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Green Tips: Thrifting Your Threads

Are you thinking of gifting clothing to your friends or family this holiday season, or stocking up on winter clothes? Don’t forget to consider the carbon footprint of clothes.

With companies like Zara and H&M flooding the market with massive volumes of clothes at low prices, it’s no surprise that textile waste in America is at an all-time high. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), 16 million tons of textile waste was generated in 2014, and they estimate that it’s rising. Of this waste, 10.5 million tons was sent to landfills, with only 2.5 million tons recycled. These numbers are disappointing, considering that textile waste made up about 6% of the total solid waste in 2015. How can we improve?

Textile recycling is one way, however, the technology is very limited. Only about 0.1% of fabrics collected through donations and charities is actually recycled into new clothing. This means the rest is either turned into rags for industrial use, combusted for energy generation, used as various fillers, or for other downgraded functions.

Without sufficient recycling methods (at the moment) what can we as consumers do to reduce our textile waste?

Give secondhand shopping a try! Not only will you reduce your waste and save money, but you can also find unique items not found in the box stores. Here are some tips for making the most out of your thrift shopping experience:

Give Back:

Make room in your closet first by donating or selling some of your used clothes. Make a couple bucks by looking for a store that buys – not just accepts – used clothes, like Buffalo Exchange or others.

Make a List:

Be prepared before you set out to the thrift store. Many of them have tons of options, and it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Just like when you go to the grocery store, make a list of what you’re looking for so that you don’t get distracted or end up with things you don’t actually need.

Set a Budget:

Just like making a list of what to buy, be prepared and figure out ahead of time how much money you want to spend. Thrift stores can have some really cool and unusual pieces, but if you keep piling them in your cart, you may end up spending and buying more than you originally intended.

Give it a Try:

Make sure to try on clothes before taking them home! Since most clothing in thrift stores is pre-owned, it may not fit the way brand new clothing does. A lot of thrift stores will accept returns, but not all will. Give it a try beforehand to know for sure. It also gives you the opportunity to scan pieces for stains, holes, or any other imperfection that may deter you from making the purchase.

Bring a Friend:

Not only is thrift shopping with a buddy a fun activity to do together, but it’s also helpful to have a friendly pair of eyes helping you pick out unique pieces. Try splitting up and seeing what you can find. Then come together and compare.

However and wherever you decide to start your thrift shopping experience, we hope you find what you’re looking for. The planet and your wallet will thank you.

Want to know more? Check out these links!

Harmony.com Textile Waste Infographic

The Balance Small Business Textile Facts and Figures

EPA Textile Waste Report 2016

Green Tips: How to Buy Green this Holiday Season

The holiday season is upon us! During this time of year, Americans spend extravagant amounts on holiday shopping as we buy presents, host parties and take advantage of holiday-season discounts. Americans, in particular, spend big. According to the National Sales Federation, we spent $691.9 billion between November and December of last year on holiday shopping. Picking the perfect present for your loved ones can be stressful but with this guide, you can make a statement this year by giving greener gifts, decreasing your carbon footprint and helping the environment!

Shop local. While online shopping can save you time, gas, and a trip to the store, don’t forget that your package has to travel to your door. This can create a massive carbon footprint even when you don’t leave your home. Save yourself the “shopping miles” and support the local economy. Try local shops for unique gifts that won’t need to travel far to get to your door.

Bring reusable bags. Bringing reusable shopping bags is one great way to reduce plastic bag consumption during the busy shopping season. If you keep forgetting your bags at home or in the car when you shop, you can always ask for a large bag at the first store you go to and then use it for all of your purchases during your shopping trip.

Buy experiences. Do you have a family member or friend who is impossible to shop for? Give them a present you know they’ll love this year by offering them a new experience. Experiential gifts can be way more memorable than “new stuff.” Consider gift certificates for spa services, restaurants, tickets for amusement parks and concerts, or even a membership for the gym.

Give back. The holiday season is a wonderful time to spend quality time with your loved ones, reflect, and be thankful. One way to show your appreciation for your friends and family is to offer your time to someone busy, volunteer, or donate to a charity in someone’s name.

Skip the gift wrap. Gift wrapping paper is a staple of holiday gift giving, but the delicate paper ends up getting tossed away very quickly. Instead, put gifts in reusable packagings, such as baskets, bags, or fabric wrappers in order to reduce waste. Also consider, gift wrapping paper made from recycled materials for a green alternative.

For more ideas on green gifting, check this out.

Green Tips: Thanksgiving Edition

Thanksgiving is a day for spending time with friends and family, celebrating the harvest, showing gratitude, and this year, being green! However you choose to celebrate, we hope that you’ll keep these easy tips in mind as your way to say thanks to Mother Nature for giving us a great, green planet.

Bring out the reusable napkins and dishware. If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, it’s the perfect excuse to bust out those cloth napkins and fancy plates you’ve been dying to show-off. Or ask family members if they can bring supplies rather than purchasing all new. Avoid disposable items that create excessive waste.

Travel together. If you’re headed out of town or even across town, carpool with your crew to cut down on traffic congestion and carbon emissions. You’ll get to spend even more time together this way!

Make less food. Most people prepare way too much food for these major holidays and end up throwing a lot of it away. Avoid wasting food this year by planning ahead and making less. Try preparing items that can be frozen if they aren’t consumed.

Cut down on the meat. It’s no surprise that the meat industry contributes its fair share to climate change. Try incorporating some vegetarian dishes into this year’s meal. The planet and your waistline will thank you. Here are some of our favorite meatless Thanksgiving recipes.

Serve local food and beverages. Support your local producers by procuring food and wine from places close to home. This supports your local economy and cuts down on the energy used to get these items to your table.

Conserve energy. Cut down on energy usage and save time by cooking things in the oven together rather than keeping the oven on all day. Remember to unplug appliances when you’re finished and turn lights off in rooms when you leave. Having the family all together is a good excuse to set good examples for younger generations.

Thanks for reading and being part of our membership. If you really love these Green Tips, let us know by giving back this Giving Tuesday. We couldn’t do what we do without your support, and we sure are grateful! We hope you enjoy your holiday.

Green Tips: Holiday Starter Pack

The holiday season is nearly in full force. While this time of year is filled with family, friends, and celebrations, it can also be filled with over-consumption and waste.

Americans produce 25% more trash over these holiday months than the rest of the year. Forty percent of American’s food during the holidays goes to waste. An extra 1 million tons of waste per week is added to landfills during the holidays season.

How can we still celebrate without the excess and waste? Show your support for the environment this year by cutting back and considering our tips for a greener holiday season. From sustainable dinner parties to gift wrapping, here are some small ways to keep good green habits during the holidays.

Shop Local:

Supporting your local businesses is a great way to cut down on energy used by traveling (and gas savings!) and to help your community thrive. Don’t forget to bring that reusable bag with you!

Take Your Time Online:

Online shopping is a great way to get through your family’s wish list, however, rushing deliveries can do more harm than help. These speedy options reduce delivery efficiency by forcing a greater volume of delivery transportation on the roads. So, think ahead and slow it down.

Table Settings:

Dinner parties are a great way to spend the holidays. Make sure that you keep your waste to a minimum by opting for reusable utensils, dishes, and napkins. You don’t need to bust the bank buying encrusted porcelain, but doing the dishes causes far less harm than throwing disposable plates in the can. Remember, even recyclable materials like cardboard and paper become garbage once they are saturated with food.

Managing the Menu:

What you choose to serve at your holiday party can have a huge impact on the planet. Be mindful when at the grocery store and try to research what you plan to serve. Lessening your meat consumption can reduce emissions by about one third, while following certified sustainable foods can ensure your food followed environmental practices before reaching your plate. Look for the Rainforest Alliance certificate!

Gift Sustainably:

About 35% of Americans have an unused Christmas present collecting dust in their closets. Consider whether your friends and family will actually use your gift and if you receive something that you don’t need, consider donating it to families in need.

Eight thousand tons of wrapping paper are used during the holidays each year, equating to about 50,000 trees. Consider skipping the gift wrap and gift bags this year. Save the gift bags you receive for future use.

Air Fare Made Fair—Carbon Offsets:

We all know that traveling by plane requires lots of energy. However, there are now ways to balance it out. Programs are available to individuals or businesses to purchase credits that fund renewable energy and carbon capture. The idea: offset your carbon emissions by funding these programs! Check out Terrapass and Native Energy to find out more.

Still curious about how to green your holidays? Check out the Rainforest Alliance, Sierra Club, and the Center for Disease Control.

Energy Efficiency in the Home

With Daylight Saving Time ending this weekend, darker, cooler days are on the way. It’s natural to use more energy this time of year, but there are cheap and easy things you can do to keep your fall footprint low. Improving your home’s energy efficiency is a win for the environment and your wallet. Try out these tips this fall and winter and let us know if you have others:

Unplug, Unplug, Unplug!

Not-so-fun fact of the day: devices use energy whenever they are plugged into an outlet, even if they are fully charged! This means that phone chargers, hair dryers, laptops, blenders – are all using some energy. Not only does this cost you more, but it can also be bad for your devices. Make sure to unplug whatever you are not using. An easy way to keep up on this is to plug your devices into a power strip that can be switched off and on when not in use.

Let There be Light!

LED lights. We’ve known about them for a while now, so it’s about time we all catch up. Swapping your incandescent bulbs for these energy superstars is a win-win for everyone. They give off a brighter light, impose less on your energy bill (savings of about $100 per year), and are better for the environment. And remember to always turn off the lights when you leave the room!

Shower Saver

Replacing your showerhead with a low-flow head can help save water and approximately $145 a year in electricity savings. Low-flow heads release less water per minute, saving you all around. Make sure to keep your shower time brief too (around 10 minutes).

Big Bold Curtains

Add some style and some insulation to your home this winter by hanging some insulated drapes or curtains. Consider curtains that are thick enough to hold in heat, keeping warm air inside rather than letting it escape. Also, consider applying plastic to your windows to add an extra layer of insulation. Check it out here.

Get Energy Star Certified

Looking to renovate or update your home? Review these resources from Energy Star to help make your home appliances eco-friendly. Check out these tax benefits you could be eligible for while you’re at it, too!

Want more ideas to green up your home? Give these links a look: Green Home Guide, Curbed, and Redfin.

Green Tips: Halloween Makeup

For this ghoulish season, makeup is a necessity. From hyper-realistic scabs and spooky eye shadow, to the brushes that make it all possible, you will be sure to look the part. However, all of this personal-care can take a toll on the environment. To help you navigate the scary world of cosmetics, we’ve made a guide to sustainable purchasing in the beauty industry.

Self-care and beauty products comprise a large portion of consumer purchases. As a $445 billion-dollar industry, these consumer goods have a considerable environmental footprint. The cosmetic industry faces sustainability issues around energy consumption, sourcing, formulation, and waste management, to name a few.

Big brands are notorious for excessive packaging that not only adds to the pollution problem, but to the price tag as well. Furthermore, this packaging is often made from mixed material (that glossy label) which is incredibly difficult to recycle, and hold little product, forcing you to toss it out every few months to buy a new bundle of waste.

But this only points to some of the environmental horrors. Along the supply chain, the cosmetic industry racks up a considerable amount of energy usage, which is exacerbated by shipping and transport to retailers all over the country.

There’s hope: Trends show a growing consumer demand for sustainable products, prompting eco-friendly brands to start popping up all throughout the cosmetic industry. Here is a short list of some products to consider:

Afterglow Cosmetics: Offering a wide range of products from application tools to eyeshadows, this brand demonstrates its commitment to quality and sustainability. They suggest a donation to The Conservation Fund upon checkout, use and ship with reusable and recyclable packaging, and are certified cruelty-free and fair trade.
Axiology: For some vibrant lips, give this brand a try. Their lipstick comes in 100% recyclable aluminum, while garnering Sephora’s Clean Seal—cruelty-free and lacking any of those scary chemicals like formaldehyde, sulfates and parabens.
Antonym Cosmetics: While on the more expensive side, we can assure you that with your purchase, you are paying for environmental safety. Antonym uses recycled paper and bamboo as packaging, and includes all vegan, cruelty-free and natural ingredients. Their products are certified by ECOCERT too.
Elate Beauty: This brand is suitable for the zero-waste environmental warrior, offering products in sustainable bamboo and recycled packaging AND refills for most of their cosmetics. Once again, they are vegan, cruelty-free company.
RMS Beauty: This is transparent about their ingredients and sourcing; they package using 100% recyclable glass and tin, and are certified organic, GMO-free and don’t test on animals.
Tint & Tonic: A small, but purposeful brand, selling body paint, hair chalk and other fun beauty supplies. All of their packaging is sustainable and reusable, while their ingredients are naturally sourced.

Don’t forget to check: The makeup industry has long since been self-regulated, meaning most of their standards and certifications come from within the industry itself and not the Food and Drug Administration, making it easier to throw empty promises on labels.

Phrases like “natural” and “organic” can be abused in this industry, making it your job to ensure the products you’re buying fit environmental and health standards. You can double check sustainable ingredients through the Environmental Working Group’s Consumer Guide. As for waste and packaging, look out for the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) and see if your brands pass the test!

Green Tips: Eco-Friendly Halloween Costumes

Halloween is right around the corner, and as you decide what costume you’ll wear we wanted to remind you not to forget about the environment! Check out our tips below for easy, cheap, and fun ways to lower your Halloween footprint.

Buy a costume made from eco-friendly materials. Many store-bought costumes are often made of non-recyclable petrochemical-based plastic and synthetic fibers or contain flame-resistant chemicals. Those Halloween costumes can include one of the scariest plastics – polyvinyl chloride (PVC) – a soft plastic and known carcinogen that releases harmful toxins. Avoid these toxic Halloween costumes and opt for a green costume made of natural fabrics and materials. Some examples of include hemp, linen, organic cotton, soy cashmere/silk, and wool. You can find these fabrics here or here.

Buy second-hand. Thrift stores are great places for costume inspiration! Consignment shops sell previously loved Halloween costumes in all sizes. Buying second hand is a fabulous way to keep clothing out of landfills and it also saves money and supports local charities, like the Salvation Army. Find your favorite thrift store from this list.

Avoid face paint. These types of cosmetics can be hazardous. Children’s makeup sets can contain lead, nickel, cobalt and chromium. Find safe face paint here.

Reuse and hand-it-down. Save your costume for next year or exchange with your friends. Set up a pre-Halloween swap party for costumes. You may also consider donating your costume so that someone else can give it a second life next year.

Make your own costume. Instead of buying costumes that you may never wear again, try making your own costume. See what you can put together from what you already have in your closet. Using your own clothes reduces waste and can result in super creative costumes. Read about some ideas here, here, or here.

Take your Hallo-green celebration to the next level by building your costume idea around sustainability issues. Here are some fun examples:

Captain Planet and the Planeteers

Captain Planet was a popular children’s animated series revolving around a hero and team of diverse teens who use their magic rings to help him take pollution down to zero. Your costume can be as simple or as elaborate as you want.

Recycle Robot

Making a robot out of recyclables is an easy and cheap costume for anyone who doesn’t have the time or money to put together something elaborate. The best part is when the night is over all you have to do is sort the pieces into the proper recycling bin instead of putting it in the back of your closet like many store-bought costumes.

The Lorax

Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax “speaks for the trees.” Make your own costume from anything orange like a T-shirt, tights, or jog pants. Use your own goggles and make your own paper mustache.

Mother Nature

Wear earth-colored clothes and gather some natural materials like leaves, vines, pine cones, and flowers to make a wreath or necklace. Check out Pinterest for some great ideas.

Green Tips: Discover Autumn Colors in New York State

Autumn in New York is a spectacular time to get outdoors and enjoy the many activities New York has to offer, from walking and bicycling to the numerous events and festivals. Peep our suggestions below for walking, hiking, and cycling trails that offer great views, as well as some family-oriented activities.

Hiking and Walking. From the foothills of the Catskill Mountains to the peaks of the Adirondacks, New York is home to one of the most vivid autumns in the country. Whether you see it from a scenic roadway, from up in the air, or from a gorgeous hiking trail, the vibrant fall leaves are a sight to see and a great demonstration of the changing seasons.

With views of Blue Mountain Lake and stunning foliage, Castle Rock in the Adirondacks is for people who want to enjoy the outdoors without spending all day on the trail. A moderate 2.7-mile hike in and out, you can expect scenic outlooks of the Adirondacks as well as some excellent birding spots.

Take in the beauty of the Catskills by climbing Mount Utsayantha where you’ll find stunning views of the autumn landscape. Only one mile from base to peak, it’s a leisurely climb.

Through the Prospect Park Audubon Center in Brooklyn, the Prospect Park Alliance offers a range of public programming to enable visitors to enjoy the wildlife habitats of Prospect Park, which is home to Brooklyn’s last remaining forest and only lake.

Bicycling. Grab your two-wheeler! The weather is just right for some al fresco cycling. Whether you’re looking for serious thrills or tricycle-friendly rolls, you’ll find the perfect pathway in New York State.

The Mohawk-Hudson Bike-Hike Trail connects Albany and Schenectady Counties in Upstate New York, and is part of the gorgeous Erie Canalway Trail. The paved trail makes for a smooth ride, so you can bring your little ones. It’s 40 miles in length, starting in Rotterdam, and boasts spectacular views of native New York greenery and the Mohawk River.

With its scenic views and hilly terrain, Central Park Bike Tours provide cyclists with a relaxing ride or a challenging workout, depending on their interest. Cars are no longer allowed on the paved drives, which are now being shared by runners, walkers, cyclists, skaters, and horse carriages.

Scenic Train Ride. Experience autumn by rail. Board a Fall Foliage Train at Utica’s historic Union Station. Watch as the Adirondack Scenic Railroad takes you through remote forests, above sparkling rivers, and into the magnificent beauty of Adirondack Park.

Apple Picking. There are approximately 600 commercial apple growers in New York State, which provide 10,000 direct jobs and 7,500 indirect jobs.

One place to go apple picking is Lawrence Farms Orchards in Newburgh, which isn’t just teeming with apples—over a dozen varieties including Empire, Cortland and Macintosh are available—but a feast of other delicious offerings are yours for the picking. Visit in autumn for sweet corn, cabbage, winter squash, gourds, and other harvests.

To find another local apple orchard near you, click here.

Fall Festivals. Warwick will hold the 30th annual Applefest this fall, with hundreds of craft and food vendors, free music on several stages, farmers market, apple pie baking & eating contests, carnival, and kids’ activities.

The Great Pumpkin Farm Fall Festival in Clarence also takes place this fall. Every weekend features a special event including an Oinktoberfest BBQ Cookoff, World Pumpkin Weigh-Off, Pumpkin Olympics, Pumpkin Drop, World Pumpkin Pie Eating Competition, Trebuchet Competition, and Costume Contest.

Visit the Queens County Farm Museum for one of their fall events. Families can enjoy the maize maze, pumpkin patch, haunted house, or wildlife weekends.

Follow Proper Etiquette. It is important to follow proper trail etiquette to maintain a minimal impact on the environment and natural resources. Check the weather forecast and current leaf conditions before you leave the house and be prepared for the forecasted conditions or change your plans.

Plan for busier trails. As the leaves begin to change, trailheads and summits will once again be busy and days will continue to get shorter. Plan to arrive early to ensure plenty of daylight and to get a parking spot. Pack a flashlight or headlamp and extra batteries with you on all hikes.

Share the views! If the outlook or summit is smaller, be sure to allow space for everyone to experience the view. Be patient, the view is not going away!

Take photos of memorable views and tag us on Facebook or Twitter – we’ll share so more can enjoy!

Working to Combat Lead Poisoning in NYC

Lead is a highly toxic metal that can have irreversible health impacts, especially on children, causing permanent injuries to their developing brains and bodies. Lead-based paint in homes and buildings is the primary cause of childhood lead poisoning in New York City.

In the past few months, we have seen a considerable amount of news bringing NYC’s lead poisoning problem into the spotlight, whether it’s contaminated school drinking water or lead-based paint in homes. Earlier in the summer, New York Comptroller Scott Stringer officially announced an investigation into the agencies responsible for covering-up the lead crisis in NYC’s public housing.

Because removing toxins from our environment is one of the top priorities in our NYC Policy Agenda, we teamed up with New York Lawyers for the Public Interest and other partners to draft a report on the negative health impacts of lead poisoning in NYC and review the city’s enforcement of its lead poisoning prevention law.

In 2004, NYC enacted Local Law 1 (LL1), which created the country’s most protective measures to identify and remediate housing-based lead hazards and aimed to eliminate childhood lead poisoning by 2010. The law includes proactive lead poisoning prevention measures including mandating that landlords conduct regular inspections and abate lead paint in old apartments (built before 1960) during a vacancy.

The report found that lead paint in homes remains the primary source of lead poisoning today. Because children’s brains and bodies are very susceptible to lead poisoning, they can suffer from acute and chronic injuries caused by elevated blood lead levels such as decreased intelligence, behavioral difficulties, impaired kidney function, and cognitive dysfunction.

We also examined the prevention provisions of LL1, enforcement, and the loopholes that exist in the law. The report found that landlords are, in practice, not being held accountable for non-compliance with the law and that relevant city agencies have largely failed to enforce the primary prevention measures of LL1 since it was enacted. The Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) enforcement data indicates that New York City has never taken any enforcement action against a single landlord for failing to conduct the mandated annual inspections in the 14 years since the law went into effect.

Landlords are also not facing any consequences for failing to provide the required documents indicating that the buildings have been abated before new tenants move in. HPD has only issued 2 violations for the failure to comply with mandatory lead abatements at turnover.

Without meaningful enforcement and engagement with landlords, LL1 will continue to be a complaint-driven system rather than the proactive prevention law it was designed and envisioned to be.

The report also provided detailed recommendations for improving accountability. We included specific recommendations: enforcement of landlord’s annual inquiry and inspection obligations; enforcement of the requirement to eliminate certain lead hazards as soon as an apartment is vacant; safe work practices; and additional data reporting. By implementing our recommendations, the city would be able to proactively eliminate lead poisoning.

We believe that with a clear understanding of the flaws in the current law, the city will be able to strengthen the enforcement efforts of LL1, assuring compliance and transparency among landlords. We will continue to spread awareness about policies that combat lead poisoning.

By: Jackie Shen

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