Blogs

Parents for Climate Protection * is excited to present our 3rd Annual House Party for parents and children with panel discussion followed by an "arts and crafts" letter writing activity. (People unaccompanied by children are welcome, too!)
As in previous years, several amazing experts will share their knowledge on climate change with our attendees. *
*
*Professor Allen Frei, Ph.D., climatologist at Hunter College and CUNY, and Deputy Director of the Sustainable Cities Institute
*Jackson Morris,* Air and Energy Associate, Environmental Advocates of New York
*Amy Larkin** *Solutions Director, National Greenpeace
*
For the crafts activity, we provide all the materials necessary for the attendees to write letters to their elected officials on the urgent need for federal legislation limiting greenhouse gas emissions.  We encourage families to work together with children creating beautiful nature collages and parents adding a message on their behalf.  If you just want to come to hear the presentations and ask questions, that's perfectly fine as well.
Date: Sunday, January 25th, 3:00 p.m.
General location:  South Slope

Please e-mail to rsvp and obtain the address: nyclaudia@earthlink.net <mailto:nyclaudia@earthlink.net>

Happy Holidays!
Claudia
Parents for Climate Protection
www.climateactivism.org <http://www.climateactivism.org>

The woman who made Blue Vinyl is hosting a screening of three in-the-works documentaries.  Coquille and I were invited to attend to give our feedback about a film called Garbage Dreams about kids who recycle up to 85% of their waste in Cairo.  Please come to the screening if you want to give your input on how to promote the film in the US:

http://www.92y.org/shop/event_detail.asp?productid=T%2DMM5FD19

New York’s century-old water system faces new challenges as it stretches to meet the needs of a growing city. Can we ensure a supply of fresh water indefinitely? How can we reuse so-called “grey” water, and how can we keep sewage overflow out of the rivers?

Emily Lloyd, former commissioner of New York City’s Department of Environmental Protection, will discuss what her agency is doing to clean up New York’s waterways and upgrade its water system with Paul Mankiewicz, expert on wastewater and president of the Gaia Institute; Alex Matthiessen, Hudson Riverkeeper and president of Riverkeeper; and Christine Holowacz, co-chair, Greenpoint Waterfront Association for Parks and Planning. Presented in conjunction withGrowing and Greening New York: PlaNYC and the Future of the City.

WHAT:     From Faucet to Flush: The Future of New York's Water System
WHEN:     6:30 p.m. on Monday, December 15th  
WHERE:   The Museum of the City of New York (1220 5th Ave. at 103rd Street, Manhattan)

Reservations required, to RSVP call 212.534.1672, ext. 3395, or email programs@mcny.org

Tickets: $5 when you mention Environmental Advocates of New York; $9 general admission. 

“Collaborating On-line:
Together We Make Schools Green”

Join us for Educating Tomorrow and
the UFT Green Schools Committee monthly meeting.
   
Who:        People interested in “greening” NYC schools
What:       Network; take part in a discussion on collaborating on-line with a “green” community, plus we  will hear from CENYC's Teen Speakers Bureau, a group of high schools students will present on what they do to get the message out about school recycling.
When:      Tuesday, December 16, 4–6:00pm
(networking from 4-4:30)
Where:    UFT Headquarters 
50 Broadway, New York, NY 10004

Please RSVP: info@educatingtomorrow.org

Coquille Houshour & Micki Josi founded Educating Tomorrow to help realize successful school recycling programs in all NYC schools. They are working with other teachers to form a UFT Green Schools Committee. Find out more at www.educatingtomorrow.org.

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead

“Collaborating On-line:
Together We Make Schools Green”

Join us for Educating Tomorrow and
the UFT Green Schools Committee monthly meeting.
   
Who:        People interested in “greening” NYC schools
What:    Network; take part in a discussion on collaborating on-line with a “green” community, plus we will hear from the Teen Speakers on Recycling
When:      Tuesday, December 16, 4–6:00pm
(networking from 4-4:30)
Where:    UFT Headquarters 
50 Broadway, New York, NY 10004

Please RSVP: info@educatingtomorrow.org

Coquille Houshour & Micki Josi founded Educating Tomorrow to help realize successful school recycling programs in all NYC schools. They are working with other teachers to form a UFT Green Schools Committee. Find out more at www.educatingtomorrow.org.

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead

At the start of school year at my new school, I got onto the Department of Sanitation web site to find out what my new school's recycling collection schedule is. I'd been told this is where school recycling coordinators should go to find out when their school's recycling is collected. It's supposed to be as easy as typing in your address.

In the past, I never had an easy time finding out what my school recycling collection schedule was, but I kept trying because DOS and DOE people assured me it's simple, with a tone suggesting I must be doing something wrong.

Last year I ended up calling 311 to file a complaint that I couldn't verify my recycling collection schedule and that it was actually being collected when it was supposed to be. 311 said I couldn't get the number for my garage and I couldn't file a complaint unless I had put recycling on the curb on the proper collection day (that I wasn't sure of) and it hadn't been picked up. (But what if it had been picked up by a garbage truck because they put it out on the wrong day?) I explained that I'd made special arrangements with my garage for mechanized (dumpster) paper recycling and that's not reflected in the online schedule at all, but it didn't make a difference--they wouldn't help me.

So, here I was again. I was at another school and I had to set about trying to tackle an issue I felt I never really solved during the past four years as my previous school. 

This time around it went a little more smoothly. I'm hoping this is a result of the hearing. This is what happened:

I went to the DOS site and typed my school's address and this is what I got:

The collection schedule for 
300 ADELPHI STREET (Brooklyn) is: 

311: We don't have information for school recycling.
Me: Well, you are supposed to.
311: Your recycling collection is only one day a week, Fridays.
Me: Is that for all recycling?
311: Yes.
Me: That doesn't sound right.
311: Hold on one second. (I wait much longer.) We just don't know. They may go by the schedule I just gave you or they may be a different one. My supervisor suggests you call the Department of Sanitation Headquarters at 646-885-3769. 
Me: What are their hours?
311: It doesn't give me that information, but I'm guessing 9-5.

So I called the Department of Sanitation Headquarters (I think their hours are 6-2 PM) and they told me the name of my school garage and gave me contact information for the Supervisor: District 2 in Brooklyn: District Super of the Garage: Thomas Walsh, 718-768-4105 or 4128.

When I spoke with him (you have to catch them early in the day), I requested a paper recycling dumpster, which he said he would look into and get back to me the following week (I still haven't heard from him and now he won't return my phone calls). But the good thing was that he increased our paper collection to four times per week and glass, metal and plastics to two times per week. I immediately made a poster for the custodians.

I have since been able to get the Supervisor's Mr. Walsh's email, so I'm cc'ing the DOE on emails (and others) so I have an electronic trail.

I'm still frustrated that we can't get a paper dumpster. We have twice the student population of my previous school and they have six dumpsters.

I would like to hear everyone else's experience: coquille@educatingtomorrow.org.

K-12 educators from schools in Mott Haven or East Harlem who teach energy-related topics can enter the Con Edison Teacher Challenge by submitting a lesson plan incorporating the teaching of energy within their subject areas. Winners and their schools will receive cash prizes. Applications are available at www.TeacherChallenge.org. The deadline is December 1. For more information, contact Dr. Ray Ann Havasy or JoAnn Williams at www.cstl.org or (516) 764-0045.

You can bring the zoo to your school with a visit from Wildlife Theater from the Central Park Zoo. This program will highlight actions students can utilize to make a positive impact on wildlife conservation. These interactive 30-45 minute programs that can take place in auditoriums or classrooms are designed for students in grades pre-K-5. Wildlife Theater covers environmental science using puppets, theater, and music for a fun and unique educational experience. All Title I Schools receive a 10% discount on the program. For additional information, call (212) 439-6540, e-mail asaltz@wcs.org, or visit www.wcs.org/wildlifetheater.

“Collaborating with Custodians:
Together We Make Schools Green”

Join us for Educating Tomorrow and
the UFT Green Schools Committee monthly meeting.
   
Who:        People interested in “greening” NYC schools
What:       Network; take part in a discussion on collaborating with custodians
When:      Thursday, November 20, 4–5:30pm (networking from 4-4:30)
Where:     UFT Headquarters 
                52 Broadway, New York, NY 10004

Please RSVP: info@educatingtomorrow.org

Coquille Houshour & Micki Josi founded Educating Tomorrow to help realize successful school recycling programs in all NYC schools. They are working with other teachers to form a UFT Green Schools Committee. Find out more at www.educatingtomorrow.org.

"Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead

Anyone interested in carpooling??

You are invited to the first statewide

Zeroing Out Waste Conference

Saturday, November 15, 2008, 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Westminster Presbyterian Church, 262 State St , Albany , NY

(Rear Entrance Parking, Entrance is on 85 Chestnut St , www.wpcalbany.org)

Speakers Include:

Neil Seldman, Institute of Local Self Reliance

Professor Paul Connett, International Waste Management Researcher

Barbara Warren, Citizens' Environmental Coalition 

Why do we have so much garbage? What can we do to prevent it?  Looking at the trash question as a resource issue and a problem of industrial design is ushering in bold alternatives to leaking landfills and polluting incinerators in forward-thinking cities and countries around the world.  What can New Yorkers do to bring these solutions to our state and communities?

New Yorkers have a great opportunity to transform our solid waste practices as the state is finally revising its Solid Waste Policy.  National expert speakers will discuss how NY communities can start zeroing out waste with reuse, recycling, composting and remanufacturing.  The conference features speaker presentations followed by strategy sessions on key zero waste issues, including fighting incinerators & landfills, composting all organics (food & yard waste, etc),  economic development and green jobs,  pitfalls of privatization and waste prevention.  

Sponsored by Citizens' Environmental Coalition (CEC)
$15.00 Conference Fee includes lunch and refreshments

Scholarships are available.

More Information on the Zero Waste Conference Speakers

Paul Connett, International researcher and campaigner on waste management and recently retired Chemistry Professor.  Paul is known for his decades of work effectively fighting incinerators around the world making over 2,000 presentations in the U.S. and 50 other countries. He is the only one we know that can make waste funny!

Neil Seldman, President of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. Neil is known for his work effectively fighting incinerators, and for his economic perspective and promotion of alternatives like waste reduction. He is an economic development & jobs expert utilizing resources in our waste stream.

Barbara Warren, Executive Director of Citizens’ Environmental Coalition, Formerly with Consumers Union and the NYC Zero Waste Campaign. Barbara helped to prevent the building of incinerators in NYC, led the effort to close Fresh Kills landfill and has addressed environmental justice burdens of waste.  

Zeroing Out Waste Conference

Albany , NY

November 15^th, 2008

9:30-4:30

Send to CEC at cectoxic@igc.org or CEC, 33 Central Ave. , Albany , NY 12210

Phone: 518-462-5527, Fax: 518-465-8349.

1) __  Yes, I will attend the Zeroing Out Waste Conference.

2) __   I will pay the $15 Registration Fee.

__ Sending check to CEC.

__ Will Call with Credit Card Info

3) Lunch:  ___Meat   ___Vegetarian ___Vegan.   Help us make it a zero waste event. Bring your CUP for coffee/tea!

4) Contact Information. Please fill out.  Thanks.

Name:    _________________________      

Group (if any): _______________________

Address:  ________________________      

City: ____________     State: _____   Zip: _______

Phone: _____________________________

Email:  _____________________________