NY State Expanded Bottle Bill in Effect
Effective October 31, 2009, bottled water sold in New York State will join the ranks of carbonated beverages such as soda and beer to include a redeemable deposit upon purchase. All containers of water under a gallon in size, including flavored water with no added sugar, will be subject to New York's Returnable Container Act. The state’s “Bottle Bill” now covers almost 90% of beverage containers sold in New York but continues to exclude iced tea, sports drinks and other non-carbonated products. Consumers may retrieve their nickel by returning empty bottles to the store. 80% of the unclaimed deposits will be returned to the State.

Recycle Old Holiday Lights When Going Green with LEDs
LED (or Light-Emitting Diode) lights use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent lights. If you’re planning to green your holiday display, HolidayLEDs.com is offering discounts on LED string lights to customers who recycle their older incandescent lights. The company encourages consolidating lights from neighbors, co-workers and others to reduce packaging. Cardboard shipping boxes will be recycled and lights will be shredded by a third party so that components such as glass and copper can be separated for recycling. Participants will receive a coupon for 15% off any order of energy-efficient LED string lights.

Recycling and the Climate Change Connection
Evidence continues to mount that the simple acts of buying wisely and choosing the recycling bin over the garbage container can go a long way towards keeping the planet cooler. Two recent studies suggest that 37-44% of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions result from products and packaging. The reports, issued by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Product Policy Institute (PPI), examine the lifecycle of products from extraction of raw materials through transport and disposal. While just 5% of U.S. GHG emissions come from residential energy use, 29% are created by the provision of goods that we buy and throw away (excluding food). In 2006 U.S. municipal recycling programs resulted in the avoidance of 183 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent (MMTCO2E) in GHG emissions. The report estimates that a 50-100% increase in recycling would avoid another 70-300 MMTCO2E. Changes in packaging and product stewardship by manufacturers would further reduce emissions.

Click here to learn what you can recycle in NYC.

Read More:
Opportunities to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Through Land and Materials Management, US EPA
Products, Packaging and US Greenhouse Gas Emissions, PPI

Electronics Recycling Day
Sunday, November 22nd, 8am-3pm
West Side of 1st Ave, between 93rd and 94th Streets, Manhattan
Sponsored by: Gracie Point Community Council and Upper Green Side: 212-759-6895

Bring cell phones, computers, laptops, copiers, fax machines, IPods and PDAs, modems, monitors, keyboards, mice, printers, stereo and radio equipment, telephones and telephone equipment, televisions, typewriters, speakers, digital cameras, VCRs, DVD players. All E-Waste collected will be recycled in an environmentally responsible manner in the U.S.

Green from the Ground Up Comes to the Upper West Side
Thursday, November 18, 5:30pm-9pm
The Red Oak, 135 West 106th Street
This roving workshop series by Solar 1 and OROE will land on the Upper West Side (not too far from West Harlem!) this month. Join us for workshops on recycling, energy efficiency and rooftop possibilities to reduce your environmental footprint. RSVP’s required. Send email to celia@solar1.org to RSVP.

Textiles Recycling Collection at the Staten Island Mall Greenmarket
Saturday, November 14, 8am-4pm
2655 Richmond Avenue
Drop your unwanted clothing and textiles at this celebration of America Recycles Day and the opening of CENYC’s 49th Greenmarket farmers market. You can also get answers to your recycling questions and learn how to save energy and money with NYSERDA Energy $mart Communities.

Don’t Leave It to the Landfill
Citywide leaf collection is currently suspended, but many community gardens are making it possible to recycle this natural resource into mulch or compost. Visit www.nycleaves.org to find a list of participating gardens and drop-off sites near you. Don’t have leaves? Contact a garden near you to see how you can volunteer!

Always wanted to volunteer for Recycling?
Get the tools you need to a be champion OROE volunteer! Meet other volunteers, sign up for events and enjoy pizza and other refreshments. Please note: all CENYC volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.

The next orientation is Tuesday, November 17th from 6:30pm to 8pm near City Hall/Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan. Space is limited! Please RSVP to secure a seat and receive location details at 212-676-2081 or via email. For updates on scheduled orientations and upcoming volunteer opportunities please submit an email address (be sure to click "volunteer opportunities" under OROE).

CENYC's OFFICE OF RECYCLING OUTREACH & EDUCATION (OROE) works to improve the City's recycling rate by educating residents about recycling and waste prevention, and working with landlords to make sure building recycling programs are adequate. Our free services include apartment building recycling audits, trainings for tenants and supers, community events centered on education and special collection programs for textiles, electronics, and compost. OROE's current intensive efforts target one-quarter of New York City's residents. Our five borough-wide coordinators work on a community-by-community basis to identify and address the specific challenges to recycling within a Community District. For more information visit www.cenyc.org or call 212-788-7964.

Help Farm, Teach, Grow and Conserve a better New York City!