How to Recycle at GCS (Events and Everyday!)

Recycling Info for 2010-2011

While Grace Church School participates in all of New York City’s recycling programs, we also have many resources available to pick up where New York City leaves off.   More than just recycling new items, GCS encourages all of its members to build on our already substantial practice of reusing materials and reducing wastes.   See this website to learn more about our 2009 and 2010 honor in the Reduce and Reuse Challenge.  Remember that if you need help planning ahead for a large event, you should consult with Pete Hogden and Denise Watson about how to best use GCS’s time and resources.

NYC Recycling;

Paper:  All paper that is not coated in wax, stained with food, or a hardcover book is recyclable.  Magazines, newspapers, copy paper, coffee sleeves, and all other paper can be recycled.

Bottles and Cans: Narrow-necked #1 and #2 Bottles, as well as aluminum drink cans, can be recycled.  Each classroom has a bin for paper, and there are large blue bottle and can bins located through out high traffic areas.  Two large bins, for bottle and cans, are located by the Orange Door and in the South Hall.

E-Recycling:

Grace Church School earns money by sending phones, broken iPods, and other media players to Think Recycle.  Bring items to the South Hall, and see Think Recycle for details about the program.  Please remember, not all electronic equipment is recyclable.  You can also check our Neighborhood Program page.

New York City and the Lower East Side Ecology Center carry out many e-recycling events that include larger items such as printers and scanners.  Check out the latest Union Square Pick up here; eWaste at the NYC Department of Sanitation.  You may also recycle e-waste any day of the year at many participating Goodwill Centers and the new Union Square Best Buy.

DVDs,VHS Tapes, CDs and Jewel Cases: GCS is using several programs to help community members recycle these materials. Discs for Dogs resells DVDs and CDs with minor damage to raise money for the ASPCA. Greendisk recycles non-recyclable and unwanted discs and distributes plastics to other manufacturers. ACT is an organization that helps train disabled people – erasing and re-recording VHS tapes is based on donations.  You can find all of these donation bins in the South Hall.

Other items;

Pens: Any and all pens cases (markers, reusable pencils, etc) are collected and sent to “The Pen Guy” in California.  The Pen Guy keeps pens out of the landfill by creating art cars, tote bags and other items with discarded casings.

Bottle Caps: While #1 and #2 Bottles are recyclable in NYC, their caps are not! The caps are often made of a different polymer.  Aveda collects these caps and recycles them.  Please collect and bring your caps into the South Hall.  Recycling bottle caps has an amazing and unrecognized affect on our environment.  For a stark look at the results of throwing these items away without recycling, see this gripping photo essay; Chris Jordan in the Guardian

Non-recyclable Plastics: Our creative auction team has been able to incorporate nonrecyclable plastics into their decorations in the past.  Look for more information about what plastic items will be collected in 2010!

Batteries, #5 Plastics, Plastic Bags: In the past our Green Team has collected batteries and #5 Plastics and mailed or delivered them to Radio Shack and the Preserve “Gimme Five” program.  Now, Whole Foods at Union Square collects all of these, as well as plastic bags and other items, for the whole community.  Please note, #5 plastics are collected behind the customer service desk and not in the exit recycling bins.

Drop off any clothing or materials (wearable or not) at the Union Square Greenmarket!  Wearable Collections is an organization that helps redistribute and re-use cloth.  Events at GCS can use this resource for call-ahead pick ups as well.

Event Food; The majority of NYC waste is organic food waste.  You can avoid throwing out good food at events by contacting City Harvest and arranging for a pick up ahead of time.

Swaps, Freecycling, and Re-use Events;

Halloween Costume Swap: Stay tuned for details – you child’s outgrown costumes can come to life again in this pre-halloween give-away.  Bring in old costumes and pick up new ones – free and fun!

Books, Uniforms, Glasses, Coats; Don’t forget that GCS hosts many events where quality items can be used by many students or by other children in New York City.  Details about Book Swaps, Used Unifroms and Sports Equipment and other re-distribution events will be posted regularly.

Freecycling:

Freecycling is a volunteer item-by-item give away program.  If you have something that you think should be used again but you no long need (a crib, a mosquito net, a lava lamp) just post it on our Freecycle board in the South Hall and in the JK lobby (to be posted soon). You can connect to new items on our GCS Parent Portal;