GrowNYC presents New Green City
Wednesday, September 29, 10am-6pm
Union Square Park, South Plaza
E. 14th St. – E.17th St b/t Broadway & 4th Ave
Following the success of 2009’s Green Brooklyn...Green City, GrowNYC is bringing the festivities to Union Square. This year's event will feature interactive exhibits, DIY tutorials and multi-media art exhibits. Also happening will be a special one-day textiles collection (weekly collections are at the Union Square Greenmarket Saturdays and Mondays ONLY) and the usual compost collection hosted by the LES Ecology Center, a feature of every market day at Union Square.

Recycling Poster Series
This month’s poster provides tips to reduce unwanted mail. Simply download, print and display on your bulletin board, elevator, recycling room or other common areas in your apartment building. Don’t forget to recycle unwanted paper items that do end up in your mailbox!

Recycling Day Changes in Parts of Manhattan
Noticed your recycling going out on a different day lately? Recycling collection days have changed in some Manhattan neighborhoods, including Harlem, Washington Heights and Inwood. Get more information from the Department of Sanitation’s website or call 311.

Recycling Inspired Improv Comedy Show
Monday, August 9, 9:30pm
People’s Improv Theatre, 154 W 29th St
Join GrowNYC at Amphibian Stunt Tank, a fully improvised performance featuring one actor, Matt Higgins (Centralia, Burn Manhattan, Shock of the Funny) coached by Matt Mitler (Dzieci), and one musician, Stuart Bogie (FELA! Antibalas, Superhuman Happiness, TV On The Radio, and many more). Participate in our interactive recycling demo before the show, and then watch as everyday NYC discards and audience suggestions inspire a spontaneous comic trip. Amphibian Stunt Tank will benefit Haiti Clinic. Click here to buy tickets.

Compost Bin Ribbon Cutting
Sunday, August 15, 11am-12pm
Inwood Hill Park Nature Center, W218th St & Indian Road
Come celebrate the Inwood Hill Community Compost Initiative’s expanded compost system. Learn about this community program and stay for fun activities at the Nature Center, located in Inwood Hill Park. Bring something to compost and take home finished compost while supplies last! Refreshments provided by Indian Road Café. Directions: enter park at W218 St and Indian Road, follow the paved access road and enter the compost site just past the wigwam on your left. Questions? Call 212-304-3401.

Clothing Stop ‘N’ Swap at Astoria Water Walk
Sunday, August 15, 1pm-4pm
Shore Blvd. in Astoria Park (next to Astoria Pool)
Our regular Stop ‘N’ Swap is on hiatus during the summer, but GrowNYC is coordinating a special clothing-only swap as part of the Astoria Water Walk (Day 3 only). Bring any clean clothing, shoes, hats, bags, belts, socks, scarves and ties and help yourself to some gently used threads. Directions: Take the “DITMARS BLVD-ASTORIA” bound N/Q train to the Astoria Blvd. Station. Walk Northwest approximately ½ mile on Hoyt Ave. North to Astoria Park and Shore Blvd.

Electronic and Textiles Recycling Event
Saturday, August 21, 10am-3pm
North side of LaSalle (south of 125th St) b/t Broadway & Amsterdam
Bring your unwanted electronics and textiles to West Harlem/Morningside Heights. Recycle computers, laptops, monitors, printers, fax machines, PDAs, cameras, phones, cables, cellphones, radios, calculators, tape players, DVD players and VCRs. NO TELEVISIONS ACCEPTED. There is a $5 per electronic item charge to help cover recycling expenses. Bring clean and dry textiles like clothing, shoes, towels, sheets, scarves, hats, bags and belts for reuse or recycling (no charge). This event is sponsored by Morningside Gardens Community Relations Comm. & The Morningside Heights West Harlem Sanitation Coalition. For more information contact Joan at 212 666-6157 or jslevine100@msn.com

Million Pound Battery Challenge
In an effort to raise awareness the Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation is challenging Americans to clean out junk drawers and recycle one million pounds of rechargeable batteries by October 1. Rechargeable batteries, such as those used in cell phones and cordless drills are prohibited from household trash in NYC and must be recycled. NYC stores must recycle the same type of rechargeable batteries that they sell. Cell phones and their batteries can be returned to any store that sells these devices. Click here to find a retail collection box near you or visit one of these select Greenmarkets. Visit www.RBRC.org to get a free bin for your apartment building. Note: this program does not include regular alkaline batteries, which can be dropped off at the NYC Department of Sanitation’s Special Waste Drop-Off Sites.

Find us in your neighborhood!
OROE will have tables set up at the following events. Stop by and get answers to your recycling questions!

• BRONX: Saturday, August 7, 11am-6pm - Summer Fest at the Oval, Metropolitan Oval in Parkchester (intersection of Unionport Rd & Metropolitan Ave)
• QUEENS: Saturday, August 7, 11am-7pm - Jamaica Jams Annual Street Fair, Jamaica Avenue from Parsons Blvd. to 169th Streets
• STATEN ISLAND: Saturday & Sunday, August 14 & 15, 12pm-5pm – Back to the Beach Festival, Midland Beach

GrowNYC's OFFICE OF RECYCLING OUTREACH & EDUCATION (OROE) works to improve the City's recycling rate by educating residents about recycling and waste prevention, and working with landlords to make sure building recycling programs are adequate. Our free services include apartment building recycling audits, trainings for tenants and supers, community events centered on education and special collection programs for textiles, electronics, and compost. OROE's current intensive efforts target one-quarter of New York City's residents. Our five borough-wide coordinators work on a community-by-community basis to identify and address the specific challenges to recycling within a Community District. For more information visit www.grownyc.org or call 212-788-7964.