Archive for the ‘New York’ Category

When the time comes to replace your couch, dining room chairs or even a few lamps ever think of  slightly used?  I am speaking of gently used furniture that is still in good condition.  This can be a great way to not only save money but also to help the environment and live a greener lifestyle.  Look no further than The Freecycle Network, found online at www.freecycle.org.  

            Freecycle is a locally based grassroots organization where people come together via the internet and give away gently used items that they no longer need.  The process is simple: place an ad in your local area in the group listing .  The ad is reviewed by the freecycle website people and in no time you can connect with a potential buyer.  When a buyer is interested they directly contact the donator of the item and arrangements are made for an easy and hassle free pick up.

            It’s a grassroots organization and a nonprofit movement of people who are giving both giving and receiving on a local level for the good of their communities and the environment. Each local group is moderated by a local volunteer and membership is free.  Freecycle has created a place where people can help each other to get great gently used items and save money while promoting recycling and reusing . 

            Start A Freecycle™ Group – If you are interested in starting a Freecycle™ group in your area, this page will help you find out how we can help you.

Josie’s Restaurant has been a longtime favorite of mine for casual vegetarian dining, although their menu includes fish and poultry as well.  They have two locations, one on the upper west side of Manhattan and one in midtown.  I recommend the sushi appetizer, which is vegetarian, and absolutely scrumptious.  They offer free range meats and all organic produce from local vendors.  They also have a quite impressive juice bar selection and the freshness of their fruits is undeniable!  Both locations offer ambient, aesthetically pleasing  settings and the service is wonderful.  Josie’s is the perfect place to take a first date or a group of friends.  I have included a rave review from NY Magazine:

In these uncertain agricultural times, people question where their food comes from, and Louis Lanza, chef-owner of both Josie’s on the Upper West Side and its Murray Hill outpost, is full of reassuring answers, most of them printed right on the menu. The sleek design shatters every health-food-restaurant cliche. All appetizers and main dishes are dairy free but not necessarily meat free, so vegans can enjoy a veggie “meatloaf ” while meat eaters wolf down a natural, free-range meat dish. A mixed-eating-habit couple can put together a nice, inexpensive meal by ordering one entrée each and splitting an order of steamed dumplings in a creamy red pepper coulis or a side of mashed sweet potatoes with cranberries. — Rob Patronite and Robin Raisfeld

The New York Botanical Garden has an amazing Edible Garden exhibit where you’ll learn things like how to grow sustainable fruits and veggies and turn food scraps into nutrient-rich soil.  The lovely heirloom tomatoes pictured above were organically grown this summer in the fertile grounds at The Botanical Gardens in the Bronx.  Kids will enjoy the Pizza Garden for a hands-on look at planting basil, wheat, tomatoes, and oregano.  If you get hungry hit the 250-acre edible garden, where you can buy fresh produce from local farmers on Wednesdays and Sundays.  When you grow or buy organic produce, no toxic pesticides go into you, your family, or the environment.  Plus, locally grown food is safe to eat and you know exactly where it came from and how it was grown;  Help our planet and lower your carbon footprint buy local and grow your own food when possible, plus it  doesn’t require major CO2-spewing shipping.

Edible Gardens at New York Botanical Garden Southern Blvd., Bronx (718-817-8700). Tickets, $20/adults; $8/kids.

Not many automotive companies brag about how many vehicles they’ve managed to retire. But that’s one of the ways Zipcar, the country’s largest car-sharing service, measures success. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the car rental service has a fleet of 2,000 vehicles, 10 percent of them hybrids, available to drivers from Toronto to Minneapolis to Boston and Washington, D.C. Some 40 percent of Zipcar’s 70,000 members say that by participating they’ve avoided buying a new vehicle or gotten rid of an old one.  Each and every Zipcar takes 15-20 personally-owned vehicles off the road. Multiply that by the more than 6,500 cars in their fleet and you’ve got a really big number.  It seems that Zipcar has stumbled onto something really big because 10% of the population is expected to adopt car sharing as their primary mode of transportation. Break it down and you have millions of people saving billions of gallons of gas and oil. Factor in the savings and you’ve got an economic revolution.

Since it was founded in 1999, the company estimates it has taken 25,000 cars off the road. Members pay a $25 application fee to join and as little as $7.50 an hour, or $51 a day, for a car, picking up the vehicles from parking spaces in their neighborhoods without ever interacting with a clerk. According to company surveys, the average Zipcar member drove 5,295 miles per year before joining the service and now drives just 369 miles annually. “If you bought 500 pounds of candy you would be more likely to eat more of it than if you had to buy one pound, 500 times,” says president and CEO Scott Griffith. “The same sort of effect happens with car sharing.”

And car sharers are lining up to drive less. For the past two years, membership has grown 100 percent annually, and revenue, $15 million in 2005, is expected to double this year. 

NYC Audubon at a Glance

NYC Audubon champions nature in the city’s five boroughs through a combination of engaging and entertaining programs, and innovative conservation campaigns. Through its efforts, NYC Audubon saves and protects over 350 species of birds that live in the 12,000 acres of vast and diverse wetlands, forests and grasslands of New York City.

Mission
NYC Audubon is a grassroots community that works for the protection of wild birds and habitat in the five boroughs, improving the quality of life for all New Yorkers.

Vision
NYC Audubon envisions a day when birds and people in the five boroughs enjoy a healthy, liveable habitat.

Community
NYC Audubon has a diverse grassroots community of 10,000 members, volunteers and donors who have a passion for nature and wildlife, and a strong desire and drive to protect nature for generations to come. Through this community, NYC Audubon carries out chapter programs and projects.

NYC Audubon has an energetic and active group of volunteers who support the organization, its mission and the city in which they live. NYC Audubon is continually looking for new volunteers with various careers and skills to join their growing and diverse team. Volunteer assignments are intentionally flexible to support the demands of the hectic schedules of New York City residents.

Members are the crux of the advocacy programs initiated and supported by NYC Audubon. These individuals drive causes that protect the bird life in New York City. Members are also given access to a range of programs, classes and lectures in and around the five boroughs.

Donors consist of corporations, individuals and endowments that make the NYC Audubon mission possible. Each year, the NYC Audubon holds its annual Fall Roost benefit at which local leaders are honored for their commitment to protect New York City’s bird life. Recent honorees have included Mary Tyler Moore and Elliott Spitzer.

NYC Audubon is continually looking for new donors to expand its conservation programs and offer additional educational series to New York City schools and community organizations.

Programs
NYC Audubon is a leader in conservation and protection of New York City’s bird population. NYC Audubon initiates and supports legislation and programs to protect birds – such as Lights Out New York and the Harbor Herons Project.  NYC Audubon also offers classes and seminars about the city’s bird population, and leads outdoor tours and excursions to experience New York City’s bird life first hand. Programs are available for and geared toward children, young adults and adults.
Volunteer Opportunities
NYC Audubon has a wide range of volunteer opportunities available. No experience is required; we will provide all necessary training for field work (except as noted). If you have any questions or would like to volunteer, contact Erik Karff at ekarff@nycaudubon.org or 212-691-7483.

Case Study
As an example of the NYC Audubon’s grassroots advocacy programs, consider the story of Pale Male and Lola, a pair of red tail hawks that took residence on top of a building on the east side of Central Park. The Board of the building removed a nest made by Pale Male and Lola due to complaints from some of the tenants.

NYC Audubon immediately took action to protect New York City’s bird life and allow the hawks to nest again in the same location. NYC Audubon coordinated and energized conservation, political and community groups within New York City. NYC Audubon encouraged residents to write letters, calmly protest against these actions, and help spread the word. NYC Audubon worked not only with those opposed to the removal of the nest but also with the parties supporting it, including the management of the building.

As a direct result of NYC Audubon’s efforts, the hawks were allowed to nest on the building. In a few weeks, they returned to build another nest. These events gained widespread media attention with press coverage in publications that included Vanity Fair, The New York Times, ABC’s “Good Morning America” and NBC’s “Nightly News with Brian Williams.”