End of the Line

Brooklyn Green Team members hunkered down on a Saturday to screen The End of the Line - a documentary about world-wide overfishing. Because the ocean and the tuna in our chopsticks cannot talk to us, the downward spiral of once healthy vibrant oceans goes largely unnoticed.

The OVERVIEW: Imagine an ocean without fish. This is the future—in less than 40 years—if we do not stop, think and act. Narrated by Ted Danson and based on the acclaimed book by Charles Clover, THE END OF THE LINE shows firsthand the effects of our global love affair with fish as food. It examines the imminent extinction of bluefin tuna, the huge overpopulation of jellyfish and the prospect of certain mass starvation. Filmed over two years across the world – from the Straits of Gibraltar to the coasts of Senegal and Alaska to the Tokyo fish market – featuring top scientists, indigenous fishermen and fisheries enforcement officials, THE END OF THE LINE is a wake-up call to the world. Endorsed by National Geographic and Greenpeace, THE END OF THE LINE premiered at 2009’s Sundance Film Festival and went on to a limited national theatrical release. In January 2010, the filmmakers launched a nationwide “Fish ‘n’ Flicks” dinner/screening campaign with some of America’s most renowned and ecologically conscious chefs to educate guests about what they can do to end overfishing.

Our Verdict:
We highly recommend seeing The End of the Line. Spend two hours and educate yourself on the problem in our oceans, the impact of overfishing, which species are most endangered, and most importantly, what Charles Clover is doing about it and what we all can do about it. (Plus Ted Danson narrates it, and if you're like us, any chance to hear Sam Malone's voice.... ) Get your copy and strongarm all your sushi, fish taco guzzling friends into seeing it!

Brooklyn Green Team plans to do just that so stay tuned for details on a screening.

Go to the official End of the Line site.

Get the widget and easily find out the status of the fish you're thinking of eating.

Hear what witty journalist/author/environmentalist and brainchild behind the film, Charles Clover, who wrote the book of the same name, had to say about the project.

Support Environmental Education for Just 20 bucks!

Council on the Environment of NYC is kicking off it's 40th anniversary with Rock N Grow which supports great education programs like: teens managing their own farm stand; farmer visits in schools and tours of the Greenmarket; kids building solar ovens and planting trees, you get the point.

GET YOUR TIX HERE.

Our Latest Video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SixuA73vMQA

Year Round Farmers Markets

Even though it's deep in the middle of winter, there are still ways to get local produce in NYC.

Learn what year-round Greenmarkets are near you.

Learn about Community' Markets indoor Park Slope Gowanus Market at the Old American Can Factory.

Have fun!

Special Event from Our Friends at GreenEdge

BCL Supper Club and bk farmyards Support Youth Farm Monday, February 22, 7:00pm - 10:00pm WHERE: Brooklyn Creative League (BCL) 540 President Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11215 (M, N, R to Union Street), 718-576-2104. WHAT: Green Edge NYC is thrilled to partner with bk farmyards for our monthly BCL Supper Club to raise funds for the Youth Farm developed by bk farmyards and the High School for Public Service in Crown Heights / East Flatbush to start the 1-Acre Farmyard! Come and enjoy a delicious meal, topped off with cocktails from Sister Liqueurs. In addition there will be a live auction of goodie baskets filled with gift certificates to local restaurants and shops, artisan liqueurs, homebrews and more! There will be a short presentation on the new Farm at the high school followed by discussion on the future of urban agriculture and school farms. COST: $15 in advance, $20 at the door All the proceeds will go toward the Youth Farm bk farmyards has developed in partnership with the High School for Public Service.

Check Out This Video.

Antibiotics & Food Animal Production

This past Tuesday, February 9th and Wednesday, February 10th, CBS New Anchor Katie Couric presented a report on the use of antibiotics in food animal production. This report investigates the use of antibiotics within the cattle and livestock industries. It also explores the effects these drug-fed animals can have on humans.

Watch the Report.

Great Appliance Swap Out! Feb. 12 - 21

NYC residents doing so between February 12th and 21st are eligible for state rebates for purchasing Energy Star rated replacements. Those who ensure their appliances are properly recycled are eligible for even bigger rebates. Recycling metal appliances is easy since the NYC Dept of Sanitation will take up to 6 bulk metal items per week on your regular recycling day. Be sure to call 311 first for items requiring Freon/CFC removal.

Learn More.

Get more NYC recycling updates from the Office of Recycling Outreach and Education.

2010 Green Heroes Grant

The makers of Green Works natural cleaners is launching 2010 Green Heroes Grant Program to recognize and support those individuals or organizations that are making their communities a greener place to live. I’ve included some information below about the nomination process and those who are eligible to win.

People can nominate green community projects and their leaders for a Green Heroes grant by submitting a photo and short essay about the project or person at www.facebook.com/greenworks. Nominations will be accepted between January 19 and February 18, 2010. A $15,000 first prize and a $5,000 runner-up grant will be awarded in each of the following three categories:

• Youth Leader/Organization: Individual youth leaders – aged 13 to 17– and youth-led non-profit organizations.
• Adult Leader/Organization: Individual leaders – aged 18 and over – and non-profit organizations.
• School Organization: This category will recognize innovative environmental programs that are coordinated by a school or a teacher. These programs can receive grants to help further develop their projects along with a special educational experience from Roots & Shoots for their school

Get Your Kids Outside!

How can you foster a love for the natural world that will last a lifetime? By sending a child to a DEC camp for a week! Campers learn about the environment through hands-on, outdoor activities and build friendships that last forever. Contact with environmental professionals
throughout the week enriches the learning and encourages career exploration.

Four camps, Colby (Northern Adirondacks), Pack Forest (Southern Adirondacks), DeBruce (Catskills) and Rushford (Western NY), host youth 12 to 14 years old. DEC also offers week-long Ecology Workshops for teens 15 to 17 years old at Pack Forest and Rushford.

Complete information about the camps is available at http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html. We begin accepting applications postmarked no earlier than February 6 for campers sponsored by an organization and February 27 for campers whose parents pay the $325 fee. Application forms are available on the website or by calling DEC Camps

For more info:
http://www.dec.ny.gov/education/29.html
edcamps@gw.dec.state.ny.us
518-402-8014

Calling all Kensington and Windsor Terrace Environmentalists!

This comes from our friends at Sustainable Kensington Windsor Terrace...

There's Power in Community. At least that's our theory!

We all conserve more energy when we know our neighbors are making efforts to reduce their energy use and we have an idea of how much we are using as well as the average consumption of the people around us.

To test this theory, we invite you to compete in a neighborhood energy saving competition which will make it incredibly easy to track your energy use, compare it to how much you used last year and show you how you are doing compared to your neighbors.

Neighbors will compete to reduce their energy consumption and there will be winners in two categories – biggest loser and smallest footprint. We're piloting this experimental competition in Kensington & Windsor Terrace in Brooklyn and after we work out the kinks, we want to scale it up to the rest of the city (think about which neighborhood you want to challenge next!)

You are eligible to compete if you pay your own energy bill and have lived in the same place for at least 12 months. Coops and Condos are encouraged to enter!

Visit this link for everything you need to know to enter: http://sustainablekwt.blogspot.com/p/energy-competition.html

Sustainable Kensington Windsor Terrace is a little group formed last year. We are all residents of Kensington or Windsor Terrace and our mission is: Building community through education and actions that reduce our environmental impact.

Green Films at Sundance

Three green films from Sundance:

Gasland

Climate Refugees

Born Sweet

Read the full article on Grist.