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Mandatory Curbside Composting Coming to Brooklyn!

New York City’s curbside composting program is coming to all five boroughs before the end of 2024, and the next stop is Brooklyn, with collections beginning on Monday, October 2. 

Under the leadership of Mayor Adams, curbside composting began as a pilot program in Queens, and in just three months it prevented a staggering 12.7 million pounds of yard and food waste from reaching landfills. In January, the mayor announced that the program would expand citywide. 

To be as effective as possible, however, it could not be a voluntary measure. Then, thanks to the leadership in the City Council, the Zero Waste Act was passed this summer. This legislative package included Local Law 85, sponsored by Council Member Shahana Hanif, making curbside composting mandatory as it rolls out across the city over the next year.

Yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper constitute a staggering 34% of all residential waste in New York City and reducing waste sent to landfills is a vital part of New York City’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050. 

When organic waste ends up in landfills, it decomposes and produces methane gas, a greenhouse gas more than 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. This gas further pollutes the air in low-income communities and communities of color, where landfills have historically been situated due to environmental racism.

But the benefits of composting go beyond waste reduction. It also enriches soil quality, enhances water retention, and creates opportunities for parks, green spaces, urban greening, and job growth in composting and urban greening.

What items are eligible for composting? The Department of Sanitation (DSNY) will pick up all leaf and yard waste, food scraps, and food-soiled paper. That includes meat, bones, dairy, prepared foods, and even greasy uncoated paper plates and pizza boxes.

(Do not compost diapers, personal hygiene products, animal waste, wrappers, non-paper packaging, and foam products. And don’t compost otherwise recyclable materials.) 

How do you compost? It’s pretty straightforward. Food scraps and food-soiled paper can be placed in any compost-labeled bin (55 gallons or less) with a secure lid or in your DSNY brown bin. Leaf and yard waste separation will also be mandatory, starting in Brooklyn in October.

You can order bins, decals, tip sheets, and building signage here.

The program will extend to the Bronx and Staten Island on March 25, 2024, and to Manhattan on October 7, 2024.

The city has allocated over $23 million to the program. This includes funding for bin deliveries, outreach, communications, and the hiring of new staff to facilitate collection operations.

For those who live in areas still awaiting curbside composting pickup, the city has organized dozens of food-scrap drop-off points throughout the five boroughs. A map of the locations can be found here. 

For those in Upper Manhattan, you can also use the Smart Compost bins that are placed on street corners. The orange metal containers, located in Morningside Heights, Central Harlem, East Harlem, West Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood, have a scanning link on the front and invite you to download the NYC Compost App with your phone in order to open the bins to dispose of waste.

Mandatory composting has been a long time priority for the League and we applaud Mayor Adams, the City Council, and DSNY Commissioner Tisch for making it a reality. And of course, we salute those who do the real heavy lifting every day of the week, our dedicated sanitation workers—New York’s Strongest.

Additional resources:

NYLCVEF hosted a Lunch and Learn webinar, which can be viewed here.

DSNY will be hosting information sessions on the following dates and times, just follow the links to register:

Other zero waste measures passed by the City Council:

  1. Local Law 86 of 2023, sponsored by Council Member Sandy Nurse, codifies the goal of zero waste by 2030, holding the city accountable and requiring regular reports on progress.

  2. Local Law 87 of 2023, also sponsored by Council Member Nurse, ensures transparency by mandating regular reports on efforts to meet zero waste goals and develop a comprehensive plan.

  3. Local Law 88 of 2023, sponsored by Council Member Keith Powers, brings recycling closer to communities by creating community recycling centers across boroughs.

  4. Local Law 89 of 2023, also sponsored by Council Member Powers, establishes organic waste drop-off sites throughout the city.

It’s Drive Electric Week! Incentives Abound for Your EV Purchase

By Ella Nielsen

Thinking of buying an EV but don’t know where to start? We’ve put together a list of incentives that are available at the federal and state level. 

Federal Tax Credit for New & Used Electric Vehicles 

A federal tax credit is available for drivers purchasing new qualified EVs and FCVs. For vehicles purchased from 2023 to 2032 there is up to $7,500 available in credits. To qualify you must buy it for your own use, and use it primarily in the United States. To qualify the vehicle must have a battery capacity of at least 7 kilowatt hours, weight less than 14,000 pounds, undergo assembly in North America and be made by a qualified manufacturer. See Credits for New Vehicles for a full list of qualifying vehicles and additional criteria related to modified gross income (AGI), retail price, and how to claim the credit. 

A federal tax credit is available for drivers purchasing qualified used EVs and FCVs. The credit equals 30% of the sale price up to a maximum credit of $4,000. The vehicle must be purchased from a licensed dealer for $25,000 or less, have a model year of at least 2 years earlier than the calendar year when the vehicle was purchased to qualify. See Credits for Used Vehicles for a full list of qualifying vehicles and additional criteria related to modified gross income (AGI), retail price, and how to claim the credit. 

New York State

The Charge NY initiative offers New York State residents a point-of-sale rebate towards purchasing or leasing a new EV. Over 60 car models qualify for the Drive Clean Rebate with a discount of up to $2,000 when you purchase from a participating dealer. The Drive Clean Rebate amount depends on the all-electric range of the car model, vehicles with ranges greater than 200 miles receive the full rebate amount. Unless a model year is specific in the qualifying models all model years are eligible for specified models. 

New York state also offers discounts on tolls for electric vehicle drivers, including the Thruway Authority’s Green Pass Discount Plan. 

Utilities

Local energy utilities may offer incentives, check out the list below to find what your utility offers. 

Con Edison

NYSEG

Central Hudson

PSEG LI

National Grid

There has never been a better time to buy an electric vehicle, check out NYLCVEF’s  factsheets below to learn more information about the benefits of EVs:

State of Electric Vehicles in NY

Electric Vehicles on the Market

Get The Facts On Electric Vehicles: Range Anxiety & Charging

The Economics of Purchasing & Owning an EV

Fighting Climate Change At Home

By Peter Aronson

With fall almost here, it’s a great time to fight climate change at home with energy efficient changes and upgrades.

Even small adjustments made by renters, homeowners and businesses, when added up town by town and city by city, can make a significant difference in reducing our collective carbon footprint. 

The Inflation Reduction Act and state and local governments offer financial incentives for a variety of energy-saving changes, such as installing solar and upgrading insulation to buying energy-efficient appliances.

Let’s start with some basic suggestions to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions at home:

  1. In winter lower your thermostat and in summer raise it;
  2. Change to smart thermostats, which allow for easier and energy-efficient heat and cooling regulation;
  3. Repair air leaks in windows and doors (This often can be done by installing weather stripping);
  4. Install energy efficient windows if you are a homeowner or ask your landlord to do it, if you rent;
  5. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs;
  6. Switch to energy-efficient electric appliances;
  7. Wash laundry in cold water and hang dry whenever possible;
  8. If a homeowner, install a solar roof;
  9. Use green cleaning products;
  10. If you don’t already do so, start recycling and composting. (NYC is in the process of rolling out its citywide composting program); 
  11. If a homeowner, replace an oil or gas furnace with an electric heat pump, or if a renter, encourage your landlord to do so; and
  12. And do a little spring cleaning in the fall. Go through your closets. If you don’t need certain items, donate it to charity, instead of throwing it in the garbage, where it will end up in a landfill. If you need something, buy something gently used at a vintage shop. 

The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides financial incentives in the way of tax credits for many of the changes listed above. 

“New York homeowners can use IRA tax credits to reduce the cost of home energy efficiency improvements, energy-saving renovations, and installing efficient heating and cooling systems,” according to the New York State Website outlining the IRA options. 

NYLCV has compiled a set of IRA consumer guides, and a second New York State website lists myriad financial incentives for energy-efficient changes in homes and businesses in counties and regions all across the state.

Other Resources

  • Con Ed also explains financial incentives attached to some of the improvements.
  • The UN provides Act Now tips for greening your home and life and helpful renewable-energy info.
  • GreenAmerica provides links for how to make many of the changes listed above and where to buy certain green products.
  • NPR offers a 20-minute tutorial on how to green your home.
  • If you want to calculate your families’ current carbon footprint, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides a carbon footprint calculator.

And our final thought. Always remember the four Rs, because they apply to your home, as well as every aspect of life (and it can stand as your mantra for the week): Reduce, reuse, repair and recycle.  

Update on Efforts to Reduce Lead in New York State’s School Drinking Water

As classes are set to begin this week for K-12 students, the quality of school drinking water – particularly when it comes to lead – is top of mind for many parents, and for good reason.

Lead is a heavy metal and a known neurotoxin, particularly harmful to the developing brain and nervous system of children. There is no safe level of lead exposure and even small amounts can harm a child’s growth, behavior, and ability to learn.

In 2016, New York State became the first in the nation to enact a law requiring all public schools to test for, report to the school community about, and fix issues concerning lead in drinking water at all outlets used for consumption. 

Here’s an update on the program:

New NYS Department of Health Report Released; Positive news but incomplete data

The NYS Department of Health recently released its 2021 biennial report providing an overview of the program’s status, including a summary of test results, program implementation updates and actions taken. This report covers the “Round 2” period of testing, which occurred from January 1, 2020 – June 30, 2021. 

For Round 2, approximately 96% of the drinking water yielded results below the lead action level of 15 ppb, the current standard. This is an improvement from “Round 1” (2016-2017) where 94% percent of the outlets were below the lead action level. 

What is troubling about this report, however, is the declining level of disclosure by public school districts to the Department of Health. 

  • In the 2019 biennial report covering Round 1 testing, information from nearly 99% of all schools buildings were provided to the Department of Health with results. 
  • In the 2021 biennial report covering Round 2 testing, information from only 93% buildings were reported – a 6% drop. 
    • A deeper look at the data shows that this 6% represents nearly 300 building reports that are missing from the Department of Health dataset. These missing reports are spread around 89 school districts which represents 13% of all school districts which means only 87% of all school districts have fully complied with Round 2 reporting.

                                                                                      Source data: https://health.data.ny.gov

We urge the Department of Health to immediately reach out to school districts that have not submitted all of their reports for Round 2 to ensure compliance with this program.

School drinking water in your area may be getting cleaner thanks to a new state law that took effect late last year.

New regulations advocated by NYLCV and its allies went into effect on December 22, 2022, revising and improving upon the landmark 2016 law creating the Safe School Drinking Water Act. These revisions signed into law by Governor Hochul, will get even more lead out of our school drinking water and close loopholes in the initial program as such:

  • While there is no safe level of lead, the “action level” for lead in drinking water is now 5 parts per billion (ppb), reduced from 15 ppb
    • This change makes New York State the largest state with the most protective health standard in the country, stronger that the federal Lead and Copper Rule

  • Water testing will now occur triennially (every 3 years) reduced from every five years 
    • Schools must initiate their testing between January 1, 2023, through December 31, 2025, with school districts such as New York City and Schenectady already getting started

  • School buildings that previously were declared “lead-free” are no longer exempt from testing requirements
  • Copies of lead sampling results including laboratory reports must be made available to the public and posted on the school’s website
    • An improvement in transparency 

  • Clarifies that if it’s necessary to provide water to school occupants following the temporary removal of a drinking water source, it must be provided free of charge
    • A win for equity and a commonsense approach

See the Future of Clean Energy at the Great New York State Fair!

The Great New York State Fair in Syracuse is renowned for its delicious treats, charming farm animals, exhilarating rides, and, of course, the iconic butter sculpture. But this year, amidst all the traditional fun, you will also have the chance to explore the future of clean energy at the “Clean Energy Corner,” proudly presented by the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund (NYLCVEF) and its partner organizations, and located at booth #133 in the Center of Progress Building (to the right of the Sand Sculpture).

At NYLCVEF, we believe in the power of education and awareness to drive positive change. That’s why we’ve teamed up with a group of terrific partners, including the Alliance for Clean Energy NY (ACE NY), Alliance for a Green Economy (AGREE), Climate Change Awareness and Action (CCAA), New Yorkers for Clean Power (NYCP), and United Solar Energy Supporters (USES USA). Together, we’re bringing you an engaging and interactive experience about the ongoing renewable energy revolution happening in New York State.

Here’s what’s in store:

  • Games and Activities: Bring the kids!! We’ve curated an array of games and activities that cater to both children and adults. Explore, learn, and have a blast while uncovering the wonders of clean energy.
  • Stay Informed: Want to stay updated on the latest developments in the world of renewable energy? Visitors can sign up to receive information from NYLCVEF as well as all the participating organizations. This is your chance to stay connected and make a difference.
  • Virtual Reality Solar Farm Tour: Step into our captivating virtual reality tour of a solar farm. Immerse yourself in the world of solar energy production and witness firsthand how this technology is reshaping our energy landscape.
  • Vote for the Future: Which renewable technology is the most fascinating to you? Now’s your chance to voice your opinion! Participate in our informal voting activity and let us know which renewable technology you’re most eager to learn about.

The “Clean Energy Corner” is open to all fairgoers from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily until September 4. Whether you’re a curious kid, an eco-conscious adult, or someone who simply wants to explore the future of energy, our booth is a must-see.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to engage, learn, and be inspired by the potential of clean energy, all while having a little fun.

Look out for Team NYLCVEF—Caroline Hahn, Andrew Williams, Marla Klinger (pictured above, far left), and Alexis Hidalgo—who will be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Join us as we journey into a clean energy future. See you at the fair!

New Report: No Excuses, NYC: Replace Lead Drinking Water Pipes Now

By Grace Prince

According to a new report by the New York City Coalition to End Lead Poisoning, an estimated 1 in 5 New Yorkers may be drinking from lead service lines (LSLs). The report, No Excuses, NYC: Replace Lead Drinking Water Pipes Now, co-authored by the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Fund, and Earthjustice, identifies the problem of LSLs in the City and recommends urgent action towards their immediate removal. 

The CDC, American Academy of Pediatrics and other prominent health organizations all agree that there is no safe level of lead exposure. Lead poisoning can have adverse health effects at any age level, however, young children and infants are most at risk. 

LSLs are the lead pipes that connect the city water mains under the street to residences and are the biggest source of lead in drinking water. During the early 20th century, the use of LSLs for drinking water was heavily marketed in cities across the U.S. until the public became aware of the effect lead pipes can have on human health. 

“New York City’s drinking water supply is the envy of many other cities. Yet, for all of the money we have invested to protect our watershed, our return on investment is greatly diminished with each lead service line that remains in the ground,” said Joshua Klainberg, Senior Vice President for the New York League of Conservation Voters Education Fund.

The report has already garnered attention in New York City and beyond. In addition to City Limits, NY1, the Gothamist, and the Guardian all featured the findings.

The Lead and Copper Rule is Failing 

While a federal ban was placed on lead pipes in 1986, and New York City banned them in 1961, the EPA does not require the replacement of legacy lead pipes underground. Health experts and state regulators agree that the removal of LSLs is a necessary part of any health-protective drinking water standard. But the EPA Lead and Copper Rule, which regulates lead in drinking water, is failing to protect the health of communities because it does not require water systems to completely replace lead pipes.

Contaminants in drinking water are typically regulated based on a “maximum contaminant level” (MCL), which is the level of the contaminant before known or anticipated adverse health effects may occur. The MCL for lead in water is zero, however the EPA failed to codify an MCL for lead and instead implemented a “treatment technique” designed to reduce lead levels within a water system. 

This technique is wholly inadequate because the treatment process does not require that the water system reduce lead levels below a certain amount—or in many cases, at all. Furthermore, the frequency at which water systems are required to test for lead varies and fails to account for the fluctuation that can occur from day to day. Lead exposure is often episodic, meaning that on one day, lead levels could be near zero, while the next they could reach extremely high levels, making testing for lead levels insufficient unless done over an extended period of time. 

The problem reaches every borough. Compared to the citywide lead or possible LSL average of 42%, Staten Island (39%) and Queens (40%) are below the average while three—Brooklyn (46%), Manhattan (44%), and the Bronx (42%)–are at or above the average.  

The same report found that nearly half of the neighborhoods with the highest number of lead or possible LSLs are also neighborhoods with the highest percentage of elevated blood lead levels for children under the age of six. While it is impossible to know for certain the source of the lead poisoning, the high degree of LSLs in these neighborhoods deserve a closer look by the DEP and the NYC Department of Health.

“This report should be a wake-up call for the city, as lead is a dangerous neurotoxin with health impacts that last a lifetime,” said Lonnie Portis, New York City Policy and Advocacy Manager at WE ACT for Environmental Justice.“It confirms that lead service lines are located primarily in low-income communities and communities of color, like East Harlem, which is ranked second highest in the city for potential lead water contamination. These are the same neighborhoods where the majority of the homes with lead paint are located, and with some of the worst air pollution in the city.

Newark Shows the Way Forward

Answers on how to replace LSLs quickly, efficiently, equitably, and affordably lie across the Hudson in Newark, New Jersey. 

Following an NRDC lawsuit on behalf of local schoolteachers, Newark replaced all of its lead service lines in under three years. Key to its success was an ordinance that fully funded the mandated replacement of all lead service lines in the city. The full report details more of the provisions that led to Newark’s success, but experts agree both the requirement of the removal of the pipes and the provision of funding for the project were essential components. 

“Cities like Newark, NJ have demonstrated that complete replacement of lead pipelines is possible and proving to be successful in reducing toxic lead exposure,” said Marissa Lieberman-Klein, associate attorney at Earthjustice. “We urge NYC lawmakers to take action and help prevent toxic lead exposure, especially for our children who can be irreparably harmed by lead in their drinking water.”

The report estimates that replacing all of the lead service lines in NYC would cost around $1.35 billion or around $8,800 per LSL. A mandated replacement program can help reduce costs by utilizing economies of scale and with contractors covering large areas of the city at a time, resulting in less cost per LSL removal. Add to that the state and federal sources of funding available, removing LSLs could come at a minimal financial cost to New Yorkers. 

Having identified the problem, the solution, and sources of funding, what we need now is the political will.  The report calls on the NYC City Council to pass a local law, similar to that of Newark, mandating the replacement of all lead service lines within ten years, at little or no cost to New Yorkers.  

“It’s not rocket science,” Joan Matthews, a senior attorney for the NRDC, told City Limits. “We know what the problem is. We know what needs to be done. And now we need to have our local government officials make it happen.” 

Read No Excuses, NYC: Replace Lead Drinking Water Pipes Now 

A Responsible Trip to the Great Outdoors: Your Guide to Leave No Trace

By Nate Cohen

Sunny skies, long days, warm weather—summer is the perfect time to enjoy the outdoors. Luckily, New York State is brimming with stunning destinations for both day trips and overnight adventures. From the Catskill and Adirondack mountains to the beaches of Long Island, to the many lakes, waterfalls, and scenic vistas that define our state parks, there is no shortage of places to explore. However, outdoor recreation can also have its drawbacks—namely harm to plants and wildlife. So before you embark on your next adventure, remember these key Leave No Trace principles.

What is Leave No Trace?

Leave No Trace, or LNT for short, is perhaps the most basic conservation principle. You might hear it from park rangers, or see it on a posted sign or on a trail map. The precise meaning of LNT will change based on the environment and activity, but these are the basic principles:

  • Practice Proper Waste Disposal

Whether hiking, sunbathing or camping out, be sure not to leave any trash of any kind behind. Dispose of all food and non-food waste in a garbage can, or carry it out with you. This may require some planning, by carrying in an empty garbage bag with you if no garbage cans are available on site. The reason for this is simple: Even food waste can severely alter and harm an ecosystem. And you certainly don’t want to leave litter behind for the next visitor to see.

If nature calls, use a trowel to dig a hole at least 200 feet from a water source. After you finish your business, be sure to cover the hole completely. This avoids contamination of nearby water sources, preventing the spread of water-borne illnesses.

  • Leave What You Find

Visitors should avoid altering the natural setting of an environment. As tempting as it may be to pick flowers or collect shells or pebbles on your next hike, camping trip or beach outing, LNT dictates that you leave these natural artifacts behind. Moreover, visitors should avoid physically altering nature by doing anything destructive, including hammering nails or carving initials into trees. We want the natural beauty to remain as is for future visitors.

  • Respect Wildlife

For some, witnessing wildlife can be the highlight of their outdoor adventure. For others, a wildlife encounter may be their worst fear. Regardless, when exploring outdoors, you should be aware of the creatures who inhabit the area and the dangers they pose. Wildlife may be unpredictable, cause serious injuries, or spread disease. Thus, to ensure your safety, avoid feeding or touching wild animals. It’s also best to avoid carrying scented items, including food in open containers. This can attract wildlife and create a hazard. 

Following these principles can go a long way towards protecting the environment and wildlife, and ensuring the outdoors remains pristine for future visitors. 

Green Tips: Plastic Free July 2023

By Peter Aronson

It’s a no-brainer that we need to eliminate plastic waste from our earth. 

Plastic production, transport and waste contribute substantially to global warming and plastic pollution is a global disaster, choking oceans, contaminating water supplies and endangering human, plant and animal health.

With Plastic Free July almost here, it’s a great opportunity for everyone to take the pledge and establish plastic-free habits that will last a lifetime.

Plastic Free July was established in 2011 by the Plastic Free Foundation in Australia to bring attention to the overwhelming dangers of plastic pollution. Over the last 12 years, hundreds of millions of people have participated with a stated goal of eliminating all plastic waste around the world. In 2022, it’s estimated that 140 million people from 195 countries participated in various ways, from educational programs to clean-up days to establishing new plastic-free habits. 

According to earthday.org fact sheets, humans produce 400 million tons of plastic waste a year and less than eight percent of that is recycled. Every minute of every day, humans buy a staggering one million plastic water bottles and annually we use five trillion plastic bags, most of which end up in rivers, oceans, landfills or somehow in our food supply. Among the other startling and scary facts: Microplastics are present in almost every water system in the world, and chemicals from plastic containers are found in most urine samples and in most breast milk in the developed world.

“Plastic is now in our blood stream, attaching itself to our heart, lungs, kidneys, and brains,” earthday.org says, adding that “Plastic particles can last for thousands of years.” 

The MIT Climate Portal reports, not surprisingly, that the United States produces more plastic waste than any other country. “Something from Amazon.com that was packaged one day ago, you throw the packaging out,” said Christopher Noble, MIT’s Environmental Solutions Initiative’s Director of Corporate Engagement. “That packaging was used for 24 hours and then is thrown into a landfill.” It will take decades to decompose, and this produces dangerous greenhouse gasses as it does.

The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that throughout their lifecycle, plastics have a significant carbon footprint, emitting 3.4% of all global greenhouse gas emissions.

The plastic industry emits greenhouse gasses at every stage, from material extraction to production to disposal and incineration, according to many reports, including those by MIT and the World Bank. MIT, citing a 2019 report from the Center for International Environmental Law, says the plastic industry by 2030 will be releasing greenhouse gas emissions equal to the entire continent of Africa.

The World Bank, in its 2021 report, explained that plastics originate from fossil fuels, with the plastics industry accounting for six percent of global oil consumption. Thus, if we reduce the use of plastic, we reduce the dependence on oil and the greenhouse-gas producing processes of extracting and distilling oil. Among its other disturbing details: 1) A garbage truck equivalent of plastic waste is dumped into the ocean every minute. Marine plastic pollution breaks down into microplastics and contributes to global warming through GHG emissions and indirectly by impacting ocean organisms; and 2) Open burning of plastic and other waste is a common practice in South Asia and the developing world, with it a particular problem in India and Nepal. This burning leads to the dangerous air pollutant called black carbon and is responsible for half the visible smog in New Delhi. The global warming potential of black carbon is up to 5,000 times greater than that of carbon dioxide.  

It’s imperative that we reduce our reliance on plastic. Reefrelief.org lists 50 ways to do so. Below are their most common examples and a few of our own:

  1. Stop buying bottled water. Use a reusable container and take it with you when you leave the house;
  2. Stop using plastic bags of any kind. Use reusable cloth bags, including those for vegetables, and take them with you whenever you leave the house;
  3. Do not purchase fruits and vegetables in plastic containers; Purchase items loose or those in compostable or reusable containers. Shopping at your local farmers market makes this easier;
  4. Start a plastic-free program at a business, school, building or in your community;
  5. Use glass, not plastic, storage containers; and
  6. Use your own reusable cup when purchasing to-go coffee or other drinks. 

Search the internet for Plastic Free July events near you. Madison Square Park Conservancy in NYC will hold events, with info here. 

Earthday.org’s toolkit for starting a plastic-free life can be found here. 

Take our Plastic Free July pledge here! 

Green Tips for Spring Cleaning

By Peter Aronson

The term spring cleaning should take on new meaning as we all strive to make our homes and communities more environmentally sustainable.

Websites from Planet Aid to Eartheasy to One Tree Planted to Bob Vila’s home improvement site all have articles suggesting ways to spring clean while collectively lowering our carbon footprints.

When reading these articles, one thought stands out: This is an opportunity for a reset, to start new, green habits that will carry on even well past spring.

Here’s a compilation of their suggestions, all quite easy to do:

  1. Use reusable rags, not paper towels to clean;

  2. Use homemade or eco-friendly cleaning solutions. Homemade cleaning solutions can be made with vinegar, lemon, essential oils and baking soda. See webmd article for details;

  3. Donate, don’t toss. Donate old clothes, furniture, books and knick-knacks to an appropriate charity. Upcycling items we no longer need reduces waste going to landfills and helps individuals less fortunate;

  4. Start participating in local composting … or get ready to do so. It’s now available throughout Queens and in some areas of the Bronx, Brooklyn and Manhattan, and coming soon to every New Yorker. For more info on NYC composting, click here. (PS: You’ll be amazed how much fun it is placing compostable food waste in a biodegradable bag and dumping it in a curbside bin. All you have to do is download the NYC Smart Compost app to your phone.)

    Also, if you want to clean out your fridge and shelves, compost food past date, and donate canned food that’s still good.

    If you don’t live in New York City, search the Internet for composting sites in your community;

  5. With more local fresh produce on the way at your local green market, start buying produce not contained in plastic containers or plastic bags and then continue this practice past spring and summer. Reuse old containers, paper bags, or buy reusable plastic bags, easily found on the Internet;
  6. While you’re at it, start using recyclable trash bags for all your garbage;

  7. If you haven’t already, make a commitment to using reusable bags whenever shopping for anything;

  8. If you have an outdoor space, dry laundry outside, instead of using a dryer;

  9. Seal doors and windows that were drafty during the winter;

  10. Although this should be encouraged any time of the year, since spring brings many signs of change, make a commitment to canceling delivery of all paper statements. It’s surprisingly easy to do online. If you can’t figure out how to do it, ask someone who is more familiar with these tasks; and

  11. Unless it’s too unbearably hot, try opening the windows instead of using air conditioning. The less electricity we use, the lower our carbon footprint.

For more info about all of these suggestions, please see: One Tree Planted, Eartheasy, Planet Aid and Bob Vila’s home improvement tips. 

Happy green spring cleaning!

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