In celebration of Green in BKLYN’s first birthday (& Earth Day) we’re offering a discount on the entire line of Pangea Organics, my favorite skin care products…

For the whole month of April, Pangea Organics products are all 25% off.

That includes facial cleanser, scrub & toner, soaps, masks & eye creams!  A veritable cornucopia of treasures.

AND from now through Earth Day, anyone who purchases $50 or more in Pangea products, will get a free sample of Turkish Rose & White Tea Eye Cream (an amazing product & a $20 value).

Pangea Organics are always:

• nurturing
• organic & fair trade
• handcrafted
• cruelty-free

And never use:

• petroleum-based ingredients
• sulfates or detergents
• synthetic preservatives
• artificial colors or fragrance

If you love ’em already or haven’t tried ’em yet, it’s a great time to celebrate your natural (& organic) beauty! As well as Earth Day & Green in BKLYN’s very first anniversary!

PS – Their boxes are plantable!  Put them in dirt & the seeds embedded in them grow into plants.  Way earthy & way green!

We’ve been so busy being busy & having a blast, that time has flown by…. And here we are, a year later celebrating Green in BKLYN’s first anniversary & Earth Day’s 40th (on Earth Day, of course).  Sounds like a party’s in order!  And so, this Thursday, April 22, we invite you to Green in BKLYN’s B-Earth Day party.

Below is the schedule of events with a little something for everyone… Please join us for some or all of the day!

B-EARTH DAY 2010 – Thursday, April 22

11:30am – 1:00pm:

Brooklyn author, Leda Meredith, signs her book: The Locavore Handbook: The Busy Person’s Guide to Eating Local on a Budget.

With practical, down-to-earth advice, Leda’s book guides folks through the process of incorporating locally grown foods into their meals including information on budgeting; shopping efficiently; sourcing, growing & preserving food; & supporting local merchants as well as our lovely planet Earth.

1:30pm – 3:00pm:

Clinton Hill-based Vandra Thorburn answers questions & speaks about EM Bokashi Composting.

Vandra is the founder & pioneer of Vokashi, a new local business providing buckets & bran to households, small businesses & catering companies for EM Bokashi composting. The system has no smell, no bugs or flies & is easy to manage in your kitchen. Plus, it works months faster than traditional composting.

3:30pm – 5:00pm:

Brooklyn artist, Claudia Pearson, signs her children’s book: Tribal Alphabet.

Claudia’s debut creation for children features extraordinary illustrations that come alive to celebrate the diversity of tribal communities & the world’s indigenous heritages. A is for Australian Aborigine, B is for Basque, C is for Cherokee are some of the names of the different tribes from all over the world that go alphabetically from page to page all the way to Z is for Zulu.

5:30pm – 7:00pm:

Green in BKLYN hosts its own First Birthday with an Organic Wine Reception.

Organic wine in a recycled cardboard box. It doesn’t get much more eco-friendly or tasty than that! If you were here opening day, you’ll remember Gnarly Vines provided us with great grape then & they’ll be doing it again this year. Enjoy!

This Saturday & Sunday (April 17 & 18) from 10AM-3PM at Putnam Triangle in Clinton Hill (Fulton St. & Grand Ave.) they’re giving away 200 free trees!

Green Fort Greene & Clinton Hill with the FAB Alliance in partnership with New York Restoration Project & MillionTreesNYC & through the generous support of Bloomberg Philanthropies & David Rockefeller present…

All you need is a place to plant & access to water.  The tree giver outers wil give you advice & lend a shovel.  And trees will be available to individuals, families & community groups for planting on private property only on a first-come, first-serve basis until supplies run out.  Simple tree planting & care instructions come with your free tree.

If you’d like to volunteer, email volunteer@greenfgch.org.  For more info, email tree@grenfgch.com, visit milliontreesnyc.org or call 311.

As many of you know, Green in BKLYN’s intern, Cristina Valentin, often writes a blog for the shop.  Well, everyone, she’s back again.  This time with a little history about Green in BKLYN’s favorite celebration…  Earth Day!

On April 22, 2010, Green in BKLYN will celebrate its one year anniversary.  And, not coincidently, the date also marks the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day.

Earth Day was founded in 1970 by Senator Gaylord Nelson as a teach-in on environmental issues that were distressing many Americans.  Across the United States, 2000 colleges & universities as well as 10,000 primary & secondary schools rallied in the name of forest conservation & less dependency on oils & fossil fuels.  President Jimmy Carter, a proud supporter, placed solar panels on the White House during his term (which were later removed by President Ronald Regan).   From that day  in 1970 & onward, the modern day environmental movement had its light & the attention it so strongly deserved.

The celebration of Earth Day spread around the world with some countries celebrating Earth Week (starting on April 16th & ending on Earth Day).  In addition, much has changed because of this day.  Legislation has been enacted that recognizes environmental issues.  Bills have passed, such as the Clean Air Act, that protect the earth.  And, the United States Environmental Protection Agency has been formed.

And now, with greater strides in science, we live much greener & environmentally friendly lives.  But there is still much more work to be done.

So, in the spirit & tradition of Earth Day, make a difference – anything from changing your light bulb to a CFL or to hosting a rally at a City Hall – & celebrate the change we can make!

Written by Cristina Valentin

At Green in BKLYN, we collect & recycle clean #5 plastics & batteries (5 cents/battery for shipping).

In addition, our blogs include lots of recycling info (just type “recycle” or “recycling” in our Search area for all kinds of info).

And we share info on e-waste recycling events, whenever possible…

This month, in celebration of Earth Day (4/22) there’s a veritable smorgasbord of e-waste recycling options.  Courtesy of the Lower East Side Ecology Center, we offer “The List”.  Reduce, reuse, recycle y’all!

The Ecology Center is holding seven electronic waste (“e-waste”) collections to responsibly recycle unwanted or broken electronics from New York City residents (no business waste).  All you have to do is bring your e-waste to the collection event – rain or shine!

For a list of acceptable materials, click here.  Just remember, no home appliances such as microwaves or refrigerators.

LOCATIONS & DATES:
Union Square (Union Sq. Park North Plaza btw 17th St & Bway)
Sunday, March 28, 10am-4pm

Roosevelt Island (Good Sheperd Plaza @ 543 Main St)
Saturday, April 03, 10am-4pm

Midtown Manhattan (Tekserve – 119 W 23rd St btw 6 & 7 Ave)
Saturday, April 10, 10am-4pm

Jackson Heights, Queens (Travers Park – 78th St btw N Blvd & 34th Ave)
Sunday, April 11, 10am-4pm

Fort Greene, Brooklyn (Habana Outpost – South Portland Ave & Fulton St)
Saturday, April 17, 10am-4pm

West Harlem (Morningside Park – Morningside Ave btw 113th & 114th St)
Sunday, April 18, 10am-4pm

Cobble Hill, Brooklyn (PS 29 School Yard – Baltic St btw Henry & Clinton St)
Sunday, April 25, 10am-4pm

Recently I received an email from Sarah, at myearthhour.org.  She reminded me that Earth Hour was on March 27th this year.  And asked me to remind Green in BKLYN’s customers & blog readers.

What is Earth Hour & when is it?  Let me let their website explain…

1. What is Earth Hour?

• Earth Hour is World Wildlife Fund’s global initiative where individuals, schools, organizations, businesses and governments turn off their lights for one hour to cast a vote in favor of action on climate change. By voting with their light switches, Earth Hour participants send a powerful, visual message demanding action on climate change.

• Earth Hour is the largest climate event in history. In 2009, more than 4,000 cities in 87 countries went dark. Here in the United States, and estimated 80 million Americans participated, along with 318 cities and 8 US states.

• Participants in this movement are encouraged invite friends and family to take action, and incorporate ideas and solutions for combating climate change into their daily lives.

2. When is the next Earth Hour?
Earth Hour will take place on Saturday, March 27th at 8:30 p.m. local time.

3. What is in store for Earth Hour 2010?
On Saturday, March 27th 2010 at 8:30 p.m. hundreds of millions of people around the world will turn off their lights for one hour, symbolically calling for action on climate change. In the United States, WWF is looking for continued support from the hundreds of local governments, communities and business, as well as the tens of millions of Americans who voted with their light switch during Earth Hour 09.

4. What happened during Earth Hour in 2009?

• In 2009, hundreds of millions of people in more than 4,000 cities in 87 countries on seven continents participated. In the U.S., 80 million Americans, 318 cities and eight states officially turned off their lights for Earth Hour including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City and San Francisco.

• They were joined by iconic landmarks from around the world including the Las Vegas Strip, NY’s Brooklyn Bridge, the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, UN headquarters, and Broadway theater marquees, Golden Gate Bridge, Seattle’s Space Needle, Church of Latter-Day Saints Temple in Salt Lake City, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Sears Tower, the National Cathedral in Washington D.C., Thomas Edison’s New Jersey laboratory (the birthplace of the light bulb), the Great Pyramids of Giza, the Acropolis and Parthenon in Athens, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Big Ben and Houses of Parliament in London, Paris’ Elysee Palace and Eiffel Tower, Beijing’s Birds Nest and Water Cube, Symphony of Lights in Hong Kong, Sydney’s Opera House and Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro.

• Oscar nominated actor Edward Norton Jr. was the official ambassador for Earth Hour 2009 with support from Nobel Prize Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu, actresses Janeane Garofalo and Jennette McCurdy, fashionistas Stacy London and Clinton Kelly, as well as musicians Linkin Park, Alanis Morissette, Coldplay, Jo Dee Messina, Big Kenny (Big & Rich), Gavin DeGraw, KT Tunstall, Mary Mary, Dierks Bently, Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Lady Antebellum, SHeDAISY, Finger Eleven, Simple Plan, Justin Nozuka, The Veronicas and Rise Against.

5. How can I encourage friends and family to join the fight against climate change?
Through www.EarthHour.org we’ve made it easy for you to invite your friends and family to join in the fight against climate change.

Join us joining millions others on March 27th at 8:30pm – Earth Hour 2010!

For those of you who’ve been in the shop or simply passed by our windows, you’re probably already familiar with the Fobots….

Fobots are “found object robots” made by my dear friend, and very accomplished artist, Amy Flynn.

You may have seen the ‘bots in an Anthropologie catalog or on Ugly Betty (3/10/10).  Other than Green in BKLYN, you’d have to be in a small shop in Raleigh NC to lay hands or eyes on the sweet ‘bots.  But I digress…

Amy’s whimsical Fobots are made with all kinds of recycled bits: antique tins, watch parts, old pool balls & all manner of plumbing pieces.  And are named according to their hardware & her whim.

For instance, at Green in BKLYN, Mr. October has a baseball head.  Robama has big ears, holds the word HOPE & has a half & half tin for a body.  We also have Prance-O-Matic, Bro-bot & Dougie Goes Walkies (Dougie’s the dog half of a boy & dog duo).

Basically, the Fobots are fabulous, Amy’s story is intriguing & you can read more about it at the News Observer.  Or, simply stop in at Green in BKLYN & visit the ‘bots yourself…

It’s been a busy week in all kinds of ways… new products, various events & tons of press.

On Monday (3/1/10), Green in BKLYN was featured in am New York’s “Going Green Gets Easier” & this week we were added to ZTrend New York, the NYC City Shopping site.

Green in BKLYN was also included in am New York’s February 4th article on “Fort Green’e Big Revival” (p. 28).

Both of the am New York articles can be downloaded at their Archive site.

• “Going Green Gets Easier” (Monday, March 1, 2010 – page 7)
• “Fort Green’e Big Revival” (Thursday, February 4, 2010 – page 28)

Plenty, the Ultimate Guide to Life & Leisure in Clinton Hill/Ft. Greene, also posted a link to Monday’s am New York article.

Life is sweet & we are grateful! Thank you again & always to our friends, customers & supporters!  We couldn’t do what we do or be where we are without you!

Pangea Organics are some of my very favorite skin & body care products.

I use their facial cleanser & cream every day as well as their scrub, toner & body lotion when I’ve got time, need or am just in the mood.  It works great & helps me look & feel better.

This week, Pangea’s Education Coordinator – Linda Driscoll – will be stopping by Green in BKLYN.  She has all the answers regarding skin care & Pangea’s products.  And she’ll be sharing that info, answering questions & giving out goodie bags with Pangea samples in them…

So how do you get in on a visit with Linda?  See below…

• Who: Pangea’s Education Coordinator – Linda Driscoll
• What: Q&A +  Pangea Samples!
• Where: Green in BKLYN (432 Myrtle Avenue)
• When: Tuesday, March 2nd @ 5pm
• How:  Just stop by! Tell Linda, “I love Pangea Organics.”

Pangea’s mission is to make body & skincare that’s good for you & your body.  That’s why they use only plant-based ingredients that nurture you & nourish your skin. Everything they put in their stuff is in there ’cause it’s good for you.  As they say, their products are:

ALWAYS

• nurturing
• handcrafted
• organic & fair trade
• cruelty-free

NEVER

• petroleum-based ingredients
• sulfates or detergents
• synthetic preservatives
• artificial colors or fragrances

Often folks ask where they can recycle stuff…  We take clean #5 plastics (yogurt containers, Preserve plastic products & some take out containers) at Green in BKLYN.  And often print info here on the blog about local recycling collection events.

But, one of my favorite resources, the Council on the Environment of New York City, has even more recycling info on their site.  Below is their condensed version…  I suggest you visit their site & sign up for all kinds of great environmental info!  Enjoy & happy recycling…

NYC has an extensive recycling program, and there are many ways to recycle additional materials. Here are just a few resources. Check out www.NYC.gov/nycwasteless for a comprehensive collection of recycling information and resources.

Batteries

Rechargeable batteries are prohibited from household garbage and can be recycled at stores that sell batteries of that type. For more info on this law, visit www.nyc.gov/nycwasteless or call 311. Select Greenmarkets have collection bins for cell phones and rechargeable batteries or you can visit www.RBRC.org to get a bin for your building.

Single-use alkaline batteries can be recycled at Interstate Batteries on Berrian Blvd in Astoria and at the NYC Department of Sanitation’s Special Waste Drop-Off Site in your borough. (Note: Whole Foods and 3RLiving have suspended their in-store battery collections).

For more information on disposing of batteries in NYC visit NYCWasteLe$$.

Business Recycling

All businesses must recycle in NYC. Visit the NYCWasteLe$$ page dedicated to businesses, which provides tips and resources for setting up a recycling program. Looking to get rid of reusable items without loading up a landfill, or trying to save money by acquiring used goods? Check out NY WasteMatch – a free match-making service for used and surplus goods. This commercial materials exchange helps businesses save money on purchases and/or disposal, while also helping the environment.

Bicycles

Tired of your old bicycle? Donate it to Recycle a Bicycle or Time’s UP! and make someone’s day!

Building Materials

Save money on renovations by buying from and donating to NYC’s building materials reuse centers, Build It Green! and Rebuilders Source. Visit their websites to view their inventories of cabinets, doors, appliances, paint and more.

Cell Phones

Any store that sells cell phones in New York State has to take them back. You can also recycle your old phone for a cause through Collective Good, which will refurbish it for reuse if possible.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs)

Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs (CFLs) save energy and last much longer, but still require disposal eventually. These items, which contain trace amounts of mercury, are permissible in household garbage but can be recycled at several sites in the City. Get more info on light bulb recycling and CENYC’s CFL recycling pilot program at www.cenyc.org/CFL.

Compost

Why let your food scraps go to waste? Many NYC community gardens offer composting to turn your coffee grounds, vegetable trimmings and other organic waste into “black gold” to fertilize flowers, vegetables and trees. Find out where at www.nyccompost.org or drop it off at the Union Square Greenmarket with the Lower East Side Ecology Center or at the Ft. Greene Greenmarket for composting at local community gardens. Check out the Manhattan Compost Map from Green Map for more local compost resources.

Clothing & Textiles

Materials such as old clothing and linens represent 6% of NYC’s waste but are 100% recyclable at our weekly Greenmarket textile recycling collections: Fridays at 97thSt. (8a-2p); Saturdays at Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn (8a-4p), Ft Greene (8a-3p), McCarren Park (8a-2p), Inwood (8a-3p); Sundays at Tompkins Sq. (8a-2p) and Jackson Hts (8a-3p)JUL-NOV only; and Mondays & Saturdays at Union Square (8a-6p). Items in wearable condition can also find a new home through Freecycle™ New York City or local charities. Contact Wearable Collections for information on setting up a collection in your very own apartment building!

Computers & Electronics

Although they are a small portion of the waste stream by volume, computers and electronics contribute about 70% of the toxicity to landfills. There are many recycling opportunities for these items. Find upcoming collection days on our Recycling Events page, visit Take It Back NYC for info on manufacturer recycling or click here for info on free computer recycling at local Goodwill stores.

Food

Food that is still edible need not go to waste. Find a soup kitchen or food pantry near you with this handy interactive map from the NYC Coalition Against Hunger. Large volumes of canned food can be donated through the Food Bank for NYC. Contact City Harvest for information on donating large amounts of fresh, perishable and prepared foods.

Furniture

Goodwill Industries, The Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul, Housing Works, Everything Goes, Furnish-a-Future and other non-profit organizations provide good homes for old furniture. You can also look for takers through Craigslist.org and Freecycle.org

Ink Cartridges

Refilling ink cartridges reduces the amount of plastic that goes into the landfill. See Fine Star Imaging, Cartridge World, and Staples. Prepaid return labels or envelopes are available on all brands of toner and ink cartridges so you can return them for free recycling.

Junk Mail

Take your name off of mass mailing lists with the Direct Mail Marketing Association and reduce catalog waste with Catalog Choice. Opt out of offers for credit cards and insurance through the Consumer Credit Reporting Industry. Stop unsolicited telephone books with the new Yellow Pages Opt Out.

Plastic Bags & Plastic Film

They make up 7.5% of our waste, and they never degrade. The key is to reduce your use of plastic bags. If you need to recycle your “stash” you can do so at many stores around the city, thanks to a recent local law that requires recycling of plastic film such as shopping bags, dry cleaning bags and newspaper bags.

Tubs, Cups & Other Plastics

Though not collected for recycling by the city, plastic tubs such as margarine and yogurt cups can be recycled at the Park Slope Food Coop. Bring #5 containers and Brita pitcher filters to most Whole Foods locations, mail to Preserve Gimme 5, 823 NYS Rte 13, Cortland, NY 13045. Click here to find drop-off sites in NYC.  NOTE: You can drop them off at Green in BKLYN, too!

Shoe Repair & Recycling

Don’t throw them out, resole them. An artifact of the past in many cities; the shoe repair business in New York City is thriving. These shops offer great value by extending the life of good shoes. If your running shoes are worn completely, you can recycle them through the Reuse-a-Shoe program, which makes them into athletic surfaces. You can drop off any brand of rubber-soled shoes at Niketown, 6 East 57th Street (212.891.6453) or mail them to the Nike Recycling Center, c/o Reuse-A-Shoe, 26755 SW 95th Ave., Wilsonville, OR 97070.

Swaps & Exchanges

Items that are no longer useful to you can still be helpful to others. Try catch-all resources like Craigslist.org or Freecycle.org or search NYC Stuff Exchange for a wide array of reuse options. And don’t miss CENYC’s Stop N’ Swaps!

Technotrash

Recycle CDs, floppy disks, VHS tapes, etc. by purchasing a Technotrash bin from Green Disk.