Treecycle Mulchfest 2011

You may be eyeing your tree and starting to think about how much longer it will last this year.  Maybe you’ve fallen in love with it, and wish it could last a little longer.  Don’t despair! There are many ways to extend the life of your tree for months to come.  A great article in the NY Times shared ways to make tea and Spruce Butter.  When you’ve used your tree as much as you can, don’t forget to take it to Mulchfest 2011, held all around the city on Jan.8.

Do you have other items that need to be recycled after an exciting holiday? There is an extremely useful program available via the Treehugger Mobile App.  If you have a GPS-able smartphone, add the free Treehugger app.  You’ll see a symbol for recycling.  Once you choose the items you want to recycle (including many things not recyclable by the city) you’ll see the closest location to take your items.  For example, if you have #6 plastics (polystyrene) that tend to pile up over the holidays, you can take them to some participating Mailboxes, Etc.!

“When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.” ~H.G. Wells

Mr. Schneider has been cycling to work for years, and over time, has learned the city routes well.  He’s cycled around all 5 boroughs, and even in Vietnam!  A big supporter of Transportation Alternatives, he knows that riding bikes in NYC is great green move.  “I love to ride my bicycle! I get around so easily, I enjoy the scenery, I benefit from the exercise, I conserve gas and save money, and…… this has been my little secret up until now: I feel like I’m flying! Of course I do all that with a helmit, as safely as possible!”

“When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” John Muir

UPCYCLE YOUR HOLIDAYS!   In this “Teacher Feature,” we visit Ms. Loverme, who has been UPCYCLING with artistry and her considerable crafting talent for years. Her jewelry incorporates materials she finds as well as green practices that reduce waste and toxics.   She describes her upcycling philosophy here;

“I’m an up-cycler. I developed the habit of turning overlooked and discarded items into fanciful creations as a child, when my mother would temper my boredom by offering me random containers, scraps, and other oddities with the directive to “see what you can make with this.” I took the task seriously and always managed to come up with something fun, if of somewhat questionable utility.

Today the proclivity to turn cast-offs into something new lives on in my jewelry designs. I combine coins, discarded paper and bits and pieces from broken or abandoned baubles in my work. I enjoy the alchemy involved in transforming materials that some regard as useless into precious things.”

You can see Ms. Loverme’s work at her Etsy Shop, Wabisabi Brooklyn!  Click Here.  And don’t forget to shop at GremlinsGreenMarket.com for more upcycled and re-usable gift ideas. Etsy is also a great place to visit if you are looking for hand-made, meaningful gifts. 

The short video below (from the UK) covers what Upcycling is, as well as what types of handmade holiday decorations can be updated to help reduce your carbon footprint.

If you’ve collected materials that you think an artist can use, check out the Upcycle Exchange‘s website for ways to share materials directly with crafters.

Time for Tea!

Our worms have amazingly tackled our bananas from 2nd grade snack.  There are still some peels remaining, but they won’t last long.  The organic compost pile is really flourishing!  Students collected tea bags this month.  Here are our Green Team members adding their tea bags to the pile!