Upper Green Side

Upper East Side Computer Recycling Day

Saturday, September 29, 2007 9 am – 3 pm

Benefiting PerScholas and its Comp2Kids program here in New York City!

EQUIPMENT DROP OFF LOCATION (Rain or Shine):
The Hewitt School 45 East 75th Street between Madison and Park Avenues on day of event only.

Look for the PerScholas truck !

More Information on this Event at UESrecycles.com

If you can’t bring your computer to the Event, pickup may be available from the lobby of apartments on the lower east side Friday evening or Saturday morning!

info@UESrecycles.com

WHY SHOULD YOU RECYCLE YOUR OLD COMPUTER EQUIPMENT?
Computers contain hazardous substances that can get into ground water – CRT screens alone contain up to 8 POUNDS of lead! PerScholas will upgrade and recycle your computer to benefit its Comp2Kids program.

A student without a computer simply cannot succeed in today’s classroom or tomorrow’s workplace.

WHAT CAN BE RECYCLED?
Computers Laptops Monitors Printers Cables Cell Phones
We accept PCs and Macs. All equipment can be in working or non-working condition. We welcome all computer accessories as well including keyboards, mice, internet networking devices (ie routers)

There is no charge to recycle, however donations (cash or check to PerScholas) are welcomed and appreciated. PerScholas will data wipe all hard drives on functioning computers and mechanically shred hard drives on computers which will not turn on.

About PerScholas:

PerScholas, a nonprofit organization based in the South Bronx has three primary goals:

• Bring affordable technology to underserved children and families through Comp2Kids
• Train unemployed adults to become certified computer technicians
• Provide environmentally responsible recycling of computer equipment

The Upper East Side Computer Recycling Day is sponsored by The Hewitt School.

Town Hall Meeting – June 14, 2007

written by Alex Dorival, Upper Green Side Treasurer

Glenn and I went to what was my first town hall meeting on Thursday, June 14. It was a packed auditorium at Hunter College’s School of Social Work on 79th Street. Answering questions were Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer (who had to leave early), Councilmembers Dan Garodnick (who came for the latter half) and Jessica Lappin and Deputy Inspector James Murtagh of the 19th Precinct.

When Stringer asked for people to line up to ask questions, the line stretched to the back of the auditorium. No one thought we’d get through all of them in two hours (we did!) Many of the answers were politics as usual (“I made sure that this got done…These people are to blame…Our hands are somewhat tied…”) but everyone who had a concern seemed satisfied with how our elected officials handled the issues presented to them.

Questions focused on affordable housing (or lack thereof), illegal vendors, advertising on lampposts and the sides of buildings and the upkeep/elimination of newsracks. Other questions and answers follow in more detail:
Continue reading Town Hall Meeting – June 14, 2007…

Upper West Side Electronics Recycling Event

There’s an upcoming Electronics Recycling event on the Upper West Side, where you can drop off your unwanted or broken electronics for recycling.

Date: Saturday, May 12, 2007
Time: 10 am - 3 pm
Location: Cathedral of St. John the Divine - Cathedral North Yard Gate - 112th/113th Streets on Amsterdam Avenue

What’s Accepted:

• Computers, Monitors, Printers and Toner Cartridges, Keyboards, Mice and Cables
• TVs (no wooden consoles please, only plastic cases), DVDs and VCRs
• Fax Machines, Cell Phones and Pagers
• Stereo and other Electronic Equipment

Not Accepted: Household Appliances and Cameras

Receipts will be available for tax purposes. This event is being organized by Per Scholas, who have been reconditioning and recycling E-Waste since 1999. In addition to making low-cost computers available to children and adults who cannot afford a new computer, Per Scholas also trains local youth for full-time jobs as computer technicians. They ask that you make a small voluntary contribution of $1 per piece of equipment in order to defray transportation and processing costs.

For more information call Per Scholas: (718) 772-0651

Electronics Recycling & Clothing Donation Event

There’s an upcoming Electronics Recycling & Clothing Donation event, where you can drop off your unwanted or broken electronics for recycling, and your gently used clothing and linens for donation. Free for NYC residents.

Date: Sunday, April 22, 2007
Time: 8 am - 2 pm (rain or shine)
Location: Union Square, North Plaza

Acceptable electronics: computers & laptops, monitors, printers, scanners, keyboards & mice, TVs, cell phones.

Acceptable clothing & linens: pants, dresses, shirts, sweaters, shoes, handbags, belts, blankets, towels, sheets, curtains, tablecloths. Only donate clean, gently used clothing & linens. Place donated items in plastic bags and tie securely to avoid moisture contamination. Tax-deduction receipts will be available from Goodwill upon request.

For more info on other events and recycling options, visit NYCWasteLe$$ or call 311.

Upper East Side Electronics Recycling

We all love our electronics — in turns they make our lives easier, more enjoyable, and enhance our abilities. But they’re chock full of lead and other heavy metals, and as the fastest growing portion of our waste stream, it’s often very hard to figure out what to do with them when their lives are over.

That’s why the Carnegie Hill/Yorkville CSA, in conjunction with the Church of the Heavenly Rest and Lower East Side Ecology Center, will be hosting an electronics recycling event on Tuesday, September 19th at The Church of Heavenly Rest on 5th Avenue and 90th Street. Bring your outdated toys and dispose of them responsibly — acceptable electronic equipment includes computers, fax machines, TVs, stereos, cell phones and more.

For more information, see the Carnegie Hill/Yorkville CSA and Lower East Side Ecology Center websites.

UPDATE: Of course, if your electronics are still in working order and you just don’t want them anymore, let someone else get some use out of them. You can try selling them online, or passing them on to people in your community with Freecycle, an innovative project that harnesses the power of e-mail to connect people with things they want to throw away with others who can use those things. The New York City Freecycle group is very large and active.

Citizens for NYC Grants Upper Green Side $1000

Yesterday a small ceremony was held to mark Upper Green Side’s first funding, two grants from Citizens for NYC totalling $1000. Following are some photos from the event. In the first, Upper Green Side’s founder Glenn McAnamana reads our statement while Peter Kostmayer, Executive Director of Citizens for NYC, to his right, and Matthew Roth from Transportation Alternatives, on the far right, look on (two assistants hold up the sign in the middle):

Next Matthew Roth from Transportation Alternatives, which is assisting Upper Green Side with organizing, read a statement:

Then Peter Kostmayer from Citizens for NYC gave some words as he prepared to hand the check to Glenn. Jonathan Moody, a representative from Council Member Jessica Lappin’s office, was also on hand to Glenn’s left:

Here’s a nice shot of Glenn accepting the check for Upper Green Side:

Finally, everyone posed for a shot with the Citizens for NYC banner:

Big Crowds At 82nd St Greenmarket Opening

The weather smiled on the new Greenmarket at St. Stephen of Hungary (82nd St. between First and York), which drew large crowds for opening day. Two vendors back in the courtyard sold cheese, baked goods and veggies while three vendors out on the street sold fruit, more veggies, juice, flowers and more:

A long line stretched out in front of the church — shoppers were eager to have their chance at the vendors’ fresh fruits and veggies:

The crowd filled the sidewalk in the other direction, and it was great to see so many people talking, sharing recipes, bringing their dogs and children with them to shop:

The three vendors on the sidewalk were definitely kept busy; the two vendors in St. Stephen’s courtyard — selling cheese and baked goods — were more secluded:

Council Member Jessica Lappin, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer and St. Stephen’s Pastor Angelo were on hand for a special ribbon-cutting ceremony:

Not pictured, but also present, were representatives from the Council on the Environment for NYC, members of Community Board 8, and of course, Glenn McAnanama, founder of Upper Green Side, who received some much-deserved praise from Lappin and others.

82nd St Greenmarket Ribbon Cutting

Via Community Board 8 [PDF], and also covered by The Upper East Side Community Corner:

City Council Member Jessica Lappin, who has been instrumental in bringing Greenmarkets to the Upper East Side, will celebrate the opening of a Greenmarket at St. Stephens of Hungary Parish on Saturday, July 8th at 9:30am. St. Stephens is located at 414 East 82nd Street (between York and 1st Avenues).

Council Member Lappin will be joined at the ribbon cutting ceremony by officials from the Council on the Environment of NYC, Community Board Eight and other elected officials.

The Greenmarket will usually run every Saturday from 10:00am to 3:00pm through December and will include organic fruits and vegetables, cheese products, and baked goods.

“I am thrilled to have a Greenmarket in our community that will bring fresh and healthy produce to area residents,” Lappin stated.

Promoting Greenmarkets

Some more lovely photos of Sunday’s 92nd Street Greenmarket Celebration, from Council Member Dan Garodnick’s office. At left, Garodnick and the Mayor get ready to cut the ribbon on the Greenmarket. Below, shoppers enjoy the fresh produce.

Help us promote the new 92nd Street and 82nd Street Greenmarkets. Print and distribute this poster [PDF] to let your fellow Upper East Siders know about the new markets. Remember not to post on street poles — that’s illegal. Good places: dry cleaners, laundromats, cafes, doorman buildings (just give it to the doorman, they’ll post it), etc.

And if you’re free on July 8th or July 9th, we’d love to have your help four an hour or two those opening days to flyer around the markets to help draw people to them. Contact or join us to help out.

CitySol: Showcasing Sustainability

This Sunday, July 2nd, from 1pm to 8pm, sees the first in this summer’s monthly music and markets series, CitySol, hosted by Solar One, the green energy, arts and education center at Stuyvesant Cove Park:

Citysol celebrates the idea that greening New York is about unleashing, not taming, the city and its energy. Each free all-day event includes: renewable energy-powered live music featuring emerging NYC acts, interactive exhibits showcasing key innovations, practices and policies for New York’s sustainable future, and a green lifestyle marketplace offering apparel, electronics, household goods, media and much more.

Stuyvesant Cove Park, off FDR Drive at 22nd and 23rd Streets, is maintained by Solar One under a long-term lease with the city, and has been designated as a Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. They use sustainable maintenance practices, run a variety of community events, and are building a full-scale environmental learning center.