Saturday, January 26, 2013

Attention all New Yorkers!!!

Harlem
STOP `N' SWAP®
Saturday, February 23, 2013, 12pm-3pm

Salvation Army Harlem Temple
540 Lenox Avenue, NY 10037
(Entrance at the corner of 138th Street)
Clear out clutter and help reduce NYC's waste at GrowNYC's Stop 'N' Swap by bringing clean, portable, reusable items to donate to a new home, or simply take home items that are useful to you. It's all FREE!

No furniture/large items.

Please arrive by 2pm if you have things to give away.

Visit www.GrowNYC.org/swap for more info or call 212-788-7964.

Come on by, I'll be around.  So now what are you going to do?

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Staten Island Ferry Goes Green!!!


Happy New Year, may it be a GREEN NEW YEAR!  I read this article in the Daily News and it talks about converting the ferries from Diesel fuel to a liquified natural gas that costs 23 to 43 cents a gallon.  If we have this ability why aren't we doing this with other means of transportation?  Think of how much it would reduce fuel costs of buses or planes.  And it's cleaner and better for the environment.  It sounds like it should be obvious.  The MTA wants another fare hike, how about looking into something that would help their bottom line, keep some money in our pockets and help preserve the environment. 

Read the full article HERE

But at least the Ferry is a start, even if they are only converting one ferry at this time.  So now what are you gonna do?

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Know your Plastics!!!







Wow this is some really good information.  So now what are you gonna do?

Monday, October 22, 2012

Alicia Silverstone Endorses Eco-friendly Adult Toys





Alicia Silverstone is very Eco-friendly.  Shes a big advocate for PETA and has been very outspoken in various causes.  Now she is supporting an Adult Toy Manufacturer that creates products that are chemical free, uses recyclable batteries, and comes in recycled packaging. 

Leaf Products

Read the entire story here

So now what are you gonna do?

Monday, October 15, 2012

Cardboard Bike hoping to change the world





Read Entire Story Here

What a great idea.  I hope this goes worldwide.
So now what are you gonna do?

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

5 Things You Should Always Recycle

This is straight from our good friends at Recyclebank.com


Chances are you're already recycling the cans, bottles, and paper that gets picked up at the curb, but what about all that other stuff that's lurking in your drawers or closets - like outdated gadgets and dead batteries - that you're not sure how to recycle? The following household items are especially important to donate or recycle because they contain materials that can contaminate the environment if they wind up in landfills or that can easily be reclaimed for use in new products. Here are some convenient ways to keep them out of the trash:


According to the EPA, recycling just one computer CPU and one monitor is equivalent to preventing 1.35 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from being released and recycling one television prevents four to eight pounds of lead from being added to the waste stream.



  1. Electronics: All Office Depot, Staples, and Best Buy stores accept larger electronics like desktop computers for recycling for a small fee (usually $10) and smaller ones like cell phones and PDAs for free. Goodwill stores accept used computer equipment (some locations also accept televisions) for free.
    And you can earn RecycleBank Points by recycling MP3 players/iPods, laptops, and cell phones through our partners at Collective Good, FlipSwap, and Gazelle.

    Why: You'll keep toxic materials like lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and brominated flame retardants out of landfills. And useful materials will be recovered, saving energy and resources.



  2. Rechargeable batteries: From cordless phones and power tools, digital cameras, and other gizmos - these can be recycled for free at 30,000 drop-off points nationwide, including retailers such as Home Depot, Lowe's, RadioShack, Sears, and Target. Enter your zip code at Call2Recycle to find one near you.
    Unfortunately, it's more difficult to find places to recycle alkaline (or single-use) batteries. Try Earth911 to find drop off locations or order a box (for $34.50, including prepaid shipping) from Battery Solutions and send them up to 12 pounds of alkaline and/or rechargeable batteries for recycling.

    Why: Like many electronics, batteries contain heavy metals and other chemicals best kept out of the waste stream. Plus, recyclers reclaim metals from them that are used to make, for example, new batteries and steel.



  3. Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs, but they contain a small amount of mercury and shouldn't be thrown in the trash. Take them to any Ikea or Home Depot store for recycling or go to Lamp Recycle to find other drop off locations near you.
    Why: CFLs in landfills can break and release mercury, a neurotoxin, into the environment.


  4. Plastic Bags: Even if you've switched to reusable bags for your shopping, you probably have a bunch of these stored in your home. Luckily, lots of retailers like Wal-Mart, Safeway, Albertsons, Wegmans, Krogers, and Giant now have bins where you can recycle plastic grocery bags (and newspaper, drycleaning, bread, and sealable food storage bags). To find a drop off location near you, go to Plastic Bag Recycling or Earth911.
    Why: They're made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource, and when thrown away they take a very long time to decompose. Recyclers will turn them into new products like plastic lumber.



  5. Anything you don't need that could be of great value to others — for instance, you can donate your used prescription glasses to the nonprofit OneSight at any LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sunglass Hut, Target Optical, or Sears Optical location (or go to One Sight for more locations near you). You can also donate unused, unexpired medications including antibiotics, pain relievers, and others by mailing them to the Health Equity Project. The glasses and medications will be distributed to people in need in developing countries.


Keep in mind that you should always recycle hazardous substances like paint, pesticides, propane gas tanks, and motor oil at your town's household hazardous waste collection events or permanent collection center. Go to Earth911or call 1-800-CLEANUP to find collection sites and events.

Sunday, May 20, 2012

What is your one small act?


http://www.greenisuniversal.com/

I always end a post with a simple question, "So now what are you gonna do?"  I'm not a preacher or an in your face kind of guy.  I do what I can and talk about being green when asked.  That is why I write this.  I have always told people to start small and do what you can or what feels natural and when you are comfortable, do a little more.  There is no right way to live a green life because everyone is different and live their lives differently, I just ask that you be aware of what you are doing to yourself, your family, friends, others around you and to the great mother earth. 

Green Is Universal asks that you pledge one small act to live a greener life.  The website is full of fun facts and tips for living green.  They also have interesting videos and an online shop to get a little green in your life.  Please take a look and Pledge one small act for a greener world.  Because one small act will lead to another . . . and another . . . and another . . .

So now what are you gonna do?  =BO)

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Devastated marine life shown in Greenpeace's BP oil spill photos



This article was in the Daily News, please read

New photos released Monday offer a vivid view of the damage wrought on marine life in the Gulf of Mexico following the colossal BP oil spill two years ago.

The images, provided by the federal government to Greenpeace, include sea turtles covered in brown sludge and sperm whales navigating through an oil slick.

The explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig in April 2010 resulted in nearly 5 million barrels of oil pouring into waters off the Gulf Coast. The spill was finally capped after almost three months.

John Hocevar, Greenpeace’s director of ocean campaigns, said the photos paint a different picture of the spill — including garbage bags filled with dead sea turtles — rather than “rosy stories of rescued animals being released back into the wild.”

Greenpeace Research Director Kert Davies said the group is also concerned about what else the public has never been told about the largest offshore oil spill in U.S. history.

“These photos are a grim reminder of the real damage that reckless oil corporations cause and also remind us never to stop pushing for transparency and accountability from Big Oil and the government that supposedly regulates its activities,” Davies said in a statement.

The environmental group said it received the photos through a Freedom of Information Act request filed in 2010 and obtained through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A NOAA spokesman said in an email that during the BP spill it made “thousands of photographs taken by our scientists available to ensure the public had access to these important images.”

The agency counted more than 600 dead sea turtles from the Gulf and more than 150 dead dolphins and whales.

BP agreed in March to pay about $7.8 billion to resolve more than 100,000 claims for economic loss and spill-related injuries from individuals and businesses.

You may forgive but never forget.  I avoid BP gas stations as well as Exxon/Mobil.  I hope that you might do the same.  So now what are you gonna do?

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Paper or plastic?


I guess in the realm of, really why?  Soon you can buy a paper bottle to put your liquids in.  This was created by a company called "Brandimage" in answer to the ever growing number of plastic bottles that go into our landfill every day.  What I don't understand, and maybe I'm wrong here but if people are not going to recycle a bottle they are not going to recycle wet paper bottles.  I hope I'm wrong.  Really.  The 360 paper bottle is 100% renewable.  The article can be read by clicking the link below.  It was written in Nov 2008 and I haven't seen anything about it since.  But I'm glad that people are thinking about making a change.  Although I don't see this one catching on.

http://dvice.com/archives/2008/11/paper-water-bot.php

So now what are you gonna do?

Sunday, April 22, 2012

10 ways the Big Apple is a Green Machine


Happy Earth Day Everybody!!!

What are you doing today to make this a greener world.  Start small and do a little something that you won't normally do, like recycle something.  When you realize that didn't hurt too much do a little more like buy a plant for your house or for someone you love.  If you want to go crazy and be adventurous join me in your local park and bring two bags, one for garbage and one for recycling.  I'll be in my park cleaning and enjoying the beautiful park hopefully for years to come.  Happy Earth Day, celebrate it anyway you can but celebrate if only for a moment.

Here is an encouraging article I read in the Daily News today.  Go Green NY!!!

Here are 10 ways NYC is setting a sustainable example.
1. We’ve planted 562,023 trees (and counting) since 2005. Trees clean pollutants from the air, cool streets and sidewalks, and boost property value, which is why the MillionTreesNYC initiative is dedicated to sprucing up the city with a million new trees over the next decade.
2. New York Harbor is cleaner now than at any time in the last century. More than 116 square miles (75%) of New York’s side of the harbor meets pathogen standards for swimming, and more than 130 square miles (95%) of the harbor is open for boating, according to the 2011 PlaNYC report. “You didn’t want to be near the water in the old days,” says Parks Commissioner Adrian Benepe. “Now people swim in the rivers, which was unthinkable in the ’70s.”
3. Our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions have fallen 13% below 2005 levels. A New Yorker’s carbon footprint is already one-third that of the average American because our densely populated city makes for an energy-efficient lifestyle. But now more than 100 buildings have had energy-efficiency retrofits to reduce GHG emissions 30% by 2030. Planting trees and adding hybrid vehicles to the mass transit fleet have also cleared the air.
4. New York is lit with energy-efficient bulbs. The Great White Way has seen the light, with 38 Broadway theaters converting to LED and CFL bulbs on their marquees, saving 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year, according to the Broadway Green Alliance. MTA bridges and tunnels have been replacing the old 100-watt necklace lights on the Verrazano-Narrows, Robert F. Kennedy and Throgs Neck Bridges with efficient LED fixtures since April 2008.
5. 29 of the NYC Green Codes Task Force’s 111 recommendations have been passed into laws and practices. By 2030, these new codes under the Greener, Greater Buildings Plan will cut citywide carbon emissions by almost 5%, lower daily water consumption by the equivalent of 30 Central Park Reservoirs, and divert 100,000 tons of asphalt from landfills every year — while also creating 18,000 construction-related jobs.
6. More than 30% of the city's yellow cabs turned green. There are 2,774 gasoline-electric hybrid cabs and 1,677 hybrid buses on the road, reducing GHG emissions from some of the city’s heaviest-used vehicles. NYC also boasts the largest municipal electric vehicle fleet in the country, with 430 in use by the police, fire, sanitation, transportation and parks departments.
7. NYC has the highest concentration of Certified Green Restaurants across the U.S. and Canada. The Green Restaurant Association says 71 local eateries (from the 5 Napkin Burger chain to Mario Batali’s Babbo) meet their standards for using sustainable food and building materials, water and energy efficiency, waste reduction and recycling.
8. Our recycling program will divert 550,000 tons (or 30%) of solid waste from our landfills annually by 2017. It’s also setting up 1,000 public recycling receptacles by 2013 (nearly 10 years ahead of schedule) and working to expand the types of plastics that can be recycled.
9. More than 1,000 community gardens are flourishing across the boroughs. Some 80% of these are growing food, mostly in neighborhoods with limited access to fresh produce and healthy food. GrowNYC has 61 registered greenmarkets around town, as well, with 41 accepting EBT.
10. The city added 200 miles of bike lanes in just three years. Now more than half a million New Yorkers are cycling across the boroughs, and commuter cycling more than doubled from 2007 to 2011. Every person on a bike avoids polluting the air in a vehicle while getting exercise, to boot.


Friday, April 20, 2012

Wow for an iphone . . .

I saw this and needed to bring attention to this, This man was killed for an IPhone. An IPhone!
I lose a lot of faith in the world when I read stuff like this. It makes it hard to find hope in the world. Please read the article and help if you can in capturing the suspect.

Please Read Here

Rest in Peace Hwang Yang

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Long time no see . . .

I know its been awhile, but I feel like now is the time more than ever to start talking about being Green again. Now that the environmental fad is almost done and the really Green people are still figuring how to make a change.

I live in a second floor apartment and if you know me I can not be trusted with plants. So I was looking for a way I can grow something and get positive aura in my apartment. I'm gonna try this.

WindowFarms.org

So take a look and tell me what you think. I'm gonna get the material and keep you updated. And you know what my question is, So what are you gonna do?

Monday, November 30, 2009

What is Greener a real tree or a fake tree?



Tis' the season to ask yourself a question. What is "Greener" a real tree or a fake tree. I have been asking myself every year. I have some friends that prefer real trees, the smell of the tree in the house makes the season special for them. And I have some friends that prefer fake ones, because of simplicity in an otherwise hectic time.

Of course an argument can be made for both and which ever you decide please keep in mind the following to make it a "greener" holiday.

For real tree lovers please try to buy locally and make sure to follow the rules of your area for tree disposal.

For people who like fake trees, purchase fake trees that are made in the US to off set gas house admissions of transportation. Properly store your tree after using to ensure a longer life span of the tree. Treat it well and it can last for years.

What do you prefer? What do you think? Do you have more tips?

Happy Holidays to all.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

No bag refunds



I have to admit that I don't really look at receipts when I purchase things at the supermarket. I look at the register screen while I'm being rung up to make sure I'm not over charged. But I never look at the actual receipt. I made my purchase at the supermarket the other day and I bought the wrong item so I looked at the receipt for return policy on food items and found at the bottom of my receipt that I was refunded 2 cents for having my own bag. Now 2 cents is not going to make me a rich man but I was surprised that it was there. I usually go to the self check out aisle because the line is shorter but when you purchase loose vegetables you're better off at the regular checkout. When I returned my item to the store I asked about it and they said that when the cashiers see that the person has their own bag they give the refund. They will not ask, only if they see your bag. Some markets actually give up to a 5 cents refund. Again 2 cents will not put your children through college but it is a nice gesture. In this hard economy every penny counts, right? So bring your bags to the store the next time you go shopping, hold them up proud and get your refund. Learn how to make your own bags from old t-shirts HERE. Or join my friends at Bags for the People at one of their events and learn how to make a bag out of anything.

So now supermarkets are stepping up and doing their part to be "Green" and encourage their shoppers to do so as well, what are you gonna do?

Saturday, November 14, 2009

It's never to early!


One of my favorite "Green" websites, Treehugger.com comprised a list of Sesame Street's Top 10 Environmental Videos. Most of us grew up on Sesame Street so a couple of the videos my look familiar. It's never to early to start teaching "Green". Take a look.

Sesame Street's Top 10 Environmental Videos

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Bette Midler trash-talks Yanks



To my knowledge, Bette Midler hasn't put out a new album or been in a movie recently, but yet she is still adding fans to the millions she had already. She certainly has won me over. Her work that she is doing for the local area with her New York Restoration Project, has certainly been amazing. Through the Project she encourages others to use their celebrity name to do work in the community, even teaming up with people you don't expect, like Rapper 50 Cent. But also got the locals to do work in their community this past Earth Day. I myself, helped clean and plant trees in the very same Queens playgrounds that I grew up playing in. Now she takes on the 27 time World Champion New York Yankees.

If you've driven to a Yankee game in the last five years, you might have noticed that Adopt a Highway sign on the Major Deegan (pictured above). She has adopted a highway strip there as well as other areas around the city. However the past two years she says she's been trying to get the Yankees to clean up their own area. "I'm thrilled to death that they [the Yankees] won, but would they please in their win fork over - it's so cheap - like 25 grand for a whole year," she added. "They could have flowers that say "Go Yankees!" Read more of the article from Daily News Online here.

Interesting stuff from the Adopt-A-Highway website, Adopters are asked to commit to picking up litter along the section of state highway, which is usually two miles long, at least four times a year for two years. Adopters may mow the roadside or plant flowers and other NYSDOT-approved vegetation. Adopters may also keep the proceeds they earn from any recyclable trash. Only four times a year, but Bette sends a crew out once a week on the sections that she has adopted.

So thank you Bette for doing your part and challenging and inspiring others to be greener. So now 27 time World Champion New York Yankees, what are you gonna do?

Monday, November 2, 2009

Yankees go Green


It was hardly mentioned but the effort made a great impact. The Yankees traveled to Philadelphia after game two of the World Series by Amtrak. The Yankees arrived by bus at Penn Station right before their train was scheduled to leave before 2pm on Friday. Their journey to their 27th World Championships continued with a train ride to Philly that took just over an hour. "We would like to welcome the New York Yankees to Penn Station", was heard over the station PA and fans lined up cheering the Bombers on. Derek Jeter received the loudest cheers as well as A-Rod, who was last to exit the team buses. Good Luck Yankees bring home the Championship, by train of course!

The Yankees are doing their part and going green, what are you gonna do?

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Brothel in Berlin, Germany, Maison d'Envie (aka House of Desire), cuts rates for 'green' customers

This is just to make you smile . . .

A brothel in Germany offers a discount to patrons who are green and arrive there on a bicycle. I know how funny is that! Apparently there is a terrible parking situation there and patrons have a hard time as they circle the block for parking. If they have to wait for parking most end up going to a different "House". Discounts are issued when patrons show proof of how they arrived. The discounts are also given for those who take public transportation. No discount is offered yet to those who walk because they haven't been able to figure out how to have them prove it. To find out more you are going to have to read more yourself (sorry).

So now German Brothels are going green, what are you gonna do?

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Confusion, lack of space discourage New Yorkers from recycling more

I thought this was important enough to present the entire article whole. I read it on the Daily News website. http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/10/04/2009-10-04_how_green_is_my_city_not_too_much_pros_blame_confusion__lack_of_space.html



Reduce, reuse, recycle - well, not so much.

New Yorkers are still tossing out more than half the stuff they should be recycling, managing to go green only 42% of the time.

Recycling rates had been steadily improving since the program was first implemented 20 years ago.

But they've been flat ever since a big part of the city's recycling collection was suspended for two years in a post-9/11 budget crisis.

Plenty of the blame lies with confusion over what can be recycled and what can't:

Plastics labeled 1 and 2 - always; 3 through 7, never. Egg cartons - but only if they're cardboard. Milk cartons, for certain, but no yogurt containers. Glasses, but no glassware. Batteries, yes; rechargeable batteries, nope.

"The hard part is getting people to understand," said East Harlem building superintendent James Underwood as he sorted through the trash.

Joan Botta of the Bronx is a dedicated recycler and still can't keep everything straight.

"Once I put a yogurt cup in there and I got a ticket. I just don't understand that one," said the 60-year-old Pelham Gardens resident.

Another problem? There's just nowhere to store three or four different types of trash in cramped New York quarters.

"You have to put each thing in a different place, you can't put anything together and it's too much for me now," said James Harrison, 76, of Mott Haven, the Bronx, which has one of the worst recycling rates in the city.

Environmentalists wish the city would put more effort into educating New Yorkers about recycling.

"There's no reason why we can't do as well as San Francisco and Seattle, both of which have more items on their [recycling] list than we do," said Eric Goldstein, senior attorney for the National Resources Defense Council.

Robert Lange, director of recycling for the Sanitation Department, said New York does pretty well when compared with other huge cities with a lot of apartments.

The neighborhoods that recycle the most household paper, plastic, glass and metal have more single-family homes. Queens has the best residential recycling record, followed by Manhattan, Staten Island, Brooklyn and the Bronx, which recycles only 34% of what it could.

"I think we're a little more eco-conscious than other neighborhoods," said David Fullman, a homeowner in Bayside, Queens, which has one of the best recycling records of the city's 59 sanitation districts.

New Yorkers might be a little greener if the fines for ignoring the rules were bigger than $25, Lange said. "Twenty-five dollars is not a strong motivator for an apartment building to recycle," he said.

The economics aren't so great for the city, either. The city is paid between $5 million and $20 million a year by recycling companies for our paper, metal, glass and plastic.

It still costs more per ton to recycle than to ship garbage to an out-of-state landfill.

Still, environmentalists say, that shouldn't stop people from thinking about the biggest cost of all: the Earth's future.

Every New Yorker throws out 16 pounds of household trash a week - and only 15% of it is ultimately recycled.

"Many people here don't follow the rules," said Arif Mata, who lives in the northern section of Staten Island. "A lot of people just want to put all the garbage in one big bag and throw it away."

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2009/10/04/2009-10-04_how_green_is_my_city_not_too_much_pros_blame_confusion__lack_of_space.html#ixzz0SzNt9JJG

Sunday, September 13, 2009

Bamboo Bike Studio




http://www.bamboobikestudio.com/

I think you are gonna like this one. Three people in Red Hook Brooklyn are teaching people how to make their very own custom custom bike out of bamboo. I know how cool is that. A 16 hour, two day course is given every other weekend and costs $1250. You are measured and then taught step by step to build your own custom bike. There are several advantages of bamboo bikes such as they are more lighter, uses less steel, and offers a smoother ride. However the owners are doing this to perfect the technique to create more efficient bike-building methods for underdeveloped nations.

Take a look at the website, it's loaded with information about this. I think it would be an excellent gift for a a certain person "going green".

Kudos to the Bamboo Bike Studio for making a difference, so now what are you gonna do?