Tag Archives: waste

New Rochelle Park and Rec. Recycling Practically Non Existent

February 28, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

New York City is ball field trash going all out when it comes to Recycling……. but New Rochelle is not following.

Apart from Glen Island park, recycling bins at New Rochelle Parks are non existent. None of the ball fields are sporting recycling cans, none of the playgrounds, none of the tennis courts.

The Source separation law is in effect since the late 80ies and here we are in 2013 and there are still no Recycling cans in sight.

How can we teach our children about recycling if no logistics are provided.

Especially at the ball fields, because, guess what, there are mainly bottles and cans discarded there. I did a survey and found 800 beverage containers per weekend day at the ALMS and Ward Ball fields alone. And no recycling can!

Here is an article on what Central Park is doing, it should be an example to New Rochelle.

Central Park recycling to get an overhaul:

Continue reading New Rochelle Park and Rec. Recycling Practically Non Existent →

Coffee Convenience, A Growing Environmental Problem that Costs Us All Dearly

February 28, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

As America’s culture of convenience continues to flourish, single-cup coffee makers have become increasingly popular among coffee drinkers. But beneath those expedient one-cup coffee pods lies a growing environmental problem.

With New Rochelle being a fast paced, suburban environment, it is a prime market for these kind of convenience driven machines.

“These things aren’t readily recyclable, if recyclable at all,” said Darby Hoover, senior resources specialist for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Anytime you’ve got this kind of small, single-use packaging option, especially when there are clearly alternatives, it just leads me to question why you would promote that system over another that works just as well for many applications.” Continue reading Coffee Convenience, A Growing Environmental Problem that Costs Us All Dearly →

New Rochelle’s Trinity Elementary School chosen as Green Writing Grant Recipient

February 28, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

Trinity Green Writing Contest

New Rochelle‘s Trinity Elementary School has been exemplary in regards to Recycling. Under the leadership of Principal Anthony DiCarlo, and Assistant Principal Inas MorsiHogans, the students created a continuous culture of recycling in their lunchroom.

Trinity is the only school that has never faltered in their efforts to source separate all materials in the lunchroom, and I credit Ms MorsiHogans and the very supportive lunchroom staff with this. Way to go.

In this spirit, the school has been chosen to be the recipient of this years “Green Writing Contest” given in Honor of Nina Chin.

Goodbye Styrofoam. City Schools to Serve Lunch on ‘Green’ Trays

February 12, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

Here is a great article by Topher Forhecz about New York City’s decision to eliminate Styrofoam trays and switch to round plates made of sugar cane byproduct, starting this fall. This initiative is “the first result of the Urban School Food Alliance –- comprised of Miami, Los Angeles, Dallas, Orlando, Chicago and New York City — which formed in 2012 to boost the schools’ purchasing power in the private sector.” Read the full article here.

NYC, Miami, Chicago and many more School Districts are ditching Styrofoam trays

February 12, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

The largest School districts in the country have finally woken up to the fact that schools, and the kids that are in those schools are the biggest players in environmental and sustainable planning.

Doing an Earthday project and then calling it done as far as it goes for instruction around sustainability is NOT ENOUGH.

Fortunately, the largest school districts are starting to wake up, that life is not disposable around us and that it is not cheaper and better to serve children on disposable Styrofoam trays. BTW, these trays are made of Polystyrene which has been classified as “reasonably anticipated human carcinogen” by the US Dept of Health in 2011.

Here is an excellent read on that topic. Some Westchester school districts are already following suit, but some is not enough. Westchester incinerates its garbage and guess who is breathing the air after burning 100.000 Styrofoam trays per day.

http://ecowatch.com/2013/12/05/schools-ditch-styrofoam-for-compostable/

Education Is The Key to Recycling and Recycling Saves Money

February 10, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

A very simple equation: what goes in, must come out.

This is valid for how New Rochelle’s schools are dealing with their garbage.

Here is a interesting article on how nationwide schools are the key to recycling and environmental awareness, but not all schools are equal in that regard.

http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/article/20130903/NEWS02/130829934/educ…

New Rochelle’s schools were until 2011 doing absolutely nothing in ways of recycling.
I started pushing the issue and with great pride I can say that we now have 5 schools actively source separating in the lunchrooms as well as more or less streaming the building waste. There are still many ways on how that can be improved and the students are the key to it all.

Education and hands on involvement is what is needed to -literally- bring the message home.

But nothing is more detrimental to a child than to see that no matter his effort to recycle, the custodian will just throw it all back together.

Education is the key, but the adult support is the lock. We cannot open the door to a more sustainable future with all its benefits without adult commitment.

I am calling for New Rochelle’s schools to increase its environmental education and I am calling for Buildings and Grounds to actually live up to Mr Quinn’s recycling mandate.

New Rochelle Schools Need A Driver to make Environmental Change happen

February 10, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

These are my remarks at last nights BOE meeting. I want to thank President Lacher for welcoming me so warmly to the microphone.

Dear Board,

My name is Anna Giordano. I want to start out by congratulating you to the appointment of John Barnes and Melissa Passarelli as principals. Those are great people and I am sure ALMS and Webster are thriving with them.

Last week I got from you a call on my home phone, a call on my cell phone, a text on my cell phone and an email to inform me that school is about to start again. I think it is wonderful that you have embraced the technology to that extend.

I was actually blown away to hear today to what extend you are embracing new technologies and you seem to have a fabulous driver for this in this teacher who just got tenure.

Way to go!

So, how about we embrace environmental sustainability with the same vigor.

Last week, I got these two mailings. One was from Webster school. It contained 4 full sheets of single page printed documents, plus two half. It all came in a 6×9 envelope, costing 66 cents to mail.

Mr Quinn said during the budget discussions that he found a way to save $200,000 for printing. It looks like we overlooked this opportunity here. Here we could be saving 85% of the cost associated with this mailing by embracing double page printing, using normal envelopes and normal 46c letter stamps. Continue reading New Rochelle Schools Need A Driver to make Environmental Change happen →

New Rochelle Webster Students Partnering with Terracycle.com

February 10, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

New Rochelle Daniel Webster Students are partnering up with Terracycle.com

The students are learning a lot about being stewards of the world and how to reduce our foot print. They are source separating their lunchroom waste into different recyclable categories and now they are expanding into recycling other items. Did you know that empty glue sticks are recyclable? How about old cell phone, chargers, ink cartridges, broken cameras, or spent Nestle Coffee Pods?

Well…YES, they are recyclable and the students are collecting these items now in specially marked recycling drawers in the school lobby.

So, from now on, instead of tossing items into the trash, have your child bring them to school to earn Terracycle Points for our school. If you send these items in a plastic bag, we will send the bag back for you to reuse or recycle.

Please check out Terracycle.com, this company is “upcycling” our waste into fabulous new products.

Please send in:

empty Ink Cartridges,
broken Cellphones,
broken cameras,
broken calculators,
unwanted chargers
empty glue sticks and glue bottles
broken, empty markers, pens and other writing equipment
spent Nestle Coffee pods ( have your child empty them before bringing them in please)

Thank you for helping our Earth and our school as we can put the Terracycle Points to many good uses.

New Rochelle School District could save $500.000 through revamping Waste Management System

January 30, 2014 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

Yesterdays BOE meeting took place at Jefferson Elementary School and the presentation given by the student was very charming. I have to say, by far the most charming I have ever seen. There was a very lovely choir, first on stage and later on the balcony, with a music teacher who was so on fire and filling the room with good energy. I had goose bumps!

Then there were 1st graders that did an outstanding presentation on Polar Bears, every one on the mic, really well done. Hats off to all teachers involved.

I also very much liked the presentation by Dr Weiss about Lice (I am actually feeling itching just typing this). Dr Weiss managed to really bring to point the misguided no-nit policy that the district had been following, but fortunately has recently abandoned. Continue reading New Rochelle School District could save $500.000 through revamping Waste Management System →

NYC, Miami and 27 other large School districts are ditching Styrofoam trays

December 4, 2013 wefuturecycle Leave a comment

I have shared with the Board the following article from The New York Times, Urban Schools Aim for Environmental Revolution, and then emailed them my comments below.