Brrr...Getting Cold Out.

Time to weatherize your apt/house. Niagra Conservation's retail site has these products for 20% off this November! You can also of course shop at local Green Depot...

Quick, do-it-yourself weatherization solutions:

-Asbestos-free, draft-sealing peel-and-press rope caulk, for example, is great for sealing up gaps around your windows and doors.

-Door and Window Adhesive, V-Type Weatherstrip – ideal for windows and doors

-Nail-On Wood Doorstop Combination with Q-Ion –a Niagara best-seller, finger-jointed with coped ends and primed

-Shrink-Fit Window Kit, 62” by 210” – provides an added thermal barrier for windows and doors

-Clear, Universal Glass Patch Poly Tape – ideal for quick, draft-preventing window repair

-Foam Door and Window Closed-Cell Weatherstrip – for easy use sealing out drafts

-Draft Stopper Gaskets for Switches and Outlets –an excellent way to keep out energy-depleting drafts

-Air Filter Whistle – lets you know when it’s time to change your furnace filter for more efficient use.

Click Here to look for products.

You Know Brooklyn Green Team Likes the Ocean...

Please take action to SAVE OUR FISH and protect our coastal communities. U.S. ocean fish populations are a public trust which must be managed for the benefit of all Americans and go HERE TO SIGN this petition to end overfishing by 2011.

If you would like to learn more please contact Jamie Pollack, NY Field Rep, Pew Environment Group at jamielynnpollack@gmail.com

BoHo Bodega

World's First Eco-Educational Pop Up Shop

BoHo Bodega, the world’s first pop up shop focused on bringing easily accessible environmentally-sound products to consumers, is open for five days starting this morning in New York City.

This temporary bodega-style store is based on New York’s SoHo/NoLita border, offering the foods, beverages and household products found in typical bodegas across New York City, yet all with an eco-focus. In addition, goods will be offered at a greatly reduced price to encourage shoppers who believe green is beyond their budget to try healthier, eco-friendly alternatives to regular purchases. Goods in-store have been donated by eco-conscious brands including Vita Coco, Green Forest, Organic India, Planet Inc, Kiss My Face, Simply Organic and Sambazon, and proceeds will benefit Council on the Environment of NYC (Greenmarket, Recycling, Community Gardens, Education...).

Details:
Wednesday, October 21 - Sunday October 25, 2009
Times Wed - Sat 10am - 10pm; Sun 11am - 6pm
220 Lafayette Street
New York, NY 10012

CENYC Workshops at BoHo

Eco-Friendly Home Gardening presented by the Open Space Greening Program

Thurs 10/22 from 2:30 – 3:30
There are many alternatives to nasty chemicals when treating your indoor houseplants. Learn about the various biological, cultural and natural controls you can use to keep those critters and pests away from your favorite African violets and kitchen windowsill herb garden.

Fresh, Healthy, Local presented by Greenmarket
Thurs 10/22 from 6:00 – 7:00
CENYC’s Greenmarket program is one of the premiere farmers’ market programs in the United States, operating 49 farmers’ markets in New York City’s five boroughs. Join Greenmarket staff and farmers as they demonstrate the joys of eating seasonally during harvest time while describing the environmental benefits of supporting local farmers and sustainable agriculture.

Rev Up Your Recycling presented by the Office of Recycling Outreach & Education
Fri 10/23 from 4:30 – 5:30
Did you know you can recycle more than 50% of your waste in NYC? Council on the Environment of NYC’s Office of Recycling Outreach and Education will show you how. Find out all that can be recycled at the curbside and beyond and learn how to turn your food scraps into beneficial compost for gardens and houseplants.

Click Here to learn more about BoHo Bodega.

Turns Out Online Music Purchases Better for Environment (you likely knew though...)

A new report put together by Carnegie Mellon University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Stanford University examines how environmentally friendly digital music distribution is in comparison to traditional methods. Turns out, carbon emissions and energy use can be cut by 40% to 80%, depending on a few factors, including packaging, shopping methods and delivery methods.

The report, entitled The Energy and Climate CHange Impacts of Different Music Delivery Methods, looks at energy and CO2 emissions associated with how we get our music - either delivery of an album of music in the traditional way or via the Internet. While we can guess that just in materials and fuel for delivery of CDs to your house, online would be more efficient, the degree to which it is an improvement is surprising. Online purchases show a 40% and 80% savings.

The scenarios the researchers looked at are:
1) Album published on CD and delivered via traditional retail methods
2) Album published on CD and delivered by light-duty truck through an online e-tail provider
3) Album published on CD and delivered by express air through an online e-tail provider
4) Album downloaded as mp3/mp4 files from an online music service and used digitally
5) Album downloaded as mp3/mp4 files from an online music service and burned to CD-R for digital and CD use (no CD packaging)
6) Album downloaded as mp3/mp4 files from an online music service and burned to CD-R for digital and CD use, stored in individual CD packaging, i.e., slimline jewel cases

As Gizmag points out, there is one situation where online music is no more efficient than printed discs, and it's all in how you get to the store. This is interesting: Whether or not a consumer walks rather than drives to a store, when compared to the file-size of a downloaded album, could equate to the same CO2 output due to the energy it takes for your computer to connect to the Internet and download the file.

But the report is conclusive: "Based on our assumptions, online delivery is clearly superior from an energy and CO2 perspective when compared to traditional CD distribution."

Source: treehugger

Fall Children's Clothing Swap

Join us this Fall while we clean out our closets and swap children and maternity clothing and gear. Kid grow so fast and outfitting them can be expensive so let's all get together and trade goods. New parents with nothing to swap are welcome as all items will be on sale and proceeds will go to the YMCA's Strong Kids Campaign.

Event Details
Date: Sunday, October 25th
Time: 12pm - 3pm
Location: YMCA Prospect Park Branch
357 Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215 - map
Directions: F train to 4th Avenue or the B75 down 9th Street

Drop Off
Date: October 19 - 24
Time: 9am - 4pm
Location: Front desk of YMCA Prospect Park Branch
357 Ninth Street
Brooklyn, NY 11215 - map
Contact: Sandy

For more info on how to participate visit www.brooklynswap.weebly.com

Climate Action Day!

News from 350...by the way, solar 1 is leading a climate march starting at the Manhattan side of the Brooklyn Bridge and making its way to BK! Click here to find out more. okay, keep reading.

1 - October 24th will be the most widespread day of climate action ever

As I write this, our action counter just ticked past Action #3000-scratch that, 3003! There are events taking place in 158 countries around the world. This. Will. Be. HUGE.

Visit www.350.org/map to find and RSVP for an action near you. If there isn't one being planned yet, worry not, you can still start one! - www.350.org/Oct24

2 - The world will hear our call

In case you missed the news, 350.org staff just got permission to display your 350 action photos & videos from around the world on the MASSIVE screens in Times Square, in the HEART of New York City. We can't wait to broadcast your 350 action media in such a way that's both worthy of this amazing moment and is sure to reach world leaders:
www.350.org/bigscreen

On the Monday after October 24th, the 350.org crew will be visiting UN headquarters in NYC to hand-deliver the photos to diplomats and delegates from around the world to make sure they know how much you want a global climate deal that meets the science.

3 - Partners are pulling out all the stops

Al Gore invited his millions of email subscribers & 1.75 million Twitter followers to join or start actions around the world @ 350.org. Read more about this exciting announcement here: www.350.org/gore

Other partners-from environmental groups like Greenpeace and 1Sky, to online powerhouses like Avaaz, to brand new coalitions like TckTckTck-are all coming forward in an unprecedented alliance to create a global climate movement. This movement is only possible because of a network of friends and allies around the world, including major international NGOs and local, grassroots organizations. Please visit our partners page to learn more: www.350.org/friends

4 - It's not too late to join the action

The European team whipped up a "Quick & Easy" Action guide to help new organizers pull off a great 350 action just in time--check out all the great actions you can organize, even if you have only a week left before the big day:www.350.org/quick

5 - The timing is right

Today (October 15th, depending on your time zone) is "Blog Action Day"--an annual event when thousands of bloggers all over the world write about a single topic. This year's subject: climate change. Over 7,000 blogs have signed up, reaching 10+ million readers! 350 is thrilled to be a featured partner--today literally hundreds of blogs will feature 350. If you have a blog and want to get involved just click here: www.350.org/bloggers

And speaking of good timing, it turns out the International Day of Climate Action just happens to take place on the internationally recognized "UN Day", and the UN just happens to be a major target for the outpouring of action the world will see on October 24th. Perfect.

6 - 350 has gone mobile

Keep the movement in your pocket at www.350.org/mobile. We have a brand new iPhone App, plus people in a dozen countries can use their mobile phones to join the world's first grassroots global SMS text messaging campaign.

7 - This movement has room for everyone

October 24th won't be like anything you've ever seen before--not just in terms of scope and scale, but in terms of diversity as well. October 24th events will be of every stripe and color--in addition to the thousands of amazing rallies, educational events, and protests, there will be unique contributions from unlikely places and people:

- The president of the Maldives, a near-extinct island-nation, will be holding a cabinet meeting underwater, complete with scuba gear and 350 banners.

- Afghan youth will be creating a giant chalk image of 350 on the side of a mountain in the Hindu Kush.

- Palestinian, Jordanian and Israeli activists will put aside political differences to push for a fair, ambitious and binding climate treaty. On the beaches of their respective shores of the Dead Sea, they will make a big 3, 5, and 0.

And that's just just a few...out of 3003.

8 - The media is getting very interested...

350 is gaining momentum in the mainstream media - what politicians use as the barometer of public opinion. The Washington Post, New York Times, BBC, CNN, are but a few sources covering the 350 movement this past week. And this is just a taste of the global & local media headlines we're going to make together on the 24th--and beyond!

9 - We've got the most powerful tool on the planet--the internet

Just a few years ago it would have been laughable to try to pull off a global campaign, in 10+ languages, with events in 150+ countries. Now, a web-powered campaign can harness video (like these animations), social networks (like our pages on Twitter and Facebook), e-mail (like this one), online maps, and more. And now you can help build this buzz online--take 15 seconds to emblazon your Twitter avatar or Facebook profile picture with a 350 badge.

Halloween Tips

According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spend upwards of $5 billion on the spooky celebration annually – and that adds up to a lot of plastic masks, candy wrappers and fake tombstones. Jodi Helmer, author of The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference inspired these couple of tips for making the black and orange holiday a little more green.

Host a costume swap with the neighbors (or friends).

Choose natural decorations: Bails of straw, colorful mums and a handful of gourds are great seasonal decorations that can be composted on November 1st. If scary witches hanging from the oak tree and plastic pumpkins on the front step are a must-have, scour secondhand stores.

and we humbly suggest, you spend some quality halloween time outdoors on Saturday, really what's greener than just being outside?

Learn more about the author at www.green-year.com.

If Not In the Woods, Look at Some

FIRST PHOTOGRAPHIC STUDY OF NEW YORK CITY’S PARKS SINCE 1930s ON VIEW AT MUSEUM OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK OCT. 9, 2009—MARCH 7, 2010

Exhibition to Feature Wall-Sized Photographic Prints, Providing Visitors With Immersive Experience of Parks Throughout Five Boroughs Joel Meyerowitz’s expansive study of New York City’s parks—throughout all five boroughs—will be on view at the Museum of the City of New York in an installation to include unusually large photographic prints, some as large as the gallery walls themselves; the images document the untamed and wild nature of the city’s cherished and hard-won open spaces, as well as bucolic and pastoral landscapes. Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York City Parks, which will be on view October 9, 2009 through March 7, 2010, is the result of a unique commission Meyerowitz received from the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation in 2006, and it constitutes the first photographic survey of the parks since the 1930s.

The first official New York City park was Bowling Green, a mere half-acre leased to a group of citizens by a Common Council at an annual rent of one peppercorn. The 1811 Manhattan grid plan designated a few more areas, such as Union Square, Tompkins Square, and Madison Square, as open spaces for downtown recreation, and the 1830s and ‘40s saw the creation of a handful of parks in Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island. The mid 19th century saw a major period of park expansion in the city, with the creation of Central Park, Prospect Parks, Van Cortlandt Park, and others. The New York Park Association, the city’s first open-space advocacy organization, spearheaded by John Mullaly in 1881, developed a system comprising six large parks and three parkways in the Bronx; one of these, Pelham Bay Park, is the largest in the city at 2,765.5 acres. When the New York Park Association vested these parks to the City of New York in 1888, the City’s green space quintupled. Beginning in the 1930s, Robert Moses focused on the recreational use of parkland with the addition of hundreds of playgrounds, baseball fields, tennis courts, skating rinks, and swimming pools, more than doubling the amount of park acreage in the five boroughs of New York City.

Today, there are approximately 29,000 acres of land under the jurisdiction of the Parks Department, of which 12,000 acres are wilderness areas consisting of woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. Hundreds of rare plant species and native creatures—for example, foxes, coyotes, deer, and even turkeys—have been sighted in city parks. In recent years, the Parks Department has created nature preserves out of vacant tracts, initiated reforestation programs, and played a proactive role in conservation and sustainability.

Learn More.

Walk To School Day

If you notice an overwhelming amount of kids on the sidewalk tomorrow morning, that might be because they are celebrating their rights as a walker. Such an easy way to lower your environmental impact. Walk to School Day on OCTOBER 7, 2009 will be a day to celebrate walking to school. Students take steps to help the environment every time they walk. New York City will be the focus of this year’s International Walk to School Day and we want your school to benefit. As you already know, many New York City kids walk to school each day – whether they live a few blocks from school, or walk themselves to transit! Students use this opportunity to celebrate that we are a city of walkers. Presented by Walk 21, Livable Streets, NYC DOT, and the National Center for Safe Routes to Schools.

Learn More.

Learn More about Walk21's 10th Walk Conference in NYC starting tomorrow!

Free Energy Audit for Downtown Businesses

sign up for a free energy audit with Win-Win Campaign, a nonprofit that hooks up small businesses in Chinatown, LES, and in January, East Harlem with trained interns to figure out where energy (and cash) are going to waste. From there, you'll get tips on how to cut costs (and CO2) in small ways with CFLs and power strips, or bigger ways with LED computer screens or Energy Star appliances - they'll even tell you what tax incentives you can rake in.

Learn More about Win-Win Campaign.

Source: Ideal Bite

Green News Round Up

Environmental Group Takes Up Spaces [Daily News]

Bicyclists vs. Pedestrians: An Armistice [NY Times]

Switch It On! [Gotham Gazette]
Another Superfund Site in Brooklyn? [OTBKB]

Young Local Farmers [DPB]

City to Spend $45 Million on Queens Sewer and Water Systems [Daily News]

Water Plant Woes [Audit – Office of NYC Comptroller]

New York Aquarium Plans Big Expansion [NY Times]

Subways Pick Up Green Energy Funds [NY 1]

City Wants Input on Upstate Drill Plan [City Limits]

City Begins Licensing of Foot-Powered Taxi Industry [Associated Press]

Bensonhurst Pol Wants to Dump Waste Station on Sunset Park [BoroPolitics]

Mayor Touts White Rooftops, but City Lags [Associated Press]

An Investment Bet: Going Small and Green [NY Times]

Compiled by Rebeccah Welch