Queens residents can now take advantage of the Department of Sanitation’s curbside composting pickup service. This program–the largest of its kind in the country–is a three-month pilot program and the city’s first borough-wide collection of compost through curbside pickup. Compost will be collected on recycling days and will be used as soil for the City’s parks and gardens, and it could even help reduce the rat population in the city.
Compost is decomposed organic food waste that is recycled for other uses. Thirty percent of all waste contains food and yard scraps that could otherwise be composted. If composted, organic waste can become a useful fertilizer that adds nutrients to soil for trees, gardens, and farms.
Composting is an important method of inhibiting the climate crisis. Composting your food waste keeps these natural scraps out of landfills where they take up space and release methane - a greenhouse gas 30 times more potent than carbon. Food scraps and other organics do not break down in landfills the same way they do in compost piles. Not only does composting reduce waste, it can also be used to make renewable diesel through anaerobic digestion.
The New York League of Conservation Voters applauds Mayor Adams and the Department of Sanitation on pushing this program forward. While the League supports expanding this program citywide, for now, even if you are not a resident of Queens, you can still compost and take advantage of local drop-off sites, like those available here: NYS Food Scraps Drop-Off & Collection Programs.
We hope you take advantage of composting wherever you are in the state!
Climate Week NYC is a week of events run by The Climate Group that has taken place every year in New York City since 2009. The summit takes place alongside the UN General Assembly and brings together international leaders from business, government and civil society to showcase global climate action. This year Climate Week runs from September 19th-25th.
There are numerous events open to the public throughout the week which you can find ?on the Climate Week website. We encourage you to register for and attend these events to learn more about how major companies, businesses, and government officials plan to address the climate crisis. If you are not located in NYC, some events may be available to attend virtually.
If you are unable to attend any of the events, you can still celebrate Climate Week by making an effort to create sustainable habits in your everyday life. Checkout some suggestions below!
We hope you have a safe and happy Climate Week! Check back next week for more green tips.
Fast fashion is an environmental problem on a myriad of different levels. The US throws out 11.3 million tons of clothing per year, or 2,150 pieces of clothing per second, 10% of global carbon emissions are caused by the fashion industry, and it takes 1,800 gallons of water to make a single pair of jeans. The good news is that second-hand clothing is a sustainable, and an increasingly popular option. Buying second-hand clothing avoids the carbon emissions and water waste used to make new clothing, and it prolongs the life-span of clothing by keeping it out of a landfill. Although buying second-hand clothing is great for the environment, it can often be difficult to know where to start. There are many ways to shop second-hand, and the best option for you will be different depending on your budget, personal style, and the amount of time you have available for shopping. This guide should help you get started on your thrifting journey!
Shopping in Person:
The main differences between physical stores depend on their size, price and level of curation. Out of physical stores, thrift stores are the most cost-effective, as they are mostly donations-based. Thrift stores are often the largest and include big stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army. Vintage stores are the next step up from thrift stores. These stores are more curated, sometimes focusing on a specific style or era of clothing, but that means that prices are higher. Vintage stores are a great option if you are particular about what you want to wear, and want to avoid spending time searching for it. Finally, the most expensive type of second-hand store is a consignment store. Consignment stores focus on luxury items, and they have much higher prices. Consignment stores are often a more affordable option than buying designer clothing new, but they are still very pricey.
To find second-hand stores near you, a Google Maps search is the best way to start. You can also look on local bulletins to find information about temporary sales, like garage sales, rummage sales and flea markets.
When you first go to a second-hand shop, you might be overwhelmed by the amount of options. A good place to start can be by deciding if you are looking for something in particular- like long skirts, or fun graphic t-shirts. Before going shopping, look through your closet and make note of your favorite pieces, and what you wear the most. When deciding on a clothing item, you can think about how well it would go with what you already own, and how much you would realistically wear it. A good rule of thumb is to try to come up with 5 ways you could wear a piece of clothing with the clothes you already own.
Finally, the best tip for shopping in-person is to have fun with it, no matter the outcome. Shopping second-hand can be unpredictable, and the selection of clothing can vary dramatically. If you use shopping as a way to hang out with a friend, or have fun browsing sections like books or cutlery, you’ll be less likely to be disappointed if you can’t find any clothing you like.
Shopping Online:
Recently online second-hand shops have exploded in popularity, and they are an excellent way to buy clothing in an easy, time-efficient way. Like physical stores, there are many different websites and apps for second-hand shopping, and they each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
One of the best places to start for people who are new to thrifting is the website ThredUp. ThredUp sells clothing at a vast array of price ranges, based on the condition and original price of a piece of clothing. They sell clothing from over 35,000 brands, at discounts of up to 90% off of the retail value. This website is particularly good for beginners because unlike other websites where individual sellers upload photos and descriptions of clothing, ThredUp photographs and measures the clothing themselves. They also include verified information about the condition, fabric and original price of clothing. The website also lets you search by brand of clothing, and size, making it easier to find clothing that you know you will like. ThredUp also stands out from many other second-hand stores because it allows you to make returns on clothing. Finally, if you are eyeing a piece of clothing on ThredUp, hang on to see if a sale is coming up. The website frequently has sales of up to 60-70% off!
Another popular way to buy second-hand clothing is the website and app Poshmark. Poshmark is different from ThredUp because all of the clothing is sold by individual people and boutiques, and not by the company itself. Poshmark also makes it easy to search by size and brand of clothing, but prices are set by the sellers, so they are not as consistent as on ThredUp. This can be good, because you can find great-priced vintage clothing from people clearing out their closets, and you have the option to negotiate on prices, but it also opens up the possibility of getting scammed. If a seller lies about the condition of an item of clothing you will be able to get your money back, but you are not protected against overpaying for clothing. Make sure that you look at the reviews of a seller before buying anything, and check the prices of the new clothing from a brand when deciding if the second-hand price is fair.
Another website and app that is very popular right now is Depop. Depop is structured to resemble a social media feed, and therefore tends to be more creative than ThredUp and Poshmark. People sell their homemade and upcycled clothing as well as thrifted items on Depop, and sellers usually go out and source clothing to sell, instead of selling what they already own. This means that very unique items are often available on Depop, but also that prices run higher. Like Poshmark, you should be wary of scams while shopping. Depop is a great option for people who are comfortable using social media, but the format may challenge those who are unfamiliar with it.
Finally, online consignment stores like The RealReal and Vestiaire Collection are great options for vintage designer clothing. Both websites are very safe, and they authenticate their items, but they run on the pricier side.
Shopping second-hand can seem daunting at first, but it gets easier when you get used to it, and have a chance to come up with your own tips and strategies. This guide should give you a good start, but the most important thing you can do is experiment and find out what fits into your life best. Doing this will make your second-hand shopping experience both sustainable and fun!
By Julia Krushelnycky
On August 16th, New York Governor Kathy Hochul directed the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation to expand the state’s drought watch to 49 counties- every county except for those in the Great Lakes, Adirondack and NYC / Westchester regions. This announcement follows the July 29th addition of 21 counties in Western and Central New York to the state’s drought watch. The current drought risk comes from the combination of above average temperatures and low rainfall throughout the state. New York’s “Watch” category is the lowest risk out of the four drought categories of: Watch, Warning, Emergency and Disaster. Under the drought watch no mandatory water use restrictions are in place, but residents are strongly encouraged to reduce their personal water use. Here are some ways that you can cut down on your water consumption:
Happy primary season, New York! Here we have a guide for how to vote in the upcoming primary elections on August 23rd.
The primary elections for the House of Representatives and New York State Senate are scheduled for August 23 this year. Primary elections are used to select a candidate for each political party, so you need to be registered for a party in order to vote in a New York primary election. You can register for a party when you register to vote in New York, or whenever you change your voter registration information. The four recognized parties in New York are the Democratic, Republican, Conservative and Working Families parties. For this year, the deadline to register for a party or change parties is August 11, but you can still vote in the general election on November 8th if you are not registered for a party. The deadline to register to vote in the general election is October 14th, and you can find information on how to register to vote here. The list of candidates running in these primary elections can be found here.
If the primaries feel later this year, that’s because they are! New York State Senate and Congressional primaries are later than usual because of statewide redistricting that happened this year. You can find out more about the reason for the late primary dates here. To find out if you have been redistricted this year, you can use this website to look at the State Senate and Congressional district maps before and after redistricting, or search by your address to find your current district.
Vote early for this primary election between August 13th-August 21st! If you vote early you can skip long lines on election day, and can get voting out of the way! Detailed information on how to vote early is listed here, on the website Vote Early NY.
Absentee ballots are another option for people who will be out of their county on election day, or who are worried about the transmission of infectious diseases such as Covid-19. For those who are planning to vote via absentee ballot, the deadline to request an absentee ballot by mail has passed, but you can still request an absentee ballot in person at your local Board of Elections until August 22nd. In order for ballots to be valid they need to be dropped off at your local Board of Elections or your polling site by August 23rd at latest, or postmarked by August 23rd and received by August 30th if mailed in. If you plan on requesting an absentee ballot, please note that voters who have requested an absentee ballot will no longer be able to vote with a polling machine on Election Day, but they will still be able to vote in person using an Affidavit ballot at their polling place. More information on how to vote via absentee ballot is available here, on the New York Board of Elections website.
If you plan to vote in person on election day, check to see if your polling place has changed using this website, and set a reminder for yourself to vote on the 23rd!
Use this link to find a list of candidates endorsed by the New York League of Conservation Voters, and happy voting!
Social media is a great way to express your creativity, and get inspired by others. By following sustainability focused pages on social media you can gain motivation to make sustainable lifestyle changes, and build community around sustainability. Eco-friendly social media pages come in all different shapes and sizes, making it easy to find something that you will be interested in. Here are a few of our favorite Instagram pages!
We hope that these social media pages will get you excited about living more sustainably!
Thank you to all of the candidates and campaign staff who joined the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund over the past few weeks for our 2021 NYC Environmental Candidate Schools. These discussions were designed to educate and inform campaigns for City Council, Borough President, Comptrollers, and Mayor on key environmental and public health issues facing our city. Below you will find links to recordings, contact information for our panelists, and the presentations from each panel.
Waste Management and Building Emissions
Panelists
Infrastructure: Transportation + Wastewater and Green Infrastructure
Panelists
Public Health & Parks: Lead Poisoning + Parks and Open Spaces
Panelists
Resiliency: Heat Vulnerability and Coastal Resiliency
Panelists
Additional Resources
Temperatures are finally starting to drop, and we’re welcoming the crisp autumn air. One of the best ways to fully appreciate and experience the beauty of it is to spend time in one of New York State’s parks. Boasting some of the most beautiful nature in America, New York is home to over 200 state…
With travel, gift giving, and many big meals, the winter holidays are one of the times of the year with the highest rates of personal consumption. Because of this heightened consumption rate, the holidays are the time when being conscious of sustainable practices will have the greatest total impact. Here are some holiday practices you can take to generate an impact, and others that can help foster a sense of love and consciousness toward the environment.
Are you planning on starting 2018 off with the ever-popular goal of working out more often? If so, we have some tips to help you burn calories while staying environmentally friendly. Working out offers countless benefits to the mind and body, but if you’re not careful, it can cause a detriment to your ecological footprint….
On Tuesday, November 8th, voters on the East End of Long Island had an important environmental decision to make on their ballots: whether or not to extend the Community Preservation Fund (CPF) in the five East End towns.
Each year, NYLCV and the NYLCV Education Fund work closely with New York’s leading environmental, public health, conservation, energy, environmental justice, and transportation organizations to identify the state’s most pressing priorities on fighting climate change, conserving land and water, and protecting public health. The result of that effort is our 2017 New York State legislative…
Water issues might not be making as many headlines anymore, but even if your local supply hasn’t made it to the news, you might remain at risk without knowing it. Given the number of contaminants that can make their way into shared or even private wells, you’ll need to make sure your drinking water stays…
The summer heat means more sweat, and by extension more loads of laundry to do. However there a variety of practices other than re-wearing your sweaty gym clothes that can make your laundry practices more sustainable. Wash with Cold Water Studies show that 75% of the total energy-use and carbon emissions associated with your laundry…
Eating locally is easy in the summer, when farm stands seem to be overflowing with fresh fruits, veggies, and leafy greens, so now is the best time to build a seasonal eating habit. Here are some more tips to help you green your diet:
The New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund is pleased to present this 2017 Green Guide as a resource for all candidates running for public office in New York City. This document, released at our Environmental Candidate School, is a one-stop-shop for candidates to learn about new opportunities and approaches to persistent sustainability problems….
Temperatures are finally starting to drop, and we’re welcoming the crisp autumn air. One of the best ways to fully appreciate and experience the beauty of it is to spend time in one of New York State’s parks. Boasting some of the most beautiful nature in America, New York is home to over 200 state…
With travel, gift giving, and many big meals, the winter holidays are one of the times of the year with the highest rates of personal consumption. Because of this heightened consumption rate, the holidays are the time when being conscious of sustainable practices will have the greatest total impact. Here are some holiday practices you can take to generate an impact, and others that can help foster a sense of love and consciousness toward the environment.
Are you planning on starting 2018 off with the ever-popular goal of working out more often? If so, we have some tips to help you burn calories while staying environmentally friendly. Working out offers countless benefits to the mind and body, but if you’re not careful, it can cause a detriment to your ecological footprint….
On Tuesday, November 8th, voters on the East End of Long Island had an important environmental decision to make on their ballots: whether or not to extend the Community Preservation Fund (CPF) in the five East End towns.
Each year, NYLCV and the NYLCV Education Fund work closely with New York’s leading environmental, public health, conservation, energy, environmental justice, and transportation organizations to identify the state’s most pressing priorities on fighting climate change, conserving land and water, and protecting public health. The result of that effort is our 2017 New York State legislative…
Water issues might not be making as many headlines anymore, but even if your local supply hasn’t made it to the news, you might remain at risk without knowing it. Given the number of contaminants that can make their way into shared or even private wells, you’ll need to make sure your drinking water stays…
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