NYC E-Waste events

In many of my previous blogs I write about the Lower East Side Ecology Center and their amazing E-waste events in NYC. This January celebrates their 9th year of "After The Holidays" E-waste events. My favorite is being held Saturday January 21st in front of Tekserve, the 1st Apple store-support center in NYC (before there even was such a thing as an Apple store,) @ 24th st bet 6th and 7th avenues. Follow links for other events near you.  

Check out the list of what you can bring, I went to one with a full box and even brought my pups along for the trip (why not, it was a teachable moment). If you're in a car, it's simple, because they block a section of the street for cars to pull up-you don't even have to get out of your car or taxi. Some even come on a bike.

It would be great to get your neighbors and your Apartment Building or Small Business involved.

All collected electronics will be recycled by WeRecycle!, an environmentally and socially responsible local recycler. The Electronic Waste Recycling Program is made possible by Tekserve, Con Edison and The New York Community Trust.  

here's a clip I made of from my September recycling e-waste trip:

On September I7, 2011 I walked to an LES Ecology Center e-waste event in front of Tekserve. With my pups in tow, we brought a box of old cell phones, cameras, a fax machine, transformers and cables to be properly disposed of. It was a true NY moment. When we arrived I met Development Director, Caroline Kruse who shared with me just how easy it is to recycle electronic waste.
It might take a little of your time, but recycling e-waste is so important. It feels good to know there's something you can do to reduce the massive amount of toxic waste we produce and discard without much thought. The Lower East Side Ecology Center leads the way. 

So bring your unwanted computers, monitors, printers, scanners, fax machines, network devices, peripherals, hard drives, CD-ROM drives, TVs, VCRs, DVD players, DVR/cable/satellite receivers, portable music players, cell phones, radios, video games, and more to one of these eWaste Recycling Events: Dates & Locations All events run 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., rain or shine SAT Jan 7 Bowling Green Park • East side of Broadway at Beaver St., Financial District SAT Jan 7 Midland Beach Parking Lot 5 • Father Capodanno Blvd. & Jefferson Ave., Staten Island SUN Jan 8 Union Square Park • North Plaza, cars may enter on E 16th St. & Union Square West SUN Jan 8 Queens Botanical Garden • Enter parking lot on Crommelin St., Flushing SAT Jan 14 Carl Schurz Park • E 88th St. & East End Ave., Upper East Side SAT Jan 14 McCarren Park • Bedford Ave. just north of N 12th St., Williamsburg SUN Jan 15 Prospect Park • Prospect Park West & 3rd St., Park Slope SAT Jan 21 Tekserve • 119 West 23rd St. btwn. 6th & 7th Aves., Chelsea SUN Jan 22 Central Park • Central Park North & Lenox Ave., Harlem SUN Jan 22 West 63rd Street • Btwn. Central Park West & Broadway, Upper West Side SAT Jan 28 Ring Garden • Riverside Drive btwn. Seaman Ave. & Broadway, Inwood SAT Jan 28 Brook Park • Brook Ave. btwn. 140th & 141st St., Mott Haven, South Bronx

Holiday waste? reduce, reuse, recycle

Here's some ideas on how to be more environmentally thoughtful for the Holiday shopping, gift giving season.

Shopping has an environmental cost, especially online shopping with extra packing and shipping cost of transporting those gifts door to door.  Did you know that 25% more waste is produced between Thanksgiving and New Year's? Be mindful of how to reuse packing boxes and materials.  When shopping, bring bags with you so you don't arrive home with so much unnecessary waste.

Recycle old wrapping paper, cards, boxes and packing materials.  I collect throughout the year and reuse.  What to do with the plastic bubble wrap shipping envelopes?  I reuse those too, either covering over the address to add the new one, or filling a box with them as packing materials.

Most wrapping paper and cards use toxic paint and dye.  I try and reuse those as much as possible. I also take last years Holiday cards and cut off the covers and find a creative way to send a "new" card to family and friends. Or make Christmas tree ornaments by cutting out shapes and holiday images. 

For wrapping paper, I save and trim off any old tape or ripped sections.  This year I used all old paper to wrap gifts.  In our family with people as far away as Oregon, North Carolina, Georgia, Michigan and Florida, we were happy to pack our Christmas packages with boxes and packing that we reused from previous packages.  In our apartment with little space, I do break down the box and store flat in the back of the closet.  Sure I need to use extra packing tape that way, but it's better than throwing the entire box out.  so much better to use an already existing box. Imagine the energy used to take a cardboard box and turn it into a new one.  I'd rather just use the old one.

When I get those pesky Styrofoam packing peanuts I fill up a small plastic bag like one you can get at the veggies aisle at the grocery store. With an old twist tie from a bag of bread, I tie off the bag.  These small packs of packing I reuse to fill my boxes and more importantly the recipient doesn't get to open a box with Styrofoam peanuts flying all over the place. If I can't use them, then I donate to a local shipping store. 

My thoughts:

1-Reuse wrapping paper. Think twice before crunching up wrapping paper, take a moment and fold and save for next year.

2-Reuse boxes and packing materials.  If you can't reuse, find a local shipping store and donate your boxes and packing materials.  They are happy to have them.

3-create new creative cards and ornaments form old Holiday cards.

4-Bring your own shopping bags with you to the store to reuse multiple times instead of gathering more waste.

Not bad, all these gifts were wrapped with reused paper!

Sheryl Eisenberg of NRDC has a useful December 2011 Holiday guide to Reuse and Recycling

Happy Solstice,

Cathy NYCSubwayGirl 

E-Waste events in Flatbush and Park Slope

E-waste FAQ from the Lower East Side Ecology Center website: Why should I recycle my old electronics? What happens to the computers that people bring to events? Is my personal information on my computer safe? Do I have to delete the hard drive? What can I bring? What do I do with household batteries? Is there a limit to how much I can bring? Do you offer pick-ups? Can I take used items at the recycling events? Can I receive a tax deduction for donating my computer equipment? How can I have an Electronics Recycling event in my neighborhood?

Click to read more ...

pups E-Waste trip

On September I7, 2011 I walked to an LES Ecology Center e-waste event in front of Tekserve. With my pups in tow, we brought a box of old cell phones, cameras, a fax machine, transformers and cables to be properly disposed of. It was a true NY moment.

When we arrived I met Development Director, Caroline Kruse who shared with me just how easy it is to recycle electronic waste.

It might take a little of your time, but recycling e-waste is so important. It feels good to know there's something you can do to reduce the massive amount of toxic waste we produce and discard without much thought. The Lower East Side Ecology Center leads the way.

e-waste event September 17th

I am a huge fan of The Lower East Side Ecology Center, they not only champion a sustainable NYC (since 1987) but they are a go-to for education and my favorite e-waste recycling day. This will be their only summer event but will have events in all five boroughs in the fall. There's still time to do something that not only helps the environment, but helps you to feel good about getting rid of all that stuff you're collecting that you no longer have room or use for:

September 17, 2011 | 10:00am - 4:00pm Tekserve, 119 West 23rd Street (between 6th Avenue and 7th Avenue), New York, NY 10011    Map It  Tell A Friend info@lesecologycenter.org The Ecology Center is holding an electronic waste ("e-waste") recycling event at Tekserve in Chelsea to responsibly recycle unwanted or broken electronics from New York City residents. This is one of 17 e-waste recycling events that the Ecology Center will be holding in all five boroughs in September and October. A list of acceptable materials can be found here and we accept electronics from households and small businesses (less than 50 employees, please call ahead) as well as not-for-profits. We do not accept home appliances such as microwaves, refrigerators, or air conditioners. The electronic waste recycling program is made possible by Tekserve. Directions Transit: Take the F or M train to 23rd Street, walk 1 block west or take the M23 bus. Driving: The event will be on the north side of West 23rd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues.