, September 27th 2008 - 9am to 5pm
Where: The New York Botanical Garden
Cost: FREE
Description: A 45-minute workshopcovering tips and techniques for building your own custom compost bin out of new or recycled materials, then stay to help construct three-bin wood and wire system for this community garden. Registration required. For more information and to register contact: 718.817.8543 or bronxgreenup@nybg.org
Ongoing Events
Material Mondays: Clothing and Textile Recycling
Did you know that 5.7% of NYC's residential waste is textiles, yet they are 100% recyclable? Every Monday from 8am - 6pm at Union Square Council on the Environment of New York City (CENYC) citizens are invited to recycle their unwanted textile materials including clothing, shoes, boots, hats, jackets, towels, bedding, and linens. For more information visit CENYC
Green Building Classes
Build it Green will be offering classes which qualify as Continuing Education Credits for your Certified Green Building Professional Certification. Email Build it Green NYC for upcoming classes and more information.
Monthly “GreenDrinks”
Every second Tuesday of the month New Yorkers from many different backgrounds come together to mix it up! It’s a great way to jump right into what’s green in the city and to meet incredible people. Venues alternate each month. Visit the New York City Green Drinks website for more information.
CUNY Sustainability Coalition Meetings
The CUNY Sustainability Coalition is encouraging the sustainability efforts across all of the CUNY campuses. Participants of will network with other campus sustainability groups, learn about each others initiatives, and help develop a solid action plan for campus-specific projects. Go to www.greencuny.org for more information.
Compost Events
The NYC Compost Project, funded by the NYC Department of Sanitation, offers a variety of workshops on indoor and outdoor composting and also participates in various environmental events throughout the five boroughs of New York City. Go to www.nyccompost.org for more information.