Archive for September, 2011

Fall Electronic Waste Recycling Days

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

The electronic waste (e-waste) recycling program run by the Lower East Side Ecology Center allows New York City residents to dispose of unwanted or broken electronics in an environmentally responsible way and this September and October they will be holding 17 e-waste recycling events in all five boroughs.

They accept electronics from households, small businesses (less than 50 employees, please call ahead) and not-for-profits. A list of acceptable recycling materials can be found here, as well as answers to other e-waste FAQs. They do not accept home appliances such as microwaves, refrigerators or air conditioners.

All events will be held rain or shine and will run 10am to 4pm (with the exception of the September 20th event which will run 11am to 7pm). Directions to the locations listed below can be found here.

BRONX

September 25, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
VAN CORTLANDT PARK – Broadway between Manhattan College Parkway and Post Road

BROOKLYN

September 24, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
FORT GREENE – Habana Outpost – Fulton Street between South Portland Avenue and South Oxford Street

October 01, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
CARROLL GARDENS – Smith Street between President and Union Streets

October 01, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
WILLIAMSBURG – The New New York, N 11th Street between Kent and Wythe Avenues

October 02, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
BROOKLYN BRIDGE PARK, Pier 1, Furman Street between Old Fulton and Doughty Streets

October 15, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
PARK SLOPE – 8th Avenue between 14th and 15th Streets

October 16, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
PARK SLOPE – 7th Avenue between 4th and 5th Streets

October 22, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
BED-STUY – Restoration Plaza, Herkimer Street entrance between New York and Brooklyn Avenues

October 23, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
COBBLE HILL – PS 29 Schoolyard, Baltic Street between Henry and Clinton Streets

MANHATTAN:

September 17, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
CHELSEA – Tekserve, 119 West 23rd Street (between 6th and 7th Avenues)

September 18, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
LOWER EAST SIDE – Delancey Street between Chrystie and Forsyth Streets

September 20, 2011 | 11:00am – 7:00pm
UPPER EAST SIDE – Church of the Heavenly Rest, 5th Avenue and East 90th Street

October 22, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
UPPER WEST SIDE – Church of the Holy Name of Jesus, Amsterdam Ave between West 96th and 97th Streets

October 23, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
STUYVESANT TOWN – 14th Street Loop, enter at 14th Street and Ave A

QUEENS

September 24, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
St. JOHN’S UNIVERSITY – parking lot, enter at Gate 4, Union Turnpike and 175th Street

September 25, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
NY HALL OF SCIENCE -  visitor parking lot, enter at 111th St. and 49th Ave.

STATEN ISLAND

October 02, 2011 | 10:00am – 4:00pm
SHOWPLACE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER – 141 E Service Road, enter at Victory Boulevard and Beresford Ave

Posted in environmentally friendly, products/resources, reduce/reuse/recycle, responsibility | Comments Off

Seams split, doesn’t fit, sick of it? Recycle your clothes and help keep them out of landfills.

Friday, September 9th, 2011

GrowNYC is a 40+ year old, hands-on non-profit that works to improve New York City’s quality of life through environmental programs. You’ve experienced GrowNYC in action if you have ever attended a NYC Greenmarket or one of the many community gardens sprinkled throughout the City that they have built or rejuvenated. Besides these two wonderful programs, however, they have another laudable, eco-friendly initiative that I want to urge you to take advantage of – keeping clothing and textiles out of landfills. Here’s information from their website on the what, when, where and how of it:

The average New Yorker tosses 46 pounds of clothing and textiles in the trash each year, totaling 6% of our entire residential waste stream.  But with your help, landfills are going on a diet. More than 51,000 New Yorkers have helped NYC lose 1 million pounds by recycling unwanted clothing, linens, paired shoes, bags and more through GrowNYC’s textile recycling initiative.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why a textile recycling program?

5.7% of NYCs residential waste stream consists of textiles like clothing and towels. All told, New Yorkers discard 193,000 tons of textiles every year in NYC, at a cost to taxpayers and our environment.

Where and when can I recycle my textiles?

Textiles can be dropped off weekly at 8 select Greenmarkets: 97th Street, Union Square (Mon and Sat only), Grand Army Plaza, Fort Greene, McCarren Park, Inwood, Tompkins Square and Jackson Heights.

What items are accepted?

Our collections accept clean and dry clothing, paired shoes, bedding, linens, hats, handbags, belts, fabric scraps 36″ x 36″ or larger and other textiles.  We do not accept rugs or carpeting.

What happens to materials donated?

Materials are sorted into different grades including usable/non-usable, cotton scrap, cotton blend scrap and synthetics. These commodities are then sold for reuse as clothing, linens, etc or to recycling markets that turn materials into wiping rags, fiber for car seats and insulation.

Is my donation tax deductible?

Yes! Your contribution to the program directly benefits Council on the Environment, Inc. d/b/a GrowNYC.

What if I can’t make it to these collections?

If you are unable to attend our weekly collections, contact Wearable Collections at 646-515-4387 or info@wearablecollections.com to see if you are eligible for a home pick up. Better yet, visit www.WearableCollections.com to find out how to set up a textile recycling program in your apartment building!

Can my business bring items to the drop-off sites?

NYC law requires businesses to recycle textiles if they comprise more than 10% of the company’s total waste stream. Visit NYCWasteLess to find a vendor.

ONE-DAY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

MANHATTAN

Saturday, September 10, 12pm-4pm
Tucker Square Greenmarket
Columbus Ave at 66th St

Saturdays, September 17 & 24, 11am-4pm
Tribeca Greenmarket
Greenwich St b/t Chambers & Duane

Saturday, October 15, 11am-4pm
Abingdon Square Greenmarket
Hudson St & West 12th St

BRONX

Friday, October 28, 9am-2pm
Parkchester Greenmarket
Westchester Ave & White Plains Rd

Wednesday, November 2, 9am-3pm
New York Botanical Gardens Greenmarket
Mosholu Gate on Southern Blvd b/t Mosholu Pkwy & Bedford Pk Blvd

ONGOING WEEKLY COLLECTIONS

FRIDAYS

97th Street Greenmarket, 8am-2pm
W 97th & Columbus

SATURDAYS

Union Square Greenmarket, 8am-6pm
Union Square Park, North Plaza (17th St.)

Inwood Greenmarket, 8am-3pm
Isham St b/t Seaman & Cooper

Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket, 8am-4pm
NW Entrance to Prospect Park, Brooklyn

Fort Greene Greenmarket, 8am-3pm
Washington Park at DeKalb

McCarren Park Greenmarket, 8am-2pm
Union b/t Driggs & N12th St, Greenpoint

SUNDAYS

Tompkins Square Greenmarket, 8am-4pm
E 7th & Avenue A

Jackson Heights Greenmarket, 8am-3pm
34th Ave b/t 77th & 78th Sts

MONDAYS

Union Square Greenmarket, 8am-6pm
Union Square Park, North Plaza (17th St.)

NOTE: Ask a market manager if you cannot locate the clothing drop-off.  All collections are year round but may be suspended due to major holidays or extremely inclement weather. Please call or visit our website for updated information.

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Check the expiration dates on your emergency supply of canned goods at least once a year.

Monday, September 5th, 2011

As Hurricane Irene was making its way up the East Coast to NYC last weekend, I received emails from Brooklyn and Queens clients trying to get organized for the oncoming storm who wondered if I knew how long canned goods were safe to ingest. Apparently, both of these clients had an emergency supply they had bought so long ago in anticipation of weather events that might cause power outages that they couldn’t remember how long it had been. Just to be on the safe side – though I assumed they already had – I replied that most canned goods had expiration dates on them so they should check the label, the lid or the bottom of the can. If the cans didn’t have an expiration date, I suggested that they contact the manufacturer of the food for information or look on the company’s website. I also suggested that they check out StillTasty, a shelf life guide where you can find out how long your favorite food or beverage will stay safe and tasty and what’s the best way to store it. Additionally, I recommended that they check the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service website. Because time was of the essence, I emphasized that, if they couldn’t get the information they needed quickly and easily, common sense should prevail and they should toss or set aside to investigate later items they were unsure of and get fresh supplies in the meantime.

When food is involved, the wise thing to do to protect yourself and your loved ones is either use up your emergency supply cans BEFORE they expire or give them away or donate them well in advance of their expiration dates and replace them with new ones. To avoid the potential unwelcome surprise of emergency food cans past their expiration dates, review your stash of supplies at least once a year. Put a reminder on your calendar so you don’t forget or tie your review in with a yearly event or ritual like New Year’s or turning your clocks backward or forward. It’s also a good time to review/update other in-case-of-emergency items like your insurance policies, emergency contact list, evacuation plans and the contents of your Go (emergency) Bag.

Many of us prefer not to think about bad things happening, but major weather events like Hurricane Irene can and do occur. No one is immune. It could happen to you, so be prepared.

Posted in emergencies, reasons to get organized, safety, storage | Comments Off